June 2008

Reclaiming the Sky

By John Anderson

Earlier this year some Hill residents lost part of their view.  The utility wires strung across tall poles that’d been a part of the scenery for more than a century were removed from several northeast slope streets.  The wires were taken down; the crossbars with their insulators and other paraphernalia were unbolted and lowered to the ground.  Acrobats with chain saws lopped off sections of the poles starting near the top.   The remaining stubs were left standing for a few days before trucks carrying powerful cranes arrived to yank the wooden remains from their concrete casings.  Though it took Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) several months to dismantle the overhead infrastructure, the action was the culmination of almost two decades of planning and community advocacy.  

For many years 18th, 19th, and 20th streets had a high concentration of utility distribution lines, conveying electricity and telecommunications.   The tangle of wires seemed to increase over the years while the visual clutter of television antennas disappeared.  In the early 1970’s, after Interstate 280 was opened, it was discovered that freeway construction may have destabilized the ground under a row of houses on the east side of Pennsylvania between 18th and 22nd streets.  The state bought most of the structures thought to be at risk, removed some of them, made changes to the freeway retaining wall - thereby creating the “Hanging Gardens of Potrero Hill” - and sold the remaining structures at bargain prices.  In the process utility wires were placed underground, revealing to the community how our streets would look without wires and poles.

In 1992, residents on the north side of the 1200 block of 19th Street launched a campaign to remove wires and poles from the neighborhood.  Some advocates were motivated by possible health risks from high voltage wires; others liked the idea of removing a visual blight.  The Potrero Hill Homeowners for an Underground District (UGD Number 331) was formed, consisting of 11 members.   Three, John Paul Delgado, Robert Schwahn, and Gloria Van Winkle are now deceased; another two, Clifford and Kristine Jennings, moved out of the City.  Those that remain to see the fruits of their efforts include Lee Van Winkle, Blanche Thebom - who’s still active at 92 - Rollin and Aida Anderson, Ed Lortz, and this writer. 

The committee identified the area on which to focus based on neighborhood interest and City requirements.  A simple majority of property owners on a street opting-in qualified that block for inclusion in the District. In 1994 the UGD submitted its petition to underground the distribution system to the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW).  DPW approved the project in 1995, followed by San Francisco Board of Supervisor approval in 1997, although funds didn’t become available until five years later. 

Number 331 was the last UGD to be approved under the then agreement between the City and PG&E to jointly fund undergrounding projects.  In addition, largely through then Supervisor Susan Leal’s efforts, property owners weren’t assessed for the street lighting costs associated with the project, a roughly $2,000 per parcel expense.  PG&E also installed new high-pressure natural gas lines at many of the properties, and a considerable amount of sewer replacement and improvement work was done during the construction of the underground district.   Property owners had to pay only for the cost of connecting wires from their respective property to the new underground service, an average cost of $1,500.  

There’s now a lot more sky showing on Mississippi and Texas streets between 18th and 20th; on Missouri and Connecticut between 18th and 19th; and on 19th and 20th streets between Pennsylvania and Connecticut.  It tool a decade and a half, but the result is an improved aesthetic environment, reduced electromagnetic fields, more efficient power conveyance, more attractive and efficient street lights, and upgrades to the City’s fire and safety alarm system.  In the long-run removal of the wires and poles may encourage the planting of more street trees, creating a greener environment.

There was much rejoicing when electricity, television, and telephone service first came to the Hill in the late-1800s, even though these new-fangled miracles were accompanied by unsightly poles and wires.  But now we have a better way.  Perhaps over time all existing wires and poles in the community will disappear.  With rapid development in Dogpatch and Mission Bay Potrero will continue to change over the next decade; UGD Number 331 has already created a positive and lasting benefit.

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