FOGG Open Letter – August 1, 2010

The response to our last two OPEN LETTERS has been reassuring.  The donations sent by many of you mean a great deal to the success of our Coalition’s work to provide a real NE Waterfront Plan for the benefit of all, and at the same time preserving the Community’s Open Recreation Space.

As you will read in the following paragraphs, however, there remains a need for continual financial support.  Your tax deductible donations have been and will continue to be used in a most prudent manner so that our cooperative efforts with Asian Neighborhood Design (AND), our professional consultant, attorney, and volunteer community organizations can move forward without delay.

Please send your tax deductible donation by check to PDF/FOGG, mailed to Jim Eggert, Treasurer and CPA, 550 Davis Street #46, San Francisco, CA 94111.  In writing your check, please enter on the memo line “tax deductible donation.”

Or you can donate online by clicking on the ‘Donations to FOGG’ link on this website.

FOGG Open Letter – July 28, 2010

This OPEN LETTER is a follow up to our OPEN LETTER of July 20, 2010.  We have received many responses and we thank you for them.

As you are now aware, an Alternative Northeast Waterfront Study has been developed by our community.  You can now see this Alternative Study at the Page on the right side of this website.

We thank all the FOGG supporters, the contributors from Telegraph Hill Dwellers (THD), Golden Gateway Tenants Association (GGTA) and Asian Neighborhood Design (AND) for their incredible effort to produce this Study.

This Alternative Study, produced by our community coalition in response to the SF Planning Department study, we believe, truly represents the neighborhood.  This is a Study developed not only to create a more livable and open Embarcadero neighborhood, but to provide the entire City and visitors with an exciting and lively experience.

While this Study has been thoroughly reviewed, it is still in “draft” form.  We expect some changes and improvements when it is complete.  We expect to complete our Study in the next few weeks.

We also ask you to view two new drawings from the SF Planning Department. You can now see these SF Planning Department drawings at the Page on the right side of this website.

These drawings show higher height limits along Drumm Street, their site plan for Seawall Lot 351, and our adjacent Community Recreation Center (GGT&SC).  As you can see, the SF Planning Department is showing the total destruction of our existing Community Recreation Center.  They are ‘recommending’ 130 foot high buildings at the corner of Drumm Street and Washington Street (existing tennis courts 2 and 3), and 25 foot high buildings along the walkway between Jackson and Broadway (existing pool area and courts 6 through 9).

You should know these two drawings were NOT shown to the Planning Commission when the Planning Staff presented their study to the Commission on July 8, 2010. They were shown at the Port Commission meeting on July 13, 2010.

The Planning Commission on July 8, 2010 approved the SF Planning staff Study by a 4 to 3 vote, sending a resolution to the SF Port for their review and possible action without knowing that the study was incomplete.  We are challenging this decision.

We need your financial support now through your tax deductible donation to complete our neighborhood coalition study.

Please send your tax deductible donation by check to PDF/FOGG, mailed to Jim Eggert, Treasurer and CPA, 550 Davis Street #46, San Francisco, CA 94111.  In writing your check, please enter on the memo line “tax deductible donation.”

Or you can donate online by clicking on the Donations to FOGG on this website.

Your comments are most welcome and we look forward to your continuing support.

FOGG Open Letter – July 20, 2010

These past four months of work have been exciting.  We have accomplished much as we have put together a coalition of community organizations that widened our focus and support.

This coalition has developed a comprehensive Northeast Waterfront Plan that truly represents a consensus of what the neighborhood desires.  This was done with two productive workshops led by the professional planners and architects of Asian Neighborhood Design (AND) under the guidance of Fernando Marti, and by Brad Paul, consultant and longtime community advocate.  These men have a depth of knowledge in how the system works and are highly regarded in their professions.

FOGG Alert – July 12, 2010

ATTENTION Friends & Supporters:

The Port Commission will be hearing the Planning Department guidelines at the Port Commission meeting on the NE Waterfront Study: TUESDAY, July 13, 2010 3:15pm, Ferry Building, 2^nd level, Port Commission Hearing Room, as per the original posted Agenda.  The Agenda can be read at this link:  AGENDA.

The presentation by Asian Neighborhood Design (AND) and supported by our Coalition of Community Organizations will be heard at the Port Commission meeting in August, after we have an opportunity to meet with Port Staff.

You are certainly welcome to attend tomorrow’s Port Commission meeting and express your opinions on the Planning Department’s presentation.

We will advise you as soon as we have a firm date and time for the August Port Commission meeting when we will make our formal presentation.

Thank you for your continuing support and patience.

FOGG Alert – July 11, 2010

We are alerting you that conversations are underway with Port Staff and there may be a change in the July 13, 2010 Port Commission Agenda that would affect scheduling the present proposed presentations on the Northeast Waterfront Study.

We ask that you keep the date penciled in: Tuesday, July 13, 3:15pm, Ferry Building, 2^nd floor, Port Commission Meeting Room, until further notice. We should have a final answer sometime on Monday, July 12, 2010.

You may wish to review the present Agenda at this link: AGENDA.  Please see Item 9.C.

We will stay on top of all events as they evolve, and certainly keep you advised.

FOGG Alert – July 9, 2010

First, let us give a sincere thank you to all who attended and spoke in support of our neighborhood coalition presentation, led by Asian Neighborhood Design (AND) at the Thursday July 8, 2010 Planning Commission hearing on the Northeast Embarcadero Study.

Presented by Fernando Marti of AND, the coalition of community organizations proposal was a great start and another step to moving ahead towards a finished Study recommendation.

The Planning Commissioners were obviously impressed with the amount of detail that AND presented, as they had nothing to say that could be construed as negative.

We now move ahead into the next arena: PORT COMMISSION MEETING, Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 3:15pm – Ferry Building, 2^nd level, Port Commission Hearing Room.

Even though we had asked to wait until the Port Commission meeting in August, so that AND could complete their project, we are ready to go with our presentation next Tuesday.

We must move forward in unison to succeed in our efforts.  We understand the pressure on all of us, with meetings so close together.

That is why we ask that you again make every effort to attend and participate in the Port Commission hearing on Tuesday, July 13. This meeting is no less important than the Planning Commission meeting.

We are sure you will make every effort to attend, and will update you on the Port Commission’s agenda as soon as it is available.

FOGG Open Letter – July 1, 2010

Please mark Thursday, July 8, 2010 on your calendar.  That is the date that the Planning Department states they will finally present their Northeast Embarcadero Study to the Planning Commission.

The meeting will be at a special time:  10:00am.  It will be held at City Hall, Commission Chambers, Room 400.

The Study can be read at this link:  NES Report

As presently scheduled the Planning Department hopes to present the Study to the Port Commission on Tuesday, July 13.

We are asking that as many friends & supporters attend the July 8th meeting and give testimony before the Commissioners.

At this meeting, our joint community cooperative effort that includes Friends of Golden Gateway (FOGG), Telegraph Hill Dwellers (THD), Golden Gateway Tenants Association (GGTA), and Chinatown community groups will be presenting our own Northeast Embarcadero Plan.

This formal response to the Planning Department’s Study, still in process, is a broader, more comprehensive and cooperative effort by residents of the community to create an active vibrant waterfront for all with better connections to Chinatown, North Beach and Telegraph Hill.

This community wide effort is being led by the professional staff of Asian Neighborhood Design (AND).

FOGG will send you further details early next week to remind you of this extremely important meeting.

Please plan on being there to show your support and give testimony before the Commissioners.  Everyone counts.

Thank you for your continued support and interest on behalf of better neighborhoods.