San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - May 13, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - May 13, 2025
The San Francisco Port Commission met on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Vice President Gail Gilman presided. Commissioners present: Gail Gilman, Willie Adams, Stephen English, and Stephen Lee. The meeting included approval of minutes, an executive session (with no disclosure), election of officers, consent calendar, a presentation on the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefits District grant amendment, and an informational presentation on Ferry Building enhancements. The meeting adjourned at 4:32 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Item 10A: Award of construction contract 2871 for Pier 80 mooring and berthing improvements to Manson Construction Co. in the amount of $5,518,500 with a 10% contingency ($551,850), total not to exceed $6,070,350. (Resolution 25-25)
- Item 10B: Award of construction contract 2878 for Mission Bay Ferry Landing Phase 2A marine demolition and mattress to Vortex Marine Construction in the amount of $13,114,750 with a 10% contingency ($1,311,475), total not to exceed $14,426,225. (Resolution 25-26)
- Item 10C: Amendment to professional services contract with Cowie OLMM Joint Venture for Mission Bay Ferry Landing Project, increasing by $1,644,848 to a total of $6,411,383. (Resolution 25-27)
- Item 10D: Approval of lease L-17253 with TEC of California Inc. for 21,842 sq ft of shed space and 11,540 sq ft of paved land at Pier 80, term 3 years with three 1-year options, subject to Board of Supervisors approval. (Resolution 25-28)
- Item 10E: Approval of a license for privately owned ground settlement monitoring equipment at Seawall Lot 337 (Mission Rock Project). (Resolution 25-29) All consent items were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 11A (Fisherman's Wharf CBD grant):
- Taryn Hoppe (port tenant and CBD board member): Expressed strong support, stating the partnership "saved the wharf" from a negative post-COVID trajectory, praising ambassadors and cleanup of illegal vending.
- Jeff Sears (CBD board member and property owner): Thanked the port for the grant, noted dramatic improvement in cleanliness and safety since 2022-23, and requested continued funding.
- Todd Barby (planning consultant, client Sky Star Wheel): Supported the grant, noting the beautification of Little Embarcadero positively impacted business around the wheel, and that illegal vending had been dramatically reduced.
- On Item 12A (Ferry Building enhancements): No public comments were made.
- On items not on the agenda: No public comments.
Discussion Items
- Item 9A – Election of Officers:
- President Gail Gilman was nominated and elected unanimously.
- Vice President Stephen Engblom was nominated and elected unanimously (Commissioner Adams noted he declined due to small business commitments but would consider next year).
- Item 9B – Executive Director’s Report:
- Director Elaine Forbes reported on: May as Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month (23% of port workforce identifies as Asian/Pacific Islander) and Mental Health Awareness Month.
- Crane Cove Park celebrated ribbon cutting for the first new YMCA in San Francisco in 30 years.
- Juneteenth celebrations on the waterfront will support local Black-owned businesses.
- A sculpture program is underway with Building 180; over a dozen potential sites identified, first installation expected fall 2025.
- Fisherman’s Wharf Wine Walk on May 17.
- Commercial salmon season closed for third consecutive year; recreational salmon season capped at 7,000 fish for summer and 7,500 after September 1.
- Port participated in San Francisco Climate Week events, including augmented reality tour and Youth Summit.
- Shoreline Leadership Academy graduated 16 high school students from a 15-week paid program.
- PG&E will begin dredging for Beach Street Remediation (legacy sediment contamination) from June through November each year through 2030.
- Commissioners commented on youth engagement, the sculpture program, and congratulated Director Forbes on being named one of the 80 most influential women in San Francisco by the Business Times. President Gilman highlighted the start of Jewish Heritage Week.
- Item 11A – Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefits District Grant Amendment:
- Amy Cohen (Business Generation Manager) presented the partnership since June 2023: the CBD has deployed ambassadors, removed trash and graffiti, installed hanging flower baskets, produced 41 Pier Party events (attendance grew from 17,000 in 2023 to 43,000 in 2024), installed murals, and created the Fisherman’s Wharf Promenade (8% increase in visitors since Q1 2024).
