Transcripts For SFGTV Recreation And Park Commission 81816 20160827

Moves you what youre pats about and trust that you are sufficient and enough where you are to begin and then is her that you are being tenacious about getting to the next place in the evolution but by all means start with you are and know thats enough please call the roll commissioner president buell commissioner bonilla commissioner harrison commissioner low commissioner mcdonnell commissioner anderson great. Just a couple of reminders please turn off any sounds like producing items and take secondary conversations outside well appreciate that when you make Public Comment well have 3 minutes commissioners. 3 minutes. When you make Public Comment direct our comments to the Commission Neither the staff nor commissioners will respond to questions during Public Comment the commission may ask staff to respond to questions. If an item not on the calendar that falls under the rec and Park Commission you may comment under general Public Comment that is item number 4 and continued again on item number ten with that, we can get started president s report. Just briefly when we adjourn the meeting today sadly we will adjourn in memory of sue she reluctance retired from the department after 36 years a horticulture person at the Botanical Garden and lost bob golf director and paate tree to thater supervisor so margaret when we adjourn well do that in their memory thats all i have thank you. Any Public Comment under the that concluded my report. Seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Were on item 3 the general manager report thank you, commissioners and good morning. I will commissioner president buell add i believe that senior was the first woman supervisor in the department that was pretty remarkable contribute to her legacy given where we are today a little bit more up debate news sort of summer 19 is over and kids are back to School Including mine i want to give you a some point snapshot of our Summer Season to illustrate how popular and successful our summer camps and programs are and profoundly they impact positive impact our Community Number of registrations our regular summer classes not camps children do once a weeks 6 thousand registrations plus out of 8 thousand slots our learned to summer swim programs 3 thousand plus registrations out of 3 seven hundred plus 95 percent and our day camps 12 thousand 4 hundred and 32 registration out of 13 thousand students a 94 capacity our regular summer classes 3 nine hundred individual participants sometimes they registration for more than one program our learned classes had 12 hundred plus you participants our day camps 4 thousand plus individual perimeter everyone has an opportunity to play reflected in the scoop data we offered 200 plus scholarships in the summer camps one thousand scholarships in the learn to swim thats 36 percent of total registrations and offered 3 thousand tell you or 29 percent of the summer day camps a total of 5 hundred kids got free and subsidize programming camp mather one thousand nine hundred and 57 families applied one thousand 200 and 16 families attended each and every single one of those seven hundred families let me know they didnt get in laughter we had 5 thousand 200 and 9 overnight gifts nine hundred and day use visitors this week we just finished in fact, i think on buses this morning 200 and 43 seniors at camp at the senior week and arriving in a few hours for the weekends host more than 50 teams for the partnership in the Mayors Office and the Probation Department and other nonprofits so its been a wonderful summer and bob who is on a bus right now heading up to camp mather couldnt be here today but rocky is here i dont know if anyone else representing the program but a remarkable Remarkable Program and on top of youll hear about the turnout our summer playday just been i know im missing a handful of the mayors summer basketball on top of of that our weekend our recreation was doing Something Special in the community and celebrated and loves and put on a pedestal what we do for the San Francisco families i couldnt be more proud now to fall no rest for the wear write this past weekend the fall reggie period where we are offering 15 hundred different programs and activities including drop in activities for folks we are offering thirty thousand hours of programming this fall in just the first four days of registration four hundred and 75 programs and activities are full we processed nearly 10 thousand registrations and awarded 2,500 in the scholarship programs another tremendous job that the rec and park staff does this weekend is the collaboration of volunteers for outdoor california Southern California to renovate the trails so cal a volunteer organization that works with Land Management programs and train crew leaders were thankful for the partnership and stewardship of our Natural Resources approximately, one and 50 volunteers will be out this weekend to do trail building with some even camping overnight legally in permitted matter anothers glen can have on park 3 new sections of trail 2rb9 to the 2 and a half mile to mountain sutro if you havent walked this i absolutely encourage you to do it were auto r out there last month it is really amazing and to think that you have a trail of this kind diversity and beauty and frankly drama is what istion u stunning. Signups are taken at the Southern California. Org and no experience is actually required this weekend we have actually before i go on ill try to wing it well try to bring them next month to two weekends ago our concert in Golden Gate Park attended for 3 days in my view that was really the smoothest and most successful outdoor lands ever even if the fewest numbers of band on the line up that means ill getting old and i base that observation on the experiences of staff and our communities we had the fewest picks up in the loading a significant thing and rode out the number of noise complaint and you Community Complaints was as low sfpd reported the fewest number of incidents ive seen since i look at the data and it was a really happy crowd out there and quite successful, the lands and mood these has staffed beautiful and the meadow looks great a Solid Partnership this event as complained one of the top music falsely certainly in the country and it is both on economic driver for San Francisco and the department the department total revenues from this years net revenue to the department is over 3 million thats reels significant and money gets reinvested in the Neighborhood Parks and programs and the Recreation Services and an important part of our budget every year we may do a deeper dive if we have entertainment show up and pubically thank them for their partnership and hopefully, you enjoyed yourselves this weekend first, the 2016 season the saturday in Mcallister Park and Jefferson Park garys the third or fourth year of the mclaren park oh, four okay fourth year by the friends the saturday park mclaren offers fee concerts throughout the month of october we currently you to pack a picnic and enjoy family fun and enjoy mclaren park and on sunday the fin ill of the stern grove festival with collective wait for the new porn graefrz that spans 6 albums this concert is free and really want to thank the stern grove and everybody that is involved in that for continuing to bring this treasured experience to San Francisco we have a short presentation commissioners you mean one of the highlights for us in the summer was our hosting the Second Annual baseball for all, all girls baseball tournament during which 20 teams and more than 200 girls from across the country and canada competed and we had 6 of them a 6 hundred percentage increase from last year one team from orlando under 13 team came in second under 16 team placed third, our mayor congratulated the teams outside of San Francisco before i im going to turn it over to introduce and im going to turn it over to rocky this is an amazing thing there are hundred thousand girls across the country that played Little League baseball by the time they get to high school theres less than one thousand less girls have not historically been supported and encouraged to play the game of baseball go play softball i have to tell you those girls can play and watching them out there watching you know 16 and under kids you know throw a fast ball faster than i can through it and a curb ball better than i can hit it and turn a double play and slide hard into third girls should be playing baseball the weekends of the tournament ironicly the sonoma stomach percent an independent you minor League Baseball started the first all stair 3w59y in the lion up of 9 a female catcher and pincher for the womans baseball movement minded perfectly with this event rocky is the driver weve given recognition to rocky and seen her before the platform she played professionally for the colorado bullets and this was because of vision shes here and showed me a flier and said hey she went to the right guy for this is absolutely rocky has you know with some other amazing coaches and some National Leadership rocky has developed a girls