The Planning Commission notes that, under Sit/Lie, it would be illegal to sit in this chair at the newly created Castro Commons.

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John Upton published an article today in the San Francisco Examiner about the Planning Commission’s report and hearing on Sit/Lie, that, yet again, reveals the utter absurdity of the mayor’s proposed ordinance.  The Commission’s report shows that the Sit/Lie is in direct contradiction to the city’s general plan.

Newsom’s own appointees openly criticized the ordinance, just as one of Chief Gascón’s officers on the Haight recently did (see the post below).

Here are some highlights:

A proposed anti-loitering law contradicts scores of city policies that aim to turn sidewalks into vibrant social gathering places, city planning officials found. . .

the Planning Commission voted 6-1 on Thursday to oppose the legislation after hearing the results of an analysis by Planning Department staff. The nonbinding vote serves to advise lawmakers.

Streets take up one-fourth of The City’s land, and San Francisco has worked in recent years to re-engineer its sidewalks as gathering spaces to help address a shortage of public open space.

The use of sidewalks as gathering places is considered particularly important in high-density neighborhoods, such as South of Market and the Tenderloin, where there are not enough neighborhood parks to meet the needs of residents.

Commission Chairman Ron Miguel said Thursday he often sits on a street bench while his grandchildren sit on the ground nearby. “Technically, that’s prohibited [under the sit-lie law],” Miguel said.

Newsom’s Pavement to Parks program, for example, has converted a handful of street-side spaces, including one at 17th and Castro streets, into areas where neighbors can lounge and chat.

Under the sit-lie law, it would be illegal to sit down in such parklets unless a permanent bench was installed, commissioners were told.

“Overall, policies in the general plan say that sidewalks are not just for movement; sidewalks are places to gather,” Planning Department Legislative Analyst AnMarie Rodgers told commissioners Thursday.

“The sidewalks should supplement our parks system, especially in dense areas where people don’t have access to parks,” Rodgers said.

Current San Francisco policies say sidewalks should be considered part of The City’s open space system, according to Rodgers.

Read the full article.