Rec and Park outlines Sunset Dunes plan as disability council presses for beach access, safer lanes and more entry points

Brian Stoekel, a planner with the Recreation and Parks Department, told the Mayor's Disability Council that the former Great Highway was transformed into Sunset Dunes following a multi-year pilot and the passage of Proposition K in November 2024, and that the promenade opened in April 2025 with light-touch installations planned for completion this summer.

The central policy update from Rec and Park was that the department received a Coastal Conservancy planning grant to study existing conditions, accessibility, dune and sea-level-rise risks, and to begin a formal public outreach process in early 2026. Stoekel said the grant covers studies and planning only; no capital construction funding has been allocated yet.

Council members and attendees pressed staff about near-term accessibility and safety issues. Co-chair Patricia Arak presented photos and a street-by-street account showing multiple non-ADA-compliant access points between Judah and Taraval, and urged adding several new ADA blue-zone access points with curb cuts and railings so people using mobility devices can reach the promenade. "There needs to be an ADA designated lane, say the lane closest to the ocean, that is striped blue and clearly marked as a handicapped lane the entire length of the highway from Lincoln to Sloat," Arak said, arguing that clearer separation of bike and slow-user space is needed to keep older adults and people with disabilities safe.

Rec and Park staff acknowledged those concerns and described current and near-term measures: placement of accessible seating at an 18-inch height with companion wheelchair spaces, sloped (under 5%) walkways to certain hammocks, stenciled lane markings, and planting of historic medians to serve as a natural separation of uses. Staff said similar installations on the JFK Promenade helped calm bicycle speeds and reduce reported conflicts there. "We are doing an accessibility analysis as part of the planning grant that will assess what is at each access point and what would need to happen," Stoekel said, noting some small "tweaks" could be made before the full planning process concludes.

Public commenters and council members also suggested interim solutions that would not require major capital expense: interlocking rubber beach mats to enable wheelchair access to sand, coordination with the National Park Service on beach wheelchairs and mat lending, improved signage and stenciling, and targeted changes to bike parking to keep rental bikes away from access points. Several speakers raised dune management and sand backpass operations as essential to preserve ocean views and prevent sand build-up that could block access.

On enforcement and operations, Rec and Park acknowledged the practical challenges of maintaining painted lane markings and enforcing who may use which lanes, but said the department would continue to consider enforcement options, signage, and design tweaks to reduce speed differentials. Staff committed to sharing the study's findings and the QR feedback link and to convening community engagement once the grant-funded planning begins.

Next steps: Rec and Park will begin technical studies and feasibility work this summer, execute a second dune revegetation project in fall, and start public outreach in 2026. The council recommended forming an accessibility working group and asked staff to review bathroom accessibility and paratransit access as part of the study. The planning grant does not yet provide construction funds; decisions about capital work will follow later public engagement and budgeting processes.