FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  

Tuesday June 13, 2023  

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org   

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KEY LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN AND UNION SQUARE APPROVED BY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 

Legislation introduced by Mayor Breed and Board President Peskin will facilitate a greater variety of businesses and activities, and remove barriers to converting office buildings to housing  

San Francisco, CA — Legislation proposed by Mayor London N. Breed and Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin to support Downtown’s future as a dynamic mixed-use destination to live, work, and visit was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors.   

This legislation is a key part of the Mayor’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future that will help fill vacant ground floor spaces and underutilized buildings in the Downtown and Union Square areas through a pair of overarching strategies. First, it amends zoning rules to diversify the mix of businesses and activities that are allowed in Union Square and throughout Downtown. Second, it simplifies the approval process and requirements for converting existing commercial buildings into housing.  

“The challenges facing Downtown require us to reimagine what is possible and set the foundation for a stronger, more resilient future,” said Mayor London Breed. “Working together with President Peskin and the Board, we are creating more opportunities to fill empty storefronts and underutilized buildings, whether that’s by creating much needed housing or trying out new ideas for businesses and event spaces that will invite people back Downtown. We need to make the process easier for getting our buildings active and full.”  

“This legislation is an example of the executive and legislative branches coming together to create an intentional incentive program that has the potential to reimagine and reinvigorate our Downtown,” said Board President Aaron Peskin. “Quickly crafting and passing this legislation has only been half the battle. We’re also going block by block to building owners to assess their potential to benefit from this incentive package, while connecting them to potential tenants from small businesses to arts organizations.”  

Allowing More Flexibility in Union Square  

This legislation incudes targeted zoning changes to allow a wider variety of uses and activities in Union Square. Responding to both the pre-pandemic impacts of online shopping and post-pandemic shifts in the retail industry, the legislation allows a wider range of uses to better activate streets and buildings. On upper floors, that includes allowing for additional office, service, design and retail uses; and on ground floors allowing for indoor and outdoor entertainment, flexible retail workspaces, and larger retailers that will make the area more attractive for businesses, employees, and visitors.   

“Downtown’s economic recovery has to include our vibrant arts and culture scene, local residents and neighborhood-serving businesses, and creative retail, dining and entertainment experiences, in addition to office workers and tourists,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “This legislation advances a key part of the Mayor’s vision for a thriving, mixed-use Downtown that I look forward to continue building on.”    

“Recent retail closures, in the heart of the city, are very disheartening and highlight the importance of legislation like this that meets the critical needs of our community in this moment,” said Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. “We are so thankful to Mayor Breed and Board President Peskin for spearheading this package of critical zoning changes in Union Square and the greater downtown that are forward looking, realistic and obtainable if we all work together in earnest. Collectively we can meet this moment and turn our city on an immediate path towards a healthy and sustainable rebound.”   

Reducing Barriers and Supporting Pop-Up Activations  

The legislation also builds on Mayor Breed’s priority to reduce bureaucratic processes with changes to many of the procedures and special approvals required for Downtown development. Specifically, the legislation allows for a greater variety of ground floor and other uses, provides for the re-use of longstanding business signage, and allows City staff to review minor changes to historic buildings administratively without a public hearing.  

“Downtown’s future is San Francisco’s future,” said Rodney Fong, President and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. “This proposal to make housing conversions easier and downtown zoning more flexible is an important step in charting San Francisco’s path to a reimagined downtown where resident, visitors, and workers all want to spend time.”  

The legislation would also broaden the types of temporary pop-up activations that can take place in vacant ground floor spaces throughout Downtown, supporting a key goal of the Mayor’s Roadmap to support entrepreneurs, artists, and other ventures in bringing new energy to vacant storefronts that will serve to enliven the overall Downtown experience.   

Paving the Way for Housing  

A primary component of the legislation is to encourage housing production Downtown through commercial-to-residential conversions, while ensuring enough office space remains to serve San Francisco’s concentration of job-supporting businesses. Although Downtown zoning already allows for housing, the legislation advances a range of code adjustments to slash barriers that may hamper the conversion of underutilized downtown office buildings to housing – and that could unlock thousands of new housing units over time.   

