For those who missed my interview on KALW radio on Monday night, you can listen to it here.  The discussion covered the history of the waterfront (did you know that much of the port was built on old abandoned ships from the Gold Rush era?), the agency structure of the Port of San Francisco, and the likely impacts of climate change on the waterfront in the coming century.

We also talked about the recent development battles there, particularly the impact of Proposition B, a San Francisco voter initiative that passed earlier this year that requires any project developer that seeks to build above current height limits to get the approval of all San Francisco voters.

The state is suing to invalidate the measure though, arguing that the waterfront is state land and that San Francisco voters cannot veto what gets built there.  I hope the state is successful, because this kind of ballot-box, project-by-project planning is detrimental to sound, comprehensive planning.  And I also agree that the whole state has an interest in the waterfront, not just well-heeled neighbors in the city who don’t want their views blocked.