[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6588904,"mediaKeyId","5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e","parentId",5497009,"title","Director's report: permitting reforms take effect in August; legacy-business grants preserved in budget","audioSeconds",70,"startMs",11636000,"endMs",11706000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e&start=11636&end=11706","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e/thumbnail_11636000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6588904/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Directors-report-permitting-reforms-take-effect-in-August-legacy-business-grants-preserved-in-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588904-5eddfe2bb31b32d3a5522f17ea4e542e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770855078&Signature=AYoi2V1tqVVdPc8aBhwpzCTaxW0AG9uqbthtePH9UFjNUbAZcYn-o5mg3KaU9-LCr5JgZ5LDofNBAyM5BlHx~5z2qM1hyPgjxbjASjLTwjaMLGgR8~KaLTuZot-8O8fP2huJSWgidmcLvJrdSPXTVmkksZGccAME0CtTc45LFCbESe6tdqjpgk9pw27Uf9BE5KNjcLSGAv1pvIMikuWNfRf2W3~bqMNnDrpWGp1aG6099p2t0pTX0-gW6N2RNOcTEtjIpJqSjvlYD9LcnH28SMHs6BseN73xNo3pe4ndxbIJJhVmwMNonI7kOZ4MWe-j6yL6iRAl7PINMIMJRypNyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-07-28T00:00:00Z","article","Office of Small Business staff gave a brief director's report July 28 with two principal updates for small-business stakeholders:

Permitting reforms: Commissioners heard that a suite of permitting-reform measures signed by the mayor will largely take effect Aug. 16. The changes are intended to speed and simplify common approvals for small businesses, including sidewalk seating, sidewalk merchandise displays and nonstructural storefront signage. Under the reforms, certain sidewalk and storefront registrations will no longer require certificates of insurance or a fee-based site-plan submittal; signage that is nonstructural and on building facades or windows will no longer trigger building permits. Staff said the reforms keep existing public-safety rules in place, such as maintaining an accessible path on sidewalks and meeting visual-diverter requirements for people with visual impairments.

Budget and program status: The director's report said proposed staffing reductions in the mayor's draft budget were restored through the budget committee, leaving the office's positions intact for now. Legacy-business program funding was adjusted in the budget but the office identified unspent funds from prior years that will be used to avoid reductions in the program's business-stabilization grant offerings in the coming year.

The director acknowledged legal constraints on some mitigation measures for commercial tenants, noting that several protections small-business advocates request at the local level may be limited by state law. Staff reiterated that the Office of Small Business regularly provides relocation and technical assistance and will continue to refine supports tied to rezonings and development projects.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player","oneSentenceSummary","The Office of Small Business reported that several permitting-reform items recently signed by the mayor will take effect Aug. 16, and that the office avoided staff cuts in the mayor's budget; some legacy-program funding was adjusted but grants will continue using rolled-over funds.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588908,"Commission delays vote on Family Zoning Plan rezoning after extensive public concern over small-business impacts",3669,3146000,6815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e&start=3146&end=6815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e/thumbnail_3146000.jpg","/articles/6588908/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Commission-delays-vote-on-Family-Zoning-Plan-rezoning-after-extensive-public-concern-over-small-business-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588908-f7f1a2360112a9d15ae8fef066186599/orig.mp4?Expires=1770855078&Signature=PYhP0WHU-AsWbx2LYgEm1hkvz25wYza-N72h8j1Y0l4bXi4ss-f5wB7TsRszIHEzbgpstO9qAhLPE-nztE7kdc3eNXqZMjLP6CZBd82A7sNzPBjZPFU~mCc5DQ2LIXwAPTtSwla~1a0YPYWoW5W2jru0lq9V7J341HO0pepxOMB7tjsAVcLHq9NkLv~5weaQ8hGX9KONxzAZhom2G61kwEIlzN1b-q7E2DcgW1C5RZqp99ZmNqQxhTAg-kDixOc9fySnx7Nt540ynf2c7bjm5rjpsP7ZYGSW9hOIBe57-6U7egeN4qxHuwsa7KY7MuZbnHBNS5y72IfrDb0rW~Yctg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Small Business Commission continued consideration July 28 of the Family Zoning Plan, a major rezoning package the city says is required under the state housing element to create capacity for roughly 36,000 housing units. Planning Department staff briefed the commission on the rezoning's scope, the incentives available to developers under a new local program, and proposed small-business protections and incentives.

Lisa Chen, principal planner and project manager for the Family Zoning Plan, described the plan as a statewide requirement to create additional housing capacity in so-called well-resourced neighborhoods. Chen said the package includes a zoning map ordinance establishing base heights and an implementing planning-code ordinance that would set development controls and a local bonus menu.

Sarah Richardson, planning department staff, presented a small-business impact analysis. Richardson said the department's first-pass estimate identified roughly 4,295 businesses across 37 commercial corridors in the plan area. After filtering out parcels unlikely to redevelop (for example, those with existing residential units, historic landmark constraints, or institutional uses), that number fell to about 915 businesses; further limiting the analysis to lots of 8,000 square feet or more -- a conservative threshold often used by affordable-housing developers -- reduced the estimate to 207 businesses on parcels theoretically suitable for development.

