Now Valley Town Square Official Celebration (With Dignitaries)

Now that purchase of the parking lot from the Noe Valley Ministry for the Noe Valley Town Square has been funded by the City and locals celebrated with pizza and "adult beverages," a formal ceremony and photo op is in order. Here's the announcement from Todd David (with minor edits, including removal of 'all caps'):

You Helped Make the Town Square Happen ... Now Help Us Celebrate!

This Saturday, June 22, 10:30 am at the Noe Valley Farmers Market, we'll be celebrating the acquisition of the Noe Valley Town Square.

Please join your Noe Valley friends and neighbors, District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, President of the Board of Supervisors David Chiu, San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg, and former Supervisor Bevan Dufty to celebrate the $4.2 million purchase of the future home of the Noe Valley Town Square. Bill Freeman and Patx Azpiroz of Patxi’s Pizza will be on hand to present the company’s $24,000 donation to the Town Square!

The event will take place at the Noe Valley Farmers Market (on 24th Street between Vicksburg and Sanchez Streets) this Saturday, June 22nd at 10:30AM.

This Saturday’s celebratory event is a great time to fulfill your pledge! Feel free to email me at todd@noevalleytownsquare.com if you have forgotten how much you have pledged. Checks should be made payable to “The San Francisco Parks Alliance.”

If you have not pledged yet or would like to increase your pledge (we still need to raise at least $375,000 to build the Town Square), please do so online at http://noevalleytownsquare.com/pledge/ or make your donation at the Farmers Market this Saturday. We hope to see you there!

Crime Beat: Scott Wiener Holds Community Meeting In The Castro

Scott Wiener hosted a community meeting on Monday to "discuss recent crime trends in the area." Scott links to a SF Weekly summary, but this (barely edited) entry on Nextdoor by Mariva A. gives a lot more information.

January 28, 2013
Eureka Valley Recreation Center

SPEAKERS:

• District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener
• SFPD Captain Robert Moser (Mission Station precinct)
• SFPD Captain Gregory Corrales (Park Station precinct)
• The new SFPD captain from the Northern Station
• Bevan Dufty (former District 8 Supervisor & current director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement)
• an attorney from the D.A.'s office A representative from SF SAFE
• A representative from Castro Community on Patrol
• A Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, who was facilitating the meeting and representing the "Stop the Violence" community victim assistance program

IN ATTENDANCE:

• About 100-200 community residents
• A Bay Area Reporter journalist
• A news photographer
• At least one victim/survivor of a recent violent robbery and assault

RESOURCES:

• SFPD precincts
• SFPD non-emergency line: 415-553-0123
• District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener
• San Francisco SAFE
• Castro Community on Patrol
• Stop the Violence (The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence)

TOPICS:

QUALITY OF LIFE issues involving bars, late-night parties and noise, alcohol- and drug-related problems, unsanitary conditions involving bodily fluids, etc.: These are generally low priorities for the police, especially noise complaints, and especially around 2 to 3 AM, which is the busiest time for the police department. If you live near a bar, the bar manager is responsible for hiring competent security to clear patrons away from the premises immediately after the bar closes. If this does not happen, contact the bar management to request improved security methods during and after closing time. If the situation still does not improve, contact Supervisor Scott Wiener.

STREET HARASSMENT: There are ongoing complaints of harassment and disturbances in Harvey Milk and/or Jane Warner Plazas. The police can get involved if someone is threatening someone else or themselves or are unable to care for themselves. Bevan Dufty, in his new position at HOPE, sends HOTs (homeless outreach teams) to offer assistance and services to homeless or near-homeless people. Unfortunately, the HOTs are weary of going to Milk and Warner Plazas because the problematic people there continually refuse their services. Supervisor Wiener advises local residents not to confuse problematic people with homeless people: harassment often comes from people who do, in fact, live indoors but have mental health issues, whereas many homeless people are essentially invisible, keep a low profile, and never bother anyone at all.

BAR FIGHTS: There is a perception among local residents that street crime is increasing. According to SFPD Captain Robert Moser (Mission Station precinct), the past two months of data in his precinct indicate that most incidents involving violence are bar-related. Some of the attendees found the discrepancy -- (between the perception of increasing street crime and the actual reports of bar-related incidents) -- confusing. Maybe broader statistics are needed to understand the general trends.

