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4mo ago

San Francisco Supervisors Roll Back North Beach Zoning Rules in 8–2 Vote

Neighborhood groups plan CEQA challenges, citing harm to small businesses, higher rents and historic resources.

Alejandra Prieto spends time with her 2 1/2 months old baby, Gonzalo, at Washington Square Park in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, in 2023.
A cable car heads down Columbus Avenue in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, in 2023
Residents are worried that a change in zoning could mean that neighborhood staples like Molinari Delicatessen on Columbus Avenue could lose protections that have helped them survive.
Sunset at Washington Square Park at the corner of Filbert Street and Stockton Street in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, in 2023.

Overview

  • The Board approved Supervisor Danny Sauter’s “District 3 Thrives” measure, loosening decades-old controls in North Beach, Nob Hill and Jackson Square.
  • Key changes allow storefront mergers up to 3,000 square feet, flexible retail and walk-up uses, and permit new restaurants to open in former retail spaces.
  • The legislation removes the North Beach Special Use District’s protections, which limited commercial size, restricted restaurant concentration and safeguarded upper-floor housing.
  • A bid to reconsider or send portions back to committee failed on a 5–5 vote, reflecting the Board’s tradition of deferring to the district supervisor.
  • Opponents warn of higher rents, loss of small shops and historic impacts and are preparing CEQA claims, while supporters point to vacancies, outdated rules and depressed sales tax receipts.