Historic Pier 70 - what does the future hold?

The oldest, most intact collection of industrial buildings in the City, including two magnificent historic cranes, still stand near Pier 70, along 20th Street east of Illinois on the Central Waterfront. Built by Union Ironworks (later Bethlehem Steel) between 1886 and 1917, the oldest and most visually striking of the buildings, the huge brick machine shop (buildings 113/114), has remained in continuous use for its original purpose since its construction and was used most recently by San Francisco Drydock. Several of the buildings, including the Administration building at the corner of Illinois and 20th Street, have been shuttered for several years. In 2001, the Port sought one for-profit and one non-profit developer and issued two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for redevelopment of this historic site. Exclusive negotiating rights were awarded at that time, but abandoned as San Francisco's economy tanked.

Seismically Unsafe

Meanwhile, the City's 1992 unreinforced masonry building (UMB) ordinance required that any UMB have at least a building permit for seismic retrofit by February 15th, 2004 or face closure and demolition. With the deadline fast approaching, and no plans or funding in sight, San Francisco Drydock abandoned their leasehold on the machine shop. Plans are underway to mothball all of the buildings using the Secretary of the Interior standards so that future restoration can take place.

The Port has fielded several queries from non-profit organizations interested in the site, and is now moving forward with the issuance of a new RFP, with the possibility of another mixed use non-profit/for-profit partnership. This proposal is for a significantly smaller acreage and does not include the two historic cranes.

Appropriate New Uses

The need to find funds to stabilize these buildings is urgent; and a use that will allow the public to enjoy these magnificent structures is certainly welcome. But what uses are appropriate? This site is surrounded by heavy industry, including SF Drydock, San Francisco's automobile tow yard, and the Potrero power plant. The removal of open space from inclusion in the proposal has drawn criticism from some neighbors, who worry about increased use without accompanying neighborhood benefit.

The Port plans to address these concerns by convening a master plan process for the entire Pier 70 area, to address such concerns as compatible uses, open space development, and traffic issues. But this process is going to trail the development proposal for the historic buildings.

What kinds of uses are appropriate for these buildings and this area? Will still more heavy industry be forced south into the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood? These questions will be asked and answered within a very short timeframe. The Port plans to issue the RFP in early spring; we'll keep you posted.

Alliance for a Clean Waterfront

San Francisco Tomorrow is one of 18 organizations that comprise the Alliance for a Clean Waterfront and advocates for the sustainable, cost-effective use and re-use of water in San Francisco. The Alliance was an active member of the fight to halt the SFO runway expansion, and has recently been accepted as a project of Earth Island Institute. The main focus for the Alliance over the next several years is the creation and implementation of a new Clean Water Master Plan.

Unsafe and Unjust

"Clean Water" is a euphemism for San Francisco's wastewater and stormwater collection, conveyance and treatment system. The current system, built in the 70s and 80s, created an infrastructure that is inherently wasteful and unjust; that is, in order to address the problem of storm and wastewater overflows into the Bay and Ocean, the PUC built a system that combines both sewage and street runoff into the same collection system. Essentially a "moat" of transport tunnels and collection boxes surrounds most of the City. The combined sewage and runoff is sent to one of two treatment plants: on the west side, the Oceanside Treatment plant near San Francisco Zoo treats about 20% of the effluent produced in the City; on the east side, the 50-year old Southeast Treatment Plant takes everything else, from the Presidio in the north, east and south to Brisbane. Most of the time the system can handle the volume easily, with the unfortunate side effect being to the residents of Bayview Hunters Point who live downwind of the regularly odiferous Southeast Plant.

Rainwater

During rainstorms, the stormwater entering the system can overwhelm the system's capacity. When that happens, the combined sewage and stormwater overflows into the Bay and Ocean at 36 outfalls located around the City. Because the system moves most of the volume to the Southeast Treatment Plant, the majority of the overflows occur in that neighborhood. The result of these overflows has been the designation of Islais and Mission Creeks as impaired waterways by the US EPA.