VIOLENT ASSAULTS: There have been disturbing reports of violent crimes -- typically muggings that have turned violent -- including an abduction and a "pistol whipping" that resulted in hospitalization due to skull fractures. This occurred on Corbett at Ord, which is a short block north of Market Street in the Castro district. A very serious stabbing occurred at 14th & Noe at 6 PM on a weekday evening. Police are working with local residents to develop and distribute composite sketches to find the suspect(s). The victim/survivor of the pistol whipping was in attendance and was visibly upset. "Someone's gonna get killed!" he emphasized. He insisted that this was a mugging that had turned violent -- as opposed to a "gay bashing" hate crime -- and he demanded more police patrols of both main streets as well as side streets. Captain Moser said that they do patrol both the main and the side streets, but there's a shortage of police officers, and, even if there weren't, they can't be everywhere all at once. The police request that residents take it upon themselves to organize and join neighborhood watch programs.

(Note that one topic not discussed during this meeting was the horrific sexual assaults that have occurred in the Mission district and the eastern section of Noe Valley [Ed.-- here and here]. Because this meeting took place in the Castro, the focus and the tone of the meeting was mostly on protecting members of the LGBT community and residents in surrounding areas.)

COMPUTER & SMART PHONE THEFTS/ROBBERIES have been on the rise, particularly in cafes and on public transit. In cafes, according to surveillance footage, the perpetrators look "ordinary" and "average" -- so make sure not to profile or stereotype anyone. Instead, carefully guard your devices and don't leave them unattended. Be aware of your surroundings and question others who are taking things that may not belong to them. On public transit, it's best not to display your devices. Stay alert; perpetrators target "easy" victims who are not paying attention to their surroundings. An easy target is someone buried in his/her smart phone and has earphones on. These thefts are part of crime syndicate rings; stolen computers and devices are collected and then sold online and/or to other countries. Some arrests have been made.

AUTOMOBILE THEFTS and break-ins: SFPD Captain Gregory Corrales (Park Station precinct) said that officers in his precinct caught "two fellas in ski masks" with air guns and spark plug tools who were probably responsible for auto thefts. Auto thefts have always been a problem in the city. According to a service rep at SF Honda, install and enable an anti-theft security system that disables the car engine upon unauthorized entry.

BUILDING BREAK-INS: There were destructive intrusions into several glass-door buildings in a row on Roosevelt Way. The police captain said that burglars target homes and buildings that have obscured or dark entry ways with no iron gates. There were other break-ins into apartment buildings in the east-of-Twin-Peaks area, and Captain Moser said that they do send patrols around the area, a mix of regular police cars and unmarked vehicles. They have adjusted work shifts for more nighttime patrol coverage. Captain Corrales said that the patrols look for people in quiet neighborhoods who look as if "they don't belong there" -- suspicious-looking lurkers who generally target cars for theft and easily (or more easily) accessible buildings for intrusions and burglaries. They have arrested a few suspects due to outstanding warrants. The larger problem, however, is a game of "whack-a-mole"; when crime is under control in one area, the criminals move into another, a less patrolled one. Right now the Lower Haight is being hit hard by street crime.

ROOT CAUSE: There are simply not enough police officers at this time. This is due to the defunding of the Police Academy in San Francisco. SFPD officers are being hired laterally through other departments, agencies, or other city police departments. It would be better overall for new police officers to be trained here in San Francisco. It's up to the residents of San Francisco to lobby the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors to reinstate funding to the San Francisco Police Academy and, in the meantime, to allocate funds to hire more police officers from wherever possible.

PROTECT YOURSELF and your community:

• Start or join neighborhood watch programs (contact SF SAFE), online networks (Nextdoor.com, Facebook groups, Twitter alerts, etc.), community patrols, and the "Stop the Violence" program.
• Carry a whistle and blow it if you feel unsafe.
• Take self-defense training and practice it.
• Keep in mind that your smart phone or computer won't be worth much in a few years -- but your body, your emotional well-being, and your life are always paramount -- so if someone is physically threatening you for your device, you're probably better off just giving it to them. (Make sure to passcode-protect your devices, encrypt the drive, consistently back up your data, and turn on "Find My iPhone." Sometimes devices can be traced through embedded GPS.)
• Call the police after every incident -- as soon as possible! Don't wait; the quicker the phone call, the more likely the police will be able to find the suspect. If it's not an emergency, use the non-emergency line: 415-553-0123. You can also contact the SFPD via sf-police.org.
• If you have been a victim of a crime, don't be embarrassed to report it. Reporting it will help others.
• Always get a CAD (dispatch) number after placing a phone call to the police, as well as a police report number, for follow-ups inquiries.

[Photo: mariva8]

Benefit: Bulldog Day & Dog Show At James Lick

Dogs and kids - what's not to love? Here's an event that combines the best of both: A dog lover's festival raising money for kids at James Lick. From the press release:

On Saturday, November 10, 2012, James Lick Middle School in Noe Valley, will hold our 1st Annual Bulldog Day & Dog Show, a day of fun for all dogs and their families and friends. The Bulldog is our school mascot, and the day will celebrate our four-legged friends as well as our school pride.

