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Neighborhood coalition presses commission to fix sidewalk-tree rules, seeks equity plan and timeline
Summary
A citywide coalition urged the commission to intervene on a sidewalk-tree policy that blocks plantings on narrow sidewalks; the petitioner asked the department to work with Public Works to repeal prohibitive language and produce a public timeline for an equity plan for urban canopy expansion.
A community organizer told the commission Monday that San Francisco's street-tree policy creates an inequitable, case-by-case exception system that disadvantages neighborhoods without capacity for individual appeals.
Sean Auckland said his coalition has gathered more than 600 signatures and formal resolutions from 26 neighborhood groups asking the commission to push the city to repeal sidewalk-language that prevents tree planting on sidewalks narrower than 7 feet, 6 inches. He said the current process perpetuates "self-propelling inequity" because communities with less organizing capacity cannot win exceptions on their own.
Auckland asked the commission to direct staff to work with Public Works to repeal the prohibitive language and to present a public timeline for the equity plan that he said Public Works Director Carla Short committed to in a prior meeting.
Commissioners acknowledged the equity concern and suggested a possible presentation co-hosted with Public Works to examine the directive and options for expanding canopy in impacted neighborhoods. Staff said they would consider adding the topic to a future docket.