Richardson cautioned that development historically occurs incrementally and tends to happen first on larger lots such as parking lots, gas stations and auto uses. \"When storefronts are vacant, it doesn't help with the safety, or the feeling of comfort that residents have in the neighborhood,\" she said, but noted that past rezonings did not produce wholesale storefront loss. Planning staff also described draft measures intended to reduce harm, including tenant-notification requirements, a square-footage bonus for developments that relocate a displaced business or provide legacy-business space, incentives for micro-retail and proposals under consideration to offset tenant improvements for food uses.

Public comment was extensive and strongly oriented toward small-business protections. Speakers including neighborhood leaders and long-time small-business owners urged the commission to withhold support until stronger mitigation was included. Comments referenced the potential pace of development, the cost of relocating or rebuilding in San Francisco, and a desire for a right-to-return or direct relocation payments. Several speakers urged state-level advocacy because state laws (for example, AB 2011 was cited) limit local authority over commercial relocations.

After public comment and commissioner discussion the commission voted to continue the matter. Commissioner Dickerson moved to delay further action on the Family Zoning Plan; Commissioner Cornett seconded. In a roll-call vote Commissioners Benitez, Cornett, Dickerson, Herbert, President Huey and Vice President Zazunas voted to continue the item; Commissioner Ortiz Cartagena was absent. The motion passed.

Planning staff said the proposal remains on a timeline to reach adoption hearings at the Planning Commission in September and then the Board of Supervisors, with an overall state deadline to meet zoning-capacity requirements by Jan. 31, 2026. Planning staff and commissioners said they would use the additional time to clarify small-business protections and related companion proposals before returning the matter to the commission.","The Small Business Commission continued its review of the Family Zoning Plan and related zoning map changes after lengthy presentations from Planning Department staff and more than an hour of public comment calling for stronger small-business protections. Commissioners voted to continue the item for further consideration.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588913,"Commission backs District 3 permitting reforms to ease small-business openings, urges follow-up outreach",1929,2127000,4056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e&start=2127&end=4056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e/thumbnail_2127000.jpg","/articles/6588913/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Commission-backs-District-3-permitting-reforms-to-ease-small-business-openings-urges-follow-up-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588913-04b728f7199f02a31faf7b02b045f365/orig.mp4?Expires=1770855078&Signature=MTXzmibXuTgn7B6HAXe4jZR-LVkof59WXvqsxSEyZIg58GeQo9t02Xq1IHwbpLUubWwMRsRRkJGv2ArN3GO9f~bZ2pLGoTpyERAlUTYFtruemzagd0O6aYkmAbAF5oT29ViBVuHukBbOuzpssPjz~YxWuuRvDIrt6kahprL-wFUYLmj~j1ob~A3XynaV5lSLotJJT8URu80a-Zta5rrB6r4U1RWpztDJ5utv8erGVEFvpPvJR-gHAi9CPGv3X9dAOA-EjnAZUnMz--Z16oxcv80L5pblsciHT470XiB~n~~vXr7F1GXr70zlVPE74fwlRiD2-3F175yk2BqkdpWGLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Small Business Commission on July 28 voted to support a package of District 3 zoning changes introduced as Board of Supervisors File 250,682 that would consolidate the North Beach Special Use District into the North Beach Neighborhood Commercial District and expand permissible uses and size limits in parts of District 3.

Michelle Andrews, legislative aide to Supervisor Danny Sauter, presented the package and described it as a targeted set of permitting reforms \"to make it easier to open and run a small business specifically in District 3.\" Andrews outlined measures including principally permitting limited restaurants in North Beach, Nob Hill and Jackson Square, expanding principally permitted use size limits to 3,000 square feet in some corridors, conditionally permitting certain health services on ground floor locations, allowing storefront mergers in parts of North Beach and Polk Street, and adding North Beach to a priority processing program to place qualifying conditional-use applications on a planning commission agenda within 90 days.

Andrews told the commission the reforms were developed with planning department staff and in preliminary conversations with neighborhood and merchant groups. \"We reached out to every major neighborhood association and merchant group within these impacted areas before we introduced this legislation,\" she said.

Commissioners pressed for detail on community concerns, data supporting increased use size limits and on the time frames for conditional-use priority processing. Andrews said some conversations with merchant and neighborhood boards were still ongoing and that priority processing would place qualifying conditional-use items on a planning commission agenda within 90 days.

Public commenters raised process and outreach concerns. Kristen Evans, who represents merchant groups, urged delay so neighborhood business boards could weigh in; Peter Stevens of the Telegraph Hill Dwellers said his organization had not yet met with the supervisor. Commissioners acknowledged the outreach gaps but several said creating consistent, citywide rules for small-business permitting was important for equity and predictability.

