This Week In Noe Valley: Save The Shack, 109th Anniversary Of The Big One, And Noe As Nowhere Valley

News from, about and for Noe Valley from around the interwebs:

• It’s 109 years today since the 1906 SF Earthquake [History Today]
• Photos of the annual gilding of the goldenSparky the hydrant [@EvanSernoffsky]
• A Save the Shack plea for 369 Valley Street, one of the original earthquake shacks [Savetheshack.net]
• SF Girl By Bay’s new See San Francisco book is here – just as she’s moving back to LA [SFChronicle]
• Median Noe Valley home sale price hits $2M [SFAR]
• Noe Valley is Nowhere Valley [@NVSF]
• A vintage car of Noe Valley [allenmejia]
• PSA: SFPD reminds everyone of some basic traffic laws [SFPD]

[Photo: via slay_the_gnar]

Noe Valley Is Getting A New Stoplight On Church Street

Remember that request for public comment regarding a proposed stoplight at Church and Cesar Chavez Streets? Looks like it's happening. The above sign is posted next to Noe Valley Pet Co. The referenced contract number 2419J specifies thirteen intersections around San Francisco (including here) and includes "traffic, pedestrian and transit signal installations, traffic routing and all associated work" for the bargain price of $1.726M. The entire project is expected to take one year, but don't count on construction at this one intersection taking that long.

What's not included in this is the rest of the Church St improvements approved under the same permit. See our post linked above for context (some links no longer work--SF redesigned its web presence and didn't redirect existing links...again). Here's the current page for the J Church Rapid Project. We're concerned that without making all approved changes vehicle traffic will reroute to avoid this light and make other intersections nearby more dangerous. What do you think?

[NVSF: Proposed: Traffic Signal For Intersection Of Church And Cesar Chavez Streets]
[Photo: @F6x]

Proposed: Traffic Signal For Intersection Of Church And Cesar Chavez Streets

There's a small sign posted on a pole at Cesar Chavez and Church Streets announcing a hearing about a proposed traffic signal for that intersection. Pretty big news, right? There have been calls for a stoplight at 24th/Church, but this is the first we've heard of one at this busy intersection. Our initial reaction is that it's not necessary unless it can smooth the interaction of pedestrian traffic on Church and all the cars trying to get to 101. Otherwise, this intersection flows pretty smoothly. So where did this proposal come from? Follow us down the rabbit hole (and watch out for PDFs).

Remember the SFMTA's Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP)? When we covered it in 2008 the main issue was bus routes - there was a strong push to alter routes and eliminate stops to speed up the service. Then in 2012 the J Church line was included in Muni Forward's Travel Time Reduction Proposal (TTRP). Basically, the proposal aims to speed the J Church along its route by reducing stops, relocating boarding areas, creating transit-only lanes and (this is the key part) including "traffic calming" at certain intersections (more on that below). The SFMTA study says changes will "reduce the travel time of the J Church within the study area by about 6.5 minutes total in both directions."

Projects like this are never easy in San Francisco, and of course there was an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The huge public response sent everyone back to the drawing board, and many changes were made (for fellow planning dorks here are the three huge PDFs documenting response to public feedback: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3). The end result is that the amended EIR was approved with changes on May 22, 2014.

Approval of said EIR is what grants the SFMTA authority to add a traffic signal to Cesar Chavez and Church Streets. But what isn't clear is why the SFMTA is pursing a stoplight at this intersection only. The TTRP stipulates changes along the Church St route at 25th, 26th, and Day Streets -- the "expanded alternative" asks for unspecified "traffic calming" measures for those intersections, but offers a "moderate alternative" that will instead install traffic signals. (The TTRP makes clear that 24th and Church will get a light, but other changes there make for a bigger project that will likely happen later.) The August 1 hearing is asking the public to approve one of those traffic signals without addressing the rest of the J Church route.

If you have an opinion on this traffic light want your voice heard please attend the August 1 hearing at City Hall: 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 416 at 10:00am.

Can't make the hearing? Per SFMTA hearing guidelines (emphasis ours):

Opinions on these proposed changes may be filed in writing prior to the hearing by email (link to sustainable.streets@sfmta.com) with the subject line “Public Hearing.” Written opinions may also be transmitted to the Sustainable Streets Division via fax at 415.701.4737 or by mail: Engineering Public Hearing, Sustainable Streets Division, One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5417. Submitted opinions will become part of the official public record and will be brought to the attention of the person(s) conducting the hearing.

