The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 34th America’s Cup (AC34) and James R. Herman Cruise Terminal Project was just been published. The Report will be formally reviewed on August 11 with comments from the public accepted until August 25.
The San Francisco Planning Department published a Notice of Preparation on February 9, 2011 to notify the public of its intent to prepare an EIR on the AC34 and Cruise Terminal projects. During the public scoping process held in February and March 2011, the Planning Department received numerous comments from public agencies, organizations, and individuals regarding the scope and content of the EIR, including comments on environmental effects of the AC34 and Cruise Terminal projects as well as on the details of the projects themselves.
Comments received during the scoping process on the proposed projects and their potential environmental impacts are addressed in this EIR. This section lists the areas of controversy and major concerns raised during the scoping period as well as issues to be resolved. Issues to be resolved include those areas of concern that will be addressed either (1) during the permitting and approval processes for the projects subsequent to the completion of the CEQA process, (2) as part of the environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the applicable aspects of the project, (3) during design and implementation of the projects (assuming the projects are approved), or (4) as part of future proposals for long‐term development on Port properties as provided for under the Host Agreement and the associated environmental review process.
The areas of controversy and issues to be resolved include the following:
Details of the People Plan (including Transportation Management Plan), Waste Management Plan, Sustainability Plan, and other implementation plans as proposed.
Coordination of the AC34 project sponsors with federal, state, regional, and other local agencies for the planning and implementation of AC34 events.
Management and coordination of large private spectator yachts expected to view the AC34 events and impacts of increased boat traffic Long-term development rights of Port properties provided for under the Host Agreement following completion of the AC34 events, and environmental implications of such development.
Tenant relocation from Port properties that would be necessary for both the AC34 and Cruise Terminal projects.
Impacts of the AC34 events on views, traffic, services, utilities, recreational resources, and public access at proposed venue locations as well as at adjacent and nearby areas.
Potential conflicts of both projects with adopted plans applicable to the project sites, including effects on public access.
Effects of AC34 racing events on existing maritime and commercial uses of San Francisco Bay.
The first volume of the report is 746 pages while volume two is 698. So if you plan to comment or complain intelligently, you had better start reading now. Luckily volumes three and four are simply appendices.
∙ The Scope Of Development For San Francisco’s First America’s Cup [SocketSite]
∙ Pier 27 Terminal Rendered And Ready For Fiscal Feasibility Vote [SocketSite]
∙ San Francisco’s Last Minute Giveaways To Get The America’s Cup [SocketSite]
∙ 34th America’s Cup Draft EIR: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 [sfplanning.org]
Is it just me who give pretty much [doesn’t care] about the actual race?
I’m looking forward to glancing out my window at work on race days, thinking for a few seconds, “oh, there they go,” and then going on with my day as usual.
I wonder how they will deal with people watching from the bridge?
And having seen the test boats on the bay, I think it’ll be a little but more than “oh there they go.”
kg, yes, it’s just you.
no it’s not just you kg.
wake us up when we can rent our D7 homes to some european tourists who do give a shit – for a year’s worth of rent in a week and no chance of them claiming to be protected tenants.
There are races all the time. It makes for an entertaining landscape. But caring on how the top 0.01% live their lives?
I walked by a nice community garden yesterday. Had a nice chat with a gardener. I lined at the Red Vic Saturday for vintage posters and chatted with other kindred souls. Worth all the races in the world. They can buy it. They’ll never own it.
Some of you may want to get out in the world a little bit more – you’l find that in some other countries, sailing isn’t the elitist sport you make it out to be.
You say ho hum now, but when the time comes and you see those boats my guess is you will edge closer to the wow brigade. Lighten up folks.
Considering the races will last about 10 minutes each, don’t blink! 🙂
@Fishchum
Which countries are you referring to, specifically?
Sailing an elitist sport? If you want to talk about wealthy team owners and exorbitant participant salaries, sailing has nothing on the NFL, NBA, world cup soccer, etc.
I’m no sailing enthusiast but as a motorcycle and automobile racing fan, seeing those AC45s flying across the bay (including ocassionally flipping over) is pretty incredible to watch.
” world cup soccer”
huh? The World Cup is probably the most egalitarian sporting event on planet earth.
“The World Cup is probably the most egalitarian sporting event on planet earth.”
Yeah, although the corruption among FIFA officials may sour people’s thoughts in the other direction — powerful people looking for a payday.
Anyone can try and juggle a ball like Ronaldinho, but yachting still has an upfront cost out of reach to even decently paid middle class drones.
Specifically, I’m referring to New Zealand and Australia. I have friends from both countries in the sailing community and can tell you they’re not the blue bloods posters on this board would lead you to believe they are.
^And they’re sailing America’s Cup-style yachts? I don’t think so, unless they’re blue bloods.
The difference between the different sports is that while I might not get paid the big bucks that professional ball players of all sorts make, I can go out and play basketball, soccer, football, etc using the EXACT SAME equipment that they do. I can’t sail a giant yacht, and neither can regular folks from Australia or New Zealand.
Well, auto racing, especially Nascar, is very popular with the U.S. lower classes. Yet they cannot go out and race a ridiculously expensive high-end racing machine (although they can go out and drive a car). That has nothing to do with the popularity of auto racing. Regardless, I agree that America’s Cup racing is not a big attraction for many outside of the upper, upper echelon (and it is an attraction to only a small percentage of that group). It was not a particularly big draw when it was in San Diego.
The guys I know have actually crewed and raced against Ellison, so yes, they’ve crewed some pretty high end boats. While the owners may have big bucks, the guys who crew them have simply come up through the ranks of competitive sailing and have come from pretty modest backgrounds.
While sailing does attract the Thurston Howell III types, it’s popularity spans all sorts of economic spectrums in the countries I’ve mentioned.