Legislation

The ordinance amends the Health Code to simplify the permit application process for massage establishments by exempting certain applicants from fingerprinting and reducing notification and inspection requirements for new permits and ownership changes. It also establishes penalties for solicitation of lewd conduct by massage practitioners and clarifies enforcement measures for violations.

Ordinance amending the Health Code to exempt applicants for Massage Establishment, Sole Practitioner Massage Establishment, and Outcall Massage Service permits from fingerprinting requirements if the applicant holds a valid license issued by the California Massage Therapy Council; remove certain departments (Building Inspection, Police, Fire) from the list of departments that the Department of Public Health (DPH) must notify regarding new Massage Establishment permit applications, and remove all notification requirements to departments in cases of change in ownership of Massage Establishments or Sole Practitioner Massage Establishments; remove the requirement that departments receiving notice of new Massage Establishment permit applications conduct inspections with written findings of the applying massage establishment; allow Massage Establishments to install an exterior door keyless lock system upon prior DPH approval and upon providing DPH with a valid and up-to-date access code; remove from the Health Code the inoperative local application process for new Massage Practitioner permits; include solicitation of lewd conduct or prostitution by Massage Practitioners as conduct subject to penalty under this Article; and clarify that violations of certain sections of the Health Code regulating Massage Practitioners are also subject to enforcement as public nuisances.

This ordinance eliminates permit fees for Curbside Shared Spaces permits approved before June 30, 2024, and raises the gross receipts threshold for fee reductions from $2 million to $2.5 million. It also confirms compliance with environmental regulations as determined by the Planning Department.

Ordinance amending the Public Works Code to eliminate permit fees for a Curbside Shared Spaces permit approved before June 30, 2024; amending the Administrative Code to increase the gross receipts threshold from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 for reductions to annual Curbside Shared Spaces permit and license fees; and affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The ordinance updates zoning regulations in various districts to allow for more diverse commercial activities, including arts, entertainment, and social services, while also ensuring a mix of commercial space sizes in large developments. It also establishes requirements for nighttime entertainment and compliance with good neighbor policies to address community concerns.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to update and reorganize Neighborhood Commercial and Mixed Use Zoning District controls, including, among other things, to 1) permit Accessory Arts Activities, and production, wholesaling, and processing of goods and commodities, to occupy more than one-third of total space in Commercial (C), Downtown Residential (DTR), Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use, Mission Bay, and Residential-Commercial (RC) Districts; 2) principally permit Arts Activities, Job Training, Public Facility, and Social Service and Philanthropic Facility uses in the Folsom Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit (NCT), SoMa NCT, Regional Commercial, and certain Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts, and in historic and nonconforming commercial buildings in Residential Enclave Districts; 3) principally permit General Entertainment in the Folsom Street NCT District; 4) principally permit Bar uses on the second floor in the Folsom Street NCT and Regional Commercial Districts; 5) principally permit Nighttime Entertainment on properties fronting Folsom Street between 7th Street and Division Street and properties fronting 11th Street between Howard Street and Division Street unless they are zoned Residential Enclave District (RED) or Residential Enclave District - Mixed (RED-MX); 6) principally permit Job Training, Public Facility, and Social Service and Philanthropic Facility Uses in the SoMa NCT District and certain Eastern Neighborhoods Districts; 7) require that large developments in South of Market Mixed Use Districts which contain commercial spaces provide a mix of commercial space sizes; 8) require that all Nighttime Entertainment uses comply with the Entertainment Commission’s good neighbor policies; and 9) remove certain limitations on location for Nighttime Entertainment and Animal Services uses in the Western SoMa Special Use District; and adopting environmental findings, findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare under Planning Code, Section 302, and findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1.

