Rules Committee advances Rafael Mandelmann appointment to Board of Appeals after brief public comment

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee on Tuesday advanced Board President Peskin’s appointment of Rafael Mandelmann to the Board of Appeals for the unexpired term ending 07/01/2010, moving the item forward to the full Board for consideration later the same day.

Mandelmann, who introduced himself to the committee as a San Francisco native with a background as a lawyer and a master’s degree in public policy, said he has represented public agencies and worked on land‑use and redevelopment issues. He told the panel he is active in local Democratic and LGBT politics, identifying himself as president of the Harvey Milk Club and a board member of Livable City. “I don’t come to it with preconceptions,” Mandelmann said, adding that “the most important thing that I do is to be fair.”

The nomination drew two public commenters. Arthur Evans said he had not decided whether to support the appointment and raised concerns about Mandelmann’s past advocacy for medical marijuana, saying Mandelmann had issued a ‘‘blanket condemnation’’ of federal raids without acknowledging that some operators had engaged in money‑laundering and other criminal activity. Evans asked Mandelmann to affirm he would act like a judge on the quasi‑judicial Board of Appeals and fairly consider neighbors, law enforcement and applicants. “He would be a fair minded, objective person who would take a large perspective on the issues that come before him and not act as a narrow advocate,” Evans said.

Michael Goldstein spoke in favor of the appointment, saying he has followed the Board of Appeals and that Mandelmann’s land‑use experience would suit the commission’s quasi‑adjudicative responsibilities.

After the public comments, Mandelmann reiterated his commitment to fairness and to applying facts and the law. Supervisor Tom Ammiano moved to ‘‘revise the committee report’’ and forward the item; the chair accepted the motion without objection and the committee set the appointment for a later hearing on the Board’s agenda.

The committee did not take a final vote to confirm the appointment at the special meeting; the nomination was forwarded as a committee report to be considered by the full Board later the same day.