The San Francisco Citizen

Read all about it at Equality California’s website.

California Assemblymember Mark Leno spoke out against Prop 8 at an event last night in San Francisco:

The kick-off rally tomorrow, September 6th, should be well-attended:

No on 8 Kick-off Rally
Saturday, September 6, 2008 – 10:00am
2278 Market St., 2nd Fl. (map)
San Francisco, CA 

North of Mission Bay and South of Market is where you’ll find the houseboats of Mission Creek.

You can look at them and ponder their future while exploring the new Mission Creek Park. The residents here have a lot to adjust to what with all the new visitors, and the new condo buildings, and the new UCSF Mission Bay complex.

Click to expand

Here’s the problem our Presidio Trust faces - they’re caught between two factions:

1. The where’s our fabulous museum already? crowd; and 

2. The normal assortment of obstructionists who crop up whenever anybody tries to do anything in this town.

Primarily. There’s other folks as well of course, like those who object to a lodge in a national park and those who have ownership interests in nearby movie theatres and therefore want the historic Main Post Theatre to remain closed. It’s a real furball.

Anywho all this fussing takes time, so you the public will get another shot. The long version is below. Read the short version here, courtesty of reliable Marisa Lagos at SFGate.

Is this a craps table or a model of a possible future greened-up Main Post? The Presidio Trust’s Chandler McCoy shows a tour group from the American Institute of Architects San Francisco how he’ll Save the Presidio from the obstructionists. Click to roll the bones:

As promised, here’s the latest. The big thing is yet another public comment opportunity on October 14th, 2008 at 6:30 PM. It will be at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in the Marina, so you’ll have no fear of getting ticketed by the Park Police.

See you there!
 

“Presidio of San Francisco (September 2, 2008) — The community has another month to share their comments on proposals to revitalize the Presidio’s Main Post as a center for history, art, and culture and as a place that welcomes the public. The Presidio Trust announced today that it has extended the comment period on its Draft Main Post Update and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) to October 20. The extra time gives the Trust, other historic preservation organizations, and the community an additional opportunity to consider how the birthplace of San Francisco can be commemorated alongside new amenities for visitors to the national park.
 
“People care passionately about the Presidio. We’ve already received approximately 1,000 comments, and 1,500 people attended our Main Post walking tours this summer,” said Craig Middleton, executive director of the PresidioTrust, the federal agency charged with preserving and protecting the military post turned national park. “We’re fortunate to haveproposals on the table that would be the envy of many communities, but there are issues we need to resolve. We are excited about what the future of the Presidio’s most historic area could be and we hope to build enthusiasm in the community as well.”
 
“In June, the Presidio Trust released its draft updated plan for the Main Post and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, outlining ideas for sharing the Presidio’s history and establishing new ways to use and enjoy the center of the park. The Main Post encompasses 120 acres and more than 1.28 million square feet of building space. Cornerstone ideas include: establishing a Heritage and Archaeology Center in the Officers’ Club at the site of the original fort; creating the park’s first lodge; and rehabilitating and expanding the long-closed Presidio Theatre. The proposal that has received the most attention is for a contemporary art museum housing Donald and Doris Fisher’s renowned collection of works from the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum would be a new cultural anchor for the national park. A proposal to transform the Main Parade Ground, a 7-acre parking lot, into a new public open space was decided last summer.
 
“The Trust is exploring the challenging historic preservation issues with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the National Park Service, including how new construction and additions to historic buildings could successfully be carried out on the Main Post. Issues to be considered include the design and location of the proposed museum. This process, governed by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, was also followed when the Letterman Digital Arts Center was being considered to replace the decommissioned Letterman Hospital in 2001. The Section 106 consultation meetings began last November and will continue later this month. Other organizations participating in the consultation are:

•        National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP)
•        Presidio Historical Association (PHA)
•        Sierra Club (SC)
•        Descendents of the Portola and Anza Expedition (DAPE)
•        National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)
•        San Francisco Architectural Heritage (SFAH)
•        People for a Golden Gate National Recreation Area (PGGNRA)
•        Neighborhood Associations for Planning at the Presidio (NAPP)
•        Cow Hollow Association (CHA)
•        Laurel Heights Improvement Association (LHIA)
 
“The proponents for the three major projects (the contemporary art museum, the lodge, and the Presidio Theater) will also participate in the consultation. 
 
