San Francisco City Planning Commission - 1945 - Planning. a Monthly Bulletin of the San Francisco City Planning Commission

8/3/2019 San Francisco City Planning Commission - 1945 - Planning. a Monthly Bulletin of the San Francisco City Planning Co

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fothIy Bit LJ4e in FraciscoPtnThg m-1 : 1ff

/ lie has fought to protect it, he has left his loved ones in its trust, he livesfor the claN he will return to it. \\e, in his home town, are responsible tohim for its growth, its development, its welfare.Carefully, now, we must prepare the plans for its future, his future. Theymust be practical plans, comprehensive challenging l ) 1 a 1 1 5 that solve todaysproheims, set the pattern for tomorro\\ S impro\ ements and form the basisfor a constant, Continuous gross tha Master Plan, ever changing, build-ing andexpandng! -The City Planning Commission, through this monthly publication hopesto bring to you, the citizens of San Francisco, the story of the progress ofthe Master Planwhat it is, how it is formulated, how it is activated,how it grows!Your comments, your suggestions, your ideas are .s elcorned, your supportis sought. We know you join with us, with all San Franciscans, in sponsor-ing the program that will provide the best for the future of our city, forthe future of HIS CITY. KA STATEMENT FROM MAYOR LAPHAMhe City Planning Commission is to be con gratula/ed for undertaking thispublication to further inform the citizens of San Francisco on the develop--4en/s o f the Master Plan. The substantial progress the Commission hasmade on the Master Plan in the past year augurs well for the future.


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F R E E W A Y S , H IG H W A Y S A N D S T R E E T STraffic is the life-blood of the city.The freeways, highways and streetsare the channels through which thisvital flow moves. They must be ade-quate, and they should form a systemlike the blood vessels of the body. Ourstreets were never planned originallyfor this purpose.

R E D E V E L O P M E N T A N D H O U S I N GBlighted districts and slums are cosThey provide miserable homes children and drive people out into newer, more spacious suburbs. Suold areas must be rebuilt along modlines. The Master Plan wll bebroad general guide for such work

Transportation deals with the deliveryof materials Into and the shipment ofproducts out of the city by rail, ship,plane and truck. Every function of thecommunity is affected by the locationand character of facilities devoted tothis service. They are an importantpart of the Master Plan.

Parks and recreational facilitiesregarded as essential in the modcity. When open spaces for such pposes are not provided by private owners, the obligation fails oncity. The designation of areas for suses becomes part of the procescity planning.

WHAT IS THE MASTER PLANp

- - - - -

The Master Plan is one of the essential tools for building a great city. It is more thansingle map. A map shows things as they are: the Master Plan shows what shoulddone. It is a representation of ideas for civic improvement, the best that can be deveoped by citizens and officials working together. Since the city grows and changes, iplans must also change. The Master Plan, therefore, is a flexible instrument. It will constantly refined to meet new prospects and needs.

T H E U S E S O F L A N D.U B L I C B U I L D I N G SIjjII_u/=! The modern city is a vast problem ofspace. Formulas for the proper and ef-ficient use of land are basic elementsof the Master Plan. The aim is to de-termine the quantity of space neededfor all prospective uses, and to planthe most advantageous arrangement ofthese areas. Milk_Public buildings form an importpart of the structure of the city, athe quality of service renderedthem depends In large part upon whthey are and how they are fitted inthe general city pattern. This is asured by the Master Plan..3R A N S I T.U B D I V I S IO N D E S I G N SOMMN m i l i n

w i l l , rl l l ~F ilTransit Is the service of carryingpeople from place to place. It needsimprovement badly. The freeways,highways and streets provide theroutes. Vast sums can be wasted, andimportant benefits lost by failure tocorrelate plans for public ways, andstreetcar and bus routes.

New methods of developing subdiions and new ideals for home neiborhoods are constantly appearing. benefits of such progressive effort be brought to this city by a systeatic check of all subdivision plaProper standards and principles mbe set in the Master Plan.

