Friday, June 28, 2013

San Francisco's Green Building Ordinance - New Green Building Submittal Form for Tenant Improvements




BOMA San Francisco Members:

In 2008, San Francisco established green building requirements for new residential and commercial buildings, as well as renovations to existing buildings. California’s Building Standards Commission subsequently adopted Title 24 Part 11 (2010), the California Green Building Standards Code (known as CALGreen). Chapter 13C of the San Francisco Building Code – the Green Building Ordinance – combines the 2010 California Green Building Standards Code with stricter local requirements. 

Note that for interior commercial tenant improvement projects with cost no less than $500,000, please reference the new green building submittal form now required by the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection.  This form will be used to enforce San Francisco's Green Building Ordinance.  BOMA San Francisco's Codes and Regulations Committee members worked directly with the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection leadership, in particular, James Zhan and Mohsin Shaikh, to streamline this document for future commercial tenant improvements. 

For all other commercial additions exceeding 2,000 sq. ft., or alterations of $500,000 or more that are not interior tenant improvements, permit applicants should continue to use the submittal template C-5 -  Specific Locally Required Measures Only.  

Did You Miss the BOMA 2013 Every Building Conference & Expo?



BOMA San Francisco Members:

Did you miss the BOMA 2013 Every Building Conference & Expo in San Diego?  Click on the links below to read about the entire conference.  Thank you to the over 40+ BOMA San Francisco members who attended and conveyed their expertise to others in the industry.

BOMA International Advocacy Update - Code Victories Save Billions




BOMA’s Code Victories Help Save CRE Industry Billions

BOMA International remains on the front lines for achievable and cost-effective building codes against the growing influence of powerful groups lobbying for costly shifts in building regulations. BOMA continues to lead the opposition to a number of onerous and unnecessary code change proposals, which, in recent years, has saved the commercial real estate industry:
  • $3.8 billion annually with the disapproval of changes to the structural, fire and egress codes proposed by NIST/World Trade Center. 
  • $990 million annually by successfully defeating a prosed 30 percent increase in stringency to the International Energy Conservation Code. 
  • $630 million annually in lost lease income avoided with the approval of BOMA’s alternatives to NIST/World Trade Center proposals for additional elevators for tenant emergency egress and exclusive fire service use in the ICC Building Codes. 
  • $700,000 per building in annual construction costs avoided with BOMA’s successful proposal of more cost-effective design options, eliminating onerous requirements for existing buildings and defeating retroactive code inspections one year following the sale or purchase of a building in the International Green Construction Code. 
An additional $3.50 per square foot of commercial real estate was saved with the disapproval of a number of smaller miscellaneous code changes.  Learn more.

2013 California Commercial Real Estate Summit Synopsis




BOMA San Francisco Members:

Recently, the annual California Commercial Real Estate Summit (CCRES) was held in Sacramento and attended by over 90 real estate leaders who converged on California’s Capitol to advocate on behalf of the commercial, retail, and industrial real estate industry. Fourteen teams of advocates met with many members of the California State Legislature.

The goal of the California Commercial Real Estate Summit is to increase public policy and political awareness of state issues impacting commercial, industrial, and retail real estate, and to foster collaborative efforts among business leaders from all sectors of California and their representatives in at the Capitol.

The focus of this year’s CCRES was support for Proposition 13 and opposition to moving forward with proposals to allow a split roll property tax and/or removal of protections provided by the 2/3s vote requirement for parcel taxes.  Reports back from BOMA San Francisco members and others who met with Legislators ranged from support of Proposition 13, to vague understanding of its provisions, to strict opposition.  BOMA members explained the day-to-day realities of the real estate industry and how protections from unfettered property tax increases has meant the difference between success and failure.  Members also elucidated how the state’s stable tax structure benefits our tenants and the state’s small businesses.

In addition, the 2013 Legislator of the year award was delivered to the following policymakers: Assemblymember Nora Campos (D-San Jose), Assemblymember Tom Daly (D-Anaheim), and Senator Mark Wyland (R-Escondido).

CCRES delegates also heard from a wide range of speakers including State Controller John Chiang (D), the Governor’s top staffer Nancy McFadden, Executive Secretary for Legislation, Appointments and Policy, and Kish Rajan who is the director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.

