San Francisco Port Commission Meeting Summary: June 11, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Francisco Port Commission Meeting Summary: June 11, 2024
The San Francisco Port Commission met on June 11, 2024, to address waterfront management, activation, and resilience. The meeting featured an extensive Executive Director's report that celebrated Pride Month and Juneteenth on the Waterfront, recognized three retiring staff members (Alan Jin, David Wu, Dan Hodap), and honored outgoing Commissioner Ed Harrington. The Commission unanimously approved the consent calendar (with the exception of one item voted on separately), debated and approved an amended grant for the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District to activate the Little Embarcadero, and received an informational presentation on the San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study.
Consent Calendar
- Approved Items (10A-E): The Commission approved resolutions for a hazardous materials management contract (10A), Harbor Traffic Code amendments at Mission Rock (10B), a sole source grant to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center for the Living Seawall Pilot Project (10C), a no-fee license with Pacific Cruise Ship Terminals LLC (10D), and a five-month fee waiver for commercial salmon and Dungeness crab fisheries (10E) to address economic disruption from fishery closures.
- Item 10F Deferred for Separate Vote: The Commission removed Mission Bay Parks acceptance (10F) from the consent calendar to adopt revised language regarding the park improvements and acceptance process.
- Public Comment on Consent: Representatives from the local fishing industry testified in support of the fishery relief. Jeanette Kaido (Kaido Fisheries) expressed support for the relief but requested the port consider including fish processors in the program. John Barnett (Crab Boat Owners Association) and Larry Collins (San Francisco Community Fishing Association) expressed gratitude for the relief, with Collins detailing hardships caused by "gross mismanagement" by the federal government.
- Outcome: Resolutions 2425-2429 (10A-E) were approved unanimously. Resolution 2430 (10F) was approved unanimously with the introduced amendments. President Brandon directed staff to explore expanding the fishery relief to include fish processors.
Discussion Items
- Executive Director's Report (Item 9A): Executive Director Elaine Forbes provided a wide-ranging report, including Pride Month celebrations, the Juneteenth on the Waterfront event (featuring 17 food and 10 retail vendors), a new Thomas J. Price sculpture, summer internship programs, and the Heron's Head Park Coastal Erosion Project receiving a civil grand jury award. The report notably included heartfelt tributes to retiring staff Alan Jin (17 years at port), David Wu (17.5 years), and Dan Hodap (26 years), as well as departing Commissioner Ed Harrington. Commissioners expressed deep gratitude for their service and highlighted the importance of equity, design excellence, and collaboration.
- Little Embarcadero Activation Project (Item 11A): Staff presented a proposal to amend the Fisherman's Wharf CBD grant by reallocating $400,000 and adding $1,032,200 to fund a $1.4 million first-year activation program. The project features pergolas, container kiosks, seating, and art murals to beautify the area, deter unpermitted vending, and draw visitors. Several public speakers representing Pier 39, Boudin Bakery, Red and White Fleet, and San Francisco Travel expressed strong support. Commissioners Lee and Gilman raised concerns about enforcement coordination and long-term funding sustainability. Staff confirmed the funding is from federal stimulus and that a sustainable funding model is necessary for future years. Resolution 2431 was approved unanimously.
- Waterfront Coastal Flood Study (Item 12A): Staff provided an informational update on the draft $13.5 billion feasibility study. They highlighted robust community engagement with 14 public events, 970 participants, and over 50 briefings. Key public feedback included a strong desire for nature-based solutions, health concerns over contamination, and questions about the study area limits. The City's formal comment letter emphasized closing the Yosemite Slough gap, addressing inland drainage risks, and managing contaminated sites. The next milestone is the Army Corps Agency Decision milestone at the end of June 2024.
Key Outcomes
- Fleet Relief Expansion Directed: Staff were directed by the Commission to explore adding fish processors to the commercial fishery relief package and return with a proposal.
- Little Embarcadero Activation Approved: Resolution 2431 authorized the CBD grant amendment, moving forward with the summer activation project.
- Mission Bay Parks Acceptance: Resolution 2430 was formally adopted, completing the acceptance of Parks P19 and P22.
- New Business Directions: Staff were directed to update the Commission on past and future congressional community funding requests and develop an equitable approach to the kiosk selection process for the Little Embarcadero project.
The meeting was adjourned. No meeting minutes were provided alongside the agenda and transcript.
Meeting Transcript
Commissioner Ed Harrington. Here. And Commissioner Stephen Lee. The San Francisco Port Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatish Alone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Rama Tishalone 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. Item two is approval of minutes for the April 30, 2024 Port Commission meeting. So moved. Second. Second. Any opposed? The motion has passed. The information that we discussed in closed session. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously. We are now in open session. Item six is the Pledge of Allegiance. Under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Then dial star three to raise your hand to comment on the item being discussed. An audio prompts will signal when it is your turn to speak. If you're watching this meeting on S UpGup TV, there is a short broadcasting delay. To not miss your chance to comment, please dial when the item you want to comment on is announced. Mute your device and listen to the meeting from your telephone, which has no delay. Good afternoon, President Brandon, Vice President Gilman, Commissioners, Port staff, and members of the public. I am Elaine Forbes, the Port's Executive Director. I have a lot to report out today. So I'll try to move through things. First, it's Pride Month. Happy Pride Month. I want to say that this year's events will be throughout the month at the waterfront. We will have lots of things that are fun and exciting to do at Pride. And each June you'll see our Pride Flag flying a Pier 1 along with all of our other waterfront tenants, and we're really proud to fly the rainbow flag from Pier 1. As you know, Pride is a wonderful celebration. It's a tribute to the city's heroism and inclusiveness. I am a queer department head, so pride is especially important to me, and I've enjoyed the Pride Parade for my entire growing up as a young lesbian in the city. And so I love pride. Um and I also want to acknowledge that there are struggles that we're really going through for the trans community and for uh a continued evolution that young people are teaching us about gender fluidity. So we continue to be proud and prideful in our organization. So happy, happy, happy pride. June is also Juneteenth month. Juneteenth, and we are celebrating. The first weekend this month, we hosted the return of Juneteenth on the waterfront at Ferry Plaza. Mayor Breed came. She's come for every single Juneteenth since we started this program in 2021. This is with a lot of partnership, Foodwise, San Francisco Human Rights Commissioner Commission's Dreamkeeper initiative, which provided the seed money and continues to invest, and the ferry building. And Madam President, I really want to thank you for being the quiet force behind this program. We are seeing businesses that have started in kitchens and in garages on weekends grow uh to farmers market to regular farmers market starting six times a year and then to every Saturday, and then to grow into having employees and business and scaling up.
openpublica.com