4 .R A N S P O R T A T I O N.E C R E A T I O N , P A R K S , P L A Y G R O U N5 .T I L I T I E S0 .H E C I T Y S A P P E A R A N C E: 1 + * ? 1 1 1 Electric power, telephone service, wa-ter supply, sewers and other servicesall have to be planned. They can befitted into the structure of the com-munity with greatest economy andefficiency if there is a Master Plan. The appearance of the city generreflects the cultural level of its peoInvestments in architecture, gardeand civic centers can easily be ruiby ugly surroundings. The commas a whole must have standarbeauty, cleanliness and decency.is a mark of civic consciousness true greatness.SANFRANCISCOCITYPLANNINGCOMMSSION

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Sunsetdistrict of homes, protected by proper zoning.

PLANNING COMMISSION PROGRESSThe Commission in 1944, held 38 specialmeetings, in addition to the regular bi-weekly meetings, so numerous were thematters requiring the commissions atten-tion.O IGHBORHOOD MEETINGSAn innovation is the holding of eveningneighborhood meetings. In this way thefullest expression of opinion is obtainedfrom the greatest number of propertyowners and citizens within an area affectedby a particular study of the Commission.Such meetings proved invaluable while theSunset rezoning and Telegraph Hill build-ing height limitation legislation were un-der consideration.SUNSET REZONINGOver 69,000 San Franciscans, 10,000 homeowners, were given the protection ofFirst Residential zoning when a majorportion of the Sunset District was re-zoned. The Ordinance of 1921, passedwhen most of the district was sand dunes,classified the area as Second Residential,permitting multiple dwellings. However,987, of actual construction through theyears was single family homes. To pre-

P the nature of the district, rezoningFirst Residential was proposed withinthe neighborhood. The overwhelmingopinion of all who attended favored re-zoning. The Commission submitted its re-

port and on June 6, 1944 the Board ofSupervisors approved the rezoning.POSTWAR PUBLIC WORKS IMPROVEMENTPROGRAM

The Mayor requested the Commission toprepare a comprehensive Public WorksImprovement Program to have the cityready for postwar construction. Depart-ments were asked to submit a listing oftheir plans, programs for land acquisitionand construction, and method of financing.To assist the departments in compiling theinformation, the Commission prepared aPostwar Public Works Improvement Hand-book, a concise form for reporting, andthe staff held conferences with all depart-ments. Suggestions from citizens, improve-ment clubs and civic organizations weresolicited and over 500 received and re-viewed. The Commission added proposalsresulting from its own studies, and, thanksto the close cooperation of the Chief Ad-ministrative Officer and department headsthe preliminary report was delivered tothe Mayor on time, on October 1, 1944.Revisions and refinements have been madeand the full program, totaling over$131,000,000 is now available for reviewand recommendation by the Mayors Citi-zens Committee. Projects submitted by theCommission itself were: Marginal Free-ways, Terminal Sites (for downtown park-

(Continued on page 4)

THE JOB AHEADas I see it

L. DEMING TILTODirector of Plann

IN APRIL we open our gates to vistors from many famous cities. Paris, tqueen of all, will be represented. SoAmerican neighbors will walk up MarStreet, comparing it with the broad, digfied boulevards of Rio dejaneiro and Mtevideo. Citizens from Russia and Englwill tell us of the plans which they hamade for new towns to take place of thdestroyed. These friends from abroad know a good deal about city planningis an important activity where manythem live.

Their coming moves us to reflect a about our own future. First, we sholook into the mirror! Hard-working San Francisco has become careless aslovenly. Pride in the appearance of tcity has been weakened by the waneeds a stimulant. Opera, music, and impressive landscapes of the Park deeply appreciated, but a spreading civugilness is accepted without protest. Dfacers of the citysign-painters and billposters, news-vendors, rubbish dumpand othersoperate with a free handoften in violation of city ordinances.

