This plea comes from the heart  of a mom and pop restaurant in the center of San Francisco.  That's My Jam at 324 Divisadero Street is a small yet beautiful breakfast bistro in a bustling metropolis. We place immense value on providing a loving, safe and inclusive environment to our patrons with excellent food and service. Our restaurant encapsulates our dedication, with the centerpiece being the beautiful parklet, built single-handedly by my husband the chef. It took nine months of his blood, sweat, and tears, following stringent regulatory guidelines to complete this gorgeous finely crafted outdoor oasis and deemed the Prettiest Parklet in the City.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the foresight to know that when new rules and regulations would be put into place, many temporary parklets would have to be rebuilt, so we waited patiently for our local government to release guidelines for permanent structures. We simply do not have the kind of money to erect temporary buildings only to be told to remove them. So we waited till our government promised us that their guidelines would be for permanent structures. 

Our parklet, aligns with the November 2021 guidelines outlined by the San Francisco Administrative Code, Public Works Order No. 203904, SFMTA Curbside Lane Regulation, and the San Francisco Fire Code. That said, our parklet is not just a piece of perfectly executed infrastructure, it is a testament to hard work and resilience. Our parklet provides a safe outdoor dining area, especially benefitting those who are immunocompromised and still prefer open air over indoor dining. It beautifies the city while nurturing an overarching sense of community. 

And yet, despite our diligent adherence to the rules, our government broke their promise.  We are now under constant threat from the authorities as they have harassed us with mixed information from multiple departments and are now sending notices of fines for ever changing new rules that could easily change AGAIN tomorrow. Unlike other construction laws, that follows a strict guideline and then are GRANDFATHERED in as rules and regulations change year to year, the Public Works of San Francisco, SFMTA, SFFD, and other government entities are continuously changing and imposing new, costly guidelines that consistently threaten to dismantle our labor of love hand built by my husband.

We appeal to the San Francisco authorities to stop the introduction of any new rules for existing parklets that have followed the laws you put forth in the past. Small businesses should not be penalized for their efforts towards beautifying their city and adhering to the rules. Instead, compliance with the existing regulations should warrant a grant of immunity to small businesses from future costly adjustments. Our plea is a call for regulatory stability that will allow us to continue serving our community without fear of financial burden, mixed information from multiple sources, ever changing guidelines or the demolition of our parklet. Please support our cause. Sign this petition today.