Amongst the items on the agenda for today’s San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting, an appeal of the Planning Department’s decision that the proposed adaptive reuse of 1945 Hyde Street is exempt from environmental review.
The appeal is being sponsored by the Russian Hill Community Association (RHCA).
If successful, the appeal could add years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in development costs to the proposed project which was approved by the Planning Commission in June.
∙ 1945 Hyde Street Revised, Rendered, And Ready To Be Approved [SocketSite]
∙ San Francisco Board of Supervisors Agenda: August 2, 2011 [sfbos.org]
hysterics – absolute hysterics. Some choice tidbits from the opposition:
re: glare from the building:
“left unassessed, the imagination goes to the newly renovated building appearing as an all-pervasive glowing alien spaceship invading the neighborhood 24/7/365 for the next 100 years”
re: historic districts
The garage MAY contribute to a “significant potential historic parking garage district”
is that a historic district with significant potential or a potentially significant historic district? Either way, it’s nonsense.
The whole thing is nonsense. It’s NIMBYism to create a parking entitlement. Hysterical preservation is right.
I live just around the corner, and I think this is crazy. Though I love having a convenient garage there, this is a great re-use of the building and I’m pretty jealous of whoever is going to be able to grab these units. I hope the BoS tells the RHCA to suck it.
A historic parking lot? These NIMBYs really do have no shame.
This afternoon the RHCA’s (aka Jamie Cherry’s), appeal of the environmental evaluation of the Planning Department’s determination that the project was exempt under CEQ
(California Environmental Quality Act) was heard before the Board of Supervisors.
Yes, that is a long sentence.
The Board voted 11-0 that the determination of the Planning Dept. should be upheld. Even David Chiu in whose district the project is located was unsympathetic with the appellant who failed to appear.
It’s becoming clear that these neighborhood groups are likely getting kickbacks from companies that perform environmental reviews.
Isn’t it kind of cheeky to put something on the BoS calendar and then not even show up? You have to wonder what the RHCA was thinking here. Perhaps he knew which way the wind was blowing and realized that it was pointless but you would think in this case it would be more politic to withdraw the request.
This is why we need DR reform. There is no consequence for these people who choose to initiate DR. I believe the normal 500 fee to do DR was waived because they are a registered neighborhood group.
^^^ I don’t understand the rationale for waiving the fee for a neighborhood group. A group should be able to raise funds easier than an individual.
Amazing how ignorant the RHCA is to reality, in a down economy holding up a responsible re-use project that only ads value and some sort of modern element to this aging community. Sorry to let you know RHCA you’ll never be considered Muir for saving blithe structures in our aging neighborhood.
This is directly to:
Kathleen Courtney [Removed by Editor
Jamie Cherry [Removed by Editor]
Who are the source what should be renamed the Russian Hill Witch Association. Go to one of there meetings and you will see.