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In
This Issue New
Topics Utility Undergrounding Task Force - Representative Chosen for District 2 Marina Library Renovation - New Features and Services Bus Stop on Union at Divisadero - Conversion of Pole Bus Stop to Active Bus Stop Richardson / Doyle Drive - New Presidio Access Procedure to Stop Junk Mail - Reduce the Paper Onslaught Cow Hollow Association 1st Annual Family Picnic - Sunday, September 18th, 2005 Updates Lucas
Powerline - PG&E/Lucas EMF Feeder Study - Phase 2
update Traffic Calming Program - Traffic Calming Application Awaits Ranking Housing Element - Neighborhood Groups Appeal Member
Meetings Tell a Friend - Become a Member 2005 Annual Meeting - Save the Date - Tuesday May 3rd, 2005 at 5:30pm Next Cow Hollow Board Meeting - April 5th, 2005
Planning Department New Rules The Planning Department has initiated a Pre-Application
process required for certain alterations proposed in all RH (residential
housing) and RM (residential multiunit) Districts.
The intent of the process is to: (1) initiate
neighbor communication to identify issues and concerns early on;
(2) provide the project sponsor the opportunity to address neighbor
concerns prior to submitting their building permit application;
and (3) reduce the number of Discretionary Reviews (DRs) that would
result in a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
The benefits to project sponsors include: (1) identification of neighbor concerns and the opportunity to mitigate those concerns before the building permit application (BPA) is submitted, (2) a streamlined review from the Planning Department, and (3) elimination of delays and costs associated with Discretionary Reviews (DR). The benefits to the neighbors include: (1) the opportunity to provide early input into a project that could have an impact on their building(s), (2) greatly reduce the need to file a cumbersome DR, as well as, the time and stress that accompany it. Alterations to properties in RH and RM zoned districts that are subject to a pre-application process shall include:
Pre-Application process Step 2: After the Community Outreach meeting is held, the Project Sponsor is strongly encouraged to conduct a follow-up meeting to present revisions/mitigation measures that address neighbor concerns. The Cow Hollow Association is very pleased with the Pre-Application
Process and has already attended Pre-Application meetings for
several proposed projects in the neighborhood. We have found the
meetings to be very helpful for both the project sponsor and their
neighbors to discuss any issues of concern early in the design
phase of a project. In addition, the project sponsor contacts
the Cow Hollow Association directly and in most cases, the architect
is very familiar with the Cow Hollow Neighborhood Design Guidelines
(Adopted by the Planning Commission in 2001) and has designed
the project to conform to their specifications. Undergrounding Utility Wires Representative Chosen for District 2 The Board of Supervisors approved the creation of a 20-member task force to look at such issues as how the Utility Undergrounding program can be expanded, where the funding would come from and what new rules, if any, are needed for officials to decide the next round of sites. Each supervisor gets to appoint one member who shall be a resident of the supervisorial district represented by the appointing Supervisor and have a strong interest in utility undergrounding projects and policies; the mayor gets four picks. The other members will represent key city agencies (DPW, CPUC)and the major private utilities (PG&E, SBC and Comcast) operating in San Francisco. The purpose of this task force is to meet over the next year, come up with some recommendations and help us have a forward-thinking process for utility under-grounding in San Francisco. Michela Alioto-Pier office has chosen John Brooke as the representative for District 2. John lives on Greenwich Street in Cow Hollow. He has been involved in utility undergrounding efforts in San Francisco since 1996. He helped lead a local community application for undergrounding under San Francisco's 1997 plan for 42 miles of undergrounding. DPW claims to have lost that application. Since that time, he has been involved with several attempts to revisit undergrounding in our neighborhood. This included independent efforts as well as those in conjunction with the Lucas Powerline project initially planned for Greenwich Street. As part of those initiatives, he pushed DPW and PG&E for an accounting of the 1997 plan. He is now painfully aware of the position San Francisco is in regarding any further undergrounding projects. He believes using 100-year-old physical infrastructure to deliver 21st century technology is unacceptable in the City and County of San Francisco. The