FOGG Alert – February 29, 2012

PLANNING COMMISSION AND PORT COMMISSION HEARING DATES SET

FOGG is confirming that the SF Planning Commission Hearing on the 8 Washington/SWL351 proposed development is still scheduled for Thursday, March 8, 2012. The Hearing will begin at 10:00 am. It is at City Hall – Supervisors Legislative Chambers, Room 250.

The Commissioners will be voting whether to approve the “Final” Environmental Report (FEIR). They will also vote on a number of required zoning changes, including height limits and shadows.

We ask as many FOGG supporters as possible attend this very important meeting. We also ask you to be prepared to offer testimony on behalf of preserving our open recreational space.

The developer continues to try every new angle possible. He has just reduced the number of luxury condominiums from 145 units to 134 units. He is now offering 134 residential parking spaces with 134 residential bike parking spaces, plus public parking spaces that could add 266 more, bringing the total number of parking spaces to 400. Remember that in the Draft EIR issued in December 2011, there were 165 luxury condominiums and 420 underground public and private parking spaces.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2012, the SF Port Commission will vote on the project. The Hearing will begin at 3:15 pm. It is at the Ferry Building, Port Commission Hearing Room, Second Floor.

Again, we ask as many FOGG supporters as possible attend this very important meeting.

FOGG is preparing Talking Points will be available to help you prepare your testimony. These Talking Points will be sent as a FOGG Alert by a separate email.

Our legal team and a number of volunteers are preparing for hearings, spending many hours reading over and researching vital documents. It takes many hours, but we are convinced that we will respond with factual and significant material.

While important, these two hearings are not final decisions. The process continues on to the Board of Supervisors, and we remain optimistic as to the final outcome.

We are sure you can see that this all takes a great deal of time and effort, particularly by our attorney, Sue Hestor. Sue must continue to provide the wealth of knowledge and legal understanding that she has for these many years provided. We can only do that with your critical tax free donations.

Many have heeded our call for financial support, but we need as many of you as possible to make a contribution NOW!

Please send your tax deductible donation to Friends of Golden Gateway, P.O. Box 2294, San Francisco, CA 94126. Please make your checks out to PDF/FOGG, and on the memo line write “tax deductible donation”.

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

Thanks in advance for whatever you are able to contribute.

FOGG Alert – February 9, 2012

FOGG is aware that the developers of the proposed 8 Washington/SWL 351 project for 145 luxury condominiums and 400 space underground parking garage are pulling out all the stops in their efforts to convince our supporters that the game is over, and they have won.

NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!

FOGG has heard from some of you expressing concerns that the developers have “…already received the zoning changes required to build over the present height limits.”

FALSE! Such zoning height increase decisions have not and will not take place for some time to come.

Others have told us that the developer’s or their PR machine state “…that the project is right on schedule for construction.”

FALSE! Remember they wanted to have the Planning & Port Commissions approve their project last December 2011, then January 2012, and again in February 2012. The Board of Supervisors review and vote on the project is unscheduled.

We now have a March 8, 2012 date for the hearing on the EIR, and FOGG, our attorney, Sue Hestor and volunteers are moving ahead. All of us are working a great number of intense hours and coming up with strategies to prevent the loss of the City’s magnificent outdoor recreation center – GGT&SC. Many of you enjoy every day the use of the nine tennis courts and the two swimming pools in a warm, family friendly environment.

FOGG is aware that the developer’s well-oiled PR machine is working overtime trying to spread their misinformation and convince our supporters it is time to give up.

NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!

The developer’s supporters are making mistakes. Someone in the Gateway Complex is trying to sow the seeds of confusion. Notices have been posted in several elevators in the Complex. A Snellgrove supporter, we believe, put these notices in the elevators and under some of the tenant’s doors. The notices state that the Planning Commission hearing on the 8 Washington/SWL351 proposed project is scheduled for February 23, 2012.

FALSE! The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 8, 2012 as we stated in our FOGG Alert of February 6, 2012.

Both The Gateway management and Planning Department said they did not authorize such posting.

This shows the desperation by Mr. Snellgrove’s supporters to confuse our FOGG supporters. These tactics will not work.

Our mission and dedication in preserving this jewel of a recreation center for thousands of middle income families, their youngsters and seniors has not slowed down – the intensity has increased and FOGG will not cease until we win. (and we will)

But it is going to also take your full support and financial commitment to reach our goal. We need your tax deductible dollars NOW. Please don’t accept the developer’s false statements.

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

Whatever you can provide in tax deductible donations will be greatly appreciated and used wisely.

We thank those of you who have received the developer’s PR information and passed it along to us. Remember, when you hear these false rumors that we have lost, just remind the developer that he is ‘developer number 4’. FOGG has been working tirelessly since August 2003 and we will again prevail.

Thanks to our many friends & supporters, we grow stronger every day, and this includes all the new people who have joined us.

FOGG Alert – February 6, 2012

The Planning Commission hearing for the 8 Washington /Seawall Lot 351 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) scheduled for Thursday, February 23, 2012 has been rescheduled.

The new date is Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 10:00am, Room 400, City Hall.

Thanks to our attorney, Sue Hestor, and our team of volunteers we have been able to keep the pressure on, and keep the 8 Washington/Seawall Lot 351 developer and his supporters wondering if they can ever accomplish their misbegotten plans that will benefit no one but them. They hide behind the statement “…reconnecting San Francisco with its waterfront”. This project is really a wall along the waterfront with a gated community behind it for the ultra-rich.

We continue to wonder whether the teachers whose retirement contributions given to CalSTRS for future security will ever get their money back. CalSTRS, as you know, is underwriting this project.

The destruction of our community recreational center with nine tennis courts and two swimming pools must be prevented. This facility, for nearly 50 years, has provided thousands of middle class families, their children and the seniors a safe, affordable and family friendly environment. There are other outdoor recreational centers but none like this one.

FOGG’s mission is to save this open recreational space. We have been working tirelessly since August 2003 and will continue until we win.

We need your financial support NOW to continue the successful efforts by our team of professionals (attorney Sue Hestor, consultant Brad Paul) and our volunteers.

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

Thank you for allowing FOGG to continue this battle to preserve open recreational space needed for our middle class families.