Baseball Program not only in San Francisco but in the bay area that has people talking we are this is something were excited about and you should be extremely proud i couldnt be more grateful and proud of rocky for inspiring all of us by i get it womens baenl the imperials baseball in San Francisco rocky. What on introduction good morning, commissioners and folks im going to be quick starting from our Opening Ceremony and thank you so much for being a part of that we have offer 6 hundred people including 200 and 20 athletes had a great time from phil and the crew set up parking for everything Moscone Recreation Center was a baseball complex and first aid on site an amazing week of girls baseball i wanted to say thank you and come here and say thank you, again four out of our leadership and support to the rec and Park Department we thank you and andy so on you received yours at the Opening Ceremony please wear them with pride like all the girls throughout the week i wanted to give you one sign not on the last day a when i recall winds of an tournament unbelievable support it was excellent was without a hinch on the very last day i was done completely done from 6 00 a. M. Going to wed at 11 00 p. M. And waking up to be on the field field crew meeting and making sure that everything was done i was sitting in the stand and one of the last games and a city person who probably lived in the area was sitting behind me with his daughter in the stands and the two of them had the greatest chat about girls baseball and she asked the same questions that maybe any typical child what are they doing why are they taking a lead what is going on it was amazing how this father was introducing the game to his maybe ill say 6 or 7yearold daughter she thought baseball was for obesity no sweetie if you want to ill sign you up i have gloves at home and introduced this and not at moscone or here in San Francisco that wouldnt have happened so i really appreciate phil thank you it was not me it was your vision and our support that we could do this and from the bottom of high heart thank you, again, for all your support. Commissioner anderson did you have a question. Phil and rocky an amazing event and surprising and rocky i thought i noticed veteran athletes show up during the opening ceremonies could you tells us two or three ladies that have experience in baseball is that right . Two athletes that are now 87 and 89yearold shirley and mabel played for the georgia parents a long, long time ago in the 50s and they came out to all the baseball for all events and tried to make as many as and, and all weeklong and sat and watched teams and games and athletes and took many, many pictures, in fact, i dont know is where we have a picture with jimmy with the ladies i hope we catch up that but phenomenal phenomenal young ladies. I wanted them to know we saw them and appreciated them and we respect they were pathway makers in womens baseball the second generation. They were the players. Ill pass that on to them thank you. Rocky before you leave the podium two things one could you we didnt acknowledge justin and her leadership and keep this kind of share for the commissioners a little bit about justin tens backward the president and founder of baseball for all a bigger vision to develop baseball throughout the crisis and not only here in San Francisco but create legacies for girls to play baseball in a Baseball League and make that all around the country without her support that young girl that played baseball throughout life and a lot of knows knows knows without her residents you know we wouldnt have this a big support for our community and for the country she recently got an independent job coaching for an independent go Baseball Team in the east coast a fulltime position. In the spring an opener for the days and lastly rock this speaks to the real importance of and poignancy can you share the number of emails from parents that are pretty emotional and poignant one from a parent that talked about how his daughter played baseball on a boys team and had to be very serious. I know exactly which one youre talking about 80 emails ive received over the last two weeks and in particular email the father was not sure about signing up his daughter first of all, 13 years old and a phenomenal baseball player on a boys Baseball Team traveling and playing yearround and one practice we brought those girls together she didnt want to play i assured her those girls dont have bows in their hair it is legitimate baseball not a lot of cheerleading but baseball i got received this email over after the tournament the father first of all, reached out to me and said thank you so much for having any daughter play when she plays on the boys team cannot shemotion this is a job r her to do and this tournament she didnt release how much fun baseball was she could share her emotion with they are teammates and have a fantastic time and high 5ings and having conversations with the girls as opposed to to about his and she sent out an email this is the best times shes ever had in her life playing baseball and hopes to continue and she invited all the girls out to come play travel ball with her and also to come watch her play and shes created now 11 new friendships from this team. I actually have that one ill share she wrote we were amazing and showing the power of the bay area lets do this we started out as girls Baseball Players and a team this is the most fun ive ever had playing baseball you guys struck out girls are amazing if anyone is free on saturday come to any game show that girls can rock at baseball. On that note bryan thank you and the goal were all going to create an all Girls Division of Little League baseball in San Francisco and grow it over time and we had you know enough support to field 16 teams and make that sustainable but girls will be playing baseball in San Francisco a long time and on that note a couple of photos. video showing . Yeah. We have hundred and 59 folks in the city and San Francisco actually is one of the best cities in the country for dog owners 1, 2, 3 yeah. clapping. i wont stop it was a great summer and that concludes general manager report. Any Public Comment on this item. Seeing none, Public Comment is closed. ; right were on general Public Comment up to 15 minutes this will be continued to item 10 items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the commission will be afforded when poefk is there anyone that want to make general Public Comment please come forward general Public Comment . If you will go right here please and have 3 minutes. Good afternoon. My name is sally. If you could speak into the my name is sally russ im here to make rec and park aware were concerned again the removal of a small tree that was are prohibited at this meeting. In the citys conservatory a palm and it was given to us to replace a similar palm taken out several years ago by parties unknown i remember is now in balboa park and it was sitting there in a row of small palm trees all the other other palms trees are cannery and one tree in there they dont look that different now but once they grow well have one that looks different from the others i can offer photographs we would were concerned why this tree is removed from the conservatory and placed in balboa park and we had it because partly it was hoping to provide cross pollination for the other tree we have and also, we take into consideration that our big tree came to the conservatory after the california lets see yeah, the pan Pacific Exploration over one hundred years old those palm trees live to be older than one hundred years ago we have no idea how long the one we have will late it will be nice to have another one started so we would like to ask the rec and park to consider give us another tree like this one the palm that was transplanted to live balboa park is looking a little bit stressed and it might not be well preserved by another session of digging up and moving to another site so we realize like for you to consider this. Thank you. Well have staff look into that. Next speaker come on up. Come on up whoever wants to come up and speak just come on up. Im jennifer and here in support of conservatory to get a new christian palm what makes the conservatory most distinct is a large palm that is estimated over one hundred years old the largest old it out u outside of chile to take part in the activities i want to help to preserve the christian wine palm and is conservatory was reopened after a renovation and adding a new palm to continue the future this this distinction active plant my understanding it is that the young palm was donated and not commonly found we know that relocated by the rec and Park Department and described as a young cannery palm we were nonhost the similar it at first glance but a significant difference in one palm if you want to discrimination ill be happy to provide that it is windy im not an expert but the tree appears stressed rather than stressing the tree by returning the tree to the conservatory i wanted a new tree to preserve the legacy of youre notable plant thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. Hello