On January 14, the Planning Commission voted unanimously (with all 7 Commissioners) to allow an unlimited number of new restaurants within the Noe Valley Community Benefit District pending case-by-case Conditional Use authorization. Video of the hearing here (19 minutes).
NIMBYs? Denied.
[NVSF: This Week (Today!) At The Planning Commission]
[SFGTV: January 14, 2010, Planning Commission Hearing, Video]
15 comments:
Huzzah!
With extra restaurants, Whole Foods monopolizing the parking, and SFMTA killing the MUNI lines, we locals will be able to stroll down to 24th sans reservation and have a nice dinner!
whole foods is NOT monopolizing the parking. get real.
love your sarcasm and upbeat outlook for 24th st...real nice...
I'm not sure how this will have an impact on our neighborhood. We currently have at least 3 empty restaurant spaces (previously Mi Lindo Yucatan, Bistro 24, and the short-lived Chinese restaurant on Church Street). Additionally there is the halted-construction on the Vietnamese restaurant on Church and 25th. If anyone has more insight, I'd appreciate it!
The change will allow for a vacant space on 24th street to apply for conditional use to become a restaurant or specialty food location. Right now the empty spaces on 24th street cannot be considered for any of those uses under any circumstances.
Church street does not have (nor have they ever had) the "no restaurant" restrictions that 24th street has. They have always had the free market at work.
I've been told that Bistro 24 is for sale by owner, the construction on the building on Church that once was a barber shop was halted because money ran out during the building construction, and the Mi Lindo restaurant location has been under construction by the property owner.
We've reported on the Bistro 24 and other listed spaces - check the archives.
A potentially important outcome of this decision is that current restaurant owners wanting to sell won't be able to charge a premium for the Conditional Use permit - thereby driving down the cost of opening a restaurant in the CBD.
Check out the video posted for more info on how the process has worked so far.
Is that Benjamin Franklin testifying? I know he did enjoy a good meal.
I just wish people would get off the Whole Foods bashing. I know several business owners in NV and they have all said that since WF opened their business has improved. Isn't that what we want for Noe Valley? And if you are living in NV why are you driving to the 24th Street business? It shouldn't matter if the parking lot is filled. I live right next to WF, I have a car and never have problems parking with a one block radius of 24th Street. Certainly I will admit that Saturday presents a bit more of a challenge to find a space and I have to be patient for 5 extra minutes if I want to stay within that 1 block radius, but that has always been the case even when Bell Market was in business.
Bring on some great restaurants. It will just make NV a destination spot to eat. People already come from other areas to enjoy Contigo and no doubt that brings a bit of business to others in the NV neighborhood.
I'm just sayin...
you said it very well kitchen bitch..
totally agree..
WF is a GREAT addition to Noe Valley!
"love your sarcasm and upbeat outlook for 24th st...real nice..."
There was sarcasm but you missed the point. I want the restaurants, this is excellent news, and will help 24th St greatly - as did the WF and Boulange.
Regarding parking, more restaurants will bring in more people from outside the neighborhood - as Whole Foods already has - and we should (as a neighborhood, and a city) manage our parking supply better and push the MTA to not cut our transit options in the neighborhood, which are quite frankly excellent, with the J/24/35/48.
"I just wish people would get off the Whole Foods bashing. I know several business owners in NV and they have all said that since WF opened their business has improved. Isn't that what we want for Noe Valley? And if you are living in NV why are you driving to the 24th Street business?"
I'm too cryptic. Apologies. I wasn't bashing Whole Foods (which I visit 3 times a week), I was bashing people who drive to it from inside Noe Valley. Special bashing for drivers blocking the sidewalk and those ignoring the no left turn out of the parking lot. The sidewalks are hazardous enough with me and my BoB stroller and dog!
Speaking of parking at the Whole Foods. The yellow zone spot in front of Whole Foods has been altered.
http://holierthanyou.blogspot.com/2010/01/mixed-message-on-bike-parking.html
The old picture has the meter head in place and the enforcement rules for the loading zone on the meter. The new picture shows they have beheaded the meter and removed the signage for enforcement rules. I'm guessing this spot has been made a 24 hour loading zone - park there are your own peril unless you know otherwise.
This is long overdue. It's absurd to leave all these storefronts lying around empty due to over-regulation. If this neighborhood can handle more restaurants, let 'em open more restaurants. Let the market decide.
Well, if the market place decides then why have such a thing as a "CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT?" Let everyone do whatever they want with their property and, yeah, abolish the sf Planning Department and all this crazy zoning stuff. We will save a bundle in City staffing costs and for this bloated bureau. Let it be everyone for themselves....Yea, that's the ticket
@anon7:17:..ah, you kinda have that all wrong. Letting the "markets decide" has NOTHING to do with zoning uses and conditions of a particular site or building. that's what a conditional use is all about.
Letting the market decide means that if a restaurant or store is to survive and make a profit, then they will be offering good food, service, etc, and the public will patronize that place of business..otherwise, the public will not support it, and it fails. pretty simple.
Don't forget the other huge reason it's so hard to start a business here...horrifically high rents. That is probably why Whole Foods was the only tenant that could manage the Bell Market space. Some landlords are holding on to "lofty" dreams for outrageous rents or price to sell their bldgs. Until they get it, apparently, they are willing to reduce the vibrancy of the very place that makes their property so valuable. Shouldn't there be some responsibility on their part along with the value they recieve?
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