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Rules Committee backs ordinance to create five entertainment zones, duplicates file to pursue Bayview addition
Summary
The committee recommended forwarding an ordinance to the full Board that would create five entertainment zones (Valencia Street, Pier 39/Northern Waterfront, Folsom Street, Ellis Street, and Yerba Buena Lane), and agreed to duplicate the file to continue work on adding a Bayview zone.
The Rules Committee on April 21 voted to recommend an ordinance that would create five entertainment zones in San Francisco and duplicated the file to continue work on adding a Bayview entertainment zone.
Ben Van Houten, director of nightlife initiatives at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), told the committee that entertainment zones allow adjacent restaurants and bars to sell "to-go" open beverages for consumption in shared outdoor areas within a delimited zone. He said the tool has been used to activate streets with events that support local businesses and neighborhood recovery. "This is a tool that we have seen successfully activate streets in our neighborhoods with entertainment, community-driven events that are really helping accelerate economic recovery," Van Houten said.
The ordinance before the committee would create the Valencia Street Entertainment Zone (Valencia between 16th Street and 20th Street), a Pier 39/Northern Waterfront entertainment zone, a Folsom Street Entertainment Zone (portions of Folsom and adjacent alleys), an Ellis Street Entertainment Zone (Ellis between Stockton and Powell), and a Yerba Buena Lane downtown activation location (Yerba Buena Lane and the north side of Mission Street near Third Street, including Jesse Square). The ordinance affirms the Planning Department's California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) determination for the zones.
Van Houten and committee members reviewed the state and local implementation rules: only restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries (not liquor stores) may sell to-go beverages for consumption in zones; beverages must be in non-metal, non-glass containers; businesses must verify customers are 21; open beverages must not leave the designated zone and cannot be brought back inside businesses.
Public commenters representing neighborhood partnerships and business districts voiced support. Scott Rhodes of the Yerba Buena Partnership said Yerba Buena Lane is "the perfect example of what an entertainment zone can be" and noted the lane's small-business mix and existing nonpublic lane status. Scott Gettner, president and CEO of Pier 39, said the Northern Waterfront zone would help restaurants and attractions "during this tumultuous time in the tourism industry." Alex Ludlam and Chaney Amahara, representing Soma West and the SomaNights street fair, said the Folsom Street designation would support merchant-led activations. John from John's Grill urged designation for Ellis Street to help struggling downtown businesses.
After public comment, Chair Walton said she would duplicate the file to continue work on adding Bayview to the list of zones. The committee voted without objection to recommend the ordinance to the full Board and to continue the duplicated file for Bayview to a later hearing.
OEWD will develop management plans for each zone after ordinance adoption; those plans are expected to include operating requirements and align with street-closure and sidewalk permits administered by other city agencies. The ordinance is scheduled to be considered by the full Board of Supervisors on the Board agenda following committee action.