Thank you to the BOMA San Francisco members who attended the summit.

BOMA California Update - SCOTUS Backs Property Rights and Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings Action Plan




SCOTUS Backs Property Rights

In a decision that will affect a wide range of land-use regulations, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Florida property owner was unfairly required to compensate in exchange for the ability to develop property in the case known as Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management Agency. The case examined the extent to which a local government can place conditions on the issuance of land use permits.

For more detail, click here for a story written by Mike Berger who filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the property owner on behalf of the business, real estate, and development communities of BOMA, NAIOP, and ICSC.


AB 758 - Comprehensive Energy Efficiency in Existing Commercial Buildings
The next major step in the AB 758 Regulatory Process is underway and BOMA members have an opportunity to provide input and guide California policy that will have an impact on you and your tenant's business.  This is an issue BOMA California has been working on for several years now, in collaboration with the Energy Commission, green energy groups, and other stakeholders – its a regulatory plan that is being written to tackle energy efficiency in existing commercial buildings.

Once the draft action plan is finalized, the strategies – both voluntary and mandatory – will be translated into regulatory language and moved forward for adoption.  As such, it's important to assure that what is contained in the final document makes sense from both a technological and economic standpoint.  BOMA California wants to make sure that regulatory red tape is kept to a minimum to avoid unnecessary paperwork.

Draft Action Plan for the Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Program for Existing Buildings

Please have your energy experts and people involved in leasing and real estate transactions. Energy efficiency strategies are important, but so are the triggers used by the state to enforce any mandates. Provide any feedback you may have to mhargrove@cbpa.com.

UPDATE: San Francisco Mobile Food Facilities Permits


UPDATE - June 28, 2013

Today, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee signed legislation that will address deficiencies in the current Mobile Food Facilities law for future permit applications. Details below.
The legislation was negotiated over a two year time frame and lead by Supervisor Scott Wiener.  BOMA San Francisco members thank Supervisor Wiener and his staff, the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Off the Grid and other stakeholders for their input and patience during this process.

Questions?  Please email kenc@boma.com.

--------------------

UPDATE - June 7, 2013

Please review the revised draft legislation governing future Mobile Food Facilities (MFF or mobile food truck) permits in San Francisco that will be heard at the Land Use and Economic Development Committee next Monday at 1:30 p.m.  Email kenc@boma.com if you can attend and voice your opinion regarding the legislation. It is an improvement on the law, but it will not change the conditions for the current permit holders.

Here are the major changes from the current law that were successfully negotiated by BOMA members and various stakeholder groups:

Permit Issuance and Property Owner Notification
  • Permit notification radius will be 75 feet - it was 300 feet.
  • New permit applications shall require that a notice be posted on a utility pole close to the proposed MFF location for at least 10 calendar days prior to the close of the appeal period. The building owner/manager and the property owner of record (if different) of each building address within the 75 foot area shall also be notified, as well as all first floor commercial businesses and any certified neighborhood organization listed on the San Francisco Planning Department’s website. 
  • MFFs may not sell any good, wares, or merchandise other than food or drink intended for human consumption
  • New permits issued after July 1, 2013 will expire seven years from the permit issuance date.  The permittee can apply six months prior to the expiration date for a new permit and shall be given priority over other applicants.
Location
  • 75 foot buffer from the primary entrance of a restaurant.
  • Locations may not be secured for more than three 24 hour cycles, or portions thereof, within a one week cycle. 
  • No parking next to a city park unless given specific permission from the Recreation and Parks Department.
  • Allowance for MFFs to park closer (1,000 feet vs. 1,500 feet) to schools with a number of specific schools listed in the legislation granting a 750 foot distance.
General
  • Formula retail restrictions will apply.
  • The operating permit shall be conditioned on the MFF vendor obtaining a Department of Public Health Certificate of Sanitation and a Fire Department permit.  If the Public Health or Fire Department permits are not secured within 3 months, the MFF permit shall be automatically revoked. 
  • No freestanding A-frame display, sign, or other obstruction on the public right of way will be allowed except refuse collection receptacles. 
  • Permits are allowed to be sold (transferred) with approval of the Department of Public Works (DPW), but no new notice to nearby businesses is required. 
  • The DPW Director may revoke or suspend MFF permits for other public purposes such as bike lanes, traffic reconfiguration, bulb-outs, bus stops, etc.  In such circumstances, the Director shall strive to authorize a temporary or permanent relocation comparable to the original site. 
  • This measure includes fines that  have been increased substantially for administrative violations - from $300 a day to $1,000 a day. MFFs operating without a permit shall be subject to penalties up to $5,000 a day - up from $1,000.
The San Francisco Examiner has published an article regarding the legislation.  Please click here to access it. 

