The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously voted today to establish standards for bird-safe buildings in the city.
The legislation, introduced by Supervisor Eric Mar, seeks to prevent what Mar said are up to a billion bird deaths reported in North America each year from collisions with building windows or facades.
The ordinance would regulate certain types of new construction, replacement facades and building features.
Options for avoiding collisions between birds and buildings would include adding treatments to buildings such as exterior screens or ultraviolet patterns that would be visible to the birds, according to the legislation.
Mar said the ordinance, supported by the American Bird Conservancy and the Golden Gate Audubon Society, would help make San Francisco “a leader in the global effort” to prevent bird deaths.
The ordinance was given initial approval in the 11-0 vote today, and will return to the board next week for final approval.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
Want more news, sent to your inbox every day? Then how about subscribing to our email newsletter? Here’s why we think you should. Come on, give it a try.