The festival will include: Dog competitions (for all breeds) throughout the day, a canine agility course, a"Bowzer Bar" and "Poochie Parlour" to pamper your pup, a Photo Booth run by professional photographer Jim Burnett, carnival games, live music, an “International Food Court,” Doggie vendor booths, a raffle and a silent auction. The event will be held at the enormous schoolyard at James Lick Middle School, a beautiful Art Deco building in the heart of San Francisco’s Noe Valley.

Dog contests will include: a "Costume Catwalk", "Best Trick", "Best in Show" (all 3 open to all breeds), "Cutest Toy" (dogs under 20lbs and 16"), "Top Dog" (over 60lbs), "Mutt-astic!" (Rescue dogs and mixed breeds of unknown heritage), and a“Bulldog Beauty Pageant” (just for American, English, French Bulldogs, and "wannabees"), which will end with the crowning of the lucky winning pooch who will be the face of our mascot for the coming year.

Local comedian Michael Cappozola will be emceeing. Dog Trick performances by the Pooch Coach, Beverly Ulbrich.

Celebrity judges include:

• Supervisor Scott Weiner
• Former Supervisor Bevan Dufty
• Board of Ed Rachel Norton
• Performer Fabulous Bud E. Luv
• Dog Wrangler Jan Mills
• Pooch Coach Beverly Ulbrich

James Lick’s 600+ student body hails from all corners of San Francisco and 65% of the students are Latino. We are blessed with exceptional, dedicated educators and staff, but the continual state budget cuts to education has made their job much, much harder. Unfortunately, we need to raise money to provide some of the experiences and activities we want all our children to have, activities like the arts, team sports, counseling services, and field trips. This year, we need to raise $78,000 to cover these expenses as well as a part-time staff position that was eliminated from our school funding. Support from our community has become essential.

Bulldog Day is made possible by the generosity of Vanguard Properties, our top sponsor, as well as fellow sponsors: Wells Fargo, The Pooch Coach, Zephyr, Fetch, Friends of Noe Valley, Just for Fun & Scribbledoodles, Cliche Noe, K9 Scrubclub, HH Imaging, Noe Valley Pet Co, Green Paws, and the Noe Valley Merchants Association.

What: Bulldog Day & Dog Show
When: Sat. Nov. 10th, 11-4pm
Where: at James Lick Middle School's Lower Yard, 1220 Noe St. (between 25th and Clipper)
Cost: Free Admission; $5 registration for Dog Contestants, and $5 per contest category.
Parking: $5 parking available in Upper Yard (access on 25th Street)

Highlights: Halloween 2012

A little fog, a little rain and a potential hangover from the Giants parade weren't enough to dampen the frenzy on 24th St this Halloween. As one person on Twitter put it, "Let me tell you, Noe Valley Halloween is no joke!" Some photos of the costumes and candyfest of 24th Street this year...

Noe Valley Word Week Starts Sunday

The Friends of Noe Valley present Word Week in Noe Valley:

Sunday, March 11th
My Favorite Book
Local celebs read from their favorite books and tell why. 3-4pm at the Noe Valley Library. Come hear Senator Mark Leno, Supervisor Scott Wiener, former Supervisor Bevan Dufty and his daughter Sidney, Noe Valley artist Ramon Sender, and Noe Valley Association Executive Director, Debra Niemann plus more.

Marshmallow Madness!: Dozens of Puffalicious Recipes by Shauna Sever. Enjoy yummy, puffy madness at this fun event from 3-4pm at Omnivore Books on Food, 3885a Cesar Chavez Street.

Monday, March 12th
Nonfiction Night
Organized by Judy Levy-Sender and Ramon Sender of Odd Mondays fame. On an even Monday at 7pm at Phoenix Bookstore. Five non-fiction authors will be reading from their work and answering questions from the audience.

Ginny Pizzardi: SF Noe Valley psychotherapist and author of Lessons In Loss-What Every Therapist Needs To Know. In her book, Pizzardi shows beginning and experienced therapists and laypersons what they need to know to face grief and loss.

Reverend Robert Warren Cromey: Retired Episcopal priest who is a therapist and the author of Sex Priest. Cromey is known for his courage in speaking out on rights of homosexuals and all beleaguered minorities.

Sydney Gurewitz Clemens: SF teacher and author of Pay Attention to the Children: Lessons for Teachers and Parents from Sylvia Ashton-Warner. This memoir tells of the influence of New Zealand author Sylvia Ashton-Warner, on Clemens’ work in Harlem and in Bayview-Hunter’s Point. Sydney has written two other books and is also a poet.

