Volumn 20 No. 2 • 821-9443 • www.tpobserver.com • [email protected] • March 2008 then and Now Arden Wood Neighbors, Developers Closer life in the fat lane Neighbor’s PoiNt of VieW DeVeloPer’s MessAge RUMINATIONS OF A FORMER CITIZEN SUPERVISOR By Eric Castongia, Zephyr Real Estate By Robert Mendelsohn, Republic Urban Properties Big Changes presented on the Proposed Arden by Quentin Kopp Wood Development In January, one of our The developers of the proposed housing project daily newspapers which oc- on the Arden Wood property sponsored two work- casionally, like a blind pig shops in February to present their new vision for finding an acorn, identifies the 4.6 acre parcel. In Republic Urban’s words, ‘you taxpayer waste and abuse, talked, we listened’. Their new scheme was a signifi- reported that the Board cant and welcomed departure from the original 13 of Supervisors engaged in and six story towers, which were loudly opposed by fewer meetings while re- neighbors. ceiving vastly higher com- The new scheme consists of four new low-rise pensation than ever before buildings straddling a ‘village drive’ culminating at the relatively recent imposi- a cul-de-sac. Two existing buildings are to stay and tion of election by district. be remodeled as part of the development; building Specifically, in 2002, Charter section 2.100, establish- 701 which is currently staff housing and the director’s ing the compensation and salary of the 11 Board of house. Robert Mendelsohn, President of Republic Over the past year, the West Portal community Supervisors members, was rendered obsolete by a Urban Properties San Francisco Branch, states that has been providing us with their thoughts and ideas Charter amendment that essentially delegated to the although a Planned Unit Development will still be about the project and we have been listening. As a Civil Service Commission the power to set Board of needed to build the project, it will be built to existing result, we have made significant changes in the design Supervisors compensation based upon supervisoral zoning guidelines, with the height staying within the of the proposed development and we believe this salaries in other counties, larger and smaller in popu- 40 foot height limit. project will truly be an asset to the community for lation. I am bemused and also reminded of the history As part of the workshops, four stations were set generations to come. of supervisoral compensation, a history which even up 1) Architecture, 2) LEED Certification, 3) Land- First unveiled at our community workshops in under the constraints of the Code of Judicial Conduct, scaping, and 4) EIR/Approvals; for participants to February, our new design no longer includes two I believe I am permitted to recite. discuss various issues and questions with experts in buildings at 6 and 13 stories each, but now consists For the unenlightened or newly born, I was a each area. There was not a follow up portion of the of four buildings, which are the same height as The Board of Supervisors member for nearly 15 years. At meeting to ask questions as a group. Mr. Mendelsohn Grove Condominiums (an average height of 40 feet the time of my election in 1971, the annual compensa- stated that he would be happy to present the revised each), and totals 141 units. There will be one entrance tion was $9,600. Board of Supervisors members were project to the neighborhood for input. Some of the and exit for the development from 19th Avenue, not allowed membership in the San Francisco Retire- project specifics: which will be private and will not interfere with The ment System, and no term limits existed for service • 60-75% of the existing trees are planned to Grove’s existing fire road. We also have an extensive on the Board. The 1932 reform Charter had provid- remain landscaping plan that coupled with the existing dense ed annual compensation of $2,400 per year and in • Green space will be maintained at the perimeter tree canopy on the site and lowered building height, essence mandated voter approval of any change. Not of the site will effectively screen the buildings. Additionally, until 1956, did voters increase the salary to $4,800. • Three walking paths were highlighted for access roof top gardens will further mask the development That was then increased by voter approval in 1964 to from the development to the West Portal transit from above. $9,600 per year. hub, one of which was shown behind the Arden Addressing your traffic concerns is also a major Several attempts to alter and eliminate requisite Wood Christian Science Facility. priority for us. Over the course of the project, we will voter approval of compensation increase were there- • The entry and exit to the development will be be working closely with the City, CalTrans, and an in- after in the early 1980’s thwarted by voters. One such on 19th Ave. Cal Trans has not yet given approval dependent traffic consultant to help mitigate any traffic effort attempted to make the salary of the then (and for the access and circulation challenges that are identified through present) part-time