Limits eyed for Bernal Heights parking permits

Residents of some streets in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood could soon be among the first to test proposed new limits on The City’s residential parking permit program.

While The City’s residential parking permit program currently allows up to four vehicles per household, a pilot program set to be voted on at Tuesday’s San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors meeting for 16 blocks in Bernal Heights would allow only one per person and a maximum of two per household.

Residents would also have the option of applying for permits for health care or childcare workers or seeking a waiver to allow up to four permits for a household, but fees are higher for additional permits.

The residential parking program has traditionally been intended to prevent commuters and outsiders from parking in a neighborhood for long periods.

Within the area affected the new residential parking program, a 2015 survey found that parking space occupancy was over 80 percent and 59 percent of the parked vehicles were registered to non-residents, according to the SFMTA.

Of the residents who signed petitions seeking the residential parking program, 49 percent said they do not have off-street parking.

Only those blocks where more than 50 percent of residents signed a petition seeking a residential parking permit program are included in the pilot program set for approval Tuesday.

The program has raised concerns from nearby residents who fear it will push more drivers on to their streets in search of parking.

The SFMTA board is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. at City Hall.