E URBANIST
DIRECTOR'S LETTER
()SPUR SPUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair linda Jo Fitz Executive Vice Chair Anne Halsted Vice Chairs Alexa Arena Emilio Cruz David Friedman Bill Rosetti Lydia Tan V. Fei Tsen Secretary Mary McCue Treasurer Bob Gamble Immediate Past Co-Chair Lee Blitch Advisory Council Co-Chairs Michael Alexander Paul Sed way
Board Members Carl Anthony Andy Barnes Veronica Bell Chris Block Larry Burnett Michaela Cassidy Madeline Chun Charmaine Curtis Gia Daniller-Katz Kelly Dearman Oz Erickson Manny Flores Gillian Gillett Chris Gruwell Dave Hartley Aidan Hughes Mary Huss Chris Iglesias Laurie Johnson Ken Kirkey Dick Lonergan Ellen Lou Janis MacKenzie John Madden Gordon Mar Jacinta McCann Ch ris Meany
Ezra Mersey Terry Micheau Mary Murphy Jeanne Myerson Ad hi Nag raj Brad Paul Chris Poland Teresa Rea Byron Rhett Wade Rose Victor Seeto Elizabeth Seifel Carl Shannon Chi-Hsin Shao Ontario Smith Bill Stotler Stuart Sunsh ine Michael Teitz Mike Theriau lt James Tracy Will Travis Jeff Tuml in Steve Vettel Debra Wa lker Cynthia Wilusz Lovell Cindy Wu
CHAIRS & COMMITTEES Program Committees Ballot Analysis Bob Gamble Disaster Planning Jacinta McCann Dick Morten Chris Poland Housing Ezra Mersey Lyd ia Tan Project Review Charmaine Curtis Mary Beth Sanders Reuben Schwartz Sustainable Development Paul Okamoto Bry Sarte
Transportation Emilio Cruz Anthony Bruzzone Good Goverment Bob Gamble Regional Planning Larry Burnett Libby Seifel
Executive Lee Blitch Linda Jo Fitz Finance Bob Gamble Human Resources Mary McCue
Operating Committees
Individual Membership Bi ll Stotler
Audit John Madden
Investment Ann Lazarus
Nominating Stuart Sunshine
Major Donors linda Jo Fit z Anne Halsted
Building Management Larry Burnett Business Membership Tom Hart Terry Micheau
Planned Giving Michaela Cassidy Silver SPUR Dave Hartley Teresa Rea
SAN JOSE ADVISORY BOARD Andy Barnes Chris Block J. Richard Bra ugh Larry Burnett Brian Darrow
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MARCH 2012
Gordon Feller Karla Rodriguez Lomax James MacGregor Connie Martinez
Anu Natarajan Mohammad Qayoumi Lydia Tan Kim Walesh Jessica Zenk
A Plan for Ocean Beach San Franciscans are ex traord inarily fortunate to have a national park in and around their city, offering unpara ll eled access to the natural surround ings. Our rugged Pacific Coast is a precious link in that chain - but one that has been tarnished over time by erosion and neglect. Ocean Beach is the first place where we have had to significantly rethink the management of our coast line in response to climate change. For the past two years, SPUR has been engaged in the development of the Ocea n Beach Master Plan, a long-range vision for proactive management that will allow condi tion s to be improved rather than degraded. We are tackling head-on the changes that wi ll come with sea leve l rise, which is likely to be among the most pressing of climate change impacts as shorelin es, driven by storm surges,
Benjamin Grant SPUR's Public Realm and Urban Design ProgramManager
erode and move inland. Many coasta l cities are also facing tough coasta l management decisions. But at Ocean Beach, important public infrastructure lies in the path of rapid erosion and a multitude of public agencies share responsibi lity for the beach. The way forward has seemed espec iall y daunting. Each of these agencies has been focusing on its own imperatives, and none has taken on the health of Ocean Beach as a whole. Frustrated advocates have put ideas forward from the outside, without a full reckoning of the severe constraints or the full buy-in of affected agencies. The formation of this plan could easil y have resulted in the sort of ugly and acrimonious process all too typical of Sa n Francisco's land use and physical planning efforts. Instead, we found a hunger to take these cha llenges on directly, and a striking willingness from all corners to compromise on the sma ll things if everyone's concerns were taken seriously and if we kept our eye on th e long view. Ocean Beach has long been under the purview of specialists - climate scientists, coastal hydrologists, wastewater engineers. wild life ecologists and loca l advocates . Their fine ly ca librated tools and susta ined engagement have built up a tremendous body of informati on. SPUR's role has been to listen and lea rn as deeply as we could from each of th em, then cut across them all, proposing so lutions that solve many problems at once while improving the overall experience of place . We have also endeavored to convene a conversation across jurisdictional boundaries, providing a forum for considering the big picture where none existed before - yet allowing each agency to focus on its core mission. The vision for Ocean Beach could be character ized as an ambitious compromise. Th e re su ltin g plan is plausible, reflecting close interagency coord ination, but also bo ld, building in crementa lly on the best qual ities of the beach to create a magnificent public landscape . There is a lot more work ahead to transform this vision of Ocean Beach into reality. These concepts need to be rigorously tested and deepened. The renewed dialogue among agencies and stakeho ld ers needs to be assiduously cultivated . Cap ital dollars and regulatory clearances will need to be secured. SPUR has already received additional funding to car ry th ese id eas forward, and we look forward to remaining engaged in this process for years to come. • Cover photo by David Lloyd
THE URBANIST
APRIL 2 01 2
News at SPUR Planning Commission Approves 8 Washington After many ye ars, th e 8 W ashington proj ect has finally be en approved by the San Franci sco Pl anning Commission . This 136 - unit condominium proj ect loc ated along the Embarcadero repla ces a surface parking lot and a private tenni s club e nc losed by a chain - link f ence. The project ha s many ben efits , including th e creation of a new park, improvem ent s to the sid ewalk and publi c realm and , perhap s most important, th e activation of th e ground fl o or along on e of San Franci sc o 's m os t important streets. Whil e SPUR is plea se d th e project ha s pa ssed, the fight is far from ove r. W e hope that th e Board of Superv isors will support thi s great project and move it forward to compl etion.
Salesforce Exits Mission: What It Means for SF On Febru ary 28, Sa les force announced it was suspending its pl ans t o buil d a 2-millionsqu are-foot campu s on th e 14 ac res it had acq uired in San Fra ncisco's Mission Bay. Citin g faste r-th an-expected grow th , the co mpany sa id it w ill instead lease exi sting space two mil es north, nea r Market Street in th e Central Busin ess Distri ct. Whil e th e chang e of plans is ce rta inly a temporary blow to Mission Bay, it is also a rea ffirmati on of downtown Sa n Francisco's importance as a prem ie r business locat ion. In January, Sa les force signed an 18-yea r lease for 400,000 square feet at 50 Fremont Street . CEO Mark Beni of has publi cly projec t ed th at th e com pany w ill add more t ha n 2,000 ad ditional em ployees in the city in th e next few yea rs. SPUR
THE URBANIST
has long been a vocal advoca te for job growth in t ransit-oriented downtowns. We hope th at th e prospec t of an increas ing number of fas t-g rowing tech co mpa nies takin g space in downtown Sa n Fran cisco, co mbin ed w ith th e city's support for job growth, will help developers overcome some of t he reg ulator y and finan cial barri ers to addin g new office space th ere.
