BCNA News – Page 62

BCNA Supports Chiu’s Seawall Funding Bill

Posted on April 9, 2018 by BCNA Board

The Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association supports California Assembly Bill 2578, sponsored by David Chiu, which will provide an estimated $250 million toward efforts to address urgent seismic and flood risks posed by the current state of San Francisco’s Seawall. This bill would authorize the city to use various mechanisms to address those risks by financing improvements to the Seawall. This measure is critical to us as our neighborhood lies on the waterfront and adjoins the Embarcadero Seawall.

We support AB 2578 for the following reasons:

The city needs to start addressing the two significant risks now. A major earthquake could occur at any time and is highly likely to occur within the next 30 years. The City also faces flood risk today which will dramatically increase in the future as sea level rises.
This bill will significantly help the effort to address the threat of earthquakes through upgrades to the century-old Seawall. The Seawall was built before engineers understood how to design against earthquake risk. It could settle into the Bay by up to 5 feet in a major earthquake. This threat puts people’s lives and $100 billion in economic activity in great jeopardy if there is no action.
This measure is also needed to help make waterfront infrastructure more resilient to flooding. Without upgrades, a 100-year flood could damage critical utility and transportation infrastructure for BART and Muni as well as the downtown.
It is in the State’s interest to provide financial support for upgrades to the Seawall. The Port currently manages State tidelands on behalf of the people and State of California. Financial aid is consistent with the State’s role.

Read our letter here.

SF Port NEWAG Meets TODAY at 5 PM, Pier 1

Posted on April 4, 2018 by BCNA Board

View from disembarking at the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27.

The Northeast Waterfront Advisory Group (NEWAG) will meet tonight. The public is welcome to attend. There are agenda items of interest to BCNA members, including updates on the 88 Broadway, Teatro Zinzanni, and Pier 29 projects.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Port of San Francisco offices, Pier 1, Embarcadero at Washington Street
Bayside 1 Conference Room

Agenda

Welcome and Acceptance of February 20, 2018 Meeting Notes (5:00 – 5:10pm)
Upcoming Port Commission Matters of Interest (5:10 – 5:15pm)
Update on Pier 29 Bulkhead – Jamestown Proposal – Port staff and the Jamestown project sponsor will provide a brief update on the proposal for the Pier 29 bulkhead (5:15 – 5:25pm)
Update on 88 Broadway and Teatro Zinzanni Projects – Port staff and project sponsors will provide an update on the status and next steps for two projects near Broadway Street and the Embarcadero (5:25 – 5:45pm)
Update on Downtown Ferry Terminal Project – Update by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) on the status and progress of the Downtown Ferry Terminal Project (5:45 – 6:15pm)
Briefing on the Embarcadero Enhancement Project – Informational presentation by the SFMTA staff on the Embarcadero Enhancement Project (6:15 – 6:45pm)
Next Steps – Future Agenda Items; Other Business Matters (6:45 – 7:00pm)
Adjournment (by 7:00pm)

*Please note times are approximate and agenda items may be taken out of order. Click here for a PDF version of the meeting agenda.

Hearing on SB 827 Set for April 3 – Contact Your Supervisor!

Posted on April 1, 2018 by BCNA Board

Purple areas correspond to “transit-rich” zones (Courtesy Metropolitan Transportation Commission)

On April 3, the Board of Supervisors will hold a hearing on State Senate Bill 827. The Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association opposes SB 827, which will eliminate local control over development without any provision for additional public or community benefits. Members who wish to be heard on SB 827 are encouraged to email Supervisor Aaron Peskin and/or the entire Board of Supervisors ASAP. While the April 3 hearing is open to the public, there will be no public testimony.

Proponents claim that SB 827 is about awarding a bonus for building higher and denser housing near “transit-rich” locations (within ½ mile of a major transit stop or ¼ mile of such a stop or a stop on a “high-quality transit corridor”). Sounds great, right? But the law would:

Strip San Francisco of much of its power to regulate land use.
Maximize development by limiting or eliminating many local zoning controls.
Up-zone as much as 96% of San Francisco, affecting every neighborhood.
Override current height limits to allow buildings up to 8 stories (10 stories if, as the bill permits, combined with another state law).
Not protect rent-controlled tenants.
Not provide any affordable housing beyond what the City provides already.

The bill also threatens to greatly increase the cost to build new non-profit affordable housing by driving up the price of development sites everywhere. The Coalition of San Francisco Neighborhoods and the Sierra Club are among the opponents of this well-intended but misguided proposal, and the Planning Commission has expressed grave concerns. For more information, read the Legislative Counsel’s Digest and the Bill text.

SAMPLE EMAIL TO SUPERVISORS
(Copy and paste this into an email on your computer)

Dear Supervisors,

My name is ______, a San Francisco resident and voter. I urge you to pass a resolution to oppose State Senate Bill 827, NOT seek to amend it. Even with amendments, the Bill would transfer power to the State to decide important land use matters for our City. I can think of no reason that any of you should want to turn over to the State those kinds of powers.

Thank you.

Supervisor Email Addresses: aaron.peskin@sfgov.org, jane.kim@sfgov.org, katy.tang@sfgov.org, ahsha.safai@sfgov.org, norman.yee@sfgov.org, catherine.stefani@sfgov.org, malia.cohen@sfgov.org, sandra.fewer@sfgov.org, london.breed@sfgov.org, jeff.sheehy@sfgov.org, hillary.ronen@sfgov.org, board.of.supervisors@sfgov.org