Hearing Procedures Zoning Variance

The Zoning Administrator holds Variance Hearings to provide a public venue for the review of variance applications in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Code. Members of the public who cannot attend a Variance Hearing may submit comments in writing or by telephone to the staff planner listed on the notification.

What to Expect at a Variance Hearing

Persons attending a hearing may comment on any Regular Calendar agenda item, relevant to that item. When speaking, please note that a timer is used for each speaker and indicates how much time remains. Speakers will hear a notification indicating that the speaker’s opportunity to address the Zoning Administrator is about to end or has ended.

Regular Calendar

• the Project Sponsor (Variance Applicant) will be given 5 minutes to present their case, including relevant testimony and evidence.
• Members of the public will be given 3 minutes each to speak on the item.
• If a member of the public speaks against an item, the Project Sponsor will be given a 3 minute rebuttal.

Note: the hearing room is equipped with a laptop suitable for a flash drive, and a projector that can display photographs, architectural plans or other drawings and images.

Consent Calendar

Some items may appear on the Consent Calendar. These items are considered routine and may be granted by the Zoning Administrator. There is no separate discussion of consent items unless the Zoning Administrator, member of the public or staff so requests, in which event the matter is removed from the Consent Calendar and will be moved to the Regular Calendar in the Agenda.

Continuance

In addition, the Zoning Administrator may consider a request for continuance to a later date. They may choose to continue the item to the date proposed, to continue the item to another date, or to hear the item on this calendar.

General Public Comment

Each hearing ends with general Public Comment, at which time members of the public may address the Zoning Administrator for up to 3 minutes on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Zoning Administrator, except Regular Calendar agenda items, which are explained above.

Decisions

After all of the testimony is submitted, the Zoning Administrator will consider the evidence, deliberate, and either make a decision, take the matter under advisement, or continue the matter in order for additional information to be presented.

No decision is final until a Variance Decision Letter is issued. Due to the overwhelming number of Variance cases, decision letters may take up to 2 months to complete from the date of the hearing.

Appeals

The Zoning Administrator's action (to grant or deny) a variance application may be appealed to the Board of Appeals within 10 days of the date of the Decision Letter. For more information on how to file an appeal, please contact the San Francisco Board of Appeals.