San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – January 28, 2025
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – January 28, 2025
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors held its regular meeting on January 28, 2025, beginning at 10:15 a.m. The board approved the minutes from December 17, 2024, acted on a consent agenda, heard from Mayor Daniel Lurie, recognized commendations, continued a hearing on law enforcement reforms, and debated an appeal of a CEQA exemption for the Mid-Valencia Curbside Protected Bikeway project. The meeting included multiple public comment periods and concluded with the adoption of several resolutions.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of meeting minutes from December 17, 2024 (passed 11–0).
- Settlement of lawsuit – Stern Grove Festival Association – $225,016.38 (Item 241164).
- Settlement of lawsuit – Arthur Bailey Jr. – $320,000 (Item 241165).
- Settlement of unlitigated claim – James Hourihan – $75,000 (Item 241167).
- Numerous routine items from the regular agenda (Items 5–23, 29–32, 35, 37, 39–41) were adopted without objection. These included appropriations, agreements, and zoning amendments.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dozens of speakers commented on the Mid-Valencia bikeway appeal, with merchants and residents expressing concerns about parking, business viability, and safety, while cyclists and advocacy groups supported the project as a life-saving infrastructure improvement. General public comment covered sanctuary city policy, taxi medallion issues, homelessness, and the mayor’s fentanyl emergency order.
Discussion Items
- Mayor's Appearance (2:00 p.m. Special Order): Mayor Daniel Lurie discussed his Fentanyl State of Emergency Order and invited collaboration. Supervisor Chan asked about the closure of St. Ann’s Home in the Richmond; the mayor committed to supporting residents and exploring future uses of the site with multiple city departments.
- Commendations (2:30 p.m.): The board recognized Monica Walters, outgoing CEO of Wu Yee Children’s Services, for her decades of advocacy for early childhood education. The board also honored Teamsters Local 665 on its 100th anniversary, with several supervisors praising the union’s history and adaptability.
- Committee of the Whole (3:00 p.m.): A hearing on the progress of U.S. Department of Justice recommendations regarding police reforms was continued to March 18, 2025, by a unanimous vote (11–0).
- Mid-Valencia Bikeway Appeal (Items 25–28): The board heard a CEQA appeal filed by Vamanos, a community organization, arguing that the planning department’s statutory exemption determination was improper due to impacts on historic resources and unusual circumstances. The planning department explained that the project qualifies for a sustainable transportation statutory exemption (SB 922/SB 288) and that no further environmental review is required. The SFMTA presented extensive outreach efforts and the design evolution from center-running to curbside bikeways. After over an hour of public comment, Supervisor Fielder moved to affirm the exemption (Item 26) and table Items 27 and 28. The motion passed 10–0 (Supervisor Mandelman recused).
- New Business Introductions (Roll Call): Supervisors introduced several items, including:
- Supervisor Sherrill: a hearing on large commercial vacancies and an ordinance to permit formula retail on Van Ness Avenue.
- Supervisor Walton: a resolution urging medical providers and pharmacies to expand services to underserved neighborhoods, and in memoriams for Rosa Ivalia Lima and Alan Beltran.
- Supervisor Fielder: a resolution reaffirming San Francisco’s commitment to its Sanctuary City Ordinance (Item 37), which was adopted.
- Supervisor Engardio: an in memoriam for Sue Tai No.
- Supervisor Chan: a resolution condemning the executive order on birthright citizenship.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes approved (11–0).
- Consent agenda and routine items adopted without objection.
- Mid-Valencia bikeway appeal denied; statutory exemption affirmed (10–0). The project may proceed.
- Committee of the Whole continued to March 18, 2025 (11–0).
- Resolutions adopted: Lunar New Year (Item 35), Dreamforce sidewalk closure (Item 36), sanctuary city reaffirmation (Item 37), urging Walgreens to reconsider closures (Item 38), commending Monica Walters (Item 41), and others.
- In memoriams read for Sue Tai No, Daniel Goldstein, Rosa Ivalia Lima, Alan Beltran, and Ina Dent Dearman.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning and welcome to the January 28, 2025 regular meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? Thank you, Mr. President. Supervisor Chan. Chan present, Supervisor Chen, Chen present, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey present, Supervisor Ringardio, Engardeo present, Supervisor Fielder, Fielder present, Supervisor Mahmoud. Mamwood present, Supervisor Mandelman. Present. Mandelman present, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar present, Supervisor Sotter. Sotter present, Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl present and Supervisor Walton. Walton present. Mr. President, all members are present. Uh thank you, Madam Clerk. It has been pointed out to me that it is the afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Board of Supervisors acknowledges that we are in the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatush Aloney, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatush Alonee 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 Ramatush Aloney community and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples. Colleagues, will you please join me in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance? Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. On behalf of our board, I want to acknowledge the staff at SFGov TV, particularly Kalina Mendoza, who records each of our meetings and make the transcripts available to the public online. Madam Clerk, are there any communications? I have none to communicate, Mr. President. All right. Madam Clerk, let's go to the approval of meeting minutes. Colleagues, today we're approving the meeting minutes for the December 17th, 2024 regular board meeting. Are there any changes to these meeting minutes? Seeing none, can I have a motion to approve the minutes as presented? Moved by Walton, seconded by Chen. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? On the minutes as presented, Supervisor Dorsey. Dorsey I, Supervisor Ringardio. Engario I, Supervisor Fielder, Fielder I, Supervisor Mamwood. Mamwood I, Supervisor Mandelman. I. Mandelman I, Supervisor Melgar. Melgar I, Supervisor Sauter. Sotter I, Supervisor Cheryl. Cheryl I, Supervisor Walton, Walton I, Supervisor Chan. Chan I, and Supervisor Chen. Chen I. There are 11 eyes. All right. Without objection, the minutes will be approved after public comment as presented.
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