precita.org

Emergency Contact Numnbers

Emergency:	911
Non-Emergency – Police: (Reporting vandalism, etc)	(415) 553-0123
San Francisco City Switchboard:	311
SFPD Emergency (from Cell Phone)	(415) 553-8090
CHP Emergency (from Cell Phone)	911
SF SAFE: Safety Awareness For Everyone	(415) 553-1984

Ingleside Police Station

#1 Sergeant John V. Young Lane
San Francisco, CA 94112
Front Desk:	(415) 404-4000
Platoon Commander:	(415) 404-4020
Permits/Special Events:	(415) 404-4023
Passing Calls Requests	(415) 404-4063
Graffiti Liaison: Lieutenant Michael Moran	(415) 404-4020
	Michael.Moran@sfgov.org
Ingleside Station’s Anonymous Tip Line:	(415) 587-8984
Captain Denis F. O'Leary Desk:	(415) 404-4030
Fax:	(415) 404-4034
Email:	Denis.O’Leary@sfgov.org

Labels: car breakings, crime, Neighborhood Watch, police blotter, Precita Valley Neighbors

As part of the "Safe Routes to School" project, bulb-outs are being installed on all corners of Folsom and Precita (north part).

You've seen the construction going on for the last 2 weeks in front of the bus stop. It's been taking a while because the rain slows things down, makes it too wet to finish the project. Once the first corner is done, they start on the next corner.

It's safe to think that it could be 4 more weeks at least, probably more like 8 before it's finished.

Labels: construction

In a response to neighborhood complaints of traffic and pedestrian hazards at Precita and Alabama, the SF Planning Department has told us that the City will realign the crosswalk and stop signs at the south end of Precita and Alabama to maximize visibility.

Labels: Planning, Precita Park, Precita Valley Neighbors, pvn, traffic calming

Some neighbors have been concerned that the allegedly "well-connected to the planning department" owner of 55 Manchester may be sneaking a six-family apartment into a two-unit building.

What we do know for certain: the building was sold on 9/18/2008 to the current owner. It had been unoccupied since before 2003 when there were multiple complaints filed with the Department of Building Inspection. The building has 13 rooms and 6 bathrooms according to the Assessor's rolls. The building characteristics were changed in August of 1999 according to real estate databases. But we don't know what those changes were.

We spoke to someone at the planning department who said there appears to be some discrepancies in the permits for 55 Manchester, as the assessors office does indeed show that it is a 2-unit building now, but there are also past references to it being a 6-family unit.

Further online research finds this building inspection report for 55 Manchester:

Permit and old file research reveals that this property was originally a 2 unit building. In 1943 permit #71899 was obtained to convert building to an apartment house of an unknown number of units (at least 4) but this permit was aparently never finalized. In 1964, permit #301752 was obtained to legalize as 6 units, but permit was cancelled. In 1966 permit #330310 was obtained to legalize as 6 units, but permit was cancelled. Several records from the 1960's in microfiche indicate that the Department personel belived the building to be a legal 5 unit building. I assume that this is based on permit #71899 from 1943, but that permit does not appear to have been finilized and there is no CFC. HIS Input Form shows 6 legal apartments and 1 dwelling. This is incorrect, an apartment is a dwelling so this would mean 7 dwellings. It appears from inspections done that there were never more than 6 dwelling units in the building.
It appears that there were 6 apartments in this building at one time. Several of these apartments no longer have full kitchens but it appears that they once did.

The current owner is in the process of of improving the property and has several building permits approved. Some of the permits reference complying with notices of violation for dilapidated housing, unsafe stairs, hazardous building.

The property is Zoned as a RH-2 (residential- house, two family).

We'd like to hear from neighbors who oppose this! You can leave an anonymous comment (link below). In the mean time, we do know that there was a complaint filed over "Exceeding scope of permit 200809192095: Shoring installed and building has been raised.". [Editor's note: An additional permit 200811045805 does allow the shoring to be installed.]

