Meetings
Transcript: Select text below to play or share a clip
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Everyone, this meeting will come to order. Welcome to the 02/09/2026, regular meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I'm Supervisor Myrna Melgar, chair of the committee, joined by Vice Chair Chyanne Chen and Supervisor Bilal Mahmood. The committee clerk today is Mr. John Carroll, and I would also like to thank the folks at SFGUP TV for staffing us in this meeting today. Mister Clerk, do you have any announcements?
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Yes. Thank you, madam chair. Please ensure that you've silenced your cell phones and other electronic devices you've brought with you into the chamber today. If you have any documents to be included as part of today's files, you can submit them directly to me. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called for that agenda item, please line up to speak along your right hand side of this room. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may email your comments to me at j o h n period c a r r o l l s f g o v dot o r g. Or you may send your written comments via U. S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. The address is 1 Doctor. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit public comment in writing I will forward your comment to the members of this committee and also include your comment as part of the official file on which you are commenting items acted upon today are expected to appear on the board of supervisors agenda of 02/24/2026 unless otherwise stated.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you. Mister clerk, please call item number one.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Agenda item number one is an ordinance amending the planning code to authorize movie theaters that also operate as bona fide eating places to offer entertainment, cultural, artistic, dramatic, musical, or leisure activities, performances, or exhibitions, and permit on-site wine, beer, and or liquor to make conforming changes in the planning code definitions of bar and bona fide eating places, permitting certain movie theaters in the Upper Fillmore neighborhood commercial district to sell wine and or beer without being subject to nonresidential use size limits otherwise applicable within the district. The ordinance affirms the Planning Department's determination under CEQA and makes findings of consistency with the general plan and the priority policies of planning code section one zero one and findings of conformity with planning code section three zero two. This item is on our agenda as a potential committee report and it may be sent to the Board of Supervisors for consideration tomorrow, 02/10/2026.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. Colleagues, you may remember that we continued this item two weeks ago because it had substantive amendments. So I don't see we do have Mr. Rosas, Lorenzo Rosas here to answer any questions, but I don't see anyone on the roster. So that being said, Mr. Clerk, let's go to public comment on this item.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Thank you, Madam chair. Land use and transportation will now hear public comment related to agenda item number one, alcohol sales in movie theaters. If you have public comment for this agenda item, please come forward to the lectern, and I will start your time.
[Cody Allen]: Hello. Thank you, Chair Melgar and members of the committee. My name is Cody CODIE Allen, I'm the executive director of the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project. We are the project sponsor for the rehabilitation and reactivation of the historic Clay Theater. The Clay Theater is the cultural cornerstone of the neighborhood that we are working in and raising our families in. I want to take the time to thank Supervisor Sherrill's office and the supervisor himself for putting forward this ordinance which will drastically enhance the viability of not only the Clay Theater, but also neighborhood theaters across the city, making this a space where the community can enjoy refreshments, wine, beer, and community in the lobby on an extended hour basis, well beyond what they might be able to get in normal movie theater setting, committing two and a half hours of their day. This is really, as I said, the cornerstone of our entire undertaking in the Upper Fillmore, where we are committed to bringing small businesses to the vacancies that we have on our street. I'm going to be joined today just after me by Ted Grecki, the director and operator of the Clay Theater, who you'll hear a bit more from. But thank you again for your consideration and for your time today.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Thank you for your comments. Next speaker please.
[Ted Guerreke]: Hello. My name is Ted Guerreke. I want to thank chairman Melgar and the committee for your time and consideration. As Cody Allen mentioned, I am the director and future operator of the Clay Theater on Fillmore Street. I would like to also express my gratitude to the Upper Fillmore revitalization project for truly revitalizing this historic asset and to super supervisor Cheryl for introducing this ordinance. The legislation put forward today will make the clay and theaters like it more viable businesses for decades to come. You may have heard that the sky is falling for independent theaters. I'm here to tell you that that that is not the case. In my decade of experience, I can tell you that people seek community now more than ever. They want to be entertained, educated, and brought together with their friends and neighbors. That isn't to say that conditions aren't aren't challenging. To survive well into the twenty first century, spaces like the clay must adapt to the times. With industry consolidation and shortened theatrical windows, we need as independent cinemas to be community hubs. The Clay will present 500 screenings a year along with a diverse slate of conversations and performances. But no matter what films we book or what talent we bring to San Francisco, the Clay is going to be a cultural and economic engine for the neighborhood, it has to be more than just a theater. It must be a third place, one where people want to meet if only to stop in for a soft drink or a glass of wine while reviewing our upcoming calendar. This legislation makes it possible for the Clay to open its doors to the community with reliable hours seven days a week and invites entrepreneurs across the city to imagine renewed lives for historic neighborhood cinemas while keep while keeping them cinemas. Thank you.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: You for your comments. Do we have anyone else who has public comment for agenda item number one? Madam chair.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Okay. Public comment on this item is now closed. Supervisor Mahmood.
