Wade Wietgrefe, Planning Department RE: Appeal of Preliminary M
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DATE: April 25, 2013 TO: San Francisco Planning Commission FROM: Wade Wietgrefe, Planning Department RE: Appeal of Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration for Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project, Assessor’s Block 3586, Lot 001, Assessor’s Block 3599, Lot 001 Planning Department Case No. 2011.1355E HEARING DATE: May 2, 2013 An appeal has been received concerning a preliminary mitigated negative declaration for the following project: Case No. 2011.1355E – Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project: The project site is a 700,920-square-foot (16.1 acres) city park bounded by 18th Street to the north, Dolores Street to the east, 20th Street to the south, and Church Street to the west. The project site is within P (Public) Use District encompassing two parcels: Block 3599, Lot 001 and Block 3586, Lot 001. The proposed project would include rehabilitations and improvements throughout Mission Dolores Park including: relocating and/or refurbishing existing athletic courts; constructing a new multi-use court; removing an existing building and constructing three new buildings; removing and widening existing pathways; constructing new internal pathways; design changes at the edges and entry points of the Park; repaving the Muni tracks and minor Muni shelter stop alterations within the Park; and other Park-wide changes. This matter is calendared for public hearing on May 2, 2013. Enclosed are the appeal letter, the staff response, the amended mitigated negative declaration, and the draft motion. If you have any questions related to this project’s environmental evaluation, please contact me at (415) 575-9050 or [email protected]. Thank you Memo Appeal of Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration Executive Summary HEARING DATE: MAY 2, 2013 Date: April 25, 2013 Case No.: 2011.1355E Project Name: Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project Zoning: P (Public) Use District OS (Open Space) Height and Bulk District Block/Lot: 3586/001 & 3599/001 Project Sponsor: Jacob Gilchrist, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (415) 581-2561 Staff Contact: Wade Wietgrefe – (415) 575-9050 Wade [email protected] PROPOSED COMMISSION ACTION: Consider whether to uphold staff’s decision to prepare a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), or whether to overturn that decision and require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report due to specified potential significant environmental effects of the proposed project. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Mission Dolores Park (project site or the Park) is a 16.1-acre city park bounded by 18th Street to the north, Dolores Street to the east, 20th Street to the south, and Church Street to the west. The proposed project would make project site rehabilitations and improvements to the athletic courts, buildings, open space, edges and entrance points, internal circulation system, and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) system and other Park-wide changes. Athletic court changes would include reconfiguring existing athletic courts near their existing locations and constructing a new 7,200-square-foot multi-use court adjacent to the reconfigured athletic courts near the northwest corner of the Park. Building changes would include removing an existing 24-foot, six-inch-tall, 980-square-foot building and two 10-foot-tall, 220-square-foot portable storage containers located near the center of the Park and constructing three new buildings: a 12-foot-tall, 1,250-square-foot restroom located adjacent to the southeastern side of the existing playground; a 13-foot-tall, 1,270-square-foot restroom and 1,013-square-foot paved plaza located near the reconfigured athletic courts; and a 12-foot-tall, 3,365-square-foot operations building and 2,610- square-foot reinforced concrete platform with a crawl space built beneath the new location of the basketball court. The new operations building would be adjacent to a new 2,233-square-foot service yard and driveway from 18th Street. In addition, the proposed project would construct a new pissoir, located in the Park’s southwest quadrant. Open space changes would include reduction in approximately 0.8 acre of grass or turf from various aforementioned and below changes and providing new markings for two existing off-leash dog play areas. At various edges and entrance points to the Park, the proposed project would add new ADA accessible ramps, access paths to the internal circulation system, and design Appeal of PMND Executive Summary Case No. 2011.1355E May 2, 2013 Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project changes. Internal circulation changes would