This Week At The Planning Commission: Preschool Vs. Traffic On Cesar Chavez

A look at Noe Valley projects in front of the Planning Commission this week. 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.

July 18, 2013

3771 and 3781 CESAR CHAVEZ STREET - south side between Guerrero and Dolores Streets, Lots 030 and 045 in Assessor's Block 6577 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Sections 209.3(f), 209.3(j), 317, and 303 to increase enrollment at an existing preschool (d.b.a. Gan Noe Preschool) operating at 3771 and 3781 Cesar Chavez Street and establish a religious facility. Enrollment at the preschool would increase from 22 children to 42 children and the project would result in the removal of the dwelling unit at 3781 Cesar Chavez Street. The proposal does not include any significant alteration or modification to the exteriors of the existing buildings with the exception of minor changes to signage and fencing. The subject properties are located in a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions

In addition:

Request for Variance from Planning Code Section: 151, for parking, for a project proposing to increase enrollment at an existing preschool and establish a religious facility. Two off-street parking spaces are required for the proposed use but none would be provided. The subject property is located within a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.

In sum, the Project Sponsor asks to expand the preschool, remove a dwelling unit and add a religious facility (d.b.a. Chabad of Noe Valley) that will have services and events throughout the week.

Planning states receipt of 20 letters from neighbors against the project, and receipt of a petition of 40 names in support (but doesn't indicate if those in support are from parents who want their kids in the preschool).

Planning recognizes there are some major issues, including:

The Project Sites are located on a heavily trafficked arterial street that is the main thouroughfare for access to Highway 101 from Noe Valley. It is unknown how the increase in children would affect traffic on the street but the sponsor has agreed to implement a traffic management plans whereby teachers would help facilitate student dropoff within the driveways and within a new loading zone located between the driveways and implement a staggered pick-up and drop-off.

But Planning staff recommend approval because:

Preschool/child care services are difficult to find in the City and those that operate often have long waiting lists. The ability of the City to provide these services will help its ability to attract and retain families in the City. Housing is also a scarce resource in the City. On balance, the need to help preschool/childcare services flourish in the City out weigh the benefit of retaining the existing dwelling unit

The only letters in support of the project included in the Planning Document are from the Project Sponsor.
Opposition has been led by neighbor Richard Rochman of Citizens Concerned about Cesar Chavez St. We've posted the PDF of their opposition here. It's well worth a read as this project will affect anyone who uses Cesar Chavez.

Planning contact is Michael Smith, (415) 558-6322.

Update (7/18): Lots of thoughtful testimony. Commissioners sensitive to both daycare/preschool issues and also use of the site as a religious facility, but want followup to assure that neighbors' concerns are addressed over the long term. Commission approved with conditions about operating hours, strict limits on number of students and noise mitigation, and addition of traffic monitoring on a 6-0 vote.

[SF Planning: 3771 and 3781 Cesar Chavez St Conditional Use (PDF)]
[Citizens Concerned about Cesar Chavez St: Opposition to Gan Noe's application] 
[Photo: Richard Rochman]

Update: Cesar Chavez Streetscape Improvements

Work on Phase II of the Cesar Chavez sewer upgrade streetscape improvement project began last month and like the sewer work will move east to west. Crews are currently rerouting curbs and catch basins between Hampshire and Bryant. CC Puede's Fran Taylor attended last night's neighborhood meeting and sent this update:

The work is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year and will be done in phases:

1. Drainage and bulbouts: 20 bulbouts on the corners with planters to catch rainwater will be done first.
2. Median: Next, the median curbs will be laid out.
3. Repaving: The repaving will be done in sections: Hampshire to Florida in Sept/Oct, Florida to Folsom in late October, Folsom to Mission in November, and Mission to Guerrero at the end.
4. Sidewalks: Next, the new street lamps and other sidewalk improvements will be done.
5. Plantings: The last step will be sticking all those new plants In the ground on both the sidewalks and the median.