Utility Undergrounding Task Force is established for the purpose of providing input on: (1) improving procedures for legislating underground utility districts in the future; (2) determining the best method for allocating the resources that are available for utility undergrounding; (3) seeking ways to increase the resources available for utility undergrounding; (4) studying ways to reduce the cost of utility undergrounding; (5) coordination of utility undergrounding with other streetscape projects, utility projects or any other project where undergrounding could simultaneously undertaken; (6) consideration of alternative methods such as the creation of parking benefit districts or community benefit districts; and (7) any other matters that the Utility Undergrounding Task Force shall deem appropriate. If you would like to contact John Brooke with any questions, concerns or comments, he can be reached by email at john.brooke@oracle.com. The Marina Library Renovation New Features and Services Cow Hollow residents can look forward to new features and services with the renovation of the Marina branch library scheduled to begin in the late spring. Responding to input from a series of community meetings, the architecture firms of Tom Eliot Fisch and Field Paoli have provided a quiet adult reading area with comfortable chairs located away from the busy children's room. The children's area itself will be redesigned to make it more flexible and able to accommodate the large increase in usage and demand for programs fueled by the reopening of the adjacent playground. While much of the original '50s building will be retained, it will undergo necessary seismic strengthening and will be modified to meet accessibility requirements. A new room, added in the front of the building, will house current books, videos, and tapes placed on rolling shelves that can be pushed aside to create a community meeting area. Increased shelving capacity will allow for a future increase in the book collection, and more computers will be added. The construction costs of the renovation will be paid for by the bond measure passed in 2002. Because in San Francisco public bond funds can only be used for building costs, the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library has undertaken to raise money for the things the bond can't cover: furniture, shelves, computers, and lighting. The Friends need our support. To help with the campaign, call (415) 437-4859. For more information about the renovation, call (415) 557-4354 or check www.sfpl.org. Bus Stop on Union at Divisadero Conversion of Pole Bus Stop to Active Bus Stop DPT Public Hearing, Friday, March 18, 10 AM, at City Hall, Room 416 - Conversion of Pole Bus Stop to Active Bus Stop on SW Corner of Union at Divisadero, and Subsequent Removal of Three (3) Parking Spaces. The Department of Parking and Traffic approved the conversion of a Pole Bus Stop to an Active Bus Stop on the southwest side of Union Street at Divisadero, which resulted in the removal of three (3) parking spaces. A Pole Bus Stop allows MUNI buses to remain in the lane of traffic when picking up/dropping off passengers, and permits vehicles to park in street parking spaces. An Active Bus Stop permits MUNI buses to pull into a designated bus stop where no vehicles are allowed to park. The affected neighbors and the Cow Hollow Association were not notified of the hearing where this conversion was approved. Concerns: For more information, contact Cow Hollow resident Elaine Larkin (563-8145 or eblarkin@aol.com). Richardson / Doyle Drive New Presidio Access Several members have asked about the ongoing road project near the confluence of Richardson Avenue and Doyle Drive. As presented in an update at last year's annual meeting, the project is an interim solution to providing direct access to the Presidio from this major commute corridor. This in turn should ease traffic currently coming into the Presidio through the Lombard Gate, and in particular, provide direct access to Gorgas Avenue and the new Lucas Letterman Garage without going through the neighborhood. Westbound from the left lane on Richardson, the new slip ramp is completed except for some drainage and maintenance issues. This ramp will connect to Gorgas Avenue just west of the current Presidio Dance Studio and will also allow easy access to the Crissy Field area as well as the YMCA and Main Post. The new stop light intersection on Richardson, just east of the YMCA pool, is essentially completed and allows eastbound traffic from Doyle direct access to that end of Gorgas and the nearby Lucas garage entrance. The light then provides egress to both east and westbound Richardson from that intersection. The Presidio Trust is hoping to have the remaining sections completed and open in the spring to summer timeframe.
