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E URBANIST
()SPUR SPUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chair Board Members linda Jo Fitz Carl Anthony
Executive Andy Barnes
Vice Chair Veronica Bell
Anne Halsted Chris Block Larry Burnett
Vice Chairs Michaela Cassidy Alexa Arena Madeline Chun Emilio Cruz Charmaine Curtis David Friedman Gia Daniller-Katz Bill Rosetti Kelly Dearman Lydia Tan Oz Erickson V. Fei Tsen Manny Flores
Secretary Gillian Gillett Chris Gruwell
Mary McCue Dave Hartley
Treasurer Aidan Hughes Bob Gamble Mary Huss
Immediate Past Chris Ig lesias
Co-Chair Laurie Johnson
Lee Blitch Ken Kirkey Dick Lonergan
Advisory Council Ellen Lou Co-Chairs Janis MacKenzie Michael Alexander John Madden Paul Sed way Gordon Mar
Jacinta McCann Ch ris Meany
CHAIRS & COMMITTEES
Program Transportation Committees Emilio Cruz
Ballot Analysis Anthony Bruzzone
Bob Gamble Good Goverment
Disaster Planning Bob Gamble
Jacinta McCann Regional Planning Dick Morten Larry Burnett Chris Poland Libby Seifel
Housing Operating
Ezra Mersey Committees
Lyd ia Tan
Project Review Audit
Charmaine Curtis John Madden
Mary Beth Sanders Nominating Reuben Schwartz Stuart Sunshine
Sustainable Building Development Management Paul Okamoto Larry Burnett Bry Sarte
Business Membership Tom Hart Terry Micheau
SAN JOSE ADVISORY BOARD
Andy Barnes Gordon Feller Chris Block Karla Rodriguez J. Richard Bra ugh Lomax Larry Burnett James MacGregor Brian Darrow Connie Martinez
2 MARCH 2012
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
Executive Lee Blitch Linda Jo Fitz
Finance Bob Gamble
Human Resources Mary McCue
Individual Membership Bi ll Stotler
Investment Ann Lazarus
Major Donors linda Jo Fit z Anne Halsted
Planned Giving Michaela Cassidy
Silver SPUR Dave Hartley Teresa Rea
Anu Natarajan Mohammad Qayoumi Lydia Tan Kim Walesh Jessica Zenk
DIRECTOR'S LETTER
A Plan for Ocean Beach
San Franciscans are extraord inarily fortunate to have a national park
in and around their city, offering unpara lleled 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 Ocean Beach Master Plan, a long-range vision for proactive
management that will allow condi tions 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 shorelines, driven by storm surges,
erode and move inland.
Benjamin Grant SPUR's Public Realm and Urban Design Program Manager
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 ially
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 easily have resulted
in the sort of ugly and acrimonious process all too typical of San 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 the long view.
Ocean Beach has long been under the purview of specialists - climate scient ists,
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
information. SPUR's role has been to listen and lea rn as deeply as we could from each
of them, 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
resu lting plan is plausible, reflecting close interagency coord ination, but also bo ld, building
incrementa 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 lders needs to be assiduously cultivated . Cap ital dollars
and regulatory clearances will need to be secured. SPUR has already received additional
funding to carry th ese ideas forward, and we look forward to remaining
engaged in this process for years to come. •
Cover photo by David Lloyd
THE URBANIST
APRIL 201 2
News at SPUR Planning Commission Approves 8 Washington After many years, the 8 W ashington project has
finally been approved by the San Francisco Planning
Commission . This 136 -unit condominium project
located along the Embarcadero repla ces a surface
parking lot and a private tenni s club enc losed by
a chain - link fence. The project has many ben efits ,
including the creation of a new park, improvem ents
to the sidewalk and publi c realm and , perhaps
most important, the activation of the ground fl oor
along on e of San Francisco 's m ost important
streets. While SPUR is pleased th e project has
pa ssed, the fight is far from over. W e hope
that the 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 February 28, Sa lesforce
announced it was suspending
its plans to buil d a 2-million
square-foot campus on the 14
ac res it had acquired in San
Fra ncisco's Mission Bay. Citing
faster-than-expected growth ,
the company sa id it will instead
lease existing space two mil es
north, near Market Street in the
Central Business District. While
the change of plans is ce rta inly
a temporary blow to Mission
Bay, it is also a reaffirmation
of downtown San Francisco's
importance as a premier business
locat ion. In January, Sa lesforce
signed an 18-year lease for
400,000 square feet at 50
Fremont Street . CEO Mark Beniof
has publi cly projected that th e
company will add more than
2,000 additional employees in the
city in th e next few yea rs. SPUR
THE URBANIST
has long been a vocal advocate
for job growth in t ransit-oriented
downtowns. We hope that the
prospect of an increas ing number
of fast-g rowing tech compa nies
takin g space in downtown San
Francisco, combined with th e
city's support for job growth,
will help developers overcome
some of the regulatory and
finan cial barriers to adding new
office space th ere.
