May 14, 2010

Noe Valley Plaza: Petitions


Those in favor of a plaza at 24th and Noe have launched an online petition.

We're aware of a paper version for those against, but haven't seen anything online. If one exists, please send us the link.

[Sign the Petition: Noe Valley Says YES!]

11 comments:

cr said...

The text of the petition:

We, the undersigned, support the installation of a temporary plaza on Noe Street, as envisioned by the Noe Valley Association and the Mayor's Pavement to Parks program. We believe the community should have a chance to try out this innovative new public space and evaluate its merits on a trial basis.

We respect the concerns that some neighbors have raised about traffic circulation, noise, and other issues that may arise during the trial period. We also believe that these concerns can be alleviated. The promise of a new community hub in Noe Valley is so great that we can't afford to let the opportunity pass us by. We approach the trial with an open mind. If it works, great; if it doesn't work, we'll help end it. We'll never know unless we try. Noe Valley is a strong neighborhood, and San Francisco is a forward-thinking city; we can handle this together.

We urge Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Bevan Dufty to reaffirm their commitment to the plaza trial.

-----------------------

I think most Noe Valley residents can agree with that statement. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps they should consider putting it in the middle of the intersection, blocking 24th and Noe. That way it doesn't block anyone's house and truly is a neighborhood central square. This would limit the cars and make foot traffic safer. Just a thought.

rocky's dad said...

Please do not speak for me, CR. I do not agree with that statement, and I am a Noe Valley resident and homeowner of 24 years.

Using that logic of "nothing ventured, nothing gained"..then we should apply that same kind of thinking to other soltutions including:

A) Installing a traffic light at Noe and 24th.
B) Widening the sidewalks adjacent to Starbucks and Rabat, and putting in benches and trees, and keeping the street open.
C) Trying the temporary "parklet" idea in place of closing off the entire street width.

Saying Noe Valley is a "strong neighborhood" and that San Francisco is a "forward thinking city"..is just clever buzz-wording and pop culture babble. Has nothing to do with the plaza. I'd strike that from the text.

cr said...

Dear Rocky's Dad, I would never presume to speak for you; you've been quite clear about where you stand.

I said "most residents can agree" not "Rocky's Dad can agree." I also said "I think." (We'll find out, eh?) Not much for you to grumble about.

I disagree quite strongly with your assessment that the fact that Noe Valley is a "strong neighborhood" has nothing to do with the plaza trial. It has everything to do with it. We can't have a trial if we can't trust each other to be reasonable during the trial period and make good judgments about its success (or failure). Strong neighborhoods support carefully designed trials based on honest science and goodwill.

rocky's dad said...

Guess what? do us all a favor and please speak for yourself, but don't pretend to speak for others.

Another guess what? I don't trust the other side to be reasonable.

Deal with it.

cr said...

Last week you were pretending to speak for Bevan Dufty.

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/04/09/noe-valley-plaza-debate-its-the-traffic-stupid/#comment-319091

Anonymous said...

Zing!

Anyone else feel bad for Rocky?

-Another supporter of the trial

Anonymous said...

No, I don't. But I do feel bad for murph.

murphstahoe said...

I was feeling bad for myself after reading a few of the comments here.

Then I spent over an hour reading the comments from supporters who have signed the petition. Now, not feeling so bad...

Anonymous said...

I for one think the Worlds Fair metal archway is hideous.

Andy said...

I like this idea, if a temp placement works. This could cause huge traffic headaches that we are just not seeing without the study.
But, a better idea might be to demolish the old Real Food building and put a part there.