As readers here will know, we have been following the issue of the Crestmont project, now called the San Francisco Overlook. This is a multiunit housing development planned for the end of Crestmont, a long cul-de-sac, and to be situated on a steep and potentially unstable hillside. (Click here for the backstory.)
The project required an Environmental Impact Report, and the Draft of that was issued recently (DEIR). The public hearing was on June 14th, 2012. There is still time to submit comments, which must be in by June 19th.
Here is the latest bulletin from Dr Sam Sobol, who is co-ordinating this battle.
BULLETIN from Crestmont-Mt.Sutro-Forest Knolls Neighborhood Preservation Coalition DEIR Hearing Report
Letters to Planning Department
Planning Commission DEIR Report & Letters to Planing DepartmentUpdate, 6-14-12
The hearing in front of the Planning Commission was held on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at City Hall. Twelve Crestmont-Forest Knolls neighbors testified about their concerns and objections to the Draft EIR. They made statements about our unique neighborhood and raised questions about various aspects of the report. There were also several neighbors who attended, but did not speak.
Traffic and safety were the main topics and it was pointed out that the EIR underestimates the increase in traffic that this development would bring and how it would impact not only Crestmont Drive, but all of Forest Knolls. The Draft EIR contains no mention of lack of a usable sidewalk on lower Crestmont, causing people to walk on the street. Other issues brought up were children playing in the street, lack of access for large fire trucks, and residents trapped with no escape route in case of emergency vehicles blocking the street. A number of speakers took issue with the statement in the report that the development would not cause a major change in the character of the neighborhood.
A Kirkham Heights neighbor spoke about her many years observing slides from the mountain. She stated that the hillside is crumbly and precarious and that a large development might lead to unforeseen consequences. A person representing the Housing Coalition, who was not a neighbor, spoke in favor of the development. The developer was not present at the hearing, but the architect of the project and his outreach representative were in attendance, though none of them spoke.
After the speakers had completed their statements, some of the Commissioners made comments regarding these statements and requested that a few additional issues be addressed in the final EIR. Commissioner Moore complimented the Planning Department staff for their good work in preparing the Draft EIR.
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The Draft EIR Comments Period ends Tuesday, June 19, 2012.
Letters or e-mails received after that date will not be considered or responded to. If you have not yet sent in your comments to the Planning Department, please take a look at two letters posted here http://crestmontpreservation.org/news.html:
* Letter from Crestmont Preservation to the Planning Department
* Letter from a concerned neighbor citing specific deficiencies in the Draft EIR
You may wish to adapt, revise, cut & paste, etc., to express your specific concerns. Please try, as much as possible, to address specific issues, topics, or sections of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).
The Draft EIR for the San Francisco Overlook Project is available for review online [as a PDF], http://sfmea.sfplanning.org/2004.0093E_DEIR.pdf
Paper copies (510 pages) and CDs are available at the Planning Information Center (PIC) counter at the Planning Department, 1660 Mission St., San Francisco.A link to the Draft EIR has also been posted on our web site, http://crestmontpreservation.org/news.html
The more letters the Planning Department receives, the more impact our concerns will have.
ADDRESSES:
Planning Department:
Bill Wycko, Environmental Review Officer, San Francisco Planning Department,
1650 Mission St., Suite 400, SF 94103.
bill.wycko@sfgov.orgCommissioners: Address same as above.
Rodney Fong, Commission President, planning@rodneyfong.com
Cindy Wu, Commission Vice-President, cwu.planning@gmail.com
Michael Antonini, wordweaver21@aol.com
Gwyneth Borden, plangsf@gmail.com
Ron Miguel, rm@well.com
Kathrin Moore, mooreurban@speakeasy.net
Hisashi Sugaya, hs.commish@yahoo.comSupervisor Sean Elsbernd,
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244, SF 94102, Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.orgSTOP SF OVERLOOK t-shirts can be ordered here: http://www.zazzle.com/preservecrestmont
We have also posted a link on http://crestmontpreservation.org.REMINDER:
Please display the poster in your window and urge your neighbors to also display the poster! If you need a poster, please call Sam Sobol, 415-640-3869 or email info@crestmontpreservation.org.Sam Sobol
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Working to preserve our neighborhood http://www.crestmontpreservation.org/
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Crestmont-Mt.Sutro-Forest Knolls Preservation Coalition
FOREST KNOLLS NEIGHBORHOOD 