SPUR Board Members Take Major New Roles in City Government We'd like to extend a hearty
congratulati ons to two of SPUR 's
esteemed board members. Cindy
Wu has been appointed to th e San
Francisco Plann ing Commission.
In her few weeks as commiss ioner,
she has already been elected to
serve as the commiss ion's vice
president. Gill ian Gillett has taken
on a new role as Mayor Lee's di-
rector of transportat ion policy. We
are thrill ed to have SPUR board
members serving in such impor
tant capaci ti es in San Francisco.
David Chiu to Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to POPOS Board of Supervisors President
David Chiu is in the process
of introducing leg islat ion that
would help improve access to
San Francisco's many POPOS
(Pri vately Owned Publi c Open
Spaces), which can be found
th roughout downtown in the
form of plazas, roof gardens
and oth er urban oases. Chiu's
work aims to implement several
reco mmendations from SPU R's
2009 report on POPOS, including
those that wou ld improve POPOS
signage. POPOS have been
getting a lot of attent ion of late:
SPUR deputy director Sarah
Karl insky recently spoke about
their importance to KGO, and a
new smartphone app ca lled Know
What offers a downloadable
ve rsion of SPUR's POPOS map.
We hope that all of this at tenti on
will help improve access to these
lit t le-known publi c spaces .
Two SFPUC-Owned Sites Move Closer to Becoming Urban Ag Projects Two sites owned by the San
Francisco Public Utili t ies
Commission (PUC) just moved
closer to becoming urban
agricu lture projects. Since
October, PUC staff have been
conducting an urban ag ricu lture
feas ibility study of open space
adjacent to two fac ilities: College
Hill Reservoir (at 360 Elsie
Street) in Bernal Heights and
th e perimeter of th e Southeast
Treatment Plant (a t Phelps and
Eva ns Streets) in th e Bayview.
At the March 13 hearin g, th ey
presented a progress report
and futu re timeline. The PU C's
assessments have determined
that both sites are suitable for
grow ing food, with th e necessary
access to both water and sun.
SPU R supports the PU C's efforts
to open up these two sites for
urban ag ri culture, and we are
acti ve ly engaging with PUC staff
as the projects deve lop. Through
our comments at public hearings,
we have encouraged the PU C to
create a more public means of
so licit ing feedback as well as a
faster tim eline for the Southeast
Treatm ent Plant site. With many
San Franciscans seeking spaces
to grow food, the PU C's two sites
could be an encourag ing step
toward helping th e city meet that
demand with public land. See
http:/ /bi t.l y/G N4i5G.
Energy Reporting for Hundreds of Commercial Buildings Due April1 Commercial buildings in San
Francisco greater than 25,000
square feet must report their
property's energy use by April1
to comply with the city's Ex isting
Commercial Bui ldings Energy
Performance Ordinance. The
ordinance, which went into effect
last yea r, was recommended by
a mayor's task force ( in whi ch
forme r SPUR board member
Raphael Sperry parti cipated) is
aimed at helping property owners
red uce energy use and costs. The
threshold to comply will extend
to buil dings greater than 10,000
square feet next year. For more
information, see
http:/ /b it.ly/GXok8V •
APRI L 2012 3
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
A Vision for Ocean Beach Dramatic erosion, rising seas, and jurisdictional headaches have
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. Large pil es of boulders are shoring up bluffs
to protect the Great Highway and the sewer pipes
underneath it, and erosion has exposed unsightl y
construction fill. As climate- induced sea level ri se
sets in , erosion at Ocean Beach will worsen . But wi th
a strateg ic approach to coasta l management in place
for the first time, the city now has the opportunity to
actually improve conditions at the beach.
This month, SPUR will release the Ocean Beach
Master Plan, 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 - produced by
SPUR in cooperation with a host of federal, state and
loca l agencies; community stakeholders; and the
public- charts an ambitious and proactive vis ion for
managing a changing coastl ine wh ile protecting
critical sewer infrastructure and significantly upgrad
ing public access.