Bill Yenne: Author of novels and many history books has written about Noe Valley and most recently has written Cities of Gold. This book charts 5 centuries of quests based on rumor, inuendo, fable and fantasy about explorers, new world cities and people still seeking gold.

Mike Miller: Known for 50 years of activism with SLATE, SNCC, Mission Coalition and his pioneering work in the Organize Training Center. His book, A Community Organizer’s Tale details some of his accomplishments in community organization.

Chloe’s Kitchen: 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food You Love the Vegan Way by Chloe Coscarelli. Book discussion and signing from 6-7pm at Omnivore Books on Food, 3885a Cesar Chavez Street.

Tuesday, March 13th
How I Got My First Book Published
Authors dish all the dirt. 7pm at St. Philips Church. A panel of four local authors will discuss the ins and outs of getting a book to press. On the agenda are:

Michael Aleynikov: Ivan and Misha: A Novel in Stories – Northern California Book Award Best Gay Fiction, 2011

Chris Cole: His first novel is in the hands of his agent and prospective publishers

Carolyn Cooke: Daughters of the Revolution; The Bostons: Short Stories

Julia Flynn Siler: The House of Mondavi: The Rise and fall of an American Wine Dynasty; Lost Kingdom: Hawaii’s Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America’s First Imperial Adventure - San Francisco Chronicle’s bestseller list

Wednesday, March 14th
Notes From a Maine Kitchen by Kathy Gunst. Food and book signing, 6-7pm at Omnivore Books on Food, 3885a Cesar Chavez Street.

Thursday, March 15th
Happy Birthday Phoenix Books! Come celebrate the birthday of Noe Valley’s very own Phoenix Books with authors, music, and food. 7pm at Phoenix Books.

Friday, March 16th
Winning Student Writers Read Winning literary work from the kids in Noe Valley schools will be read by the student winners. 4-5pm at the Noe Valley Library. Come one come all to congratulate our budding authors!

Saturday, March 17th
A Taste of Paris: Words, Wine and Crime! Spend the afternoon with Cara Black, Noe Valley mystery writer, whose latest book is Murder at the Lanterne Rouse. 4-5:30pm at Le Zinc. $62 includes an autographed hard cover book, 2 course hors d’oeuvres and wine. RSVP to Le Zinc.

NVV Dec - Jan 2012: We Read It So You Don't Have to

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

December / January 2011

Front Page: Noe Courts at Douglas and Elizabeth is set for a much needed upgrade thanks to a $210,000 grant - the new design and upgrades should be realized over 2012; live reindeer and other festivities are planned for 24 HoliDAYs on 24th St - including six visits by Santa; Circle Bank has benefited from local discomfort with big banks ("dozens if not hundreds of neighborhood residents took part in the nationwide protest and switched their money from big banks to smaller instituions."); and up to 11,000 groups and people in Noe Valley may have unclaimed assets (money,stocks, etc.) sitting in a database.  

Letters: None. Weird.

Features: Noe Valley lamp designer Jennifer Slepin plies her craft on Etsy; get your geek on and raise money for local schools at the 3rd annual Tech Search Party on Feb 4; Bevan Dufty clocked in an abysmal 7th place in the mayor's race.

Obits: Former PlumpJack Wines manager Drew Spaulding dies by his own hand after wrestling with depression [Here's a picture of the staff mentioned in the obit; from the left are Josh, Elio, John and Drew.]; Nicky Salan, founder of Cover to Cover dies at 77 after a long illness.

Cost of Living in Noe: 14 single family homes sold in October - all for more than $1 million. Home values were up 12% year over year in the hood.

Rumors: Cookie wars erupt in the Ministry Parking lot [update: whether Cookie Time will be able to be a regular at the Farmer's Market is up in the air - until decided/accepted they will not be part of the market]; Only 51% of the 20,031 registered voters in Noe cast their vote this past Nov. - among those that did cast their vote Avalos was the top vote-getter for Mayor; Pixie Hall Studios is becoming a preschool and will be sponsoring a Date Night (hello, kid sitting) with Firefly; Fattoush has decided not to sell after all; The Vietnamese/Thai fusion restaurant on Church is going slow and may - or may not - open in 2012. A parking stall in the Walgreen's parking lot is now a charging station for electric cars [Ed note - Since a reader sent us this photo before Thanksgiving we've been trying to figure out how it works - apparently nobody knows, including the management at Walgreens which is waiting for instructions so they can "tell the customers how to use the dang thing." It also edges out a handicap spot.]

Also of note: A longtime Noe resident takes out a quarter-page ad looking for a "Woof Friendly Noe Valley Rental." Is it that bad for rentals in Noe?