Here are most of the permits for the property:

Permit 200809192095 issued 9/19/2008: remove lath & plaster, rewire, repair plumbing, install gyp board, install new doors & windows @ rear install new trim & casing. Remodel kitchens (2) & baths(4) . Repair dryrot, paint comply w/nov#2000338855 items 2.3.4.5. Reroof

Permit 200811045805 issued 11/04/2008: temporary shoring for dry-rot repair

Plumbing permit pp20081015138 issued 10/15/2008: 1, 2, & 3rd floors: remodel 2 kitchens, 4 baths, 2 laundry. Repipe entire bldg.

Permit 200902061555 issued 2/9/2009: install 28 head fire sprinkler system in basement stairs & hallway

Electrical permit E200810152481 issued 10/15/2008: 1, 2, 3 floors: 24 lights, 20 switches, 42 receptacles, 4 fans, 2 dishwasher, 2 garbage disposal, microwaves, 2 gas ranges, 2 hydro-massage tubs, 8 smoke detectorsl remodel 2 kitchens, 4 baths, 2 laundry, 6 bedrooms , and 2 living rooms. Rewire entire building and 2 new meter panels, 1 house meter. Rough and finish inspections.

Electrical permit E200810313185 Issued 10/31/2008: Roof: roof: 8 roof-mounted solar pv modules; 230 watts per module; 1 interactive inverter; 3300 kw power ratings (each); total no. Of ratings: 2 kw; additional comments: 2 identical systems

Search for Permit and Complaint Info here

Labels: construction, Planning, Zoning

Mr. G tips us off about this: ``A private contractor team came down Alabama Street (from Ripley to Precita) on Friday 1/30/09 and drilled holes in the street about every ~ 4-10 feet.``




We did some further investigation and found that the hole drilling actually goes from the 100 block of Bernal Heights Blvd (near Bradford), heads north/downhill to Esmerelda towards Alabama, and all the way down Alabama to Precita, where they turn East and go down Precita to Bryant.

All along this way, there are also underground survey markings for all the underground water, gas and electrical services.

It is very similar to the path that the Bernal Hills Water Pipeline takes under Bernal Hill. This is the same pipeline that was replaced over the last 18 months, and terminated at Alabama and Ripley.

Alabama street is already a major "right of way" for other utilities. There are several fiber optic lines going down Alabama (ATT, Qwest, MFN, Level 3 and CCSF/City of San Francisco's fiber ring are all ones that have manhole covers up and down the street with their names on them). We're trying to track down more details on who what the project is, and how long it will be tearing up Alabama.

Labels: bernal hills pipeline, construction, precita, water main

Andres Power from the SF Planning Department provided some more information on the left turn lanes on Cesar Chavez, and how these were determined.

We were curious as to the size of the left turn pockets, as well as if U-Turns would be allowed. There was some confusion over U-turns being allowed at Folsom, and hence if traffic destined for Harrison or Alabama would end up going down Precita or 26th.

Andres told us that generally where there is a dedicated left turn pocket with a left turn arrow, u-turns are permitted. This will likely be the case at Folsom, although the plan has not been formalized yet. It should be noted that Bryant has a No U-Turn sign currently.

We gathered week-long 24-hour traffic counts at all the intersections along Cesar Chavez Street about three months ago.  This gave us the typical 24-hour distribution of car volumes, including left turns.  At Folsom, during the peak PM hour there were 39 cars turning left onto Folsom in the westbound direction and during the peak AM hour there were 30.  Again, these counts reflect the peak AM and PM hours.  At all other times of the day, volumes were about half.  But, as a matter of course, traffic engineers typically design the roadway for peak functions. In addition, if we assume that all cars that would have otherwise turned left at Alabama and Harrison will now turn left on Folsom (which is a conservative assumption, since many of the cars, as you point out, will make a u-turn at Folsom), the total left turn AM peak into Folsom will be 69 cars per hour and 73 cars per hour for the PM peak.  

