Be Proactive!
If you believe that there is a Planning Code Violation within your neighborhood, there are a number of options available to you:
Make contact with the responsible person. Describe your perception of the problem. Discuss how the problem affects you and possible solutions.
Attend your Neighborhood Association meetings, and get involved with solving the problem. If you do not know if you have a Neighborhood Association call the Planning Department at (415) 558-6377 and ask for the Neighborhood Association Contact person for your neighborhood.
File a complaint with the San Francisco Planning Department, Code Enforcement Division at (415) 575-6863. A warning letter is sent for alleged violations and a Code Enforcement Planner is assigned the case.
High service demands can routinely cause cases to remain open for 30 or more days. These cases usually involve violations that do not affect the public at large and do not constitute an immediate health and safety problem.
Common Complaints:
- Illegal Change of Use (example: office use to a small self-service restaurant)
- Illegal Land Use (example: lumber yard within an residential zone)
- Failure to Adhere to Conditions of Approval (example: failure to follow mandatory hours of operation for a business)
- Paving of Required Front Setbacks
- Parking Vehicles within Front Setbacks
- Unauthorized Alterations to Historic Structures
- Illegal Dwelling Units
- Illegal General Advertising Signs
- Illegal Business Signs
- Illegal Building Enlargement without Building Permit (often referred to Department of Building Inspection)
Penalties
After an appeal process and referral to the City Attorney, Section 176(c)(1) of the Planning Code provides for civil penalties for violations of provisions of the Planning Code, not less than $200 for each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue.
Additionally, Planning Code Section 350(c)(1) of the Planning Code allows the Planning Department to charge time and materials to recover costs of correcting code violations and violations of Planning Commission and Department conditions of approval of use if such costs are not covered by any permit or application fees collected as part of the legalization of such violations.
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