[Supervisor Bilal Mahmood]: You chair. I'd like to make a motion to vote this item to the full board with a positive recommendation as a committee report.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: On the motion offered by member Mahmood that this ordinance be recommended as a committee report, Vice Chair Chen. Chen aye member Mahmood mahmood aye chair Melgar
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: aye
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: melgar aye madam chair there are three ayes.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: That motion passes thank you. Okay let's go to item number two please mr. Clerk.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Agenda item number two is a resolution adding the commemorative street name Tian Fu Wu Way on Joyce Street between Clay and Sacramento in recognition of Tian Fu Wu's contributions to the women's rights and anti trafficking movements in San Francisco's Chinatown.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much. We welcome Supervisor Sauter, representing District 3. Welcome.
[Supervisor Danny Sauter (District 3)]: Thank you, Chair. Thank you for having me. And colleagues, I hope we'll have your support on this item. This is the first commemorative street name designation that our office has worked on. And I'm really proud that it's for an individual that is so remarkable and, frankly, heroic as Tian Fu Some of you may know a little bit about the incredible organization and institution that Cameron House is, a remarkable history, but also does incredible modern day work, particularly with our youth and children. And many people know, because of the naming of Cameron House, many people know of Donald D. Y. Cameron. But, Tian Fu Wu also played an incredible part in Cameron House's work. And I spoke at length at roll call a few weeks ago about her biography. But, you know, she is someone who more people should know about. And I think that's what these street designations do. They kind of give everyone a reason to pause and look up and wonder and do more research. In my own pursuit of research, I've been reading The White Devil's Daughter, which is a book about Chinatown at the time and about Donald D. New Cameron. And they introduced Tian Fu Wu, who became a partner and a friend along the way in saving literally hundreds of women and young girls from the slavery of the time. And, the two of them, they didn't get along at first. In fact, I was just reading this weekend about one of the early times that they butted heads, where Tian Fu Hu actually went back to her room and threatened to open the window so that she could catch pneumonia and come back as a ghost to haunt Donald Jean and Cameron. Thankfully, that didn't happen. They ended up working together for many decades, and eventually became friends. And today, they're actually buried at the same burial spot in Palo Alto. So, anyways, kind of a story I wanted to share. And again, just a reminder of what these designations are all about, honoring people and giving all of us a reason to examine the history that is all around us. Thank you.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you. Supervisor Chen.
[Supervisor Chyanne Chen (Vice Chair)]: Thank you, Chair Melgar. I am also very pleased to support this commemorative street name destination in honor of tenfold. There are too many unsung heroes and heroes of the women's rights and anti trafficking movements. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America. Restrictive immigration policies, public corruptions, and institutionalized racism and sexism make many of our neighborhoods working class and limited English proficiency residents vulnerable to exploitations. In the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds, Tan Fu Wu worked to rescue hundreds of Asian women and girls from sex and human trafficking. Today, sex and human trafficking continue to afflict our world. And the courageous effort of those who spoke up and continue to speak up and speak out against this injustice is just as important for now as it was when Tian Fu Wu spoke up, to honor Tian Fu Wu on joyous joyous trees to the restored memory and give visibility to the courageous warrior. And so happy to support this effort. Thank you.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much, supervisor. Thank you for doing this, and it's really great. I would like to be added as the cosponsor. And let's go to public comment on this item, please.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Thank you, Madam Chair. Land use and transportation will now hear public comment related to agenda item number two, proposing a commemorative street name designation for Joyce Street to Tan Fu Wu Way. If you have public comment for this item, please line up to speak along that wall. And you may begin.
