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Port staff presents public-trust analysis and proposed state bill for Pier 30–32
Summary
Port staff and the State Lands Commission briefed commissioners on proposed legislation (referred to in the presentation as AB 1273) and analyzed whether a multipurpose venue at Pier 3032 would be consistent with the public trust; public commenters raised preservation and contamination concerns.
Port of San Francisco staff on Thursday outlined a public-trust analysis and the early stages of state legislation intended to authorize a multipurpose venue at Piers 30–32 and related Seawall Lot 330.
Brad Benson, the port’s special projects manager, told commissioners the proposed bill (referred to during the presentation as "AB 1273") would amend prior authorizations and provide a legislative path to finance required substructure work. Benson said the pier is deteriorated and cited a current cost estimate of about $45,000,000 to remove the structure if the pier cannot be reused. He described four central public-trust issues staff examined: maritime access, BCDC-consistent public access, waterfront public assembly uses, and certain ancillary trust uses.
"The Multipurpose Venue Project provides an opportunity and a project with enough funding to be able to address these conditions," Benson said, describing a program that would combine maritime uses, expanded public access and large event programming.
A State Lands Commission official told the commission the agency had been consulted early in the planning process and does not object to the city and port seeking legislation. "Given that the legislature, as the ultimate trustee, has expressed interest in development at Piers 30 and 32, Commission staff believe it is appropriate for the legislature to consider legislation relating to this proposal," said Jennifer Lucchesi, executive officer of the California State Lands Commission.
Public commenters during the meeting urged the port to protect historic features and raised environmental concerns. Corinne Woods, co-chair of the Land Use, Design and Public Trust Subcommittee of the CAC, asked that the legislation explicitly protect Red’s Java House. An attendee who identified themself with environmental-justice work told the commission that contamination at Pier 30 and 32 "is not being done the right way," and urged careful cleanup and scrutiny.
Benson and staff framed the bill as a way to secure legal authority for trust-consistent public assembly uses and to finance repairs and public-access improvements. Staff said next steps include continued consultation with the State Lands Commission and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and public outreach as the bill proceeds through the Legislature.
What happens next: Port staff said the bill will likely be referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and that the port will provide additional public hearings and CAC briefings as legislative amendments are filed.