--------------------

UPDATE - May 30, 2013

The various stakeholders, including BOMA San Francisco, met recently with Supervisor Scott Wiener to discuss a compromise solution to the existing state of Mobile Food Facilities in San Francisco. BOMA members are interested in legislative reform that includes:
  • A reasonable distance of 75 feet between street parked food trucks.
  • Permit expiration time frame - none exists at present.
  • Notification of permit application to the property owner of record.
More information, including an updated draft of the legislation will be available from the City Attorney's office in the near-term for BOMA member review.

If you have any questions regarding Mobile Food Facilities, please email kenc@boma.com.

--------------------
UPDATE - January 4, 2013

The San Francisco Examiner published an article today that details the ongoing stakeholder discussion regarding Mobile Food Facilities.  BOMA San Francisco members and staff have been at the table advocating for respectable concessions for our members' ground floor tenants.

If you have any questions regarding Mobile Food Facilities, please email kenc@boma.com.

--------------------

UPDATE - November 6, 2012

Please click on the links below review to measures that Supervisor Scott Wiener has introduced at the Board of Supervisors regarding Mobile Food Facilities.
These measures, in aggregate, will amend existing regulations for Mobile Food Facilities (MFF or food trucks) to eliminate the current 'like food' consideration for appeals to MFF permit applications.  Indeed, it's the only consideration for a permit appeal at present - i.e., a food truck selling like food that is similar to an adjacent brick and mortar establishment.  The ordinance will also specify distances between trucks, the parking duration and add significant areas throughout San Francisco for MFF operators to sell food. 

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team urges you to review these documents and critique them for content and effectiveness.  Send your comments to kenc@boma.com and johnb@boma.com.  The measure will be sent to the Board of Supervisors' Land Use and Economic Development Committee for a minimum of 30 days before being further considered or amended.
------------------
Original Post - May 21, 2012

Click here to go to an interactive real-time map of approved and requested Moblie Food Permits 

BOMA San Francisco Members:

NOTE - the San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFDPW) has been updating interested parties regarding approved and requested (i.e., Notices of Intent) Mobile Food Facilities permits.  Please bookmark the following webpage and continue to review it for updated information on the status of requested permits near your property: http://bsm.sfdpw.org/mobilefoodpermits/.

Notices of Intent (NOI) detail locations, hours of operation, and menus for a proposed Mobile Food Facility permit.  In addition to the interactive map, you can also download a list of NOI Mobile Food Facility permits by visiting the SFDPW webpage and clicking on NOI - Status.

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team is continuing to work tenaciously with BOMA members, Supervisor Scott Wiener and his staff and the SFDPW staff to assuage the various issues that BOMA members have had with regard to the proliferation of Mobile Food Facilities in the Financial District and adjacent Districts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Buildings Performance Database: The Power of Data Webinar



BOMA San Francisco Members:

The Buildings Performance Database (BPD) is the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information in the country. Please join the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a webinar about how the BPD can help you: 
  • Analyze information about real buildings' location, age, size, function, electricity and fuel consumption, equipment information and operational characteristics.
  • Discover opportunities for improvement by examining groups of similar buildings.
  • Forecast project performance and risk using statistical analysis.
With more than 1,500 users since the launch in June, the BPD provides access to an anonymous dataset of over 60,000 single-family, multifamily, commercial and public buildings from across the country. The DOE is continually looking for data contributions, and new datasets are being added regularly.

The Department is offering three webinar dates that will all include the same content: an overview of the BPD’s goals and design principles, a live demo of the tool, information on how to contribute data, and a question and answer session.