during the day im a Civil Engineer and flat landing is the site of working on the between two trees i love to port and now i like the challenge the description and for this i need to work on something longer so when we started with short flat lines but as progressing like with every sport one of the was to encourage the length of your light youll start with 50 feet and so on last year some guidelines have been bolted so the flat lining in San Francisco, however, those two items prevent or for bid setting longer flat lines one of the rules is maximum that is limiting the length the second one which is a bit clearance on each side of the line it is interrupted by the rangers not higher than 8 feet, however, what i want to insist on plat penicillin is a stretch so even if the distance is high actually, you have someone the webb will go down close to the ground and we dont want to die have no interest in setting something high we have a risk of dying i wanted to practice every day and have no interest in getting injured one thing i imagine that would be a problem to others is that the space that is shared we are i think ingredient people not the only ones that want to enjoy the park usually, were not flat line in the middle that is super crowded we wont do it but the middle is not that crowded and a free line where we can use well do it and most of time not we have people enjoy watching us. You will have thirty more seconds. This is something we love i have part of our family here from San Francisco it is helped to get everyone up in the morning laughter . Where 5 it is many more actually behind us. Thank you very much for getting up so early. Is there anyone else. And i left it is hard to describe how it works in 3 minutes i hope you. Well read the material. Anyone else that would like to speak under general Public Comment . No okay general Public Comment is closed. We are now on item commissioners unless you have no questions. Item 5 the consent calendar anyone that wants to make Public Comment under the consent calendar . Seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Commissioners entertain a motion. So moved. There is a motion that has been seconded so moved. Item 6 the San Francisco zoo. Power point please. Tonya director of the San Francisco zoo im pleased that someone said i throw like a girl ill say thank you we started on good note to the wolf exhibit our july attendance 13 thousand plus we were butted 7 thousand so a positive variance of over 6 thousand visits we are too ends up our summer camp tomorrow the largest enroll. Yes. And a wellness a class an attempt to promote kids and teens to pursue education in zoo metrological we received the accolades and speaking of teenagers my first slide will be our 40 year reunion for the nature trailers teens that volunteer during the summer and work with the animals and interviewed for this spot 5 hundred kids tried out for one and 40 spots some of these are now veterinarians and firefighters and teachers and zoo directors but thought it would be fun to get everyone one and 60 folks showed up we had our trained engineer johnny tried to compete with rec and park did a few johnston i didnt cash numbers and thrilled to continue this plan it was a pledge for world elephant day we encourage our visitors to stop by new ivory hundred elephants are day are slaughtered for their ivory and now laws to protect the elephants we thought we can stop the can understand it is just a simple pledge of allegiance for kids doing finger printed in the record a great way to show the dilemmas by elephants in africa we have to connect the visitors to wildlife we do in this the summer a wildlife theatre mammals from the Resource Center come out and are rescued and dropped off at the zoo gates to educate our visitors through the summer by pop demand through the fall and pleased to do that the ways we connect and we are trying to encourage fitness at the zoo before the zoo starts on saturday are morning come and ride and see the animals and get steps on the fit bit through the fall as well and if youre game this weekend and a few more kwndz you can spend the night at the zoo any husband didnt sleep and week afraid ever mammal was getting out of their cage not for everyone by welcomed to look at the website and great for this weekends we encourage kids to take care of their animals over the weekend we have a bear weekend and folks to take care of anything like missing areas and eyes and take care of their pets and lastly this friday well be opening our second exhibit those are the mammals that jumps they come from mandatory discretion debar and it is habitat loss and so forth to our donors feel it is important to educate the visitors about this special place in the new exhibit and an expectation of the exhibit that is only one. 5 acres the largest exhibit in the world with that, that concludes my report. Thank you very much. Is there any Public Comment on this item . Seeing none, Public Comment is closed. That was discussion only commissioners were on item 7, 75 arkansas shadow on jackson park good morning, commissioners and general manager my name is bryan im with the planning the department and Planning Group im joined today by esmeralda of the Planning Department and in addition the project sponsor susan brown the item before you is the 75 arkansas Street Project that will cast shadow on Jackson Playground as you recall prop k was approved by voter no 1984 that created the sunlight ordinance and did projects on rec and park property that will cast new shadows for building over 40 feet well be reviewed the 1989 memo rain water provided qualitative and quantitative data for the shadows heres a location map as you can see there are jackson park is in the lower left and the project 75 arkansas is to the northeast across arkansas and 17th street and now esmeralda from the Planning Department will give you a review of the project itself. Good morning commissioner president buell and members of the board esmeralda Planning Department staff the item before you is a large project authorization pursuant to planning code to demolish and existing warehouse and allow construction of a 40, four story multi family and more specific Student Housing building with four commercial unit at the ground floor the brernsz project as per planning code is over 40 feet in height and casting a shadow an Jackson Playground the projected project that the demolition of the playhouse approximately 19 thousand plus square feet and is proposing a new structure 64 thousand plus square feet with thirty dwelling units, 27 of which are four bedrooms and others two bedroom the project is proposing a full units that are totally 7 thousand 200 and 53 square feet and 80 claishgz and 12 class 2 bike Parking Spaces no onstreet parking vehicular parking is required in the urban mixed income Zoning District duo to date newcomers correspondence regarding the proposed project including numerous letters of support from jackson park and the San Francisco Action Coalition amongst several others per planning code sections and the project is subject to the Transportation Sustainability fee the residential childcare impact fee and the eastern neighborhoods infrastructure impact fees that aforementioned result in approximately nine hundred and 16 thousand plus dollars this concludes staffs presentation ill be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you. Thank you esmeralda so this is Jackson Playground made up of two ball fields and at the south end the tension court a Basketball Basketball court and playground and playhouse 4. 4 acres it makes it a larger park the existing buildings near the park shaded 6. 5 percent of annual available sunshine. The 75 arkansas project will cast shade in the mornings from 7 14 a. M. Until excuse me until 714 amputee lastly they will fall from the late spring through midsummer specifically from may 24th to july 26th and no other time will it cast shadow on the day of maximum shades june 21st the summer soltice approximately 20 minutes of shade and it will overall throughout the year that duration of shade on any given day when there is shade will be 8 minutes in length the location of the shadows ill show a map in a moment and the largest sites of shadows will be 5 thousand plus square feet on that summer soltice at the 649 00 a. M. In the morning. The guidance relieved from the 1989 memo states that any park larger than two acres is a large park as this one is over 4 acres and that any additional shadow it allowed up to one percent as long as it has not reached a 80 percent shadow level it is under 20 percent because 6. 