The legislation provides much needed flexibility for the re-use of older office buildings by relaxing Planning Code requirements like rear yards, that don’t make sense for conversions of existing buildings in our dense, downtown core. The legislation also directs the Building and Fire Departments to develop a manual that will lay out specific guidelines for adaptive reuse projects that would otherwise struggle to meet requirements designed for new ground-up construction projects.  

“San Francisco has a history of adapting and evolving to meet our most pressing challenges,” said Patrick O’Riordan, Director of the Department of Building Inspection. “Reconfiguring downtown buildings to the needs of today will require all of us to be creative, thoughtful and resourceful, and I’m absolutely confident we’re up to the task.”  

While these changes are critical to facilitating adaptive reuse projects, the City recognizes that code and process changes alone are only one part of making such conversions a reality on a broad scale. As a next step building on this legislation, the Planning Department and Office of Economic and Workforce Development will be releasing a request for interest (RFI) in the coming weeks in order to hear directly from property owners and potential developers who are exploring the reuse of underutilized Downtown buildings. Through the RFI, the City will invite ideas on what further steps are needed to help accelerate these potentially transformative adaptive reuse projects.   

“This is the first significant change to Downtown’s zoning controls since the 1980s,” said Planning Director Rich Hillis. “Retooling our code to encourage new downtown housing is a critical next step, and these changes to our zoning and permitting process pave the way forward.”  

Following extensive work by City staff and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, the legislation approved by the Board of Supervisors today previously received unanimous recommendations by the Planning Commission and Building Inspection Commission, and will return to the Board for a final procedural vote on June 27 before coming into effect in mid-August.   

City staff across departments continue to work on further process and zoning improvements to make it easier for businesses to start and expand, housing developments to get off the ground, and to welcome new industries and uses in existing underutilized office spaces.  

The legislation is part of Mayor Breed’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future, a comprehensive plan to reinvigorate Downtown and reposition San Francisco as the Bay Area’s economic hub and a global anchor for commerce. The Roadmap includes nine strategies to respond to emerging economic trends and capitalize on the City’s strengths to keep Downtown vibrant, focusing on key priorities such as offering a clean and safe environment, fostering a resilient workforce, strengthening transportation, and attracting new industries.    

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ANOTHER PLANET ENTERTAINMENT PROPOSES FREE DOWNTOWN CONCERTS   

APE would bring musical acts to Union Square, Embarcadero and Civic Center for three years if ticketed concert in Polo Fields are approved    

San Francisco, CA —Mayor London N. Breed announced today that Another Planet Entertainment (APE) has committed to bringing free outdoor concerts to downtown San Francisco’s historic plazas.   

APE would bring a musical act to Civic Center Plaza, Union Square, and Embarcadero Plaza annually for three years starting in 2024. The new downtown concert proposal is included in APE’s permit request before the Board of Supervisors to hold two to three ticketed concerts in Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields during the same three years on the weekend following Outside Lands in August.   

While APE produces Outside Lands, the additional summer concerts in the Polo Fields would be separate, smaller, headliner-focused events.  They would use a portion of the Outside Lands festival’s infrastructure to minimize impact on the park. The downtown concerts were offered after several supervisors requested APE hold concerts in the eastern part of the City.   

Transforming Downtown into a leading arts, culture, and nightlife destinationis one of the strategies of Mayor Breed’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future plan, which aims to transform Downtown into a stronger, resilient, economic and global destination.    

“I am delighted that Another Planet Entertainment shares our vision of creating vibrant public spaces filled with joy and community,” Mayor Breed said. “Their commitment to bring exceptional live music experiences to the heart of the City is exciting for everyone who lives, works, and visits San Francisco.”    

“San Francisco is our home and Another Planet is committed to bringing the City the best programming and live concerts,” said Allen Scott, President of Festivals & Concerts at Another Planet Entertainment. “With the Mayor’s and SF Rec and Park’s support, we are excited to provide even more cultural opportunities for the community, Bay Area, and beyond to enjoy.”  

While the downtown concerts will be free, the Polo Fields concerts would be ticketed. The City’s permit fees, $1.4 million for a two-day event and $2.1 million for a three-day event, would allow the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to continue to offer programming to children, adults, and seniors across the City and care for its facilities. The City currently faces a two-year budget deficit of $780 million.    