The April conference may help usopening our eyes. The move to polishwould be better, however, if it couldtranslated into a sustained, constructprogram. Certainly the city we see abous is not a proper symbol for eitherpresent or the future. San Francisco shobe able to stand proudly alongside noblest cities of the world. The tasmaking it that kind of a city is larbut not beyond our capacity.

The key to our future is the MasPlan. During the year the basic workthis document will be completed. It wshow what needs to be done as time pato create a new and better. city on superb site.

The people must understand the pposes and value of the Master Plan. Cferences on it must be held and mefound to translate it into reality. Cleaders must strive for its execution insame spirit as statesmen will work to secthe peace of the world. This is the chlenge to us growing out of the momendays of April, 1945.


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ommission Progresserous letters from civic organizationsical is the following fromThe excessive and detrimental redi-lem has become even more serious in

The area of normal lots in the Park-set is 3000 sq. ft. for lots on

1,437 sq. ft. Suchncreasing the population den-

So far as we can ascertain, San Fran-property owners by regu-

4000 sq. ft. The F.H.A.4000

no established minimum lot size. This

To check the trend of excessive redi-

We trust you will give this your most. LA PLACE, Pres. ing), a Central Produce Market, TidelandReclamation, Completion of the Civic Cen-ter and Redevelopment Sites.LAND USE SURVEYParticularly important to the Master Planof San Francisco, to any city so constrictedin area, is the use of land. Utilizing the$100,000 WPA survey left incompletein 1940 as a base, the staff secured thenecessary additional information, madecorrections, prepared basic data maps andanalyzed the area, use and zoning of allSan Franciscos blocks. With the compre-hensive study as a textbook it is now pos-sible to project the land use pattern towardwhich San Francisco should strive.TELEGRAPH HILL HEIGHT LIMITATIONThe Commission again moved its meetingto the district affected when requested bythe Board of Supervisors to study billsproposing to protect the panoramic viewfrom Telegraph Hill by placing heightlimitations on buildings. Passage of thebills with minor changes was recom-mended.OTHER STUDIESStudies completed or under considerationinclude: John McLaren Park boundaries;Circulation, with particular emphasis onthe Market Street congestion; a secondBay crossing; Urban RedevelopmentLeg-islation and the Rehabilitation of SanFranciscos blighted areas; Completion ofthe Civic Center; Down town ParkingTerminals; Calvary and Laurel Hill Ceme-tery Development and a Central ProduceMarket. WHAT OTHER CITIESARE DOINGCLEVELAND, OHIOA vast area of the St. Clair-East 55thStreet district of Cleveland was dev-astated by a gas explosion and firelast October. The Second annual re-port of their Planning Commissionshows the intent to bring about atleast one blessing from that chaosin presenting redevelopment plansthat call for:"a small playground, a residentialsection replatted into wider lots thanformerly, a rearranged street patternto discourage trucking and throughtraffic, and new zoning to more ef-fectivel y separate business and in-dustry from homes."CTYPLANNNGCOMMSSONPUBLIC HEARINGSROOM 282TYHALLZONING MATTERSAPRIL 19 1945P.MNorthwest corner 37th and Taraval;Northeast corner 36th and Taraval;Second Residential to First.Southeast corner Beaumont Avenueand Lone Mountain Terrace;Fi,st Residential to Second.Southwest corner Greenwich and Van Ness;Second Residential to Commercial.North side of Precita Avenue,between Coso and Shotwell;Second Residential to Co,,zmercial.Southeast corner of Mission and Oliver;Commercial to Light Industrial.NFRANCSCOCTYPLANNNGCOMMSSONMICHEL D. WEILL, PresidentEORGE W. JOHNS, Vice-PresidentALCOLM M acNAIJGHTONRS. CHARLES B. PORTERL. DEMING TILTON. ROGER DEASDirector of PlanningecretaryRoom 252 City Hall, San Francisco, 2.Sect. 116, Paragraph 3. It shall be the duty of the commission to

