Neighbors gather to celebrate a victory in the stretch of land between West Portal and Forest Hill
Neighbors Celebrate Rehab at Triangle Park
After years of neglect from City Hall, someone listened?
An abandoned neighborhood park at Vasquez, Balceta and Laguna Honda Blvd. has been renovated thanks to the work of neighbors Carol Dimmick and Roberta Bechtel, Jenny and Graham Stanley,
MaryLou Corrigan, Eileen Kahaner, Katy Henrickson and Paul Dent
An eyesore for many years, Triangle Park was a plot of brown weeds. What used to be a stone water fountain lay deteriated and moldering, crowned by what was once a flag pole erected sometime during World War II, but now most of the rusty pole lay on the ground.
It's been over a year since Joel Engardio first wrote about the neighborhood spot. Neighbors had been doing weeding and other voluntaeer efforts to improve the park.
Now the park renovations are complete, and neighbors are enjoying their neighborhood park. The celebration of the new park took place on October 3rd at noon.”
Then former Supervisor Norman Yee encouraged neighbors of the park to apply for the "Participatory Budget," a program Yee sheparded into being. Neighbors won funding in 2018 through that program, but when funds fell short and delays and problems with the Department of Public Works endangered the project, Supervisor Yee came to the rescue to funded additional costs during his last year in office.
Now the park renovations are complete, and neighbors are enjoying their neighborhood park. The celebration of the new park took place on October 3rd at noon.
Roberta Bechtel stands at Triangle Park before and after the renovations
"The party was a great success — attended by about 100 people," Roberta Bechtel, Triangle Park Steward said. "There were donations from many merchants on West Portal: Bursa, Calibur, Peets, Submarine Center, BullsHead, Trattoria da Vittorio, Spiazzo and Noe Valley Bakery. The neighbors expressed their thanks for the renovation and we were so glad to have Supervisor Myrna Melgar, former Supervisor Norman Yee and head of DPW Carla Short in attendance. The Board of Supervisors recognized the park committee with certificates. We had a bluegrass band and the Committee paid to have free ice cream for the crowd when the Mr. Softee truck came. We hope to make it an annual event."
October 2021
More Trending Articles
Labor Union Sues City for Corruption and Retaliation
Union Lawsuit Reveals "City Family" Backroom Maneuvers
by Dr. Derek Kerr
Why does the FBI manage to unearth City Hall corruption, while our watchdog agencies; the Controller’s Whistleblower Program, Ethics Commission and City Attorney’s Office cry “What happened?
… instead of looking seriously into what could be done to solve the coupling problem … henceforth the trains operating in the subway would be only one and two cars long.
... SFPUC says 50% rationing could be required. Environmental groups contest that judgment. But if anything like that threatens imminently, you can bet costs will rise and fast. Rates follow.
Limit plastic used in wrapping done by on-line shopping? Since the pandemic, online shopping has created 29% more waste in landfills which can end up in our oceans
Proposed Medical Cannabis Dispensary in the Sunset District
2505 Noriega Street Update
On July 13, 2017 the Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use authorization to allow a Medical Cannabis Dispensary (MCD), the Apothecarium, to open at 2505 Noriega Street at 32nd Avenue. Two appeals have been filed in objection to the approved project. The Board of Supervisors held a hearing regarding the two appeals on Tuesday, October 3, 2017. (As we go to press). In the meantime, send your comments to Katy.Tang@sfgov.org, who has promised to take all comments into consideration.
October 2017
Art Proposals for the Westside Pump Station Public Art Project
April 28, 2017 to May 12, 2017
Aileen Barr
Jovi Schnell
Jet Martinez
Proposal Viewing Location
Ortega Branch Library
3223 Ortega Street
The San Francisco Arts Commission is working with the Public Utilities Commission to commission a signature public artwork for the Westside Pump Station, located at the corner of Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway. The newly commissioned artwork is intended to beautify and complement the architecture of the building, and will be part of the improvement project at the Westside Pump Station. Three artists were chosen as finalists by a Public Art Selection Panel to create site-specific proposals for this opportunity: Aileen Barr, Jet Martinez, and Jovi Schnell.
