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Budget committee advances planning refund ordinance to full board, continues two fee ordinances
Summary
The committee voted to send an ordinance limiting planning‑fee refunds for affordable units to the full Board while continuing two related fee ordinances to allow further technical amendments and public notice. Planning staff said the refund change would save about $150,000 and align with building permit practice.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Budget & Finance Committee on Tuesday voted to move an ordinance that narrows planning‑fee refunds for projects with on‑site below‑market‑rate units to the full Board, while continuing two companion ordinances on planning fees and administrative fee adjustments for further consideration.
Planning Department staff told the committee the primary ordinance would limit refunds so they apply only to the proportional share of a project’s below‑market‑rate units and only to projects filed on or after June 18, 2001. Elaine Forbes summarized the Planning Commission’s recommendation and told members the change is intended to remove what the commission described as an unintended general‑fund subsidy; the department estimates the change will save about $150,000 and has been included in FY2009 budget assumptions.
The committee also reviewed two related items that would update planning fees across the board by 1.63% to reflect rising labor costs, adjust appeal and review fees, and add or increase charges for historic‑resource termination and area‑plan production. Planning staff sought several technical amendments aimed at protecting small projects, including lowering a certificate‑of‑appropriateness fee for very small projects and changing the Mills Act subsidy treatment. The commission estimated those fee changes would generate roughly $753,000 in additional revenue to the department.
Supervisors adopted the technical amendments that had been placed on their desks and closed public comment after none was offered. Because of the 10‑day public‑notice requirement for fee changes, the committee agreed to continue the two fee ordinances to a July meeting to ensure advertising deadlines can be met. Item 1 (the refund ordinance) was moved to the full Board with a full recommendation (moved by Supervisor Sean Ellsberg and seconded by Supervisor Carmen Chu).
What’s next: Item 1 will be taken up by the full Board; the committee will revisit items 2 and 3 after the July continuance and the required advertising period.