Lanes were reconfigured after sewer work was completed to approximate traffic flow when finished. The pavement has been rough, but traffic seems to flow smoothly. When this project was first announced plenty of our readers expressed dismay over the loss of traffic lanes despite the addition of dedicated turn lanes and bus pullouts. Now that the changes are more evident, we're curious - how have the changes affected your commute?

[SFDWP: Cesar Chavez Sewer & Streetscape Project]
[NVSF: Cesar Chavez: Work Starts In June (2011)]
[Photo: SFDPW (PDF)]

PSA: Whole Foods Parking Lot To Close For Resurfacing

This notice from Whole Foods explains upcoming improvements. It'll be interesting to see how Noe Valley deals with less parking in light of recent issues:

To Our Friends & Neighbors in Noe Valley

Beginning Tuesday, August 7 the parking lot at Whole Foods will be under construction. The entire lot is being resurfaced and restriped as part of general property maintenance. The high level of traffic in our lot results in recurring cracks and potholes which we need to periodically address. In addition the lot will have new markings for safer accessibility to the store for our customers with disabilities.

The store will remain open for regular business hours throughout the construction. We are aware of the potential impact this will have on the neighborhood and have taken actions to address some of the effects on the neighborhood.

• The work is being done in sections to maintain maximum accessibility (see schedule below)
• Our suppliers and vendors have been warned of the restricted accessibility during construction so that they may better plan their delivery times and be prepared for restricted loading zones.
• Our contractors have been firmly warned about noise curfews and will act responsibly and with consideration for the neighborhood. We will have an on-site supervisor to oversee the contractor work at all times and enforce these expectations.
• We will have additional personnel available to help direct customer traffic in and out of the lot.
• Our Store Leadership is committed to making this project as quick, quiet and painless as possible for all. If you have any concerns please ask for us at our Customer Service desk inside the store – we are happy to meet with you.

Tuesday 8/7 through Friday 8/10 we plan to have most parking spaces available with normal traffic flow maintained. No weekend work and the lot will be fully available Saturday and Sunday.

Monday 8/13-Thursday 8/16 we will need to block off our West driveway as well as significant sections of the lot. Parking in the lot will be very limited this week. No construction on Friday, Saturday or Sunday with the lot fully available these days.

Monday 8/20 & Tuesday 8/21 will have all driveways in use and most parking spaces available. Wednesday 8/22 & Thursday 8/23 we will close our East driveway and significant sections of the lot. Parking will be very limited these 2 days. The project will be completed Thursday and the lot will be fully opened Friday 8/24.

As any of you who have survived a home remodeling project know, sometimes even the best laid plans can go off track. We are working diligently to ensure we have the best laid plan in place and appreciate your patient understanding as we complete this needed work.

Sincerely
Melanie, Dan, William & Dave
Store Leadership Team
Whole Foods Market, Noe Valley

The NVMPA's Parking Problem

The NVMPA's newsletter is always amusing, but this item from July is particularly out of touch:

PARKING - NOE VALLEY NEEDS PARKING

As noted in the President's information emails, your Association, specifically the merchants on Castro, is circulating and gathering signatures in protest of the SFMTA's planning for the removal of three (3) much needed parking spaces on Castro. We need more parking for our customers, for the community and for commercial growth, not less. The future will be more demanding, especially with the loss of the Ministry Lot.

We need your support! If the SFMTA insists upon taking of a parking space; then we want some support from the City, in which we live, work and pay taxes. We are asking for the conversion of the 24 Divisadero bus zones at Noe and 24th Streets, that they be converted to 'pole or bar stops', thereby adding necessary and favorably anticipated additional parking. Not only would this add parking but would eliminate the dangerous illegal right turn lane that so many drivers use. The intersection at Noe and 24th Streets would be made safer for the entire Noe Valley Community. See attachment, copy and circulate.

Please, read the Petition. Gather signatures, then call your President for pick-up. We are also asking for unmetered Diagonal Parking on the Eastside of Castro at James Lick Middle School. The issue of needed parking in Noe Valley is a straight forward one and your Association has a Parking Plan.

This is an old issue with the NVMPA and deserves discussion. But since NVMPA President Robert Roddick never returns our emails we put these questions to our readers:

• In a Transit First city should Noe Valley really push for more parking (and therefore more traffic)?
• How many of the employees at NVMPA member businesses are encouraged to carpool, take public transit or ride a bike to work?
• What is the "illegal right turn lane" at 24th and Noe?
• How is the NVMPA working to reduce car use and pedestrian safety on our very busy commercial corridor? (For instance, curb bulb-outs at all intersections, increasing the number of parklets, etc.)

