SF parking plan's message: Transit first S.F. PARKING

Ryan Zheng, of San Francisco, feeds a meter after parking his vehicle on Irving Street in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. Ryan Zheng, of San Francisco, feeds a meter after parking his vehicle on Irving Street in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. Photo: Stephen Lam, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Stephen Lam, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close SF parking plan's message: Transit first 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

San Francisco's aggressive plan to install thousands more parking meters and to expand the hours they operate has an overarching goal of making the streets friendlier for transit, cycling and walking.

That objective is outlined in a new San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency document addressing on-street parking management strategies that will be used to help the agency navigate the expected prickly public reaction to budding proposals for more meters from the Mission to the Outer Sunset.

The draft document, obtained Monday by The Chronicle and set to be considered for adoption by the agency's governing board Sept. 18, states clearly that "parking policies are designed to encourage travel by public transit and sustainable modes of transportation.

"The SFMTA manages parking to prioritize public transit, walking, bicycling and the needs of paratransit and commercial deliveries," it says.

The goal emphasizes the city's official transit-first policy that has been in place for nearly four decades and reaffirmed by voters in 1999, 2007 and 2010.

The report makes little mention of the city's reliance on revenue from parking fines and fees that generate more than $187 million a year that is pumped directly into the Muni transit system.

Drivers unhappy

Some drivers in the city feel unfairly targeted and protective of the dwindling perks they have left. They cite several changes that chip away at their ability to navigate the streets of San Francisco.

Examples include forcing drivers of private automobiles to turn right on eastbound Market Street at 10th and Sixth streets to reduce congestion and clear the streets for buses, and striping more bike lanes throughout the city to make the streets safer and more convenient for cyclists.

The transportation agency also is preparing to install new meters in the northeast Mission, Dogpatch, Potrero Hill, the South of Market and Mission Bay, and has floated the idea of putting them on the streets around the zoo and adding more near San Francisco State University.

Not to mention that the new meters in the South of Market and Mission Bay will take away the few free spaces near the Giants' waterfront ballpark and will operate to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

And to make matters worse for some drivers, starting Jan. 1, meter operations will extend to Sundays citywide.

Fighting back

"People are really ready to fight back. The city is just going too far," said Mari Eliza, who lives and works in the northeast Mission and is an organizer with the advocacy group ENUF, Eastern Neighborhoods United Front, that helped persuade the city to slow down the planned implementation of new meters in their area.

She said taking transit, biking and walking is not for everyone. She, for one, doesn't feel safe taking Muni or BART at night.

Jay Primus, who runs the city's SFpark program, agrees that alternatives to driving are not an option for all. "Transit first is not anticar," he said.

He noted that the city is working to find a better balance so drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can benefit. But he also argues that the parking program that manages availability by demand-based pricing helps reduce the amount of time drivers circle a block looking for a space, reducing congestion, greenhouse-gas emissions and frustration behind the wheel.

He's hoping that the new document outlining the city's on-street parking policies gives people a better understanding of what his agency hopes to accomplish, and offers insight into how decisions are made. It summarizes where metered parking is appropriate - commercial areas; neighborhoods near such public institutions as universities, hospitals and libraries; tourist attractions; parks and recreation facilities; major transportation corridors; and high-density residential buildings.

Where they're not warranted, for example, are areas where parking demand is low, such as blocks dominated by single-family homes.

Indistinct blocks

Then there are the more indistinct blocks, such as those in the northeast Mission, which is a mix of residential and commercial uses. In those cases, Primus said, the agency will consider such factors as zoning, parking availability, proximity to major transit corridors and community input to determine where meters should be installed. "As an agency, there's flexibility, especially for ambiguous blocks," he said.

After public opposition forced city transportation officials to slow plans to install the meters, they're hoping to start fresh next month with public outreach on the plan for new meters in the northeast Mission, centered around 17th and Folsom streets.