. including, among other things, the general

emoval, relocating, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandon-

Sec. 562, P. L. and RU. S. POSTAGEPaid

San Francisco, CalifPermit No. 4412


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I -- IAN FRANC ISCOThe News Bulletin of the San Francisco City Planning Commission

San Francisco is a city which has known the benefits of change.Eight times destroyed by fire, the city arose from the ashes to become more prosperous, morebeautiful. Cemeteries have been removed to make way for the needs of the living. Ramshacklebuildings have been replaced by skyscrapers. Even reenforced concrete structures have beenrazed to make possible our magnificent Civic Center, and our great Bay Bridge and its terminal.San Francisco has welcomed change whenever it would provide better living for its citizens.Today we have a new opportunity for improvementhe Community Redevelopment Actlegislation through which dilapidation, decay, and blight can be obliterated. Property valuessurrounding such areas can be improved; the setting for our landmarks enhanced; and beautiful,modern housing provided for our people.

VOLUME N1.


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D I T I O N S P R E V A I L I N G

GE 29.2%-- 136

REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSINGBlighted areas exist in practically all the older California cities. Early dwellings hdeteriorated; some have been converted to commercial or to industrial uses; many outmoded and obsolete. No community can be wholesome and liveable with blightspreading and destroying values. These districts must be rebuilt with adequate opespace, recreational areas, and proper facilities. The Community Redevelopment Act npermits cities to undertake this important constructive task.

IIIIIiIIlt1iJ!LACKO

LLEYSVENTILATION .IOUSE LESS THAN ONE LOT WDEATS BROKEN STAIRSNARROW STREETS 6ETERIORATIONCCUMULATED GARBAGE DETERIORATOVERCROWDED MIXED USES NO TREES OR PLANTINGTOO GREAT A PERCENTAGE OF LAND COVERAGE OBSOLESCENCEACK OF SUN VIEWS, OPEN SPACD I T I O N S P R E V A I L I N G I NG H T E D A R E A S-8%FAMILIES - -5

T H E P R O C E D U R E S kRONDEMNATION OFL A N D____

CONSTRUCTION OFN E W H O U S I N GCOMPLETION OF THEM A S T E R P L A N APPROPRIATION OFF U N D S

PLANTINGECREATION AREALEASING DESIGNSPACIOUSLY PLANNED INTERIORUN, VIEWS, OPEN SPACELL RESIDENTIAL USE

WELL KEPT, MODERN BUILDINGSIGHT, AIR, VENTILATIONMALL PERCENTAGE OF LAND COVERDesigned by Barbara J. BoSANFRANCISCOCITYPLANNINGCOMMSSIO

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REDEVELOPMENT WILL PAYHE JOB AHEAD ... as I seeBlighted districts contain slums, areas of

low value, and useless property. They existin almost all cities of California. Theyblock civic progress and handicap business.Buildings are in various stages of decay.They fall down and burn up, endangeringlife and other property. Housing is badand family life crowded, insanitary, anddisagreeable. People leave such areas forthe suburbs.

These areas are like cancers: they do notcure themselves. They provide less income,while the costs of police, fire protection,welfare and other public services increase.They block progress, handicap businessand industry, and destroy opportunities foruseful employment. They will be worse,unless we remove them by a surgical op-eration.

In a report recently submitted to Con-gress it was stated "in the average large

These figures are adjusted averages andmay or may not be applicable to San Fran-cisco at the present time, but they do showthe need for official action. Our ownblighted areas show excessive fires, juveniledelinquency, arrests, traffic accidents, andhealth and welfare costs.

I want to direct attention particularly tothe high service costs in these areas, andto the low tax returns which they produce.The Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, andall department heads must know thatblight is costly and injurious to our city.As city officials we must be prepared to dosomething about it.

The Community Redevelopment Law,passed in 1945, now gives us legal powerto replan and rebuild these districts. We

By CHESTER MacPHEEMember, Board of Supervisors

lieve that we can count on Federal aid, andthe State may be willing to provide fundsfor redevelopment. If the City itself isfarsighted and courageous, and does itspart, there is plenty of private money readyto help do this job.

