- Happy Birthday Firefly – here’s to 24 more years [@FireflySF]
- Noe Valley kids photo contest [NVMPA]
- Halloween on 24th St [katelaip]
- RIP SFist [via @nickconfessore]
- Noe Valley NIMBYs are the worst [@dfings]
- Noe Valley Spooktacular had a best dressed real housewife category (whaa?!) [@LaraKate]
- Why isn’t Noe Valley upzoned for more apartments like the Mission? [SF Examiner]
- Sheehy and Mandelman answer questions ahead of the D8 supervisor election debate [SF Bay Times]
9 comments:
Not every one of us long term, property owning or renting NV resident is a complete NIMBY but changes are more palatable with moderation. I think the YIMBY advocates would gain more favor for building density with NV residents if they aim for NV's most walkable streets & near transportation lines. I say walkable areas because using Uber/Lift during rush hours to get up and down the hills has already become a traffic problem. It would also help their cause to focus on developing new housing on empty lots and replacing rundown properties with your multi units. The other area that concerns us is infrastructure. Many of us would like to see YIMBY push equally as hard for improvements like (more frequency, 24/7 schedule?, security, etc.) to the 24, 35, and 48 buses and the infamous J Church to anticipate the increased ridership. Otherwise, it feels like you're only trying to shove Unplanned density down existing residents' throats.
"It would also help their cause to focus on developing new housing on empty lots and replacing rundown properties with your multi units"
Earlier this year I attended a community meeting at St Phillips over possible zoning changes to add more housing in Noe Valley. Empty lots, abandoned gas stations etc were suggested as sites of new housing. The smell of panic was in the air from a group of neighbors totally opposed. The fact is there are hardly any lots in Noe Valley that are empty and gas stations? None left. Adding density along transit lines though makes perfect sense.
What about that long section of Clipper street from Douglas to Diamond Heights Blvd.? The one side has zero structures. I realize it's a hill and appears rocky but couldn't that be developed? I wonder who owns that?
“Not every one of us long term, property owning or renting NV resident is a complete NIMBY but changes are more palatable with moderation.”
What real-life changes are you referring to that have *not* been in moderation?
“I say walkable areas because using Uber/Lift during rush hours to get up and down the hills has already become a traffic problem. “
Very interested to know where this traffic you’re referencing is. I admittedly do not spend much time behind the wheel, but the residential streets seem to move quite smoothly, except around school pick-up areas. In my experience, Lyft and Uber admittedly use ridiculous routes to pass through the neighborhood.
“It would also help their cause to focus on developing new housing on empty lots and replacing rundown properties with your multi units.”
That is exactly what we do. What do you think we are doing instead?
“The other area that concerns us is infrastructure. Many of us would like to see YIMBY push equally as hard for improvements like (more frequency, 24/7 schedule?, security, etc.) to the 24, 35, and 48 buses and the infamous J Church to anticipate the increased ridership.”
Much of the actual action we’ve taken locally has been focused on transit, in part because there is very little new housing proposed in Noe Valley due it its exclusionary zoning and reputation for NIMBYism.
1. We worked with the SFMTA to solve commuter shuttle congestion on 24th Street that was affecting the 48. I just saw a follow-up report today indicating that the changes have been very effective.
2. We work to protect or find suitable replacements for bike share stations that are threatened by NIMBYs.
3. We’ve had preliminary conversations with the SFMTA about the future of the 24.
4. We’ve started to bring attention to an M-Market subway concept that could greatly improve the frequency of the J Church as well as all of the other rail lines that run above ground. http://newmunimetro.com/m-market/
Note that we have not been at this for very long and work full time jobs. We welcome you to get involved so that we can do more.
I don't know who wrote the last reply of all the hopeful mass transit changes but I would support those. Why are we not hearing about these from the District 8 Supervisor candidates?! Honestly I don't think the average Noe Valley person has any idea of these ideas for the J, etc. . All we hear is the No and Yes camps bicker. Polar opposites. The no side is seen as against anything new and the yes is seen as tear it all out and make everything 6 stories tall. Neither perception is accurate. It might help the yes side's cause to consider sending such constructive information on change proposals in Noe Valley to this blog and the Noe Valley Voice. I know that is asking a lot and not really the most tech friendly method but if you really want to get more old school voters to vote for such changes you may need to.
We'll get there. :)
As for how to get involved, join here: http://www.progressnoe.com/join
Note that we just recently launched a public Facebook page where we are beginning to broadcast our ideas, perspectives, and accomplishments. We encourage this blog and the Noe Valley Voice to engage with them. https://www.facebook.com/ProgressNoeValley/
I looked at the M Market plans which are very interesting. The first rapid transit system proposed for SF was in the 1930's - a 4 track (locals on the outer tracks, express on the inner tracks) underground line out Market to McAllister and McAllister to Masonic. Elevated lines were also proposed. That obviously never came together. 40 years later BART was born and about 7 or 8 years after that Muni Metro came on line. Keeping in mind how difficult it is to get funding for transit, the amount of planning necessary, etc I think your cost estimate is way too low. And I'm sure I will be dead before even the first phase is completed. But it's a great idea and wish you the best of luck.
Thanks for that history. Just FYI, we did not do the cost estimate. Noe Valley YIMBYs are raising awareness of the concept but did not come up with it or create the website.
Transit projects are indeed long and slow. The best time to start was decades ago, but the second best time is now. I personally hope to have at least 30-50 more years in SF to witness the fruits of our labor firsthand.
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