SPUR Board Members Take Major New Roles in City Government We'd like to ex tend a hea rt y co ngratul ati ons to t wo of SPUR 's es tee med board mem bers. Ci ndy Wu has been ap pointed to th e Sa n Fran cisco Pl ann ing Commission. In her few wee ks as commi ss ioner, she has already bee n elec ted to serve as t he co mmiss ion's vice president. Gill ian Gillett has ta ken on a new role as Mayor Lee's di-
rector of trans portat ion policy. We are thrill ed to ha ve SPUR boa rd members serving in such importan t capaci ti es in San Franc isco.
David Chiu to Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to POPOS Boa rd of Su pervisors Presi dent David Chi u is in the process of introduc ing leg islat ion th at wo uld help improve access to Sa n Francisco 's many POPOS (Pri vate ly Ow ned Pu bli c Open Spaces), w hich ca n be found th ro ughout downtown in t he form of plazas, roof ga rd ens and oth er urban oases. Chiu's wor k aim s to impl ement seve ral reco mm endations from SPU R's 2009 re port on POPOS, including th ose t hat wou ld im prove POPOS signage. POPOS have been gettin g a lot of attent ion of late: SP UR deputy direc tor Sara h Karl insky rece ntly spoke about the ir im portance to KGO, and a new smartp hone app ca lled Know Wh at offers a downloadabl e ve rsion of SPUR's POPOS map. We hope th at all of thi s at tenti on w ill help improve access to th ese litt le-known publi c spa ces .
Two SFPUC-Owned Sites Move Closer to Becoming Urban Ag Projects Two sites owned by th e Sa n Francisco Public Utilit ies Comm ission ( PUC) just moved closer to beco ming urban ag ri cu lture project s. Si nce Oc tober, PU C st aff have bee n co nductin g an urban ag ri cu lture feas ibility study of open sp ace adjace nt to t wo fac ilities: Coll ege Hill Reservo ir (at 360 Elsie Street) in Bern al Heights and th e pe rimeter of th e Southeas t
Treatment Plant (a t Phelps and Eva ns Streets) in th e Bayview. At t he March 13 hea rin g, th ey presen ted a prog ress report and futu re tim eline. Th e PU C's assess men t s have determined th at both sites are suitabl e for grow ing food, w ith th e necessa ry access to both wa ter and sun. SPU R support s th e PU C's efforts to open up t hese t wo sites for urba n ag ri culture, and we are ac ti ve ly engaging with PU C staff as t he projec ts deve lop. Through our co mments at public hea rin gs, we have encouraged the PU C to create a more pub lic mea ns of so licit ing feedb ack as we ll as a fas ter tim eline for th e South east Treatm ent Pl ant site. With many Sa n Francisca ns seeking spaces to grow foo d, th e PU C's two sites co uld be an enco urag ing step towa rd helping th e city meet that demand with pub lic land. See http://bi t.l y/G N4i 5G.
Energy Reporting for Hundreds of Commercial Buildings Due April1 Comm ercial buil dings in Sa n Francisco greater t han 25,000 square feet mu st re port th eir propert y's energy use by April1 to co mply with th e city's Ex istin g Com mercial Bui ldings En ergy Perfor mance Ordin ance. The ordin ance, which wen t into effect las t yea r, was re co mmended by a mayor's tas k force ( in whi ch forme r SPUR boa rd member Raph ael Sperry pa rti cipated) is aimed at helping property owners red uce energy use and cos ts. Th e thres hold to co mply will ex tend t o buil din gs grea ter th an 10,000 sq uare feet nex t year. For more information, see htt p://b it.ly/GXok8V •
APRI L 2012
3
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
Summary: The mul t i-agency
A Vision for Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach master plan in cludes major changes to the Great Highway, im proved bicycle and pedestrian access, dune res toration and a better co nnection to Golden Gate Park .
Dramatic erosion, rising seas, and jurisdictional headaches have
By Benjamin Grant
taken their toll; SPUR's comprehensive new plan offers hope for a better future.
San Francisco's Ocean Beach has seen better days. Storm surges have battered the city's western coast , resulting in severe erosion at the sou th end of the beach. Larg e pil es of bould ers are shoring up bluffs to protect th e Great Highway and the sewer pipes underneath it, and erosion has expose d unsightl y
issue of The Urbanist (www.spur.org/p ubli cat ions/ library/a rticl e/future-ocean-beach). Among the most cha ll enging issues is the sheer number of agencies invol ved, all with different responsibiliti es, priorities and imperatives. Their rol es vary in both fun ction and location, and no singl e entity oversees th e beach
const ru cti on fill. As cli mate- induced sea level ri se sets in , erosion at Ocean Beach will wo rsen . But wi th a strateg ic approach to coasta l management in place for th e first time, the city now has the opportunity to ac tually improve co nditions at the beach . Thi s month, SPUR w ill release th e Ocean Beach Master Pl an, a landmark climate adaptation and open space plan for three and a half beloved miles of San Francisco's Pac ifi c coast. Th e plan - produ ced by SPUR in cooperation with a host of federal, st ate and loca l agencies; co mmunit y st akeholders; and the public- chart s an ambitious and proactive vis ion for managing a changing coastl ine wh il e protecting critical sewer infrastructure and significantly upgrading public access.
as a w hole. As a result, Ocean Beach has become so mething of an orphan . With no proactive poli cy in pla ce to address ongoing erosion, th e city's response has been ad hoc, mostly falling to the Depa rtm ent of Public Works to inst all emerg ency armoring in the form of boulder revetments (For definitions of term s in bold, see glossa ry on p. 7). Critics rightl y point out that goa ls othe r than coasta l protection - such as coasta l access, ecology and aes thetic s - are losing out and th at so uth of Sloat Bou levard the by:ach remains in a dismal stat e.
Complex Challenges Th e project tea m for the master plan - including specialists in design, civil and coasta l eng in eering, transportati on and environmental planning- worked with staff from the age nci es in vol ved to identify key issues and co nsider the ir future evo lution . Ocean Beach faces numerous overlapping challenges, wh ich were explored in some deta il in th e Ap ril 2011
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Who's Involved California Coastal Commission Golden Gate National Recreation Area (National Park Service) S.F. Department of Public Works S.F. Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) S.F. Planning Department S.F. Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) S.F. Recreation and Parks Department San Francisco Zoological Society U.S. Army Corps of Engineers This project was funded by the California State Coastal Conservancy, the S.F. Public Utilities Commission and the National Park Service.