The ordinance allows certain existing gates, railings, and grillwork at non-residential properties to be exempt from transparency requirements, particularly for cannabis retail businesses for three years, provided they install artwork on new exempt structures. It also reduces the transparency requirement for these features in various commercial districts from 75% to 20% open to view, with added fire safety measures.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to exempt certain existing gates, railings, and grillwork at Non-Residential uses from transparency requirements, subject to the provisions for noncomplying structures, and exempt Cannabis Retail uses from transparency requirements for gates, railings, and grillwork for a three-year period, provided the Cannabis use installs artwork on any new exempt gates, and require removal of gates, railings, and grillwork installed pursuant to that exemption when a Cannabis Retail use’s business permit becomes invalid or the business ceases to operate, and change the transparency requirement for gates, railings, and grillwork in Neighborhood Commercial Districts, Commercial Districts, Residential-Commercial Districts, and Mixed Use Districts from 75% to 20% open to perpendicular view with additional requirements for fire safety; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; and making findings of consistency with the General Plan and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1, and public necessity, convenience, and welfare findings pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.

This ordinance changes the Building Code to clarify how site permit applications are processed and limits the Building Official's review scope. It also mandates that multiple city departments review these applications at the same time when submitted electronically.

Ordinance amending the Building Code to outline the site permit application process, and define and limit the scope of Building Official review of site permits; requiring simultaneous interdepartmental review of electronically submitted applications for site permits; and affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act.

This resolution allows Qualia Entertainment Inc. to obtain a liquor license for their music venue, Arena SF, at 2565 Mission Street, as it is deemed beneficial for the community. It also requests that the state impose specific conditions on the license to ensure responsible operation.

Resolution determining that the issuance of a Type-90 on-sale general music venue liquor license to Qualia Entertainment Inc., to do business as Arena SF located at 2565 Mission Street (District 9), will serve the public convenience or necessity of the City and County of San Francisco, in accordance with California Business and Professions Code, Section 23958.4; and requesting that the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control impose conditions on the issuance of the license.

This resolution allows San Francisco International Airport to issue up to $6.06 billion in refunding revenue bonds to refinance existing debt and up to $60.5 million for fuel storage facilities, among other financial measures. It also approves various financial arrangements, including lines of credit and loans, to support the airport's capital projects and operations.

Resolution approving the issuance of not to exceed $6,060,195,000 aggregate principal amount of San Francisco International Airport Second Series Refunding Revenue Bonds to refinance Bonds and Subordinate Bonds; approving the issuance of not to exceed $60,525,000 aggregate principal amount of San Francisco International Airport Special Facilities Bonds to refund bonds issued to finance fuel storage and delivery facilities; approving the issuance of not to exceed $262,530,000 aggregate principal amount of San Francisco International Airport Special Facilities Bonds to refund bonds issued to finance the Airport Hotel; approving revolving lines of credit and term loans in an available principal amount, together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Subordinate Bonds issued as Commercial Paper Notes, not to exceed $600,000,000; approving the purchase of Bonds or Subordinate Bonds by the Airport; approving the maximum interest rates, maturity dates and number of issues of such Capital Plan Bonds, Refunding Bonds, Subordinate Bonds and Special Facilities Bonds; approving certain Resolutions of the Airport Commission; and approving certain other related matters, as defined herein.

This resolution approves a settlement of $240,280.15 to Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay for unpaid State Unemployment Insurance charges. It includes a mutual release where both parties will cover their own costs.

Resolution approving the settlement of the unlitigated claim filed by Goodwill of the San Francisco Bay against the City and County of San Francisco for $240,280.15; the claim was filed on September 23, 2022; the claim involves allegations of unpaid State Unemployment Insurance charges; other material terms of the settlement include a mutual full and final release, with each party to bear their own costs.

This ordinance allows health services to operate on the ground floor in certain areas of the Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District and restricts tobacco paraphernalia establishments in that area. It also requires conditional use authorization for such establishments in the Haight Street Neighborhood Commercial District and clarifies that cannabis retail does not fall under the tobacco paraphernalia category.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to permit Health Services uses on the ground floor for specified areas of the Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District (NCD), to clarify that in the Polk Street NCD and within a quarter-mile of its boundaries Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments where any Tobacco Paraphernalia is sold, delivered, distributed, furnished, or marketed are not permitted, to clarify that in the Haight Street NCD such Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments require conditional use authorization, and to clarify that Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments do not include medicinal and adult-use cannabis retail uses; and affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act, making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of the Planning Code, Section 101.1, and making findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare pursuant to the Planning Code, Section 302.