Your thoughts in the comments, please. We'd especially like to hear from you, Robert.

[Noe Valley Merchants and Professional Association July Newsletter]
[NVV: Scouting for Parking in `Downtown Noe Valley']
[NVSF: Parking, Parklets and Other Backroom Deals in Noe Valley]
[NVSF: Forget Whole Foods - Noe Needs a Parking Lot]

Tidbits: 24th St Happenings

SEAN opened two days ago at 4080 24th St (quite a makeover of the old Accent on Flowers space). What is SEAN? "SEAN is the only US retailer providing men of all ages timeless contemporary fashion choices designed exclusively by French menswear designer Emile Lafaurie."

The Planning Commission will consider issuance of a Conditional Use Permit on March 8th for a cafe called "Sweep Spot" at 4028 24th St (formerly Cosmic Wizard). Grub Street believes it's actually a "Pinkberry-esque frozen-yogurt shop moving in called Sweet Spot." More details when we get them.

Posters have popped up in windows around 24th and Church announcing the efforts of The Noe Valley Traffic Safety Project "to work with the community and city government to implement short and long-term solutions aimed at making the intersection safer." Check it out.

4027 24th St (formerly Hot Headz) is under wraps, the For Rent sign is down and painters are inside. Anyone know what's going in there?

Haven't been able to find a new iPhone case since Radio Shack shut due to fire/water damage? Problem solved: iPhone accessories are now available at Pete's Cleaners & Laundry (3859 24th St).

Finally, Cookie Time Truck found out last week that they aren't allowed to block a federally-mandated handicapped parking space and is now located at the back of the parking lot. Considering the lawsuits filed against other Noe Valley merchants for ADA violations we'd say Cookie Time got off easy.

Discuss: Electric Car Charging Station Causes Traffic Problems

Parking is once again a top issue in Noe Valley, at least for one reader. The City installed an electric car charging station in Walgreens’ parking lot and not everyone is convinced it’s a good idea.

Curious about your thoughts about the electric vehicle charging station at Walgreens. I exchanged some email with the store manager, but am not sure where things stand. Here are my thoughts:

• Kudos to Walgreens for supporting the environment!
• According to store management, the space is open to all vehicles, electric or not. However, they ask that non-electric vehicles limit their time to 20 minutes (vs. the 60 minutes for other spots).
• There are two problems, however: (1) There is no signage indicating that; and (2) the parking attendants do not seem to direct vehicles to use the spot even when there is a line into the street.
• I suspect some believe it's illegal to park in the space if they don't drive an electric vehicle.
• I asked Walgreens management to add signage to clarify appropriate usage for the space and to instruct the attendants to proactively guide cars to the spot when not otherwise in use. Given the limited parking in Noe Valley an under-utilized space is a bad thing, especially with the traffic and safety issues created by the periodic line onto Castro St.

Thoughts?

The City is installing more than 80 such stations around the City, free for use if you need a top-off. The goal? “Reducing greenhouse emissions.” If the above letter is any indication, that may be tough.

Good luck with taking away car access of any kind in Noe Valley. Close a street to traffic? We know what happened there. Parklets? Negotiated with a net gain in parking spots. Whole Foods? Always a line of stopped traffic on 24th.

Ultimately, the trouble seems to be the number or cars coming into our little village, not the number of spaces available to them.

By the way, Noe Valley’s Walk Score? 86 out of 100 “Very Walkable.”

NVV Sept 2011: 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.

September 2011

Front Page: Noe Valley Wine Walk is coming Sept 14 (a $30 wristband gets you unlimited pours from 19 shops and restaurants) and organizers expect 400 to 600 tasters; Noe Valley gets its own lipstick line; former St. Paul's Priest slammed for child abuse; 98-year old Keiko Fukuda earns Judo's highest honor of 10th degree black belt; results from the Census 2010 (highlights: Noe has lost a few residents since 2000, gained toddlers- up 50% from a decade ago, and "Snowy Valley" has a higher percentage of white people than the rest of SF - 78%  vs. 49% citywide).