Like the Polo Fields, all three downtown plazas are Recreation and Park property. They regularly accommodate cultural festivals, concerts, sports viewing parties, farmers markets, and other free events.    

“Civic Center, Union Square, and Embarcadero Plaza are joyful gathering spaces that truly come alive with music and live performances,” said Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “While the proposed Polo Field concerts would generate crucial funding for our parks and programs, the downtown concerts are simply a wonderful benefit for everyone to enjoy.”   

Supervisors are tentatively scheduled to hear the concert proposals June 22.     

APE has partnered with the City for 15 years on Outside Lands. The festival has injected over a billion dollars into San Francisco’s economy since its inception.   

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media contact: DP&A, Inc / David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

July 8 Kicks Off “Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series”

FREE Outdoor Concerts Celebrating Legendary Sounds  Sponsored by Union Square Alliance, Office of Economic Workforce Development, SF Rec and Park 

13 June 2023, San Francisco, CA: In one month on Saturday, July 8, the heart of downtown San Francisco will reverberate with joyous sounds as The Union Square In Bloom Summer Music Series kicks off.  The free performances, taking place every Saturday, July through mid-October, will run from1pm – 4pm and beginning in August, every 3rd Thursday from 4:30 – 7:30pm. The new initiative is a collaboration between the Union Square Alliance, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department,and the Office of Economic Workforce Development(OEWD) funded by their SF Live grant.

San Francisco, renowned as a music destination and the birthplace of legendary musicians and groups such as the Grateful Dead, Metallica, Janis Joplin, andCarlos Santana, aims to enhance its top tier on the global cultural map through the Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series. 

This Music Series will transform Union Square Plaza into a thriving hub of music and entertainment. The lineup boasts a diverse range of talented artists, including local songwriters, solo musicians, up-and-coming stars, energizing EDM and Dance DJ sets, soulful jazz renditions, and captivating Latin rhythms. Some of the artists featured at the launch event include DJ Sep and Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, and partnering with indoor entertainment venues such as Biscuits & Blues and American Conservatory Theatre (ACT).  The full schedule of concerts for July will be released next week.

“The Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series is here to take center stage,” said Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of Union Square Alliance.  “The Plaza and its surroundings hold a vital place in the city’s history, representing a thriving hub of vitality. In harmonious alignment with the goals of our Strategic Plan, a concert series within the Plaza emerges as a catalyst for the vibrancy and inclusivity that define Union Square’s resurgence as part of the city’s economic recovery.”

“Our city’s public plazas and parks are places of connection, celebration and joy and we are delighted to host free live music for all to enjoy,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg. “Dancing to live music in a historic public square is a spectacular way to spend a summer evening.” 

The key purpose of SF Live and this concert series is to work with the local indoor music venues to bring the talent highlighted in these venues to a larger outdoor setting, creating an immersive and engaging experience for both performers and audiences. 

“Music has the power to bring people together and uplift communities. The Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series will showcase the diverse talent of our local artists, who are a critical part of our economic recovery,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “This series elevates local musicians sourced by our amazing local indoor music venues, as well as our great local businesses. We are proud to partner with the Union Square Alliance and support this initiative as part of our commitment to fostering economic growth and cultural enrichment.”

Attendees are encouraged to indulge in delicious food and refreshing drinks at the numerous local restaurants and bars surrounding the venue. Certain concerts will also include food trucks and a Beer Garden. Additionally, family friendly activities will be highlighted that align with the blooming of theneighborhood and the musical themes of each concert.The Union Square in Bloom initiative, in conjunction with the Summer Music Series, aims to provide an all-encompassing experience for residents and visitors alike. In addition, The Union Square Bloom Passportoffers a gateway to discovery, floral education, and interactive games, perfect for families. Collaboration with local floral designers, more than 30 of Union Square’s hotels, theaters, restaurants, bars, and retail establishments have adorned their storefronts with breathtaking floral displays. Attendees over the age of 21 can embark on a floral beverage journey with the Bloom + Bubbles Passport. This district-wide cocktail program offers a selection of 29 enticing floral cocktails. . 

