(a) General Requirement. City departments that are responsible for reviewing permit applications for the establishment, modification, and/or operation of a principally permitted storefront commercial use shall develop a process for the coordinated and streamlined review of those permit applications, with timely responses from applicants, and any inspections required in connection with the applications, in order to (1) ensure that San Francisco’s commercial corridors remain thriving, (2) support existing businesses in adapting their business models in a changing economic environment, (3) improve access for business owners from all backgrounds to successfully open their business in San Francisco, and (4) protect the City’s tax base.
(b) Deadline for Implementation of Coordinated and Simplified Review Process. The City departments subject to this Section 32 include, but are not limited to, the Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, and Health Department. No later than 30 days from the effective date of this Section 32, the subject City departments shall implement a coordinated and simplified process for the review of all applications for principally permitted storefront commercial uses, and shall periodically review and update the process.
(c) Concurrent Review of Complete Permit Applications. Relevant departments shall perform a concurrent review of the permit application, when such review would reduce the length of the permit review process, provided the applicant submits a complete and accurate application. To the maximum extent feasible, this review shall be completed within 30 days of the date a complete application is submitted. If this review is not or cannot be completed within 30 days, the reason or reasons therefor shall be provided to the applicant, explaining why a decision could not be made on the permit application, the necessary steps to complete review, and the time needed to finalize review after receiving any additional information necessary to complete such review.
(d) Pre-Approval Inspections. If inspection of the proposed use is required before operation may begin, the inspection shall be limited to compliance with the items on an adopted checklist of objective threshold requirements for business operation. To the maximum extent feasible, the City departments involved shall coordinate their inspections and schedule them within two weeks of a request. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Municipal Code, an applicant may submit an inspection report by a qualified entity as determined and authorized by the head of the reviewing Department.
(e) Conditional Approvals. Where only minor corrective action is required before the proposed use may operate, a reviewing City department shall grant conditional approval so long as the Director of the department has found that no substantial hazard will result from operation of the use, or portion thereof. If the minor corrective action is not completed within a reasonable amount of time, as determined by the Director of the department, the failure to perform the corrective action shall be deemed a code violation which may be abated pursuant to the requirements of the applicable code.
(f) Expedited Process and Waiver of Additional Fees Where Department Error Results in Additional Review. Where a reviewing City department has made a significant error late in the application process in interpreting code requirements or determining the approvals required, and the error affects the timeliness of the City’s review, as determined by the Director of the involved department, the department shall expedite the additional review. In addition, notwithstanding any other provision of the Municipal Code, said department shall waive any fees applicable to the additional review. If the applicant or agent submits false or misleading information, no fee waiver shall apply.
(Added by Proposition H, 11/3/2020, Eff. 12/18/2020; amended by Ord. 111-21, File No. 210285, App. 8/4/2021, Eff. 9/4/2021)