Commissioner Herbert moved that the commission vote to support the proposal; Vice President Zazunas seconded with an added recommendation that staff continue consultations with merchant groups and return with data and outreach results. The commission approved the motion by roll call: Benitez, Cornett, Dickerson, Herbert, President Huey and Vice President Zazunas voted yes; Commissioner Ortiz Cartagena was absent.

The commission's support is advisory. The ordinance will next go to the Planning Commission and then to the Board of Supervisors; Andrews said Planning Commission hearings are scheduled in September as part of the project's permit process.","The Small Business Commission voted to support Board of Supervisors File 250,682, a package of District 3 zoning and permitting changes intended to make it easier to open neighborhood-serving businesses in North Beach, Jackson Square, Polk Street and other corridors, and asked staff to continue outreach to merchant groups.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6588917,"Small Business Commission approves six legacy-business listings, including 111 Minna Gallery and Treasure Island Yacht Club",1775,129000,1904000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e&start=129&end=1904","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5497009-defb97281c9212e4d82e9c5563157b5e/thumbnail_129000.jpg","/articles/6588917/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Small-Business-Commission-approves-six-legacy-business-listings-including-111-Minna-Gallery-and-Treasure-Island-Yacht-Club","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588917-6bfc51bf4248a3f8e1412502167b5637/orig.mp4?Expires=1770855078&Signature=bBmjUKZY2Gyr3dihx8FrIcWvyqXosaTQjVyHt56X2jfSYCqkVfRypv4gxtIcqQvY~RjAed~RY-DmI91HyZ6VuNmCkW3sEic4mKhNHzo4bSUSCJ3FFHV5UbY3s~sf5t7XK4Hs5jRLVy8e4HRUHvsP-8B9uAnfMQRF~aJPkiLNr3wD3-7JEt4d~OIh8MX9PQnE02Q7OQN-bTLqYtFhzX6ngwallukVfOou~7tT7bmwTAujdX~iZuzjCDovCUEvmU1VM5-8fHkNTlsoy9UZxbRMZljKE6DaJpsiwCFsUhxvMQu79nX0Y19JJyCXPQZqzDdQ1TFQxPDhQ64d06snDz2QQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Small Business Commission voted unanimously July 28 to add six businesses and organizations to the city's Legacy Business Registry, citing each applicant's long-standing cultural or neighborhood role.

Richard Carrillo, Legacy Business Program manager in the Office of Small Business, presented the six applications and staff recommendations. \"Before you today are 6 applications for your consideration for the legacy business registry,\" Carrillo said, summarizing staff reports and the Historic Preservation Commission's positive recommendations.

The businesses and organizations approved for listing were: 111 Minna Gallery (South of Market, contemporary art gallery and event space founded in 1993), American Institute of Architects San Francisco (AIASF, founded 1881, center for architecture and design), Bernal Cutlery (cutlery shop and sharpening services), Muriel's Trophy Room (neighborhood bar in Haight-Ashbury founded 1959), Peasant Pies (caf\u0000/ bakery founded 1993), and Treasure Island Yacht Club (volunteer boating club founded 1966).

The commission heard from business representatives in support of their nominations. Michelle Delaney, co-owner of 111 Minna Gallery, described the venue's role hosting artists and performances since 1990 and said, \"San Francisco's identity was built on artistic rebellion, radical creativity, and cultural risk taking.\" Sharon Yip, commodore of the Treasure Island Yacht Club, said the volunteer-run club \"has operated continuously since 1966\" and asked the commission to approve the club's application so it could \"continue to collaborate with other small businesses to further the city and county of San Francisco's goal to lead the nation in recognizing small businesses.\"

Commissioners asked few questions and opened the item to public comment. After discussion, Commissioner Christopher Dickerson moved to approve the registry applications and the associated draft resolutions; Commissioner Herbert seconded the motion. President Huey called the roll. Commissioners Benitez, Cornett, Dickerson, Herbert, President Huey and Vice President Zazunas each voted yes; Commissioner Ortiz Cartagena was absent. The motion passed.

Adding a business to the Legacy Business Registry does not itself impose regulations on a property owner. It makes the business eligible for certain city services and recognition intended to support long-lived, neighborhood-serving enterprises.

The commission's action follows staff recommendations and prior review by the Historic Preservation Commission. Presenting materials noted that each applicant submitted a staff report, draft resolution and planning department documents; all six received positive recommendations from the Historic Preservation Commission.

The commission adjourned the item after the vote and moved on to other agenda matters.","The San Francisco Small Business Commission unanimously approved resolutions to list six long-running businesses on the city's Legacy Business Registry, citing historic and neighborhood-serving roles. The vote was 6\u0000\u000000\u0000for, 0 against, 1 absent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Director's report: permitting reforms take effect in August; legacy-business grants preserved in budget

Commission delays vote on Family Zoning Plan rezoning after extensive public concern over small-business impacts

Commission backs District 3 permitting reforms to ease small-business openings, urges follow-up outreach

Small Business Commission approves six legacy-business listings, including 111 Minna Gallery and Treasure Island Yacht Club