"The Board of Supes, by a 8-2 vote, just undid decades of careful planning work in North Beach and the surrounding neighborhoods, opening the path for larger storefronts and bigger businesses and less diversity in the local shops. District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter pitched his deregulation bill as a way to address vacant storefronts, but his critics, including businesses like City Lights Books, Tony's Pizza and Spec's, say the neighborhood is thriving, and this is a solution in search of a problem."
"Discouraging storefront mergers has helped to preserve our vibrant neighborhood, minimize commercial vacancies, and retain small businesses, including our numerous Legacy Businesses, that would have long disappeared without these controls. These provisions have long proven successful in protecting the delicate ecosystem of our celebrated neighborhood-serving businesses by incentivizing landlords to retain existing small business spaces that command lower per square foot rents than larger storefront"
"And, as Sup. Shamann Walton noted, the city has approved taxes on vacant storefronts, "and we should use the tools we have." Sauter's plan eliminates the North Beach Special Use District, which limits the size of commercial space to protect smaller businesses that can't afford the rent of larger spaces, protects residential uses above the ground floor, and limits the number of bars and restaurants in some areas."
The Board of Supervisors voted 8-2 to repeal the North Beach Special Use District, removing zoning limits that helped preserve small storefronts and residential uses above ground-floor spaces. Supervisor Danny Sauter presented the measure as a response to vacant storefronts. Local businesses including City Lights Books, Tony's Pizza and Spec's oppose the change and say the neighborhood is thriving. Telegraph Hill Dwellers argue that limiting storefront mergers preserved vibrancy, minimized vacancies, and retained legacy businesses. Critics assert the rezoning could alter commercial composition and rents and may require environmental review under CEQA. Supervisor Shamann Walton urged using existing vacant-storefront tax tools.
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