Committee backs accepting DeLong Street segment from BART, forwards ordinance to full Board

The Land Use and Transportation Committee on Oct. 21 voted to send an ordinance to the full San Francisco Board of Supervisors that would accept a segment of DeLong Street from the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), designate it as a public right-of-way and establish official sidewalk widths and street grades.

Esther Lee, representing Supervisor Safa'i’s office, described the measure as “20 years in the making,” tracing the matter to an offer of dedication from 2006 when Habitat for Humanity developed homes at the San Mateo border. Lee told the committee that BART has offered the city $75,000 to help pay for surveying and that the city’s transportation agency identified $350,000 through an existing public-works grant to cover remaining construction and maintenance needs. Lee said those funds are contingent on Board approval of the ordinance.

The ordinance would delegate to the director of public works authority to declare the street an open public right-of-way and to accept it for city maintenance and liability after required upgrades are completed. It would also waive application of a local sidewalk-width ordinance so that official sidewalk widths can be set by administrative action and would include findings under CEQA and planning code section 101.1.

Chair Supervisor Myrna Melgar moved to amend the legislation as presented and forward it to the full Board with a positive recommendation. The committee recorded Vice Chair Dean Preston, President Erin Peskin and Chair Melgar voting in favor and the motion passed.

Next steps: the ordinance will appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda for consideration at a later meeting, and the public works director will oversee surveying, mapping and engineering work necessary to certify the segment for city maintenance.