Market & Octavia Plan: Workshop #2


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Citywide Home > Better Neighborhoods > Neighborhoods > Market St. & Octavia Blvd. > Past Events > Workshop #2

 

People MeetingThe Better Neighborhoods 2002 planning team held its second neighborhood workshop on the evening of Tuesday, August 22, 2000, in the basement room of the First Baptist Church at Octavia and Waller Streets. About 120 neighborhood residents, community advocates, business operators and others attended a three-hour session of presentations from Planning Department staff and small work group sessions. The response from those participating was overwhelmingly positive.

The purpose of the meeting was for the planners to report back and receive comments on "what we heard" from attendees at the first workshop in May, and to introduce and get feedback on the outline of issues to be included in the specific planning effort now underway.

Many additional comments were recorded on the eight elements of a great neighborhood during the early mingling session and the first portion of the smaller breakout groups. These will be folded into the background information to help direct and evaluate the overall plan as it develops.

People MeetingThe presentation by staff included the 15 basic components of the Department's planning program, which establish a framework to guide the scope and content of the planning studies now being initiated. Most of the small working group effort was spent discussing and commenting on this framework. This community feedback will provide further refinement to the content of the plan. The 15 components presented at the meeting are:

  • Create vital urban centers focused on transit.
  • Balance traffic with other civic uses of streets, which include pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and even open space.
  • Determine the appropriate role and character of the Market Street and Octavia Boulevard node as it relates to its location between downtown and the neighborhoods, especially if a new MUNI Metro station can be planned there.
  • Determine the appropriate role and character of the Market Street and Van Ness Avenue node, as the terminus of downtown.
  • Link neighborhoods to transit.
  • Plan for a graceful freeway touchdown at Market Street.
  • Design streets to ensure graceful and safe pedestrian crossings.
  • Capitalize on the intimate character of mid-block alleys.
  • Calm major traffic streets, especially in neighborhoods.
  • Plan for affordable housing on land freed-up by the freeway removal, with ground-floor commercial uses where it makes sense.
  • Determine the appropriate role and character of the Market and Church Street node, as a center of residential neighborhoods and businesses.
  • Respect Market Street's preeminence as the City's main street, transit spine, and civic space, and its strong urban form, streetwall and urban essence.
  • Plan for construction of Octavia Boulevard, and integrate the boulevard into the neighborhood.
  • Plan for appropriate public services.
  • Reinforce the residential character of adjacent neighborhoods.

The number of participants in this second workshop was even greater than the first. We're heartened by this growth in involvement and thankful for your participation. We couldn't effectively plan this area without your help.