May 2017
Public Works crews work to stabilize the hillside along O'Shaughnessy Boulevard between Malta Drive and Del Vale Avenue.
Recent storms forced the closure of O'Shaughnessy to traffic, including the 44-O'Shaughnessy Muni bus line, that was temporarily detoured while Public Works crews stabilize a cliff that has been eroding in recent rain storm. There have been no reports of injury or property damage.
Fallen rock on O'Shaughnessy Boulevard
The rocky slope in danger of sliding is situated on the west side of O'Shaughnessy across from Glen Canyon Park. Geologists assessed the hillside for potential rockslides, and recommended that loose rocks near the top be knocked away Work crews began knocking loose rock off of the hillside beginning on January 19.
Geologists will conduct a thorough study of the area after the O'Shaughnessy area is stabilized, though more rains and winds could cause closures in the area again, until the department to develops a long term solution.
Feb 2017
After Sea Levels Rise
Projected view of SF Ballpark after sea level rise
Sea-level rise is coming. Even if we keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius above historic norms—the benchmark for avoiding catastrophic climate warming—we may still see oceans creep four feet farther inland by 2100 and rise 20 feet by as soon as 2200. That's according to a new study published in the July issue of Science.
Feb 2017
Dog Management Rule on Hold at Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The National Park Service is putting on hold the signing of the Record of Decision and the publication of the Final Rule for Dog Management at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The decision comes in response to requests from members of Congress to extend the waiting period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. This pause will also allow the National Park Service to conduct a review of certain records being released in response to an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request related to the park's Dog Management plan and rule.
To date, the National Park Service has released more than 260,000 pages of documents dating as far back as 1999 in response to the FOIA request. As part of its ongoing release of records under FOIA, in late-December 2016, the Park Service learned that a former park employee had used personal email for official communications related to the Dog Management Plan planning process. Upon learning this, the Park Service contacted the former employee and obtained his cooperation to conduct a search of his personal email accounts for agency records related to the Dog Management Plan planning process. As a result of that search, the Park Service recovered approximately 137 pages of emails that were responsive to the FOIA request. Those FOIA records will be released and posted today at https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/management/dog-management-records.htm, "Records Released January, 2017".
The Park Service will conduct an independent inquiry into whether personal email was used in a manner that is not consistent with applicable laws and policies, and if so, whether its use affected the planning and rulemaking processes. The Park Service will report the results of the internal review to the public. To help ensure an independent and impartial review, the inquiry will be conducted by National Park Service personnel who were not involved in the dog management planning process.
Further action under the National Environmental Policy Act and the rulemaking process for the Dog Management Plan will await the findings and conclusions of the independent review.
February 2017
SFPD Rolls Out October Speed Limit Enforcement Plan
Officer writes a ticket
Citywide Effort Part of New Campaign to Reduce Unsafe Speeds on High-Crash Streets
The San Francisco Safe Speeds Campaign will begin this October and will continue through the fall of 2017.
SFPD will be enforcing the speed limits on targeted areas that have high speeding and collision rates that were identified by the SFMTA, Department of Public Health, and SFPD.
The goal of the Safe Speeds Campaign is to protect pedestrians who walk or bike, as they account for over half of the traffic deaths in San Francisco. A citywide map of the areas being enforced will be shared with the public in hope of spreading awareness to change dangerous driving habits.
When the Safe Speeds SF campaign ends in fall 2017, city agencies will have new data and analysis about the role of enforcement in citywide speed deterrence. The map below portrays the corridors for High Visibility Enforcement for Safe Speed Campaign. Visit the Safe Speeds SF Campaign website for more information:
James Corrigan, Forest Hill Extension, snapped this picture of a Coyote at Vasquez and Laguna Honda Blvd. on July 4, 2015.
July-August 2015
Settlement Reached — Forest Knolls Gets New Neighbors
Illustration of proposed Forest Knolls Project
After a lengthy dispute with Mount Sutro Wood Owners Association which lead to a battle in Superior Court that kept the project from proceeding as approved, “Outlook Project” settlement has been reached. Approved for development in early 2013 with a total 34-units (24 duplexes and 10 townhomes), at the end of Crestmont Drive on the western slope of Mount Sutro.
