Monday, May 19, 2014
Supervisor Yee outlined his legislative efforts citywide, including Vision ZERO, a program designed to improve pedestrian safety through engineering, enforcement, and education. Apart from that, he has worked to expedite improvements to the intersection of Sloat and Sunset boulevards, where a pedestrian was killed and visibility is poor.
Sup. Yee also outlined his participatory budgeting program, a semi-democratic process in which district members directly decide how to spend $100,000 of the City’s FY 2014 discretionary funding for D7. More than 1,100 people voted in D7 for 20 different projects, including 550 who selected Golden Gate Heights Park improvements, which garnered the most votes citywide. At most, only 200 people voted in participatory budgeting in other supervisorial districts. The SHARP Board had encouraged SHARP members to participate and support the neighborhood’s park improvements.
Supervisor Yee asked for neighborhood input on two issues: affordable housing and the Kezar Drive bottleneck. Saying “I can’t tell the department what to do,” Yee urged citizens who want two lanes restored to Kezar Drive going inbound to write to mayoredwinlee@sfgov.org and Norman.Yee@sfgov.org. Supervisor Yee took questions from the audience. He laughed at a request to require bicycle license registration but said he would look into a request for a stop sign on 16th Avenue and the possibility of building affordable housing at a vacant site on 19th Avenue near Santiago.
On October 10, 2014, SHARP Vice-President Frank Noto received this message from Olivia Scanlon, aide to Supervisor Yee:
“Frank, I wanted to follow up with some of the outstanding questions you asked our office.
“1. Regarding affordable housing the Supervisor is working with the board and the Mayor’s office to brainstorm ways to create housing in the City.
“2. The site you inquire about on 19th avenue can you send me the exact address so I can find out what is planned for that lot.
“3. Regarding the Kezar drive being restored to two lanes if the n/hood ass. want to make the request please email it to me and I will have the MTA respond.
“4. There is no plans to require bicycle registration in San Francisco at this time
“5. I have asked the MTA to assess 16th & Lawton for a stop sign.
“If you need anything from our office you can always call or email me.
“Best regards and Go Giants.
“Olivia”
On October 14, 2014, SHARP sent Supervisor Yee the following two letters in response:
(1) Supervisor Yee,
The Sunset Heights Association of Responsible People (SHARP) board voted unanimously yesterday to send you this letter:
We request that you sponsor legislation or other appropriate action to eliminate the bottleneck on Kezar Drive travelling inbound. This connector road from Lincoln to Oak Street going East from our neighborhood toward downtown narrows to one lane and frequently creates a massive traffic jam. Thousands of people in the western neighborhoods including your constituents are impacted every day, leading to reduced safety as cars jostle to fit into one lane, increased pollution at the site, delays to transit and other traffic, and other economic impacts.
We request that you initiate legislation to add a second lane going east to reduce traffic congestion at this location. Failing that, we request that legislation or action by SFMTA be taken to re-open the portion of Waller Street to connect Kezar Drive with Stanyan Street. We welcome your thoughts on this action.
Please feel free to contact me at [phone number] if you have any questions.
Frank Noto
Acting President, SHARP
(2) Hi Olivia,
Thank you again for your response. We have posted it on our website.
Regarding item #2, on further research by SHARP board member Jack Barry, it turns out the city has already taken action: http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=26#2350– This website shows the site was rezoned to RH-2 and sold. Problem solved … sort of. Assuming of course that they proceed to build on it soon, though I am not sure if there is a requirement for creating any affordable housing on the site. We look forward to Supervisor Yee and the Mayor providing other suggestions for creating affordable housing.
Please thank Supervisor Yee and you also for asking MTA to assess the 16th & Lawton site for a stop sign.
Frank Noto
SHARP