VOLUME 24 • NUMBER 4 May 2011 Quentin Kopp The Wild, Wild West of Density Development By George Wooding Garbage Rates Raise he newly-approved third revi- Questions sion of the 2009 Housing Element — p. 3 T is about to turn the Westside of San Francisco into the wild west of density development. After a lengthy collaboration between neighborhood groups, the Planning Depart- ment and interested community groups, the Hank Basayne June 2010 draft of the 2009 Housing Element We bid goodbye to our was issued and deemed acceptable by neigh- borhood representatives. An Environmental long-time columnist Impact Review (EIR) on the 2009 Housing – p. 3 element was completed and the public com- ment period was closed on August 31, 2010. In February, 2011, the Planning Depart- ment issued its third revision of the 2009 Hous- Leland Yee ing Element and this revision was approved at the March 24, 2011 hearing of the Planning Commission. The housing units as possible in existing RH-1 and RH-2 neighbor- Not just another hat in altered third version of the Housing Element was very different hoods. The Planning Department has no idea how many new the Mayoral ring—p. 3 from what neighborhood representatives had been shown and housing units will be built, what will be built, or where the units agreed upon in the June second revision of the 2009 Housing will be concentrated. The only restriction is that the height Element. Many sections of the approved 2009 Housing element and bulk of housing will supposedly conform to the character had been changed and are now unfavorable to San Francisco’s of the neighborhoods that they are destroying. The Planning residential housing, one-family (RH-1) and residential hous- Department has lost its way. ing, two-family (RH-2) neighborhoods. The new density zoning will open the floodgates to bad Matt Chamberlain, the chair of the West of Twin Peaks and irresponsible planning throughout the RH-1 and RH-2 Will Durst Central Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee, who neighborhoods. Our tranquil RH-1 and RH-2 neighborhoods, worked as a neighborhood representative on the 2009 Hous- which we love, will be converted into “density units” that will Birthers Take a Bath ing Element states, “I was disappointed when I read the third become profit centers for developers, the City of San Francisco, — p. 4 draft of the 2009 Housing Element (HE). So much had been and the Planning Department. changed between that and the previous version that the HE Take a good look at your street and remember what it looks Citizen Advisory Board (CAB) had worked on. Worst of all, like. Ten years from now, many of your neighbors will have sec- these changes came after the EIR was completed for the Hous- ondary units/in-law units, and some houses will be torn down ing Element. The Planning Department did good work mak- and rebuilt into multi-unit buildings. Yes, the Planning Depart- Steve Lawrence ing sure that the early drafts of the HE reflected the needs of ment will still be charging permit fees and solving the many a wide range of residents. Then something changed, and they neighborhood disputes that are about to occur. Something Stinks in the adopted their third draft… that so clearly favors developers The planning contradiction: Why has the Planning PUC’s Sewer Plan and real-estate moguls over the people who actually live in San Department invested years of time and study of planned Francisco.” developments such as Parkmerced, Balboa Park, or Treasure —p. 4 The Planning Department has been disingenuous with Island — but spent zero time considering its huge changes to the neighborhoods. The February version of the 2009 Hous- the RH-1 and RH-2 neighborhoods? Large-project developers ing Element disassembled the neighborhood’s RH-1 and RH-2 work closely with the City to determine transit needs, schools, current zoning and attempts to apply “density zoning” to our water availability, parking impacts, payments, the need of a Patrick neighborhoods. Density zoning is designed to create as many Cont. p. 8 Monet-Shaw Laguna Honda Follow The Supes’ Money Gets Worse By Larry Bush —p. 5 ll right, we’ll admit upfront that it’s not a lot of money. But it is your money, and each Supervisor gets to spend it without anyone asking questions – or even A looking at the books. What is it? It is the office account that each Supervisor can spend as he or she wishes – fresh West of Twin flowers every day, paper hats for the staff to wear on constituent days, mani-pedi in the office Peaks Central Wednesdays, whatever. So we asked for the records and we’re ready to tell you what we learned. Council Which supervisor was the most fru- would benefit himself. Times), Sean Elsbernd (Harvard Business