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Supervisors’ committee forwards ordinance to lower café table-and-chair permit fees after debate over enforcement and $300,000 revenue hit
Summary
Supervisor Carmen Chu introduced an ordinance to lower café table-and-chair permit fees and expand online renewals; the committee heard that the change could reduce revenue by about $300,000 but was told DPW expects efficiencies and compliance gains; the item was forwarded to the full Board with recommendation.
The San Francisco Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday forwarded to the full Board an ordinance amending Public Works Code section 2.1.1 to change café table-and-chair permit fees and make environmental findings, after a discussion that balanced expected efficiencies against a projected revenue loss.
Supervisor Carmen Chu, the ordinance sponsor, said the proposal would reduce the flat administrative fee (currently described in the hearing as $134 plus inspection fees of about $7.28) to a lower flat-rate range and change inspection-fee calculations, and that the Department of Public Works planned online renewals and adjusted inspection scheduling to cut processing time for small businesses. Chu noted about 71% of permits cover spaces smaller than 100 square feet.
A committee member identified in the transcript as “Romiano” said he supported the concept but flagged a projected revenue loss of about $300,000 and asked for a roadmap explaining how the department would absorb that shortfall and report back on implementation. Barbara Moye of the Department of Public Works said the department expects efficiencies from improved tracking and reporting systems, that the fee structure is intended to "reward compliance" rather than punish compliant businesses, and that the changes should reduce enforcement time and the need for repeated inspections.
In public comment Richard Robinson praised the ordinance’s potential benefit to restaurants and urged that menu-labeling legislation introduced by Supervisor Tom Ammiano also require trans-fat listing, saying trans fats should be listed along with saturated fats on menus.
With no further public comment the committee forwarded the ordinance to the full Board with a recommendation. The transcript records no formal vote tally in committee.