“The Presidio Trust has scheduled a second public board of directors meeting to take comments on the proposals. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14, at 6:30 pm, at the Palace of Fine Arts theatre, 3301 Lyon Street. More than 700 people attended the first public hearing held on July 14.
 
“Input received during the public comment period and the feedback from the Section 106 historic preservation process will be used by the Trust board to make its final decision, expected towards the end of the year.
 
“The Presidio Trust is also hosting three workshops to provide additional opportunities to the public to discuss the Draft Main Post Plan and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The workshops will also provide a forum to discuss further the kinds of activities that the public would like to see in the Main Post in the future.
Thursday, September 25, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue
Sunday, September 28, 2 to 4 pm, Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue
Thursday, October 2, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, Golden Gate Club, 135 Fisher Loop

“The draft plan, Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, and other documents are available at www.presidio.gov.

“Comments are welcomed through October 20 at mainpost@presidiotrust.gov.

___________________________

Leave out the fiction, Nimbies
The fact is, your friction
Will only be worn by persistence.
Leave out conditions,
Courageous convictions
Will drag the dream into existence.

This is what it looks like in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park when monks are walking around the Japanese Tea Garden.

Take a look at the place here and read about it here.

Click to expand your mind.

Find the Lucky Money Fish and win!

The Victory Garden at San Francisco’s Civic Center has a new lease on life due to today’s mayoral reprieve:

“Today Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his intention to keep the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden at Civic Center Plaza in place until November. The garden was originally scheduled to be disassembled and moved to a more permanent location on September 21, three weeks after the conclusion of Slow Food Nation.”

Now the whole idea of this garden smacked of Marie Antoinette’s L’Hameau de la Reine from the get-go and the fact it was supposed to be undone in September was met with some criticism, but having this thing around for another three months seems like a good idea.

Of course SFN was well-attended, with lots of coverage from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, SFGate and Eater SF.

Now on with the show.

This voter registerer got cuffed by a Park Ranger right next to the Civic Center Windmill. Some rich hippies took offense and questioned the necessity of this detention. Apparently, the very same man was asked to leave SFN just the day before.

People, people, people, have you no respect for the DPT? Just one Parking Control Officer had the opportunity to issue scores of tickets to those in too much of a hurry to get to Slow Food Nation. It’s as easy as (slow) pie to park for free all day in this area.

See you next year!

Today’s Sunday Streets was just like Critical Mass, but with more hula hoops and less vitriol. It’s already being called a “sunny success.”

Here’s how it looked towards the ballpark on the Embarcadero. On a normal Sunday, this area would be filled with cars:

The Presidio Trust brought an ersatz hiking trail to the Ferry Building area:

All aboard the double dutch bus:

The whole thing was a Thriller:

And what better way to end the morning but running the bases as if you were a Giants ballplayer. The line was long for this activity:

See you out there in two weeks on September 14th!

Activities are ongoing from 9 AM – 1 PM and occurring on both dates unless otherwise indicated. Each location will have information tables, water, first aid supplies, and restrooms. # denotes activities appropriate for young children.

Chinatown: Portsmouth Square
sponsored by Self-Help for the Elderly

Alleyway Tours (9/14) 10:30-11:30; 12-1
Chinese cultural crafts
Cultural performances 9:30-12:30
DJ and Breakdancing 11-1
# Moon Bounce jumpy house

Info and Resource Tables:
Bone marrow registry (8/31)
organ donation information (9/14)
Smoking cessation
Chinatown economic action plan

Portsmouth Plaza Parking Corporation will offer free & secure bike parking; $5 all day parking for cars with three or more people who arrive between 7-10am

Ferry Park
sponsored by Sports Basement and YogaForce

Adult Yoga 9:15 -10:30; 10:30-11:45;
11-12:15
# PoeTREE Playshop 11:30
Peace Walks 9:30
# Yoga for Kids 10:30-11:15

Now, we’re not talking about temporarily closing down a freeway to cars on Father’s Day like they did in Pasadena a while back, to the horror of Rob Anderson.

And we’re not talking about an illegal bicycle romp in traffic the way the Crimanimalz do it on the 405.

We’re talking about you legally riding your bike on the right side of some of California’s 4000 miles of freeway.

Well, according to the California Department of Transportation, maker of melty orange and blue cupcakes, si, se puede! Yes, you can ride your bike on about 1000 miles of California freeway.