Complex Challenges The project team for the master plan - including
specialists in design, civil and coasta l eng ineering,
transportati on and environmental planning- worked
with staff from the agencies invol ved to identify key
issues and consider their future evo lution . Ocean
Beach faces numerous overlapping challenges,
wh ich were explored in some deta il in the April 2011
4 APRIL 2012
issue of The Urbanist (www.spur.org/publi cat ions/
library/a rticle/future-ocean-beach). Among the most
cha llenging issues is the sheer number of agencies
involved, all with different responsibiliti es, priorities
and imperatives. Their rol es vary in both fun ction
and location, and no single entity oversees the beach
as a whole. As a result, Ocean Beach has become
something of an orphan. With no proactive poli cy in
place to address ongoing erosion, the city's response
has been ad hoc, mostly falling to the Department
of Public Works to install emerg ency armoring in the
form of boulder revetments (For definit ions of terms
in bold, see glossa ry on p. 7). Critics rightl y point out
that goa ls other than coasta l protection - such as
coasta l access, ecology and aesthetics - are losing
out and that south of Sloat Bou levard the by:ach
remains in a dismal state.
A Nuanced Approach As with so many policy chal lenges, the conve rsation
around th e future of Ocean Beach had been
reduced to sta rk polarities: Protect the status quo
or allow natu re to take its course. When erosion
threatened to damage San Francisco's wastewater
treatment system, the city saw a seri ous danger
to new, expensive and tightly regulated pub lic
investments that protect coastal water quality.
The Department of Pub li c Works acted quickly to
armor the beach. Meanwhile, environmentalists
saw that these emergency measures were becoming
Summary: The mult i-agency
Ocean Beach master plan includes
major changes to the Great
Highway, im proved bicycle and pe
destrian access, dune restoration
and a better connection to Golden
Gate Park .
By Benjamin Grant
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.
Read the complete draft of the Ocean Beach
Master Plan at spur.org/oceanbeachplan
THE URBANIST
E 0
&
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
Seven Focus Areas The master plan addresses the complex issues facing Ocean Beach through seven focus areas:
1. Ecology
Ocean Beach is a national park and
supports important natural resources,
including two threatened species of birds.
Its nonnative dunes cou ld be restored
to a more climate-appropriate native
landscape.
6 APRIL 2012
2. Utility Infrastructure
Ocean Beach is the site of a major complex
of wastewater infrastructure that protects
coastal water quality. Large stormwater
and wastewater transport structures are
located underneath the Great Highway and
are subject to erosion hazards.
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 part ies 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 considered 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 object ives, 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 hot
button issues of erosion and coastal management.
This project was, after all, charged with consider ing
all aspects of the beach, including 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
3. Coastal Dynamics 4. 1mage and Character
Ocean Beach is the visible portion of a Ocean Beach has a wild, rugged character
much larger coasta l sediment system. and a unique cu lture and history.
Erosion problems will worsen with climate- Improvements should retain and draw upon
related sea level rise and will need to be these qualities.
managed through a variety of approaches.
THE URBANIST
l
recommendations. Now the plan is in the unusually
favorable position of having implementation
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 The Ocean Beach Master Plan recommendations
are presented as a package of improvements,
investments and management practices that can
achieve best-case outcomes for many objectives
through 2050, based on consideration and ana lys is
to the year 2100. Below is a quick su mmary;
the pages that follow offer a more comprehensive
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 intersections
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·
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 with a gradient of elements
~ Use low-profile hard structure, covered with
dynamic revetment, or cobble 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
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 lanes to two
south of Lincoln
~ Use the cu rrent southbound lanes for parking
pockets, restrooms, signage, etc.
~ Introduce a multiuse (walking, cyc ling, etc.)
promenade west of the road
~ Between amenities, allow dunes to migrate inland
over th e road and transport box
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
North reach: North of Lincoln Boulevard
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
appropriate vegeta tion to create a more
welcoming, attractive space
~ Reta in events capacity and historic character of
area
Key Move 6: Introduce bicycle and pedestrian improvements north of Balboa Street ~Narrow the Great Highway and Point Lobos
Avenue from four lanes to two
~ Introduce physically separated bikeway with
connect ions to Lands End and beyond
5. Program and Uses 6. Access and Connectivity 7. Management and Stewardship
Ocean Beach is used in a variety of ways,
from bird-watching to surfing to dog
walking, which sometimes come into
conflict. These uses should be managed to
benefit everyone.
THE URBANIST
Ocean Beach is rich in transit and links a
wea lth of open spaces. But key gaps in
access, as well as some problematic street
configurations, could be improved to
welcome all users, especially cyc lists and
pedestrians.
Though visitors experience a sing le place,
a host of federal, state and local agencies
are responsib le for different aspects
of Ocean Beach, and these agencies lack a
common vision.
Glossary
Beach nourishment: the direct
placement of sand on the beach to
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
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
and combined flow is released
into nearby water. CSD occurs
approximately seven times a year at
Ocean Beach.
Force mains: pipelines used to
transport wastewater counter
gravitationally (i.e., from a lower to
a higher point.)
Internal ballast: materials placed to
give stability, provide drainage and
distribute loads.
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.
Transport box: this section of the
city's stormwater-sewage infra
structure may become a significant
factor in shaping the beach
and dunes as the coastline recedes.
