San Francisco Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board

The City Charter states it is the function of the Planning Commission to adopt and maintain a comprehensive, long-term general plan for future improvement and development of the City. The Department's mission states: The San Francisco Planning Department is dedicated to public service, the orderly and harmonious use of land and improved quality of life for our diverse community and future generations.

The Planning Department's principal activities are:


 * Development and maintenance of the General Plan.


 * The development of area plans based on the General Plan, to provide more specific guidance for the development of the various City areas.


 * Reviewing of private development projects and proposed capital improvements projects and other physical projects involving City property for consistency and conformity with the General Plan.


 * The formulation of planning policies and standards that will ensure a quality living and working environment for San Francisco neighborhoods and districts.


 * Serving as an information center to assist citizens in understanding and applying to their property or to project proposals the policies of the General Plan and provisions of the Planning Code that might affect them.


 * Anticipating and acting on the need for new plans, policies, and Planning Code changes.


 * Applying the approved plans, policies, Planning Code and other regulations to proposed land use.


 * Applying the Planning Code and applicable sections of the Administrative Code to applications for permits.

The Department is administered in a manner designed to fulfill the objectives of the General Plan, provide applicants with efficient permit processing services and provide citizens appropriate opportunities to participate in land use decisions.

Preservation of significant historic and cultural properties is an important aspect of planning in San Francisco. Much of San Francisco's character, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, depends on the retention of its rich historical building fabric. In practical terms, maintaining and rehabilitating older buildings and neighborhoods can mean savings in energy, time, money, and materials; preservation is an inherently "green" strategy. The Planning Department's Historic Preservation program therefore plays an important economic, environmental, and cultural role in the ongoing development of San Francisco. As a Certified Local Government, the Planning Department has demonstrated its commitment to meeting the standards set forth by the California State Office of Historic Preservation.