The ordinance allows for the conversion of non-residential spaces to residential use in Downtown San Francisco, streamlining various requirements and permitting new commercial uses to help revitalize the area. It also simplifies sign permitting and historic preservation reviews, while increasing flexibility for large projects and adaptive reuse of buildings.

Ordinance amending the Planning Code to 1) facilitate residential uses Downtown by authorizing the conversion of non-residential uses to residential use in C (Commercial) zoning districts, and exempting such projects from requirements for rear yard, open space, streetscape improvements, dwelling unit exposure, bike parking, transportation demand management, dwelling unit mix, and Intermediate Length Occupancy controls, permitting live work units in such projects, streamlining administrative approvals for projects in the C-3 zoning district, and modifying the dimensional limits on exemptions to height restrictions for mechanical equipment, elevator, stair, and mechanical penthouses; 2) economically revitalize Downtown by adding Flexible Workspace as a defined use, authorizing large scale retail uses in the C-3 zoning district, allowing window displays in the C-3 zoning district, allowing Flexible Workspace as an active ground floor commercial use along certain street frontages in C-3 zoning districts, allowing accessory storage in any C zoning district, allowing the temporary installation for 60 days of certain signs in the C-3-R district, allowing temporary non-residential uses in vacant spaces for up to one year, including formula retail, reducing density limits for Residential Dwelling Units and Senior Housing in the C-2 zoning districts east of or fronting Franklin Street/13th Street and north of Townsend Street, principally permitting Laboratory, Life Science, Agricultural and Beverage Processing, and Animal Hospitals in C-2 zoning districts, principally permitting Senior Housing, Residential Care Facilities, Outdoor Entertainment, Open Recreation Areas, Animal Hospitals, and Trade Schools in the C-3 zoning district, allowing formula retail as a ground floor use on Market Street, principally permitting office and design professional uses on the second floor and higher in the C-3-R zoning district, and requiring consideration of office vacancy in consideration of granting exceptions in the Transit Center Commercial Special Use District; 3) streamline sign permitting citywide and in the C-3 districts by allowing for the repair and rehabilitation of certain neon signs, and exempting existing business signs in the C-3 zoning district from certain zoning controls; 4) streamline Historic Preservation review of administrative certificates of appropriateness, and minor permits to alter for awnings, and Qualifying Scopes of Work, as may be delegated by the Historic Preservation Commission; 5) increase threshold for large projects subject to commercial to residential ratios in the C-3-O district, and provide alternatives to on-site open space in certain C-3 districts by allowing for payment of an in lieu fee as an alternative to providing open space; 6) facilitate residential adaptive reuse by amending the Building Code to add standards for adaptive reuse of non-residential buildings; and 7) principally permit formula retail and waive size limitations for such uses on a portion of Showplace Square Area (555-9th Street, Assessor’s Parcel Block No. 3781, Lot No. 003); affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1; and making findings of public necessity, convenience, and welfare pursuant to Planning Code, Section 302.

This ordinance extends the temporary suspension of business registration and fee requirements for transportation network company drivers and taxi drivers until the end of Fiscal Year 2027-2028. It aims to provide financial relief to these drivers during this period.

Ordinance amending the Business and Tax Regulations Code to extend through Fiscal Year 2027-2028 the temporary suspension of the application of the business registration and fee requirements to transportation network company drivers and taxi drivers.

The hearing will evaluate how the $120 million allocated to the Dream Keepers Initiative has been spent and identify additional needs the initiative can address. Various city departments, including the Human Rights Commission and the Department of Public Health, have been asked to provide reports on this matter.

Hearing on the resources allocated for the Dream Keepers Initiative, specifically on which programs have been funded by the allocated $120,000,000 and assessing other needs that the Dream Keepers Initiative can support; requesting the Human Rights Commission, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development, Department of Children Youth and their Families, Arts Commission, Department of Public Health, Office of Early Care and Education, Fire Department, and Department of Human Resources to report.