Rules Committee forwards slate of appointments, including planning and utilities nominees

The San Francisco Rules Committee on Sept. 19 moved a package of nominations to the full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendations after public testimony.

Inclusionary Housing Technical Advisory Committee: The committee voted unanimously to send four nominees to the full board with residency waivers for Peter Cohen and Shannon Wei. Chair Aaron Peskin framed the TAC's role in helping set dynamic inclusionary rates under Planning Code section 415.1 and said the committee's work will be informed by the city controller’s forthcoming economic-feasibility analysis.

Planning Commission: The committee advanced two planning nominees. Derek Braun, the mayor’s nominee for a vacant seat, described a career at Strategic Economics and said he would disclose and recuse where necessary. "These are all public contracts ... I have never personally worked on these projects for San Francisco," Braun said when asked about his firm's existing contracts; he also pledged to consult the City Attorney about any potential conflicts. After robust public comment — including praise for Braun’s expertise and concerns about whether he understands San Francisco-specific planning practice — the committee forwarded his nomination with a positive recommendation.

Rachel Tanner, reappointed to the Planning Commission, spoke about equity work and the housing element; commenters both praised her community outreach and criticized what some called "lip service" on equity and project denials. The committee sent her nomination forward with a positive recommendation.

Public Utilities Commission and Board of Appeals: The committee also recommended reappointment of Commissioner Sophie Maxwell and appointment of Dr. Nousha Ajami and Tony Rivera to the PUC; Maxwell spoke about building an equitable "utility of the future," Ajami described climate- and water-resilience work, and Rivera emphasized his auxiliary water supply and firefighting-system experience. Jefferson Robert Epler, nominated to the Board of Appeals by Board President Shamann Walton, described neighborhood advocacy and legal work; the committee recommended his appointment and commenters, including Board of Appeals president Rick Swig, urged the city to address diversity on that panel.

All motions to forward the nominees were recorded as unanimous 'aye' votes by Supervisors Connie Chan, Rafael Mandelman and Aaron Peskin, and the motions passed without objection. Several public commenters urged the Rules Committee to press for commission transparency and for training/onboarding for new commissioners, and multiple callers raised concerns about the planning commission secretary’s handling of motion text in recent hearings.