Mayor London Breed and San Francisco officials are proposing legislation aimed at making it easier for small businesses to get up and running, building on changes voters passed in 2020 to cut through layers of city bureaucracy and to cut down on the commercial vacancies plaguing some districts.
The more than 100 proposed changes to the city’s planning code come at a time when some new business formations, particularly restaurants and bars, are on the rise in San Francisco, despite being well below pre pandemic averages.
The proposed legislation would allow more retail spaces to be used for multiple purposes, while shortening how long it takes to get the right permits for a new business.
It would also allow professional services in ground floor retail spaces, like an accountant’s office, which under the planning code are largely reserved for retail…