A Nuanced Approach
Read the complete draft of the Ocean Beach
As w ith so man y policy chal lenges, the co nve rsation around th e future of Ocean Beach had been redu ced to sta rk polarities: Protec t th e st atus quo or allow natu re to take its co urse. When erosion threatened to da mage San Francisco's wastewater treatm ent system, the city saw a seri ous dange r to new, expensive and tightly reg ulated pub lic investm ents that protect coas tal water quality. The Departmen t of Pub li c Works acted quickl y to
Master Plan at spur.org/oceanbeachplan
armor th e beach. Meanwhile, environmentali sts saw th at these emergency measures we re becoming
E 0
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After
(2011)
These images show the extent of damage wrought in just two years after huge storms hit the coastline in 2009.
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
permanent over time and wanted the infrastructure to be relocated. In fact, both views are valid. Moving beyond such black-and-wh ite arguments has required all parties to accept the leg itimacy of the others' concerns - and the reality that there are no easy answers. We need all of the coastal management tools at our disposal to address the prob lems at Ocean Beach. Managed retreat, beach nourishment and coastal armoring all have a place. In the Ocean Beach Master Plan, each is deployed in a nuanced and cons id ered fashion to solve many problems at once. Ocean Beach is not a wilderness in which human hands are unwelcome. Although it has a wild character, it is and will continue to be very much a managed landscape. This effort sought to articulate a plan with multiple objectives, one that views ecologica l and open space functions with the same urgency as protecting infrastructure. Each of these priorities has its champions among agencies as we ll as the public. Each entity has gotten some, but not all, of what it wanted. It was also essential to open this dia logue to people with concerns beyond the prevailing hotbutton issues of erosion and coastal management. This project was, after all, charged with consider ing all aspects of the beach, inclu ding recreation. character, public amenities and wildlife habitat (see "Seven Focus Areas" below). Accordingly, the Ocean Beach Master Plan emerged from an extensive public outreach process. Bui lding on the work of two commun ity-led task forces. the Ocean Beach Task Force and the Ocean Beach Vision Council, SPUR actively sought out and engaged a wide range of stakeho lders from public agencies, community organizations and advocacy groups.
Funding Implementation In January 2012, SPUR was awarded an additional $825,000 from the California State Coasta l Conservancy, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the National Park Service to pursue implementation of the Ocean Beach Master Plan
Seven Focus Areas The master plan addresses the complex issues facing Ocean Beach through seven focus areas:
1. Ecology
2. Utility Infrastructure
3. Coastal Dynamics
Ocean Beach is a national park and
Ocean Beach is the site of a major comp lex
Ocean Beach is the visible portion of a
Ocean Beach has a wild, rugged cha racter
supports important natural resources,
of wastewater infrastructure that protects
much larger coasta l sediment system.
and a unique cu lture and history.
including two threatened species of birds.
coastal water quality. Large stormwater
Erosion problems will worsen with climate-
Improvements shou ld retain and draw upon
Its nonnative dunes cou ld be restored
and wastewater transport structures are
related sea level rise and will need to be
these qualities.
to a more cli mate-appropriate native
located underneath the Great Highway and
managed through a variety of approaches.
landscape.
are subject to erosion hazards.
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4. 1mage and Character
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Glossary Beach nourishment: the direct
recommendations. Now the plan is in the unusually favorable position of having impl eme ntation funds in place in advance of its completion , and its momentum can be harnessed immed iate ly as it enters the challenging implementation stage.
Plan Recommendations: Six Key Moves l
The Ocean Beach Master Plan recommendations are presented as a package of improveme nts, investments and management practices that can achieve best-case outcomes for many objectives through 2050, based on cons ideration and ana lys is to the year 2100. Below is a quick su mmary; the pages that follow offer a more comp rehensive explanation of each.
South reach: South of Sloat Boulevard Key Move 1: Reroute the Great Highway behind the zoo via Sloat and Skyline boulevards ~ Close the Great Highway south of Sloat Boulevard and replace it w ith a coastal trail ~ Reconfigure Sloat Boulevard and key intersection s to create a safer, more efficient street ~ Consolidate street parking, the L Taraval terminus and bicycle access along the south side of Sloat ~ Reconfigure the zoo's parking lot for access via Skyline and Zoo Road Key Move 2: Introduce a multipurpose coastal pro 路 tection/restoration/access system ~ Incrementally dismantle the Great Highway and parking lots, allowing erosion to proceed inland ~ Protect the ex isting Lake Merced Wastewater Tunnel w ith a gradient of elements ~ Use low-profil e hard structure, covered with dynamic revetment, or cobb le berm, covered with placed sand ~ Allow storm surges to wash over the tunnel and dissipate toward higher ground ~ Restore and revegetate the surface to allow recreational and ecologica l functions
placement of sand on the beach to
Middle reach: Lincoln Way to Sloat Boulevard Key Move 3: Reduce the width of the Great Highway to provide amenities and faciliate managed retreat ~ Narrow the Great Highway from four lan es to two south of Lincoln ~ Use the cu rrent sout hbound lan es for parking pockets, restroom s, sig nage, etc. ~ Introduce a multiuse (walking, cyc lin g, etc.) promenade west of the road ~ Between amenities, allow dunes to migrate inland over th e road and transport box
counteract erosion. Coastal armoring: hard structures such as seawalls or revetments that resist erosive forces. Coastal dynamics: the process by which beaches grow as well as erode, via the breakdown of sedimentary material and the accumulation of sand. Cobble berm: an innovative coast
Key Move 4: Restore dunes along middle reach ~ Allow for the Army Corps of Engineers to provide beach nourishment along the southern end of the middle reach ~ In phases, restore native dunes in key locations, especially at Lincoln and Vicente ~ Insta ll sand ladders and modular boardwalks to provide access
protection structure made of cobblestones that can be shaped dynamically while dissipating wave energy. Combined sewer discharge (CSD): an event in a combined sewer/ stormwater system in which the capacity of the system is overwhelmed during wet weather
North reach: North of Lincoln Boulevard
and combined flow is released into nearby water. CSD occurs
Key MoveS: Create a better connection between Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach ~ Tighten and reconfigure O'Shaughnessy Seawa ll parking lot to improve pedestrian cond itions, bike access and traffic circulat ion ~ Introduce permeable paving, amenities and appropri ate vegeta tion to create a more welcoming, attractive space ~ Reta in events capacity and historic character of area
approximately seven times a year at Ocean Beach. Force mains: pipelines used to transport wastewater countergravitationally (i.e., from a lower to a higher point.) Internal ballast: materials placed to give stability, provide drainage and distribute loads.
Key Move 6: Introduce bicycle and pedestrian improvements north of Balboa Street ~Narrow the Great Highway and Point Lobos Ave nu e from four lanes to two ~ Introduce physically separated bikeway with con nect ions to Lands End and beyond
Managed retreat: the gradual reconfiguration or removal of manmade structures in the path of the advancing coastline. Revetments: sloping structures placed on banks or cliffs in such a way as to absorb the energy of incoming water.