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Shuttle Buses: SFCTA Releases Final Draft Of Strategic Analysis Report

In 2009 Bevan Dufty initiated a studdy of corporate/private shuttle buses operating in San Francisco neighborhoods. Concerns at the time were that while the busses took drivers off the road and increased foot traffic to local business the busses were too big, too loud and took up space at MUNI stops -- all true to varying degrees according to the SAR finalized on May 25, 2011. Other claims were unfounded (for instance, Google was not paying to use MUNI stops).

After studying use patterns of employer and regional shuttles in the Marina, Glen Park, and Noe Valley (as well as in Seattle, New York City and Washington, DC), the SFCTA came up with two recommendations:

1) More formal management and recognition of shuttles. The SAR recommends the
development of a “Muni Partners” program at the SFMTA and dedicated SFMTA staff to liaise with the shuttle industry, respond to public inquiries and concerns, and provide for the orderly and beneficial growth of the shuttle sector. Shuttle providers would pay a fee to sustain the program which would provide operating guidelines and facilities for safe and complementary shuttle operations with Muni and other road users.

2) Designated shuttle coordinator. The Muni Partners program would include a shuttles staff person at the SFMTA to address management needs and develop regulations, coordinate with shuttle providers and operators, and act as a point of contact for the public. This coordinator would set certification criteria, provide operating guidance, plan needed facilities, set fee structures, conduct monitoring and evaluation activities, coordinate enforcement, and manage growth of the sector. The coordinator would also receive and appropriately direct public inquiries and complaints.

In other words, the shuttles are valuable, need to be regulated and the City sees a potential revenue stream.

Give it a read (PDF). Lots of good info.

[SFCTA: Shuttle SAR]
[SFCTA: SAR Final Report (PDF)]
[SFCTA: SAR Memo to CAC (PDF)]
[NVSF: Meeting: Upper Noe Neighbors]
[NVSF: Shuttle Buses: Useful or Menace?]

What Noe Wants: Next Mayor of SF

With Gavin Newsom on his way to Sacramento, San Francisco Supervisors will select an interim Mayor in January and voters will get to weigh in for a full-term mayor in 2011. Who should run the City? Should the interim Mayor stick around after the election? So far the only serious candidate to announce is former D8 supervisor Bevan Dufty, but many names have been floated for the interim including Tom Ammiano and current Board President David Chiu.

Enter NextMayorSF.com, to "keep you informed on the process for selecting our next mayor and to give you a forum to express your thoughts on who the next mayor should be and the direction they should take the City." So far the site features a handful of videos of people you may recognize from the hood, and the shorts are filmed (mostly) in the park on 24th St across from Martha & Bros.

Hmm.... Bufty for Mayor. We've seen him in action this year... is that what we want?

NVV December 2010: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories online until mid-month.

December 2010

Front Page: "This is the last edition you'll see until the first week of February 2011." And a pretty picture of fog.

Letters: Dismay over smoking in the parklet at Martha & Bros. (Ed.--illegal to smoke in SF parks since 2005 [pdf]); some poor soul can't figure out how to find a print copy of the Voice.

Features: Interview with Bevan Dufty on his eight years as District 8 Supervisor; City Guides has been offering Noe Valley tours since 2008 (with fun sketches of Victorian era "bric-a-brac" like sewer vent grates); Giants fans celebrated on 24th St; brief blurb on page 15 about 24 HoliDAYS on 24th St.

Cost of Living in Noe: 16 Single Family Homes sold in October, 11 of those over asking.

Short Takes: A few events in Glen Park, Scottish dancers at the Noe Valley Ministry, fun at the Randall Museum in Corona Heights, a workshop for public artists at the SF Arts Commission on Van Ness, a show at the Marsh Theater on Valencia, and Paxton Gate in the Mission turns 18. Also a bit about upcoming changes to Cesar Chavez.

Crime Beat: Turns out there were two bank robberies last month.

Store Trek: Design Quarter; Re:Construction Salon.

Traveling Voice: Not.

Rumors: Election results; Wiener sets priorities (like the Town Square and Real Foods); Town Square moves ahead (for more info the Voice suggests "googling 'Noe Valley Town Square'"); the Tech Search Party raised "just over $17,000" for Alvarado Elementary School; Delano's is closing its "Eureka Valley" location; Parklets hit 24th St; and this excellent tidbit about the Noe Valley Association:

The NVA, and the 10 members serving on its board of directors, has an annual budget of $230,000, funded by a parcel tax on each of the 179 property owners in the 24th Street/Castro Street shopping area. The board has been quite active this year improving Main Street. They steered the Pavement to Parks process that brought us the parklets. Seven new benches were installed on 24th Street. Few people realize the NVA spends $10,000 a month keeping 24th Street trash-free, maintaining the miniparks in the public parking lot and the Ministry parking lot, tending the many planters and flower baskets and trees, as well as regularly cleaning the Downtown Noe Valley sidewalks. The NVA sponsors, or co-sponsors - in addition to 24 HoliDAYS - the Harvest Festival, the Noe Courts Easter Egg Hunt, and the Summer Solstice.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Approved: Parklets For 24th Street

