[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6535935,"mediaKeyId","5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752","parentId",5475148,"title","Public Works unveils Love Our Neighborhoods program; PermitSF changes remove sidewalk-table permits and add registration","audioSeconds",615,"startMs",275815,"endMs",891000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752&start=275&end=891","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752/thumbnail_275815.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6535935/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Public-Works-unveils-Love-Our-Neighborhoods-program-PermitSF-changes-remove-sidewalk-table-permits-and-add-registration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535935-d6fa8921c8dc6e706afe79132acf852e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047702&Signature=iHq7DFZwtxcuDTrL1BOmXylzY-kCjiLaQgncLWvRcR21B40YDfhMkN4ZA0-RWG7uqh0b5wbrqD8yHAyzpbotM8lSHnZTN-KMK8PUhxXmidZZJ33PCefcrTpy14eYN6oDtZ2b1pI1qa~nxOUI08gL8gQ4OrnJrh4f~f0~YV7tIjkkIWQJguyXJuEW5cnM7dJBEM6JeKxdvRsOl6n9zpACAOXGfxG6F6Qwm5bgbXklbmzkS5sgnujiZJp8GUDHDdpTuFcvgi6ylOK3yLT5it40EvEgBMGV05HF7HQlo1YPI6hKZIVQ0QbTvukeQ7iGlKVtI2pWSM28~t89QXf~WnH-6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-07-24T00:00:00Z","article","Public Works Director Carla Short told the commission on July 24 that the department has launched a new Love Our Neighborhoods permit program and highlighted changes from the recently signed PermitSF package that alter how sidewalk tables and merchandise displays are regulated.

At the meeting Short said one of the program’s first approved projects will be a large “Heart SF” frame sponsored by Downtown SF Partnership to be installed at a reimagined Robert Frost Plaza at Market, Drumm and California Streets. The decorative frame is described as roughly 7 feet tall and 16 feet wide and will be part of broader downtown gateway improvements including seating, landscaping and interpretive plaques.

On permitting, Short said Mayor Lurie signed the PermitSF legislation into law on July 18. Under the new rules, which Short said take effect Aug. 16, business owners will no longer need a sidewalk‑tables permit and associated encroachment permit and annual fee; instead they must submit a simple registration to Public Works, attest to following city guidelines (including accessibility requirements), and provide insurance. Deputy City Attorney Ton clarified at the meeting that the registration also requires the registrant to indemnify the city under the relevant city code provision (the transcript did not specify the code section).

Short and other staff emphasized enforcement will be complaint driven: the department will ask complainants to use 311, staff will inspect and document circumstances, and Public Works can pursue enforcement or penalties if registrants do not follow the registration rules. Short said the registration does not relieve the registrant of their obligation to meet city accessibility rules and that the department will respond to complaints and attempt to work with businesses before pursuing enforcement. Staff noted that sidewalks narrower than 7 feet will not qualify for registration because they cannot maintain a required minimum path of travel.

The department also described outreach plans for the Love Our Neighborhoods program, saying a public education campaign is underway that includes multilingual brochures, meetings with community groups and community benefit districts, proactive press outreach on major projects, and coordination with neighborhood organizations. Short and the director of communications said some program launches will feature media events and community rollout activities.

Staff clarified that parklets and the shared‑spaces (parklet) program are not part of the initial PermitSF registration change; parklets continue to be governed by the existing shared‑spaces permit process. Short and commissioners discussed the implementation timeline, complaint response expectations and whether registration could create liability for the city; Deputy City Attorney Ton reiterated that registrants must indemnify the city and that insurance is still required as part of the registration.

Why it matters: removing the permit and replacing it with a registration streamlines steps for businesses and eliminates an annual fee, but it also relies on complaint‑driven enforcement and requires businesses to accept legal and insurance obligations. Commissioners asked for clarity on enforcement response times, outreach, and how the city will ensure safe, accessible sidewalks.

