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San Francisco, California, Proposition H, Planning Code Amendment (November 2020)
| San Francisco Proposition H | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 3, 2020 | |
| Topic Local business regulation and Local charter amendments | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Referral | Origin Lawmakers |
San Francisco Proposition H was on the ballot as a referral in San Francisco on November 3, 2020. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported authorizing an ordinance to amend the city's planning code to simplify business procedures including increasing permissible uses, eliminating public notification processes, and requiring an expedited process for permits. |
A “no” vote opposed authorizing an ordinance to amend the city's planning code to simplify business procedures including increasing permissible uses, eliminating public notification processes, and requiring an expedited process for permits. |
A simple majority was required for the approval of Proposition H.
Election results
|
San Francisco Proposition H |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
247,428 | 60.87% | ||
| No | 159,026 | 39.13% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ | Shall the City change the Planning Code for neighborhood commercial districts to increase permissible uses, eliminate public notification processes for new permitted uses, and require an expedited process for permits?[2] | ” |
Ballot simplification digest
The following summary of the measure was prepared by the office of the Ballot Simplification Committee:
| “ | The Way It Is Now: A Neighborhood Commercial District is typically a commercial corridor located outside of San Francisco’s downtown area, with commercial uses on the ground floor and other uses on upper floors.
The City Planning Code sets forth uses permitted in residential, commercial, or industrial-zoned districts. Each zoning district use may either be permitted, conditionally permitted or not permitted. Conditionally permitted uses require extensive review and approval by the Planning Commission. To open a new business in San Francisco, a business owner may need permits from several City agencies, such as the Department of Building Inspection for construction or remodeling and the Department of Public Health for the sale of food. A person who applies for building permits to change the use of property in certain districts must notify neighbors of the proposed change. The notices must be posted for 30 days, during which the City may not issue permits and members of the public may ask for a review by the Planning Commission. The Proposal: Proposition H would change the Planning Code for Neighborhood Commercial Districts to: • Increase the types of permitted and conditionally permitted uses to include arts activities, community facilities, social services and restaurants; • Expand the use of outdoor areas in certain businesses; • Eliminate the public notification process for people who want to start a permitted use; • Require an expedited approval and inspection process for permits; and • Allow restaurants to provide workspace to the public on days when the restaurant is open. In addition, Proposition H would make certain Planning Code changes citywide to temporarily allow retail uses within bars and entertainment venues for up to four years. A 'YES' Vote Means: If you vote 'yes,' you want to change the City Planning Code for Neighborhood Commercial Districts to increase permissible uses, eliminate public notification processes for new permitted uses, and require an expedited process for permits. A 'NO' Vote Means: If you vote 'no,' you do not want to make these changes.[2] |
” |
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Yes on H led the campaign in support of Proposition H. A full list of endorsements can be found here.[3]
Supporters
Individuals
|
|
Organizations
- San Francisco Democratic Party[4]
- Libertarian Party of San Francisco[4]
- League Of Women Voters Of San Francisco[4]
- San Francisco Chamber Of Commerce[4]
- San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association[4]
- San Francisco Women's Political Committee[4]
Official arguments
The official arguments in support of Proposition H were authored by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Francisco Council of District Merchants, Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Small Business Commission President Sharky Laguana, Small Business Commission Vice President Miriam Zouzounis, and Small Business Commissioner Manny Yekutiel:[1]
| “ | Vote Yes on Proposition H to Save Our Small Businesses!
The coronavirus pandemic has dealt our small businesses a crushing blow. Restaurants, salons and retail shops that depend on in-person customers are struggling to survive. More than 300 of our city's restaurants have closed permanently, and it's possible over 1,700 more could close down by the end of the year. Since February, nearly 200,000 San Franciscans have filed for unemployment. As we face perhaps the worst recession in generations, we must do everything we can to keep small businesses open and people employed. We must act now to ensure our small businesses and merchant corridors aren't boarded up and vacant for years to come. Proposition H will help existing small businesses adapt during the pandemic to keep their shops open and employees on the job. By cutting the red tape and streamlining the lengthy permitting process, Prop H will help new neighborhood businesses open and create jobs as we emerge from the pandemic. Proposition H:
Let's support our small business owners and their employees by fixing our broken permitting process and keep our unique merchant corridors vibrant and thriving for all of us. Let's save our small businesses. Vote Yes on Prop H.[2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
Official arguments
The official arguments in opposition to Proposition H were authored by David Pilpel:[1]
| “ | Please vote NO on Proposition H.