supervisors the same as a Supe- • The 18th Ave. and Wawona gate will be used the EIR process. Additionally, our onsite parking and rior Court judge. Other gimmicks were assayed, but Cont. p. 4 Cont. p. 4 voter perception acutely rendered them unsuccessful. I opposed them all as subterfuges. In 1982, having become president of the Board of Supervisors by virtue of the Charter Initia- sean elsbernd prepares for re-election tive Amendment mandating the supervisoral candi- By John Dunbar Newsom has been ratcheted up in 2008. For example, date receiving the highest number of votes be selected Supervisor Sean Elsbernd is preparing for re- Elsbernd provided Peskin the sixth vote to place Prop- as president, I proposed an increase in salary from election in November 2008 by building a substantial osition A, the transportation charter amendment, on $9,600 yearly to $23,924, based solely and simply upon campaign warchest. The District 7 supervisor is up last November’s ballot. the increase in the Bay Area Consumer Price Index for re-election in November. Elsbernd was first ap- For the November 2008 election Elsbernd has Cont. p. 4 pointed to the Board of Supervisors in 2004 by Mayor raised more campaign money than any other can- Gavin Newsom in a move widely characterized as a didate –challenger or incumbent-- for the Board of “triple play” in which then Supervisor Tony Hall went Supervisors. Campaign finance reports show that by to Treasure Island, then Treasure Island Director Ann December 31, 2007 Elsbernd raised over $141,000. A Marie Conroy went to Emergency Services and then tried and true campaign strategy incumbents employ INSIDE Mayoral liaison to the Board of Supevisors Elsbernd is to build up a significant campaign warchest and by doing so deter opponents. This Elsbernd has done. Hank Basayne ................................................ 2 filled the vacancy in District 7. Elsbernd won the seat in his own right in No- The adoption by City voters in 2002 of ranked choice Laguna Honda George Wooding ................ 2 vember 2004. His campaign spent $226,000 to win voting is another advantage incumbents enjoy because Letters to the Editor ........................................ 2 10,475 first place votes and 33% of the vote. Addi- name recognition is a necessary condition to win, and Phyllis’ Findings ............................................. 3 tionally, Elsbernd was aided by independent expen- it’s harder for a lesser known challenger to defeat an incumbent without a runoff election. The only caveat Spraying for Moths ....................................... 3 diture campaigns to promote his election. Under the City’s ranked choice voting system Elsbernd defeated to that for an incumbent is if someone with a more Don Lee Miller at the Movies ................... 5 second place runner up Christine Linnenbach after famous and well regarded last name chooses to enter Calendar ...................................................... 6 ten elimination rounds in which second place votes a contest. Doggie Diner .................................................. 7 were reallocated. Linnenbach spent $51,000 . Of the $141,000 Elsbernd raised significant por- tions of it come from institutional players who are Jack Kaye ....................................................... 8 Elsbernd has been Mayor Gavin Newsom’s stron- gest ally on the Board of Supervisors and probably active lobbyists, developers, large property owners General Hospital Rebuild ........................ 9 his most potent. Frequent Newsom critic Supervi- and those in real estate business. Elsbernd has raised Carol Kocivar on Education ...................... 9 sor Chris Daly has described Elsbernd as the Mayor’s over $7,000 from lobbyists. These figures include Park Merced Update ................................. 10 “Field Marshall” on a body that is often at odds with blue chip members of the San Francisco political es- the Mayor. Elsbernd has a grasp of the legislative tablishment such as Marcia Smolens and Don Solem. Theatre with Annette Lust ........................ 10 Elbernd also raised close $5,000 from employees Police Blotter ................................................. 11 process and a political mind that grasps nuances quickly. While Elsbernd articulates the interests of working for the City’s heavily regulated garbage com- Notes of an Alte Kocker Lothari ...........11 the Newsom administration he also collaborates with panies, Sunset Scavenger and Golden Gate Disposal. End Jokes ....................................................... 12 Board President Aaron Peskin --whose feud with Elsbernd raised over $40,000 from contributors Cont. p. 9 THE ChAMBERS SETTLEMeNt: BETRAYAl of THE lAgUNA HONDA letters to the editor HOSPITAl RESIDeNTS AND sAN FRANCISCo’s VOTERS Wee Wee oN West PortAl Thank you and Mr Waight for bringing up the problem that West Portal gets short visits when people have no place to go. About 5 years ago I wrote a similar request to the Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association, fol- lowed up by a more recent reminder.