Details reported at the meeting: the registration process takes effect Aug. 16, 2025; minimum sidewalk width for registration is 7 feet; registrants must attest to following guidelines, carry insurance and indemnify the city; enforcement will be complaint‑based through 311. Staff emphasized that these steps do not eliminate ADA or other accessibility obligations and that failure to follow guidelines may result in enforcement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player","oneSentenceSummary","Public Works Director Carla Short told the commission on July 24 that the department has launched a Love Our Neighborhoods program and that Mayor Lurie’s recently signed PermitSF legislation eliminates sidewalk‑table permits, replacing them with a registration process that takes effect Aug. 16, 2025.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6535940,"Public Works Commission approves three major construction contracts, adopts consent calendar",3246,1601045,4848000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752&start=1601&end=4848","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752/thumbnail_1601045.jpg","/articles/6535940/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Public-Works-Commission-approves-three-major-construction-contracts-adopts-consent-calendar","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535940-bfade19b742d8ac26d968e1041bfb741/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047702&Signature=k8etakc4sP4Vb~7T3Q51yFUBslSeTRgI-g7r~t4hFLKKBE6yQkeH2oIHZoICGTiL6zPHvQv1s7GiVK-C7hhUdar5XOt2CDXgxMfu1u9JIZWTEM6FtGgxCzGeXnaM7Z9hQXEFZg8jwHzEmbh20HC2gjMdoN7jyR27fBpPxTC5U8nPY0Zb3wC33n40P36IaHbUBz~36BOiG6px~DSwdzkxoMynCtGUCbOjdDYKFblfcDB9UXYfNXd2MmjMz-ej-zhxMTkMgdeOEtIvJJWt3yndqS~qSfzVYiPLfljaeeGePZeTsxes9tswClDK7Jjqve69kbeWb7nBW2cm~VR5ViFTQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Francisco Public Works Commission on July 24 approved its consent calendar and voted to award three major construction contracts: a roof replacement at the War Memorial Opera House, the Main Street Streetscape Phase 1 project, and the Transbay Howard Streetscape project.

The approvals came by voice vote and were recorded as passing unanimously. The consent calendar included draft minutes from the July 10 meeting, seven contract awards, three contract modifications and one notice to proceed; the commission approved the consent calendar by motion from Commissioner Gerald Turner, seconded by Vice Chair Fatty Zabe. No public speakers addressed these items during the hearing.

Commission action on three separate capital projects followed presentations from Public Works project managers. For the War Memorial Opera House roof replacement the department recommended awarding a construction contract to Pioneer Contractors (presented by the project manager) for a base bid of about $8.746 million with an anticipated construction window of roughly 370 calendar days; fall-protection work described in the presentation will be added as a change order (presenters indicated a fall-protection allowance of about $610,000). The commission approved the contract award by voice vote with no callers and no in-room public comment.

The commission also awarded the Main Street Improvements Phase 1 contract to Bay Area Light Works for $9,202,562 with a contract duration of 650 calendar days. Project staff described the work as streetscape and safety improvements on Main Street from Market to Howard — including widened sidewalks, a northbound protected bike track, new bus islands, accessible pedestrian signals and drainage and lighting upgrades. Staff said five bids were received and that the low bidder came in about 7% over the engineer’s estimate.

Finally the Transbay Howard Streetscape contract was awarded to Esquivel Grading and Paving for $19,501,403.08 with a construction duration of 1,190 calendar days. Project staff described this as a Complete Streets project between Fourth Street and the Embarcadero that will add a two-way protected bike track on the south side of Howard Street, widened sidewalks, new curb ramps, traffic-signal and Muni overhead-contact improvements, and landscaping and street furniture. Five bids were opened; the low bid was substantially under the engineer’s estimate, and staff included a contingency in the recommended resolution that award be contingent on the contractor satisfactorily completing the required safety prequalification.

Why it matters: these awards move major downtown transportation and cultural-asset work into construction. The Main Street and Transbay Howard projects are part of the South Downtown Design and Activation (SODA) planning effort; the Opera House roof project addresses long‑deferred building maintenance on a landmark structure.

Votes at a glance
- Item 4, Consent calendar (draft minutes, seven contract awards, three contract modifications, one notice to proceed): motion by Commissioner Gerald Turner, seconded by Vice Chair Fatty Zabe; outcome: approved (motion passed unanimously).
- Item 5, War Memorial Opera House roof replacement: award recommended to Pioneer Contractors (base bid reported at about $8,746,000; construction ~370 calendar days); outcome: approved (motion passed unanimously). Presentation noted single responsive bidder, LBE context, and a fall‑protection change order allowance (~$610,000).
- Item 6, Main Street Streetscape Phase 1: award to Bay Area Light Works, $9,202,562; duration 650 calendar days; outcome: approved (motion passed unanimously).
- Item 7, Transbay Howard Streetscape: award to Esquivel Grading and Paving, $19,501,403.08; duration 1,190 calendar days; award contingent on satisfactory contractor safety prequalification; outcome: approved (motion passed).

