Land Use Committee delays vote on Arts Education special-use district at 800 Chestnut

The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Nov. 6 continued consideration of an ordinance to create a nonprofit Arts Education Special Use District centered at 800 Chestnut.

Board President Aaron Peskin, sponsor of the ordinance, told the committee the item had not yet been heard by the Historic Preservation Commission because that commission lacked a quorum and asked the committee to delay action. "I would like to continue this item 1 week until next Monday and then because of our truncated time schedule, send it as a committee report for the full board of supervisors to consider on Tuesday, November 14," Peskin said.

The ordinance as described by the committee clerk would amend the planning code and the zoning map to establish the nonprofit Arts Education Special Use District, generally bounded by Francisco, Jones, Chestnut and Leavenworth Streets, with an address of 800 Chestnut. Committee clerk John Carroll also explained how members of the public could submit comments, saying, "If you have comments on any of today's agenda items, you may send them to my email address, johnperiodcarroll@sfgov.org. Or you may send your written comments to our office in City Hall. That's the clerk's office from 02:44. City Hall's address is 1 Doctor Carlton B. Goodlet Place, San Francisco, California 94102." The clerk reported no public commenters in the chamber.

Chair Dean Preston moved to excuse Supervisor Mirna Melgar from the meeting; the clerk conducted a roll call and recorded votes of 'Aye' from Aaron Peskin and Chair Preston, and the motion passed. Later, the committee voted to continue consideration of the zoning ordinance to the Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting on Nov. 13; the clerk again recorded 'Aye' votes from Peskin and Preston and reported no opposition, and the continuance passed.

The committee’s action means the ordinance is scheduled to return to the committee on Nov. 13 and, as Peskin requested, to appear as a committee report before the full Board of Supervisors on Nov. 14. No formal debate on the ordinance’s substance was recorded during the Nov. 6 meeting because the item was continued.