The settlement,reduces the units from 34 to 29, with five (5) duplexes will be reduced in height by a story as single-family homes.
May 2015
Renewed Controls On Massage Parlors?
All massage establishments will have to have a Department of Public Health establishment permit and all new massage establishments will have to receive Conditional Use approval with certain exceptions if Supervisor Tang’s legislation returning land use and regulatory controls over massage establishments to the city’s jurisdiction. This will allow neighborhood notification and input of their opening.
If you would like to send letters or emails of support for the legislation, please send them to the members of the Land Use & Transportation Committee noting your support of Files 141302 and 141303.
SEIU USWW janitors and handymen went on the picket line on Tuesday April 14, at Parkmerced management brought in a new contractor who refused to allow them to continue their jobs. Thirty two workers were terminated — many have worked for over 20 years at the large housing project. Replacement workers are being brought into the complex to take their jobs. Many residents of Parkmerced have voiced their support for the workers.
May 2015
Likely Ballot Challenge to Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb) Filed
April 29th, Share Better San Francisco filed an initiative ordinance for the November 2015 ballot to tighten regulations on short-term residential rentals to tourists, such as those offered by HomeAway, VRBO and Airbnb, and provide the tools City Planning staff say are needed to provide effective enforcement of the law.
· Imposes fines on hosting platforms that list illegal or unregistered short-term rental (STR) units
· Requires quarterly reports of rental nights from hosts and hosting platforms
· Caps the number of allowable rental nights at 75 per year, hosted or unhosted, to discourage conversion of units to full-time STR use
· Allows ‘regular folks’ who may be directly impacted by illegal short-term rentals access to an effective enforcement alternative only if the City elects not to act on valid complaints
· Provides notification to neighbors and HOAs when STR registration is issued
The City Attorney has two weeks to prepare an official summary of the initiative. “We expect to begin gathering signatures in mid-May and will submit more than the 9,700 valid signatures required by July 6th,” said Dale Carlson, from the public relations firm, Carlson Advisors.
HELP WANTED The Westside Observer seeks a free-lance writer to cover news around West Portal, Taraval and the greater Westside. Modest recompense.
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Culture of Silence" and Cover-up Plagues LHH Management
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Everybody involved knew that adding “unstable” adults brought disarray and danger to Laguna Honda's seniors. Most folks just went along. Now they’re surprised?
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Saying Something Over and Over Doesn't Make It True
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People are frustrated and spurt out the word “segregated”
That's because SFUSD has failed to prepare all ethnicities for a rigorous academic high school.
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If a mandatory reduction is ordered, there will be a “floor” or minimum allocation per person so that those who have conserved, and now conserve, will not be penalized.
...competence erodes as conscientious employees get marginalized and lackeys are promoted. This consolidation promotes impunity. Betraying the public trust is normalized.
Violent Thug Attacks, Robs Asian Visitor—Goes Free
Boudin's famed "puppy killer" strikes again
by Lou Barberini
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One of the greatest discoveries when our family moved to West Portal was a library so close even our 3-year-old could walk to it! We would go to story hour and bring home bags of books.
Despite the fact that discharge is not legally required (yet) at Laguna Honda, all patients and their families are being interviewed for discharge and this is causing a lot of stress.
Too bad no one saw this coming......oh, a group of doctors from Laguna Honda did.
They would have us believe he’s responsible for the statistical rise in crime that’s occurred since the pandemic. Research, however, suggests otherwise...
Over time, those special interests have proven adept at using the same “peoples protections” to further their own interests. Recalls are expensive, and a few of San Francisco’s bitterest billionaires buy low-turnout elections when they disagree with the voters...
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Could the motivation behind all of this be to create such a god-awful divisive plan and create so much anger that the voters would just throw up their hands and get rid of it altogether?