[Leanne Ma]: Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Leanne Ma, and I'm here on behalf of Donald Dean at Cameron House in strong support of the proposal to add a commemorative name to Joyce Street as Tian Fu Wu Wei. Cameron House would like to personally thank Supervisor Danny Soder and his team and their leadership in bringing this resolution to Ford and for recognizing the importance of honoring the legacy of Tianfu Wu and the Chinese woman who shaped this community. And especially near, especially nearing Lunar New Year, when our communities are reflecting on heritage and legacy, this recognition feels particularly meaningful. There's something powerful about how we, as stewards of this land, choose to name the streets we walk on. It matters when we name streets after the children who once played on them and the people who shaped these blocks with their lives. The younger women who were rescued and supported through Donaldina Cameron House often spent time playing on Joyce Street and in the surrounding area. It was a place where they could breathe, belong, and briefly reclaim childhood. And historical accounts describe how these girls would share Chinese folk tales, stories of spirits, courage, loss, and hope. And they played out these stories together, holding both darkness and light and carrying their culture forward through imagination and community. There were ways of surviving, making meaning, and remembering who they were. So when we choose to commemorate the street, we are honoring not only one individual, but a deeper legacy, the leadership of Chinese women and girls who endured, rebuilt, and care for one another. These tributes become messages to our children today, reminders that leadership is not only achievement, but responsibility, and that community care is a civic value worth naming and remembering. Donald Dina Cameron is rightfully honored as a San Francisco icon. But I believe she herself would want the spotlight turned toward the many Chinese women who took up the mantle of community care and activism alongside and after her. Tianfa Wu Wei allows the physical landscape surrounding Cameron House to reflect the full story of its history and ensures that the legacy of Chinese women whose care and activism made this work possible is visibly honored for future generations. Thank you.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Do we have anyone else who has public comment for agenda item number two? Madam chair.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much. Public comment on this item is now closed. Supervisor Chen, would you like to make a motion?
[Supervisor Chyanne Chen (Vice Chair)]: Yes. Thank you chair America. I would like to make a motion to move this item number two to the full board with positive recommendation.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: On the motion offered by Vice Chair Chen that this resolution be recommended to the Board of Supervisors, Vice Chair Chen.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Aye.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Chen, aye. Member Mahmood, aye. Chair Melgar? Aye. Melgar, aye. Madam Chair, there are three ayes.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much. That motion passes. Mr. Clerk please call item three and four together.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Agenda item number three is a resolution declaring the intention of the board of supervisors to order the vacation of the designation of portions of Christmas Tree Point Road and the eastern alignment of Twin Peaks Boulevard as public right of way for roadway and sidewalk purposes, and to order the redesignation of Eastern Twin Peaks Peaks Boulevard as public right of way for recreation and park purposes to facilitate the development of the Twin Peaks Promenade project and setting a hearing date for the board of supervisors to sit as a committee of the whole for all persons interested in the proposed vacation of the said street areas. Agenda item number three is on our agenda as a potential committee report. It may be sent to the board of supervisors for consideration tomorrow, 02/10/2026. Agenda item number four is an ordinance ordering the conditional vacation of the designated areas identified in agenda item number three. It also approves the interdepartmental transfer of Eastern Twin Peaks Boulevard and assessors Parcel Block Number 2043, Lot Number 041, from public works to the recreation and park department, notwithstanding administrative code chapter 23. Third, it also applies the park code and regulations and the excavation and backfill requirements of the public works code and associated orders, regulations, standards, procedures to Eastern Twin Peaks Boulevard, enabling the recreation and park department to issue excavation permits for Eastern Twin Peaks Boulevard. It also clarifies that the city has approved a grant restriction requiring that the Twin Peaks Promenade be operated as public open space in perpetuity. It also authorizes official acts in connection with the ordinance as defined within it, and makes appropriate findings as regard to CEQA and the general plan and the eight party policies of Planning Code Section 101.1.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much. We are joined by Chris Townes from the rec parks department who will make a presentation. Welcome.
[Chris Towns]: Thank you so much. Thank you, Clerk of the Board. And if I have a PowerPoint, if I could get that loaded on the screen, please.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Thank you.
