Voters might not want big changes along San Francisco's waterfront—but one powerful agent there, the Port of San Francisco, is examining new ways to do the business of building in the face of pressures from sea level rise and opposition politics.
"Port [of San Francisco] staff has produced the 2014 Waterfront Land Use Plan Review (Waterfront Plan Review”[sic]), a draft report for public review and comment," according to the Port of San Francisco website. "This report chronicles the changes and events along the Port of San Francisco waterfront from 1997 to 2014, guided by the Waterfront Land Use Plan."
San Francisco Chronicle Architecture Critic John King got an early look at the plan and wrote an article detailing the report. Among his observations, that "voter skepticism about extra building heights shapes the tone and recommendations of the report," thanks to Proposition B. Port staff began working on the report, however, prior to the voter approval Prop B, "which requires that any plans to increase the heights allowed on port-owned land must go to the ballot."
The report offers several alternatives for "how best to seek voter blessings" and addresses the need to address sea level rise predicted as an outcome of climate change. King quotes the report directly: "Sea level rise will be a game-changer for the port and adjoining neighborhoods over the next 100 years….many port finger piers are likely to be flood prone by 2070-80."
King provides more details on the findings of the plan, especially regarding the development that's already taken place in the port since 1977, and looks ahead to the first public hearings scheduled for the plan.
FULL STORY: Port: Time for a new view of the S.F. waterfront's future

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.

Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.

Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service