Click to expand

For proof, check out this white sign in Marin County on the 101 South. You see? It says “BICYCLES MUST EXIT” so that means, assuming you didn’t ignore any ”Bicycles Prohibited” sign, it’s all good for you to be on this stretch of freeway. Q.E.D. Res Ipsa Loquitur.

Here’s the CalTrans version:

Of the more than 4,000 miles of freeways in California, about 1,000 miles are open to bicyclists. These open sections are usually in rural areas where there is no alternate route. California Vehicle Code Section 21960 says Caltrans and local agencies may prohibit bicyclists from traveling on freeways under their jurisdiction and that they must erect signs stating the prohibition. There are no signs permitting bicyclists on freeways. When a bicyclist is legally traveling on a freeway, he/she may be directed off the freeway at the next off-ramp by a sign that says “Bicycles Must Exit.” The freeway will be posted at the next on-ramp with a sign that says “Bicycles Prohibited.”

And here’s the Vehicle Code:

21960.  (a) The Department of Transportation and local authorities,
by order, ordinance, or resolution, with respect to freeways,
expressways, or designated portions thereof under their respective
jurisdictions, to which vehicle access is completely or partially
controlled, may prohibit or restrict the use of the freeways,
expressways, or any portion thereof by pedestrians, bicycles or other
nonmotorized traffic or by any person operating a motor-driven
cycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized scooter.  A prohibition or
restriction pertaining to bicycles, motor-driven cycles, or motorized
scooters shall be deemed to include motorized bicycles; and no
person may operate a motorized bicycle wherever that prohibition or
restriction is in force.  Notwithstanding any provisions of any
order, ordinance, or resolution to the contrary, the driver or
passengers of a disabled vehicle stopped on a freeway or expressway
may walk to the nearest exit, in either direction, on that side of
the freeway or expressway upon which the vehicle is disabled, from
which telephone or motor vehicle repair services are available.
   (b) The prohibitory regulation authorized by subdivision (a) shall
be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are
erected upon any freeway or expressway and the approaches thereto.
If any portion of a county freeway or expressway is contained within
the limits of a city within the county, the county may erect signs on
that portion as required under this subdivision if the ordinance has
been approved by the city pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
1730 of the Streets and Highways Code.
   (c) No ordinance or resolution of local authorities shall apply to
any state highway until the proposed ordinance or resolution has
been presented to, and approved in writing by, the Department of
Transportation.
   (d) An ordinance or resolution adopted under this section on or
after January 1, 2005, to prohibit pedestrian access to a county
freeway or expressway shall not be effective unless it is supported
by a finding by the local authority that the freeway or expressway
does not have pedestrian facilities and pedestrian use would pose a
safety risk to the pedestrian.

See you out there. Stay safe!

It won’t be as sweet as Cupcake Camp, or as informative as WordCamp, or as high tech as Apple Camp, but Obama Camp is coming back to California. Why not sign up and become a Deputy Field Organizer?

1. Attend a two-day Camp Obama training.
2. Make at least two weekend trips to Nevada between September 12 and October 26, leaving on a Friday (to arrive no later than 9 a.m. Saturday) and returning on Sunday.
3. Travel to Nevada for the GOTV period, arriving October 31st and staying through Election Day November.

Check it out, via Barack Obama’s photostream. Click to enlarge:

Camp Obama in San Francisco is September 20th through 21st.

If you can qualify…

With the California state budget stalemate dragging on for two months, helped along by those who signed the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” suicide pact, about 40 protesters showed up at the State Building in San Francisco’s Civic Center to object to any further cuts to education.

Rallies and protests regarding the budget are par for the course these days, but check out this sign from yesterday. Depicting Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ripping babies in half might be going too far, but this poster is simply arresting so give it points for that.   

Click to enlarge:

Right now it’s just blowing in the wind, but pretty soon this newly-installed windmill will earn its keep at San Francisco’s Slow Food Nation ‘08.

Finally, here it is!

“Welcome Pavilions – Jensen Architects
The entryway to Slow Food Nation, the Welcome Pavilions at Fort Mason and Civic Center Plaza will be visible from near and far. Serving as a beacon and a billboard, each Welcome Center will be housed in a re-claimed shipping container painted Slow Food Nation signature orange and topped by a full size, galvanized steel windmill.”

The Victory Garden is coming along nicely and even the skeptics might be getting on board.

See you there!