Last updated: August 23, 2026. Fees and procedures can change; confirm the current guidance with San Francisco Planning before you file.
The short answer: A San Francisco project that meets baseline zoning and design standards can still be eligible for Discretionary Review (DR) when its Planning path includes the applicable neighborhood notice. DR gives the Planning Commission an opportunity to take a second look at a project in exceptional circumstances. It is not available for every permit, it is not an automatic neighbor veto, and it does not come with a reliable one-size-fits-all timeline.
This guide explains the public-notice connection, who may request review, the Planning fees in effect at this update, and practical ways to prepare without assuming a particular outcome.
What is Discretionary Review?
San Francisco Planning describes DR as a process in which the Planning Commission may take a “second look” at an eligible project. The Commission’s published guidance frames DR around exceptional and extraordinary circumstances where the usual zoning and design standards may not adequately conserve neighborhood character or balance development rights with nearby impacts.
For a project that is subject to DR, the Commission may consider staff analysis, project materials, the request, and public testimony. Planning says the Commission may require modifications to protect the public interest, approve the project, or disapprove it.
That is different from saying a neighbor can stop any code-compliant permit. Whether DR is available depends on the project’s actual notice and review path.
When can a project be subject to DR?
Not every San Francisco permit creates a DR opportunity. Planning’s DR guidance ties the process to eligible noticed applications. For example, Planning Code Section 311 covers neighborhood notification for building expansions and certain changes of use. Other notice or review requirements may apply depending on the scope, zoning, and property.
Projects more likely to need an early Planning-path check include additions, new construction, projects that change an exterior condition, changes of use, and scopes with special design or historic-resource considerations. That is not an exhaustive list and does not mean each project in those categories will receive the same notice or DR process.
Interior-only work may have a different path than an addition or exterior change, but do not use a general label such as “kitchen remodel” or “ADU” as a substitute for checking the specific scope. Planning can confirm the notice requirements that apply to your address and proposal.
Who can file, and when?
For an eligible noticed project, a member of the public or a neighborhood organization can submit a Discretionary Review Public (DRP) request. Planning’s DR guidance says the request must be filed during the project application’s notification period.
Planning says it sends notice to residents and property owners within 150 feet of the subject property and to registered neighborhood organizations. The timing, required materials, and applicable rules are project-specific, so use the notice itself and current Planning guidance rather than assuming a universal deadline.
Current filing fees and planning meetings
The San Francisco Planning fee schedule in effect as of this guide’s August 23, 2026 update lists:
- $788 for a Discretionary Review Public (DRP) application
- $5,420 for a Discretionary Review Staff-Initiated (DRM) application
These are Planning application fees, not a forecast of the total financial effect of a DR on the project owner. Design changes, representation, financing, and scheduling effects vary widely by project. Check the current Planning fee schedule before filing because City fees change.
For early project questions, the schedule lists $1,373 for a Department-Facilitated Project Review Meeting. A Planning meeting can help identify applicable requirements before you commit to a design, but it is not a guarantee that a DR request will not be filed.
Planning also publishes a Discretionary Review Fee Waiver resource. Check its current requirements directly if you are considering whether a neighborhood organization may qualify; do not assume a waiver applies to a particular filing.
What does the timeline look like?
Planning’s DR guidance says it sets a hearing date within 12 weeks of a request. That is a scheduling benchmark, not a complete project timeline: the path to a hearing, decision, permit issuance, or any later revision depends on the project, the request, current calendars, and the Commission’s action.
Ask Planning for a current estimate tied to your application. Avoid basing construction, financing, or move-in decisions on a generic claim that DR always adds a particular number of months.
What happens at a DR hearing?
Planning Commission hearings are public. The Commission considers Planning staff analysis, the project materials, the DR request, and public testimony before deciding how to act. You can prepare by understanding the issues raised, coordinating with your architect or project team, and bringing clear drawings or other project materials that address the applicable design and planning questions.
Discretionary Review is also distinct from a permit appeal. Planning’s DR guidance notes that an issued building permit may be appealed to the Board of Appeals within 15 days of issuance. If you are evaluating an appeal or a Commission action, confirm the current rules, deadline, and decision path with the responsible agency.
Historic-resource review is a separate question
Historic-resource status can affect the review path, but a historic label does not by itself answer whether DR applies. San Francisco Planning directs owners to the Property Information Map, where a property is categorized for historic-resource purposes:
- Category A or A* indicates a historic resource; A* includes a building or neighborhood listed under Planning Code Article 10 or Article 11.
- Category B can require Historic Resource Review when the front façade is changed.
- Category C does not require historic-preservation review.
If any proposed work is visible from the street, Planning says City planners review the project to protect historic resources. Confirm the property’s actual category and required process rather than relying on a neighborhood name, a historic-district count, or another project’s result.
How to prepare before filing
If your project may require a public notice or Planning review:
- Confirm the path early. Ask Planning which notice, design, historic-resource, or other reviews apply to your address and scope.
- Use a project-review meeting when it fits. A Department-Facilitated Project Review Meeting can help surface questions before plans are final; confirm its scope and current fee with Planning.
- Review the proposal through a neighbor-impact lens. Consider massing, privacy, visible changes, and other project-specific design questions with your architect. This does not replace the applicable code or Planning guidance.
- Communicate early and accurately. Sharing preliminary plans with adjacent owners or local groups can identify questions while design changes are still easier to consider. It does not prevent someone from filing a request.
- Keep source documents organized. Save the notice, project drawings, communications, and any Planning guidance so your team can respond to specific issues if a request is filed.
If a DR request is filed
Read the request and the project notice closely, then coordinate with your architect, contractor, or another qualified advisor as appropriate. Focus on the issues actually raised and the project materials Planning will consider. A land-use professional may be helpful for a complex or high-stakes matter, but the right level of support depends on the scope and facts of the case.
Do not rely on generic consultant, attorney, redesign, financing, or delay ranges. Seek project-specific estimates before making a financial or construction decision.
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