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Dear Presidio Heights Neighbor,
With there now being more sunny days than not, summer has finally arrived in San Francisco! At PHAN, we kicked off September with our Annual Meeting. The evening’s featured speakers -- Mayor Daniel Lurie, SFFD Chief Dean Crispen and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill -- drew a large crowd. A wide range of topics were discussed. It was a lively and informative meeting. If you were unable to attend, you can learn more about the meeting below.
One of the subjects that came up at the Annual Meeting is Mayor Lurie’s Family Zoning Plan. We know that a lot of neighbors have questions. To help community members get a better understanding of the proposed rezoning plan, PHAN will be hosting a discussion with Supervisor Stephen Sherrill on Zoom about it on Wednesday, September 24 from 4pm – 5pm. All neighbors are invited.
There will be a lot going on locally on October 31! There’s the evening holiday festivities on Washington Street that have been known to draw more than 1,000 people to the neighborhood. Also, this year the Presidio Heights Business Association will be hosting “Spooky Street Stroll & Trick-or-Treat Trail” for kids, parents and Halloween shoppers alike. Read on for the details.
As always, if you have any suggestions or feedback for PHAN, we can be reached at info@phansf.org.
Sincerely,
Bruce McKleroy
PHAN President
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Presidio Heights Zoning Plan Information Session with Supervisor Stephen Sherrill
PHAN invites you to an important community session on the proposed San Francisco Family Zoning Plan, featuring Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, on September 24. This session will provide background on the plan, outline key implications for Presidio Heights housing, infrastructure and neighborhood character, and give residents the opportunity to ask questions.
This is a wonderful chance to stay informed, connect with neighbors, and share your perspective on the future of our community.
📅 Date: Wednesday, September 24
🕓 Time: 4:00pm-5:00pm
💻 Where: Zoom
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Highlights from PHAN's Annual Meeting
It was standing room only at PHAN’s Annual Meeting at the Presidio Golf and Concordia Club on Wednesday, September 3. The evening’s moderator was broadcast journalist and Presidio Heights resident, Jan Yanehiro.
At the outset, PHAN’s paid members voted in four new Board members, renewing Board members and the executive officer slate. The four new Board members are Lauren Dillard, Tayer Meicler, Megha Tanwar and Katheryn Wyndowe. The just elected executive officers are Bruce McKleroy - President, Ed van Roden - Vice President, Megha Tanwar - Secretary and Emily Pimentel - Treasurer.
Mayor Daniel Lurie was the first of three guest speakers. Among the wide range of topics he covered were public safety, the behavioral health crisis, and the city being “Open for Business.” The Mayor stated that crime is down 20% and that “during the day the police department is doing a very good job.” He then acknowledged that there are problems at night and on the weekends, which he attributed to staffing challenges.
The Mayor disclosed that improved communication between SFPD, SFFD and the Sheriff is enabling a more coordinated and effective response to behavioral health-related incidents and other urgent matters and that more emergency beds are available for people in need of them.
When discussing downtown, he talked about it needing to be a “24x7 neighborhood” and predicted that “retail will come flooding back if we get safety right.” The mayor said he is focused on growing the economy and cited the program “Permit SF” as a way to cut red tape, allowing small businesses to thrive and big business to come back.
After telling the crowd that “you should have a government that works with you and doesn’t nickel and dime you,” Mayor Lurie pointed to City Hall doing away with the $1,500 fine for parking in one’s own driveway.
The second guest speaker, SFFD Chief Dean Crispen, spoke at length about his department’s efforts to prepare for and address potential fires in the Presidio. He shared that the SFFD’s fire prevention team and fire suppression team have tight-knit communications with the Presidio Trust, which manages fire prevention in the Presidio. The chief stated that “Engine 51 checks every hydrant and conducts drills in the Presidio on Saturday mornings.”
“We have a fantastic water supply in the Presidio,” Chief Crispen said. “It is self-contained. All of the stations in this area have the fittings that are necessary to make the connections to the hydrants in the Presidio. The hydrants are fed from a creek, but they also have the ability to augment the system from the city’s system.”
There is a secondary auxiliary water supply system that was built after 1906 that surrounds the Presidio. In case there is an earthquake and the water mains break, this secondary system can supply additional water to the Presidio.
