Jeremy Nelson of Transportation for a Livable City forcefully argued at Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting that allowing one-to-one parking (25 new parking spots) in a new condo project on Jessie Street made no sense. Why add one-to-one parking in this transit rich part of the city? Rather than provide a meaningful response, the Planning Commission made a mockery of San Francisco’s Transit First policy.
Nelson pointed out that this project site was less than one block from the underutilized, 2600-space Fifth & Mission garage. A recent Planning Department study found that 1100-1800 of these parking spots are vacant at all times. He also pointed out that the Jessie Street project site is in the middle of an area well served by public transit. Bart is two blocks away. More than a dozen Muni lines are within two blocks. City Car Share pods are nearby.
Imagine making these arguments and being met with this response from one of the planning commissioners: “we have a son who just bought a loft, he has a parking stall. We wouldn’t have bought it without the stall.. It’s a nicely restored ’67 Cougar, and he wants it to be kept in good condition. I think in the real world, people who are going to be buying these units are probably going to own a car, and it’s going to make the unit a lot more salable if it does have a place to reach your car without having to go out in a rainstorm and walk two blocks to get your car when you do want to use it. So I think that’s an important factor and I would support the one-to-one parking with the system that’s been proposed.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Planning Department staff couldn’t resist chiming in: “and just one more question,” asked the Department’s Acting Director, “does that ’67 Cougar have a 289 in it, or a 302?” The commissioners had a good chuckle over that one. What a way to belittle anyone at the hearing who had concerns about moving more cars into downtown San Francisco.
Unfortunately, many leaders in this City believe that the world revolves around cars. This view might be accurate in many parts of America, but San Francisco has a lot of residents that feel differently, and the City’s official Transit First policy reflects their view.
If someone doesn’t want to buy a condo on Jessie Street because there is no parking in the building, so be it. Someone else will buy the unit who is willing to walk a block to their car, or who will take public transportation.
But the Planning Commission sees things differently. Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the project with one-to-one parking on site. Apparently, the thought of a condo purchaser having to walk a block is no laughing matter.
San Francisco’s Transit First policy provides that “parking policies for areas well served by public transit shall be designed to encourage travel by public transit and alternative transportation.” Commissioners are required to “implement these principles in conducting the City and County’s affairs.”
One-to-one parking as part of new condo construction in the middle of an area well served by public transit is bad public policy. The Planning Commission should uphold the City’s Transit First policy, rather than mocking those who dare to defend it.
Dean Preston can be reached at dean@thclinic.org