5. Program and Uses
6. Access and Connectivity
7. Management and Stewardship
Transport box: this section of the
Ocean Beach is used in a variety of ways,
Ocean Beach is rich in transit and links a
Though visitors experience a sing le place,
city's stormwater-sewage infra -
from bird -watching to surfing to dog
wea lth of ope n spaces. But key gaps in
a host of federal, state and local agencies
structure may become a significant
walking, which sometimes come into
access, as well as some prob lematic street
are responsib le for different aspects
factor in shaping the beach
conflict. These uses should be managed to
configurations, could be improved to
of Ocean Beach, and these agenc ies lack a
and dunes as the coastline recedes .
welcome all users, especially cyc lists and
common visio n.
benefit everyone.
pedestrians.
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OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
Plan Recommendations: Six Big Moves
KEY MOVE
1
Reroute the Great Highway behind the zoo via Sloat and Skyline boulevards
Closing the Great Highway south of Sloat Boul eva rd and rerouting north-south traffi c onto Sloat and Skyline could so lve several problems at once: It would signifi ca ntly upgrade ecological and recreational co nditions at Ocean Beach and allow a more flexible approach to coast al protection. This managed retreat from th e coast would happen in cre mentall y over a period of five to 20 yea rs. w ith upgraded roadways compensati ng for the road closu re. Significant improve ments to Sloat Boulevard wou ld in clud e moving parking from th e med ian to th e south curb alongside the zoo and adding a separated two-way bike route. Upgraded street design and sign alize d intersecti ons would greatly improve traffic flow on Sloat. The L Tarava l Muni line would extend one bl ock to terminate nex t to th e zoo. Drivers, cyc lists and Muni riders wou ld all arri ve at th e south side of Sloat, where they could visit the zo o or access th e coast without needing to cross any streets. In place of th e Great Highway, visitor amenities at the foot of Sloat wo uld co nnect to a magn ificent new coasta l trail making key co nnect ions to Fort Funston and Lake Merced. The zoo parking lot co nnect ion t o th e Great Highway wou ld instead link to existing road ways from th e east via Skyline. A one-lane driveway wou ld connect Skylin e t o th e Oceanside Wastewater Trea tm ent Pl an t from the sou th.
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600'
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1.1 Reconfigure and install signals at Sloat/Great Highway and Sloat/ Skyline intersection s 1.2 Maintain one-lane driveway from Skyline to treatment plant for trucks 1.3 Reconfigure Sloat w ith two lanes each way, parking along zoo boundary, permeable pavement, bikeway and coastal access amenities 1.4 Extend L Taraval south across Sloat, with terminu s at zoo entrance 1.5 Introduce coastal trail to Fort Fun ston, Lake Merced 1.6 Integ rate with Ca lifornia Coastal Trail, linking Lake Merced all the way to Marin County 1.7 Replace beach/zoo parking along Zoo Road and at Skyline trailh ea d 1.8 Reopen Zoo Road from Skyline to zoo parking lot
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Sloat Boulevard would become an expanded gateway to the coast, with improvements to traffic flow and bike and pedestrian safety. Moving traffic away from the coast would allow for a spectacular coastal trail on a restored dunescape.
THE URBANIST APRIL 2012
9
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE
2
Introduce a multipurpose coastal protection/restoration/ access system
2.1 Withdraw from bluff edge; incrementa lly demolish roadway, parking and restroom at Sloat 2.2 Reinforce the Lake Merced Tunn el with a low-profile structure or internal ballast; remove revetments and fill 2.3 Develop and pursue best practices for beach nourishment, including sand placement by Army Corps of Engineers 2.4 Create sand-covered cobble berm over Lake Merced Tunnel to serve as wave-dissipation zone; allow severe storm surges to wash over tunnel
The Lake Merced Tunnel, wh ich lies underneath the Great Highway, is a sign ificant piece of infrastructure and worth protecting in the com ing decades. West of the zoo, the road is perched atop an erodible berm of construction fill. Incrementa lly removing the Great Highway and the underlying fill would al low a much more flexible approach to coasta l protection, including the following: Armor the Lake Merced Tunnel with a low-profile structure The Lake Merced Tunnel sits at a much lower elevation than the road way, where it co uld be protected with a low wa ll, cap or internal reinforcement and become a sort of "speed bump" under the beach, designed to allow storm surges to pass over it. Layer flexible, dynamic structures over hard structures The structure protecting the Lake Merced Tunnel wou ld be covered by a dynamic revetment of softba ll -sized cobb les. Modeled on natural cobble beaches, these structu res can be shaped dynamically by wave action, and they excel at dissipating wave energy. Large quantities of dredged sand wou ld then be placed over the cobble, provid ing a first line of protection and a sandy beach most of the time.
2.5 Build second cobble berm to protect pump station and other wastewater infrastructure 2.6 Construct terraced, vegetated seawa ll with cobb le toe along Oceanside Treatment Plant, incorporating tunnel structure, coastal trail, erodible bluff (bank swal low habitat) and plant driveway 2.7 Create detention swale and constructed wet land through the zoo to passively clean and infiltrate stormwater runoff from Sloat and adjacent parking 2.8 Renovate Fleishhacker Pool House as a warming hut and interpretive center 2.9 Leave pump station and force mains with interpretive elements to expla in the system to visitors. Beautify pump station and reconfigure to maximize adjacent coasta l access. 2.10 Conduct pilot studies of dynamic coasta l protection
If the Lake Merced Tunnel can be protected with an internal reinforcement, it can become a sort of "speed bump" under the beach. The structure would be covered
Restore the surface, allowing coastal access and ecological benefits Key Move 2 al lows Ocean Beach to protect infrastructure while also improvi ng recreational access, ecologica l function and character. Regular placement of sand and revegetation wou ld offer an accessibl e beach environment, with a spectacu lar trail connect ing Sloat Boulevard to Fort Funston. The zoo cou ld find a new expression of its conservation values through an improved relationship with the watershed and the coas tal ecosystem.
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APRIL 2012
with cobble stones that excel at dissipating wave energy. Sand placed over the cobble provides not only a line of protection from the elements but also a nice sandy beach.