22nd St at Bartlett

From murphstahoe:

The 24th Street Parklets were approved by ISCOTT (the Interdepartmental Staff Committee on Traffic and Transportation) today! They are permitted for a 6 month trial beginning in November. At the meeting the Parklets were supported by Debra Neimann from NVA, myself, Martha's Coffee Founder Martha Monroy, Supervisor Dufty's Legislative Aide Todd David, Louis Bryan, and Supervisor Candidate Scott Wiener in the form of his proxy, Gillian Gillett.

As I mentioned before, they will be going in front of Martha's Coffee and Just for Fun. See you out there!

Just in time for winter.

[Pavement To Parks]

Supes Race: District 8 Candidate Forum

Last chance to hear from all four candidates to replace Bevan Dufty as District 8 Supervisor here in Noe Valley is tomorrow night at the monthly Upper Noe Neighbor's meeting at the Upper Noe Rec Center. Bill Hemenger, Rafael Mandelman, Rebecca Prozan and Scott Wiener will answer questions submitted to UNN President Vicki Rosen.

When: Thursday, Sept. 16, 7:30 pm
Where: Upper Noe Recreation Center (Day & Sanchez)

Can't make it? There will be another meeting on October 6th over the hill at the Randall Museum.

Update: The Bay Area Reporter has a good summary of candidate positions as well as upcoming forums and debates.

NVV July/August 2010: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are notable highlights from the latest issue. Links are to items we've covered here on NVSF or outside sources as the Voice doesn't post stories until the middle of the month.

July/August 2010

Front Page: Summer issue - Voice writers, editors and photographers are asked to "put away their communication devices and find a way to play" until September; Elizabeth Crane ("farmer's market queen") shares jamming recipes; Noe Valley photog Leo Holub died at 93 years old in April.

Feature: Traveling Voice, a retrospective.

Letters: Last month's mockingbird (and apparently the only one in the neighborhood) is now serenading the easily riled Jersey St. residents; Noe St resident enlists Bevan Dufty to reverse a street sweeping ticket); Joel Panzer tries to sound more rational about keeping Noe St open than he did at the June 30th meeting; A "thanks" for the Noe Valley Garden Tour, and another for Rebecca Prozan's campaign kick-off on June 12th.

Cost of Living in Noe: 9 homes sold in May, high price for a SFH was $3.3M (skewing the mean).

Store Trek: Joseph Andrade Floral (3961 24th St) is intent on providing "affordable elegance;" Sway (3979 24th St) is woman's clothing that is "not to cool for school."

Rumors: The Voice was unable to attend/report on the June 30th Community Meeting; Easily riled Jersey St residents now host the official bike route through downtown Noe Valley (complete with Sharrows); Cooks Boulevard? Still empty; Castro Nails? Now on outer Church. GNC/Aveda? "A number of inquiries." Twin Peaks Realty? The estate is looking for a tenant to make improvements (but the space does include parking); French Tulip lives; Garage Store under new management as Garage Store Merchandise Lounge and moving more upscale; Star Magic sticking around after all under the guise of Cosmic Wizard after a notice of "trademark infringement" from some fancy New York lawyer; Loft 1513, Heliotrope and Curator Boutique have made outer Church a "certified shopping destination;" A list of SF Weekly's Best Of including Elizabeth Street Brewery.

And finally... buried among countless realtor ads is another circa 1985 photo advertising Sue Bowie's Noe Valley expertise - still listed as a Prudential agent.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Noe Valley Plaza: Tea Party Filibuster Hijacks Community Meeting

Apparently some people missed the memo - tonight's community meeting was never intended to be a town meeting.

Even so, the boos and jeers started as soon as Andres Power started speaking. The "Don't Block Noe" crowd was at tonight's meeting in force and insisted on being heard. What was supposed to be a 20 minute presentation of the results of the traffic study and the status of the project so far twice had Planning staffer Sarah Dennis-Phillips scolding the crowd: "Next time Andres is interrupted Planning is leaving and none of you will be heard." Momentary quiet.

The shouting resumed 2 minutes later after Andres said the words "easily removable" and "if the project moved forward" at least 20 more times. Despite angry shushing, Bevan Dufty (who arrived late from a budget meeting) had to take the mic and also had the quote of the evening: "It will make the news if we have to call the police to a meeting in Noe Valley." Nervous laughter.

General gist voiced by Bevan, Andres and other members of the Planning staff: "It will be difficult to move forward" with this project given the "vocal opposition."

