76 years!

the
Potrero Hill Library Upper Meeting Room 1616 20th Street at Connecticut Street

Serving the Community since 1926

Potrero Community Voice

Published Monthly by the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association

Meeting Information for March 26

Potrero Hill/Dogpatch Nightclub Zone Raises Concerns Among Neighbors

March 2002

6:30 PM Refreshments and Social 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Booster Business Meeting Final nominations for officers due 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM Changes in Supervisor Districts - John Trasvina & Gwenn Craig

One very important unit in City government that I overlooked in last's months article about Project SAFE was the organization headed by our own member and Dogpatch resident, City Attorney Dennis Herrera. Deputy City Attorney Rose-Ellen Heinz heads the code enforcement group, which deals with violations of things like building, health and safety codes. She can be reached at 415-554-3845 or email at [email protected]. Thank you Dennis and Rose-Ellen for working with the Hill! I am really impressed with the progress of our neighborhood planning process. Paul Lord from the Planning Department will be discussing the current plans at our April 23rd meeting. The City postponed the 3rd Community Plan workshop until Saturday May 4th. At the last meeting, an interesting proposal was circulated that would change Production Distribution and Repair (PDR) into sub categories. If adopted, the least residentially impacting PDRs, such as showrooms and furniture repair might be designated PDR-A and could co-exist with housing. More impacting PDR, such as a concrete plant or paint manufacturing would have a different category and be located away from existing or potential housing areas. Come to the meetings to learn more. We need to work with the Planning Department so they can complete the work! Home Depot delayed their presentation from March until later in the year. The change in their tactics is due to them not wanting to talk about their proposal until the City completes the EIR process. A critical issue rapidly approaching Potrero Hill is the possible re-districting. If you will remember Potrero Hill voted over 80% for District 10 Supervisor Maxwell in the last election. She has been a very strong supporter of the Boosters concerns over the past two years. I believe we are best served remaining part of District 10. We have many common problems such as the power plant, pollution, traffic and large-scale development projects. Also Potrero Hill provides ethnic, educational and economic diversity to District 10. Additionally, we are going to be connected by the new Third Street Light rail and we work together with the Police on common problems at the ROSES meeting every month. So it is my belief we need to remain part of District 10. Please come to the March meeting and learn more about the re-districting proposals. In closing, special thanks to:Live Oak School for allowing the use their new Auditorium on March 21st for the A. F. Evans Projects Review, and to Senator John Burton for supporting our concerns about the extreme height (185") proposed for the UCSF Mission Bay housing. John deCastro, President
Boosters 76th Annual Installation and Awards Banquet Tuesday, May 28, 6:30 PM, Verdi Club, 2424 Mariposa St. $30 in advance, $40 at the door for full dinner and wine (Dinner choices: Ham, Roast Chicken or Vegetarian Lasagna) Join the Committee to make this a great party. Call John at 8650669 or Dick at 861-0345. Mark your calendar now for this always fun event!

Presidents Message

Plans by an East Bay businessman to open a large afterhours nightclub on Third Street between 18th and 20th has raised concerns among local neighbors and businesses in fear of the negative impacts it would bring. Peter Glikshtern plans to open a nightclub in the historic 15,000 square Levin & Sons warehouse at 2225 Third. The venue could accommodate up to 1,300 patrons, and operate from 9:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Glikshtern has already established smaller after-hours clubs in the Mission District, the Tenderloin, and on 6th St. near Market, areas known for public drug and alcohol abuse where the local citizens welcome any legitimate activity. He is lobbying support from neighbors and City officials. Glikshtern told neighbors his new venue could help replace the loss of Club Townsend, a larger 2500-person-capacity after-hours club near PacBell Park that must close in July. Glikshtern presented his plans at the February Dogpatch Neighborhood Association meeting. The club would open in phases, starting with 700 people and eventually growing to 1,300 people. He admitted that the club would cause impacts in the neighborhood, but he said he would provide adequate security and adjacent parking. He said club staff would clean the neighborhood of flyers and trash, and he offered to set aside a substantial sum from club profits for community projects. Most Dogpatch and Potrero Hill neighbors were not convinced that the club would benefit the neighborhood because they have already experienced negative impacts from after-hours events at Kelly's Mission Rock, Cafe Cocomo, Sno-drift, The Ramp, and Jellys. Since news of the proposed club surfaced, letters have poured into police and City officials urging against the project permit.

The Biggest Problem With the Club Is One of Planning

After spending the last four years working to get the under-utilized Third Street area zoned for residential and neighborhood-serving commercial, I find this ridiculous. said Susan Eslick, president of the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association. We know this proposed project could ruin plans to create a vibrant residential community along the Third Street corridor. There are additional concerns about operating hours, illdefined capacity, noise from loud patrons walking and driving through the neighborhood, parking, trash and flyer problems, drug use, security, and conflicts with new MUNI developments on Third, 19th, and Illinois Streets. Glikshtern said he has dealt with these types of issues at other venues. But many neighbors felt his answers to their concerns were vague, and not relevant to projects he has managed in more troubled sections of the Tenderloin, Mission, and Sixth Street. Opening a mega-club in the heart of Dogpatch is much different than opening a small place in a crime-ridden neighborhood, said Eslick.. Neighbors have stressed that they are not against nightlife. The Dogpatch Neighborhood Association supported Sno-Drift and Cocomos, but these clubs are in areas that will remain predominately commercial. Neighbors have been working with city planners, property owners, and developers for more than three years to plan housing and neighborhood-serving commercial in this area. If the large after-hours club is permitted, neighbors fear that development of housing and community serving businesses wont happen. (Continued on back page.)

