Supervisors pass first reading of ordinance to clear 'bike chop shops' from sidewalks; debate over theft, homelessness and enforcement

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Oct. 3 passed on first reading an ordinance amending the public works code to prohibit the assembly, disassembly, sale, distribution or storage of bicycles and bicycle parts on the public right of way and to give the Department of Public Works authority to remove items that meet specified thresholds.

What the ordinance does: Under the legislation the city may remove bicycle parts or piled bicycles from sidewalks where those items obstruct the public right of way; DPW would be authorized to hold removed items. The board adopted an amendment, offered by Supervisor Jeff Sheehy and accepted without objection, striking language that would have required payment of an impound fee equal to the actual cost of removal and storage — effectively allowing people to retrieve items without paying that fee. As…