Form Foils Function: How Our Process Prevents Real Planning — and What We Can Do About itDavid Prowlerbyline‚ Jun. 24‚ 2008(EDITOR'S NOTE: This piece originally appeared in the January 2007 SPUR newsletter. We felt it timely in light of new data showing a continuing middle-class exodus from San Francisco, which some attribute to Planning Department delays. This was written prior to the arrival of new Planning Director John Rahaim, who is moving to address some of these issues.) Here's how it's done in San Francisco. The Planning Department staff or the Planning Commission, or even the Board of Supervisors, decides to draw up a new plan for an area. Maybe it's because there have been too many controversies there, or because it seems like a good idea to either change or preserve the character of that neighborhood — how the buildings and streets look and are used. There is some squabbling about the boundaries, and then the process of creating a plan begins. The public is invited to give input at community meetings, given handouts, shown slides, and given a chance to ask questions or make criticisms. Six months later, the planners come back with a modified version of the original idea, pass out handouts, show the slides and ask for comments. This gets repeated for a decade. |