On Saturday, February 7, 2009, the San
Francisco Chronicle ran a misleading article by Robert Selna, “Popular bar may
violate zoning,” the second in a series that may leave readers with the false impression
that Mayor Gavin Newsom, in vetoing legislation concerning the New Mission Theater,
did something improper. In fact, the Mayor made a thoughtful, well-reasoned
policy decision based only on the merits.
The Chronicle’s readers deserve to know the actual rationale behind the Mayor’s
veto. The New Mission Theater site has been proposed for development of a
mixed-use project that includes heights up to 85 feet along Mission Street. This project has been
under review at the Planning Department since July 2005. The proposed
development would, among other benefits, rehabilitate, restore and reactivate
the long dormant New Mission Theater, a San Francisco landmark, provide neighborhood-serving
child care services, reactivate the theater use, and increase the City’s
housing supply by constructing market-rate and below market-rate units on one
of the City’s most transit-intensive streets.
The height
reduction proposed by this ordinance is inconsistent with the Planning Department’s
and Commission’s original recommendation for the site, the General Plan policy of
encouraging preservation of historically significant buildings, encouraging
housing along major transit corridors and revitalizing underutilized properties
along key neighborhood commercial corridors. Mayor Newsom’s staff, working with
Supervisor Bevan Dufty’s office, made good faith efforts to amend this
ordinance to address several of the policy concerns raised by members of the
Board, including adding additional language to clarify the preservation
requirements for the theater. These attempts at compromise were not accepted.
Based on all
of the above factors, the Mayor determined that a veto of this ordinance is in
the best interests of the City.
Read the Mayor’s
veto letter here.
Posted by Nathan Ballard