Target Audience: Building owners and managers, contractors and service providers, public agencies and energy efficiency program administrators

Registration Links: 

July 17, 4-5pm EDT: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/431031496
August 6, 4-5pm EDT: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/253735760
August 26, 4-5pm EDT: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/251238352

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Supervisor David Chiu's San Francisco Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance


BOMA San Francisco Members,

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu visited the BOMA San Francisco office to discuss his newly introduced proposal, the San Francisco Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance.  This initiative would do two things: provide San Francisco employees who are caretakers or parents the right to request predictable and flexible workplace schedules, and it would prohibit employment discrimination based on an employee's status as a caretaker or parent.


BOMA's Government Affairs Policy Advisory Committee will review the proposal to determine its impact, if any, to the commercial real estate industry and report their findings in a future blog post. 

Monday, June 17, 2013

PG&E General Rate Case Application Covering Years 2014 Through 2016



BOMA San Francisco Members:

The 2014 General Rate Case (GRC) – covering years 2014-2016 – is the major regulatory proceeding for PG&E to request the revenue needed to operate, maintain, repair and upgrade their gas distribution, electric distribution and electric generation facilities. The GRC is typically conducted every three years. This funding request reflects PG&E’s commitment to provide its customers with safe and reliable service. PG&E is building a safer and more reliable energy system that will continue to help California remain competitive on a national and global scale. The funding will be used to:
  • Assure a high level of public safety in the operation of PG&E’s gas and electric facilities.
  • Invest in and maintain the system of power plants, poles, wires, pipes and equipment needed to deliver electricity and gas to PG&E’s customers.
  • Improve customer service and maintain the support structure necessary to keep PG&E operating and to provide PG&E’s customers with safe, reliable and responsive customer service.
PG&E requested 6.4% increase in bundled average electric rates (6.0% for Large Commercial: E19 & E20) and 11.7% (Small Commercial: GNR1) and 5.7% (Large Commercial: GNR2) increase in small and large average gas rates. The actual distribution of the increase to each customer class depends on how the CPUC ultimately decides all issues in the GRC, as well as in a separate electric rate design proceeding filed in the first quarter of 2013.  PG&E expects the commission to issue a decision on PG&E’s request in December 2013 at the earliest.

What This Means for You 

Electric and Gas Rate Changes by Class

PG&E’s projected system bundled and DA/CCA electric rates are expected to increase as much as 6.4% (6.0% for Large Commercial: E19 & E20) and 7.8% (7.9% for Large Commercial: E19 & E20) respectively, if the CPUC approves PG&E’s requested funding. Bundled gas rates are expected to increase by 11.7% (Small Commercial: GNR1) and 5.7% (Large Commercial: GNR2) for small and large commercial classes. Please see the table below for projected rate change per class.

Additionally there are other proceedings currently pending before the CPUC that could change the estimated January 2014 electric rate impacts. Several key case filings are expected to be submitted by PG&E in the future. Along with the GRC, PG&E’s Annual Gas True Up and Annual Electric True Up will impact PG&E’s January 2014 rates.

Feel free to contact contact kenc@boma.com and johnb@boma.com with any questions you may have.  

Energy Department Launches New Database Commercial/Residential Building Energy Performance



BOMA San Francisco Members:

The Energy Department has launched a new Buildings Performance Database, the largest free, publicly available database of residential and commercial building energy performance information. Currently, commercial and residential buildings account for approximately 70% of the electricity consumption in the nation. The database strengthens the Department's commitment to provide U.S. industry, state and local governments, and researchers with innovative energy data tools that can help cut energy waste and save money.

This database will allow users to access energy performance data and perform statistical analyses on more than 60,000 commercial and residential buildings across the country, and new records are being added regularly. The database includes buildings' location; age; size and function; electricity and fuel consumption; equipment information and operational characteristics. The data can also be used to compare performance trends among similar buildings, identify and prioritize cost-saving energy efficiency improvements, and assess the range of likely savings from these improvements. An application programming interface (API) will allow external software developers to incorporate analytical results from the database into their own tools and services.

The database tools have been designed to meet the content and usability needs of public agencies, building owners and managers, contractors, energy efficiency program administrators, and financial institutions, with over 1,000 users testing the site since March 2013. The Department hopes that public and private stakeholders will continue to submit data and expand the resource. All data is made anonymous and protected by stringent privacy and security protocols.

The Buildings Performance Database was developed for the Department's Building Technologies Office by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Building Energy Inc. The Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality.