The PUC has a chance to right these wrongs during the upcoming Clean Water Master Plan Process. The Alliance is advocating a system that views water as a resource rather than a nuisance. For instance, rainwater can be diverted from the central system and used for beneficial purposes such as greening schools and streets. The City, the only urban county in the state without a water reclamation program, has the opportunity to develop a program that reduces the burden on Bayview Hunters Point and provides high-quality water for construction use, bus washing and wetlands restoration around the City. Even the mundane pipe repair and replacement program can be updated to include "purple piping" for reclaimed water and infiltration systems that reduce the volume and slow down the movement of rainwater during storms.

Ammiano Legislation

How can we ensure an environmentally just, sustainable, and effective program? Get involved. The first step is to support Supervisor Ammiano's legislation establishing a Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Public Utilities Commission, which will be heard in front of the Rules Committee in March. This is urgent; the PUC needs informed public input into all of their programs; this CAC will review programs and policies for the Energy, Water and Clean Water programs, and establish subcommittees for each.

Ecological Restoration

The Randall Museum, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, Presidio Trust, National Park Service, SF Urban Service Project, Literacy for Environmental Justice and the Yerba Buena Chapter of the California Native Plant Society are sponsoring a one-day conference that showcases the city¹s wild and scenic natural lands.

The 5th Biennial San Francisco Ecological Restoration Conference will take place on Saturday, April 3rd, from 8:30am until 2:30pm, at the Randall Museum in San Francisco.
Come celebrate San Francisco¹s urban conservation movement: volunteers and professionals working together to restore the diversity of life throughout San Francisco. This year¹s workshops include: Ecology of Invasive Plants, Pollination, Birdwatching & Brushpile Building, and Youth in Restoration. You are invited to participate in roundtables on Nature & Education, Nature & the Media, and the Politics of Nature.
Register before Saturday, March 27, 2004, by leaving a message for Margaret Goodale at 554-9604 ext. 816 at the Randall Museum.

Housing Density Trumps Land Use and Parking Issues

As noted in the last issue of the SFT Newsletter, the proposed Housing Element of the Master Plan has drawn fire because it proposes to reduce the parking requirements in order to gain more dense housing along major transit corridors. Opponents of reducing current parking requirements claim that every household contains multiple automobiles, and therefore, residential parking requirements cannot be reduced. But U.S. Census figures for San Francisco show otherwise.

Census figures show that citywide, 29% of San Francisco households do not have an automobile. Among renters it is 38%. In some census tracts it is over 75%. These are areas near downtown, populated in part, some will point out, by "low lifes, poor people, etc." However, in high-rent areas such as Nob Hill (48%), Russian Hill (33%), and Telegraph Hill (27%) which are relatively near downtown, there are high percentages of non-ownership of cars. In some census tracts in those areas it is over 50%. Parking was such a hassle that they sold their automobiles, it is said. These neighbor-hoods abound in buildings with less than one-for-one parking, and in many cases no off-street parking at all.

Proponents of reduced parking requirements say providing more parking spaces attracts more automobiles, while providing fewer parking spaces attracts fewer people with automobiles. The one-for-one parking requirement was passed in the 1950's and the Code has not been materially changed since then.

Dr. John Holtzclaw made a study for the Natural Resources Defense Council of automobile usage in different parts of San Francisco and its suburbs, and also of communities in other parts of the state. This study found that as household, population, commercial densities and transit service increase the auto ownership rate and vehicle miles traveled per capita and per household decrease. In other words, in higher density areas which have mixed use development with nearby shopping, restaurants, and recreational facilities, automobile usage and ownership are much less than in areas where one-to-one parking is required. Also, transit usage is much higher.

However, it is imperative that the benefits of not providing parking must be balanced by the presence of locally efficient transit and better land use patterns. The transportation and land use connection has been studied in the Planning Department's recent Better Neighbor-hoods Plans which call for mixed use buildings with reduced parking requirements along major transit corridors. Before other neighborhoods are slated for additional density and off-street parking changes, they must likewise be studied in such rigorous detail.

Harding Golf Course Too Expensive For Us Locals

The City has spent close to $16 million in redesigning and rebuilding Harding Golf Course, and at least one citizen observer cites the project for shoddy construction and funds mismanagement. Six million plus came from the one-time-only State Grant under the "Roberti-Z'berg-Harris Legislation" which is supposed to be used for recreation and open space for underprivileged children in economically deprived areas, but in this case was used to create a PGA Golf Course for millionaire golf competitors, an entirely inappropriate use of State Grants. Ten million came from the City's Open Space Fund but cost overruns caused a use of more Open Space funds than were originally committed.

