PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO

NORTHEAST WATERFRONT ADVISORY GROUP

The Next NEWAG Meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 6, 2006
@ 5:00 p.m., Pier 1, Bayside Conference Room
Tentative Agenda for September 6, 2006:
1.Review Draft Minutes from June 7, 2006 Meeting
2.Piers 27-31 Mixed-Use Recreation Project
3.Ferry Terminal Area Plan Work Program
4.Reception to Celebrate Listing of Embarcadero National Register Historic District - October 4, 2006
5.New Business/Public Comment
6.Calendar of Public Meeting
7.Next Advisory Group Meeting - November 1, 2006

Minutes – June 7, 2006 Meeting

NEWAG Advisory Group Members in Attendance:
Toby Levine
Alec Bash
Stewart Morton
Cathy Merrill
Monica St. Geme
Audience in Attendance:
Vanessa Loftus
Christina Orth
James Suh
Fred Foote
Tom Hart
Todd Sklar
Dan Cohen
Walter Hood
Ann Chamberlain
Denny Riley
Bill Creighton
Mike Bailey
Paul Cox
Don Hill
Brian McWilliams / Port Staff in Attendance:
Kirk Bennett
Jennifer Sobol
Tina Olson
Philip Williamson
Dan Hodapp
Ann Carey
Audience in Attendance:
Keith Saggers
Ruhama Veltfort
Linda Lustiz
David Smith
Judith Montell
Stephanie Brown
Michael Wong
Faith Petris
Greta Gordon
Ralph Webb
Rosalie Webb
Ernestine Weiss
Carol Lastrucci

AGENDA – June 7, 2006 Meeting

  1. Review Draft Minutes from April 5, 2006 Meeting
  2. Events on Northern Waterfront - Summer & Fall 2006
  3. Embarcadero Transportation Corridor Task Force
  4. Parking Meter Study Report
  5. Exploratorium Project at Piers 15/17 - Status Report
  6. Piers 27-31 Mixed Use Recreation Project - Status Report
  7. Abraham Lincoln Brigade Artwork Project Presentation
  8. Calendar of Public Meetings and Hearings
  9. New Business/Public Comment
  10. Next Advisory Group Meeting

Minutes – June 7, 2006 Meeting

1. Review draft minutes from 4/5/06 Regular Meeting

Approved.

2. Events on Northern Waterfront – Summer & Fall 2006

Senior Property Manager Phil Williamsoninformed the group about events coming up this summer on Port property, including the opening of Pier 14 on June 16, 2006, the San Francisco Marathon, July 4th Fireworks and the Cable Car Chase. He mentioned the new ABC television show “View form the Bay” which will be filming at different locations along the waterfront.

3. Embarcadero Transportation Corridor Task Force

Dan Hodapp, Port Senior Planner, gave an update on the Embarcadero Transportation Corridor Task Force (aka Embarcadero Transportation Working Group). The group has no formal status; it is an unofficial working group. It meets once a month and is studying transportation issues on the Embarcadero, including parking and transit options. Subgroups are studyingFisherman’s Wharf signage and ways to improve pedestrian circulation; the F-Line trolley car service along the Embarcadero; long-term improvements; and parking (both on-street and off-street parking facilities in the vicinity) and how future development projects will impact them. The group will make public presentations and hold periodic forums for input from the public. The purpose of the group is to look for solutions to help the Embarcadero function efficiently now and in the future; it is not trying to solve City-wide traffic issues.

  1. Parking Meter Study

Ann Carey of the Port’s Finance division described the Port’s Parking Meter Study, which is installing sensors in 250 parking spaces along the Embarcadero with the goal of eventually increasing parking meter utilizations and revenue to the Port. The sensors gather information and transmit back to a data base which will give the Port information on occupancy, turnover, and timing so that the Port can better understand the demand for on-street parking. The Port also is researching pricing options for parking meters to better reflect demand. She will request the Port Commission at next week’s meeting to approve a demonstration project to install pay stations at selected locations along the waterfront, with multiple meters served by one pay station, from June to December 2006 and to adjust parking meter rates.

5. Exploratorium Project at Piers 15/17 - Status Report

Christina Orth, Chief of Staff of the Exploratorium, gave a brief status report on the Project at Piers 15/17. Dennis Bartels is the new Executive Director of the Exploratorium. She noted that the fiscal feasibility study had been prepared and filed at the Board of Supervisors but had not been calendared yet [Note: On July 25, 2006 the Board of Supervisors approved the fiscal feasibility of the Project and endorsed the term sheet]. This finding is necessary in order to allow a project to proceed with environmental review by the Planning Department. She noted that as part of the Community Outreach Program the Exploratorium would be holding workshops for the public and will host a website; they want a transparent process. She introduced the members of the project team and explained that the Exploratorium is working with Baydelta Maritime (tenant at Pier 15) to work out leasing issues. The team is in discussions with the State Lands Commission staff concerning the trust consistency of the project and has gotten positive feedback so far. After the application for environmental review is filed at the Planning Department there will be a 4-8 month wait to get a planner assigned, so the project is moving more slowly that she would like. She noted that there will not be anything to report for a few months, but they will come back when there is.

