Well, we talk the talk about LIvability in San Francisco, but politics trumps all in this town ...

There are lots of things that need to be improved in Rincon Hill, and I encourage you to stay engaged. For instance, the talk about emergency vehicles and hospitals made me think about how congested the streets around Rincon Hill (especially 1st Street) become during rush hour. How about pedestrian safety and streetscape improvements to calm traffic? That's stuff that I'm interested in, and why I helped form the Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association. I hope you'll join the Association at some point to unite to help improve the quality of life in RIncon Hill for residents.

Salud!


The week of May 11th, you may want to send a an e-mail to the Planning Commissioners. Their email addresses are listed on the Planning Department web site. However, you can be certain that the most effective means to communicate your opinions is to SHOW UP on May 14th at 1:30pm for the Planning Commission meeting.

The Agenda is posted for this Thursday's Planning Commission meeting. Arrive early to make sure that you get a seat in the Commission Chambers, Room 400 (as opposed to an overflow seat downstairs in one of the Light Courts).

I've compiled several photos that show the view corridors and varying heights of buildings, especially in the middle of the blocks. They're available online for you to use, if you wish. They may be useful for your 2 minutes of public comment. I highly recommend you practice your public comment (I know that I certainly need to do so).

Link to Rincon Hill Plan - A focus on Section 3 Objectives and Policies (especially Rincon Hill Plan Objectives 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 4.1, 4.4, and 4.6, and Rincon Hill Plan Policies 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.7, 3.9, and 4.8) might help you form your ideas for why we opposed the original design. I've somehow overlooked Policy 3.9 until now - it says "Minimize shadows on streets, open spaces and residential units, and the creation of surface winds near the base of buildings."


There were many good points and ideas presented at the April 9, 2009 Planning Commission meeting - watch it online by clicking this link and then Agenda Item 12A (works best on Windows operating system computers).

The PG&E Building on Fremont at Folsom has a striking resemblence to the 430 Main design's northern side, don't you think?

LIVABILITY in Rincon Hill survives another day thanks to those of you who showed up at the April 9, 2009 Planning Commission Hearing. Thank you! - jamie whitaker, unit 229 at BayCrest Towers

When neighbors unite and stand up for what's right, we will be heard in City Hall. Rincon Hill's long term LIVABILITY is intact because BayCrest Towers Residents took time off of work and away from their regular activities to unite and stand up for what's right. We Need To Stay United and Stay Involved! Join the mailing list

The design for 430 Main / 429 Beale has been continued until May 14th in order to give the developer a chance to hit the reset button, so-to-speak, and to ENGAGE the Rincon Hill community for earnest input and to find a better design for the proposed building that mitigates the significant negative impact on the open spaces of BayCrest Towers to the north of the site. This is what was desired by the Rincon Hill community - the Planning Commission put the brakes on the current design and asked the developer to work with the community.

The video of the 4/9/2009 Planning Commission meeting now posted online, and I invite you to watch the meeting starting about 2 hours and 20 minutes deep or just click on agenda item 12A.

If you signed my online petition, I want to thank you very much. I turned it in to the Planning Commission with all 260 signatures when I gave my public comments.

It is a shame that this project pitted working people against working people at the Planning Commission meeting, but that's what happened. Rincon Hill is full of construction projects today - many construction trades jobs will be created at the Transbay Temporary Terminal, the Transbay Transit Center, Block 8 and Block 11A of the Transbay Redevelopment Project Area, and 333 Harrison Street ... and some day, after the developer and Rincon Hill neighbors find a more agreeable design, jobs will be created at 430 Main/429 Beale.

Living in one big construction zone in Rincon Hill and right under the Bay Bridge, I believe BayCrest Towers residents ... about 500 people or so ... deserve to be CONSIDERED and their only open space in the neighborhood, the middle and end courtyards, maintained with access to sunlight and air as much as possible.

See you at the May 14th Planning Commission meeting

Stay tuned to this web site and the Rincon Hill Neighborhood Association web site to stay updated on what's going on in our neighborhood.