Planning staff preview Environmental Justice framework to be folded into San Francisco general plan

Planning Department staff presented an Environmental Justice (EJ) framework and proposed updates to the general plan introduction at the San Francisco Planning Commission’s Jan. 5, 2023 meeting.

Lisa Chen, a planning department staffer, said the work responds to state requirements under SB 1000 and to local calls for stronger racial and social equity in land‑use policy. The department proposes incorporating an EJ framework — including a high‑resolution city map of EJ communities developed using CalEnviroScreen and more than 100 local datasets — into the general plan introduction so the framework guides all subsequent elements.

Danielle Ngo, who described the community engagement effort, said the department convened an environmental justice working group and solicited input from residents, community leaders and partner agencies. Ngo said the working group produced a 14‑page set of policy recommendations and that the planning team will publish a public draft of the framework and an initiation ordinance on Jan. 19 to begin formal proceedings.

The presentation emphasized alignment with actions already taken in the safety and resilience and housing elements and named partner agencies including the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Department of the Environment. Chen said the framework will look at both environmental burdens and benefits and will include an EJ communities map different from the state’s CalEnviroScreen product.

Commissioners asked whether flooding and sea‑level rise are reflected in the mapping. Ngo said the safety and resilience element addresses natural‑hazard mapping and that the EJ work includes climate resilience, sea‑level rise vulnerability and flood‑vulnerable areas as part of the broader environmental hazard analysis.

Because the item was informational, the commission did not take a vote. Staff indicated they expect to publish the public draft online the next day and to move to initiation hearings and a draft ordinance later in January.