San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - July 17, 2024
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San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - July 17, 2024
Note: The agenda and transcript reference July 16, 2024, but the exact timestamp for this meeting is July 17, 2024, per user instruction. The meeting was held virtually and in person at Port Commission chambers.
The Port Commission convened on July 17, 2024, with all four commissioners present (President Kimberly Brandon, Vice President Gail Gilman, Commissioners Willie Adams and Stephen Lee). The meeting included an executive session, executive director’s report, consent calendar, and an informational presentation on a sediment remediation project. No votes were taken on substantive items beyond consent.
Executive Director’s Report
- New Art Installation: A 9-foot bronze sculpture titled "Sound Turn to Noise" by Thomas J. Price, depicting a young Black woman in jogging clothes, has been installed on the waterfront. It aims to challenge traditional memorialization norms.
- Fourth of July Weekend: The port saw 2017-level sales (unaudited) at Fisherman’s Wharf, with high attendance, clean streets, and successful coordination with SFMTA and SFPD. Jefferson Street was closed to traffic.
- Resilience Milestone: On June 28, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the Agency Decision Milestone for the port’s waterfront resilience study, described as one of the Corps’ most innovative and consequential studies.
- Hydrogen Ferry: The port joined a ribbon-cutting for the nation’s first commercial passenger ferry powered by hydrogen, a 75-passenger vessel offering free service between Piers 41 and the downtown ferry terminal for six months.
- Insurance Savings: A new broker and policy resulted in lower premiums and better coverage for emergencies.
- Intern Program: Seven interns from Project Pull, Enterprise for Youth, and Opportunities for All are working at Pier 50 and other departments; they were welcomed by commissioners.
- Commissioner Comments: All commissioners praised the report, with special emphasis on the art installation’s inclusivity, Fisherman’s Wharf recovery, and the resilience study’s significance.
Consent Calendar
- 10A: Authorization to advertise competitive bids for Construction Contract No. 2857, Crane Cove Park Playgrounds and Dog Park (Resolution 2432). Passed unanimously.
- 10B: Reduction of crab and salmon receiver lease rents by up to 50% for five months (May 15–October 15, 2024) due to economic disruption from the closure of the 2023/2024 commercial salmon season and shortened Dungeness crab seasons (Resolution 2433). Passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Consent Calendar (10B): Three speakers expressed support for the rent reduction.
- Kenny Bellov (owner of Two by C at Pier 45) reported losing 200,000 pounds of fish offloaded in 2023 vs. 2022, costing $2 million in revenue. He thanked the commission for relief.
- Jeanette Kaido (Kaido Fisheries) thanked staff for their work on the relief numbers.
- Sarah Bates (commercial fisher and board member, San Francisco Community Fishing Association) noted this is the second year of a complete salmon closure without federal disaster funds, and a nine-week crab season vs. normal seven months. She stressed that without local buyers, the entire fishery infrastructure is at risk.
- No public comments were made on other agenda items.
Discussion Items
- 11A: Informational Presentation – PG&E Beach Street Offshore Sediment Remediation Project
- Catherine Purcell (Port Planning & Environment) detailed the cleanup of PAH-contaminated sediments from the former manufactured gas plant, covering areas from Pier 43½ to East Marina. Remediation will involve dredging and capping over five years (2025–2029) during June–November in-water work windows.
- Current pre-remediation work includes 22 working group meetings with tenants (e.g., Red and White Fleet, Blue and Gold Fleet, Pier 39, USS Pampanito) to minimize operational impacts.
- Construction will be waterside only; no landside traffic or pedestrian access impacts are anticipated.
- Sediment will be barged off-site (final disposal site pending water board approval), and environmental protections include turbidity curtains, sound attenuation, and marine mammal monitoring.
- Commissioner Lee expressed concern about impacts to ferry and charter operations at Pier 39 and 41½, especially during summer. Purcell confirmed that temporary relocations are being planned but not yet finalized.
- Commissioner Brandon asked about community concerns; Purcell noted feedback focused on minimizing public impacts and understanding the construction schedule.
- Purcell confirmed PG&E is funding the entire project, including tenant and port consultant costs. The port is compelled as property owner to support remediation.
New Business
- Commissioner Lee requested a future briefing on the status of redevelopment plans for historic finger piers. Director Forbes agreed to provide an update.
- Commissioner Adams expressed interest in meeting with legacy fishermen to explore additional support beyond fee reductions, such as promoting direct sales from boats.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: June 11, 2024 meeting minutes adopted unanimously.
- Consent Resolutions Adopted: Resolutions 2432 and 2433 passed unanimously.
- No Other Votes: All other agenda items were informational or administrative.
- Next Steps: Staff to schedule briefing on finger pier redevelopment; Commissioner Adams to arrange meeting with fishermen; PG&E to continue permitting and community outreach for remediation starting summer 2025.
Meeting Transcript
This is a meeting of the San Francisco Port Commission for July 16, 2024. Roll call, President Kimberly Brandon. Here. Vice President Gail Gilman. Present. Commissioner Willie Adams. Here. And Commissioner Stephen Lee. Here. The San Francisco Port Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatoshalone 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. 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 Roma Tichalone community, and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. Item two is approval of minutes for the June 11th, 2024 Port Commission meeting. So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? The motion passes. The minutes of the June 11th, 2024 meeting are adopted. Item three is public comment on executive session. Is there any public comment on executive session? See none in the room. Do we have anyone on the line? Let me open the lines. For callers on the phone, please dial star three if you wish to make public comment. The system will let you know when your line is open. Others will wait on mute until their line is open. Comments will be limited to three minutes per person. The queue is now open. Please dial star three if you wish to make public comment. There are no callers for public comment at this time. Thank you. Public comment is closed. Next item, please. Item four is executive session. There are three executive session items. One conference with legal counsel regarding anticipated litigation matter, and two conferences with real property negotiator as agendized. So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? We are now in closed session. A second.
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