Market & Octavia Plan: Comments from Local Groups
| Better Neighborhoods Related Links |  |  | | Citywide Home > Better Neighborhoods > Neighborhoods > Community Feedback > Public Comments March 20, 2003 Planning Commission Minutes12. [D.ALUMBAUGH/J.BILLOVITS: (415) 558-6601/(415) 558-6390]MARKET AND OCTAVIA NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT – BRIEFING AND PUBLIC COMMENT – Staff presentation and community comments on the public review draft of the Market and Octavia Neighborhood Plan, distributed on December 17, 2002 as part of the Department's Better Neighborhoods Program – comment gathering only; no approval actions. Information available at www.betterneighborhoods.org. (Continued from Regular Meeting of March 13, 2003) Top SPEAKER(S): (-) Ramona Davies – Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services - She supports the vision and the plan of the Rainbow Adult Housing Community since they are interested in parcels P and O as one entity rather than two parcels. - However, they would like the plan modified to accommodate their vision for a center that will provide senior housing and services for the LGBT community. (+) Norman Rolfe – Member of the Central Freeway Advisory Committee - The plan is generally quite good it will be in an urban neighborhood. - Regarding the parking requirements: he does urge the Commission to do what is recommended -- make 1 for 1 the maximum and have no minimum. If zero parking is wanted then that should be done. (+) Howard Strassner – Sierra Club - The club strongly supports this plan. - This plan goes back to the future, before people opened their stores even without parking. - It is not necessary to provide parking. Transit will not work if parking is constantly provided. Top (+) Robert Meyers - He reviewed the draft and wants to complement staff for producing such an excellent, readable document. - This plan has superb goals. - There are residents who are anxiously waiting that this plan to be approved. - He only has one request: slightly increase the height limits. - He urges the continued support of staff. (+) Ashley Hamlett – Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association - This plan and process is quite fabulous. - There has been a lot of community involvement, which has made people become more involved in community meetings. (+) Ron Hartman - He handed out a diagram explaining how the 50-foot height limit is a bit high for certain areas. - He encouraged the height of 50 feet around Octavia but the remaining three faces (the uphill side of Fell, uphill side of Oak and all of Laguna) be at the 40-foot height limit. - He looks forward to seeing this come together sooner than later. Top (+) Mike Ellis - He commended staff on this plan. - He recommended a few changes to the plan regarding the 50-foot height restrictions on certain areas because it will be out-of-character with the other buildings on the street. - He asked that there not be an extension of Hickory Alley. A pedestrian green belt would make more sense. (+) Christopher Pederson - He is very enthusiastic about this plan. - The central location of the neighborhood and the transit options make this area a great place to live. - He supports the provisions of the plan to limit parking. - Improving transit gives people an opportunity to visit the arts. Top (+) Anthony Faber – MMPAL SOMA Leadership Council - He is very much in support of this plan. He really enjoyed the community plan meetings. (+) Robin Levitt - He has read the plan and is very supportive of the plan because it really and truly deals with the issues of the neighbors. - This plan really reflects the outcome of the community meetings. - The reduction of parking and density are very important aspects of the plan. (+/-) Jim Haas – Chairman of Civic Pride - The proposed plan is an excellent plan for an enhanced residential neighborhood. - There are institutions that people attend. They come from outside of the city and drive cars. - He is concerned about the people who drive cars into the area. - The plan needs to be amended to include these institutions. Top (+/-) Jon Twichell - The Civic Center area has many uses: residential, State and Federal employees, and the regional center for performing arts. - When a study like this is done, peak times should be taken into account. - There are hundreds of people who are already on public transportation, yet during peak performing arts periods people drive to the Civic Center. (+/-) John Keazer – Director of Electronic Media for the San Francisco Symphony - He asks that the parking situation be looked at closely because the performing arts patrons and institutions would be affected. - He is concerned about the reports related to parking and traffic. Top (+) Ron Miguel - He complemented staff on the manner in which this plan has been handled. - The community input has been incredible. - This is a very unusual neighborhood. One that will ask for increased density and reduced parking. - He realizes that the Civic Center would have