SFFD has contracted with SFPD to use drones, which they launch from fire stations. “If we have a small fire in the Presidio, we can put up a drone within minutes,” Chief Crispen said. “It has a thermal imaging camera on it. So we can identify where the fire is, the heat of the fire and what our next steps are.”
“We are aware that the Eucalyptus trees have a lot of oil in them and they take off really quickly.” Chief Crispen talked about natural fire breaks. “The Presidio Wall is actually a natural fire break for us. We have the playground. We can make a hose lead all the way across and protect the homes over there.”
When the Fire Chief was asked about what SFFD learned from the LA Fires, he replied that “if we have a red flag alert or a heat advisory (in SF), we can reposition our units in advance near our urban interface areas where we know we can have issues.”
He also advised residents on fire safety. “If you have a kitchen fire you should cover it. A lot of people overload electrical outlets. It heats up and you have a fire in the wall. A fire can go from a plug all the way up to the attic in seconds.”
Chief Crispen recommended that everyone clear out their gutters and remove dried brush and weeds. “If fireworks go off (near a building) and land in a gutter that is filled with leaves, then you have a fire in the house.”
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The meeting’s final guest speaker was District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill. The supervisor talked about his drive to ensure there are “thriving neighborhood commercial corridors” in the district. He wants people and businesses to “start here, grow here, stay here.” Supervisor Sherrill is focusing on small business, “making sure that we don’t have bureaucracy and red tape standing in their way unnecessarily and that they can operate safely and don’t have to worry about break-ins.”
He stated that car break-ins are down 70% over the last 1.5 – 2 years. The supervisor attributes that decrease to improvements in technology, including cameras and automated license plate readers, “I want every merchant corridor to have security cameras at every intersection to cover those blocks,” he said.
“A couple of months ago I introduced a resolution calling for instances of drug use near playgrounds and schools to be considered 911 Life Safety Events.” He said that “we need to hold people accountable for behavior that endanger themselves and others.”
The supervisor stated that “we have an affordability crisis” in San Francisco. He spoke about the city's Base Zoning and how it compares to state law and the Mayor’s Family Zoning Plan. This subject will be further explored with Supervisor Sherrill at the Presidio Heights Zoning Plan Information Session that PHAN Board member Kathryn Wyndowe is leading on Zoom on Wednesday, September 24, at 4pm.
Photos: Mayor Daniel Lurie; Mayor Daniel Lurie and the evening's moderator, Jan Yanehiro; SFFD Chief Dean Crispen; District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill
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University High School's
New California Street Campus
By Jan Yanehiro, PHAN Board Member
It took 19 years of planning, but patience paid off. San Francisco University High School (UHS) welcomed students to its brand new California Street Campus, beginning with the start of Fall Classes that began on August 20.
According to Interim Head of School, Nasif Iskander, the best part of the nearly two decades of planning is that the new addition was built to the latest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum and Net Zero Energy standards.
The 48,000 square foot addition at 3150 California Street includes a collegiate level gym with seats for 600, state-of-the-art science labs and classrooms, a Student Commons that offers food service (from burgers to sushi), abundant seating and a sunlit, glass enclosed study terrace.
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The very top of the three-level building is an outdoor patio that features a California Live Oak tree, and bee-friendly and native plants – specific requests of the Student Committee on Sustainability who worked directly with Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects of San Francisco. Of note, rain water is harvested and used for irrigation of the outdoor plants.
On the day this reporter visited the new campus, Nate Lundy, Director of Enrollment Management and Strategy, said 80% of students participate in sports. So, having the Bessolo Family Pavilion, a new state-of-the-art gym (with LED scoreboards), is a source of pride for all students taking part in basketball, volleyball, fencing and badminton. The gym also offers a perfect place for all school gatherings and events.
Rising Junior and current student Tech Intern, Alexi Pittman, is excited that everything is “super state of the art,” especially when it comes to science classrooms.
Jace Misfeldt, also a rising Junior, says he’s looking forward to “the entire school now able to gather in one space,” the new gym.
