potrero view

Some areas of Potrero Hill are already zoned for permits.

March 2009

Parking Permits May be Coming to Dogpatch

Sarah Marloff

A hearing over a proposed new parking permit zone in the Dogpatch neighborhood was held at City Hall on January 30.  Under the plan, non-permitted parking would be restricted to no more than four hours during weekdays on Tennessee Street between 20th and Tubbs, 20th Street between Pennsylvania and Tennessee – excluding the freeway overpass – 22nd Street between Tennessee and Minnesota, and Minnesota Street between 19th and 22nd streets.  Hearing Officer John Newlin and Tom Forks, a Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT) traffic engineer, presided over the meeting, which attracted nearly two dozen Dogpatch residents and business owners.  The room was thick with tension as the attendees expressed their differing perspectives.

Currently there are no time limits on parking in the area, which has led to fierce competition for spaces by Caltrain commuters and local workers.  Dogpatch residents feel crowded out of their own neighborhood, sparking a movement, led by the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, to create a new permit zone.  DPT surveyed the area, determining that a majority of residents wanted permits, and that in excess of 80 percent of available parking spaces are taken during weekdays.

Residents were particularly unhappy with the fact that Caltrain commuters left their parked cars in the neighborhood all day.  One meeting participant asserted that travelers en route to San Francisco International Airport left their cars in front of his house for several days at a time.  According to Dogpatch resident Janet Carpinelli, the permit proposal “…will help the residents, especially those who work from home. It’s helpful for visitors coming and going. Give a turnover but also some time.”

Many meeting participants reported that they couldn’t run errands during the day for fear of not finding parking upon returning home. Several mothers pointed-out the difficulties of searching for convenient parking while transporting groceries and children. “Four hours is a great compromise,” exclaimed one attendee.

A resident who opposed the measure claimed that it “does not help my building at all. I’ll be gone during this time [of the day].”  However, most of the opposition came from local business owners, who were concerned that their staff would be unable to find parking.  Under the plan each business will be eligible for one permit, regardless of their number of employees, as well as an opportunity to receive up to three more if they have a commercial vehicle.  The owner of Dogpatch Studios – a print, film and event space at 991 Tennessee – complained that “the concept of me having to go out every four hours to check on parking is an inconvenience. I’m running a multi-million dollar press…On the Tennessee block from 20th to 22nd is mostly commercial. It works. Not perfectly, but it works.”

Some residents were sympathetic to businesses’ concerns, noting that businesses and residents have worked well together in the past.  But with so many new enterprises coming into the neighborhood – including the University of California, San Francisco – and more than 100 new housing units, many long-time residents feel like the area has become a parking lot.  “Four hours is great,” half-joked one participant, “Come on, you need to take a break.”

Trish Large of Shooting Stars Productions responded that the time limit would be “truly damaging to Dogpatch businesses, and would disrupt productivity.” Large is responsible for five other vehicles besides her own, and has never had to park more the two blocks away from her office. “If you take away our street parking we’ll have no other option. Residents have driveways and garages.” At this statement a resident shouted-out “absolutely not!” while tending to a crying baby.

Another local business owner declared that the time limit would be “harmful to our businesses. We are dependent on vehicles to operate. Employees can’t use public transit all the time and many rely on office vehicles…It feels like this measure will drive away small businesses.” He also claimed that local restaurants, many of which have only recently opened, depend on their employees for lunch hour traffic.  Other local businesses asserted that more than one-third of buildings on Tennessee Street are dedicated to commercial uses, with upwards of 300 employees affected by a four hour limit.

There was also high emotion over the stub of Minnesota past 22nd Street being omitted from the permit zone.  One resident of that block complained that a nearby business occupies at least “four or five available spots,” leaving the five households on the block struggling to find parking.

After everyone had their say, Newlin and Forks took several minutes to deliberate. “We’re going to come up with a compromise that surely won’t make anyone happy. We’re going to continue to study the two areas on Tennessee Street, and approve everything else.  Also, to continue with the Minnesota stub you will need to complete a petition for posting signs.” According to Forks the permit proposal now goes to the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) for final approval.   

As the View went to press a newly formed group, the Dogpatch Business Association, was lobbying District 10 Supervisor Sophie Maxwell to limit the permit plan to between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  It’s unclear when MTA will consider the plan during its March meetings.

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