48 percent of annual shade before the project and the new project will add. 005 one percent of shadow that is under the one percent threshold it shows you a map of the location of the maximum shade that i mentioned before at 649 in the Northeast Corner it falls along the theres a series of trees along the border on 17th street and falls outside of ball area, no significant activities at this time so before i believe 745 in the morning. Next well see an animation of how on that day how the shade falls throughout the day from the project as you can see as it goes through again, this shade leaves the park before 8 00 a. M. Being in the potrero hill neighborhood seen construction several projects in the neighborhood 80 arkansas i presented several months ago does cast some shade on the Northern Edge of the park the other project to the south is the one that looks the largest is 16 are 1601 mariposa it will cast shade because 40 feet or less it didnt fall under the sunshine ordinance or sunshine ordinance in addition 3 other projects you see are 540 and one 53 arkansas those are under 40 feet at 40 or under 40 feet in addition the one you see on 16th street to the north didnt cast any shade on the playground the project has gone through Community Outreach as mentioned by the esmeralda to several groups we at rec and park planning we have received several of those letters from the hills and friends of jackson park and the San Francisco action Housing Committee and dog patch Merchants Association we have not received any letters of oppose and the Community Benefits weve been informed there will be a Community Room in the building it will be used by students but maybe reserved by the communities i think you can ask the project sponsor and it provides Student Housing for the California College of arts nearby. That ended my presentation. Thank you. Im ready and available for comments. So Public Comment i have david and susan brown if you can come up please. Good morning, commissioners and general manager im susan brown im here with Quality Community builders and representing the burn or Building Owner simon hired us and a longevities Property Owner for over 20 years he has also been on the board of cca for 20 years or longer so as was mentioned this is Student Housing for the California College of the arts located 2 1 2 blocks north of this location i think as Everybody Knows a housing crisis in San Francisco rents are really high and limited demand and a lot of students are taking up marketrate for families so simon was trying to figure out what he wants to do with this property he can have sold it and made a lot of money he said i want to do something for cpa theyre having trouble with the housing crisis that was a solution that works for simons as well as cca to be able to provide the Public Benefit of Student Housing cca is going to keep the housing affordable for students under one thousand dollars per bed a month and this will really help them to attract and sustain students. When we came a couple weeks ago you asked you to talk about but Community Benefits aside from reducing the demands on marketrate housing dollars a Community Room as simon mentioned available and used by the communities we met with many groups from the jackson park and the boosters all groups that are not to be able to use that Community Room it is flanked by and courtyard an exterior courtyard a really nice space were also doing significant improvements an extended bulb out with Community Furniture it is the shaping and furniture is coordinated with 88 arkansas a gateway to jackson park the design and response to jackson park was jackson park to talk about how cca students can help on the design and implementation of this new gate to the park. We have also reached out to San Francisco Unified School District i think that they sent a letter of support the Baseball Players use the park and the school and our shadow doesnt impact their use at 7 oclock in the morning. I think youll hear now cac and other folks. David and calling names . Thank you. Good morning commissioners david director of camps planning and cca i want to touch on things not necessarily with the shadows and the housing crisis i think weve got thirty colleges that have 80 thousand students and 9 thousand student beds if San Francisco so the crisis their thats a good question affordable and marketrate i know this i talked with the triangle the kwth a leasing woman she said we have thirty students that have rent apartment how is that possible your rents are marketrate were allowing 4 students to represent a two person apartment they have more Financial Capacity so we know that those students should not be in the marketrate but Student Housing there are fortunately, you know, through the work of hack and others we have legislation that allows and incentivizes Student Housing this project continually of that and i thought you know this is susan asked me cant we get students to come to the hearing were not in session yet but i looked at the parents Facebook Page this morning ill read you four comments my drought emily was to do to oakland shes desperately looking for roommates and my daughter melissa was trying to get a room we assumed shell get a room all the rooms are gone a senior studying animation can anyone help the School Starts in two weeks any son keeling a junior draft student and congratulating in 2018 extremely difficult time finding housing so maybe we can rent a house or large apartment and lastly any son is a junior and still looking for an apartment or house to share in oakland he was unable to get housing and may have to set out a semester we know this is right thing at the site students will be great neighbors to keep eyes on the streets and port and work in the businesses we hope youll see this. Next speaker, please. Good morning, commissioners and general manager my name is jude im here representing friends of jackson park as you may know the park that is kittycorner infrastructure arkansas over the past year weve been met a few times with the project sponsor so we can Work Together on their plans and our plans to design new and improved and enlarged jackson park we truly appreciate theyre contacting but us and talk about the shadow studies weve reviewed im here to see say we find it insignificant and not adversely effect the park for anyone that use it you got any letter don the Student Activities athletic sfusd and also from live oak we developed the shadow is need not and hope you take into consideration for our decision this morning thank you. Thank you. Next speaker good morning, commissioners my name is rob poole San Francisco housing Action Coalition. Were a member nonprofit allocates for the creation of housing fundamental in the city one of the main oufshz so create for housing for the residents that are coming here if youre a student in the city as you can imagine the choices are slim picking we got to incentivize the production and did research day of said the status thirty that universities prior education in the city 9 of them provide Student Housing about eight or nine thousand beds for the students and i think the shortfall of beds is 60 thousand we see that so students are forced to compete for housing in the open market and one of the most expensive citys in the were not this project will solve the Student Housing shortage but one step in the right direction 28 beds for students within walking distances of the campus that is a rate more affordable than in the city aside from that it is also a terrific project our committee has reviewed it extensively we really like the thought that putting the project coordinating with the 88 arkansas to approve this and make that more walkable the shadow an Jackson Playground the benefits this project will deliver out weigh this small shadow we very much urge you to support it i want to add because of Student Housing project that has to be built in accordance with the calendar so any delay does put this project off to maybe another year this has to be delivered in august or september and delayed a month 28 more students forced to look for open housing thank you for your time. Thank you. Anyone else that would like to make Public Comment on this item. Okay seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Commissioners i dont see any questions entertain second. All in favor, say i. I. Thank you very much and thank you all for coming. Now on item 8 acquisition of 11 Street Properties. Commissioners before i begin april is here from supervisor kims office and would like to make a comment is that okay to do that now. Absolutely. Good morning, commissioners it is my pleasure to be here this morning and enthusiastic port of acquisition of 11 Street Properties we wanted to thank the commission whos been active advocates for more open space in district 6 as this commission and staff knows it is the Lowest Per Capita of open space in the city as well as the fact there is new development both office and residential in this area therefore making that a high needs area this property was the sets of properties were identified through a process of the district 6 open Space Task Force in 2012 during the bond process and Community Members were concerned that there wasnt a project a district 6 selma project identified in the program after that we convened the open Space Task Force and very, very thankful for the work of the staff dawn and her team and at this time it was karen and Holly Pierson and thankfully stacey picking up that mantel to do the process thank you to the open Space Task Force members for convening all those