include removal and widening of existing and constructing new internal pathways, for a total net increase of 786 lineal feet. Changes to the Muni system would include repaving the Muni tracks within the Park, removing the chain link structure on the existing bridge over the tracks, placing planters over and adjacent to the abandoned Muni stop under the bridge and over the stairs leading to it, and relocating the Muni shelter for the Muni stop at 20th Street and Church Street 10 feet southwest of its current location. Other Park-wide rehabilitations and improvements would include vegetation removal and plantings, grading, upgrades to the drainage and irrigation system, and adding new signage, lighting, bicycle parking, benches, picnic tables, and trash receptacles. With project implementation, the project site would remain a city park and no change in hours of operation would occur. ISSUES: The Planning Department published a Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration (PMND) on March 13, 2013, and received an appeal letter from Claudia Praetel on April 2, 2013, appealing the determination to issue a MND. The appeal letter states that the PMND fails to adequately address the following issues: 1. The number of existing and proposed dog play areas at the Park 2. Loss of open space 3. Hazards 4. Aesthetics 5. Hydrology and Water Quality 6. Traffic and Noise 7. Parking Other comments, not appeals of the PMND, were received related to historic architectural resources. All of the issues raised in the Appeal Letter and other comments have been addressed in the attached materials, which include: 1. A draft Motion upholding the decision to issue a MND; 2. Exhibit A to draft Motion, Planning Department Response to the Appeal Letter; 3. Exhibit B - Appeal Letter; Comment Letter 4. Exhibit C – Memorandum for Operations Committee of the Recreation and Park Commission on January 5, 2005 and minutes from the full Recreation and Park Commission on January 20, 2005; and 5. Exhibit D - PMND and Initial Study as amended, with deletions shown in strikethrough and additions shown in underline. 2 Appeal of PMND Executive Summary Case No. 2011.1355E May 2, 2013 Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt the motion to uphold the Amended Mitigated Negative Declaration (AMND). No substantial evidence supporting a fair argument that a significant environmental effect may occur as a result of the project has been presented that would warrant preparation of an Environmental Impact Report. By upholding the AMND (as recommended), the Planning Commission would not prejudge or restrict its ability to consider whether the proposed project’s uses or design is consistent with the San Francisco General Plan. 3 Planning Commission Motion [XXXX] HEARING DATE: MAY 2, 2013 Hearing Date: May 2, 2013 Case No.: 2011.1355E Project Address: Mission Dolores Park Rehabilitation and Improvement Project Zoning: P (Public) Use District OS (Open Space) Height and Bulk District Block/Lot: 3586/001 & 3599/001 Project Sponsor: Jacob Gilchrist, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (415) 581-2561 Staff Contact: Wade Wietgrefe – (415) 575-9050 [email protected] ADOPTING FINDINGS RELATED TO THE APPEAL OF THE PRELIMINARY MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, FILE NUMBER 2011.1355E FOR THE PROPOSED REHABILITAITON AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (“PROJECT”) AT MISSION DOLORES PARK. MOVED, that the San Francisco Planning Commission (hereinafter “Commission”) hereby AFFIRMS the decision to issue a Mitigated Negative Declaration, based on the following findings: 1. On November 10, 2011, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), the State CEQA Guidelines, and Chapter 31 of the San Francisco Administrative Code, the Planning Department (“Department”) received an Environmental Evaluation Application form for the Project, in order that it might conduct an initial evaluation to determine whether the Project might have a significant impact on the environment. 2. On March 13, 2013, the Department determined that the Project, as proposed, could not have a significant effect on the environment. 3. On March 13, 2013, a notice of determination that a Mitigated Negative Declaration would be issued for the Project was duly published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City, and the Mitigated Negative Declaration posted in the Department offices, and distributed all in accordance with law. 4. On April 2, 2013, an appeal of the decision to issue a Mitigated Negative Declaration was timely filed by Claudia Praetel. 5. A staff memorandum, dated April 25, 2013, addresses and responds to all points raised by appellant in the appeal letter. That memorandum is attached as Exhibit A and staff’s findings as to those points are incorporated by reference