Print out letter asking to have your name removed. Use these letters for major junk mail clearinghouses Use this letter for catalogs, credit card offers and more: just mail back to sender. Add the address(s) and name(s) you wish to have removed. Also, add the mailing address of the company you wish to contact. Don't forget to sign the letter. Fold letter in half. Tape or staple closed. Add stamp
and address, then mail. This will save you an envelope
and a lot of unnecessary paper being consumed. It's
that easy to take action and reduce the amount of
unwanted mail you receive. On the afternoon of Sunday September the 18th 2005, the Cow Hollow Association will be holding a Family Picnic for all residents of Cow Hollow. Lunch and drinks will be provided for all members of the Cow Hollow Association with a nominal charge for visitors and non-members. Location still under consideration but it will probably be in the neighborhood or very close by. This splendid event will be a chance for neighbors of all ages to meet and enjoy a buffet lunch and re-connect with local friends. It will also be an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Cow Hollow Association and how city issues affect our immediate environment. There will be entertainment for the children. Watch your mailbox for an invite! James Andrews, Electrical Engineer, and Kristen Sparrow, MD, both of Mentor Associates, have continued their work on a comprehensive study to demonstrate and record any increase in Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMFs) along the Lucas Powerline from Lyon to Filbert to Pierce Streets. Installed by PG&E, the powerline will eventually supply LucasFilm's Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC) with 8 megawatts (MW) of power, enough to meet the needs of a small town or power or power approximately 7000-8,000 homes. According to PG&E project manager Gary Tognozzi, this is less than the 12 megawatts initially requested by LucasFilm, but up from the current levels of 1-2 megawatts for mainly residential and some small commercial use. LucasFilm's contract with PG&E requires that 3 megawatts of power be delivered to Letterman Digital Arts Center no later than July 1, 2004, 3.7 megawatts delivered no later than November 2004, and 4.2 megawatts by January 2005. These incremental increases will allow the new building's systems and technology infrastructure to be on line by Spring of 2005, in preparation for the planned occupation in the Summer of 2005. As described earlier, the Study will cover approximately one year's worth of readings and analyses taken along the street and at critical points, such as taps and junction points. This study has been generously paid for by a number of Cow Hollow residents and we thank you for your support. A complete list of supporters follows the Phase 2 Update. Any readings from the interiors of homes along the route can be done on a case by case basis after the "baseline" data is established. This can be arranged by contacting Mr. Andrews directly at (415) 265-9334. Phase 2
Update (1/13/05) by James Andrews, Mentor Associates and Cow Hollow
Resident Although we haven't finalized the calculations as yet, it would appear that the total picture (through 12/13/04) indicates that the EMF profile has generally shown a modest increase along the line in the range of .5 to 1.0 mG (milligauss). Due to the relative distances from the new line to the residences, the actual EMF increase measured at most of the residences still remains minimal and within a reasonable target range. However, as was the case during Phase 1, the electrical load remains very light at all four main buildings in the Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC). We will need to continue monitoring this last Phase 3 of the project very closely, since this is when the majority of the electrical load may be required. Letterman's main buildings are all enclosed now (i.e. the windows are installed), the landscaping is almost completed, and inside finish work (sheetrock, interior finishes, etc.) is in its final stages. Almost all of the temporary power has been switched over to the new underground Lucas Feeder (a.k.a. Lucas Powerline) and the large temporary transformers near the main construction entrance at Lombard were removed in late November of 2004. In addition, the "feeder tap" at the corner of Lyon and Greenwich Streets, which supplies power to some of the Eastern Presidio, now appears to be energized and is also getting its power from the new Lucas Feeder line. So, things are definitely starting to accelerate at the LucasFilm project. Again, the loads are still minimal (probably less than 1MW), but the various personnel on the site that I've managed to speak with all indicate an anticipated "opening" date of May 2005, slightly ahead of schedule. There is still a high probability that the bulk of the square footage will be "subleased," making an estimate of the final electrical load very difficult to predict. Something all the residents of Cow Hollow could assist us with is to keep a log of the recent PG&E outages - date, time, and duration. I believe the Marina was without power for around 8 hours, followed with an outage for a few hours near the New Year. Please email your logs to brookesampson@yahoo.com or james-andrews@comcast.net. I checked the EMF measurements during the 8 hour outage, and none of the overhead "feeder tap" switches in Cow Hollow were used to supply back-up power from the new Lucas Feeder. This does not bode well for the "promised" increased reliability of electrical power in the affected neighborhoods. Action Items to Assist in the PG&E/Lucas EMF Feeder Study We welcome you to assist in the PG&E/Lucas EMF Feeder Study by: 1. mailing in your tax-deductible contribution to support our efforts, or 2. volunteering their homes as part of the EMF study, or 3. keeping a power outage log - date, time, and duration of individual outages THANKS
to the Supporters of the PG&E/Lucas EMF Feeder Study CHA LUCAS EMF STUDY DONATIONS
To Donate to the PG&E/Lucas EMF Feeder Study If you have not participated in our fundraising campaign , please
mail your TAX-DEDUCTIBLE contribution to: Cow Hollow Association,
Inc.* Box 471136, San Francisco, CA 94147. Last August, Cow Hollow submitted a traffic calming application to City government. If it is approved, Cow Hollow will someday be able to begin a community process to study strategies to calm traffic throughout the Cow Hollow area. Our application specifically stated that we do not want to adopt piecemeal measures that shift speeding traffic from one block to another; instead, we want to find neighborhood-wide solutions. Our application was submitted in August, and we have learned that this coming July the Department of Parking and Traffic's Livable Streets Program will prioritize, or rank, our request along with all others submitted within the previous twelve months. We are concerned that without documentation of the area's traffic problems, our request will receive a low ranking. Although many of us have observed speeding taxis and other vehicles roaring up Broderick and Scott or burning rubber along Filbert and Greenwich, we must support our application with proof that this problem is endangering us as pedestrians and harming our quality of life. We need your help! Please document all incidents of speeding and reckless driving you observe: jot down the time of day, type of vehicle, estimated speed, direction traveled, and any other details that seem relevant. You don't need to catch the license number! Please e-mail the information to lynndfuller@sbcglobal.net. Lynn will compile the reports and send them in to support our traffic calming application before the ranking process begins in July 2005. Learn more about S.F.'s traffic calming program at http://www.sfgov.org/site/dpt_index.asp?id=13563.
The Housing Element saga continues. The neighborhood groups appealing the Housing Element (for failure to prepare an EIR) wrote a letter to the State Department of Housing and Community Development stating that the City's Housing Element did not comply with state law. Although the letter certainly raised a dialogue between the City and the State, our concerns were not met and our objective was not achieved, which would have required the City to prepare an EIR. Thus, the neighborhoods had no choice but to proceed with a lawsuit against the City. The appeal/lawsuit was filed in the name of "San Franciscans for Livable Neighborhoods." There are 15 neighborhood organizations that make up this group, including CHA (for purposes of the lawsuit). There has been one settlement meeting attended by the attorney, Jo Brescher, and Kathy Devincenzi of Laurel Heights and Petree Knighton of St. Francis Woods. Another settlement meeting has been scheduled. According to those attending the settlement meeting, the City did listen and was open to our concerns at this first meeting. For further information and a more detailed
analysis, visit the Save Our Neighborhoods
website at www.saveourneighborhoods.org. If
you would like to contribute to the lawsuit,
you can complete the form below and return
it with your tax-deductible check payable
to Appeal Legal Fund, PHRA, 2443 Fillmore
Street #192, San Francisco, CA 94115. (Pacific
Heights Residents Association is acting as
depository).
Tuesday, April 5, 2005 at 5:30pm The CHA board and advisory members’ meet the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm . The location rotates among board member’s homes. We are always looking for new board members who want share their talents and passion for the preservation and improvement of our neighborhood. You are welcome to attend a meeting to listen to the issues or bring up a topic of concern to you. To attend a meeting, please contact the CHA President, Lori Brooke at 415-749-1841 for the location. If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please click here to respond. We will unsubscribe you immediately. Privacy Guarantee: Your information will never be given, rented or sold to a third party. Your privacy will be respected with utmost regard. © Copyright 2005 Cow Hollow Association. All Rights Reserved. |