May 21, 2009
Business and Land Use Committee
Meeting Notes by Corey Teague
1. Announcements:
- Discussion of the status of the historic survey in WSoMa. There may be new issues since the HPC didn't exist when the plan was drafted.
- There are some open positions on the Task Force. Jim will email the openings to other members to see if anyone has any ideas for new members.
2. Transportation Authority Priority Project List and Criteria:
- Chester Fung reported that the TA was working with AND for public outreach and a new technical consultant and needed to create a priority list of projects that can be pushed forward sooner and would provide maximum benefits (i.e. grant-ready projects). AND will start public meetings in the next few weeks to get comments about prioritizing projects.
- He presented a draft evaluation criteria document, a draft list of priority projects, and a draft list of non-priority projects.
- There was some discussion about the content and reasoning behind some of the criteria. It was also noted that the Townsend project and Folsom Street projects were left off the priority list because they were being handled by other ongoing projects (ENTrips, etc.).
- Regarding the draft priority list, there was discussion as to whether the mid-block crossing on 9th near Minna and Natoma and the crosswalk upgrades at 4th Street and Harrison Street were worthy of a high priority status. Also, perhaps a mid-block crossing on Folsom Street between 7th and 8th Streets should be on the priority list despite Folsom Street improvements being handled by ENTrips.
3. Parking Requirements in REDs:
- John Elberling, as acting chair, determined that this issue may be better handled by the CNF committee. Jim will talk to Toby about that option, despite the potential heavy schedule CNF may soon face with its new project design review role.
4. 870 Harrison Street Project:
- Skot Kulper has appealed the Mitigated Negative Declaration. He is concerned that this project won't provide enough PDR space and will start a residential trend on that block of Harrison Street. There was a discussion as to whether that and other blocks of Harrison are more like SALI than MUG, and that the committee should look at the proposed zoning and consider changing the northern portions of Harrison to SALI as well. Jim said that this project would be one of the first projects to go to CNF for design review.
5. 8:00pm: Adjourn.