APRIL 201 2 7
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 Boulevard
and rerouting north-south traffi c onto Sloat and
Skyline could so lve several problems at once: It would
signifi cantly upgrade ecological and recreational
conditions at Ocean Beach and allow a more flexible
approach to coastal protection. This managed retreat
from the coast would happen incrementally over
a period of f ive to 20 yea rs. w ith upgraded roadways
compensati ng for the road closu re.
Significant improvements to Sloat Boulevard
wou ld include moving parking from th e med ian to the
south curb alongside the zoo and adding a separated
two-way bike route. Upgraded street design and
signalized intersecti ons would greatly improve traffic
flow on Sloat. The L Tarava l Muni line would extend
one block to terminate next to the zoo. Drivers,
cyc lists and Muni riders wou ld all arri ve at the south
side of Sloat, where they could visit the zoo or access
the coast without needing to cross any streets. In
place of the Great Highway, visitor amenities at the
foot of Sloat would connect to a magn ificent new
coasta l trail making key connect ions to Fort Funston
and Lake Merced. The zoo parking lot connect ion
to th e Great Highway wou ld instead link to existing
roadways from the east via Skyline. A one-lane
driveway wou ld connect Skyline to th e Oceanside
Wastewater Treatment Plant from the south.
8 APRIL 2012
o~~-4~oo·~~~soo· Gz 200' 600'
1.1 Reconfigure and install signals at Sloat/Great Highway and Sloat/
Skyline intersections
1.2 Maintain one-lane driveway from Skyline to treatment plant for trucks
1.3 Reconfigure Sloat with two lanes each way, parking along zoo
boundary, permeable pavement, bikeway and coastal access amenities
1.4 Extend L Taraval south across Sloat, with terminus at zoo entrance
1.5 Introduce coastal trail to Fort Funston, Lake Merced
1.6 Integrate 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 trailhead
1.8 Reopen Zoo Road from Skyline to zoo parking lot
THE URBANIST
(' I' I
I I
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
The Lake Merced Tunnel, wh ich lies underneath the
Great Highway, is a sign ificant piece of infrastructure
and worth protecting in the coming 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 eleva
tion than the roadway, where it could 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 cobbles. 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.
Restore the surface, allowing coastal access and
ecological benefits
Key Move 2 al lows Ocean Beach to protect
infrastructure while also improving recreational
access, ecologica l function and character. Regular
placement of sand and revegetation wou ld offer an
accessible 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 coastal ecosystem.
10 APRIL 2012
2.1 Withdraw from bluff edge; incrementally demolish roadway, parking
and restroom at Sloat
2.2 Reinforce the Lake Merced Tunnel 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
2.5 Build second cobble berm to protect pump stat ion and other
wastewater infrastructure
2.6 Construct terraced, vegetated seawa ll with cobble 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 coastal 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
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
THE URBANIST
ocean
coastal tra1l ~
beach access and dunes \ swale & constructed wetland
coasta l retreat
cobble berm ,------ fleischhacker building (beyond)
force mains for pump station new pump station for constructed wetland
cobble berm/ dynamic revetment back beach/flex zone
remove zoo park1nq
infiltration zone zoo parking
APRI L 2012 11
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE
3 Reduce the width of
the Great Highway to
provide amenities and
managed retreat
Our major coast road is an expressway geared toward
the automobil e. Converting the southbound lanes
to other uses includ ing amenities like restrooms,
bike parking, signage and pockets of auto pa rki ng
connected by a new promenade on the ocean side of
the road would open this cr it ica l public resou rce
to a much wider set of uses. The existing northbound
lanes would serve as a two-way street.
In areas between major access points, th e space
gained by narrowing the roadway would be devoted
to the expansion and restoration of the dunes,
which could migrate shoreward, over the top of
the westside transport box. Coup led with beach
nourishment, this approach cou ld extend the period
of t ime duri ng which a significant sandy beach would
be feasible south of Noriega Street.
This change wou ld probab ly impact loca l traffi c
as dri vers sought other routes. Mitigation measures
to prevent impacts on ne ighborhoods (a lready
a prob lem during frequent roa d closures) would
be needed. Comprehensive traffic ana lysis will be
essent ial to determine if the traffi c impacts of this
intervent ion would be justi f ied by th e considerabl e
improvements in coastal access.
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.
12 APRIL 2012
3.1 Narrow the Great Highway between Ba lboa and Sloat from four lanes
to two. Include a wide shou lder for cycli ng and emergency access; use
current southbound lanes and median for dune restoration, amen ities.
