Tag Archives: Board of Supervisors

Upzoning Legislation Pending at the Board of Supervisors

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The legislation codifying the proposed upzoning map and specific code changes is pending at the Board of Supervisors.  These changes will have a major impact on San Francisco’s built environment over this and the coming decades.  To see the proposed heights for your and adjacent properties review the Family Zoning Plan map with the “Local Program” heights.  Developers can “opt in” to this program as opposed to participating in the State Density Bonus program.  Besides increased heights, the SF Local Program provides key revised objective standards that allow more density on a lot. 

The impact of the Family Zoning Plan is the de facto elimination of the 45 year old Dolores Heights Special Use District.    

  • Our heights are currently 35; new heights allowed  can be 40, 50, or 65 feet.  
  • The rear yard open space is currently 45% of the lot depth, or 51 feet for a 114 foot lot.  The plan allows new properties to expand 20 feet further into the rear yard (18% more of the lot depth), eroding our unique mid-block open space benefits
  • Properties on any corner can be up to 65 feet high.  This 65-foot height also applies to lots that are 8000 square feet (less than the size of three merged standard lots or an apartment building-sized lot.)
  • Other recent amendments that allow for height and square footage “bonuses” and more rear yard reductions, some for defined changes and a a “catchall” request for up to 15% reduction of any objective standard 

DHIC is opposed to the plan in its current form as it provides significant benefits to market-rate developers without comparable benefits to SF’s Housing Plan – especially for more affordable (from moderate to very low income) housing units.  DHIC is also concerned that historic buildings aren’t sufficiently protected and that tenants and small businesses can be displaced with inadequate relocation benefits.  This SF Planning website has more documents to educate the public.  However, it doesn’t assess the impact of all these combined changes on our neighborhoods. 

Neighborhood Notification of Proposed Upzoning Required by Board of Supervisors

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On Tuesday, April 22 the Board of Supervisors approved legislation requiring direct notice to residents and businesses when their own property, or one within 300 feet of it, is proposed for upzoning.  Specifically, it requires a mailed notice of increases in height and/or density.  The measure passed with an 8–3 supermajority!  Our supervisor, Rafael Mandelman, voted for this notification.

What does this mean for Dolores Heights?  All of Dolores Heights is proposed for increased building heights (see article above for details.)  So SF Planning will mail all of us that postcard before the Board of Supervisors acts on the proposed upzoning legislation this fall.   

The Impact of Lurie’s “Family Zoning” Plan on Dolores Heights

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The City released a new proposed upzoning map on April 8.  Height limits in Dolores Heights would increase from 35 feet to 40 feet west of Sanchez, up to 50 feet in most of the area east of Sanchez, and up to 65 feet for properties along Church Street.  In addition, the proposal eliminates controls on density, or number of units per lot.  In other words, a project’s height and volume are regulated, but the number of units on a site is not limited to (for example) one or two units.

This interactive map provides details for Dolores Heights and for your own property.  Expand the map to zero in on your lot.  Click on the lot and a pop-out text box provides details.  Based on recent State and City changes to the rules, in most cases, you as an adjacent homeowner would have no input or no appeal rights on a proposed project. 

Specifically, Church Street can have multi-unit buildings up to 65 feet tall (current height limit: 40 feet.)   Between Church and Sanchez Streets, multi-unit buildings can be 50 feet high (current height limit: 35-40 feet.)  For the remainder of Dolores Heights, the allowed height would increase 40 feet. These changes will have a significant impact on public views and the view of Sanchez Hill from Dolores Park or from 24th Street.  This blog provides computer-generated models showing the impact of proposed height changes along Church Street.  While this program is being marketed as providing more affordable housing, during the past ten years in Dolores Heights, only luxury housing has been constructed.  This trend will continue owing to land prices.    

If you disagree with this blanket upzoning in our neighborhood and in most of the City, you can email the Mayor and our Supervisors by completing this email.  For more information, email info@doloresheights.org.  

Neighborhood Notification of Proposed Upzoning Required by Board of Supervisors

On Tuesday, April 22 the Board of Supervisors approved legislation requiring direct notice to residents and businesses when their own property, or one within 300 feet of it, is proposed for upzoning.  Specifically, it requires a mailed notice of increases in height and/or density.  The measure passed with an 8–3 supermajority!  

What does this mean for Dolores Heights?  All of Dolores Heights is proposed for increased building heights; so all of us will receive that postcard.   

Supervisor Chan (D1) sponsored this ordinance. These supervisors agreed with her that the public has a right to know of proposed changes that affect them: Sherrill (D2), Sauter (D3), Engardio (D4), Mandelman (D8), Fielder (D9), Walton (D10), and Chen (D11).