Many citizens have come to me in fearabout the plans of the City for rebuildingthese blighted districts. I sympathize withthem, for no one likes to be disturbed inhis home or to have his properties takenover for a public purpose. But I find a greatmany more citizens who see trouble aheadfor San Francisco if we do not take propersteps to reclaim property in these con-venient, easily accessible blighted districts.They urge us to go ahead, paying the cost,whatever it may be. I am in greement withthem, and believe that a slow, determined,humane attack upon slums and blight willpay large dividends in the future.

EXHIBITA :T

_STREETG I A N Y S 1 1NCAVISTAl;ALva,v)kLR

5j- PAGE ST7tv soj /

ST

0PROPOSEDEDEVELOPMENT AREA

S1411

SAG FRANCISCOITYLANNING COMMISSIONWICHEL HEILL,.flIRINGUTONJAMESALSHIUTC.........GARDNER A SAIL!,OASPEY!.U A R LI! I POUTERICIII..,It is from the above area"A"recom-mended by the City Planning Commissionto the Board of Supervisors, that the loca-tion for the first redevelopment projectmay be chosen. The project may be one,two, four or even twenty square blocks,depending upon the ability of free enter-prise capital to finance it and meet mod-ern housing standards.

L. DEMING TILTODirector of Plann

Many big jobs lie ahead of us. We neschools, larger playgrounds, new bridgfreeways, and numerous other improvments. Near the top of the list comes tbiggest job of all, the rebuilding of slums and blighted districts.

The present owners in these areas canlittle to clean up slum conditions. Hand there an old structure is renovatedthe neighborhood is still crowded and ugThe city condemns the worst of the dweings. But there are over 45,000 substandhomes in San Francisco and we demolfewer than 200 each year!

The City itself must do more than ponotices on fire-traps. It must provide bthe energy and the funds needed to rebits blighted districts. If we do our part,can be sure that the State and the Fedegovernment will help us.

The action program is simple. First,Board of Supervisors selects an obvioubad area and directs the Planning Comission to make plans for its reconstrution. The money needed to buy the oproperty and to build the new buildincannot be determined without a plan. Tplanning task, therefore, is large and portant. It can go forward now, evthough actual building may be deferfor several years.

Second, as soon as a sound redevelment project is conceived, the City mu"shop" for the necessary funds to buildThere is no dearth of private moneythe construction of buildings if reasonareturns can be assured. Finding the pumoney required for the acquisition of tproperty, however, is a stumbling bloThis may come from a bond issue.

The plans for the project will shplainly what the community will gaDark, ugly, wooden structures which houtlived their usefulness will disappeThe land will be cleared, wider streetslarger playgrounds can be laid out,utilities put underground.

Then the new buildings can rise. Thwill be properly spaced for views and slight. They will be clean, wholesommodern, and a delight to the eye. Thiwhat public and private money will band present to San Francisco wheneverredevelopment job can be started.

city, slums and badly blighted districts ofmetropolitan areas represent: 20% of theresidential area, 33% of the population,5% of the major crimes, 607c of the

juvenile delinquency, 50% of the arrests,60% of the tuberculosis victims, 5 0 7 c , ofdisease, 35 17 c of the fires and 45% of cityservice costs by owners, yet provide but6 1/of the real estate tax revenues."

an assemble land, demolish the rotten oldbuildings and offer private capital an op-portunity to rebuild on these sites. I be-


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UBLIC HOUSINGREDEVELOPMENT. City Planning Commission adopts Mas-Board of Supervisors, after a publicaring, designates redevelopment area.Planning Commission selects projectan for its redevelopment

Redevelopment agency, if formed, co-s with Planning Commission in

. Board of Supervisors adopts tentative

Redevelopment agency prepares or ac-

. Board of Supervisors holds hearingt plan and any alternative

lopment plan for 30 days, or

Board of Supervisors determines amount

upon to form revolving fund; and after

clearance of property within project area.Redevelopment agency proceeds with

nt of property according to the ap-

R. E. AUDSLEY, Assistant to the ExecutiveDirector, San Francisco Housing Authority

The public low-rent housing program inSan Francisco is a direct frontal assaultupon slums. Within its sphere of opera-tions the San Francisco Housing Authorityhas undertaken and continues to develop apermament and practical solution to theproblem of blight.