THE URBANIST
"l
I
coastal tra1l ~
beach access and dunes
\
swale & constructed wetla nd
coasta l retreat
, - - - - - - fleischhacker building (beyond)
cobble berm force mains for pump station
new pump station fo r constructed wetland
remove zoo park1nq
ocean
THE URBAN IST
cobb le berm/ dynamic revetmen t
back beach/flex zone
infiltration zone
zoo parking
APRI L 2012
11
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KE Y MOV E
3
Reduce the width of the Great Highway to provide amenities and managed retreat
Our major coast road is an expressway geared towa rd th e automobil e. Conve rtin g th e so ut hbound lanes to oth er uses includ ing amenities like restrooms, bike parking, signage and pockets of auto pa rki ng conn ected by a new promenade on th e ocea n side of th e road wo uld open this cr it ica l public resou rce to a much wider set of uses. The existin g northbo und lanes wo uld serve as a two-way street. In areas betwee n major access point s, th e space gai ned by narrowing th e roadway wo ul d be devoted to the expa nsion and restorati on of th e dunes, w hich co uld migrate shorewa rd, over t he top of th e west side t ranspo rt box. Coup led with beach nourishment, thi s approac h cou ld ex tend th e peri od of t ime duri ng whic h a significant sandy beach wo uld be feasibl e south of Nori ega Street. Thi s chan ge wou ld probab ly impact loca l traffi c as dri vers sought oth er routes. Mitigati on measures to prevent impacts on ne ighborhoo ds (a lready a prob lem durin g frequent roa d closures) wo uld be needed. Com prehensive traffic ana lys is will be essent ial to determin e if th e traffi c impacts of this interve nt ion would be justi fied by th e co nside rabl e im provements in coastal access.
3.1 Narrow t he Great Highway bet wee n Ba lboa and Sloa t from four lanes to two. Include a wide shou lder for cycli ng and emergency access; use current southbound lanes an d median for dune resto ration, amen ities.
3.2 Reconfigure th e Great Hi ghway/S ioa t intersection sli ghtly inl and to avoid existing erosion hot spot 3.3 Introd uce small poc kets of pa rking distri buted at key access points
3.4 Restore ex ist ing res trooms; introduce th ree new off-t he-g rid res troo ms powered by win d and so lar energy
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3.5 lmproy e access at Judah, Taraval, Rive ra and Noriega with t ra ilhea ds, signage, bike pa rking and landscape im provements
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As shown above, reducing the width of the Great Highway would allow for greater access and increased amenities like pockets of parking, bike racks, restrooms and better signage. Restored dunes would move inland to help preserve the beach.
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3.6 Add t raffic-ca lmi ng and mi t igat ion measures t o lessen ne igh bo rhood traffic im pac ts
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3.7 Em ploy Low- Im pac t Des ign ( LI D) throughout adjace nt neighborh oods to add ress stormwater management
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THE URBANIST
APRIL 2012
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OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE 4.1 Implement beach nourishment by Army Corps of Engineers along
4
Restore dunes along middle reach of the beach
southern end of Middle Reach
4.2 Phase in native dune restoration in key locations, especially at Lincoln and Vicente 4.3 Add sand ladders and modular boardwalks to provide public access while limiting environmental impact
The existing "dunes" are actually sand embankments constructed as part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's clean water program and vegetated with nonnative grasses and iceplant. Recontouring and revegetating these embankments to reintroduce a native dune ecosystem would reintroduce a scarce and fragile coastal ecosystem and increase the visibility of the ocean from the Great Highway. It may also provide some improvements in sand management by reducing the existing embankment's tendency to launch wind borne sand long distances.
Sand Verbena
Pacific Wild rye
Ragweed
Beach Saltbush
Native Dune Structure and Native Species
14
APRIL 2012
THE URBANIST
mult1-modal dune restoration promenade ~----------------~·~ . - - - - - - ex•slmg transport box
ocean
beach
Existing Dunes
native dunes
reduced promenade GreatHWY
European Beach Grass
lower Great HWY park
lceplant
Native dune restoration wou ld resu lt in improved eco logy and aesthetics. The lower profile of plantings wou ld not only improve visual access but offers the potential for improved sand management. Non-native species such as European beach grass and iceplant would be removed.
Non-Native Dune Structure and Non-Native Species
THE URBANI ST
A PRIL 2012
15
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE 5.1 Tighten park ing lot, add permeable paving and preserve flexible use
5
Create a better connection between Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach
The coasta l frontage of Go lden Gate Park- the O'Shaughnessy parking lot and seawall promenade -does not currently provide the spectacular sense of arrival that it cou ld. Identified by Golden Gate Nationa l Recreation Area plans as a potential location for vibrant activit ies, the area is current ly defined by a large expanse of aspha lt, providing a great deal of parking that is unused most of the time. Pedestrians arriving from the park find a confusing path to the sea and few basic amenities. This move would rework the lot to create a mu ltiuse space while maintaining parking, providing basic amenities, adding appropriate landscaping and allowing for continued use for major events.
and event capacity
5.2 Maintain row of "watching the water" parking spots 5.3 Mod ify parking entrances and improve pedestrian cross ings at JFK Drive and the Beach Chalet 5.4 Use landscape treatments to mark the oceanfront term ination of Linco ln and Fu lton 5.5 Add a two-way, phys ically separated bikeway on the east side of the
Great Highway north of Fu lton, integrated with existing multiuse trai l
5.6 Add abundant bike parking 5.7 Develop a joint city-federa l parking management plan; consider some fee parking on peak days 5.8 Introduce landscape site elements and seating appropriate to rugged conditions; introduce and restore climate-appropriate/native landscaping
The parking lot west of Golden Gate Park wou ld be reconstructed as a welcoming gateway to the beach and seawall promenade, with basic amenities, better crossings and a sustainable landscape designed for the area's rugged and beautiful cond itions.
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THE URBAN IST
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KEY MOVE
Add bicycle and pedestrian improvements north of Balboa Street North of Balboa Street, the Great Hi ghway and Point Lobos Avenue are quite w id e and li ghtly traveled, and they present hazardous confli cts between drivers and cyc lists. Narrowing this road from four lanes to two wou ld shorten pedestrian crossings and all ow room to provide a separated two-way bikeway. This would be constructed on the inland side, removing the dangerous convergence of heavy bike traffic, diagona l parking and a steep grade. Angle parking at the Cliff House would remain, all owing visitor access to this important destination. •
6.1 Narrow Great Highway north of Ba lboa from four lanes to two
6.2 Keep diagonal Cliff House parking 6.3 Narrow Point Lobos Avenue from four lanes to two; add two-way separated bikeway on inland side to prevent bicycle/vehicular conflict on steep slope and along cliff. 6.4 Connect bike lane to the Lands End bike trail and add a left-turn "b icyc le box" at Point Lobos and 49th Avenue. Consultant Team: AECOM, ESA-PWA, Nelson Nygaard and Sherwood Design Engineers
Below: Ocean Beach could connect cyclists and other visitors to a host of regional trails and open spaces. Narrowing the width of the Great Highway and Point Lobos
Read the complete Ocean Beach Master Plan at spur.org/oceanbeachplan
Avenue would create a key bicycle connection while eliminating existing conflicts with visitor parking.
