Board debates mayoral direction to end remote public comment, defers formal action

The San Francisco Board of Appeals spent the latter portion of its Dec. 6 meeting debating a mayoral direction—following a Board of Supervisors action—to discontinue remote public comment except for disability accommodations and to require departmental presenters to attend in person.

President Rick Swig opened the discussion by expressing support for returning to pre‑pandemic, in‑person norms. Several commissioners, including Commissioner Alex Lundberg and Commissioner Lambert, strongly urged preserving remote access for members of the public and for some parties and expert witnesses, citing improved access, disability accommodations and public‑health concerns. Commissioner JR Epler and Vice President Jose Lopez emphasized that parties and department representatives add value when they appear in person and suggested the board make an expectation, not a mandate, that those principals attend the hearing room.

Planning and DBI staff were not asked to make a substantive change to their procedures at the meeting; commissioners repeatedly noted that the mayor’s direction to departmental employees is not solely within the board’s authority. Multiple participants said a three‑bucket approach would be useful: (1) departments (subject to the mayor’s direction), (2) parties (encouraged to appear in person but not mandated), and (3) members of the public (retain both remote and in‑person options). Commissioners also raised security concerns raised by earlier incidents at other bodies and requested safeguards to prevent disruptive remote participation.

Ultimately the board did not vote on a policy change. Instead it directed the executive director to draft suggested language reflecting tonight’s discussion—preserving remote public comment while encouraging parties and department representatives to appear in person—and to return with the item for a future meeting (anticipated in January). No formal rule change was adopted at the Dec. 6 session.