“Union Square in Bloom and the Bloom & Bubbles Cocktail Program have brought so much energy and joy to our district.,” said Tesh Williams from Sool Bar & Lounge, “We feel connected to our community and are looking forward to an even bigger boost of life and foot traffic to our neighborhood through the Summer Music Series.”

The Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series is a pilot supported by SF Live, a $2.5 million investment in San Francisco’s live music and entertainment sector, and was made possible by state funding secured by then-Assembly member David Chiu.

“San Francisco’s live music scene is legendary and helps make us such a special city,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “I am thrilled the state funding we secured will support our live music venues and aid in San Francisco and Union Square’s economic recovery.”

The full SF Live programming initiative will formally launch in Spring 2024 with a year of free outdoor concerts curated in partnership with San Francisco’s live music venues. 

A full and comprehensive calendar of events for the Union Square in Bloom Summer Music Series will be released shortly. 

About the Union Square Alliance:
The Union Square Alliance serves members and creates a high-quality visitor experience by managing and activating public spaces, attracting new investment, and advocating for the District’s future success. Union Square is the vibrant heart of San Francisco and an international destination where visitors come to enjoy exceptional retail experiences, luxury hotels, world-class cultural institutions, and great public spaces found only in the City by the Bay. A lively 27-block community surrounding Union Square Park in the heart of San Francisco makes up the Union Square Alliance. It is generally bordered on the north by Bush Street, on the east by Kearny Street, on the south by Market Street and on the west by Taylor Street. For more information on the Alliance, go towww.visitunionsquaresf.com

About Office of Economic and Workforce: 
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development advances equitable and shared prosperity for San Franciscans by growing sustainable jobs, supporting businesses of all sizes, creating great places to live and work, and helping everyone achieve economic self-sufficiency. For more information, please visitwww.oewd.org.

About San Francisco Recreation and Park Department:
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department currently manages more than 225 parks, playgrounds and open spaces throughout San Francisco, including two outside city limits—Sharp Park in Pacifica and Camp Mather in the High Sierras. The system includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, golf courses, sports fields and numerous small-to-medium-sized clubhouses that offer a variety of sports- and arts-related recreation programs for people of all ages.  Included in the Department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced. In 2017, San Francisco became the first city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk, a direct result of the Department’s commitment to increasing and improving parkland in the city.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    

Tuesday, June 6, 2023  

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org   

***PRESS RELEASE***   

MAYOR LONDON BREED INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES AND FILL COMMERCIAL VACANCIES  

Proposed legislation will make over 100 changes to the Planning Code to improve the small business permitting process and reduce restrictions on ground floor commercial spaces   

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today joined Supervisors Joel Engardio, Matt Dorsey, and Myrna Melgar to introduce legislation to facilitate easier permitting for small businesses, encourage economic recovery and growth, and fill commercial vacancies in San Francisco. This new legislation builds on the work that Mayor Breed has led over the last three years to change how San Francisco supports the ability of small businesses to open and operate, including passing ballot measures and opening a new one-stop shop Permit Center.    

Under the legislation, over 100 changes to the Planning Code will serve to ease restrictions across six main categories:  

• Allow more business uses on the ground floor  
• Lift restrictions on bars and restaurants  
• Incorporate new liquor license for music venues  
• Ease legalization process for existing outdoor patios  
• Remove certain public notice requirements  
• Enable priority processing for nighttime entertainment, bars, and restaurants  

“The success of our recovery requires us to keep making changes to how we support small business in this City,” said Mayor Breed. “Small business owners are some of our most creative people and we want our City to work in concert to get them to ‘yes’ when it comes to bringing their ideas to life. We must change our system of burdensome regulation, taxes, and fees. This legislation is a major milestone towards this effort.”    

In addition to this legislative proposal, Mayor Breed’s proposed budget extends First Year Free, which waives the cost of initial registration fees, initial license fees, first-year permit, and other applicable fees for qualifying businesses. Since the First Year Free program started in 2021, approximately 3,910 businesses have enrolled in the program, with 2,494 of these completely new, and the remainder are existing businesses adding a new location. The City has waived more than $1.37 million in fees since the program started.  

