CASTRO PLANNER September 2008
Transit Effectiveness Project Presents Revised Service Change Proposals
After two years of research and public meetings across the city, the Transit Effectiveness Project team will present revised recommendations for route changes and travel time/reliability improvements to the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 2:00 pm in City Hall Room 400.
Of interest to CAPA members are the changes to the proposal since last spring for Muni lines serving the Castro. Lines 24 and 33 remain largely the same through the Castro, although endpoints may change. Current service on the 37 Corbett line to Church and Market is preserved by splitting the line into two lines, one from Corbett and the Twin Peaks area, and one from Cole Valley and Buena Vista area (with a new line number 32). The 35 Eureka line could see service provided by a van to reflect its ridership, and will continue to serve hilly areas of southern Noe Valley and will be extended south to serve Glen Park village and the BART station there. For the Muni Metro, the Castro Shuttle service is eliminated but there would be more frequent service on the K, L, and M lines.
The current plan including detailed changes to all lines can be viewed on the project website at www.sfmta.com/tep, or call 415.701.4599 to receive a copy in the mail.
These changes are largely in line with CAPA's recommendations (see the April 2008 Castro Planner at www.cpasf.org), and part of the meeting on Sept 11 will focus on the changes and drafting a response to the SFMTA. You can send your comments to the SFMTA Board of Directors,
One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor; San Francisco, CA 94103; or by email to info@sftep.com.
How Does the Upper Market Community Design Plan Affect the Approvals Process?
The Planning Department has provided a clarification of the process. The plan encourages developers to. If developers can demonstrate that they have obtained the support of the community through outreach to groups like CAPA, their project will receive "priority processing". Priority processing can shorten the time before a project is assigned to a planner for review, but affects no other aspect of project approval. All other reviews such as conditional use permits notice periods or other outreach processes would be changed. Only developers who continue to meet with the community and can submit a letter of support from all surrounding neighborhood associations on file with the Planning Department will be offered this incentive. The Upper Market Community Design Plan does not propose "fast-tracking" of any projects.
The presentation of the Plan to the Planning Commission has not been scheduled as of press time, but CAPA members are encouraged to visit the website of the project at www.sfgov.org/planning, or go to www.capasf.org for more links and updates on hearings.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Report on Developer Meetings: Joe Curtin and Steve Hall reported on meetings with potential developers of two sites in the Upper Market corridor, one at the current 76 Station at Market and 15th Street, and the other at the former S & C Ford showroom at Dolores and Market. Both projects will include a range of condominiums from studios to three bedroom units, and will have ground floor retail fronting Market Street, and will be built with many sustainable features. The project at Dolores will include a 29,000 square foot ground floor grocery store with 80 units in a building that will reach a height of 85 feet on Market Street. The project at 15th and Market will also have ground floor retail with about 40 units in a 55 foot high building. Both will include parking for retail and 75% of the units.
Questions remain about how the affordable/below market rate component of the projects will be implemented (on-site or off- site); how the unit types will reflect the diversity of households in the Castro; and what benefits to the community will be included in the projects, whether space for community institutions, streetscape improvements, or public art.
The developers are working on revisions to their designs based on community input, and they have been invited to a future meeting with CAPA members, possibly in the fall, where they will present revised proposals.
Plaza Programming Workshop Update: In light of ongoing planning for improvements to Harvey Milk Plaza, including the Community Benefits District’s grant application for improvements at the existing Muni plaza, and efforts to bring a weekly farmers’ market to the Castro, Demian Quesnel and Joe Curtin will work together to organize a programming workshop for a pedestrianzied 17th Street adjacent to the F line platform, which is a component of the open space plan in the Upper Market Community Design Plan. The goal of the workshop will be to demonstrate the need and potential for a variety of uses in this location. They will report on plans at the September meeting.
Meeting Space: It was reported that the Recreation and Parks Department will begin charging a significant amount of rent for use of the meeting space in the Eureka Valley Recreation Center. A possible alternative is to resume meeting in the Castro Meeting Room at Castro and 18th Street, which charges 25 dollars per use. Joe Curtin will contact Lion Barnett to discuss the terms.
AGENDA FOR THE GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, September 11, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
1. Call to Order/Introductions 7:30 p.m.
2. Plaza Programming Workshop: planning update
3. Transit Effective Plan: Review Revised Recommendations on Service Changes
4. Upper Market Community Design Plan Update
5. New Business
6. Adjournment 9:00 p.m