many years and the department of real estate for helping to negotiate the transaction and the open Space Task Force is that we now have a group of concerned citizens in district 6 about open space that can continue to advocate this is you know the first of i hope many open space parcels that we can acquire through the rec and park program i know that there is some anxiety and some desire to have those parcels come online sooner 2024 with 80 percent of the competition for land is high so this land banking strategy is an important one and just the process of identifying other available parcels is helps our office and hope it helps rec and park as Development Comes online and as projects you know often negotiations with the community that they have now vetted parcels that can be in consideration as we have further discussions about promotions in and around the Market Street area thank you to the commission and the staff and the task force for moving this forward supervisor kim i think one of her values shes brought in terms of development in district 6 not just more Affordable Housing but more affordable neighborhoods which open space is a key component to complete neighborhood and safer healthy neighborhoods thank you, again. Thank you very much. Commissioners dawn director of planning and Capital Management before i im going to turn it over to Stacey Bradley i want to thank her and her team for shepherding those are being complicated i want to provide policy content that acquisition and the work over the past two years a little bit of the look ahead of the challenges for our acquisition protocol this acquisition marks the completion of an important promise the department and commission made a furious to acquire a four park with noah valley town square and 9 hundred venice and a p d d we convened the open Space Task Force with the support of supervisor kim and other communities resident to try to tackle this problem how to locate descent open spaces in a neighborhood that is experiencing tremendous growth i want to focus on the fact that one of the most important things of todays acquisition of 20 thousand square feet that is difficult as a park with parklets we want parks on a acre size we would like to find a acre to make that happen thats an important goal the conversation started in 2012 we were completing the bonds supervisor kim rightly pointed out her neighborhood were the neighborhood in the soma and tenderloin were dense and had the if i it open spaces we renovated and think about making sure that we were acquiring additional open spaces and id like to acknowledge toby and jane as prozac members one slides i wanted to show on the power point and i think im happy to distribute this i think that just as a point of reference we want to create a graphic which were refining to show todays density verse the future density that is almost impossible to see this. Dawn you can speak into that mike if you want. As youre looking this were showing solid lines recommending the density and doted future density if you look at the middle you can see it is really west soma and east soma 100 percent jumps between now and 2040 in terms of the moderate density to high density neighborhoods the whole city is experiencing growth in particular soma is really experiencing the most intense growth that is the beginning of this conversation youll see this slide again but i think we wanted to highlight youre seeing 100 percent growth this is the experience of residents compared to the rest of the city it is overall experiencing growth that in soma particular youre seeing on intensity and we look at our existing soma facility theyre almost at capacity hoping all day long and the m. D. The crutch of open space exists explains the intensity of feedback that well continue to receive over the next few years as the growth is real with the development coming with the 2024 seems lake a long time away in terms of the growth that has going i think help us to keep pace with the growth and important were acting proactively with that, im going to turn it over to stacey to walk you through the acquisition itself and what our plans for developing it and moving forward thank you. Thank you. Good morning commissioners and general manager. Im stash the Deputy Director in the Capital Planning consensus as dawn mentioned a major mile and process that brought us to the this acquisition on the parcels 5 different parcels on 11 street between as you can see on this imagine. The process started as april mentioned with supervisor kims office we coconvened district 6 open Space Task Force in 2012 and 2013 that task force identified those high Priority Areas as you can see red orange and yellow the red is mostly western soma and orange the tenderloin those parcels within the red highest provided area but the parks decision as you can see similar information in those high needs map for the rose and rec and park element of the general plan will be no parks within the quarter mile buffer and to the south southeast of the park space no parks within that halfmile buffer as well too this new park will be able to provide access to workers and others in the area. This area is also in the midst of the eastern neighborhoods this showing you shows you all the eastern neighborhoods but this area sodiums in a little bit open showing western selma and market octavia and shaushgz the hub is a new planning initiate that is directly northwest of this location within the market octavia plan where there are focusing other than Encouraging Development in the transit rich area around van ness and Market Street this will serve the existing residents and others coming to the area. As part of western soma plan it is also identityed as a historic western soma Historic District this district a almost with the entire western soma area and there are some properties here that are looked at future contributor to the Historic District that will determine the type of people aenvironmental review this allows for Light Industrial and this area is no the pdrs district pdrs replacement is not required for those parcels funding for the acquisition is going to be come from the open Space Acquisition fund it is year 2016 with a 9. 6 and anticipate a 2 housing unit 4 million we received 2. 6 million for the funded around 12 Mental Illness we have enough money to purchase the property the funds. Development we anticipate coming from 9 eastern neighborhoods impact fees and possibly all of the eastern neighborhoods but market octavia it will serve that area as well and there is funding arrested set aside for development to start the park planning process and maintenance we anticipate users the operation funds the purchase and Sale Agreement for 10 million and it will allow the seller to have up to a year to provide notice of intent to close once a notice of intent to close thirty to 90 days to close on the property real estate is updated in the pdf for the information necessary for the notary pages the appraisal we dont say a written document the appraiser has a document for 10 million from the independent point of view phase one was undertaken during this time period and identified the current historic lands use and past uses in the iron auto repair a bus company an electronic manufacturers and uses there is a refrigerators company and storage repair companies storage sorry so phase one does remembered recommend us do a phase two well undertake that to determine what, if any Hazardous Materials in sub surface we anticipate applying for grant to help us to identify the sub surface conditions and any mitigation we also received information about Pipeline Projects to see if the current shadow will be from the known developments this location is very sunny in the mid day from late morning to mid afternoon there is some shadows that come from existing development in the morning and early afternoon to late evening to early evening hours the new those new Pipeline Projects will in active the shadows that are existing like maintain a sunny park during the midday hours the most crucial time that concludes my presentation. Im available to answer any questions. Would you like to go to Public Comment. Let me ask sxoe if he had a question. Ill wait until after Public Comment. Anyone richard. Good morning it was a nice presentation to listen to and im looking at it theyre going to be completely changing structure of soma and put up a lot of housing and a lot of condos and that type of tower that park is kind of small not large enough to take care of people that have champions and mammals where is there a Space Available for people that are going to be moving on that park was not brought in theyll bring in their champions and mammals and stuff that is residential units and people are champions and mammals and want to use that park that park is not large enough to accommodate dog play areas we dont have that is there a large space thats right the first one that came it any mind and a desire to get a one acre property not easy in the soma a lot of the project itself and its funds will there be any other Funding Sources available or grant monies im