Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Planning Commission approves coastal permit for Great Highway pilot after intense public debate
Summary
Commission approved an after‑the‑fact coastal zone permit for the Great Highway pilot — a weekends‑and‑holidays closure of the Upper Great Highway for a pedestrian and bicycle promenade. The hearing attracted sustained, split public comment on coastal access, dune impacts, CEQA requirements, emergency access and neighborhood traffic.
The Planning Commission on Nov. 9 approved a coastal zone permit for the Great Highway pilot — the weekend and holiday closure of the Upper Great Highway (Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard) to private vehicles to create a car‑free promenade — after a lengthy public hearing that drew both strong neighborhood support and substantial opposition.
Planning staff (Alex Westhoff) and the Recreation & Parks Department (Brian Stoeckel) framed the hearing as an after‑the‑fact coastal zone permit review that recognizes the pilot’s temporary status and reviews traffic‑calming measures installed by SFMTA. Staff said the pilot began in 2020 for COVID‑era recreation and that the Board of Supervisors approved restrictions in December 2022 through 2025. Staff cited…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
