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SHARED SPACES
Grants!
Shared Spaces Arts and Culture Grants are now open and accepting applications! Applicants can be awarded up to $10,000 each to bring art, music, and other cultural programs to Shared Spaces parklets, sidewalk areas, and street closures. Projects should occur between August 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Shared Spaces pandemic permit holders who have applied for a post-pandemic permit can be awarded up to $2500 to pay for materials or services to bring the Shared Space into compliance. Apply for Shared Spaces Equity Grant by September 27, 2023.
The City has partnered with SF New Deal to support individuals and organizations who apply for these grants. If you have questions regarding either of these grant opportunities, need support in completing an application, or need language support (available in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English) please call 415-480-1185, or email sharedspaces@sfnewdeal.org.
PUBLIC WORKS
The Public Works Department is completing its launch of a new "Love Our Neighborhoods" permit designed to streamline applications for and issuances of permits for neighborhood enhancements in the public right-of-way. The Board of Supervisors and Mayor approved this new department expense to fund two new positions to work with neighborhood leaders on the expedited permits.
Attached is the slide deck with an overview of the initiative that the Public Works Commission received at our meeting last Friday. As you can see, the train is whistling down the track! I encourage you to reach out to Beth Rubenstein at SFPW, who is overseeing the new permit function, and provide input on how to best design and implement the new permit system so that your community will benefit. Beth's email is beth.rubenstein@sfdpw.org.
I am hopeful this new permit will alleviate some of your frustrations with the current process. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if I can be helpful in your efforts to improve San Francisco's quality of life and strengthen its economic base in my role as a commissioner.
https://sfpublicworks.org/sites/default/files/Love%20Our%20Neighborhoods%20Permit%20update_Public%20Works%20Commission%20Commission_8.18.23.pdf
AMENDING PLANNING CODE
SF BOS File 230701 is an ordinance amending the planning code in many of San Francisco's commercial corridors. A plain language summary of the ordinance from the Office of Small Business is attached. Almost all of our members are in Neighborhood Commercial Districts (NCD's) and Neighborhood Commercial Transit Districts (NCT's), which would be affected by this legislation. Each district has unique existing permitting requirements that have gone into effect over many years, so it is not possible to detail for each member how changes in this proposed legislation would impact their group.
It is possible to see a map of the various NCD's and NCT's by searching this page of the Planning Department website. Also, it takes some digging, but if you search for a specific address on this page of the Planning Department website, and click on "Zoning Information" on the left hand side of the screen, you can see the current commercial zoning restrictions for that address.
UNPERMITTED AWNINGS & SIGNS
NOTE: A trailing Ordinance (BF230745) made one additional amendment to the originally passed Ordinance (BF 230447). The trailing Ordinance removed the 5-year lookback requirement (as is noted in "What Qualifies" subsection). The initial Ordinance will become effective on August 19, 2023. The trailing Ordinance will become effective on August 26, 2023.
The proposed Ordinance amended the Building and Planning Codes to create a temporary amnesty program for certain unpermitted awnings and business signs that streamlines the application process to legalize awnings and signs, waives applicable fees, and confers legal nonconforming status for awnings and signs that do not comply with the Planning Code.
The Way It Was:
1. Awnings, as defined in Planning Code Sec. 102, are considered a permitted obstruction if they comply with the dimensional limitations laid out in Planning Code Sec. 136.1. They must also meet Building Code standards.
- The installation, repair, or replacement of an Awning requires a permit that is reviewed for compliance with both the Building and Planning Codes.
- Both the Planning and Building Departments charge a fee for permits to install, repair, or replace an Awning.
- The Department of Building Inspection determines whether drawings prepared by a licensed professional are required. They are usually required for Awning permits.
2. Signs, as defined in Planning Code Section 602, were permitted only if they met the requirements in Article 6 of the Planning Code. They must still meet Building Code standards.
- The installation, repair, or replacement of a Sign requires a permit that is reviewed for compliance with both the Building and Planning Codes.
- The Planning and Building departments both charge a fee for a permit to install, repair, replace, or change the copy of a Sign.
- The Department of Building Inspection (DBI) determines whether drawings prepared by a licensed professional are required. They are often required for Sign permits.
The Way It Is Now:
1. A temporary amnesty program has been created for certain unpermitted non-residential Awnings and Business Signs that do not comply with the Planning Code. The amnesty program expires on June 1, 2024.
What Qualifies:
- Awnings serving a non-residential business installed without a permit that physically existed as of August 26, 2023, except that buildings subject to Art. 11 do not qualify. Non-residential Awnings that apply to be part of the program between August 19-August 25, 2023, must also be "generally" the same shape, size, material, and location that they've been for at least 5 years prior. Any application for the amnesty program received after August 25, 2023, will not be subject to this 5-year lookback.
- Business Signs installed without a permit that physically existed as of August 26, 2023, except that buildings subject to Art. 11 do not qualify. Signs that do not comply with current Building Code standards also do not qualify. Business Signs that apply to be part of the program between August 19-August 25, 2023, must also be "generally" the same shape, size, material, and location that they've been for at least 5 years prior. Any application for the amnesty program received after August 25, 2023, will not be subject to this 5-year lookback.
The Amnesty Program:
Qualified Awnings:
- Are not subject to the Planning Code requirements for Awnings but are required to comply with the Building Code.
- If DBI determines that changes must be made to comply with their Code, the applicant must replace/repair the Awning so that it complies with the Building Code but may replace the Awning to be the same shape/size/level of nonconforming with the Planning Code that it was prior.
- “Professional drawings” (drawings prepared by a state licensed contractor or architect) are not required to accompany the application establishing the Awning as legal, non-conforming IF the existing Awning is compliant with the Building Code.
- No fee will be charged for this permit by Planning or DBI (including for permits required by DBI to bring an Awning into compliance with the Building Code).
Qualified Signs:
- Are not subject to Planning Code requirements for Business Signs (except that Art. 6 illumination requirements still apply) only if the existing sign currently complies with the Building Code. (Signs that do not comply with the Building Code must be removed and replaced with a sign that meets both Building and Planning Codes and are not eligible for this amnesty program.)
- “Professional drawings” are not required to accompany the application establishing the qualified Sign as legal, non-conforming.
- No fee will be charged for this permit by Planning. DBI will charge their standard permit and inspection fee.
2. No enforcement fees will be charged for Awnings that qualify for the amnesty program, including fees from Notices of Violation issued by DBI or Planning. No Planning enforcement fees will be charged for Business Signs that qualify for the amnesty program.
Links to signed legislation:
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12182335&GUID=DF82192E-4EB5-42F0-A381-99F9688E64F9
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12191494&GUID=C0DAE099-0FAF-4200-BDDF-8E588DDF7A5D
DBI FEES
Starting August 28, 2023, fees have increased by 15%. This is the first fee increase since 2009 and was approved by the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors in July.
The Department of Building Inspection is almost entirely funded through fees, and while inflation has pushed up costs by 32% since 2015, fees have not kept pace. The fee increase is necessary for DBI to continue to ensure building safety by reviewing plans and permit applications, inspecting construction work, producing real estate records, and investigating complaints.
Here is a link to DBI webpage with the updated fee tables:
https://sf.gov/resource/2022/fees-department-building-inspection
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