Port Commission Regular Meeting - November 10, 2020

The San Francisco Port Commission held a regular meeting on November 10, 2020, via teleconference. The meeting covered a range of topics including the city's reopening rollback due to rising COVID-19 cases, rent relief for port tenants, a shared spaces program for outdoor dining, and a long-term waterfront resilience plan. The commission adopted resolutions on the consent calendar and on economic stabilization measures, and received an informational presentation on the Waterfront Resilience Program.

Consent Calendar

• Item 10A: Approved unanimously (Resolution 2049) authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for temporary use of up to 5.1 megawatts of power capacity supplied by the Port's shipyard at Piers 68 and 70 for up to three years.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 11A – Three members of the public offered comments. One speaker expressed support for port actions but urged that fees be refunded rather than credited, and recommended tying the program's end date to the citywide shared spaces program for consistency. Another speaker, a waterfront resident, emphasized the importance of keeping restaurants open and asked the commission to consider making the fee waiver a refund rather than a credit. The third speaker stressed the need for restaurants to have certainty, supporting the extension of the program through June 2021 but asking that the waiver be a refund rather than a credit.

Discussion Items

• Executive Director's Report: Elaine Forbes reported on the city's decision to pause and roll back high-risk indoor activities (indoor dining, fitness centers, movie theaters) due to rapid increases in COVID-19 cases locally, regionally, and nationally. She highlighted the port's financial resilience and flexibility during the pandemic, and noted that the port received a City Partnering Award for the Pier 29 project, which was completed on budget with creative problem-solving. Commissioners commended staff for their efforts.
• Item 11A – Tenant Relief and Economic Stabilization Measures: Port staff presented updates on the rent deferral program (average 274 tenants deferred ~$12.8 million from March to July 2020), sector-based rent forgiveness, the commercial eviction moratorium, and a proposed repayment program. The commission discussed a proposed resolution (Resolution 2050) to waive fees for use of port property for outdoor dining and retail under the Shared Spaces Program, with a termination date tied to the end of the city's public health emergency or June 30, 2021, whichever is sooner. Commissioners debated extending the end date to March or June 2021, with some expressing unease about uncertainty. Ultimately, the commission supported the staff recommendation of June 2021, with a plan to revisit the program in the first quarter of 2021. The resolution passed unanimously.
• Item 12A – Waterfront Resilience Program: Staff presented an informational update on the alternatives development strategy and proposed decision framework for the Waterfront Resilience Program, which aims to adapt the port's waterfront to sea level rise and seismic risks. The presentation covered draft goal statements, planning principles, evaluation criteria, funding guidelines (including Proposition A), and the role of the Adapt Plan. Commissioners praised the structured approach and emphasized the need to include equity considerations, engage other city departments, and coordinate with historic pier rehabilitation and long-term lease extensions. No action was taken; staff will return in December 2020 for further feedback.
• New Business: No new business was raised.

Key Outcomes

• Resolution 2049 (Consent Calendar) – Adopted unanimously: MOU with SFPUC for temporary power capacity.
• Resolution 2050 – Adopted unanimously: Approval of additional economic stabilization measures, including waiver of fees for shared spaces program for outdoor dining and retail, with termination tied to the end of the public health emergency or June 30, 2021; commission to review in first quarter 2021.
• Waterfront Resilience Program: Commissioners expressed support for the process and requested continued engagement; staff to return in December 2020 with further updates.
• Meeting adjourned at 5:25 PM.