UHS was founded in 1975, as in independent, co-ed college preparatory high school. With this addition, Lundy acknowledges a new commitment for the school. “Facing the city on California Street holds us to a more visible responsibility to our broader community. We want everyone to be curious about UHS and to be met with access, inclusion and belonging.”
Jan Yanehiro is an Emmy award winning Broadcast Journalist. She is always looking for a neighborhood story to write and can be reached at jyanehiro@gmail.com.
Photos: University High School's new California Street Campus; the Bessolo Family Pavilion; the outdoor patio
| Spooky Street Stroll & Trick-or-Treat Trail | |
This Halloween, our local businesses will turn Sacramento Street into a festive neighborhood walk! 🎃 Businesses will be setting up outdoor tables covered with spooky decor and will be giving out treats and other fun items for kids.
The stroll is for trick-or-treaters of all ages! Families will receive a “passport” to collect stamps as they stop at each shop, while kids trick-or-treat along the way. The event is sponsored by the Presidio Heights Business Association. 👻
Come get ghoulish on Sacramento Street from
3:00pm -6:00pm on October 31!
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Condo Inspections Required
for Some or Be Fined
By Carol Solfanelli, PHAN Board Member
If you own a condo in California in a building with at least three units, under a new state law the Homeowner's Association (HOA) is required to do an Exterior, Elevated, and Elements (EEE) Inspection every nine years. If you live in San Francisco, you are also required to do a similar, more rigorous inspection every five years to comply with an older San Francisco local ordinance, regardless if the EEEs are supported by wood or wood-based materials.
Get to Know SB326
The new state law, known as SB326, was passed to enhance public safety after the tragic 2015 balcony collapse in Berkeley which killed multiple people. Its inspection requirements are specifically designed for common-area structures. The EEE Inspection includes, but is not limited to, balconies, decks, walkways, stairways and railings more than six feet above grade and supported by wood or wood-based materials. Inspections can only be performed by licensed architects and civil or structural engineers.
An inspection report must be prepared and immediate safety threats have to be reported within 15 days. Corrective actions must be taken. Inspection reports are maintained within the homeowners association (HOA) and are not typically reported to local building officials unless significant safety concerns are identified. Non-compliance can result in civil penalties, enforcement fees, liens, and legal liability. While members of HOAs in larger condo buildings tend to be aware of this new law, many who live in smaller, self-managed condo buildings may not be.
San Francisco Housing Code 604
To make things even more interesting, similar to SB326 but not identical, San Francisco Housing Code 604 mandates inspections of EEEs in buildings of three or more units which are apartment buildings or condominiums, and hotels with six or more rooms. This code has been in effect since 2002 and requires that inspections be performed every five years. One big difference between the state law and the local ordinance is that the inspection requires all EEEs to be inspected, not just those that are made of wood materials. I imagine there are a number of homeowners associations that are not even aware that this older local ordinance exists. Licensed general contractors, engineers, architects and structural pest control professionals can perform these inspections.
Warnings to Potential Sellers About Non-Compliance
Besides keeping a building safe and the potential liability if someone should get hurt, there are other reasons to get the inspections. If you live in a condo building and want to sell your condo, I have heard of lenders who will not give a loan on the condo to a potential buyer if the SB326 inspection has not been performed. (I haven’t heard of lenders asking about the SF Housing Code 604 inspection yet; however, that may not be far off). This means that only cash buyers will be able to purchase your condo. You don’t want to limit your buyer pool like that. If you are looking to sell your condo and have any questions about this, feel free to give me a call.
Carol Solfanelli is a real estate broker with Compass. She can be reached at 415-297-7031.
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PHAN is a volunteer-run association that relies on member support. Membership dues help PHAN organize community events to bring neighbors together around issues of interest and advocate with City Hall, when needed.
Annual dues are $40.00. We purposefully keep them low to encourage people to become dues-paying members. Go to PHAN's website to pay via PayPal or Venmo or for information on where to mail a check.
Help make our neighborhood stronger by joining today. Thank you!
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Forward This Newsletter
If you have a neighbor who did not receive this newsletter, forward it to them! The more people who read PHAN's newsletters, the more neighbors will be informed about what's going on in our neighborhood.
To contact PHAN, email us at info@phansf.org. Let us know what you would like included in future newsletters. Also, send us your comments, suggestions or corrections.
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