CASTRO

CAPA to Host Forum on the Future of Laguna Hill

The CAPA meeting on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 in the Castro Meeting Room at 501 Castro at 18^th Street will host a special forum on the proposed development of the former campus of the University of California at Berkeley Extension program, also known as Laguna Hill.

The development of Laguna Hill on the edge of the Castro district at Laguna and Market will have a significant impact on the Castro and Upper Market area. UC Berkeley and their developer propose building over 400 units of housing with some retail and public uses. However, a series of workshops sponsored by the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association proposed several alternative scenarios for new uses on the site including more public and community facilities along with some housing. And a third party, the New College of San Francisco has proposed locating part of its campus in the site’s historic buildings, with new student and faculty housing plus open space.

The Laguna Hill campus, which has historic structures as well as large undeveloped areas, has been mostly inactive since the Berkeley Extension program ceased operations there in 2003. The site is currently zoned for “P” for public use; zoning for any other uses would have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors. The site is also in the middle of the Better Neighborhoods/Upper Market Octavia Boulevard district, which is in the midst of a significant planning process to encourage new housing along transit corridors such as Market Street, and on the new Octavia Boulevard.

While the site is over a mile from the heart of the Castro, it is located in Supervisorial District 8 which also includes the Castro and Noe Valley. Castro residents who are interested in the shape future development along Market Street should attend the forum on September 8 to learn more about plans and alternatives for the site. Representatives from A.F. Evans (UC’s chosen developer), Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, and the New College of California will present their ideas for the site to CAPA at the September 8 meeting.

CAPA leads SPUR tour of Castro – Sept 24

On Saturday, Sept. 24, CAPA will host a walking tour of the Castro for members of San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR). The tour will highlight some of the many efforts to manage change and growth while maintaining the Castro's unique identity, including new infill mixed use buildings on Upper Market Street, innovative storefront social services, and one of the city's first community benefits districts.

This will be an excellent opportunity for CAPA to present to both residents and citizens from all over the city the “big picture” of the variety of planning and community initiatives taking place in the Castro. The tour will begin at 10:00 am on Sept. 24 at the LGBT Center and stop at several important sites including Church and Market, the Davies Medical Center and Harvey Milk Plaza. Contact SPUR at 415-782-8726 or at events@spur.org if you would like to join in.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GENERAL MEETING

Thursday, August 11, 2005

PedMount News Rack Program: By the end of the year, the Castro will be the first neighborhood outside downtown to receive new fixed, pedestal mounted news racks. Dan McKenna of the Dept. of Public Works made a presentation on the news rack program to replace individual news racks with pedmount racks that hold up to 16 newspaper boxes, including local weeklies, the GLBT press, and the daily newspapers. Clear Channel will operate and maintain the racks with rents and advertising revenue. Pedmount racks will be located at intersections on Market Street and Castro and 18^th Street.

The DPW has surveyed all of the current individual news racks to determine which publications will be given right of first refusal on spaces in the new racks. No other racks will be allowed in the area covered in the pedmount program, although there will be no limit even just outside the boundaries of that area.

CAPA/SPUR Walking Tour Planning Joe Curtin was invited by Gabriel Metcalf, the new Executive Director of San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR) to conduct a walking tour of the Castro and Upper Market for SPUR members. The tour will take place on Saturday Sept. 24.

Update from Supervisor Dufty: Supervisor Bevan Dufty attended the meeting to update CAPA members on a variety of programs and projects in the Castro. Most significantly is the approval of the Castor/Upper Market Community Benefits District (CBD). The CBD will raise $375,000 through assessment levies on properties within the district for improvement programs for the neighborhood, including street cleaning, security service, and district identity and streetscape improvements. The CBD was approved by over two-thirds of the tenants and owners who voted.

Supervisor Dufty also reported on development possibilities that his office has been informed of on a site next to the GLBT Center, and possible use of the former Live Oak/Most Holy Redeemer School on Diamond Street as a family/senior service center for the neighborhood.

Meeting Space: Lion Barnett informed CAPA that no decision has been made to renew or end the lease on the Castro Meeting Room at eh end of the year. The Eureka Valley Rec Center is scheduled to open in October with expanded facilities, so CAPA will look into meeting in the Rec Center again, as well as remaining at the Meeting Room.

AGENDA FOR THE GENERAL MEETING

Thursday, September 8, 2005, 7:30 p.m.

1. Call to Order/Introductions 7:30 p.m.

2. Approval of Agenda and previous meeting’s Minutes

3. Laguna Hill Forum Michael Mullin, moderator

4. Castro/Community Benefits District

5. CAPA/SPUR Walking Tour Planning Joe Curtin

6. Finance Report and Membership Update

7. New Business

8. Adjournment 9:00 p.m.