This legislation and extension of the First Year Free program are integral to Mayor Breed’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco’s Future. One of the nine strategies is to make it easier to start and grow a business. Simplifying City processes while reducing cost will encourage more businesses to start and remain in San Francisco.    

“We aim for San Francisco to be an attractive City for small businesses to begin, evolve, and thrive,” said Small Business Commission President Cynthia Huie. “The Commission is very enthusiastic about the proposed extension of First Year Free and greater flexibility and ease in the Planning Code and what it will mean for our city’s entrepreneurs.”   

Legislative Details  

Allow more business uses on the ground floor and as principally permitted  
Under the legislation “Flexible Retail” would be principally permitted and expanded to all neighborhoods on the ground floor across the City’s commercial corridors. An example of Flexible Retail includes a business that sells both plants and coffee, and then later shifts to selling plants and making small production bags on site. The proposed ordinance will also clarify that multiple uses are allowed in the same business space. Additionally, the legislation will allow “Professional Services” such as accounting, consulting or co-working spaces on the ground floor as principally permitted, opening up ground floor spaces to more opportunities to fill commercial vacancies.   

Lift restrictions on restaurants and bars  
Currently, several commercial corridors have restrictions in place for restaurants and bars, such as not permitting them, imposing a cap on the number of restaurants that can be established, or requiring a Conditional Use Authorization (CUA). Conditional Use Authorization is a lengthy process for businesses to be granted approval for their plans, including providing public notice and attending hearings – CUA can add months to the process of opening a business.   

Under the legislation, those restrictions will be lifted in Chinatown, along Haight Street, Jackson Square, and Taraval Street. Likewise, restrictions on new bars will be lifted along Haight Street, Jackson Square, Pacific Ave, Sacramento Street, and Union Street.   

Incorporate new liquor license for music venues  
The ordinance will incorporate into local Planning Code a new liquor license, Type 90, which was adopted by the State in 2022. This new liquor license type gives venues more options as it allows a music venue to serve beer, wine, and liquor without excluding minors from the business.   

Ease legalization process for existing outdoor patios  
Some of the City’s businesses have long-standing patios that were never permitted. Under the legislation, businesses with unpermitted patios that are at least 10 years old can legalize them without undergoing a Conditional Use Authorization process.   

Remove the public notice requirement in Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed Use Districts for business changes  
In November 2020, voters adopted the “Save our Small Business Initiative” (Proposition H), which reduced the steps a business owner needed to take when they change their business use. Before this, if a clothing store, for example, were to become a café, the change would require that the general public be provided notice about the change for at least 30 days and the business could not receive their Planning Department approvals over-the-counter, even though both types of businesses are permitted in the neighborhood. Under the legislation, these benefits will be expanded to the commercial corridors in the eastern portion of the City.  

Enable nighttime entertainment, bars, and restaurants to benefit from priority processing at Planning Department/Commission  
Currently, nighttime entertainment venues, bars, and restaurants with full liquor licenses are excluded from participation in the Planning Department’s Community Benefit Priority Processing Program (CB3P). Under the legislation, nighttime entertainment venues, bars, and restaurants with full liquor licenses will benefit from expedited Conditional Use Authorization review, which can save a new business from months of waiting for a hearing at the Planning Commission.  

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the city,” said Mike Zwiefelhofer, owner of the Z. Cioccolato fudge shop and Legacy Business in North Beach. “Thriving commercial districts improve our quality of life. Changing the system of burdensome regulation and removing barriers helps creative entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life.”   

Previous Efforts to Support Small Business  

This legislation builds on the significant small business reforms Mayor Breed has advanced over the last three years including the passage of Prop H in 2020 and the passage of the Small Business Recovery Act. Since the City began implementing Proposition H in January 2021, over 3,500 businesses have benefited from the program, which allows more commercial projects to be processed within a shorter timeframe, in what’s known as “over-the-counter,” when permits applications are processed immediately upon submission.     

The City also opened the Permit Center in 2021, which offers 23 distinct service areas through the Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, among others. By centralizing services in one place, customers can move between permitting departments efficiently, resulting in a better experience and improved government function. Since the start of this year, the Permit Center has served an average of 191 customers per day and provides on average 531 services daily.      

More information about San Francisco’s First Year Free program may be found on this page. 

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