Previously, San Francisco Planning Code had more restrictive regulations for ground floor commercial retail and restaurant uses in neighborhood commercial districts (NCDs) and residential districts, various limitations on Non-Retail Professional Services and retail establishments, and a Mission Street Formula Retail Restaurant Subdistrict with its own guidelines.

The ordinance amends the Planning Code to allow additional commercial retail and restaurant uses on the ground floor in certain NCDs and residential districts, principally permit Flexible Retail and Retail Professional Services, create distinct regulations for music entertainment venues and non-profit theaters, allow limited corner commercial uses, remove certain neighborhood notice requirements, expand business types for priority review, clarify multi-use co-location, modify use regulations, permit more retail and non-retail uses in specified NCDs, eliminate the Mission Street Formula Retail Restaurant Subdistrict, and exempt eligible projects from development impact fees, except for inclusionary housing fees, for a five-year period.

The changes aim to increase flexibility for commercial use of ground-floor spaces, differentiate between types of entertainment venues, incentivize certain business types, simplify the process for changes in use, support co-location of multiple business types, and reduce financial barriers for eligible projects changing use.

The ordinance is intended to respond to changing needs in commercial districts, support a diverse economy, and facilitate the use and re-use of commercial space. It also aims to reduce unnecessary constraints on business and property owners while ensuring that development aligns with the city's priorities.

Information not provided in the current document. Typically, changes of this nature would undergo legislative approval by the Board of Supervisors, may require mayoral approval, and involve assessments by the Planning Department as well as public hearings.

The ordinance includes findings of consistency with the General Plan and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, which establishes mechanisms for review and accountability. Ongoing monitoring of the impact and effectiveness of the changes is implied through inclusion of a five-year time frame for exempting projects from development impact fees.