Committee advances permanent Shelley Drive promenade in McLaren Park

The Land Use and Transportation Committee on Oct. 2 recommended that the full Board of Supervisors approve an ordinance to amend the park code and restrict private vehicles on a roughly 2,100‑foot segment of John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park.

Brian Stoeckle, a planner with the Recreation and Parks Department, told the committee the proposal would create a slower, more walkable park street on Shelley West and improve access for people walking, biking and using mobility devices. He described the promenade as a pandemic pilot that proved popular and said the Rec and Park Commission unanimously supported making the closure permanent. Stoeckle said the department consulted the SFMTA and the fire department and that SFMTA found "no significant adverse impacts on the local vehicle and transit circulation" if the promenade were made permanent.

The proposal would maintain vehicle access and parking at key park sites — the Upper Reservoir parking lot, playgrounds and the Jerry Garcia Amphitheatre — while installing bollards and a gate at each end of the promenade and adding an accessible pedestrian connection to nearby Muni stops.

Public commenters overwhelmingly urged passage. "This is a really small, narrowly tailored plan that provides the Southeastern neighborhoods of our city with some desperately needed car‑free space," said Zach Lipton, a resident who spoke in support. Other speakers, including neighborhood advocates and park‑support organizations, emphasized safety, Vision Zero goals and equity for communities on the southeastern side of the city.

Vice Chair Dean Preston moved the item to the full board with the committee's recommendation; the motion passed unanimously (Preston: aye; Peskin: aye; Paskin: aye; Chair Melgar: aye). The ordinance is now scheduled for the Board of Supervisors agenda on Oct. 17, 2023, unless otherwise noted.

If the board approves the change, Rec and Park plans to install bollards and a gate at both ends of the promenade, add accessible parking and complete a paved connection between the Mansell and Shelley promenades. The department said funding sources for those treatments are being identified.