By Bruce Wolfe, HANC Vice President
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA): CleanPower SF (our program) has been moving along nicely. Recent stakeholder meeting revealed that the program is on time. The Rate Fairness Board has approved the not-to-exceed rates which are the same as the two other CCAs, Marin and Sonoma, which already beat PG&E rates. On April 28, a rally promoted by SF Clean Energy Advocates (HANC is a founding member) and Sierra Club was held at City Hall before the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) where the rates and implementation plan will be discussed and potentially be approved. More info at http://goo.gl/g0EBfa
Public Realm-Haight: HANC has been closely participating and monitoring this multi-department project managed by SF Planning Dept and funded by MTA Transit Effectiveness Program (TEP) funds. HAMA President Christin Evans and HANC VP Bruce Wolfe have been bringing up the rear with some added accoutrements including pedestrian level sidewalk lighting, curbside electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and community WiFi. More info at http://goo.gl/EMjVZ4
Fei Tian Academy of the Arts CA: We welcome the new owners of the old Ingold Boys & Girls Club, who will be cutting the ribbon late this summer in time for the fall semester. So far, the youth led mosaic murals on the facade will stay. No word yet on the status of the pool. HANC has asked that the pool remain open to the public as it was in the past.
Public Commons & Parking Removal:Parking is necessary for commerce, visitors, workers and commuters in our busy 'hood. The square block of Page/Shrader/Haight/Stanyan has been very active in 2014-2015. First, at Haight & Shrader, three car and five motorcycle parking spaces were removed for an all-day-everyday tour bus white zone. The motorcycle parking was moved to the first spot around the corner on Shrader which rarely gets used because there are another five across the street. Then, the second car space was converted into an all exclusive Getaround.com red zone that is exempt from nearly all parking laws including 24 hour parking limits and street cleaning. Another two spaces were removed from public use in front of Whole Foods. In April, Fei Tian School petitioned for 88 feet of passenger loading white zone in front of the building. HANC mediated Page St neighbors and Fei Tian to amicably agree on 44 feet (or four car spaces), morning and evening dropoff/pickup periods and inactive on weekends. All told, 11 parking spaces have been removed from public use and the commons. HANC is monitoring this very closely as Flywheel Coffee Roasters has petitioned for a two-space parklet next to the Getaround spots on Stanyan.
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By Rupert Clayton, HANC Board
The Upper Haight Farmers’ Market has returned for the 2015 season, operating on Wednesday afternoons from 3pm to 7pm on the closed portion of Waller Street at Stanyan. Based on an informal survey earlier in the year, the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association is aiming to attract more vendors offering fresh produce and baked goods, and to limit the number of stalls with prepared foods. The other big demand of market-goers – a move to a weekend schedule – isn’t happening yet, but the market staff is happy to hear your ideas at the PCFMA booth.
The Waller and Stanyan site is also the subject of a plan by the San Francisco Skateboarding Association to develop a permanent skate park for western San Francisco. The SFSA is applying for a grant under the City’s Community Opportunity Fund program. The plan would formalize the western half of the site as a dedicated skate park with many new features for skaters. It would also add a stage, seating, and skate board obstacles to the eastern part of the site, with the aim of serving multiple uses such as hosting music for the Off the Grid food-truck evening and allowing the skate park to expand whenever events are not scheduled. The SFSA scheduled a community meeting for April 28 to share its plans, and we hope to have a brief presentation at the June 11 HANC members’ meeting.