Letters: A reader writes to complain about Whole Foods applying for a liquor license because "it may attract more shoppers;"  farewell Mystery Bookstore - you will be missed; another reader complains about parking on 24th Street so they drive to the Castro instead; a letter in defense of the blocked sidewalk violation citations ("sidewalks are for people!"); a complaint about a police car roaring down 24th St. at top speed ("a terrible accident could have occurred"); a warning about truth in advertising at Whole Foods on blueberries ("they weren't half-pint containers"); and a question about whether guest rentals are in fact legal (short answer: not usually and you need to pay taxes).

Cost of Living in Noe: The rental market is red-hot with 1%  vacancy in "well-managed" buildings thanks to the Google shuttle buses, easy freeway access, and Noe's "hip nightlife." (?) Average price of a house in Noe: $1.17 million.

Short Takes: Music in the Park is this Saturday at Noe Courts; Open Studios comes to Noe on Oct 1-2 - visit Artspan.org for more details or pick up a schedule at Phoenix Books on 24th St.

Store Trek: Press: Works on Paper

Rumors: In the weeks before Sept 11, 2001 in Noe on Church Street, Cafe XO was opening, Cafe J was about to become a Greek restaurant on Church (now Henry's Hunan), Star Bakery was closing to become a Curves (now Getzwell), Speckmann's was becoming Contigo, and a retro ice cream shop called Fountain of Youth was struggling to stay alive (it's now a nails waxing salon). 10 years on in Noe ... First American Title Company is opening on Castro; Tamasei Sushi is becoming Akai Saru sushi in a few months; Urban Cellars is becoming Noe Valley Wine Merchants; and J & J is empty. Other changes afoot: The Accent on Flowers remodel should be done by the last week of September and the space will be up for rent; Star Magic/Cosmic Wizard is no more; and Bespoke is leaving Noe for Pacific Heights. The old Tuttimelon space could become a First Republic bank soon - though the Noe Valley Merchants  and Professionals Association still has to consider the idea (and there are already 5 banks on 24th St). The psychic space has been transformed into Walkershaw men's clothing (Connie Walkershaw also runs Sew Salon on Castro at Jersey). Giants pitcher Matt Cain is reportedly leaving Noe for the East Bay; the huge neon sign above Cotton Basics has been removed from outside the building, and you can visit it inside the store now; more Real Foods buyout rumors; a belated nod to the 2011 Best of the Bay winners in Noe; and there's a memorial on Sept 9 for long-time local Bank of America bank teller Jorge Casilla Ramirez. RIP.

[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?]

Cesar Chavez: Work Starts In June

CC Puede's Fran Taylor sent the following update about the upcoming construction and redesign of the Cesar Chavez corridor:

The May 11 meeting on the Cesar Chavez Street project drew well over 50 people and was crammed with information, which I tried to note down. Here it is, in somewhat higgledy-piggledy fashion.

The sewer work is scheduled to begin in late June, starting at Hampshire and working west. The construction crews will work on three- or four-block chunks at a time. These blocks will have no parking during the work, which will involve digging a trench 10 to 13 feet wide to accommodate the 72 to 84-inch-diameter pipes being installed.

In addition, on the south side of Cesar Chavez, the existing pipes will be relined. Workers will need to block traffic for this as well.

From Hampshire to Treat, the trench is expected to be closer to the north side of the street; west of Treat, the trench is expected to be closer to the middle of the street. Two travel lanes in each direction will be maintained on Cesar Chavez throughout the project, but the lanes will move according to where the trench is. The existing three lanes of traffic west of the project will be gradually merged into two lanes in the construction area.

For the crossing of Mission Street, workers will avoid digging a trench to minimize disruption to Muni and BART service. Instead, they will dig two pits, one each at Capp and Bartlett, and install the pipe with a trenchless method.

In addition to Cesar Chavez, sewer construction work will take place on the following streets in the area as part of this project:
* Harrison: from Cesar Chavez to 26th
* Valencia: from Cesar Chavez to Mission
* Fair: from Mission to Coleridge
* Coleridge: from Fair to Coso
* Coso at Coleridge

Each block should take five to six weeks, and the first large segment from Hampshire to Folsom should take about nine to 10 months. When each three-block chunk is completed and reopened, the street will be striped according to the new streetscape striping, with parking lanes, bike lanes, two car travel lanes in each direction, and turn pockets or turn restrictions as outlined in the approved plan. As part of the streetscape improvements, the greening, repaving, and median work won’t begin until the sewer work reaches Folsom, about nine months after it begins.

