Committee forwards Vision Zero amendments to the General Plan after updates and public comment

The Land Use and Transportation Committee on July 17 forwarded to the full Board updated General Plan language intended to implement San Francisco's Vision Zero pedestrian-safety policy.

Lily Langlois of the Planning Department said the proposed ordinance updates the transportation and urban-design elements to reflect Vision Zero, clarifies when actuated signals are appropriate, adds language on community engagement and streetscape plans, and removes a static map of key walking streets in favor of incorporating that map by reference so it can be updated more easily.

Langlois said the Planning Commission first initiated the changes in April and recommended approval in May; the board previously rejected an earlier version in January, and staff spent the subsequent months conducting outreach with the Vision Zero Task Force, Walk San Francisco, the SFCTA and members of the public. A Tenderloin resident, Otto Duffy, urged flexibility so the plan can be updated if conditions such as ride-hail vehicle activity change.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin said he would forward the item to the Board with a positive recommendation on a second pass. The committee took that motion without objection.