Newsflash

By Bruce Wolfe, HANC Vice-President

CleanPower SF (CPSF)) finally made it over the hurdle with Mayor Ed Lee's blessing and the SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) approving the not-to-exceed (NTE) electric rates. 

The Commission’s approval action establishes that CPSF rates will not exceed the standard power rates of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) which – until CPSF launches early next year – is the monopoly provider of energy to San Francisco customers. 

Recently, many San Franciscans, including Haight Ashbury voters, received an automated push-poll asking questions about the performance of President Obama, Mayor Ed Lee, Board of Supervisors and SFPUC. Usually, this would seem ordinary but on this occasion quite odd to many residents who reported the focus was specifically on utilities, rates and clean energy.

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Planning staff of the SFMTA announced last week that three lines serving the Haight-Ashbury will have their names changed later this month.  One will actually have its number changed, the other two will keep their numbers, but change their names.

The 71 will now be re-numbered the “7” the number used by the old “ 7 Haight,” discontinued in 2009.  The old line started  at Haight and Waller  and ran to the Transbay terminal. The old 7 followed part of the line originally started in 1916 with the “17 Haight” which ran all the way to Ocean Beach. The new “7  Haight-Noriega “ will follow that historic route of running from downtown  to Ocean Beach, using the entire length of Haight Street to do so.

The two additional changes will be of line names, not numbers:  The 6 will now be called the “Haight/Parnassus” and the 33 will now be called the “Ashbury/ 18th.” 

Two years ago, HANC led the fight to keep the 6 serving the Upper Haight (that is the “real” upper Haight above Waller Street and not the real estate speculator term now in use for the Haight-Ashbury).  In that fight HANC members urged that the line name be changed to advertise the fact that it served the Haight-Ashbury.  Score one for HANC 

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.

By Calvin Welch, HANC Board and Kezar Stadium Citizen  Advisory Committee

Kezar Stadium will open its new track on March 13th (ribbon-cutting at 3 pm).  The 18 month rebuild came at the instigation of the Kezar Stadium Citizen Advisory Committee.  The 11 person KSCAC has overseen the use and condition of the stadium since 1991.  Made up of user groups and neighbors  (with HANC being a founding and continuing member) the KSCAC has had to resist various attempts on the part of Recreation and Parks Department from time to time to “professionalize” the uses of the stadium.  The Committee drafted and had the Rec and Parks Commission adopt an “Operation and Permit Policy”  in August, 1991 (Resolution 16191)  that sets “informal community access “ as the “primary use of the new Kezar stadium”  with “public and private schools” being the “primary user group at Kezar stadium”.  To make the facility less attractive to commercial events and professional sports teams the stadium policy states “consumption or possession of alcohol will not be permitted on the premises at any time”.

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Construction will start in late April on pavement renovations, sewer replacement and water main installation. Work will include new electrical systems as well, and replacement of curb, gutter, sidewalk and curb ramps. Finally, the project includes road base demolition and replacement of the asphalt street. More info: Alex Murillo, DPW, (415) 437-7009.

PUBLIC HEARING ON DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT FOR WESTSIDE RECYCLED WATER PROJECT (amongst other things, it affects the Panhandle).   Meeting date: April 23, 2015, City Hall, Room 100. More info: Scott MacPherson/SFPUC, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GOLDEN GATE PARK, WALLER STREET PHASE 2 SKATEBOARD PARK, COMMUNITY MEETINGS were held on March 5 and March 31. The project of the SF Skateboard Association is being considered for a Community Opportunity Fund grant to create a more permanent and enhanced "skateboard plaza". More info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Jan 27, 2015 — The Mayor, Supervisor Weiner and Rec & Park and DPW have definitely responded to our concerns about Buena Vista Park sent out exactly a year ago in a Change.org petition. The Mayor provided $100k in his budget to prune the most hazardous trees (work begins this fall), Sup. Weiner obtained funds for a chipper to help with mulching/erosion (on order), and RPD & DPW have really improved garbage pick-up in the park as well as initiating a pilot erosion-control landscape improvement on the west side.

We now have a chance to develop the first-ever Capital Plan (i.e. physical structures, irrigation, paths, forest) for the park beginning on February 10th at the Randall Museum, 6-8 PM. The plan is essential to understanding what funds are really needed for more 'permanent' fixes to erosion, deteriorating paths, lack of sufficient irrigation, and a declining forest canopy. The process (3 meetings in total) will identify approx 3 small (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)