This will not be resolved anytime soon.

Update: Video uploaded to Youtube by sattvicwarrior

Noe Valley Pavement to Parks Community Meeting, Round 2

Via Bevan Dufty's June Newsletter:

Noe Valley Pavement to Parks Community Meeting

On Wednesday, June 23rd at 6:30 pm at St Philip's school, we will hold the second community meeting on the Pavement to Parks proposal for Noe and 24th streets.

I will be joined by Andres Power and David Alumbaugh of the San Francisco Planning Department and a Traffic Engineer from the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA).

A spirited community workshop was held on April 8th to discuss a temporary trial closure of Noe Street at 24th Street. The meeting was well attended by those for and against a temporary trial closure. Participants also suggested a number other ideas for improving the public realm along 24th Street that are being pursued.

Since April, Planning/DPT have conducted traffic studies and new data as well as greater details on how the trial would be evaluated and assessed will be presented.

What: Noe Valley Pavement to Parks Community #2
When: Wednesday, June 23rd, 6:30 pm
Where: St. Philip School, 665 Elizabeth Street @ Diamond

Pavement To Parks: Bevan Dufty Throws In The Towel Before Community Meeting?

From the Examiner:

Supervisor Bevan Dufty said there already has been so much uproar about the closure that the idea will probably die before it progresses further.

“I’m not closing the door forever,” Dufty said. “I’m just saying that at this stage I sense enough division and opposition that I don’t even feel that it can work on even a trial basis. The notion isn’t to create conflict, it’s to create more public spaces.”

[SFE: Noe Valley ‘village hub’ remains up in the air]

Reminder: Community Meeting With Bevan Dufty Tonight

Bevan Dufty is co-sponsoring a community meeting tonight with the Noe Valley Merchants Association, the Noe Valley Association, Friends of Noe Valley, the Noe Valley Democratic Club and Upper Noe Neighbors. The agenda includes:

• New legislation to allow more restaurants on 24th St
• An introduction of Captain Corrales, SFPD Mission Station
• And a presentation by the NVA including details on the "upcoming Pavements To Parks program project at 24th & Noe Streets."

What: Community Meeting
When: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 7:30 pm
Where: St. Philip's Church, 725 Diamond St. (between Elizabeth & Castro)

This Week (Today!) At The Planning Commission

A weekly look at Noe Valley projects in front of the Planning Commission. Information is provided by the Planning Commission, and taken from its published agenda. All hearings are on Thursday at 1:30pm, Room 400 in City Hall.

The Planning Department changed their website for the new year and we missed this in the shuffle.


Today's Chronicle describes the plan to remove restrictions on new restaurants on Noe Valley's 24th St rumored in November's Noe Valley Voice. Empty storefronts and a sea change in attitudes about regulation have prompted Bevan Dufty to propose allowing as many restaurants as the neighborhood will support. Here's what's in front of the Planning Commission today:

AMENDMENTS TO THE PLANNING CODE SECTION 728: 24 STREET-NOE VALLEY NCD RESTAURANT DEFINITIONS [BOARD FILE NO. 09-1208]. Ordinance introduced by Supervisor Dufty amending Planning Code Sections 728.1 (Zoning Control Table), 728.42 (full-service restaurants), 728.44 (small self-service restaurants), and 728.69A (specialty food, self-service) to allow new full-service restaurants, small self-service restaurants, and self-service specialty food establishments with a Conditional Use authorization; adopting findings, including environmental findings, Planning Code Section 302 findings, and findings of consistency with the General Plan and the priority policies of Planning Code Section 101.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions

[SFGate: Blocks hungry to fill storefronts with eateries]
[NVV: November 2009 Rumors]
[NVSF: Update: Planning Commission October 23, 2008]

NVV: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered here on NVSF.

November 2009

Front page: Supervisor candidates faced off early at a forum at the Noe Valley Recreation Center on Oct. 22 – and William Hemenger of Diamond Heights has also just entered the race; Omnivore cookbook signings; Billy Goat Hill gets $50,000 for trail and habitat restoration from the Measure A Parks Bond passed by voters in 2008.

Feature: Tough times for 24th Street and upper Noe merchants continues – although the Whole Foods opening has brought some life and foot traffic back for many. Retailers hurt by Whole Foods are 24th St Cheese Co. and Drewes Meats. Whole Foods employs 100 workers--nearly 4 times as many Bell Market.

Letters: A poem to honor the passing of Noe Valley resident Bruce Sherman; a 7 paragraph tangent from the owner of Chloe's Café about working as a caterer on the set of Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze.

Op-Ed: A reader in a moss-green hemp-based hoodie ogles the faux ground beef, imitation sausage and fake chicken nuggets at Whole Foods – and decides the store is an OK addition to Noe after all.

