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Board upholds planning's CEQA exemption, clears way for Mid Valencia curbside protected bikeway
Summary
After hours of testimony from merchants, residents, planners and SFMTA staff, the Board of Supervisors voted to affirm the Planning Department's statutory CEQA exemption for the Mid Valencia curbside protected bikeway, allowing SFMTA to move ahead with construction and a pivot from the center-running pilot to side-running curbside lanes.
The Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28 affirmed the Planning Department's determination that the Mid Valencia curbside protected bikeway project is statutorily exempt from CEQA review, rejecting an appeal filed by local merchants.
The decision followed a multi-hour public hearing that included a 10-minute presentation by the appellant's counsel, extensive public comment from merchants and neighbors expressing economic and access concerns, a planning-department staff presentation explaining the legal basis for a statutory exemption under CEQA section 21080.25, and a project overview from SFMTA.
Appellant counsel Julio Ramos, representing neighborhood group Vamanos, argued that the project could affect historic resources and cited —unusual circumstances— and economic harm to Valencia merchants, noting the proposed change would remove parking and alter the character of the corridor. —We're talking about people here,— David Quimby, a Valencia merchant, told the board, saying…
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