Friday, June 14, 2013

BOMA California Legislative Update - AB 1103 Benchmarking Enforcement Delayed Until September 1, 2013



UPDATE - June 14, 2013

Regarding AB 1103 (Mandatory Benchmarking), please review the notification, below, from the California Energy Commission stating that the regulations will not be enforced until September 1, 2013, due to Energy Star system maintenance.


The ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (Portfolio Manager) will be unavailable for public use during a planned upgrade to the system between June 24 and July 9, 2013.

Additionally, several California Investor Owned Utilities have indicated that they will not 
be able to upload energy use data to owners’ Portfolio Manager accounts under section 1684(b) of the regulations for an additional two weeks after Portfolio Manager is back online.

This coincides with the implementation date of Assembly Bill #1103, the Nonresidential 
Building Energy Use Disclosure regulations (California Code of Regulations, Title 20, §1680 et seq).

The California Energy Commission will suspend enforcement of these regulations until 
August 1, 2013 because of the unavailability of Portfolio Manager. In the interim, the Energy Commission encourages nonresidential building owners to disclose the required information to prospective buyers, lessees, and lenders to the extent feasible. For recommendations on how to comply with the regulations while Portfolio Manager is unavailable, please review the Frequently Asked Questions.

--------------------
Original Post - May 13, 2013

AB 1103 Benchmarking Resources

BOMA California has been working on the The Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program (AB 1103) for over five years.  The mandatory Energy Star disclosure law commences this summer.

The effective date of the regulations is July 1, 2013 for large buildings (more than 50,000 square feet); January 1, 2014 for medium buildings (more than 10,000, and up to 50,000 square feet); and July 1, 2014 for small buildings (5,000 up to 10,000 square feet).

Anytime you finance, sell, or lease a whole building, you are required to run the Energy Star numbers and provide that information to the other party in the transaction as well as the California Energy Commission (CEC).

The Energy Commission staff is working to provide online resources to help you comply with this new law. Here are several items you can find already online:
The Energy Commission is also working on a FAQ document and requests BOMA member input. If, after reading through the materials, you are unclear on how to comply with the law, or if there are lingering questions, please email mhargrove@cbpa.com and your comments will be submitted to the CEC.

BOMA California thanks the staff at the CEC for working with our industry to address issues and resolve concerns throughout this process. They will continue to work with them as they move forward and are implemented. 

Friday, June 7, 2013

UPDATE: San Francisco Mobile Food Facilities Permits


UPDATE - June 7, 2013

Please review the revised draft legislation governing future Mobile Food Facilities (MFF or mobile food truck) permits in San Francisco that will be heard at the Land Use and Economic Development Committee next Monday at 1:30 p.m.  Email kenc@boma.com if you can attend and voice your opinion regarding the legislation. It is an improvement on the law, but it will not change the conditions for the current permit holders.

Here are the major changes from the current law that were successfully negotiated by BOMA members and various stakeholder groups:

Permit Issuance and Property Owner Notification
  • Permit notification radius will be 75 feet - it was 300 feet.
  • New permit applications shall require that a notice be posted on a utility pole close to the proposed MFF location for at least 10 calendar days prior to the close of the appeal period. The building owner/manager and the property owner of record (if different) of each building address within the 75 foot area shall also be notified, as well as all first floor commercial businesses and any certified neighborhood organization listed on the San Francisco Planning Department’s website. 
  • MFFs may not sell any good, wares, or merchandise other than food or drink intended for human consumption
  • New permits issued after July 1, 2013 will expire seven years from the permit issuance date.  The permittee can apply six months prior to the expiration date for a new permit and shall be given priority over other applicants.
Location
  • 75 foot buffer from the primary entrance of a restaurant.
  • Locations may not be secured for more than three 24 hour cycles, or portions thereof, within a one week cycle. 
  • No parking next to a city park unless given specific permission from the Recreation and Parks Department.
  • Allowance for MFFs to park closer (1,000 feet vs. 1,500 feet) to schools with a number of specific schools listed in the legislation granting a 750 foot distance.
General
  • Formula retail restrictions will apply.
  • The operating permit shall be conditioned on the MFF vendor obtaining a Department of Public Health Certificate of Sanitation and a Fire Department permit.  If the Public Health or Fire Department permits are not secured within 3 months, the MFF permit shall be automatically revoked. 
  • No freestanding A-frame display, sign, or other obstruction on the public right of way will be allowed except refuse collection receptacles. 
  • Permits are allowed to be sold (transferred) with approval of the Department of Public Works (DPW), but no new notice to nearby businesses is required. 
  • The DPW Director may revoke or suspend MFF permits for other public purposes such as bike lanes, traffic reconfiguration, bulb-outs, bus stops, etc.  In such circumstances, the Director shall strive to authorize a temporary or permanent relocation comparable to the original site. 
  • This measure includes fines that  have been increased substantially for administrative violations - from $300 a day to $1,000 a day. MFFs operating without a permit shall be subject to penalties up to $5,000 a day - up from $1,000.
The San Francisco Examiner has published an article regarding the legislation.  Please click here to access it. 

