Thanks largely to the efforts of member Aaron Starr, CAPA’s recent events have revived interest in the organization and attracted several new and returning members. A house party hosted by Aaron and his partner Bill Weber on August 9 was followed by a reception at the L/G/B/T Historic Society Archive on September 4.
New members (and continuing members) looking for ways to be more active have many opportunities this fall. There is of course the search for grants to begin planning at Harvey Milk Plaza in earnest, which will be CAPA’s major project for some time to come. But CAPA also needs to address the needs for new housing, better streets, improved transit and parks and nurturing the Castro community. Please consider these opportunities to become involved.
Planning around Safeway: Two long-time CAPA allies, the Duboce
Triangle Neighborhood Association and the Hayes Valley Neighborhood
Association, are organizing a planning effort focused on the perimeter of the
Safeway store at Market, Church, and Duboce Streets. CAPA identified the site
as a Market Street “node” in our 1997 plan for the Castro that could be a
active and attractive center with many uses. Like CAPA, HVNA and DTNA want to
look more comprehensively at the Safeway site, which in its current
configuration tends to inhibit pedestrian traffic and limit the success of the
uses on the site such as the including the recycling center, the bikeway, the
public toilet, the Safeway itself. The
project needs a representative from CAPA, especially someone who understands
the needs of the neighborhood south of Market in that area and someone who
appreciates the possibilities that the site represents for a more user friendly
neighborhood center.
Residential Design Guidelines/Housing Element: The Planning Department is revising the Residential Design Guidelines for new houses in the city’s neighborhoods. The new guidelines could be overly restrictive and prescriptive, but could help to ensure that new homes are appropriately scaled and detailed in existing neighborhoods. The Housing Element of the General Plan is also being revised to reflect new thinking about ways to provide new housing throughout the city, including more higher density housing along corridors like Market Street. CAPA needs study both proposals and voice our opinion.
Secretary: After many years of service to CAPA, Larry Maxwell is stepping down from the position. The secretary keeps the minutes of the meeting, tracks membership and communications, and has other duties that require only a few hours of work per month.
CAPA is also working on improving our website and other communications, plus applying for grants for planning Harvey Milk Plaza. If you have nay interest in these or other activities, contact Joe Curtin at curtin_joe@hotmail.com or (415) 621-0120, or Linton Stables at linton@home4us.org at (415) 864-3869.
AGENDA
FOR THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, September 11, 2003,
7:30 p.m.
1. Call to Order/Introductions 7:30 p.m.
2. Approval of Agenda and May Minutes
3. Grants and Funding Opportunities Aaron Starr
4. Fundraising/Membership Events Aaron Starr
5. Residential Guidelines Review Linton Stables
6. General Plan Housing Element Review Joe Curtin
7. Secretary Position
8. Finance Report and Membership Update
9. New Business
10. Adjournment 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Grants and Funding Opportunities. Aaron Starr has identified several grants for urban planning organizations like CAPA. He is preparing grant applications to support a two-year program of planning and outreach to produce a plan for Harvey Milk Plaza, to include a part time planner as a CAPA employee. Publicly funded grants for transportation planning may also be available, and San Francisco Beautiful gives grants to urban planning projects. CAPA needs an advisory board to define the project and to give it some prominence. Joe Curtin will outline what we want the board to do.
September 4 Design Event: CAPA, Organization of Lesbian & Gay Architects & Designers, and Gays and Lesbians in Planning will host an open house at the Lesbian & Gay Historical Society Archives September 4.
Castro Renaissance. Supervisor Bevan Dufty is promoting economic development in the Castro. The Golden Gate Business Association is working to assure that the Castro gets more money from the annual Pride celebration. For Halloween, local organizations are asked to provide volunteers for the celebration entry gates.
Neighborhood Business Controls. Hayes Valley Neighborhood Assn. is working with Sup. Gonzalez to discourage "formula stores or businesses," i.e., chain stores. Neighbors would be notified of a new store or change of business if it met at least two of 12 criteria describing such stores. No position was taken
Residential Design Guidelines and Revised Housing Element of the General Plan (see information at left).
Secondary Units. CAPA has supported legalizing these. Motion passed unanimously:
Mayoral Candidates' Forum: The sponsoring associations will agree on five questions to ask the candidates. Members suggested questions about low and moderate income housing, alternatives to homelessness, public transit, taxes on large businesses, and how city finances would be managed for the next year and next five years?
Finance Report. Reviewed recent expenses. Motion passed unanimously to authorize a maximum of $300 for a consultant to upgrade CAPA Web site.
Membership. Four new members, three renewals.
584 Castro Street,
PMB 169
San Francisco, CA
94114-2588
Tel.(415) 522-1221
Fax.(415) 522-1221
E-mail:
CAPA@home4us.org
Get updates
online! Send your email address to:
curtin_joe@hotmail.com
CAPA GENERAL MEETING
Thursday,
September 11 , 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Castro Meeting
Room, 501 Castro Street at 18th.
Second Floor,
above the Bank of America
See the full
agenda inside