[Chris Towns]: Good afternoon, Board members. My name is Chris Towns. I'm a planner with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. And, I'll be presenting the Twin Peaks Promenade Street Vacation and Interdepartmental Property Transfer item before you today. I'll preface by mentioning that the street vacation item before you is associated with the Twin Peaks Promenade project and broader site improvements, whose various grant acceptances were previously approved by the board, including multiple state grants totaling about $4,250,000 Therefore, the board's approval of this item would be a continuum of past related approvals, and allow the Twin Peaks Promenade project to proceed into construction, utilizing already approved funding. So with that, I'll open with the Twin Peaks open space overview. Twin Peaks itself is a 31 acre rec and park department open space in the Twin Peaks neighborhood, featuring two distinct peaks surrounded by landscaped hillside expanses. Twin Peaks is one of San Francisco's most iconic open spaces as a unique geographic feature within this, the middle of the city. It's an internationally recognized tourist attraction, and it offers panoramic views of the city and surrounding Bay Area due to its high elevation. Twin Peaks is also a natural area per Rec Park's natural resource area management plan due to its importance and significance as a natural hillside habitat. For a brief overview of the various phases of work that have already taken place at Twin Peaks over the past over decade, I'd just like to highlight that from 2013 to 2014, a new multiuse trail adjacent to Southern Twin Peaks Boulevard was established. In 2015, there was an addition of three crosswalks towards the upper, middle, and lower sections of Twin Peaks Boulevard. In 2016 through 2020, the figure eight redesign planning study was conducted by SFMTA to study the vehicular road closure to allow pedestrian and bicyclist use of the eastern half of the roadway, which led to permanent closure of the Eastern alignment in 2020. In 2017, the Twin Peaks Trails Improvement Project Phase one for two trail segments was conducted and completed. In 2025, phase two for three additional trail segments was completed. And, at this time, the rec park department is pursuing the street vacation to facilitate the Twin Peaks Promenade project, which would implement comprehensive surface improvements to transform the decommissioned Eastern alignment into a linear park, or promenade, as we're calling it. With construction slated to begin in 2026 and end and be completed by early twenty twenty seven. The requested street vacation, as depicted in dark green on the map shown, occupies the eastern half of the figure eight and would facilitate the project in that it occupies the project footprint. The requested street vacation is simply the legislative means by which the existing decommissioned roadway, a public right of way under public works jurisdiction currently, would be jurisdictionally transferred from public works to rec park. And instead of being a public right of way for roadway and street purposes, it would become a public right of way for recreation and open space purposes. This would allow Rec Park to manage and maintain the open space as a recreational open space, while retaining the public right of way designation to accommodate an existing franchise agreement. The street vacation is a required premise of the project, simply because it needs to be under RPD jurisdiction in order for us to commence construction. A supplemental aspect of the leve of this legislation includes the interdepartmental transfer of Block 2643014 from public works to Rec Park as designated on the jurisdictional map shown. You'll notice the yellow highlighted parcel that sort of parallels the street vacation footprint along the eastern hillside. It's surrounded by a cluster of already other properties already under RPD jurisdiction. The benefits of this transfer include the consolidation of RPD land, maintenance efficiencies, as well as increasing the amount of open space preserved as open space under the jurisdiction of Rec Park. The Rec Park Commission previously recommended that the board approve the interpartmental transfer of the promenade and the, and this parcel. So, the board's approval of this item would bring closure to this transaction. And, lastly, the transfer is also supported by the Public Works Department, as indicated in your Public Works order in your packet. For shared visual reference, I just want to close with some imagery of the proposed Twin Peaks Promenade project that this vacation would facilitate. As you can see, design is relatively simple and meant to sort of complement the natural hillside landscape with a sort of central asphalt paved section and an outer aggregate paving flanked by natural native landscaping. That concludes my presentation and staff is available for any questions. Thank you.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much Yes. For the Are you done? Yeah. Okay. Thank you. So colleagues, this is in District 7. The Twin Peaks is one of the second most visited tourist site in San Francisco. Everybody knows that this is who you take your relatives to so that you can see a view of the entire city. During the pandemic, we changed the traffic patterns up there. There was an increase in crime. We worked very closely with SFPD and with the surrounding community of Midtown Terrace to sort of triage what was going on. We have for years been engaged with the community to try to figure out how to improve not just the physical appearance, but also the sort of flow of traffic and people up on that hill. And one of the things that we have come up against consistently is that different city departments own different pieces of this little small space. It's at REG Park, MTA, DPW, PUC even, IT. And so to try to come up with a unified plan to make it beautiful, serviceable, and orderly has been a little bit of a challenge. And yet, the surrounding neighbors who use this space very well have been supportive to try to just make the situation better. We're not quite there yet. But I am really grateful to the recreation and parks department for always showing up and writing those grant proposals and doing the progressive improvements that we all want to see. Even if we're not quite there yet, on the whole, we keep making small progress on improvements. And I am very appreciative of this. So I will be co sponsoring these items. I want to say that when the time comes to make a motion, I will be making a motion to send out item number four without recommendation. That's not indicative of any support. That's just how these things are done because it'll come to the full board, and we'll do a committee of the So, with that, let's go to public comment on this item, please, Mr. Clerk.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Thank you, Madam Chair. Land use and transportation will now hear public comment related to agenda item numbers three and four, proposing a street vacation for portions of Christmas Tree Point Christmas Tree Point Road in Twin Peaks Boulevard. If you've, if you have public comment for these two items, please come forward to the lectern. And, I'll begin your time. Welcome, Mr. Wooding.
