San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - June 10, 2025
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San Francisco Port Commission Meeting - June 10, 2025
The San Francisco Port Commission met on June 10, 2025, at 10:30 AM. The meeting included approval of minutes, consent calendar items, an executive director's report featuring a commendation for retiring engineer Uday Prasad, and a major informational presentation on the Fisherman's Wharf Forward plan, which proposes near-term improvements and long-term resilience investments. The meeting also included public comment on non-agenda items and new business discussions.
Consent Calendar
- Item 10A: Approved resolution 2531 authorizing a construction contract with Silverado Contractors, Inc. for Pier 90 buildings and wharf demolition, not to exceed $3,518,900 (including a 10% contingency fund of $319,900). Vote: unanimous.
- Item 10B: Approved resolution 2532 for a new lease renewal with Autodesk, Inc. at Pier 9 (36-month term with one 12-month option, retroactive to February 1, 2025), subject to Board of Supervisors approval. Vote: unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments:
- A speaker (Marina, representing the Jeremiah O'Brien Foundation) reported that Metro Cruises has prohibited parking on Pier 35, impacting the ship's 45th annual memorial cruise. The speaker called this behavior "a slap in the face" to the labor on the wharf. Commissioner English directed staff to follow up with Metro Cruises and the inland boats unions.
- Greg Champeau, a resident, asked for an update on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study regarding the waterfront, noting the new administration might affect the timeline.
- Executive Director's Report Public Comments: Multiple port staff members (Wendy Proctor, Erica Peterson, Brad Benson, David Beaupre, Mike Martin, Steven Real) spoke in praise of Uday Prasad, who is retiring after 23 years at the port. They highlighted his leadership, kindness, and contributions to structural assessments, sea level rise studies, and mentoring.
- Fisherman's Wharf Forward Public Comments:
- John Barnett (Crab Boat Owners Association) expressed strong support, but emphasized the need for security improvements, preserving historic signage, and helping historic Monterey fishing boats (feluccas) by reducing slip fees and providing a workshop space.
- Frank Racino (third-generation fisherman) thanked the port for supporting fishermen, expressed excitement for the project, but raised concerns about security, parking, and trash. He stated that the current security situation is "terrible."
- Sal Alioto (third-generation owner of fishing vessel Golden Gate) stressed preserving the history of Fisherman's Wharf, opposing moving the historic boats. He suggested closing Jefferson Street to pedestrians on weekends and reducing noise from musicians.
- Mark Johnson (Monterey boat owner) supported the project but requested a workshop space at the wharf for boat maintenance, noting that many boatyards have closed and costs are high.
- Terren Hoppe (board chair of Fisherman's Wharf CBD) expressed overwhelming support, calling the project "something the wharf desperately needs," and urged coordination with the triangle parking lot plans.
- Breema (Executive Director, Fisherman's Wharf CBD) voiced support for the strategic investment, noting it builds on momentum since 2023.
- Tom Escher (Red and White Fleet) congratulated staff, noting that no one objected, which is rare.
- Jeff Sears (Fisherman's Wharf CBD) praised the project as a game-changer, urging design with pedestrian corridors and preserving space for events.
- Mark Schwartz (fisherman) reiterated concerns about parking, security, trash in the water near the front row boats, and the need for maintenance.
- Michael Racino (fourth-generation fisherman) opposed floating docks, requested new ladders, designated trash disposal, and parking. He supported keeping the historic boats visible.
- Darlene Slumtree (San Francisco Maritime National Park Association) excited about the plan, emphasized preserving historic Monterey boats and the Seaman's Chapel, and suggested honoring the Alioto family with signage.
- Jennifer Broca (community member and bay swimmer) praised the plan as transformative, noting the resurgence of bay swimming since the pandemic (South End Rowing Club and Dolphin Club now have over 2,000 members each).
- Ben Dorfman (BCDC) stated BCDC is working with the port on a forthcoming amendment to the San Francisco Waterfront Special Area Plan to facilitate development at Fisherman's Wharf, with a public hearing on July 17, 2025.
Discussion Items
- Item 11: Fisherman's Wharf Forward – Executive Director Elaine Forbes and Chief Operating Officer Mike Martin presented a plan for near-term and long-term improvements at the Taylor Street and inner lagoon area. The near-term plan includes demolishing the former Alioto's restaurant to create a public plaza, improving inner lagoon berthing and lighting, and constructing a public overlook at the smokehouse site. Long-term plans involve seismic and flood resilience improvements, historic preservation of Fisherman's Grotto #9, and community engagement on design. The projected cost is $10 million, funded from Prop A bond proceeds and harbor funds. The goal is to complete the plaza by summer 2026. Commissioners expressed strong support, with suggestions to preserve history, help historic boats, improve security, and consider mobile commission meetings. President Gilman noted the overwhelming public support and directed staff to address safety and environmental concerns raised during public comment.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Resolutions 2531 and 2532 adopted unanimously.
- Fisherman's Wharf Forward: The plan was presented as informational; no vote was taken. Staff will proceed with community engagement and return with further details. The commission directed staff to follow up on security and trash issues in the inner lagoon, and to explore the feasibility of mobile commission meetings at Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 70/Crane Cove.
- New Business: Commissioner Lee requested a report on safety and cleanliness of the inner lagoon, and Commissioner Adams suggested exploring fee waivers for historic fishing boats. The commission also discussed the possibility of holding future meetings at the waterfront to engage the community.
Meeting Transcript
Vice President Stephen English. Here. Commissioner Willie Adams. Commissioner Stephen Lee. Here. And Commissioner Ken McNeely. Here. Welcome. Item two is approval of minutes for the May thirteenth, twenty twenty-five board commission meeting. So moved. Second. We have a motion and we have a second. All in favor. Motion passes unanimously. Next item, please. Item three is public comment on executive session. Is there any public comment on executive session? Seeing that in the room, is there any public comment on the phone? For callers on the line, please dial star three if you wish to make public comment. Comments will be limited to three minutes per person. Please dial star three if you wish to make public comment. Well, you're not going to be able to do that. San Francisco government television. San Francisco government television. SFGov TV. San Francisco government television. Uh this disclose anything that we talked about in closed session. Do we have a second? Second. Commissioners, we have a motion and a second. All in favor. I thank you. We are now in open session. Item six is the land acknowledgement. The San Francisco Port Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatishalone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatishalone 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 Ramatishaloni community and by affirming their sovereign rights as first peoples. Item seven is announcements. Please be advised that the ringing revenues of cell phones and similar sound producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Public comment must be in respect to the current agenda item. The commission will take in-person and remote public comments on each item, beginning with commenters in person. Dial one four one five. Okay. Unfortunately, Metro Cruises has prohibited us from parking on Pier 35 until further notice. We're trying to resolve the issue, but at this point we may not be able to provide parking for your group. I'm not sure if you'll want to make other arrangements, but I'll keep you updated as we get nearer to the 11th. Uh the Jeremiah O'Brien's 45th annual memorial cruise, which is the biggest fundraising event for the ship was set for May 31st, and most of the crew and volunteers had to really scramble in order to find parking for that event in order to get the ship ready as well as to crew it during that cruise. Um the previous executive director of the uh Jeremiah O'Brien Foundation had uh signed an uh memorandum of agreement with uh Metro, but apparently there was no mention of parking in that. The current uh the current executive director uh for the Jeremiah O'Brien had asked for um a copy of that MOA and after receiving it has not been able to get anybody from Metro Cruises to talk to him since that time.
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