Chair Toby Levine asked for the members’ support for the Exploratorium project and they expressed their unanimous support.

6.Piers 27-31 Mixed Use Recreation Project - Status Report

Tom Hart, from Shorenstein Properties, gave a status report on the Piers 27-31 Mixed-Use Recreation Project. They are hiring engineers, architects and contractors and conducting due diligence at the piers. He introduced Todd Sklar, who is the full-time project executive, and Dan Cohen, who will give technical support on entitlements. The team is sifting through information, revisiting issues and gathering information. He emphasized that office space will be the economic engine for the project, and that both Shorenstein and Farallon plan to occupy the offices as their headquarters.

Todd Sklar spoke and explained that the project is eliminating the retail uses and increasing the office uses. The cost of substructure reconstruction below the deck will be very expensive, much greater than was estimated by Mills (the former developer) because there is more deterioration underneath than Mills realized. Shorenstein’s engineers determined that more extensive seismic upgrades are required. They will submit their Community Outreach Plan in July, per the requirements of the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement.

Stewart Morton asked whether the RFP requires 50% or more of the project to be devoted to active recreation. Kirk Bennett replied that no, no specific percentage was stated in the original RFP. The goal of the RFP was to provide active and passive recreation activities but the RFP does allow other uses, such as ceremonial berthing, ancillary retail and office.

Paul Nixon, audience member, from Bay Access and a human-powered boat expert, told the developer that rowers traveling north to south on the bay cannot get beyond Pier 27 during strong ebb tides. Tom Hart thanked him for this information and encouraged everyone to contact him so the developer can learn and understand these issues.

  1. Abraham Lincoln Brigade (ALB) Artwork Project Presentation

Dan Hodapp informed the group that the Port Commission passed a resolution to allow a sculpture on Port property behind the Villaincourt Fountain. The sculpture proposed by the ALB was then reviewed by the Waterfront Design Advisory Committee and recommended to go forward. A presentation of the proposed sculpture was made by various members of the ALB team, including the architect Walter Hood. They explained that the ALB was a group of about 3,000 American volunteers who went to Spain to fight against fascism in the 1930’s. They want a monument to commemorate their service, and the San Francisco Art Commission has approved. They also have support from the ILWU. The artwork will be gifted to the Art Commission, and there will be no cost to the Port. They plan to have a full mock-up by the end of summer and then request a permit from the Port. Several members from the audience spoke in favor of the artwork project and made the following comments of support (synopsis): long overdue, location is appropriate, should memorialize these men and women who were courageous; ALB were heroes, theirs was the first integrated unit to fight; they fought fascism without compensation; some were jailed when they returned; for peace and justice they deserve a memorial; monument is a tribute to our history; it will be valuable for young people to learn about the ALB; this monument would be great for the City; the waterfront is a window to the world; this project will educate visitors that Americans fought for freedom; very few people know about the ALB.

Dan noted the next steps: obtain Port Commission approval; draft a Memorandum of Understanding with the Art Commission; set up endowment for maintenance.

Toby Levinestated that the Port would be honored to have ALB on its property and she encouraged Port staff to highlight the monument as it progresses. Alec Bash said that the Port should be honored to have this monument on the waterfront. The members of NEWAG recommended approval of this monument to the Port Commission.

  1. Calendar of Public Meetings and Hearings

Next Port Commission meeting: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at either 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. (still TBD—check the Port’s website, Port Commission Hearing Room, FerryBuilding, 2nd Floor.

  • Informational Presentation by BART on Earthquake Safety Project at Ferry Plaza/Platform and by Port staff on Ferry Terminal Area Plan Work Program
  • Informational Presentation on status of James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Piers 30-32
  • Informational Presentation regarding the financial proposal for the Development Plan for the Piers 27-31 Mixed-Use Recreation Project
  • Request authorization to award the contract for Education and Public Participation Services at Heron’s HeadPark

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Rincon Park Restaurants, September 8, 2006, 11:00 a.m., at Rincon Park, on the Embarcadero at Folsom

Reception to Celebrate Embarcadero National Register Historic District Nomination, October 4, 2006, 5:00 p.m., Pier 1, Bayside Conference Room (NEWAG members will receive a separate invitation)

  1. New Business / Public Comment

Kirk Bennettinformed the group the good news that the Port’s Embarcadero National Register Historic District has been placed on the National Register and is now official.

10.Next Advisory Group Meeting

The next NEWAG meeting is scheduled forWednesday,September 6, 2006, 5:00 p.m., Pier 1 Bayside 1

The meeting was adjourned at 6:59 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Jennifer Sobol

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