Meanwhile, local use of the Golf Course has dropped some 38%, with weekday use by seniors down 67%, while use by out-of-towners has significantly increased. San Francisco has more golf courses per capita than any other major city in the country but a poll by Binder revealed that golfing has the lowest priority rating of all of the City's recreation resources.

With another budget shortfall, more cuts will be made in recreation and open space services while the golf courses have sequestered funds from its revenues into the "Golf Fund", thus sucking away funds from other recreation needs. If you have questions about this, call the office of Supervisor Tony Hall who believes that PGA tournament revenue will make all this expenditure worthwhile. You can reach him at 554-6516 or fax him at 554-6546.

SFT's Wildflower Hike

Saturday, March 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join us!

Hike leader, Naturalist Jake Sigg, will meet us at the eastern (uphill) end of Key Avenue, just two blocks east of Third Street, which is the entrance to Bayview Hill. (Bayview Hill lies between Hwy 101 and Candlestick Park. Key Avenue crosses Third Street four blocks south of Paul Avenue.)There is a rather long, steep climb to the top but once you reach the top, the terrain is mainly level. There will be a Rec-Park truck at the Key Avenue park entrance to shuttle those who can't walk this uphill portion. You must be on time if you're taking the shuttle.

Don't let this dissuade you! Jake will bring along historic pictures of the Bayview area in the 19th and early 20th centuries. You should bring lunch and liquids. Plan to stay for the weed-pulling work party afterwards, if you can!

Please refer to the January SFT Newsletter for a list of flowering plants we expect to see.

Presidio News

Key areas of the Presidio environment have advanced a notch.

Doyle Drive The plan to reconfigure Doyle Drive has been revised by landscape architect Michael Painter and could be built without major detours during construction, fewer impacts to cultural resources; it is far less expensive and could be completed one or two years sooner than any of the other alternatives Caltrans is considering. The Painter plan would help protect Tennessee Hollow and Crissy Marsh by reconfiguring Halleck Street and building a 400-foot causeway to connect the northern and southern parts of the Presidio now divided by Doyle. The historic Gorgas and Mason Street warehouses would remain intact as well as other cultural resources. The Presidio Trust and the National Park Service have endorsed this alternative and it remains to persuade Caltrans.

Crissy Marsh Original plans for the Crissy marsh noted that for the wetland to "function" correctly, the marsh would have to consist of at least 30 acres. At this size, the tides would flow in such a way as to keep the narrow channel that connects the marsh and the Bay open. A dozen times the tides have closed the channel opening since the current 18.5-acre manmade marsh was created, and on three occasions dredging was required to re-open the channel.

Last year, Presidio Trust, National Park Service and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy began a technical study to review the original findings on ideal marsh size, as well as examine potential expansion sites. Where should expansion occur? There are currently built structures on some of the logical areas. How might the expansion be funded? One possibility is use of the mitigation money from the Doyle Drive reconstruction that would be available for this purpose.

Vote March 2nd

San Francisco Tomorrow recommends YES on San Francisco ballot measures C, D and E, NO on Proposition J. SFT endorses State measures 2 and 56. No position on Prop 57.

It's worth remembering that San Francisco Tomorrow was conceived in 1969 to:

  1. cultivate in San Francisco "a physical environment in harmony with its natural setting and the needs of its inhabitants;
  2. create respect for its priceless natural features, its human population, its flora, and its rich endowment of animal, bird, and marine life;
  3. foster the orderly development of the City as a fit place in which to work and live;
  4. educate the public and our elected officials as to the urgency of preserving the fragile environment which places San Francisco among the great cities of the earth.

We Appreciate Your Ongoing Membership Commitment

We hope you'll continue participating in our environmental work. SFT saves money by not mailing renewal reminders. So please look at your address label to see the expiration date of your last renewal. Sliding scale of $15, $25, $50 or $100 is your call! Mail your renewal check to:
San Francisco Tomorrow
41 Sutter Street, Suite 1579
San Francisco 94104-4903
Pondering new membership? Write to us, choose an amount and enclose a check.

Thank You!

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