--------------------

UPDATE - May 30, 2013

The various stakeholders, including BOMA San Francisco, met recently with Supervisor Scott Wiener to discuss a compromise solution to the existing state of Mobile Food Facilities in San Francisco. BOMA members are interested in legislative reform that includes:
  • A reasonable distance of 75 feet between street parked food trucks.
  • Permit expiration time frame - none exists at present.
  • Notification of permit application to the property owner of record.
More information, including an updated draft of the legislation will be available from the City Attorney's office in the near-term for BOMA member review.

If you have any questions regarding Mobile Food Facilities, please email kenc@boma.com.

--------------------
UPDATE - January 4, 2013

The San Francisco Examiner published an article today that details the ongoing stakeholder discussion regarding Mobile Food Facilities.  BOMA San Francisco members and staff have been at the table advocating for respectable concessions for our members' ground floor tenants.

If you have any questions regarding Mobile Food Facilities, please email kenc@boma.com.

--------------------

UPDATE - November 6, 2012

Please click on the links below review to measures that Supervisor Scott Wiener has introduced at the Board of Supervisors regarding Mobile Food Facilities.
These measures, in aggregate, will amend existing regulations for Mobile Food Facilities (MFF or food trucks) to eliminate the current 'like food' consideration for appeals to MFF permit applications.  Indeed, it's the only consideration for a permit appeal at present - i.e., a food truck selling like food that is similar to an adjacent brick and mortar establishment.  The ordinance will also specify distances between trucks, the parking duration and add significant areas throughout San Francisco for MFF operators to sell food. 

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team urges you to review these documents and critique them for content and effectiveness.  Send your comments to kenc@boma.com and johnb@boma.com.  The measure will be sent to the Board of Supervisors' Land Use and Economic Development Committee for a minimum of 30 days before being further considered or amended.
------------------
Original Post - May 21, 2012

Click here to go to an interactive real-time map of approved and requested Moblie Food Permits 

BOMA San Francisco Members:

NOTE - the San Francisco Department of Public Works (SFDPW) has been updating interested parties regarding approved and requested (i.e., Notices of Intent) Mobile Food Facilities permits.  Please bookmark the following webpage and continue to review it for updated information on the status of requested permits near your property: http://bsm.sfdpw.org/mobilefoodpermits/.

Notices of Intent (NOI) detail locations, hours of operation, and menus for a proposed Mobile Food Facility permit.  In addition to the interactive map, you can also download a list of NOI Mobile Food Facility permits by visiting the SFDPW webpage and clicking on NOI - Status.

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy team is continuing to work tenaciously with BOMA members, Supervisor Scott Wiener and his staff and the SFDPW staff to assuage the various issues that BOMA members have had with regard to the proliferation of Mobile Food Facilities in the Financial District and adjacent Districts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com.

Monday, June 3, 2013

PLEASE REVIEW - Bike Sharing Pilot Program for Downtown San Francisco - LOCATIONS


Click image to enlarge.

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - June 3, 2013

The Sustainable Streets Division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is proposing the placement of 35 bicycle sharing stations in San Francisco as shown in this map.  Please review it and forward the image to other interested parties.  Responses should be sent to Matt Lasky at matt.lasky@sfmta.com if you wish to receive more details about specific station information including the size and location. 

Stations shown as green on the map will be presented at an SFMTA public hearing on Friday, June 14, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 416 (Hearing Room 4), City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Stations, which require no physical connections for its operation, will house a payment kiosk powered by a solar mast and battery backup, a map panel for system information and station sponsorship, and docks to hold bicycles for public use. Station locations were selected in close proximity to transit connections, bicycle facilities, and employment and residential centers and where there is the best access to potential users of the system.