The sewer work on Cesar Chavez would take 15 to 16 months, and the streetscape work another nine months, totaling about two years. Work hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm, with some possible weekend work. City officials emphasized that residents will have local access, and, on the occasions when driveways must be blocked, the contractors will contact households individually to work with them on solutions.

Notices that will be distributed before the project starts will include a 24-hour number for questions and complaints. The city will conduct meetings similar to the one last Wednesday every three or four months to update and obtain feedback from the community.

Alex Murillo of the DPW Office of Communications and Public Affairs will be the contact person for the project, and he gave out his office phone number (415/437-7009) and cell number (415/627-8106). Brave man! He can be reached at Alex.M.Murillo@sfdpw.org. The project is also up on the DPW website: http://www.sfdpw.org/index.aspx?page=1166.

The project manager for the streetscape aspect is Kris Opbroek, who can be reached at Kris.Opbroek@sfdpw.org or 415/558-4045.

After the presentations, a lively discussion ensued, mostly focused on the approach to combining or separating stormwater runoff from wastewater.

Congratulations Noe Valley Pedestrians: You Suck On Yelp

One star, FWIW:

Most pedestrians on 24th Street (Noe Valley) orbit in their own galaxy. These ipod listenin, blue tooth talkin, crackberry squeezin, stroller pushin aliens like to truck right into the crosswalk in front of autos already making a turn. Or they blast off the curb clueless to the autos that have been waiting (...and waiting) to get going to where they're going.

OK, pedestrians have the right of way. But this is not a right without expiration. 24th Street pedestrians will be better off applying the normal rules of humanmobility...like generally keeping to the right (unless you're a Brit, Irish, Australian et al) and yielding to whomever arrives first. This universal law of motion applies to all moving objects like autos, people, aliens, strollers, bikers, boarders, skaters...

"But why would I ever yield to an auto?" the 24th Street pedestrian ponders. Because if the autos can't get going to where they're going, the "solution" is a traffic light. Hello? Can we agree the universe doesn't need more traffic lights?

Next time I'm crossing the road, I'm letting the waiting auto take its turn through the intersection. Not because it's about equality, but because we agreed (at least I did) that we don't want more traffic signals with their lighted Walk (white) and Don't Walk (orange) figurines from outer space. Some signals are outfitted with unnatural high-pitched sounds that warn aliens the sign is about to change.

Don't Walk? Yes We Can!

[Yelp: Pedestrians / 24th Street]

The Mission Streetscape Plan: What It Means To Noe Valley

The Mission District Streetscape Plan advanced out of committee to the full SFMTA board for a vote on Friday after years of community meetings and a full Environmental Impact Report. That's the good news. The bad news is that assuming it passes the Board, it will be 10 years before fully implemented at a cost of $96M.

The entire 62MB PDF is available here: Of note to Noe Valley residents:

• Making permanent the much-maligned traffic-calming plaza at 28th and Guerrero (pages 50-51). A priority project: "The City will continue to look for funds to create a permanent plaza at this location per the designs shown in this plan."
• 24th St BART station improvements (pages 42-43). A priority project: "The City has received approximately $2.2 million in grant funds through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s TLC program to build improvements to the 24th and Mission BART station, including plaza improvements, new bus bulbs on Mission Street, and raised crosswalks at alleys crossing 24th Street."
• Reducing Cesar Chavez to 2 traffic lanes in each direction from Hampshire to Guerrero with dedicated turn lanes, bike lanes, pedestrian bulb-outs, a 12-foot-wide median and a new plaza at Capp/Mission. All that will sacrifice 30 parking places. (pages 54-55, 66-67) Ironically, there is a lot of hate for the project from the bikes-only crowd commenting on StreetsBlogSF - the project doesn't go far enough to protect cyclists.
• Pedestrian safety improvements to Dolores St and the Dolores St park/plaza at San Jose we reported on last year (pages 42-47, 70-71).

When? A projected time line is on page 96. Work on Ceasar Chavez will begin next summer after completion of a sewer replacement project set to start in the next month or so.