Cost of Living in Noe: Average sales price 1.16 Million. Rents: down a little but still expensive.

Short Takes: Noel Stroll and a hay ride return to 24th Street on Dec. 5 from 4:30 – 7:30PM, and Santa will be at Zephyr from 11-2 for more family fun. [Ed. -- for now the link to Noel Stroll on last year's post redirects to Cooks Boulevard]. Ladybug Gardeners are at the Upper Noe Rec Center on Nov. 14 at 9AM planting and trimming- volunteers welcome.

Store Trek: Curator; Green11.

Rumors: Bevan Dufty proposes "removing conditional use criteria for full-service restaurants and permit small self-service restaurants and self-service specialty food establishments with conditional use" (Ed.--Translation: more restaurants on and around 24th Street assuming it passes through lengthy planning process and endless community meetings); Noe Soup will never open-–the owners abandoned the idea when they heard Whole Foods was coming and oh, because of a "complicated vent system;" the fusion restaurant on Church Street is stalled because of the "downturn in the economy;" Bistro 24 closed and is for sale for only $198K – although it may reopen (again!?) with a different partner if a buyer isn't found; Mi Lindo Yucatan closed and the space is under construction; La Boulange will open this month; Just Awesome Games reopens in West Portal after running from high rents in Noe (old space owned by Carol and Bill Yenne); Phoenix building (owned by Sue Bowie) still for sale for $2.25 million and the Streetlight building is listed for $2.2 million.

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Noeteca: Still Coming Soon

A little bit of renovation and a pending alcohol permit are the only hurdles left for Noeteca wine bar/cafe to open in the old Last Laugh coffee shop. The holdup? Grumpy neighbors.

Co-owners Scott McDonald and Alex Kamprasert (also of Chloe’s Café) report via Menupages that while most neighbors have been supportive, a few have complained to the city that the café was open and operating without permits, that they had live music, that they had a full kitchen instead of a café… your basic nightmare. "Every time a complaint comes in, we have to get it addressed by all the different agencies, and sometimes people are on vacation and it's just hard to schedule," McDonald said. "It took us contacting the office of Bevan Dufty to help us clear away some of that."

Originally slated for April 1, the new planned opening is July 1.

Noeteca
1551 Dolores St (@ Valley St)

[MP: Noeteca Nears the Valley]
[NVSF: Update: Noeteca]
[NVSF: Announced: Noeteca]

NVV: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered at NVSF.

June 2009

• Front page: Noe Valley is for sale - lots of homes and rentals on market. 68 homes listed for sale in April, which is about double last year. "Bargains" are still over $1M. Rental rates are down about 10% from last year.
  
• Op-Ed: Misha Weidman, RE broker and attorney, says Noe Valley is no longer immune from the housing slump. Good news: Noe is off only 13% from last year.
• Letters: People are still outraged about arbitrary parking enforcement (4 letters); Someone wants you to send stimulus money to On Lok on 30th St; Thanks given to Noe Valley Auto Works for taking care of a recently laid-off client's car.
• Photo: 7 people waiting for train confirms that J Church is still the worst.
  
• Short Takes: FUF planting Saturday July 11 in Noe Valley; Celebrate the Solstice at Noe Valley Ministries; Got a problem with services at City parks? Parkscan.org will now route all calls to 311 [Ed.--better than calling: check them out on Twitter]; Noe Valley Quest Fest will celebrate winners on June 17th at Upper Noe Rec Center from 5:30-7:30PM, drawing at 6:15--more deets at noevalleyquest.com.
• Crime: Only covers first half of May, so no mention of armed robberies on Church near 26th (be careful out there); And...the Peace Blotter is back. [Ed.--If you're a crime watching sort of person, we've posted instructions for subscribing to regular updates here.]
• Rumors: Bevan Dufty considering run for Mayor [Ed.--can Noe get a pink cloud too?]; Dufty also denies he's endorsing anyone running to replace him; 28.6% of Noe Valleyans voted on May 19; Rumor becomes fact when checking police reports - many vehicle break-ins lately; Empty storefronts: AAA space for $12k/month, Riki landlord looking for retail (not food), Streetlight rent reduced to $8k/month, Simply Chic asking $4k/month, Wells Fargo's old ATM closet wants $4k/month, Successories opening, Noe Knit closing, Phoenix moving in; last month's Store Trek feature Arara changing name and moving to 1513 Church (NV Buzz); She-Bible opening; Noe full of babies; Also: "you can put a lock on a rumor" that Locksmith Central is moving--they changed their mind.
  
• Traveling Voice: Noe residents carried the voice to such far off places as...nowhere. The NVV is on staycation.
  

[The Noe Valley Voice]