The next members and neighbors meeting of HANC (June 12 beginning at 7 pm, at the Park Branch Library, 1833 Page Street) will feature representatives of the Haight Ashbury Merchants Association (HAMA), including their president, Christin Evans of the Booksmith. The meeting will cover some of the issues that HAMA has been working on including:
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- Sidewalk cleanliness -- Update on Supervisor Breed's plan for doggie bag dispensers. Also, possible fundraiser for regular steam-cleaning service.
- Formula retail definitions -- hearing will have just taken place on 6/5 expanding the definition to include subsidiaries.
- Street Festival proposed for 9/7/14 which would be more like a Sunday streets style event -- street closure, music, kid activities (no booths).
- Haight Ashbury Public Realm plan -- sidewalk amenities being discussed.
Also to be discussed is a proposal by two neighborhood organizations for a mandatory residential permit parking area for a portion of our neighborhood. Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) and the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) are proposing to create a new permit parking area for some 66 blocks bounded by Golden Gate, Webster , Page and Masonic. The Haight-Ashbury portion of the proposal would be that 18 block area bounded by Fulton, Baker, Page and Masonic. Indeed, the Masonic portion would include both sides of Masonic from Fulton to Page adding another six blocks to the area affected.
Proposed New Permit Parking Area
The proposal, far advanced by the time any group in the Haight-Ashbury was notified, would add the $110 annual permit requirement to park anywhere in the subject area beyond the proposed time limits. There are currently two versions of the plan under discussion. One would impose a two hour parking limit throughout the area while the second would allow three hour limits along the boundaries of both the Panhandle and Alamo Square park and the side streets serving the Divisadero shopping districts , but not Haight Street.
HANC has long opposed permit parking in the area for the simple reason that it is expensive and reduces street parking opportunities for residents who, in a neighborhood that has few garages, are mainly dependent on street parking. Finally, we have opposed permit parking because it simply does not work as is evidenced by the failure of the three existing permit areas (J,BB and P) to address the issue by "increasing" resident parking opportunities. Come and express your opinion on the matter so that we may be able to "opt out" of the larger proposal.
Please join us on June 12 for what should be an informative meeting and voice your opinion on these and other issues in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood.
Our May meeting included presentations by Dera-Jill Pozner, North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) Board Member and prime mover of an extensive improvement plan for the Panhandle, and Isabel Wade, Friends of Buena Vista Park, who has initiated an effort to focus attention on problems in Buena Vista Park.
Both addressed the specific needs of each Recreation and Parks facility in the neighborhood and expressed their support for the HANC request that in the fiscal year 2014-15, $1.1 million be added to the Recreation & Parks Department budget: $625,000 for the reconstruction/paving of the southern pedestrian pathway from Stanyan to Baker Streets in the Panhandle, and $500,000 for tree replacement and recovery in Buena Vista Park. In addition, the three neighborhood groups requested that $2 million be included in the 2015-2016 Recreation & Parks Department budget for upgrading the irrigation system in the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park.
Discussion also centered on the need to developed alternatives to the failed policy of short term "sweeps" of parks to remove campers. Agreement was reached to pursue more creative solutions to the problem of camping by involving social service organizations who currently serve young people in the neighborhood.
Francisco's most internationally celebrated neighborhoods - This year we are celebrating our 37th Haight-Ashbury Street Fair on Sunday, June 8th from 11am - 5:30pm.