THE URBANIST
APRIL 2012
r
17
URBAN FIELD NOTES
Case Study #47:
Skyway Patrol How a desire to stay warm can shape our cities, for better or wors e. Caseworker: Ted Trautman
San Francisco's mild climate allows for all kind s of deve lopm ent th at would never fly in my nat ive Mi nnesota- imag ine trying to drive down an icy Lombard Street or shivering th ro ugh a ca bl e ca r rid e in be low-ze ro weather. Mos t Minnesota ns don't love th e co ld any more than you do, and th e desire to ke ep warm has vi sibly shap ed our citi es . Th e mos t obvious manifestation of thi s is Minnea poli s' sp raw lin g net wo rk of "skyways"- a name for th e en cl osed brid ges bet wee n buildings th at mig ht sound grand iose if it weren 't for their sheer sca le. Minnea poli s boas ts more than seven miles of aboveground tunn els, conn ecting more than 70 co ntinuous blocks in enclos ed passages, makin g it the largest such net work in t he wor ld. (St. Pa ul and Duluth also have siza ble grids.) Minnea poli s didn't invent th e skyway: Interbuilding bridg es can be found in Chinese architec ture datin g back to th e year 220 or earli er, and Veneti ans have bee n crossing their city's ca nals in skyways for ce nturies. Minneapoli s' co ntribut ion was ju st to systemati ze th e co nce pt, even if all of its skyways are privately owned. But just as Minnea polis has changed t he skyway, th e skyway has changed Minneapolis- for both th e better and th e worse . Predict ab ly, dive rt ing pe destrians up off th e street has left th e sidewa lks ee rily qui et during the day. And whil e som e urba nist s compl ain that th ese bridg es presc rib e a pedestri an sphere th at end s at th e last skyway, it's wo rth notin g th at thi s safe, su nny, climate-cont roll ed grid likely co nvinces more t han a few wo ul d-be dri ve rs to wa lk to lunch each day. It's also extre mely handicappedaccessibl e. Having proven popul ar in Minnesota, skyways are sprea ding - and not just in th e frozen north . Houston is home to one of th e co untry's seco ndlargest skyway net work s. 18 APR IL 2012
B
Crosswalk
Ped estri ans make up th e entire populati on in th e skyways. No bikes, no ca rs, no wa itin g for traffi c at t he intersec ti on. Oth er t han thi s, th e only major difference is th at in winter skyways might be 60 deg rees wa rm er than th e sid ewa lk be low, and in th e summ er th ey're just as comforta bly coo l.
0 Nicollet Mall Nico ll et Mall, a popul ar downtown shop pin g corridor, stil l sees a lot of foot traffic in th e summ er, but in th e winter it's prac ti ca ll y dea d as shopp ers sti ck t o th e sky way. Th e network 's earliest design ers always mea nt for th eir skyways to co nn ec t directly to th e sidewa lk via sta irs or elevators, but thi s proved prohibiti ve ly ex pensive and never ca ught on. Instea d, pedestri ans can only enter th e grid during private buildings' bu sin ess hours.
THE URBANIST
Dl Macy's, Inside Skyway
1!1 Double Decker
D Security Guard
Ted Trautman is a free lance write r in San
As traffic shifted to the city's second story, so did many of its businesses. Th is is especially tru e of ret ail businesses ca teri ng to th e office professionals occupying these building s' upper leve ls, who have no trouble fin di ng a va ri ety of lunch options without ever setting foot outside. Department stores like Macy's are able to offer street- and skyway- level entrances,
In a few cases, skyways ca n be found above the second -story level, as in t his double-decker skyway at Nico ll et Ma ll and South Sixt h Street. When I was a child co ming in from the suburbs, thi s struck me as the height of urban sophi sticat ion. But flourishes like thi s can make the network diff icult to navigate as some buildings close
Because the skyways are private ly owned, they are policed by private security guards ra the r than city
Francisco. Hi s work has appea red in the New
police. Th ere is remarkab ly little crim e in th e skyways, alth ough bu skers and panhandlers ca n be fo un d from time to tim e. Despite being an esse ntial part of th e Minneapolis landscape, it is not clear to what degree they are part of th e public sp here.
All photos by Kristina Fong. •
before oth ers.
York Times, the Guardian and elsewhere.
but many small er businesses must choose wheth er to cas t their lot with th e skyways or risk the seasonal traffic at street level .
THE URBANI ST
APRI L 2012
19
CITY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
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Earthquake Prep-AIR-edness Air Danshin Systems Inc., a Japanese compa ny, has invented a new technology for earthquakeproofing homes. Its levitation system works li ke th is: "When an earthquake hits, a sensor responds w ithin one second by act ivatin g a compressor, wh ich forc es an incredible amount of air under the home, pushing the stru cture up and apart from its found ation. The air pre ssure can keep th e home levitating up to 3 em from the shaking foundation below. An indoor va lve controls th e flow of air und er the house, keeping the stru ctu re steady as it 'floats'." When th e shak ing stops, th e hom e sa fely return s to its earthquakeres istant reinforced-concrete foundat ion . Inst allation is under way in 88 houses across Japan, w ith hopes to soo n expand to larger structures. "Japanese Levitating House System Cou ld Protec t Homes from Earthquakes," tnhabitat.com, 2/29/ 2012
What Is Your Sewage Telling You? New York City's Department of Enviro nmental Protection is undergoin g a pi lot project to place remote sensors in fi ve of 423 wastewater locat ions to monitor sewer overflows and test overa ll water qua lity on popular recreation rivers. The se nsors, w hich measu re the rate and direction of waste20
APR IL 2 0 12
water flo w, inform environmental pl anners when overflow w ill occur, thereby allowing re sponse teams to promptly iss ue precautionary announcements. Spa rked by a trea tment plant fire last year that discharged raw sewage into recreation areas of the Hudson River, this data will prove cr iti ca l in measuring env ironmental health and mitigating human disaster. "New York Plans Faster Sewage Alerts," New York
Times, 3/16/20 12
auth or of Beyond the Obvious: Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation, Joel Slayton, executive direc tor of San Jose's ZEROl Biennial, and Sa n Jose co uncilman (and SPUR Sa n Jose Adv iso ry Board membe r) Sam Liccardo. www.conten t-magazine.com
"Can U.S. Comm uni ties Lea rn from This European Suburban Retrofit?" Switchboard, Natural Resources
Smokin' HOT Lanes Many of us can rememb er when high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes were established to min imize freeway co ngesti on. Now, a new trend is making its way to many major cities: high-occupancy toll (HOT), or exp ress toll , lanes . Th anks to pub lic-private pa rtn erships that re ly on pri vate firm s to raise large sums of money, co nve rsion to toll lanes has been a successfu l strategy to offset th e high cost s of tran spo rtation projects in cities such as At lanta, Miam i, Houston, Phoenix and Los Angeles. San Francisco and Seattle have converted to HOT lanes but have not yet partnered with th e private sec tor to do so. New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Detroit - four of the 18 most congested metro areas, with 2009 congest ion costs totaling $72 billion- have not yet joined the conve rsion trend. "Unlocking the Box," Reason. 2/22/201 2
Content in the South Bay Content, a new magazine devoted to the people, events and busin esses of Sa n Jose made th e unlikely sh ift from online to print t his Febru ary ("Print isn't dead!" says found er Dan iel Garcia, with whom we heartily agree.) Content's premier issue focuses on a them e familiar to the city, technology, so it's no su rprise to lea rn that the print launch was fund ed through Kicksta rter. It features look at a number of San Jose in novators who are using technology to in flu ence t heir city (and beyond), including Phil McKinney,
publ ic admin istration buil dings, ret ail , mixed-income housing, a hospital, schools and 120 ac res of green space. Th e retrofitted 'burb has also managed to successfully mainta in its histori ca l contex t by preserving the town hall, whi ch dates back to the 17th ce ntury.
