By Calvin Welch, HANC Board

On Tuesday, April 22nd the Board of Supervisor passed an ordinance amending the Planning Code to require mailed notice to be sent to all affected property owners affected by the up-zoning proposal of Mayor Lurie.  The upzoning proposal will cover substantial portions of the Haight- Ashbury, and may well result in the demolition and displacement of more than 20 businesses on Haight Street. The measure would, according to the City attorney:

"...require notice of rezoning intended to comply with Housing Element law;... affirming  the recipient list to include notice to all property owners, residents and commercial lessees of all affected parcels and parcels within 300 ft of affected parcels.  This notice includes the date, time and location of the hearing, instructions for how to submit comments on the proposed project to the hearing body, and an explanation as to why the hearing is required."

It seems a straightforward bit of good government, calling upon the Planning Department to inform residents about an incredibly important land use matter.  As can be seen the notice will not simply go to property owners but also residential and commercial tenants as well. 

Why was this needed?  For the simple reason that the Planning Department decided it need not notify residents of this impending action. 

Supervisor Mahmood voted against the ordinance, saying its $400,000 price tag was "too expensive" for the City’s $12 Billion dollar budget!

Mahmood seems to believe in the "mushroom theory" of government in which the governed is kept in the dark about future government action while being fed shit.

The measure passed with a veto proof 8 votes meaning we will actually hear when the matter is being heard and how we can express our opinion.  That's called the "democratic theory" of government.