[SF Planning: The Mission District Sreetscape Plan]
[SF Planning: Final draft of Better Streets (PDF)]
[NVSF: Proposed: Gateway Park At South End Of Dolores Street]

Closing: Delano's IGA Market

A reader sent this over the weekend:

It's not exactly Noe Valley but close to [enough to] warrant. Was just at [Delano's] in the Castro and noticed a lot of special 'sales'... Talked to the cashier and she said they are closing up in like 1-2 weeks. They announced this news on Wednesday (just before Thanksgiving). Bummer - she said she did not know why nor what will come into its place.

Then last night the RichmondSF blog posted that the Delano's on Geary is closing, which makes it likely that the South Van Ness location will also close. And with SocketSite reporting that the planned Market St Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are unlikely to pan out we could see more people coming over the hill to the Noe Valley Whole Foods.

[RSF: CLOSING: Delano’s Market at 27th & Geary; possible bankruptcy]
[SocketSite: Trader Joe’s Reportedly "Outed" From The Castro Over Traffic]
[SocketSite: Whole Foods Concerned About Market (Street), Delaying On Haight]
[Flickr: delanosiga]

Rollover Accident: 30th & Dolores

The above was sent with out any details. Speculation: the usual high rate of speed on Dolores combined with texting/phone/food/whatever. Just had to get to the freeway...

Anyone see the accident?

Witnesses Wanted: Taxi-Bicycle Collision

Aaron Weis either hit or was hit by a taxi on either Aug 18th or 19th and needs your help:

ATTENTION
LOOKING FOR WITNESSES OF A TAXI-BICYCLE COLLISION THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE EVENING ON WEDNESDAY, AUG 18TH ON 24TH ST BETWEEN CASTRO AND DIAMOND

I was riding my bicycle down 24th St and was hit by a taxi around 8:15pm this past Wednesday, Aug 19th. There were numerous witnesses and at least one woman who was gathering contact information from witnesses. The taxi passenger also lived nearby. I was loaded into an ambulance and was unable to obtain this information. If you were a witness or the passenger and would be willing to provide your contact information and observation, it would be hugely appreciated.

See image for contact info.

Noe Valley Pavement to Parks - Community Meeting April 8

For those interested in the ongoing parklet/plaza debate, here's your chance to ask questions and air concerns with the coordinators:

Dear Noe Valley Residents,

Attached, please find a formal invitation to a community meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 8 to discuss trial public space improvements at the intersection of 24th and Noe Streets in Noe Valley.

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday April 8, 6:30pm, at St. Philips (665 Elizabeth Street). Please feel free to distribute this email to any local groups or organizations you are part of. And, as always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Best,

Andres Power
Pavement to Parks Project Manager
Andres.Power@sfgov.org
sfpavementtoparks.sfplanning.org

Click the image for a bigger view of the flyer.

Proposed: Gateway Park At South End Of Dolores Street

We've been tracking the Mission Streetscape Plan for the past year, and today a new addition to the proposal caught our eye. Building on the theme of Pavement to Parks, the City Design Group envisions a park at the south end of Dolores Street. Traffic calming and more green space is good, no?

The final proposal will be available for public comment this fall, with environmental review set to start in the Spring. Here's a very large PDF with all the details.

[City Design Group: Mission Streetscape Plan]
[SFGov: Pavement to Parks]

Update: Shuttle Study

General consensus: Noe Valley is for NIMBYs. The Examiner reported on last Thursday's Upper Noe Neighbors meeting without managing to get quotes from "the other side" so well represented in our comments sections. While much of the discussion here has revolved around employee shuttles to Silicon Valley, the Examiner missed the point that this study is looking at all shuttle use in San Francisco--Noe Valley is just a small (albeit vocal) focus of the study. (More about the Strategic Analysis Report in this post and this PDF.)

So what's next? "Findings from the report will be released in July and could include charging fees for shuttles to enter The City, possible route changes and the creation of special zones for the vehicles, according to Margaret Cortes, a senior transportation planner."

If you went to last Thursday's meeting, please leave your impressions in the comments.

[SFE: Give me some space! Shuttles clog Noe streets]
[NVSF: Meeting: Upper Noe Neighbors]
[NVSF: Shuttle Buses: Useful or Menace?]
[SFCTA: Shuttle SAR]