- Bree (CBD staff) announced Phase 2 ground murals celebrating maritime heritage, and upcoming events: inaugural Wine Walk, Pier Parties every second and fourth Saturday, and daily activations.
- The amendment requests $3,147,590 over 18 months (total grant now ~$6 million over 42 months). CBD landside budget is $1.8 million; grant funds waterside services.
- Commissioners Adams, Lee, Engblom, and Gilman expressed support, with Commissioner Engblom requesting quantitative economic impact data for future presentations. The item was approved unanimously (Resolution 25-30).
- Item 12A – Ferry Building Enhancements (Informational):
- David Beaupre (Deputy Director of Planning and Environment) and Jane Connors (Ferry Building General Manager) presented proposed interior/exterior lighting, south entry gateway signage and seating, and pedestrian lights along the back plaza to improve safety and ambiance at night.
- Jane Connors highlighted recent tenant additions (local entrepreneurs: Senor Sisig, Ober’s Hummus, Peach’s Patties, Lunette), facade restoration, and partnership with Foodwise for the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
- Commissioner Lee praised the work as a model for small business and post-COVID recovery. Commissioner Adams supported the light-touch approach. Vice President Engblom suggested incorporating sea level rise education. President Gilman requested incentives for weekday evening hours and economic diversity.
- No vote was taken; it was an informational item.
Key Outcomes
- Election of Officers: Gail Gilman elected President, Stephen Engblom elected Vice President; both unanimous.
- Consent Calendar Resolutions 25-25 through 25-29: All adopted unanimously.
- Resolution 25-30: Amendment to Fisherman’s Wharf CBD grant approved unanimously, increasing the not-to-exceed amount by $3,147,590 and extending the term 18 months.
- Next Steps: For Ferry Building enhancements, the design team will consider sea level rise education; commissioners encouraged continued tenant engagement on hours and economic diversity. The sculpture program and Fisherman’s Wharf activations to proceed. The next commission meeting date was not announced.
Meeting Transcript
Vice President Gail Gilman here. Commissioner Willie Adams. Here. Commissioner Stephen English. Here. And Commissioner Stephen Lee. Item two is approval of minutes for the April twenty second, twenty twenty-five board commission meeting. Is there a motion? So moved. There's a motion and a second. All in favor. Any opposed? It passes unanimously. Next item, please. Item three is public comments on executive session. Is there any public comment on executive session? Is there any public comment on executive session on the phone? No, there are no callers on the line for public comment. Okay, public comment is closed. There's no public comment. Commissioners, can I have a motion to do it? We have a motion and a second. All in favor? We are now in closed session. I'll make a motion that we don't disclose anything that was discussed in the executive session. All right. Item six is the land acknowledgement. The San Francisco Port Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Rama Tischalone, 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 Tishaloni have never seated, 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 Rama Tishaloni community, and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. Item seven is announcements. Please be advised that the ringing of and use of cell phones and similar sound producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. A member of the public has up to three minutes to make public comments on each agenda item unless the port commission adopts a shorter period on any item. Public comment must be in respect to the current agenda item. The commission will take in-person and remote public comment on each item, beginning with commenters in person. For remote public comment, style one four one five, six five five zero zero zero one, and enter access code 2663, 872, 4746, pound pound. Then dial star three to raise your hand to comment on the item being discussed. And audio prompts will signal when it is your turn to speak. If you are watching this meeting on SFGup 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. Item eight is public comment on items not listed on the agenda. Is there any public comment in the room for items not listed on the agenda? Seeing none. Jocelyn, is there anyone on the phone for a remote public comment for items not listed on the agenda? There are no public comments on the line. Thank you. Seeing a public comment, public comment is closed. Next item, please.
openpublica.com