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Board increases proposed seawall bond to $425 million, sends special‑election ordinance to committee
Summary
Supervisors approved resolutions expanding the proposed Embarcadero Seawall bond to $425 million and amended language to protect historic assets and mitigate construction impacts; the ordinance to call a November special election will be heard by the full board as a committee next week.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on June 12 adopted resolutions raising the proposed seawall bond to $425 million and declared that financing the Embarcadero Seawall project is required by public interest and necessity. The board also approved amendments and directed the ordinance calling a special election to be heard by the full board next week as a Committee of the Whole.
Supervisor Mark Farrell was not recorded as the speaker on the floor for the seawall items; Supervisor Aaron Peskin led floor remarks and amendments. Peskin thanked Port leadership and said the amendment language codifies a commitment to provide seismic upgrades while preserving historic assets in the Embarcadero Historic District and mitigating construction and traffic impacts in downtown. He also noted the Port’s selection as one of six national finalists for a federal “new start” grant that could open additional federal funding opportunities.
The board adopted Item 8 (a resolution declaring public interest and necessity for Embarcadero Seawall construction and related costs) and Item 9 (amending the city’s 10‑year capital expenditure plan to increase the proposed seawall bond from $350 million to $425 million) unanimously. Item 10, an ordinance to call a November 6 special election submitting a $425 million seawall bond to voters, was amended on the floor and—per Supervisor Peskin’s motion—will be continued to the Committee of the Whole next week for further consideration; the amendment passed without objection on the floor but the ordinance itself was not finally adopted at this meeting.
Why it matters: The seawall program protects utilities, transportation links and historic Embarcadero assets from seismic risk and sea‑level impacts; the board’s action advances the process to place a bond measure before voters but defers final ordinance action so the full board can consider amended language and additional outreach.
What the board said: Peskin asked colleagues to support amendments guaranteeing preservation of historic resources and additional outreach to neighboring areas that will be affected by construction. The clerk announced the vote results for the resolutions as unanimous; the ordinance and final ballot language will be taken up next week as a committee item.
Next steps: The ordinance calling the election (Item 10) will return to the board as Committee of the Whole next Tuesday for final consideration and potential final passage before the city’s November ballot deadlines.
