San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - September 17, 2024
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting - September 17, 2024
The Board of Supervisors met on September 17, 2024, to consider routine consent items, several ordinances, resolutions, and motions, including a controversial drone policy, plus introduced new legislation and held public comment. Key decisions included approval of the drone policy with amendments, referral of the library site item back to committee, and scheduling of closed session and committee of the whole.
Consent Calendar
- Items 1-3: Routine approvals passed unanimously.
- Items 4-19: Various ordinances and resolutions passed on same house, same call, including authorization of certificates of participation (not to exceed $61,395,000), real property acquisition at 240-6th Street ($7,150,000), settlement of lawsuits, grant acceptances (totaling over $4.3 million), agreement for train control upgrade (not to exceed $30,000,000), park code amendment for Yerba Buena Gardens, commemorative street naming for Aubrey Abrakasa, Jr., surveillance technology policies for police and emergency management, legacy business assistance program exemption, and appointments to Treasury Oversight Committee and Food Security Task Force.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Several speakers addressed unsolved homicides, corruption in city agencies, the One System data system, and the city's lawsuit against the EPA over Clean Water Act violations, urging the board to withdraw the lawsuit.
- UCSF clinical social workers and union representatives (UPTE CWA 9119) spoke in support of a resolution addressing pay inequities, noting that campus social workers earn on average 31% less than medical center colleagues despite identical credentials.
- Other speakers commented on the need for improved oversight of city contracts and support for the Worker Justice Fund.
Discussion Items
- Item 20 (Drone Policy): Supervisors Preston and Walton raised concerns about prior violation of state law (AB 481) and civil liberties. After technical amendments, the ordinance passed on first reading 9-2, with Supervisors Walton and Ronan voting no.
- Item 21 (Library Branch Site): Supervisor Safai moved to send the item back to committee for further discussion, citing the need to continue conversations with the city librarian about the site at 100 Orizaba Avenue. Motion carried without objection.
- Introductions:
- Supervisor Peskin called for hearings at the Government Audit and Oversight Committee on corruption at SF Safe and the Human Rights Commission; introduced interim zoning controls to protect legacy businesses citywide; and introduced a resolution to designate 600 block of Sutter Street as Joe Rosenthal Way.
- Supervisor Dorsey requested a budget and legislative analyst report using Columbia University's CASA methodology to estimate taxpayer costs of untreated drug addiction.
- Supervisor Ronin introduced a Worker Justice Fund ordinance to provide restitution to low-wage workers denied wages, and a resolution urging UCSF to address pay inequities for clinical social workers.
- Supervisor Safai introduced an ordinance to accept DeLong Street (a BART-owned segment) into the city's right-of-way with $75,000 from BART and $350,000 from the County Transportation Authority for upgrades.
Key Outcomes
- Drone policy (Item 20): Passed on first reading 9-2.
- Library branch site (Item 21): Referred back to committee.
- Closed session (Item 27): Scheduled for September 24, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. as a special order to discuss litigation with the EPA.
- Committee of the Whole (Item 26): Scheduled for October 22, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. to consider Bayview Hunters Point Redevelopment Plan amendments.
- Hearings requested: Corruption investigations at SF Safe and the Human Rights Commission.
- Legislation introduced: Worker Justice Fund, interim controls for legacy businesses, DeLong Street acceptance, resolution on UCSF social workers, and a cost study on drug addiction.
- Commendations: Recognized Michael Blecker (Swords to Plowshares), Joan Madonna (ArtSpan), and the San Francisco Family Childcare Hispanic Network.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the September 17th regularly scheduled meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, would you please call the role? Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan present, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey present, Supervisor Ringardio. Engario present, Supervisor Mandelman, Mandelman present, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar present, Supervisor Peskin. Present. Peskin present, Supervisor Preston. Preston present, Supervisor Ronin. Ronan present, Supervisor Safai. Safayi not present, Supervisor Stephanie. Stephanie present, Supervisor Walton. Walton present, and Supervisor Safaye. Safayi present. Mr. President, all members are present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatushalone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatushaloni have never ceded, lost nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the Ramatushalone community, and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. And I would also like to welcome for the second day in a row in these chambers, watching Democracy in Work, the seniors from Gateway High. With that, Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, Mr. President. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors welcomes you to attend this meeting in the board's legislative chamber here in City Hall, second floor, room two fifty. Or you may watch the proceeding on SFGOVTV's Channel 26 or view the live stream at WWW.sfgovtv.org. You may submit public comment via email to BOS at SFgov.org or use the U.S. Postal Service. Just address the envelope to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The number one, Dr. Carleton, Capital B period, Goodlit Place, City Hall, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. To make a reasonable accommodation request under the Americans with Disability Act, or to request language assistance. Please contact the clerk's office at least two business days in advance. The number is 415-554-5184. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would you please call the consent agenda? Items 1 through 3 are on consent. These items are considered to be routine. If a member objects, an item may be removed and considered separately. Would any member or members like an item or item severed? Seeing none, a roll call, please.
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