Opinions on the proposed placement may be filed in writing prior to the hearing by email to Matt Lasky or sustainable.streets@sfmta.com with the subject line 'Public Hearing'.  Submitted opinions will become part of the official public record and will be brought to the attention of the person(s) conducting the hearing. For additional information about San Francisco’s bicycle sharing program, please visit http://www.sfmta.com/bikesharing.

--------------------

UPDATE - May 20, 2013

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will be hosting the first local open house for Bay Area Bike Share on Thursday, May 30. 2013 at the North Light Court in San Francisco’s City Hall, from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  Attendees will have an opportunity to learn about and discuss bicycle sharing, the regional pilot, and planning and implementation details for San Francisco. The public is invited to share ideas for pilot and expansion station locations for the new bike share system.

--------------------

UPDATE - March 18, 2013

On February 26, 2013, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issued a notice to Alta Bicycle Share authorizing them to deploy and operate a pilot regional bike-sharing system in the cities of San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City and San Francisco. The first phase of the project will deploy a fleet of approximately 350 bicycles and 35 kiosk stations in San Francisco and is anticipated to launch by August 2013.

For the system to reach its full potential in the region and San Francisco, additional funding will be needed to grow the system and the partners are actively seeking sponsors. In the short term, once additional funding is secured, the pilot system will be expanded to deploy at least an additional 150 bicycles at 15 kiosk stations in San Francisco. Longer term, a system size of up to 10,000 bikes regionally with several thousand bicycles in San Francisco is envisioned.

The SFMTA is prioritizing locations for the first 35 stations and will be reengaging with the public and contacting properties adjacent to these locations.

If you have any questions please contact Matt Lasky at matt.lasky@sfmta.com.

--------------------
Original Post - July 14, 2011

Bike sharing is coming to San Francisco! A regional pilot program led by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in partnership with the SFMTA will bring approximately 50 bike share stations and 500 bikes to San Francisco’s downtown core beginning in spring 2012. The SFMTA is working with a regional team to implement this pilot along the Caltrain corridor in San Francisco, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City and San Jose and shown in this Regional Bike Sharing System map. The project is funded through a combination of local, regional and federal grants with major funding coming from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Innovative Bay Area Climate Initiatives Grant Program (BACI).

What is bike sharing?

Similar to car sharing, bicycle sharing is a term used to describe a membership-based system of short-term bicycle rental. Members can check a bicycle out from a network of automated bicycle stations, ride to their destination, and return the bicycle to a different station. Bicycle sharing is enjoying a global explosion in growth with the development of purpose-built bicycles and stations that employ high tech features like smartcards, solar power, and wireless internet and GPS technologies.

Who is involved with launching the San Francisco bike sharing system?

The BAAQMD is the overall regional project lead, coordinating the planning and implementation efforts of the local partners: the City and County of San Francisco, the Cities of San Jose, Mountain View and Palo Alto in Santa Clara County and the City of Redwood City in San Mateo County. The SFMTA is leading the project in San Francisco, and we are working in cooperation with our City and County partners, including the Planning Department, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the Port of San Francisco. The regional partners will be selecting a contractor in fall 2011 to install, operate, and manage the system.

Where will bike sharing be located in San Francisco?

As the San Francisco Bicycle Sharing Pilot Service Area map (PDF) presents, in San Francisco, the pilot service area will be centered in San Francisco’s employment- and transit-rich Downtown/SOMA corridor between the Financial District, Market Street and the Transbay and Caltrain terminals. This area is notably flat, has the densest bikeway network coverage in San Francisco and enjoys the highest levels of cycling, yet those who commute by transit from cities to the east and south encounter difficulties bringing a bicycle with them on BART or Caltrain. Much of San Francisco’s densely urbanized northeastern quadrant is similarly well-suited to bicycle sharing.

When will bike sharing launch in San Francisco?

The regional partners will be selecting a vendor to install, operate, and manage the bike sharing system in 2011 with the goal of a system launch in Spring/Summer 2012!

Further Information

If you have any questions, comments or feedback about bike sharing, contact the SFMTA atsustainable.streets@sfmta.com.
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Overview
Pilot Area

Apture