San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Regular Meeting - September 9, 2024
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San Francisco Land Use and Transportation Committee Regular Meeting - September 9, 2024
The Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on September 9, 2024, at 9:45 AM (actual start time was afternoon). Chair Marina Melgar presided, joined by President Aaron Peskin and Vice Chair Dean Preston. The committee considered three items: a commemorative street renaming for Aubrey Abrakasa Jr., a master permitting program for downtown community benefit districts, and amendments to park code for Yerba Buena Gardens.
Public Comments & Testimony
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Item 1 – Commemorative Street Renaming for Aubrey Abrakasa Jr.: Multiple speakers testified in strong support. Paulette Brown, mother of Aubrey, delivered an emotional account of her son's unsolved murder in 2006, when he was 17 years old, struck by 30 rounds from a semi-automatic gun while walking to work. She described 18 years of advocacy, including weekly appearances before the Police Commission, and called for justice and changes to tipster laws. Police Chief Bill Scott praised Ms. Brown's determination and confirmed the case remains open. Other speakers included former Supervisor John Avalos, Police Commissioner Kevin Benedicto, community members, and childhood friends, all expressing support for the resolution and for Ms. Brown's relentless advocacy against gun violence.
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Item 2 – Greater Downtown Community Benefit District Master Permitting Program: Public comment included support from Michelle Delaney (11 Minute Gallery), Robbie Silver (Downtown Partnership), Ken Rich (Union Square Alliance), John Anderson (SF Travel), and Jay Connor B. Ortega. Speakers highlighted the complexity of current permitting, the need to revitalize downtown, and the innovative nature of the program. Mr. Ortega noted 172 closed businesses in Union Square. No opposition was voiced.
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Item 3 – Yerba Buena Gardens Park Code Amendments: No public comment was offered.
Discussion Items
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Item 1 – Commemorative Street Name Designation – "Aubrey Abrakasa Jr. Street" (1500 Block of Grove Street): Supervisor Preston introduced the resolution, detailing the tragic death of 17-year-old Aubrey Abrakasa Jr. in 2006 and his mother's ongoing advocacy. The resolution honors his legacy and calls attention to gun violence. Supervisor Preston moved the item with a positive recommendation.
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Item 2 – Various Codes – Greater Downtown Community Benefit District Master Permitting for Entertainment Activation Program: President Peskin presented the ordinance, developed with downtown stakeholders over two years. The program creates a streamlined master permitting process for arts and culture events in four CBDs (East Cut, Downtown Partnership, Union Square Alliance, Yerba Buena CBD), allowing up to 5-year permits with a minimum of 20 events per year per activation area. The ordinance leverages state SB 76 entertainment zones. President Peskin introduced several amendments, including reducing the required number of events from 30 to 20, and moved to continue the item one week.
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Item 3 – Park Code – Yerba Buena Gardens: Real Estate Division representative Mr. Pannock presented the ordinance to allow dogs on leash in Yerba Buena Gardens, permit certain athletic activities, clarify prohibitions on bicycles and electric scooters, and make a non-substantive correction regarding jurisdiction. The item was moved for positive recommendation.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Motion to recommend the resolution to the full Board of Supervisors passed unanimously (3–0). Supervisors Preston, Peskin, and Melgar voted aye. The resolution will appear on the September 17, 2024 Board agenda.
- Item 2: Motion to adopt the amendments and continue the item to the September 16, 2024 meeting passed unanimously (3–0). The amendments include legal cleanup, addition of Mark Lane to Harlan Place, alignment with state law, reduction of required events from 30 to 20, and non-substantive language cleanup.
- Item 3: Motion to recommend the ordinance to the full Board passed unanimously (3–0). The ordinance will be considered by the Board of Supervisors on September 17, 2024.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good afternoon, everyone. This meeting will come to order. Uh, welcome to the September 9th, 2024 regular meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Marina Melgar, Chair of the Committee, joined by Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Vice Chair Dean Preston. The committee clerk today is Elisa Samara. Thank you, Ms. Samara. I would also like to acknowledge Jeanette Egglauf at SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting. Madam Clerk, do we have any announcements? Yes, Madam Chair. Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Documents to be included as part of the files should be submitted to the clerk. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak on your right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may email them to the land use and transportation clerk, John Carroll at J-O-H-N.C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org. Or you may submit your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office at City Hall 1, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of September 17th, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Madam Chair. Thank you. Madam Clerk, please call item number one. Yes. Item number one is a resolution adding the commemorative street name, Aubrey Abercassa Jr. Street to the 1500 block of Grove Street to honor the legacy and life of Aubrey Abergascassa Jr. and to bring attention to his tragic death and the need for action against gun violence. Thank you, Supervisor Preston, for introducing this item. The floor is yours. Thank you, Chair Melgar, and thank you for calendaring this resolution. There are a lot a lot of uh items and folks seeking to be calendared in this committee, but I very much appreciate you getting it on so quickly after our legislative recess. This is a resolution uh to rename the 1500 block of Grove Street between Baker and Lyon to Aubrey Abercasa Jr. Street. Umbrey grew up in the north of Panhandle neighborhood in District 5, part of the broader Western Edition community. Um in August uh of uh 2006, he was just 17 years old and about to begin his senior year at Raul Wallenberg High School. Aubrey played guard on his high school basketball team and coached other young athletes at the Bernal Heights Recreation Center, where he worked part-time. On the afternoon of August 14, 2006, while walking near his home on his way to work, Aubrey was struck when unknown assailants fired 30 rounds from a semi-automatic gun, hitting Aubrey in the back as he ran to warn others. Aubrey Abercassa Jr. succumbed to his injuries at San Francisco General Hospital at just 17 years old. And since that day, Aubrey's mother, who's here with us today, Paulette Brown, has been relentless in her pursuit of justice for her son. For 17 years, she has recounted the story of Aubrey's unsolved murder on Wednesdays before the police commission. On Tuesdays, often here before the Board of Supervisors, and at Vigils that she organizes every August at the scene of his death. And I want to thank Chair Melgar for joining us at the vigil this year. My colleague Supervisor Dorsey, who was there, and so many leaders, Sheriff Miyamoto, Chief Scott, uh the mayor, and others who came out, and many community members who came out to support. I also want to acknowledge that we are in receipt of a letter from San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in support of this item and in support of the street renaming and in support of the family. I want to thank uh the district attorney for submitting that letter to us. Through Paulette's loss and her family's story. Paula Paulette Brown has become a powerful advocate against gun violence in San Francisco and beyond, advocating for stronger gun control legislation and other common sense solutions to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening to others.
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