looking at the reason we have the San Francisco reservoir that was switched for 10 million we were able to get 25 more Million Dollars to build up the place in this particular project can there be more funding brought into that has a small place i dont know we dont look for a larger place with a dog play areas not enough the Jackson Playground there on 16th street i like that place to develop the dog plays or Something Else i dont have too much more things to say it is an Industrial Area a lot of waste product and problems are clean up and added costs to this project not a clean site thank you. Thank you. Anyone else that would like to mc Public Comment on this item. Okay seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Commissioner low. When it the phase two begin and what is the scope of the environmental. So we will do the phase two within the planning process the value outlet for it when it strikes for the whole 8 years the hope well be able to do it during the funding process and have the epa Grant Funding to help with the phase two analysis and any necessary elevation. The city is responsible for the clean up. Uhhuh. Was there factored in the appraisal. Yes. The appraiser had the information. We dont know the scope of the amount of clean up. Yes. Does that seem richie. If this area it is unlikely to have a clean space the entire area is built up with the same Light Industrial to residential uses so it is expected we will the type of remediation will be the same well see in this area and having those 5 parcels that are contiguous to each other one developer as we found a rare opportunities we think this is worst the risk. Why is shadow the shadow a necessary discussion for acquisition of this parcel. You dont think so i dont think so it is well, i think it is relevant in how we understand the acquisition so one of the existing conditions and we would plan on you know designing the park to account for the shadow and the wind conditions we dont have a wind shooud study right now but have the shadow study i want to provide that. For what is present we dont know what the shadow is and dont know what the park will be; right . Either the discussion relevant to the acquisition of this parcel. I think that is important to see that the park will be sunday i didnt. We know the hub is coming but inform development that will cast a shadow on a part that will come in the future. Thats right. Were dealing with the presents is the shadow relevant to that acquisition of that parcel. I mean, i think this is one of the many conditions that are present in this area so i think that is important to note. Theres no commissioners no shadow analysis required prior to acquisition of that park the shadow ordinance does specific it applies to the parks in the jurisdiction and parks that are designated weve expressed a formal interest in the department thats the extent of the application i guess relationship. Well, are we still within the Due Diligence there the purchase and Sale Agreement. It ended yesterday. Have we waved it without knowing the extent of the viral condition. The requirements for the phase two the phase two takes six to eight weeks once the phase one were done we were unable to get it done during United States Due Diligence period. Wow. Seems like we should have extended the phase two or completed it before we waved. Commissioner, i think weve done this before this is one of the things to provide nor Historical Context those acquisitions are difficult to come by those opportunities other cases we have you know had unclear information about the full remediation risks frankly we completed phase three like in the abatement didnt give us the full picture those are such preliminary estimates and hardly represent the in depth hazmat youll do once you have the contractor on board prior to entering into construction. Certainly we cant have certainty but if our consultants with recommending a phase two we should have the phase two done a handle on the scope of the environmental risks. Tom let me ask you a question. Yeah. Due diligence has the Due Diligence period expired but the agreement makes it clear there is no sale until the board approvals the sale. Yes. Is there a time to still do a you said phase two is six to eight weeks and when do we anticipate kicking off phase two the transaction is not complete im curious. Find it right. When it is signed until the board takes its action. Wait until the phase two is done and put it to the board. Is the plan to do the phase two now. We were going to do phase two during the park planning the value outlet of the phase two is it costs similar around a hundred thousand dollars for a epa you know help us with those costs well be able to you know take advantage of a different Funding Source and also have a partner with the offering the remediation and helping us. Dawn if i may in the baseline the nine hundred there was a phase one for the base of building but not a phase two. I think a phase two we worked on the phase one and phase two were done during the acquisition process we had a couple of years knowing we were working on the site they have years. Stacey is correct there was a phase two. And there thats an example where the phase two underestimated the scope of the contamination but factored into the purpose. Factored into the Purchase Price in general commissioners the point that id like to make is that it is actually preferable to link the phase two with construction thursday u your preparing a cost estimate having this time lag between that phase two and the construction for example, the marina harbor we went through i mean, we paid for so many times and testing did some time to meet the regulatory requirement along the way and each time it shifted we had to do another test and shifted the entire capital and deliver product time with the phase one is tries to eliminate the worse possible problems and i think there is a recommendation to do a phase two thats pretty at what time not abnormal for the projects were doing i feel again over a 10 year horizon were pulling together construction and Development Funds weve not located at this time for this project at all that connecting the phase two directly we are deeper into the planning process make sense from a cash flee and an cost estimate perspective. Ill let commissioner anderson speak not prudent to waive the contingencies and acquire this property without phase two and knowing the scope of the viral risks. Commissioner. Anderson my question is just i dont know if you can briefly you know go into great details in volley ball that parcel. Uhhuh. Is the value of land plus the buildings and taking them those businesses out of the market and things like that im curious what is happening at the businesses and workers you know that industry in that area. Yeah. The. Prior take into consideration the cash flow and the fees the option for the rent the rent that is currently received the rent we currently receive the rent from the exceptions of the lease holders the owner has the seller had that for a long, long time to looking to make a change that is a very reasonable price knowing that the even with knowing there is potential remitigations 24 price is a low price we have the you know were looking at a property that is a couple of blocks away and the price was almost 700 a square foot this is we think it is unlikely the seller drops the price we identify the risks. Commissioner bonilla. Is this a one shot deal will imbecause half acre i mean, i agree with richard a half acre like such a small parcel of land it will there be an opportunity i mean are we done here. Not. Are ever any opportunities. Excuse me the opportunity to acquire any what may have you know what we didnt focus on in this presentation a larger context about soma and dawn and i will tag team weve been working closely with the Planning Department and the Mayors Office of Economic Workforce Development and in the recent years rec and park has earned a seat at the table in neighborhoods plans and Development Conversations and central soma kind of like eastern neighborhoods theres a very large scale neighborhood plan that focuses on open space with a number of different strategies one is increasing the capacity at jean friend rec center to build an additional floor that adds funding to increase the capacity and making improvement at v m. D. The Planning Department dream is frankly the caltrans site to create a very large park experience at the caltrans site other opportunities to partner with development for just by way of example the Tension Center project ended up with storefront Tennis Center and there are other opportunities for building in open space and recreational amenity in central soma part of that is using the acquisition funds were at a frank disadvantage if we had our desires well do were competing in the market we were committed to this and made promises to do this not getting the same value in the baseline we know that we turned down another property that is was so small it might have been the most expensive dog park in america it is in the an easy thing to solve and not the leverage