Proposition H is a terribly complicated ordinance that changes land use controls and City permits. This ordinance was not presented to the Board of Supervisors through the regular legislative process, and it was not subject to hearings at the Planning Commission or the Small Business Commission. In my opinion, it is exactly the type of measure that should be handled at City Hall and not by the voters. I respectfully suggest that Proposition H is not the solution that we need at this time. Neighborhood Commercial District zoning controls were developed more than 30 years ago and have been adjusted carefully over time to address neighborhood and small business concerns on a case-by-case basis. Here, there has been no neighborhood or small business input in developing Proposition H that I know of, which is unusual for complex land use controls, and it would be difficult to amend the various City code sections that are affected for the next three years, even if developers, neighbors, planners, or City policymakers want or need to. While the basic idea of making it easier for small businesses in neighborhood corridors is a good one, that can be implemented through the regular legislative process at City Hall, with careful consideration of meaningful public comment and useful stakeholder input. Please vote NO on Proposition H. Thank you.[2] |
” |
Media editorials
- See also: 2020 ballot measure media endorsements
Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on the ballot measure. If you are aware of a media editorial board position that is not listed below, please email the editorial link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Support
- San Francisco Chronicle: “This measure takes aim at the impacts on small businesses by pushing the city bureaucracy to issue permits faster and more flexibly. Some 300 restaurants have closed and hundreds more shops shuttered, by various counts. This measure could ease the burden in visible ways. An eatery could more easily put out tables on sidewalks and parklets. A popup could open up in a vacant storefront. It’s already happening but too slowly. Though this plan might be better done legislatively, it’s still a worthy measure that will help the city recover. Vote Yes.”[5]
- Bay Area Reporter: "This measure would help small businesses impacted by the pandemic to keep their doors open and employees on the job. It would allow more outdoor operations on sidewalks and parklets, permit cafes and restaurants to include workspaces, support new arts and nonprofit uses, help fill vacancies and keep commercial corridors vibrant, and streamline the permitting process from a year to a month. This alone is worth passing Prop H, as it would cut thousands of dollars in overhead costs for new merchants. Vote YES on Prop H."[6]
Opposition
- San Francisco Bay Guardian: “This is a 90-page amendment to the Planning Code that affects more than two dozen neighborhood commercial shopping streets. It was put on the ballot directly by the mayor and there has never been a public hearing on its contents, either before the supervisors or the Planning Commission. Among many bizarre provisions, it allows commercial uses on the second and third floor in mixed-use shopping districts, allowing for the displacement of residential. But the key is that it allows these changes to occur without any public hearing. Mayor Breed’s passion for deregulation of land uses, giving full power to bureaucrats and developers. It needs to be defeated then subjected to public hearing before the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission and amended."[7]
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a proposed ordinance by San Francisco Mayor London Breed submitted on June 16, 2020.[1]
See also
External links
Support |
OppositionSubmit links to editor@ballotpedia.org. |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 San Francisco Elections Office, "Qualified Local and District Measures," accessed October 12, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Yes on H, "Home," accessed October 14, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 California Choices, "San Francisco Ballot Endorsements," accessed October 20, 2020
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, “Editorial: San Francisco ballot recommendations cover taxes, housekeeping and social change.,” October 6, 2020
- ↑ Bay Area Reporter, "Editorial: Vote yes on all SF props," September 23, 2020
- ↑ San Francisco Bay Guardian, "Endorsements Fall 2020," October 1, 2020
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