Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Permits And Street Cleaning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public Works outlines free sidewalk registration for tables and a $3 million private cleaning partnership for seven neighborhoods
Summary
At the May 22 meeting San Francisco Public Works described proposed permit reforms that would replace some sidewalk and curbside permit fees with a free registration and announced a privately funded $3 million Avenue Greenlight program to add power washing in seven neighborhoods, layered on top of existing city services.
Deputy Director Alaric DeGraffenreid told the Public Works Commission on May 22 that the mayor’s office and a task force are advancing legislative changes to simplify right-of-way permitting for certain sidewalk uses. Under the proposal described to the commission, applicants for sidewalk tables and chairs and sidewalk displays would no longer need to submit a full permit application or pay permit fees for those specific uses; instead, applicants would complete a free registration and agree to city rules governing access and circulation in the right-of-way.
DeGraffenreid said the enforcement approach would prioritize voluntary compliance: Public Works would first contact a property owner if a complaint is received and request correction rather than immediately issuing a violation; a second site visit could trigger an enforcement action. He said the department is working with the Mayor’s Office, the Board of Supervisors and a multi-agency task force to finalize legislation and internal procedures over the coming weeks and months.
In the same director’s report, DeGraffenreid described a new public-private cleaning partnership called Avenue Greenlight. He said the initiative will provide roughly $3,000,000 in privately funded cleaning across seven commercial neighborhoods — the Mission, Sunset, Tenderloin, Richmond, North Beach, Chinatown and Fillmore — focusing on enhanced power washing layered on top of existing Public Works and community-based cleaning services. DeGraffenreid identified Ripple Inc. as a major funder and named Christopher Larson as a founder associated with the contribution in the presentation to the commission.
Commissioners asked about the origin of the permitting changes. DeGraffenreid said the proposal resulted from a task force effort (described in the record as Infra Permanente SF) led by the planning department and coordinated with Public Works and other agencies; he said Public Works has joined the task force and is providing feedback on streamlining issuance and program rules.
Ending: DeGraffenreid said staff will return with updates as the Mayor’s Office and Board finalize legislation and internal procedures; no formal action was taken by the commission on these items at the May 22 meeting.