3.2 Reconfigure th e Great Highway/S ioat intersect ion sli ghtly inland to
avoid exist ing erosion hot spot
3.3 Introduce small pockets of parking distri buted at key access points
3.4 Restore ex ist ing restrooms; introduce th ree new off-the-g rid rest
rooms powered by wind and so lar energy
3.5 lmproy e access at Judah, Taraval, Rivera and Noriega with t ra il
heads, signage, bike parking and landscape improvements
3.6 Add t raffic-ca lming and mit igat ion measures to lessen ne ighborhood
traffic impacts
3.7 Employ Low- Impact Des ign (LI D) throughout adjacent
neighborhoods to address stormwater management
THE URBANIST
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THE URBANIST APRIL 2012 13
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE
4 Restore dunes along
middle reach of the
beach
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
Native Dune Structure and Native Species
14 APRIL 2012
Pacific Wild rye
4.1 Implement beach nourishment by Army Corps of Engineers along
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
Ragweed Beach Saltbush
THE URBANIST
ocean
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 URBANIST
beach
Existing Dunes
mult1-modal dune restoration promenade
~----------------~·~
native dunes
.------ ex•slmg transport box
reduced promenade GreatHWY
European Beach Grass
lower Great HWY park
lceplant
APRIL 2012 15
OCEAN BEACH MASTER PLAN
KEY MOVE
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
National 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 multiuse space while maintaining
parking, providing basic amenities, adding appropri
ate landscaping and allowing for continued use for
major events.
The parking lot west of Golden Gate Park
wou ld be reconstructed as a welcoming
gateway to the beach and seawall prome-
nade, with basic amenities, better crossings
and a susta inable landscape designed for
the area's rugged and beautifu l cond itions.
16 APRIL 2012
5.1 Tighten park ing lot, add permeable paving and preserve flexible use
and event capacity
5.2 Maintain row of "watching the water" parking spots
5.3 Modify parking entrances and improve pedestrian crossings 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
t
THE URBANIST
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KEY MOVE
Add bicycle
and pedestrian
improvements north
of Balboa Street
North of Balboa Street, the Great Highway and Point
Lobos Avenue are quite w ide and li ghtly traveled,
and they present hazardous confli cts between drivers
and cyclists. 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,
diagonal parking and a steep grade. Angle parking at
the Cliff House would remain, all owing visitor access
to this important destination. •
Read the complete Ocean Beach Master Plan at spur.org/oceanbeachplan
THE URBANIST
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
Avenue would create a key bicycle connec
tion while eliminating existing conflicts
with visitor parking.
APRIL 2012 17
r
URBAN FIELD NOTES
Case Study #47:
Skyway Patrol How a desire to stay warm can shape
our cities, for better or worse.
Caseworker: Ted Trautman
San Francisco's mild climate allows for all kinds
of deve lopment that would never fly in my nat ive
Minnesota- imag ine trying to drive down an icy
Lombard Street or shivering th rough a cable ca r
ride in be low-ze ro weather. Most Minnesotans don't
love the co ld any more than you do, and the desire
to keep warm has visibly shaped our citi es . Th e
most obvious manifestation of this is Minneapoli s'
sp raw ling netwo rk of "skyways"- a name for the
encl osed bridges between buildings that mig ht
sound grand iose if it weren 't for their sheer sca le.
Minneapoli s boasts more than seven miles of
aboveground tunnels, connecting more than 70
continuous blocks in enclosed passages, making it
the largest such network in the wor ld. (St. Paul and
Duluth also have sizable grids.)
Minnea poli s didn't invent th e skyway: Inter
building bridg es can be found in Chinese architecture
dating back to the year 220 or earli er, and Venetians
have been crossing their city's ca nals in skyways
for centuries. Minneapolis' contribut ion was just to
systematize the concept, even if all of its skyways are
privately owned.
But just as Minneapolis has changed the skyway,
the skyway has changed Minneapolis- for both
the better and the worse . Predictab ly, divert ing
pedestrians up off th e street has left th e sidewalks
ee rily quiet during the day. And while some urbanists
complain that these bridges presc ribe a pedestri an
sphere th at ends at th e last skyway, it's worth noting
that this safe, sunny, climate-cont roll ed grid likely
convinces more than a few would-be dri vers to wa lk
to lunch each day. It's also extremely handicapped
accessibl e.
Having proven popular in Minnesota, skyways are
spreading - and not just in the frozen north .
Houston is home to one of the country's second
largest skyway networks.
18 APRIL 2012
B Crosswalk Pedestrians make up the entire
population in the skyways. No
bikes, no ca rs, no wa iting for traffi c
at the intersecti on. Other than thi s,
th e only major difference is that
in winter skyways might be 60
degrees wa rm er than th e sidewa lk
be low, and in th e summer they're
just as comfortably coo l.
0 Nicollet Mall Nicollet Mall, a popular downtown
shopping corridor, stil l sees a lot
of foot traffic in th e summer, but
in th e winter it's practica lly dead
as shoppers sti ck to th e skyway.