an issue with parking. (+) Kate White – Housing Action Coalition - They are thrilled with this plan. - She has never seen such enthusiasm for a plan that the Planning Department worked on. - The Department is doing a great job on educating the neighborhood. - The plan is very specific; the zoning is very clear, etc. Top (+) Heather Thomson – Transportation for a Livable City - Her organization supports this plan completely. - This plan will increase housing density while improving traffic and transit issues. - She urges the Commission to support this plan as well. (-) Marcy Adelman – Rainbow Adult Community Housing - Housing in support of the LGBT elder population is very important. - The plan generally reflects the desires of the neighborhood. - Her concerns are related to Parcels O and P. - The plan, as now written, subdivides these parcels preventing the possibility of creating a mixed-used, community-serving hub as they envision. (-) Clark Seally – Rainbow Adult Community Housing - The plan is confusing about the division of Parcels O and P. - Subdividing these parcels will prevent the opportunity of creating a community-serving organization. Top (-) Judy Macks – Rainbow Adult Community Housing - There are plans for an expansion of their housing organization. - She would like the Market Street/Octavia Street plan be revised to allow flexibility for expanding organizations. (-) Matile Ruthschild – Rainbow Adult Community Housing - She is a senior who is a lesbian and would like to live in a place where she will be able to feel comfortable with other seniors who share her same ideas. - She asked the Commission to support senior housing in the Market Street area. - The plans for parcels O and P would make it difficult for the ROCK organization to expand. Top (-) Nolan Madson – Hay Valley Resident - Although there are a number of details to be addressed, this is an excellent plan. - He supports the ROCK project and recommends that parcels O and P not be combined. - He fears the boring loft condos developers will build in the area if lots are divided. (-) Jan Faulkner – Rainbow Adult Community Housing - She supports what the pervious speakers have said. - She recently moved to San Francisco after living in Berkley. She moved to San Francisco to live closer to her community, yet she would have loved to move into her community. (+) Patricia Walkup – Friends of Octavia Boulevard - There are very few green spaces where people can congregate. - Streets and sidewalks should be able to be used for people to congregate. - The parking requirement should be reduced for new developments. - Storefronts are needed and not just blank garages as some of the more recent developments have. - Transit first is very important for Van Ness and Mission Streets. - She asked the Commission to support these elements because without them the plan does not work. Top (+) Nancy Brundy – Institute on Aging - They are here in support of the ROCK group--to not divide lots P and O. - There are special needs for the LGBT community. - She hopes that the Commission will allow the flexibility to maximize the potential for this site. (+) Stefan Hastrup - HVNA - He has attended almost all of the Better Neighborhoods workshops. - This plan is what the neighborhood has been waiting for many years. - He hopes that this plan is developed in the quickest way possible. - Housing is more important than garages. - He commends the Planning Department for listening to their needs. Top (-) Ingrid Summerfield - This plan is excellent and she hopes that the pan goes forward. - She is concerned with the height limit in the Laguna/Oak/Fell area. - Hopefully the developer will come up with a creative way to build there. - She is in favor with the ROCK project and hopes that their height can be limited. (+) Gary Gee – Gary Gee Architects - He complimented staff on a great document. - He submitted a document with all his concerns. Top (+/-) Calvin Welch – Council for Community Housing Organizations - His organization pushed the Mayor to fund this kind of planning. - They were the ones doing affordable housing in neighborhoods before the Planning Department did this. - They are very happy with this and happy to move forward with it. They are delighted that many people support affordable housing, but he is stunned with the language in the plan. - All of the policies on affordable housing talk about home ownership in this document. - This document is not properly written. This is not the policy of this Commission on this policy. (+) George Orleas - He thanked the Commission for their time during these hearings. He also thanked the community for coming out and making this plan work. - Because there are a lot of seniors who are living on the street he supports senior affordable housing in this area. Top (-) Sean Kiegran - Housing is sacrificed to satisfy this 1 to 1 ration for parking. - He encourages a plan that allows less than 1 to 1 parking. ACTION: Meeting held to receive public comment. No action required by the Commission. |