Welcome back to our โMeet the Candidatesโ series, where District 2 supervisor candidates respond to a question in 100 words or fewer. Answers are published every Tuesday.
District 2 covers neighborhoods in the north of the city including the Presidio, the Marina, Cow Hollow, Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, and portions of the Western Addition and North of the Panhandle.
Mayor Daniel Lurie and District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong recently proposed legislation that would change the rules for planting and removing street trees in San Francisco.ย
Currently, residents can file an appealย if the city plans to remove a tree. This new legislation would take that right to appeal away. Itย would also allow developers and homeowners doing renovations to pay a $2,590 tree-planting fee to the city, instead of planting a tree outside their property themselves.ย
A spokesperson for the Department of Public Works told the Chronicle that they anticipate that money from the fees will lead to more trees being planted, not fewer. Tree removals are a โlast resortโ that mostly happen when a tree has become hazardous, she added.ย
Other city residents disagree. Eight hundred have signed an opposition petition and dozens have sent letters to the city. They see the appeals process as creating an โopportunity for accountability and discussion,โ one advocate said.
San Francisco’s northern and central neighborhoods have more street trees
Map shows the number of street trees per acre, by census tract
Trees per acre:
25.6
0.5
Trees per acre:
25.6
0.5
Note: Data only includes street trees maintained by the Department of Public Works. Source: S.F. Open Data. Map by Kelly Waldron.
District 2 candidate and current supervisor Stephen Sherrill supports the tree-planting fee. In the past, he has supported the mayorโs other efforts to simplify city rules and permitting, such as allowing people to park in their driveways, and allowing businesses to put tables and chairs on the sidewalk without getting a permit first.ย
Sherrill said he is more skeptical about changing the appeals process.ย
Candidate Lori Brooke, a longtime community organizer in District 2, declined to say whether she supports Lurie and Wongโs proposal, but said that she is โcautiousโ about the tree-planting fee, because โour goal should be to strengthen the cityโs urban forest, not simply shift it elsewhere.โ
The city has said that it will prioritize planting trees in neighborhoods that are hotter, have worse air quality, and fewer trees.ย
This weekโs question: Do you support legislation to loosen rules for planting and removing trees?
Mission Local color codes the answers to yes/no questions. A green background means the candidate answered yes, a red background means no, and a yellow background means that the candidate dodged the question.
Stephen Sherrill
- Job: Appointed District 2 Supervisor
- Age: 39
- Residency: Homeowner, has lived in District 2 since 2015
- Transportation: Driving, public transportation, biking
- Education: Bachelorโs degree from Yale University
- Languages: English
I think itโs a good idea to make homeownersโ lives a bit easier (not to mention less expensive!), but I want to make sure the final legislation includes amendments that preserve neighborhood input and maintain a clear appeals process.
Right now, homeowners pursuing small projects are often responsible for planting and maintaining street trees, and compliance can be frustrating and inconsistent.
In the long run, it also makes more sense for the City to plan and manage street-tree planting strategically, rather than placing that burden on individual property owners.
See Sherrill’s full response here.
Endorsed by: Mayor Daniel Lurie, GrowSF, Nor Cal Carpenters Union, San Francisco Police Officers Association, SF YIMBY, Northern Neighbors … read more here.
Lori Brooke
- Job: President, Cow Hollow Association
- Age: 62
- Residency: Homeowner, moved to the district 31 years ago
- Transportation: Driving and walking
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara
- Languages: English
I support expanding San Franciscoโs urban-tree canopy and making it easier to plant and maintain trees.ย
Since the city now maintains sidewalk trees, they are part of our shared public space, and decisions about them should be transparent. There may be situations where a tree creates safety concerns or infrastructure conflicts that require removal, but neighbors should still receive notice when that happens.ย
I also believe we should be cautious about allowing developers to pay an in-lieu fee instead of replacing trees on site. Our goal should be to strengthen the cityโs urban forest, not simply shift it elsewhere.
See Brooke’s full response here.
Endorsed by: Former District 2 Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, former State Senator and Supervisor Quentin Kopp, AFT 2121, Local 38 (#2) … read more here.