Th e network 's earliest designers
always mea nt for their skyways to
connect directly to th e sidewa lk via
sta irs or elevators, but this proved
prohibiti vely expensive and never
ca ught on. Instea d, pedestrians can
only enter th e grid during private
buildings' business hours.
THE URBANIST
Dl Macy's, Inside Skyway As traffic shifted to the city's
second story, so did many of its
businesses. Th is is especially tru e
of retail businesses ca tering to
th e office professionals occupying
these buildings' upper leve ls, who
have no trouble fin ding 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,
but many smaller businesses
must choose wheth er to cas t their
lot with the skyways or risk
the seasonal traffic at street level .
THE URBANIST
1!1 Double Decker In a few cases, skyways can be
found above the second-story
level, as in this double-decker
skyway at Nicollet Ma ll and South
Sixth Street. When I was a child
coming in from the suburbs, thi s
struck me as the height of urban
sophi st icat ion. But f lourishes like
this can make the network diff icul t
to navigate as some buildings close
before others.
D Security Guard Ted Trautman is a free lance write r in San
Because the skyways are private ly Francisco. His work has appeared in the New
owned, they are policed by private York Times, the Guardian and elsewhere.
security guards ra ther than city
police. There is remarkab ly li ttle All photos by Kristina Fong. •
crim e in th e skyways, although
buskers and panhandlers can be
found from time to time. Despite
being an essential part of the
Minneapolis landscape, it is not
clear to what degree they are part
of th e public sphere.
APRI L 2012 19
CITY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
Urban Drift 01 .'=" ................................ 1
:;!!~i.,lil~il'-- 03 .:::.
=---: ................. ....................... :
Earthquake Prep-AIR-edness Air Danshin Systems Inc., a
Japanese compa ny, has invented
a new technology for earthquake
proofing homes. Its levitation
system works li ke th is: "When an
earthquake hits, a sensor responds
w ithin one second by act ivat ing
a compressor, wh ich forces an
incredible amount of air under
the home, pushing the stru cture
up and apart from its foundation.
The air pressure can keep the
home levitating up to 3 em from
the shaking foundation below.
An indoor va lve controls the flow
of air under the house, keeping
the stru ctu re steady as it 'floats'."
When th e shak ing stops, th e home
safely returns to its earthquake
res istant reinforced-concrete
foundat ion . Installation is under
way in 88 houses across Japan,
w ith hopes to soon expand to
larger structures.
"Japanese Levitating House System Could Protec t
Homes from Earthquakes," tnhabitat.com,
2/29/ 2012
What Is Your Sewage Telling You? New York City's Department of En
vironmental Protection is undergo
ing a pi lot project to place remote
sensors in fi ve of 423 wastewa-
ter locat ions to monitor sewer
overflows and test overa ll water
qua lity on popular recreation riv
ers. The sensors, which measure
the rate and direction of waste-
20 APRIL 2 0 12
water flow, inform environmental
pl anners when overflow will occur,
thereby allowing response teams
to promptly issue precaution-
ary announcements. Sparked by
a treatment 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
Content in the South Bay Content, a new magazine de
voted to the people, events and
businesses of San Jose made the
unlikely sh ift from online to print
this February ("Print isn't dead!"
says founder Dan iel Garcia, with
whom we heartily agree.) Content's premier issue focuses on a
theme familiar to the city, technol
ogy, so it's no su rprise to lea rn
that the print launch was funded
through Kicksta rter. It features
look at a number of San Jose in
novators who are using technol
ogy to influence their city (and
beyond), including Phil McKinney,
author of Beyond the Obvious: Killer Questions That Spark Game-Changing Innovation, Joel Slayton, executive director
of San Jose's ZEROl Biennial, and
San Jose councilman (and SPUR
San Jose Adviso ry Board member)
Sam Liccardo. www.content-mag
azine.com
Smokin' HOT Lanes Many of us can remember when
high-occupancy vehicle (HOV)
lanes were established to min imize
freeway congestion. Now, a new
trend is making its way to many
major cities: high-occupancy
toll (HOT), or express toll , lanes.
Thanks to pub lic-private partner
ships that re ly on private firms to
raise large sums of money, conver
sion to toll lanes has been a suc
cessfu l strategy to offset the high
costs of transportat ion projects
in cities such as At lanta, Miami,
Houston, Phoenix and Los Ange
les. San Francisco and Seattle have
converted to HOT lanes but have
not yet partnered with th e private
sector to do so. New York, Phila
delphia, Boston and Detroit - four
of the 18 most congested metro
areas, with 2009 congest ion costs
totaling $72 billion- have not yet
joined the conversion trend.