You can do the math, but this distributes out to a little more than 1 car per minute turning left from Chavez into Folsom during the peak hours.  This is in contrast, for example, to the 213 cars turning left during the peak PM peak at Mission and the 208 cars turning left at Bryant. [Editors note: the left turn at Bryant is largely used by people getting onto 101 southbound from westbound Cesar Chavez.]

Therefore, with the volumes indicated above, and assuming a 90 second green-red-green phase, the cue, as modelled, during the peak hour would typically be between 3 and 4 cars.   The turning pockets are designed to include a buffer, hence the designed length of five to six cars.

He also clarified some information on the streets that would have left turn pockets: The original plan was to include left turns at Bryant, Folsom, South Van Ness (eastbound only) and Guerrero. Recently, left turn pockets at Mission Street and one at Valencia Street were added.

Labels: Cesar Chavez, Precita Valley Neighbors, traffic calming

We've heard that the controversial permits for a restaurant at 398 Precita / 3200 Harrison have been withdrawn by the property owner, and that he will be re-filing as a "permitted" commercial use for RH-2 zoning.

Under this "Permitted" commercial use in RH2 zoning, the only thing that is allowed is a "Child-care facility providing less than 24-hour care for 12 or fewer children by licensed personnel and meeting the open-space and other requirements of the State of California and other authorities."

When we peeked in last week, you could see how the walls and ceiling have been stripped down to the studs. From the outside, however, not much has changed. There appears to be a lot of dry-rot in the front foundation that will need to be repaired before the building is occupied.

Labels: News, Precita Valley Neighbors, real estate, Zoning

The Cesar Chavez Design Team would like to invite you to the third community design workshop for Cesar Chavez Street.  At the first meeting last summer we discussed shared priorities and goals.  At our next workshop this past fall we looked at and chose a preferred design option based on those shared priorities and goals. At this third workshop, we will look at and discuss illustrations showing the preferred design, block by block, from Hampshire Street  to Guerrero Street.  This will be the final workshop in the series.

The workshop will be held Tuesday, February 24 at 6:30pm at Leonard Flynn Elementary School, 3125 Cesar Chavez Street at Harrison.

Please come and share your opinions.  There is background material, including summaries of past workshops, available for download.

Labels: Cesar Chavez

Saturday, February 7th, 10am – 11:00am at
Charlie’s Deli, 3202 Folsom Street -Folsom at Precita

David Robinson (285-5957) and Demece Garepis (641-0507) Co-Chairs.

AGENDA:

1. Andres Power, Project Manager in the SF Planning Dept for the Cesear Chavez Design Project, will hear our priorities for Cesar Chavez Design Review and requests we have to minimize increased traffic flow to NW Bernal.

2. 55 Manchester – another misuse of permit application by a former DBI inspector to build housing inconsistent with current zoning laws?

Labels: Cesar Chavez, construction, Precita Valley Neighbors

One resident of 1575 Treat was arrested this morning as part of a regional series of raids by the ATF.

According to Special Agent Kim Riddell of the ATF Public Information Office, details of the raids were under seal and would only say those arrested were scheduled to be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m. in the U.S. Federal Court building in San Francisco.

A tipster to Precita.org said the arrested man was known as "Moe". Someone else described the scene: "there were about 6 or 8 guys with shotguns wearing ATF windbreakers standing around outside".

[UPDATE] KRON has coverage of the arrests this morning on Treat.

U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced the arrests today, and said the arrest on Treat was one of 14 alleged "mid-level" drug and gun traffickers in Northern California with Mexico, and that the suspects were involved in trafficking since at least 2006. They are considered to be the "king men" or "managers" in drug and gun trafficking communities in Northern California.



(video and article from KRON)

SF Examiner had brief coverage, as did CBS 5 / bay Cities News Service which said "Authorities did not release specifics about the raids, but said they involved searches related to guns and drugs."

San Jose Mercury had an article about the regional raids but no details on the San Francisco arrest.

Labels: crime, drugs, gang, gangs, Neighborhood Watch, Precita Valley Neighbors