Potrero Community Voice

March 2002

City Planning March 2002

Building PERMIT APPLICATION #200106272466: 879 Rhode Is/Southern Heights Sis. Proposed demolition of existing building and construct 4-story over garage 2 unit building w/4 car spaces. Front setback: 13'-4", rear yard: 25'-5"; ht: 40+ foot in RH-3, 40X district. Contact: Ben Fu, Planner, ph: 558-6613.

Community Resources
MAYOR Willie Brown ph: 554-6141 fax 554-6160 [email protected] City Hall 1 Goodlett Place Rm 200 SF Ca 94102 Web site: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT 10 (which includes Potrero Hill): Sophie Maxwell (e-mail: [email protected]) Phone: 554-7670, Fax: 554-7674 Gerald Green, Director 1660 Mission Street, 5th fir, SF, CA 94103 ph: 558-6411 fax 558-64O9 email: [email protected]

ZONING VARIANCE, Case # 2002.0070V: 695 ARKANSAS/22nd Sts. Front setback variance sought to construct a vertical addition DEPT of CITY PLANNING over existing non-conforming garage. The completed addition would measure 14'-5" x 10'-0" x 20'-0" high. A Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 at 9:30 am in Room 408 City Hall. Contact: Mat Snyder, Planner, ph: 575-6891. PRELIMINARY NEGATIVE DECLARATION Case #2000.1236E: West Coast Recycling Facility at Pier 97, Port of San Francisco. This project could not have a significant effect on the environment and an Environmental Impact Report is NOT required. Contact: Paul Maltzer, Planner, ph: S58-5977.

BAYVIEW POLICE STATION 201 Williams St, SF 94124 ph: 671-2300 fax 671-2345 Capt. Michael Puccinelli ph: 671-2300 fax: 671-2345 SFPD Web site: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/police

Potrero Boosters Executive Board

President First Vice President Second Vice President Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary Treasurer Sergeant at Arms Auditors John deCastro Joe Boss Paul Minton Dick Millet Tony Kelly Denis Moore Ellen Kernaghan Jean Neblett Sarah Ames 865-0669 647-1727 648-6700 861-0345 401-9309 824-0922 824-5065 550-2613 552-4636

Nightclub Zone (continued from first page)

Over 100 community members first participated in planning workshops starting in March 1999 and the Potrero Central Waterfront Committee's Community Land Use Recommendations Report was published in October 1999. That report recommended housing over neighborhood commercial at the proposed club site. City planners in the Better Neighborhoods 2002 Preferred Plan have recommended the same re-zoning. New housing and the light rail will help meet the City's needs. The project sponsor said he plans to begin construction of the club as soon as late March, so neighbors have stressed the importance of raising their concerns to City officials immediately. Letters regarding the impact of this ill placed and out of scale after-hours club should be directed to: , Captain Michael Puccinelli, Bayview Police Station 201 Williams Street SF, CA 94124 , Supervisor Sophie Maxwell SF City Hall, SF CA 94102 , Planning Director Gerald Green 1660 Mission St. SF, CA 94103

Web Site: potreroboosters.org Cort Dugan, Webmaster ([email protected]) Newsletter Editor: Ralph Wilson 824-8749 ([email protected])

Neighborhood Meetings & Events

Tuesday, March 26 from 4:30-6:30 pm - S.F. Community Power Cooperative Open House, 1307 Evans to celebrate the opening of their new office. Thursday, April 4, 7:00 PM R.O.S.E.S. at the SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1800 Oakdale St. (at Phelps)

The Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association is devoted to issues of particular importance to the Potrero Hill neighborhood. Our goals are to act as a forum for concerned Potrero residents and to participate actively in policy and development decisions that affect the quality of life here on the Hill. Meetings are the last Tuesday of the month (7:00 p.m. at the Potrero Branch Library upstairs meeting room) and are open to non-members. (We regret that the meeting room is not wheelchair accessible.) Dues: Individual $25, Household (couple) $30, Senior $20, Business $30. Mail check to Potrero Boosters, 1459 18th St., #133, San Francisco, CA 94107. Enclosed is $________ for __membership(s). Contributions $________ New __ Renewal __ Name(s)________________________________________ (Business)______________________________________ Address _________________________________________________ e-mail _________________________________________ Home phone ____________________ Business phone ____________________Prefer e-mail newsletter (Y/N)? ____ Interests/Concerns/Comments____________________________________________________________________________

The Potrero Community Voice Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association 1459 18th St. PMB 133 San Francisco, CA 94107

Please check the expiration date on your mailing label Your dues are due by that date!

First Class