Some dramatic changes are in store for MUNI if and when the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) ever sees the light of day. With the announcement that preparation of an Environmental Impact Report is about to begin, that possibility becomes more real. The TEP has not been without controversy since the initial recommendations were released in 2008. MUNI had not taken a comprehensive look at the effectiveness of existing routes since the late 1970s. Beginning in 2006, the city collected comprehensive data on when and where transit is used in San Francisco and where the expected growth will be. Continue reading
No SoMa Leadership Council meeting this month
Thanksgiving is coming and everybody has a ton of things to do in preparation for the holidays so there will not be a meeting this month. In the meantime, send in your suggestions for future agenda items. Continue reading
Filed under entertainment, meetings, politics
District 6 redistricting meeting set
The first District 6 community meeting to discuss next year’s redistricting process will be held on Saturday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Tenderloin Community School, 627 Turk Street.
Because the 2010 Census found that population growth was uneven across the city’s Board of Supervisor districts, the boundaries must be redrawn based upon the City Charter. The majority of population growth has occurred in the southeastern portion of the city, leaving little room for District 6 to adjust boundaries in that direction. Treasure Island, Hayes Valley, South Beach and the Tenderloin are more likely to fall into the crosshairs of the bureaucrats. Continue reading
Local land use law firm reviews the Western SoMa Plan
Reuben & Junius, the local land use powerhouse, released this analysis of the Planning Code amendments for the Western SoMa area plan:
West SOMA Planning Code Amendments Released
At long last, the proposed Planning Code amendments for the Western SoMa area plan were released earlier this month. Planning Code amendments are where the policies of the plan get translated in to cold, hard zoning rules that apply to properties within the plan area.
The rezoning map remains the same as previous versions. New commercial districts will run along 9th and 10th Streets from just below Mission Street to Harrison Street. A new neighborhood commercial district will run along Folsom Street, the new “main street” of Western SoMa, from 7th Street to 10th Street. Remaining properties north of Harrison Street in the Western SoMa area will be rezoned to residential and mixed use districts. Most of the area below Harrison Street will be rezoned to SALI – an extremely restrictive zoning district similar to the PDR districts of the Eastern Neighborhoods Plan. The north side of Townsend Street from 4th to 7th Streets will be rezoned to an office mixed-use district. Continue reading
Filed under planning
Revisiting entertainment: new nightclubs, okay … new housing, not?
At this afternoon’s Planning Commission presentation of the Western SoMa Community Plan, it was suggested during public comment that the light industrial zoning south of Harrison Street be extended into the 11th Street area because, under that new zoning category, entertainment would become a permitted use. The Task Force liberalized the zoning because new housing in the SALI (Service, Arts and Light Industrial) district would not be allowed.
That would be an interesting switcheroo. Housing, currently as-of-right, would suddenly find itself a non-permitted use and entertainment, grandfathered in as a legal, nonconforming use, would become a fully permitted use. The Planning Commissioners, often sympathetic to fun sounding notions — particularly if they are not personally impacted — might very well consider making the swap. Continue reading
Filed under art, community services, entertainment, meetings, planning, politics, quality of life
Skate park under freeway undergoes environmental review
The long awaited skate park under the Central Freeway touch-down ramp is one step closer to reality. The Planning Department recently issued a “Notification of Project Receiving Environmental Review” for the proposal, which includes the skate park and a mini-park, with basketball courts, play areas, a dog run, lighting, plantings and a pedestrian walkway. The construction is being managed by the Department of Public Works (Frank Filice, 558-4011, is the project manager), with funding coming from the sale of parcels along Octavia Boulevard. South of Market is finally getting something positive out of all those years of demolition and freeway construction.
Filed under community services, entertainment, open space, planning, quality of life
Community meeting about Folsom Street on Wednesday, October 5
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) invites you to join fellow residents and business owners to discuss concepts for the Eastern Neighborhoods Transportation Implementation Planning Study (ENTRIPS) priority corridors on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 from 6-8:00 p.m. at the SoMa Gene Friend Recreation Center (270 Sixth Street at Folsom St). Continue reading
Neighborhood notification required for “limited live performances”
You have the right to request notification of all applications for the new Limited Live Performance permit within your neighborhood. The stated purpose of the legislation is to allow principally permitted uses such as cafes and restaurants to supplement their current business model with accessory entertainment. Supervisor Mark Farrell amended the ordinance to require that the Entertainment Commission “provide a copy of all Limited Live Performance Permit applications and the corresponding public hearing notices within a specified geographic area to any Person who, in writing or by email, requests such and identifies the area. Continue reading
Filed under entertainment, planning, politics, quality of life
DNA Lounge seeks expansion
The DNA Lounge will be hosting a pre-application meeting on Tuesday, September 13, 2001 for neighbors any any other interested individuals so that they can describe their plans for a lot merger. They recently purchased the space next door and have rebranded it as DNA Pizza. The pre-app meeting will take place in the pizza parlor at 6:30 p.m. Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
Long anticipated WSoMa Plan finally heading to Planning Commission
The Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force is preparing to introduce the Proposal for Adoption of the Western SoMa Community Plan to the Planning Commission. This is the beginning of the final stage in the adoption process. The Task Force is scheduled to make informational presentations to the Planning Commission on September 8 and October 13. The first presentation will focus on the Community Plan itself, along with public benefits policies and implementation measures. The October 13th presentation will concentrate on the Design Standards, Community Stabilization Policy, Social Heritage Districts and Planning Code changes. Continue reading
Filed under art, entertainment, planning, politics
soma leadership council 