we need in other neighborhoods in San Francisco dawn i dont know if you want to comment on other central soma. Is this the last one we hope not aggressively moving forward and working with city planning to try to be strategic and identify options but in terms of organization that have land i think one of the challenges avenue competing in the marketplace were reactive this is depending on developers willing to work with us and depending on the caltrans property that was described that is going to be like a 10 to 15 year effort and require moving a few caltrans which is if theres an unmoveable the unmoveable object thats a completely different type of strategy that will take literally i think 10 to 15 years this kind of half acre parcel compared to other parcels in this neighborhood that was the largest and best opportunity and didnt start out that way in conversations with the buyer clear that was a winwin for those of us and having the seller be interested in expanding the parcels for sale and offering the rest of them for us that that went from something we were vaulting to being an opportunity we wanted to pursue aggressively. Just to continue for us to tag team a little bit here the soma strategy for this department if i can summarize further to the west is 17th street and fulsome but on the edge of that neighborhood weve been accounting for an year or two on planning and design at the jean friend and had philanthropy to work on the phase of increasing the capacity at jean friend and we believe the central soma will help us fund a significant investment to the that site at the d m v commissioner low youve and a champion the most recent opportunities youre aware of involves potentially adding latinamerican toe d v to increase the funds opportunities and park participation at night and creating for opportunity to use the park and obviously do selfpark as part of our renovation so at the moment those you know and then the acquisition thats our sort of outgoing the department short time a larger strategy i think the Planning Department is just about ready to begin to provide informational presentations to this commission and other commission on the central soma planning generally it is thinking very sorrowing about open space you know this is our mission. A followup question the purchase of this property does that deplete our open space fund. Yeah. It depletes our current cash balance on the open space fund we have 10 maintenance plus or minus and it will use up that remaining balance and the open space fund continues to reflesh on one and a half Million Dollars depending on the tax in the city. So my last question it is this a property that we absolutely have to have i mean. Im hardpressed yeah, im hardpressed to identify from my perspective. This is so expensive. This is the burn in the hand every other opportunities that is out there is highly speculative or not meeting Neighborhood Park programming needs we have things of which many as part of developments all of those are quarter of an acre and less and those are the types of things like plazas inside residential buildings that allow restricted use and then you have some of the larger plans 10 to 15 years away and require complex new york city with other agency which strip us in terms of budget mandate if we want to being sure to be able to provide guarantees weve provided a park sized amenity somewhere in central soma this is our current best opportunity we look at yeah. I think this is our current best opportunity we spent during the task force 3 years we real estate go out and canvas over hundred properties and come back with that list this rapgd from parking lots to building that would theoretically persuade them to buy and out of that extensive vicinity inventories this is the most for a property youll not be able to program with a december sent sized playground on a decent size playground if we had nor economic power to work in a quasi to be more speculative that would be great were slow moving it takes us there long to get to this point we cant participate in the market from our buying powerful and our own flexibility to rapidly move an opportunity this is the best we can do but were working with as phil mentioned closely with city planning in the past decade and neighbors to recognize those opportunities as they arise. Commissioner low. Well to move this forward i guess to call the question sorry. Ill defer i was going to call make a motion but allow commissioner anderson to make additional comments. Thank you. Im sorry i ask so many questions im a rookie. Has there ever been an opportunity we modesty have did you call this a land bank . April supervisor kims aid referred to a los angeles banking strategy. Thats code for it is not going to be developed for a park. Yes. Maybe an opportunity where other opportunities come up later. Uhhuh. Sell what we have or swap it with planning is this a puzzle piece or ones we buy this were locked in. Were locked in the property owned by the rec and Park Department or under the jurisdiction of this is 2 3rds vote of people. Okay. Thank you. Thank you commissioner low. Again my only point lets make informed decisions try to figure out what the scope of the environmental problem at least before we close is it a 5 hundred thousand problem arrest mentally ill a contamination lets get a handle before we close id like to make a motion to have this recommended to the board of supervisors for approval with the modifications that we strike from our resolution the references to shadows since i dont think that is relevant to the purpose of whether we acquire the property and deleted that in this resolution. A motion before you is there a second. Second. Second. Before we do conclude i want to weigh in and is i mean clearly a lot of competing forces not a lot of land available available it is expensive getting parcels together and doing this is an extensive process a phase one but the phase two informed the value of the property having said that, i agree with commissioner low we need to move forward but caution you if were all alive when this is Development Look at the Construction Costs minus the remediation and a second. All in favor, say i. I. So moved. Thank you thank you. Okay. So were going to take one item out of order the next item will be closed sessions by the following is general Public Comment continued were going to hear that general Public Comment continued first that is item 10 anyone who would like to make general Public Comment who doesnt have an opportunity earlier in the meeting come on up richard. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, i want to kind of look at again live combibltd tloisht the county this particular tackled issue i think is something that supervisor jane kim stepped on in the prop b so i had a chance to look at the legal as well as the simplified versions of equity not too much on the Employment Opportunities people are employed in rec and Park Department thats the part i think is got too much gray and shadow didnt quite make it the administrative of personnel call that good we have a lot of places in chinatown that arent regularly open so i hear about acquisitions but not about managing a personnel from the perspective of approaching it and following it both equity where 0 people have assignment and reach different locations and have employments available i dont know how to fits in with any of that id like very much to see equity of employment brought in a distribution allocation of funds be available. Anyone else who would like to make Public Comment. Okay seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Were now on item 9 closed session is there anyone that want to make Public Comment under closed session . Okay seeing none, Public Comment is closed. Commissioners we do need a vote whether or not to hold closed session entertain a motion if i ask, ask all members of the public andsession. Report on any action and second to close all or any transactions. Ascertaentertain to motion all in favor, say i. I. Not to move and on do you want to report on any action taken. Move to not disclose. All in favor, say i. I. So moved. Thank you we are now on item 11 new agenda business setting i dont believe we have any Public Comment here Public Comment is closed. Confusions the same and 13 adjournment the wanted to adjourn commissioner president buell. In sue, jim and pat and bob. Thank you and second. Second. All in favor, say i. I. Thank you very much and thank you, mr. City attorney for your excellent as a society weve basically failed big portion of our population if you think about the basics of food, shelter safety a lot of people dont have any of those im mr. Cookie cant speak for all the things but i know say, i have ideas how we can address the food issue. Open the door and walk through that dont just stand looking out. As they grew up in in a how would that had access to good food and our parent cooked this is how you feed yours this is not happening in our country this is a huge pleasure im david one of the cofounder so about four year ago we worked with the serviced and got to know the kid one of