Parking
A parking space dedicated to handicapped individuals is now available in front of the Potrero Branch Library, with an additional public space for 20th Street shoppers, replacing the two Zipcar spots formerly located there. The change was sparked after Hill resident and former mayor Art Agnos conveyed to San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director Ed Reiskin that, up until now, there hasn’t been any designated handicapped parking within five blocks of the Library. According to Agnos, “Ed was terrific…he understood it immediately and promised to correct the absence of a suitable handicapped parking spot for library users and he did just that.” Zipcar now has two spots located two blocks east on 20th, behind Daniel Webster Elementary School’s playground.
Cannabis
Proposed changes to a Tennessee Street warehouse related to developing a cannabis nursery have been withdrawn. The sponsor appears to have walked away from the project, though indications are that other investors are circling around the concept… Activities housed at the Hall of Justice will be moving to 350 Rhode Island Street, as well as South-of-Market facilities. Conditions at the 59-year-old Hall have deteriorated over the years, with regular power outages, raw sewage leaks, frequent flooding, broken elevators, and asbestos exposure…Noise complaints poured in from Potrero Hill residents as music poured out of Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz at The Concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, a benefit presented by Salesforce.org in conjunction with the annual Dreamforce conference last month. “I should not be assaulted in my home with the doors and windows closed and the TV on as I was last night,” stated Rose Marie Ostler, in an email to government officials. “I heard every singer and the music last night. When the Rolling Stones appeared the first night’s noise was horrendous, many called, and lo and behold we heard nothing the second night. As I told Mr. Felder of the Giant’s it’s obvious speakers can be arranged so we hear nothing on Potrero Hill…I refuse to have the peace and quiet in my home disturbed.”
Carolina Street
As reported in the View’s September issue, the San Francisco Planning Commission approved a proposal to renovate and expand a single-family home located at 891 Carolina Street. The endorsement was rendered during a discretionary review hearing held last summer, with modifications involving the removal of two decks. The revised plans were submitted and approved last fall. The Commission’s decision was criticized by nearby residents, who view the project as out of scale with surrounding homes due to its height and footprint. Robin Bishop, who requested the DR, had advocated for elimination of the proposed fourth floor so the height would better match surrounding properties, which largely consist of two- and three-story houses. Kris Gardner, owner of 897 Carolina Street, believes that the Planning Commission’s decision sets a concerning precedent for future neighborhood development, and doesn’t adhere to the Residential Design Guidelines, which were created to preserve community character. Although the View article cited the proposed height as 34.6 feet, according to Planning staff the official height is approximately 37 feet, as measured from the top of the curb to the midpoint of the pitched roof. Gardner maintains that the height is 39.5 feet based on a previous Planning document. Height measurements vary depending on how they’re taken; the zoning code allows up to 40 feet.
Recycling
The Good Life Grocery is struggling to overturn a $12,000 fine that was imposed by Cal-Recycle because the store didn’t provide can and bottle redemption services, a state requirement that was lifted in June when a centralized recycling center opened nearby. Other close by outlets, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Safeway opted to pay similar fines instead of offering onsite redemption. Cal-Recycle send a Second Notice last month, warning that unless payment is received the issue will be sent to a collection agency…