gal? Who ran through almost every dollar “Full Speed Ahead Award” goes Review) and David Campos (New York —p. 9 in a matter of months? Which ones pay to to those supervisors who use their office Times). subscribe to the San Francisco Chronicle, account to pay for Allen’s Press Clippings, “There’s More to Our World and which ones don’t (the answer may which can provide a reservoir of news Award” goes to those supervisors who surprise you)? stories and headlines that just might be used their office account to subscribe INSIDE First, not all supervisors are equal. useful in a future campaign. Why would to community papers and translation Letters to the Editor . .4 . Everyone starts out with $5,000 in mad we even suggest such a thing? Well, for services. John Avalos bought the Span- Ranked Choice . .4 . money, unless they happen to be coming starters, just three supervisors spent office ish translation for Internet Effective- to the end of their term, in which case account money for the news clipping ser- ness. David Chiu subscribes to Sing Laguna Honda Update . 5. they get $2,500, or are taking office in vice. They were David Chiu, Bevan Dufty, Tao. Sophie Maxell subscribed to the Business Corner . .7 . mid-year, in which they get $2,500. and Ross Mirkarimi. All three will be on Sun Reporter. And that’s it. No one else. Around the Town . .11 . The Board President gets more – the November ballot seeking another Except maybe you could count Sean Els- Calendar . 12 fifty percent more – for a total of $7,500 office. Duh. bernd’s subscription to the San Francisco (this budget, Chiu had a total of $10,000 “Support Your Local Newspaper Business Times. Sharon the Health. 13 because he was Board President in two Award” goes to just three supervisors: “Doing My Job Award” goes to the Jack Kaye . 14. overlapping terms) Sophie Maxwell, Ross Mirkarimi, David supervisors who spent office money in an Kocivar on Education. 14 That’s the base line facts. Now to the Campos and John Avalos. Three out of effort to be more involved in the people’s At the Movies. 16 spin. 15 (includes outgoing and incoming work. Eric Mar, for example, paid his “Squeezed Every Nickel Award” supes). No wonder the Chronicle is in registration fee for the National Associa- On Stage/Theater . .16 . goes to…ta da…Chris Daly. Bet you trouble. It can’t even get city supervisors tion of Counties. David Campos paid to Remember When . .17 . didn’t see that coming. Daly was the most to subscribe. Not even the ones the paper attend the Immigrant Rights Conference. Phyllis’ Findings . 17. frugal of all the supervisors with his pub- endorses. John Avalos outdid everyone with spend- lic dollars, spending just $307.64 and “ ing for neighborhood and community Open Late . 17. What’s Black and White and leaving $2,192.36 on the table to go back Read All Over Award” goes to those events in his district, from Community Suduku/Brain Füd . 17 to the city budget. supervisors who subscribe to the out-of- Initiatives meetings, to OMI and Excel- Garden Transformed . .18 . “Day Late and Dollar Short town press (and, by coincidence, only one sior meetings, to district meetings. Real Travel. 18 Award” goes to…Mark Farrell. After just subscribes to local media). They would “The Envelope, Please Award” goes 100 days, Supervisor Farrell has spent just be Bevan Dufty (New York Times), Mark to all of them, but we’ll point out that From the Border . 18. about every dollar he had — all but $6.69 Farrell (The Economist and Bloomberg some supervisors only spent on things of his $2,500 budget. And this is the guy Business – btw, Mark, aren’t those must like envelopes, toner cartridges and the WWW.WESTSIDEOBSERVER.COM MEMBER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION who wants to rewrite city tax law on stock reading for your job as an investment like and didn’t subscribe to any papers, options, which the Examiner pointed out adviser?, Ross Mirkarimi (New York Cont. p. 7 !'(.) (& ')%')&)"- "+) )'%'&'+!*()+""(+"& *+')* !"$,(($"**+ '++'&&22$'+*2!"+',*1$#)#+ $,*'&,* "+'&/)*,*)"(+"'&+'++)'%*&)&* 0"& !'(/ ')"-/',) "+)&'&,* "+()*&+)"(+*+.& ++!%(+"'&'+"'&"& !+)"& */',+'/ ...*+'&*+'.& $$)"'% "&()+&)*!"(."+! *Redeem receipts on May 6 & 7 as indicated above. Purchases must be made at this shopping center on May 6 & 7. Gift card & our bonus offer (a $6.13 value) are each available, while supplies last, with proof of purchases (bill payments excluded). Offers limited to one per person. See redemption location for details. GGSN9011-04 Stonestown.indd 1 4/21/11 3:52 PM May 2011 Westside Observer Page 3 th Henry Yee Makes It Official on May 7 tate Senator Leland Yee Sherman opened his “exploratory” S committee for his cam- (“Hank”) paign for Mayor in November.