The Westside Observer had a detailed article about the planned San Francisco Overlook project. This is the 34-unit development planned for the end of Crestmont, a long winding road that has no other exit. (Click on the picture below to go to the Westside Observer website.)
I’ve been following the story for some years now, but it seemed like it was mainly being watched by a bunch of blogs. Now there’s a detailed story out there.
The steep hillside above the planned development
Of course, our neighborhood doesn’t need to read about the potential downsides of a large development in this location. We can see for ourselves. Just a quick walk through the area shows the risks: steep and unstable terrain; narrow roads where it’s a real possibility that emergency vehicles can’t get through; more traffic on a road where people walk and children play.
The hearing at City Hall is today, 7 March 2013, starting at 12 noon. Crestmont Preservation is calling on neighbors to turn out and make their presence felt. All the details are HERE.
This is being posted at the request of the Crestmont Preservation Organization. They support “Alternative B” that would result in 16 single-family homes rather than 34 units, with less traffic and safety impacts.
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The steep hillside above the planned development
The important PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING on the San Francisco Overlook Development will be held THURSDAY, MARCH 7 [2013]. The session starts at noon at City Hall.
This is our opportunity to let the Planning Commissioners hear our community’s opposition to this ill-conceived project which threatens to overwhelm our neighborhood with its size, density and increased traffic in a hazardous hillside location which may threaten our homes both above and below the site. The hazards of much increased traffic on a dangerously narrow and winding street and the streets of Forest Knolls, especially at night and in foggy conditions, have not been experienced by the Commissioners or planners, most of whom have not visited the site to our knowledge.
COME TO THE HEARING AND LET THE COMMISSIONERS SEE BY OUR NUMBERS AND HEAR FROM THOSE OF US WHO WISH TO SPEAK HOW STRONG OUR OPPOSITION IS!
IN ADDITION, we encourage you to write or call our new District 7 Supervisor, NORMAN YEE (copy Commissioners, see contact list below). We, as his constituents, are hoping that he will stand up for our community to preserve its special character, ensure its safety and limit the volume of traffic that would be added if the project moves forwarding its currently proposed size. APPEAL to Supervisor Yee to support a smaller development (Alternative B in the EIR with 16 single family homes) which would markedly cut down on the traffic volume and safety risks.
Posting a recent email to the Planning Commissioners from an affected Forest Knolls Neighbor:
As the owner/occupant of (a Forest Knolls residence), I am directly affected by the proposed Crestmont development which includes 34 units of medium density housing.
I request that the Planning Commission refuse to certify the Final EIR for this project.
I request that the Planning Commission DENY the applicant’s request for a conditional use permit.
I am unalterably opposed to this project because:
1) The density of this proposed Crestmont Development is totally out of scale with the neighborhood.
2) The proposed 34 unit development will degrade the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood by increasing traffic, overloading the available street parking, and increasing emergency service response time, particularly to the end of Crestmont Dr.
3) The proposed 34 Unit development lies within the Northwest Mt. Sutro Slope Protection Area. The hillside adjacent to the proposed project has already had several landslides. The proposed project is both a landslide hazard and an earthquake slide hazard. The underlying soil cannot be reinforced sufficiently to prevent the project from sliding down the hill during an earthquake, particularly if the underlying soil is infiltrated by water to any degree.
4) The zoning for the subject parcel is erroneous. The subject parcels should be rezoned to conform with the lower density zoning of the immediate neighborhood.
5) The Environmental Impact Report that has been prepared is fatally flawed because the emergency service vehicle access test that was run by the SFFD was run during the day during the week when there were few if any vehicles parked on Crestmont.
6) I submit that it is impossible for a fire engine or an ambulance to negotiate Crestmont Dr. at any reasonable speed when there are numerous vehicles parked on both sides of the street. Any victims in need of emergency services at the end of Crestmont Dr. will be dead before emergency service vehicles can reach them.
7) I contend that Crestmont is too narrow to allow a fire truck or other emergency vehicle to pass even one car travelling in the opposite direction.
8) I submit that elimination of street parking on either side of the street would exacerbate the existing parking shortage.
9) I request that the emergency service vehicle access test be redone on a Sunday evening at 10 PM when there are numerous vehicles parked on Crestmont.
I contend that the inaccessibility of the Crestmont Development site is good cause to down zone the subject parcels to conform with the low density zoning of the immediate neighborhood thereby restricting occupancy to a maximum of 10-14 units.
As the developer paid less than $100,000 per lot, he will still be able to make millions of dollars even if he only constructs ten single family homes instead of the 34 units he is proposing.
SUPERVISOR NORMAN YEE
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
(415) 554-6516 – voice
(415) 554-6546 – fax
Norman.Yee@sfgov.org
Contact list for Planning Commissioners
RODNEY FONG
Commission President
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103-2414
(415) 202-0436
planning@rodneyfong.com
CINDY WU
Commission Vice-President
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103-2414
cwu.planning@gmail.com
MICHAEL J. ANTONINI
Commissioner
2827 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94123-3107
PH: (415) 558-6615 ext.2
FX: (415) 558-6409
wordweaver21@aol.com
GWYNETH BORDEN
Commissioner
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
PH: (415) 367-3801
plangsf@gmail.com
RICH HILLIS
Commissioner
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103-2414
richhillissf@yahoo.com
KATHRIN MOORE
Commissioner
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suit 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
PH: (415) 558-6615 ext.5
mooreurban@aol.com
HISASHI SUGAYA
Commissioner
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103-2414
PH: (415) 558-6615 ext.7
FX: (415) 558-6409
hs.commish@yahoo.com
REMINDER: Please display the poster in your window and urge your neighbors to also display the poster! If you need a poster, please email info@crestmontpreservation.org.
FOREST KNOLLS NEIGHBORHOOD 