[George Wooding]: Good afternoon. Thank you commissioners. My name is George Wooding. I am the president of Midtown Terrace. Most people don't understand that the land here is part of Midtown Terrace and has always been part of Midtown Terrace. Midtown Terrace has not been reached out by any agency except the SFMTA did write that they had a report or a meeting with us and wrote that up and sent that into the city. They never talked to us. No one has talked to us. And it's caused numerous traffic problems, traffic studies. People are now trying to get to Clarendon School by using Panorama Boulevard Myrna's right. There was a tremendous increase in squatting, in car theft, in all kinds of burglary and none of it was brought on by the neighborhoods. Nobody talked to us. We found out the skateboard association was a stakeholder. So, that being said, we weren't anointed stakeholders. And then guess what nobody talks to us about what's happening. And I hate to see this traffic less parking, more traffic, more congestion. So I would like to ask for a continuance today until somebody from the city actually reaches out to Midtown Terrace and talks Thank with you.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Do we have anyone else who has public comment for agenda item numbers three and four called together? Madam Chair.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much. Ms. Bradley, can you please address that last comment?
[Stacy Bradley]: Yes. Thank you, Supervisor Chairwoman Melgar. Thank you for your comments, Mr. Whiting. We piece of the of the road network is the Figure 3. I think perhaps you might be talking about the area of Twin Peaks Boulevard that connects to Burnett Avenue. Oh, I'm sorry. This is my name is Stacy Bradley. I am the deputy I'm the director of capital and planning at the Rec and Park Department. So we have we started this effort to close the Figure 3 in 2015 with MTA. It has gone through multiple community outreach and engagement. We've been working on closing this road and making these improvements along the promenade for almost a decade well, actually, for a decade over a decade. And we've had multiple interactions with the community. So I think it's there's just multiple things going on in the area. And this was closed by the MTA Board a few years ago. And this piece, doing the street vacation, is solely to allow us to keep it in perpetuity as an open space in alignment with the federal grants that we have.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you so much, Ms. Bradley. And I would just encourage the department to keep an open communication with the Midtown Terrace neighbors. Absolutely. Because I know things take decades and sometimes for our you know, like we have to just keep reminding people, no, this was, you know, so thank you so much. Appreciate that.
[George Wooding]: Thank you.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: With that, public comment is now closed. I would like to now make a motion to send item number three, file number 251,218, the resolution of intent, street vacation, portions of Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks Boulevard, Twin Peaks Promenade Project to the full board with a positive recommendation as committee report as amended.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: It presently has a blank, Madam Chair, that has the date for the proposed Committee of the Whole hearing date. We request that that date be amended into the resolution so that we can schedule the Committee of the Whole and perform the adequate noticing.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Okay. I apologize. So that date would be 03/17/2026. Okay. Then as amended with that date.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: So you'd like to move first that the resolution be amended to include the 03/17/2026, Committee of the Whole hearing date, and then recommend agenda item number three as a committee report as amended. Correct.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Thank you.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: On those two motions, Vice Chair Chen. Chen, aye. Member Mahmood, aye. Chair Melgar?
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Aye.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Melgar, aye. Madam Chair, there are three ayes on those two motions.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Okay. That motion passes. Now, I will make a motion to send item number four, file number 251220, Street Vacation Order Interdepartmental Property Transfer, Twin Peaks Permanent Project, to the full board meeting on Tuesday, 02/24/2026, without recommendation?
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Madam Chair, do you mean to recommend that to the Committee of the Whole hearing date, March 17?
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: So my script says February 24. Are you
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: I recommend that it be be On the same day. Sent without recommendation by Land Use and Transportation for consideration on the same date as the Committee of Okay. The Whole
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: That sounds good. You're the procedure guy. Thank you.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: On the motion offered by the chair that the ordinance be sent without the recommendation of land use and transportation for consideration on 03/17/2026, Vice Chair Chen. Chen aye. Member Mahmood aye. Chair Malgar.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Aye.
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: Malgar aye. Madam Chair, are three ayes.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Okay. That motion passes. Thank you. Mr. Colerk, do we have any more business before our committee?
[John Carroll (Committee Clerk)]: There is no further business.
[Supervisor Myrna Melgar (Chair)]: Okay. We're adjourned. Thank you.