A Suburb to Strive For Plessis-Robinson, a thriving suburb of Paris with a popu lation close to 30,000, is not yo ur average suburb. From the earliest planning stages, the aim was to create a "style of sustainab ility [that] emphasizes park s and fl owers, clean water, recycl ing, co mpact and wa lkab le urban design, tran si t , nonpolluting ve hicles, and green technical and adm inistrative procedures for city government." Completed in 1990, after a decade of planning and construction, the six adjoini ng districts that make up Plessis-Robi nson include
Defense Council Staff Blog, 2/22/201 2
Next Up for Collaborative Consumption? Scooter Sharing Runn ing late for that meeting across the city? Soon yo u'l l be ab le to use yo ur sma rtph one to locate a nea rby scooter, hop on, plug into a vi rtual dashboard and hit the road. "We were look ing at co llaborative co nsumption and electric vehicles, and hit on th e opportun ity of using th ese affordabl e and efficient electric scooters in a European-style bike sharing system, and add ing to that all th e smarts and tec hnology yo u find in Silicon Valley," explains Scooter Network s CEO Michael Keating. Costs are projected to be around $60 per month for heavy users; single-use rates are compet itive w ith cab fares. The scooters have a top speed of 30 mph an d a range of 20 to 30 miles, recharg ing at their parking spaces. Scooter Networks will unl eash 20 scoo ters by Apr il, wit h hopes for a fl eet of hundreds by th e end of th e year. Keat ing bel ieves that San Francisco, wi th its hill y, carcongested streets, not-so-speedy pub lic transit and expensive, hard to-find taxis, is the ri ght pla ce to launch the scooter craze. • "The Zipca r of Electric Scooters Is Coming to San Francisco," CoExis t, 3/13/2012
THE URBANIST
MEMBER PROFILE
All Rhoads Lead to Urbanism Is a love for cities an inherited trait? That seems to be the case for the Rhoads Family.
David, Alexa and Jeffrey Rhoads [and] fear the sort of "element" affordable housing wi ll bring to their neighborhood. They
16 is such a significant birthday in the U.S.- you get your driver's license and thus your freedom).
development industry veteran.
fear congestion and change in general. Some believe the regional agencies and federal government are conspiring to ruin their lives and take away the ir property and automobiles. We need to do a better job of reaching out to those with open minds and engag ing
I thought about how citi es were designed and how that impacted the way people lived in them and found it fascinating how much of the public doesn't even realize this! This easi ly set me up to embrace susta inability, smart planning and good design whi le in co llege.
What are the greatest challenges
them in planning for future growth.
Jeffrey Rhoads got the urbanist bug in high school, when he
energy resource consumption in buildings
presented a project proposing to reconstruct the historic waterfront in downtown Redwood City. The planning director, says Jeffrey, "was sufficiently amused to hire me to prepare the city historic resources inventory and a historic preservation ordinance," thus kicking off an illustrious career in placemaking. Today, he and his wife, Ann, run Argonaut, a real estate development consu ltancy that works with developers, landowners, public agencies and design firms to create sustainab le and engaging urban environments. Both of their chi ldren, David and Alexa, pursued their bachelor's degrees in architecture, returning to San Francisco, says their dad, "to become true urban dwellers with out automobiles." David started the Regenerative Network, a 40-member consortium of green building product manufacturers
All four are SPUR members and routinely attend events together. We caught up with Jeffrey, David and Alexa to ask a few questions about their shared -and individual - urban obsessions .
which he now manages; Alexa works for Lucid, a company that makes dashboards that monitor THE URBANIST
Jeffrey, you're a planning and
you're facing today?
Currently, my focus is on transitoriented community planning and development along the SMART (Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit) corridor and the creation of maritime-oriented communit ies associated with the ferry system . The greatest cha ll enge we are facing in the SMART rail project serves as a cautionary tale for evolution of suburban and exurban communities: We see a core group of people who are opposed to the development of more dense, wa lkab le, mixed-use commun ities around rail stops. In some cases they see threats to their way of life
Alexa, what is your favorite spot David, how did you catch the
in San Francisco?
urbanist bug?
BART. I love being in a space where people from al l tracks of life come together, sit, sta nd and avo id eye contact for 30 minutes at a time. Since I take BART every day to Oakland for work, I've started recognizing people- I can't
I'd say I became interested in urbanism through my dad. As a kid, I remember seeing the commun iti es of Va lencia in Southern California and Summerlin in Las Vegas grow exponentia lly. They were utopia-like ... I think seeing the Valencia Town Center under construction really got
help but wo nder where all these people go after our short, compact journey together under the bay. •
me interested in building and communities. I realized in middle school and high school that a car-dependent city limited your freedom as a teenager (which is probably why
APRIL 201 2
21
INTRODUCING ...
New SPUR Board Members Veronica Bell Veron ica is the Senior Manager of Community and Government Affa irs at Goog le. She joined Goog le in Ju ly of 2005 as a Program Manager in the People Operations group and bui lt a team of event marketing profe ssionals to create an d manage events to im prove Google's technical rep utation and employment brand
Aidan Hughes Aidan is a Principal of Arup and the leader of Arup's Planning Practice in the U.S., which focuses on integrated urbanism, transportat ion, and sustainable planning and design. Aidan bring s more than 20 years' experience to his work consulting to municipal government s, transportation agencies and developers. He
Adhi Nagraj Adh i is a Project Manager at MidPen Housing Corp oration, where he is red evelop in g 60 uni ts of pub li c housing into 160 new units of affordable senior housing. In just over a year at Mid Pen, Ad hi has won competitions for affordab le housing projects in three Bay Area cities -- one each in the North
Carl D. Shannon Ca rl is the Managing Regional Director of Tishman Speyer Northern Californ ia and is responsib le for Ti shman Speyer's portfolio in the Sa n Francisco Bay Area, including both San Francisco and Silicon Va ll ey. He is responsible for all of Ti shman Speyer's existing assets and developments, includ ing The
22
APRIL 2012
in audiences around the wor ld. In June 2009, she moved to the Public Policy team to manage local community and government affairs for Goog le in North America. In t his rol e, Veron ica is responsible for cont ributing to and improving education, government and non-profit infrastructure, and green initiatives in the commun ities in
whic h Google has a presence. Prior to joining Goog le, Veron ica spent close to seve n yea rs at Microsoft 's headqua rters in Redmond, Wash ington. Ve ron ica is a San Francisco native who currentl y resides here w ith her husband and two chi ldren.
