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San Francisco making it easier for businesses to host block parties

By Brad Hamilton

/ CBS San Francisco

For Brian Sheehy, slowing down is rare. The owner of several San Francisco bars is used to moving quickly, where time is money and seizing the moment can make all the difference.

"Every time we want to close this plaza down for a major event like St. Patrick's Day, or a Cinco de Mayo, or like the upcoming World Cup, we would have to go through this process that would take six months for each date," Sheehy said.

For years, this do-it-all man did his best to keep up, keeping his places of business in order, an easy sweep. Keeping up with the permit process, not so much.

"For years, we would have to go to these independent city agencies separately and get approval one by one. There was no central location, and there was no assistance from the city," he shared.

But now, that's about to change. City leadership recently passed legislation that they say will help established event activators plan and execute at a much faster pace.

Ben Van Houten, the official in charge of the changes to the process, says that includes a step they feel is far too redundant.

"We are effectively removing the public hearing process for about 50 percent of events that occur every year, from small block parties to downtown entertainment activation zones," explained Van Houten.

And that might feel as good as the perfect pour for someone like Sheehy, who's already looking to take advantage when the World Cup comes to the Bay Area this summer.

"We need to be able to do outdoor and indoor events for these World Cup games, and this legislation allows us to do it with confidence."

He says he can't put a dollar amount on what the new rules could open up for them. 

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