Voters in San Francisco's District 4 recalled Supervisor Joel Engardio on 16/9, due to his efforts to permanently close a portion of the Upper Great Highway and transform it into Sunset Dunes Park.

The Sunset District, part of District 4, is a quiet neighborhood of low-rise, single-family homes bordering Ocean Beach to the west and Golden Gate Park to the north. The area has a large Asian American population and is generally politically moderate.

The Upper Great Highway, a popular 3.2 km stretch of roadway, has been a scenic drive for San Franciscans for decades, offering ocean views and an escape from the city's congested downtown.

In early 2020, the city closed the Upper Great Highway to provide space for exercise while maintaining social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, as people returned to work and school, the city reopened the road to vehicles on weekdays but kept it closed to cars on weekends.

Engardio was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the city's equivalent of a city council, in 2022. He subsequently pushed for a proposal to permanently ban cars from the Upper Great Highway, transforming it into a beachfront park.

Supervisor Joel Engardio in San Francisco, California. Photo: AP

Supervisor Joel Engardio in San Francisco, California. Photo: AP

Supporters argued that converting the Upper Great Highway into a park would benefit the environment, as the cost of clearing sand to keep the road open to traffic was increasing.

In April, the Upper Great Highway officially became Sunset Dunes Park, complete with benches, murals, exercise equipment, a piano, and a children's playground.

However, Sunset residents largely opposed the idea. Nearly two-thirds of the neighborhood's residents expressed frustration that people living further from the beach benefited from the park, while those nearby lost a convenient transportation route.

Some Sunset residents relied on the Upper Great Highway to commute in and out of the city, while others reported a significant increase in traffic on Sunset's other streets after the park's creation.

Many residents noted that the park was often empty on weekdays or during the cold, foggy days common in the Sunset.

"People are attached to the Upper Great Highway. It's special and part of our lives here, part of the Sunset", John Crabtree, a member of the recall campaign, said. Opponents accused Engardio of "deceit and betrayal for taking away their road".

The recall vote heavily favored Engardio's opponents. Approximately 90 minutes after the polls closed, the Supervisor conceded defeat.

"My time as Supervisor was shorter than expected", he said. "But we’re glad we did the right thing".

Sunset Dunes Park in Sunset, San Francisco, California, on 15/9. Photo: AP

Sunset Dunes Park in Sunset, San Francisco, California, on 15/9. Photo: AP

Despite his political setback, Engardio maintained that Sunset Dunes Park is a success. The recall does not affect the park's existence, although voters are pursuing legal action to restore the highway.

Mayor Daniel Lurie and members of San Francisco's Democratic Party remained neutral on the recall effort. Lurie will appoint Engardio's replacement.

In a statement that evening, Mayor Lurie said the vote demonstrated that Sunset residents felt "the government was doing things *to* them, not *with* them, and that City Hall wasn’t truly trying to improve their lives".

Duc Trung (According to SF Standard, SF Chronicle)