The commission did not receive public comment on these motions at the meeting. Staff said project managers will return with regular construction updates, and commissioners requested staff provide one-year progress reports on capital projects so the commission can track schedule and budget.","At its July 24 meeting the San Francisco Public Works Commission approved the consent calendar and voted to award contracts for the War Memorial Opera House roof replacement, the Main Street Streetscape Phase 1 project, and the Transbay Howard Streetscape project.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6535930,"Commission discusses contract-delegation policy; seeks revisions and plans vote in September",1480,4818285,6299000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752&start=4818&end=6299","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5475148-b8197ee564b41641504ec80f9d5f9752/thumbnail_4818285.jpg","/articles/6535930/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Commission-discusses-contract-delegation-policy-seeks-revisions-and-plans-vote-in-September","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535930-a9ec4cf418ca2486a81f0725fbb065f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047702&Signature=RpJXY0yMKSjz5nBckpd-2dgeLQLlVj30LRUMOi6T9dKkrh~juRYUlruS47QXCwSb2tyCjt2M5iMKTJbZZzLJjWr7HysC0HoOhVrpxBZ8Z-kx8ZdGvyyd9zeEMfQL-htlXMPPbW9yfLnGYPd3N7XmGz1GZhfJ3sLn8hC2o4Z-cHYxQ99J2seGFpG6VZruBtoPGaFM1tjuvV02iO3PNFknVCSwQ5wJdhod8y3vYoqbWgKkULRINnGCNjQKSHOor6qOM4hDWZrMJEEuDEskn0MWWMm2kmIwWxqa0obkZ-MhwEj6kmORnRflgNdQEwhE~y-iDQTr8T2LIkoTXetz43GPVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the July 24 meeting the Public Works Commission heard an informational presentation on proposed amendments to the commission’s contract‑delegation policy intended to reduce the number of contract approvals that appear on the regular agenda and to delegate certain approvals to the consent calendar or to the Public Works Director.

Chair Lauren Post described the review as an efficiency measure: the commission spends substantial meeting time on contract approvals, many of which follow established procurement procedures. Secretary Fuller and staff presented data on contracts the commission has approved and identified categories the department recommended for delegated approval or higher consent thresholds. The goal, staff said, is to shorten meeting durations while preserving oversight: any consent item can still be pulled for full commission review and the charter and city law constraints remain in force.

Commissioners debated how to treat grant awards to nonprofit organizations. Several commissioners — including Gerald Turner and Fatty Zabe — said the public forum where grantees describe their work is useful and recommended preserving at least annual opportunities for grantees to report to the commission. Commissioner Bloom emphasized she would prefer the commission retain the authority to approve grants rather than delegate them entirely, while others suggested folding grant approvals into the annual budgetary process and keeping a requirement for periodic public reporting.

Staff and the deputy city attorney said the changes are partly constrained by charter requirements and that some delegation can be accomplished by adjusting monetary thresholds and formalizing reporting and notice back to the commission. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a revised policy that formalizes how (and when) staff will report delegated actions back to the commission, to clarify thresholds and to include a process for the commission to request special meetings if urgent contract awards are needed between regular meetings.

The commission did not vote on policy language at the July 24 hearing. Chair Post directed Secretary Fuller and staff to produce a revised policy for adoption at the next meeting in September. Several commissioners asked that the revised draft include an explicit description of the commission’s continuing oversight role for grant and nonprofit awards, and details about how and when grantees would appear in public budget hearings or annual updates.

Why it matters: the proposed delegation would streamline staff operations and shorten meeting runtimes but commissioners signaled they want clear mechanisms for transparency, particularly for grant awards and for notifying the commission when delegated approvals have been made.

Next steps: staff will circulate a revised policy incorporating the commission’s direction; the commission expects to vote on the amendment at its September meeting (scheduled for Sept. 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.).","Commissioners debated proposed changes to Public Works' contract-delegation policy, discussed whether the commission should continue to review grant awards, and asked staff to refine a policy amendment for a September vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public Works unveils Love Our Neighborhoods program; PermitSF changes remove sidewalk-table permits and add registration

Public Works Commission approves three major construction contracts, adopts consent calendar

Commission discusses contract-delegation policy; seeks revisions and plans vote in September