"Unlocking the Box," Reason. 2/22/2012
A Suburb to Strive For Plessis-Robinson, a thriving suburb
of Paris with a popu lation close
to 30,000, is not your average
suburb. From the earliest plan
ning stages, the aim was to create
a "style of sustainab ility [that]
emphasizes parks and fl owers,
clean water, recycl ing, compact
and wa lkab le urban design, transi t ,
nonpolluting vehicles, and green
technical and administrative pro
cedures for city government."
Completed in 1990, after a decade
of p lanning and construction,
the six adjoining distr ic ts that
make up Plessis-Robinson include
publ ic admin istrat ion buildings,
retail , mixed-income housing, a
hospital, schools and 120 ac res of
green space. The retrofit ted 'burb
has also managed to successfully
mainta in its histori ca l contex t by
preserving the town hall, which
dates back to the 17th century.
"Can U.S. Communi ties Learn from This European
Suburban Retrofit?" Switchboard, Natural Resources
Defense Council Staff Blog, 2/22/2012
Next Up for Collaborative Consumption? Scooter Sharing Runn ing late for that meeting
across the city? Soon you'l l be ab le
to use your smartphone to locate a
nearby scooter, hop on, plug into a
vi rtual dashboard and hit the road.
"We were look ing at co llaborat ive
consumption and electric vehicles,
and hit on the opportun ity of using
these affordabl e and efficient elec
tric scooters in a European-style
bike sharing system, and add ing to
that all th e smarts and technology
you find in Silicon Valley," explains
Scooter Networks CEO Michael
Keating. Costs are projected to
be around $60 per month for
heavy users; single-use rates are
compet itive with cab fares. The
scooters have a top speed of 30
mph and a range of 20 to 30 miles,
recharg ing at their parking spaces.
Scooter Networks will unleash 20
scooters by Apr il, with hopes for
a fl eet of hundreds by the end of
the year. Keat ing bel ieves that
San Francisco, wi th its hilly, car
congested streets, not-so-speedy
pub lic transit and expensive, hard
to-find taxis, is the right place to
launch the scooter craze. • "The Zipcar 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
Jeffrey Rhoads got the urbanist
bug in high school, when he
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
without automobiles." David
started the Regenerative Network,
a 40-member consortium of green
building product manufacturers
which he now manages; Alexa
works for Lucid, a company that
makes dashboards that monitor
THE URBANIST
energy resource consumption in
buildings
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.
Jeffrey, you're a planning and
development industry veteran.
What are the greatest challenges
you're facing today?
Currently, my focus is on transit
oriented community planning and
development along the SMART
(Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit)
corridor and the creat ion 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
[and] fear the sort of "element" 16 is such a significant birthday in
affordable housing wi ll bring the U.S.- you get your driver's
to their neighborhood. They license and thus your freedom).
fear congestion and change in I thought about how citi es were
general. Some believe the regional designed and how that impacted
agencies and federal government the way people lived in them and
are conspiring to ruin their lives found it fascinating how much of
and take away their property and the public doesn't even realize this!
automobiles. We need to do a This easi ly set me up to embrace
better job of reaching out to those susta inability, smart planning and
with open minds and engag ing good design whi le in co llege.
them in planning for future growth.
David, how did you catch the
urbanist bug?
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
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
Alexa, what is your favorite spot
in San Francisco?
BART. I love being in a space
where people from al l tracks of life
come together, sit, stand 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
help but wonder where all these
people go after our short, compact
journey together under the bay. •
APRIL 201 2 21
INTRODUCING ...
New SPUR Board Members
22 APRIL 2012
Veronica Bell Veron ica is the Senior Manager
of Community and Government
Affa irs at Goog le. She joined
Google in Ju ly of 2005 as a
Program Manager in the People
Operations group and bui lt a team
of event marketing professionals
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 ribut ing to
and improving education,
to create and manage events government and non-profit
to improve Google's technical infrastructure, and green
reputation and employment brand initiatives in the commun ities in
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 brings
more than 20 years' experience
to his work consulting to municipal
governments, transportation
agencies and developers. He
Adhi Nagraj Adh i is a Project Manager at
MidPen Housing Corporation,
where he is red evelop ing 60
uni ts of pub li c housing into
160 new units of affordable
senior housing. In just over a
year at Mid Pen, Adhi 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 Tishman Speyer's
portfolio in the San Francisco
Bay Area, including both San
Francisco and Silicon Va ll ey. He
is responsible for all of Tishman
Speyer's exist ing assets and
developments, includ ing The
recently took an executive role
on a part-t ime 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 campus, was
an advisor on the Treasure Island
Bay, East Bay and Peninsula. Prior
to working at Mid Pen, Adhi was
a Project Manager at Tenderloin
Neighborhood Deve lopment
Corporation, where he developed
special needs housing in
partnership with 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 commissioner for
Infinity and 555 Mission. Before
joining Tishman Speyer in 1998,
Carl was a District Manager for
GE Capital, responsible for their
Northern Ca lifornia lend ing
activities. He also spent six years
with The Prudential Insurance
Company of American in Newark,
New Jersey, Wash ington, D.C., and
San Franc isco. He received an AB
(1987) and an MBA (1992) from
which Google has a presence.
