Board approves curbside electric‑vehicle charging pilot as part of consent calendar; public strongly supportive

The SFMTA board approved a consent calendar that included a pilot project to designate on‑street curbside electric vehicle charging spaces. The consent calendar passed unanimously.

What staff and public said: Staff described the item as the first appearance of curbside EV charging on the consent calendar and noted it responded to equity concerns about charging access for residents who park on the street. Multiple public speakers supported the pilot: EV infrastructure experts, union representatives and residents argued curbside charging is necessary for denser cities like San Francisco where many residents cannot install home chargers.

Speakers highlighted operational details and concerns. A representative from an automaker and a former EV‑charging company CEO endorsed detachable or user‑provided cables to reduce vandalism and copper theft. IBW Local 6 and industry representatives said installations will be done by union electricians and powered from existing PG&E service, and they said the level‑2 curbside chargers typically do not require major grid upgrades unlike DC fast chargers.

Board action: The board approved the consent calendar with the EV charging item included. Director Chen moved approval and the consent calendar passed unanimously.

Next steps: Staff said the pilot will proceed with local installations, vendor selection and coordination with union electricians and that the agency will monitor usage, theft and curbspace impacts. Several public commenters urged the agency to consider siting rules so curb chargers do not preclude future lanes for bikes or bus priority.