Appeal? Lost. Budget? Intact. Trees? Gone.

Apparently appeals or budget woes can't stop a chainsaw if trees are deemed unsafe. The plan is for replacement trees, but this stretch of 24th St is going to look empty for some time. No Parking signs for this Monday suggest these tall eucalyptus trees will disappear then. Let's see how long it takes to replace them.

[NVSF: Update: 24th Street Trees]
[NVSF: PSA: Public Hearing - Tree Removal]

Shuttle Buses: Useful or Menace?

Sanchez St. / Day St.

In 2007 Google bowed to Noe Valley concerns and agreed to stop using streets west of Church St for its popular employee shuttles. Apparently that didn't last long (see above photo from October 2008) Not all companies are following suit (see comments) and the City is now looking to regulation.

The SFCTA is conducting a Strategic Analysis Report (SAR) to determine what steps, if any, the City needs to take. Here's an outtake from the Resolution [PDF] authorizing the SAR:

An important consideration in looking at shuttles, is whether their place in the spectrum of San Francisco transit services is clearly defined in existing policy and planning documents. We anticipate that some of the policy decisions that will be highlighted by the SAR will deal with regulation and oversight, support for shuttles as part of San Francisco’s Transit First Policy, and whether there should be efforts to recapture into regular fixed-route transit some of the ridership currently on shuttles.

The study will look at vans, mini-buses and full-sized coaches; the study is not looking at airport shuttles or MUNI. In other words, this study could effect everything from Google buses to Whole Foods shuttles to BART to senior mobility services.

How can you make your voice heard? One way is to attend the next Upper Noe Neighbors meeting on March 26th, 7:30pm, at the Upper Noe Rec Center:

Here's [part of] the agenda:

Private shuttle services--the S.F County Transportation Authority is looking into neighborhood issues associated with these buses. Representatives from the SFCTA will be at this meeting. This is your chance to let them know how they affect our neighborhood and discuss ways to mitigate problems. This is bound to be a lively discussion as residents have been voicing complaints about this for quite a while.

Can't make the meeting? The SFCTA is accepting comments by mail or email. Please address the following questions:

• Have you observed shuttles operating or stopping in your neighborhood? Where and how often?
• What trip purpose(s) do the shuttles serve (e.g. work, school, recreation or other needs)?
• What benefits and/or impacts have you observed from shuttles in your neighborhood?
• What role do you see shuttles playing in your neighborhood?

Direct comments to Margaret Cortes, margaret.cortes@sfcta.org, San Francisco Transportation Authority, 100 Van Ness Avenue, 26th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94102.

And if you think shuttle drivers are dangerous, or if the buses are creating hazardous conditions contact the SFPD and Bevan Dufty. This recent note from Capt. Dennis O'Leary of the Ingleside station to Officer Kathy Pubill suggests they'll act: "Please evaluate and determine what codes are being violated. Contact the bus company with suggestions to stop the complaints."

If this SAR creates law, the SFPD won't have to attack this ad hoc.

Note -- If you go to the meeting on the 26th, please send us minutes to post. Thanks!

[SFCTA: Resolution No. 09-27]
[NVV: Google Shifts Bus Stop to Church Street]

Mark Leno Vs. Pasta Gina

Uh oh.

Apparently state Senator Mark Leno is a major pasta fan, so much so that he can't imagine living in Noe Valley without local pasta shop Pasta Gina.

Or so says the openly gay lawmaker in an ad for the store in the March issue of the Noe Valley Voice. The shop apparently lifted the quote by Leno from an interview he gave the paper nine years ago when he served on the city's Board of Supervisors.

And it did so without the senator's permission, according to his office.

Leno was unaware his reply for where he liked to eat in the neighborhood was being used by the pasta shop to promote its business.

According to his staff, Leno does not typically make endorsements of private businesses, feeling it would be inappropriate to do so as a state senator. He planned to personally speak to shop owner Gene Ginsberg about the ad.

[eBar: Political Notebook]

Noe Valley Braces For St. Patrick's Day

Tidbits

The 24th St Cheese Co is helping to fill the gap while we wait for Whole Foods to open next fall. They've added local farm-fresh eggs and the "best" organic yogurt and cottage cheese. They are also a pick-up point for Fine Foods @ Home.

Win 2 cases of beer: Elizabeth Street Brewery is running a contest for the best photo featuring the ESP logo. Entires are due May 1. Details here.

The Noe Valley Nursery School is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a party and raffle on Saturday March 21st. A schedule of events, pricing and prizes can be found here.

The old Wells Fargo space at 4023 24th St. has been spruced up and is for rent. Looks much better -- less blighted.

City Grill's website has launched complete with menus.

[NVSF: Bell Market is Closed - Now What?]

Update: Glare Re-opens

The Noe Valley Voice reported the closure of Glare in December, and it's been papered over since. But this past weekend the doors re-opened.

The new mini-store is now carrying regular frames in addition to sunglasses. According to the Sprockets-looking dude inside: Yes, they re-opened and have re-imagined themselves as more of an outlet with discount frames and glasses. “We wanted to have something more in line with the recession.” The $300 glasses you wanted? Now just $225. He also said Glare is owned by the same people who own Spectacles for Humans. At Spectacles the friendly Brillen-wearing guy confirmed this – “This store is more of the now. The other store is more discount outlet. Same owners.” Now we dance.

Oh -- they have a blog.

Glare
4010 24th St

Spectacles for Humans
3858 24th St

[Spectacles for Humans]
[NVSF: NVV: We Read It So You Don't Have To]
[Photo: Glare, December 2008]

This Week 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 begin at 1:30pm, Room 400 in City Hall.

March 12

4024 26th Street – between Noe and Sanchez Streets, Lot 006 in Assessor's Block 6553 - Request for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2008.10.03.3318, proposing to construct a one-story vertical addition, a front horizontal addition, alter the front façade, and enlarge the rear deck of a two-family dwelling, located in a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.

Preliminary Recommendation: Do not take Discretionary Review and Approve.

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.

March 2009

• Front page: Noe Valley housing market is slow, Whole Foods offering Tuesday shuttle, City College closing campus at James Lick, Upper Noe Rec Center not offering residents enough time to play, consignment stores busy.
• Cost of Living in Noe: slow market, slightly cheaper; rents down a little from last year.
• Letters: Bye-bye Bell; condemnation for evil candle-condemning priest; NVV attracts Fowler witch hunt, too.
• NVDC: full coverage of last month's meeting.
• Crime Beat: Capt Tacchini asking for more communication with residents; no Peace Blotter this time.
• Feature: Elizabeth Street Brewery.
• Store Trek: Just Awesome!, City Grill.
• Rumors: suggests the reader reference Google for more information on the Obama candle "debate;" picked up more Fowler info from the Fowler family blogs; Contigo opens; Noe Soup likely not opening due to investor pull-out [Ed.-- Perhaps Tuttimelon can buy their conditional use permit]; CSAA is closing; Cover-to-Cover to offer free delivery; Basso's giving seniors a 15% discount.
• Bonus: The Voice made it to Dover Castle, India, Thailand and even Florida, and the pictures to prove it are back.
  

[The Noe Valley Voice]