the things we figured out was that they didnt know how to cook. I heard about the Cooking School through the Larkin Academy a. Their noting no way to feed themselves so theyre eating a lot of fast food and i usually eat whatever safeway is near my home a lot of hot food i was excited that i was eating lunch enough instead of what and eat. As i was inviting them over teaching them basic ways to fix good food they were so existed. Particle learning the skills and the food they were really go it it turned into the is Charity Foundation i ran into my friend we were talking about this this do you want to run this Charity Foundations and she said, yes. Im a cofound and executive director for the cooking project our best classes participation for 10 students are monday theyre really fun their chief driven classes we have a different guest around the city theyre our stand alone colas we had a series or series still city of Attorneys Office style of classes our final are night life diners. Santa barbara shall comes in and helps us show us things and this is one the owners they help us to socialize and ive been here about a year. We want to be sure to serve as many as we can. The San Francisco Cooking School is an amazing amazing partner. It is doing that in that space really elevates the space for the kids special for the chief that make it easy for them to come and it really makes the experience pretty special. Im sutro sue set im a chief 2, 3, 4 San Francisco. Thats what those classes afford me the opportunity it breakdown the barriers and is this is not scary this is our choice about you many times this is a feel good what it is that you give them is an opportunity you have to make it seem like its there for them for the taking show them it is their and they can do that. Hi, im antonio the chief in San Francisco. The majority of kids at that age in order to get them into food they need to see something simple and the evidence will show and easy to produce i want to make sure that people can do it with a bowl and spoon and burner and one pan. I like is the receipts that are simple and not feel like its a burden to make foods the cohesives show something eased. I go for vera toilet so someone cant do it or its way out of their range we only use 6 ingredients i can afford 6 ingredient what good is showing you them something they cant use but the sovereignties what are you going to do more me youre not successful. We made a vegetable stirfry indicators hed ginger and onion that is really affordable how to balance it was easy to make the food we present i loved it if i having had access to a kitchen id cook more. Some of us have never had a kitchen not taught how to cookie wasnt taught how to cook. I have a great appreciation for programs that teach kids food and cooking it is one of the healthiest positive things you can communicate to people that are very young. The more programs like the cooking project in general that can have a positive impact how our kids eat is really, really important i believe that everybody should venting to utilize the kitchen and meet other kids their age to identify theyre not alone and their ways in which to pick yours up and move forward that. It is really important to me the opportunity exists and so i do everything in my power to keep it that. Well have our new headquarters in the heart of the tenderloin at taylor and kushlg at the end of this summer 2014 were really excited. A lot of the of the conditions in San Francisco they have in the rest of the country so our goal to 257bd or expand out of the San Francisco in los angeles and then after that who know. Wed never want to tell people want to do or eat only provide the skills and the tools in case thats something people are 2rrd in doing. You cant buy a box of psyche you have to put them in the right vein and direction with the right kids with a right place address time those kids dont have this you have to instill they can do it theyre good enough now to finding out figure out and find the future for hi, im corn field and welcome to doing building San Francisco, we are doing a special series, called stay safe, how you can stay in your home safely and comfortable, and we know that an earthquake is coming and there are things that you can do to reduce the effects of the earthquake on your home. Lets take a look at that. Here at the spur urban center on Mission Street in San Francisco talking about staying in your home after an earthquake. I have guests today, pat buscavich and his dog, harvey and david, and both Structural Engineers and we want to talk about things that you might do before an earthquake to your home to make it more likely that your home will be ha bitable after an earthquake, what should we do . Both structural and maybe even important nonstructural things. You hear about how to prepare an earthquake kit and brace your book shelves and water tank and that is important. What you have to be careful is make sure that you are not going the easy things to make yourself feel better. If you have a bad structure, a bad building, then you need to be looking at that and everything that you do to keep your collectables in place is small and compared. If you have taken care of your structure, then there is a lot of stuff that you can do in your house that is nonstructural and your chimney and water tank. Lets talk about what the structural things might be. And he is exactly right. You dont want to make the deck chairs safe on the titanic, it is going down, you are going down, you have to make sure that your house is safe. There are basic things that you need to do including bracing the water heater, not just because of fire hazard but because of the water source and the damage, but basic things are installing anchor bolts, and adding plywood and strapping your beams to column and posts to footings and foundations are really easy things to do and most contractors can do the Building Department is set up to approve this work, and these are things that every home owner should do, and it is a little harder because you have to get a Building Permit and hire a contractor. But you want to be able to after a big earthquake to climb in bed that night and pull the covers up and say i dont have to worry about going to a government shelter. That is the main focus that it is great to have an earthquake kit to be able to bug out for 72 hours. Here is a better idea, stay in your own home and in order to do that you have to be make sure that your structure is okay. If you have a house, the easy things to do with the wood construction is feasible. If you have a renter or you live in a concrete building, you need to talk to the building own , and make sure they have done their Due Diligence and find out what the deficiencies are. When i have looked at damaged buildings,vy seen that a little bit of investment in time and money and structural work provides great dividends. Especially if it is the wood frame, typical house that you can do the things that i was talking about, the anchor and the plywood in the first garage area, you know if you refinanced in the last three years, get some of that savings and it is a really good investment. And the other thing that i try to tell people, earthquake insurance is not the solution to the shelter in place, if there is a big earthquake and your building is damaged, you are not in your house, you may be somewhere else, if you work in the city, it is going to be really hard to commute from sonoma, you want to do what is necessary so that your house is retrofitted and a couple of years of earthquake premium could get you to a level that you could be in the house after a significant earthquake and it may have damage and there is still a shelter in place where you are at home and you are not worried for the government taking care of you and you are living in a place where you can go to work and you want to have your wood frame house is really easy to get to that level. On top of the wood frame house, i mean every wood frame house in the west half of the city have a water tank and the water tank fall over because they are gas fired and start fires. And that is something that you could do for yourself, and for your neighbors and for the whole city is make sure that your water tank is braced. If you look at the studies that are predicting on fires, we are going to have a lot of fires and for every water tank that is braced there is a potential of one less fire that the Fire Department is going to have to fight and we dont want to have any more fires than we need to. So bracing the water heater is the first thing that you want to do. And so easy, and you go online and you google, earthquake, water and heater and you google the sites where you can find the details and you can put them out there on the Hardware Store and you can hire a small contract tore do that for you. That is a couple of hundred bucks, the best investment. If you are in other types of building it is complicated. If you are in a highrise building you just cant anchor your building down because there are no anchor bolts, but at that point, the tenant should be asking questions of the r