Prior to joining Goog le, Veron ica
spent close to seven yea rs at
Microsoft 's headquarters in
Redmond, Wash ington. Veron ica
is a San Francisco native who
currentl y resides here with
her husband and two chi ldren.
Sustainabi lity Plan project in San
Francisco, and adv ised deve lopers
and regional government on
transportation and infrastructure
strategies 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.
the Oak land Housing Authority, as
wel l as on the Board of Directors
of RAILS, a nonprofit organization
overseeing the redevelopment
of West Oakland 's historic
train station at 16th and Wood
Street. He also sits on the board
of directors of Youth Uprising,
an organization dedicated to
enrich ing the lives of East Oak land
youth.
Harvard University. He lives with
his wife and young daughters in
San Francisco.
THE URBANIST
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 Secretary
Treasurer 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
WELCOME TO SPUR'S NEW MEMBERS!
Kristen Appenrodt Xantha Bruso Matthew Dove Alisha Goldstein
Hourig Ayanyan Daniel Bucko Dawn Einwalter Tracy Gondo
McCray Eric Carruthers Matt W. Farrell Meg han Hade
Bonnie Bamburg Stephen Cassidy Joseph Fe ldman Alexander Hancock
John Beutler Eva Chan Kristina Feliciano Thanh Huong Do
Dean J. Birinyi Holing Chang Matt Flynn Dean Isaacs
Janet Boyko Adam Chisholm Adam Fong Arjan Jager
George Brandt Steve Cohen Steven Forster Greg Johnson
Owen Brizgys Andrea Contreras Kim Frentz Frank Jones
Denis Brown-Bouvier Brad Cox Beth Lundell Garver Aaron Jurgens
Susan E. Brownell Janine Cuneo Charles T. Gill Kel ly Kang
discussions. For 19 years Lydia
worked at BRIDGE housing, help
ing 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
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
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
to ensure long-term success and
feasibility. His expertise covers
four key areas: planning for urban
infill and new towns, transit
oriented development, regional
transit planning and multimodal
planning. Jeff's projects have
won a variety of awards,
including the 2003 United States
Genera l Services Administration
Achievement Award for Real
Joseph King Kimberly Lucas
Nora R. Klebow Andrew MacLaggan
Janikke C. Klem Kathryn Magee
Nora Lamm Karen Mar
Ruth Landy Seth Meisler
William Lieberman Devin Moeller
James R. Lightbody Leslie Moldow
Andrew Likuski William Mollard
Stephen Linaweaver Guthrie Morgan
Todd Lloyd Andrew B. Nash
Ana Lozano Cusi Christopher Noceti
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.
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
the SPUR Board of Directors from
2008 to 2010.
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.
Rebecca Po lion Kathe Traynor
Michael Poreda Alyson Tufts
Robert Ramirez Brian Turner
Lisa Ratner Jim Turner
James Reber Michael Vea le
Catherine Reilly Walter L. Wi lliams
Rebecca Rothman Nicholas Wolf
Brian Rysdorp John Wooster
Molly Schremmer Jzong Yzob
Joyce Sigman
Timothy Svoboda
Join SPUR today!
The San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association is a member
supported nonprofit organization. We rely on your support to promote good
planning and good government through research. education and advocacy.
Find out more at spur.org/ join.
0SPUR Ideas + action for a better city
654 Mission St reet
San Francisco. CA 94105-4015 tel. 415.781.8726 info@spur.org
www.spur.org
Time-dated material
Celebrate the city we love and support SPUR as one of the ci ty's most valuable organizations.
This year we bring our third annual Dine + Discover benefit to the heart of San Francisco's Miss ion Distr ict, Dolores Park. 601 Dolores- the Castle on the Park - is a stunninQ rehab of a former church into a luxury 17,000 square·foot home, so on to be converted again into a new site for Chi ld ren's Day School.
Cuisine provid ed by chefs from t he Mission District's hot test restaurants!
Thank you to Host Committee Co-Chairs Boris Dramov and Bonnie Fisher
Thursday May 3, 2012 6-10 PM
Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Permit # 4118 San Francisco, CA
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 Urbanist is edited by Allison A neff ,and d e signed by Shawn Ha zen, h azencreabve.com. It is p ri nted on Fin ch Cas a Opaque p aper : 30% post·con sumer waste, 6 6% renewab le energ y, chlo rine-f ree, acid·ft ee .
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