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Committee amends and advances PDR/arts preservation initiative; continues measure for further review
Summary
Supervisor Jane Kim presented a planning‑code initiative to require conditional use authorization and replacement of PDR, institutional and arts/community space; the committee adopted multiple amendments, agreed on exemptions (including for 100% affordable projects and certain approved projects), adopted a grandfathering exemption for projects with environmental evaluations submitted by 06/14/2016, and continued the item for a special Rules Committee meeting.
Supervisor Jane Kim told the Special Rules Committee the proposed ordinance would require conditional‑use review and replacement when production, distribution and repair (PDR), institutional, community or arts‑activity space is converted. Kim said the measure aims to preserve workspace and community uses as the city grows and to offer developers a clear set of replacement rules.
Kim proposed a package of amendments during the hearing: grammatical corrections, adding the Mission neighborhood to statements of impact, aligning the conditional‑use and replacement requirements so they apply to the same plan areas, exempting Port and Recreation and Park parcels and redevelopment plan areas in effect on 07/01/2016, grandfathering projects that had submitted environmental evaluation applications by 06/14/2016, adding an option for future Board adoption of an in‑lieu fee or off‑site replacement via ordinance, and exempting 100 percent‑affordable housing projects from both conditional‑use and replacement requirements.
Supporters said the measure responds to widespread loss of production and artistic workspace. Speaker Kate Sofos of SFMADE and multiple artists told the committee they had lost studio and manufacturing space and urged protections and flexibility, including an in‑lieu fee or off‑site replacement option for projects where on‑site replacement is infeasible. The Northern California Grantmakers Association statistic that two‑thirds of area nonprofits face potential displacement was cited in public comment.
Some supervisors raised process and analysis concerns. Supervisor Malia Cohen and others asked for clearer justification for the proposed replacement ratios and the impacts on projects in the pipeline. Supervisor Cohen urged more robust community consultation and suggested legislative (interim control) options rather than solely a ballot initiative.
The committee adopted numerous technical and substantive amendments largely by voice vote or "without objection," approved a roll‑call grandfathering amendment exempting projects with environmental evaluations filed by 06/14/2016 (recorded roll call showed Supervisor Marr opposed while others voted to adopt), and agreed to continue the item to a special Rules Committee meeting for further work. Kim and stakeholders said they are open to future ordinance work to refine replacement ratios and potential historic‑building exemptions.
Next steps: the committee continued Item 4 to a special Rules Committee meeting (scheduled the following Monday) to allow further amendments and analysis before final committee recommendation to the full Board.