Taylor minced no words … the results of her 1995 investigation displeased health officials and influenced her decision not to publish significant findings, “I was convinced there was something there
Each student is tutored three times a week primarily outside of school time via an online, collaborative learning platform that offers intervention through guided reading lessons, gamification, and assessments.
Chair Townsend's Solution to African-American Population Decline Will Likely Result in a Lawsuit Redistricting's latest map has everyone on edge, scrambling to find out who their new Supervisor will be.
Three new Board of Education commissioners were appointed last month by Mayor London Breed who promises implicitly that SFUSD will somehow conquer a budget deficit of over $125,000,000.
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Lowell high school's merit-based admission policy is perfectly legal. We’ve looked at the language of the law, the history of the law and the intent of the law. We've done our homework.
Haney garnered 34,174 votes compared to Campos’ 33,448 votes — a difference of only 726 votes. The April 19 run-off election couldn’t be a tighter race.
As additional funding for supportive housing services through programs like Project Home Key become available, radical reform of board and care programming and funding will be necessary to maintain and expand this crucial resource.
Civil rights laws have been enacted to protect people who are being denied equal access and opportunity. The closure is a violation of the ADA and California disability rights laws.
The PTA can be traced right to San Francisco and the founding of the Mother’s Clubs in 1897. It has become the largest child advocacy organization in the nation.
Donald Trump, disregards 42,000,000 Ukrainians by lauding Putin’s “genius” in invading Ukraine. I urge readers to divest themselves of any reverence or respect for Trump, a draft-dodger, who could demolish the Republican Party.
Labor Union Sues City for Corruption and Retaliation
Union Lawsuit Reveals "City Family" Backroom Maneuvers
by Dr. Derek Kerr
Why does the FBI manage to unearth City Hall corruption, while our watchdog agencies; the Controller’s Whistleblower Program, Ethics Commission and City Attorney’s Office cry “What happened?
… instead of looking seriously into what could be done to solve the coupling problem … henceforth the trains operating in the subway would be only one and two cars long.
... SFPUC says 50% rationing could be required. Environmental groups contest that judgment. But if anything like that threatens imminently, you can bet costs will rise and fast. Rates follow.
Limit plastic used in wrapping done by on-line shopping? Since the pandemic, online shopping has created 29% more waste in landfills which can end up in our oceans
Ten percent of SF housing is vacant, a new report shows
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More than 40,000 housing units that are sold but never occupied has soared in the past five years, suggesting that letting developers build freely doesn't really help the crisis.
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...an ever-growing disparity between our community and others — 73% of our Pacific Islanders live in low-income housing, the unemployment rate is nearly 22%.
... the efforts to clean up the Tenderloin are pushing homeless, especially the mentally ill and drug addicted, into other neighborhoods and making the problem worse all over the City
SFPUC: Controllers Audit Reveals Compromised Bid Process
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Most contractors lagged in delivering community benefits and submitting required progress reports. And, once a contract ended, undelivered benefits were not recoverable. SFPUC had no policies to monitor compliance.
Ideally, police can stop “sideshows” before they happen with intel from undercover officers and by monitoring social media accounts that announce where sideshows will be. That was not evident in West Portal & 30th/Lawton incidents
San Franciscans can avoid spending more millions on a run-off election in March. Cast your vote for Campos. (Don’t let Ron Conway’s “dark money” buy himself another election!”)
Ginsburg, working with the SF Bicycle Coalition and Walk SF, have banned cars on JFK Drive and the Upper Great Highway during the pandemic. Plans are being made make the bans permanent ...
Persistent Corruption, Incompetence & Some Good News
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Despite City Hall corruption, Supervisors ignore Recology’s garbage monopoly...a year has passed with a minor refund of rate overcharges thanks to Controller Ben Rosenfield...
There are procedures for closing a major highway, and that includes an Environmental Impact Report — how much more pollution would be caused by rerouting up to 20,000 vehicles a day through stop and go traffic ...?
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CEQA Protects Us From Special Interests’ “Big Lie”
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A sustained campaign, led by polluting industries, real estate developers, etc, has repeatedly and falsely claimed California’s environmental law is fueling the housing crisis.
