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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