recently took an executive role on a part-time basis to support SamTrans in all matters related to planning and development. Over the last several years Aidan has led the redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons Station in Concord, California , the infrastru cture design for the new University of Merced ca mpus, was an advisor on the Treasure Island
Sustain abi lity Plan project in San Francisco, and adv ised deve lopers and regional government on transportation and infrastructure strategi es including leading work on a range of transit-oriented and mixed-use development projects. Aidan is a LEED"' Accredited Professional and has worked in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Bay, East Bay and Peninsula. Prior to working at Mid Pen , Adhi was a Projec t Manager at Ten derloin Neighborhood Deve lopment Corporation, where he developed special needs housing in partnership w ith Glide Church, and a senior housing project that was the first in San Francisco to close on ARRA financing. Ad hi has served as a commiss ioner for
the Oak land Housin g Authority, as wel l as on the Board of Directors of RA ILS, a nonprofit organization ove rseeing the redevelopment of West Oakland 's historic train station at 16th and Wood Street. He also sits on the boa rd of directors of Youth Uprisi ng , an organization ded icated to enrich in g the lives of East Oak land youth.
Infinity and 555 Mission. Before joinin g Tishman Speyer in 1998, Carl was a District Manager for GE Capital, responsible for th eir Northern Ca lifornia lend ing activities. He also spent six years
Harvard University. He li ves with his w ife and young daughters in San Francisco.
with The Prudential Insurance Company of American in Newar k, New Jersey, Wash ington, D.C., and San Franc isco. He received an AB (1987) and an MBA (1992) from
T HE URBANI ST
Lydia Tan Lydia Tan is the Executive Vice President of the Northern California office of the Related Companies of California, a role that includes supervising the existing development portfolio, identifying and structuring future developments in the region and representing the company in policy and other industry-wide
Michael Theriault Mike has been the SecretaryTreasurer of the SF Building and Construction Trades Council since 2005 and a member of the Ironworkers Union since 1985. He has served for many years as a delegate to the San Francisco Bui lding and Construction Trades Council representing the ironworkers. He was appointed
Jeff Tumlin Jeff is a Principal at Nelson/ Nygaard and has extensive experience working with cities, developers and regional governments to foster economic development while improving quality of life through smart transportation investments. In almost all of his projects, he uses direct community involvement
discussions. For 19 years Lydia worked at BRIDGE housing, helping to develop an extraordinary portfolio of affordable and market-rate housing and leading efforts to bring about awareness of new air quality standards being proposed by the BAAOMD that cou ld significant ly impact local development. She is a leader in the wor ld of housing policy as
well, through her work with SPUR, the Ca lifornia Housing Consortium, the Northern California Community Loan Fund, the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California and many other groups. She is a longtime member of the SPUR Advisory Board and she co-chairs our Housing Policy Committee and HR Committee .
as Business Representative with his loca l in 2001 and elected to a second term in 2003. Mike has been an active participant in the business agents meetings for the
Lowell High School and received a BA from St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1978. He is married to Diana Dair, a high school teacher in San Francisco; they have two sons, Josquin and Eugene. Mike former ly served on
last several years. He has worked with Stan Warren and Larry Mazzola in support of union issues at San Francisco City Hall. Born in San Francisco, he attended St. Ignatius Col lege Prep School and
the SPUR Board of Directors from 2008 to 2010.
to ensure long-term success and feasibility. His expertise covers four key areas: planning for urban infill and new towns, transitoriented development, regional transit planning and multimodal planning. Jeff's projects have won a variety of awards,
Property Innovation for the NASA Research Park Plan, and the Palo Alto Consultant of the Year Award for the Palo Alto Transportation Master Plan. Jeff earned his BA, with distinction, in Urban Studies from Stanford University.
including the 2003 United States Genera l Services Administration Achievement Award for Real
WELCOME TO SPUR'S NEW MEMBERS! Kristen Appenrodt
Xantha Bruso
Matthew Dove
Alisha Goldstein
Joseph King
Kimberly Lucas
Rebecca Po lion
Kathe Traynor
Hourig Ayanyan
Daniel Bucko
Dawn Einwalter
Tracy Gondo
Nora R. Klebow
Andrew MacLaggan
Michael Poreda
Alyson Tufts
McCray
Eric Carruthers
Matt W. Farrell
Meg han Hade
Janikke C. Klem
Kathryn Magee
Robert Ramirez
Brian Turner
Stephen Cassidy
Joseph Fe ldman
Alexander Hancock
Nora Lamm
Karen Mar
Lisa Ratner
Jim Turner
John Beutler
Eva Chan
Kristina Feliciano
Thanh Huong Do
Ruth Landy
Seth Meisler
James Reber
Michael Vea le
Dean J. Birinyi
Holing Chang
Matt Flynn
Dean Isaacs
William Lieberman
Devin Moeller
Catherine Reilly
Walter L. Wi lliams
Bonnie Bamburg
Janet Boyko
Adam Chisholm
Adam Fong
Arjan Jager
James R. Lightbody
Leslie Moldow
Rebecca Rothman
Nicholas Wolf
George Brandt
Steve Cohen
Steven Forster
Greg Johnson
Andrew Likuski
William Mollard
Brian Rysdorp
John Wooster Jzong Yzob
Owen Brizgys
Andrea Contreras
Kim Frentz
Frank Jones
Stephen Linaweaver
Guthrie Morgan
Molly Schremmer
Denis Brown-Bouvier
Brad Cox
Beth Lundell Garver
Aaron Jurgens
Todd Lloyd
Andrew B. Nash
Joyce Sigman
Susan E. Brownell
Janine Cuneo
Charles T. Gill
Kel ly Kang
Ana Lozano Cusi
Christopher Noceti
Timothy Svoboda
Join SPUR today!
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Thursday May 3, 2012 6-10 PM
Celebrate the city we love and support SPUR as one of the ci t y's most valuable organization s. Th is year we bring our third annual Dine + Discover benefit t o the heart of San Francisco's Mission Distr ict, Dolores Park . 601 Dolores- the Castle on the Park - is a stunninQ rehab of a form er church int o a luxury 17,000 square路foot home, so on t o be converted again into a new site for Child ren's Day School. Cuisine provid ed b y c hef s from t he Mission District's hot t est restaurants! Thank you to Host Committee Co-Chairs Boris Dramov and Bonnie Fisher
601 Dolores "the Castle on the Park"
spur.org/dlscover
SPONSORSHIPS AND TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT spur.org/discover Tickets $250 Sponsorship starts at $750 For more information, please call 415 -644-4288 or email events@spur.org
The Urb anist is edit ed by A llison A neff ,and d e sig ned by Shawn Ha zen, h azencreabve.co m. It is p ri nt ed o n Fin ch Cas a Opaque p aper : 30% post路c o n sumer waste, 6 6% re newab le energ y, chlo rine-f ree, acid路ft ee .