[A dramatization of the bird issue. Aerial SF via Flickr/tyler82]
Back in October of last year, San Francisco planners started to consider new bird-safe building standards that would help reduce the amount of fowl killed each year by flying into buildings. And now they're back at it! The City's Planning Commission is considering code changes like requiring frosted glass windows for certain new buildings and lighting operation standards. While there's currently no solid data for bird deaths in San Francisco specifically, there are studies that say building collisions cause up to a billion bird deaths annually in North America. "The goal here is not to make things harder for people," said Mike Lynes, the Golden Gate Audubon Society's conservation director. "There are plenty of simple things we can do to reduce one of the most significant impacts on birds in San Francisco." If the Planning Commission approves the standards in July, it would then have to be passed by the Board of Supervisors. It could go into effect as early as November of this year.
· Save the Pigeons [Curbed SF]
· Bird-safe building standards taking flight in San Francisco [SF Examiner]