Low income families gravitate into slumareas because worn-out, dreary housing cangenerally be had for the lowest rentals. Itis the aim of the public housing programto re-house these families in new struc-tures, at rental which they can afford topay. The housing built for them may ormay not occupy the slum areas which havebeen cleared.

When redevelopment takes place, mostof the occupants of the blighted districtwill be required to move. When the newbuildings are completed, some families canafford to pay the rents on the new struc-tures and will move back into the samedistrict. The low-income families, how-ever will be in distress unless the publichousing program can be expanded and cor-related with redevelopment so that allgroups are provided for.

Redevelopment will be difficult to ac-complish unless temporary shelter can beprovided for families during the recon-struction program. The Housing Commis-sion is prepared to assist, within its pow-ers, in providing such temporary facilities.Public low-rent housing, as can be seen,plays an important part in the overall re-planning so vital to many of our deterio-rated districts. The Housing Authority in-tends to do all it can to make San Franciscoliveable for all its people.

IN THE NEWS TODAYIndianapolis, Indiana, has a plan to finance slum-clearance which involves federal aid. A fund is being created out otax money which will be used to acquiblighted areas, clear them, plan for theredevelopment, and then offer them fsale to private enterprise. The returns fromeach completed project will go into a special fund which will in turn be availabfor other areas.Omaha, Nebraska, has named two majoareas for slum clearance as part of its $4million civic improvement plan. Includin the plan is $1,500,000 for condemnatiof land and landscaping near the maibusiness area.A group of low-rental houses in Princeton, New Jersey, offers attractive, moderhousing at $6 per room per month. Rencover cost of land, construction, maintnance, and financing.A comprehensive program for the newlycreated Chicago Bureau of Housing Ispection was proposed on May 3 by tMetropolitan Housing Council of ChicagThis program is designed to improhousing conditions in general and to elminate substandard housing through strienforcement of health and safety ordnances.Under the new Redevelopment Companies Law of New York State, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company has coceived and started work on a numberprojects. Three of these: Stuyvesant TowPeter Cooper Village, and Riverton, will bin Manhattan. Altogether, they will houmore than 12,000 families, and the esmated cost will run to almost $38 millioThe average rental per room in one projewill be about $14 per month, and in aother about $12.50; the rents for the thproject have not yet been decided upon.

ANRANCISCOCTYLANNINGOMMSSIONM I C H E L D. WEILL, President GARON ER A. DAI 1EV, Vice-President

J. JO SE PH SU L L I V A N JAMES J. WALSHRS. CHARLES B. PORTERL. DEMING lILIaN J. ROGER DEASDirector of Planning Secretary

Room 252, City Hall, San Francisco, 2.

CHARTER, Sect. 116, Paragraph 3. It shall be the duty of the commission tomake, maintain and adopt, . . . a master plan of the physical development ofthe city and county, which plan . . . shall make recommendations for the de-velopment of all areas . . . including, among other things, the generallocation, character and extent of streets, viaducts, subways, bridges, boulevards,parkways, playgrounds, parks, squares, aviation fields and other public ways,grants, and open spaces, the general location of public buildings and other publicproperty and the removal, relocating, widening, narrowing, vacating, abandon-ment or extension of any of the foregoing ways, grants, open spaces or buildings.

Sec. 562. P. L. and HU. S. POSTAGE

PaidSan Francisco, CalifPermit No. 4412

Documents

San Francisco City Planning Commission - 1945 - Planning. a Monthly Bulletin of the San Francisco City Planning Commission