On May 5, 2025, the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 to send an ordinance to the full Board recommending a waiver of the Tier 3 major encroachment permit fee and the Board of Appeals surcharge for construction of an archway on the Detroit Street steps in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

The committee action, offered by Supervisor Marina Malgaard, chair of the committee, and supported by Vice Chair Cheyenne Chen and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, affirms the Planning Departments determination and uses the citys Love Our Neighborhoods program to reduce permitting costs for community-led projects. "Id like to make a motion that we send this item to the full board with a positive recommendation as a committee report," Chair Marina Malgaard said before the roll call vote.

The Detroit Street steps project was initiated by the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association in 2018. According to materials presented to the committee, the project includes landscaping, tiling and lighting improvements intended to make the stairway a safer pedestrian route and local destination. Neighbors Suna Mullins and Rosaura Valle have led the project team and the archway design was approved by the San Francisco Arts Commission Civic Design Review Committee in August 2022. Funding has come from grants and private community fundraising.

Committee members and staff said the Love Our Neighborhoods program is intended to streamline permit costs and reduce barriers for community groups leading small public space projects. The ordinance before the committee amends the Public Works Code to waive the Tier 3 major encroachment permit fee for this project, amends the Administrative Code to waive the Board of Appeals surcharge for the permit, and affirms the Planning Departments determination related to the project.

No members of the public spoke on the item during the committee meeting. The committee clerk also noted that items acted on by committees are generally expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on May 13, 2025, unless otherwise stated; the staff report for this item indicated it may be considered by the full Board on May 6, 2025.

The committees positive recommendation means the ordinance will move to the Board of Supervisors for consideration; the full Board must act before the fee waivers take effect.