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San Francisco County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Proposition F
Pier 70
City of San Francisco
Ordiance - Majority Approval Required

Pass: 158,729 / 72.85% Yes votes ...... 59,149 / 27.15% No votes

See Also: Index of all Propositions
Information shown below: Summary | Fiscal Impact | Yes/No Meaning | Arguments |

Shall the City increase the height limit for new buildings on the 28-acre development site in the Pier 70 area from 40 feet to 90 feet; and shall it be City policy to encourage the City to proceed with public approval processes, including environmental review, for this mixed-use project, and encourage parks, housing, cultural space, and job creation for this site?

Summary:
Proposition F is an ordinance that would increase the height limit for buildings on the 28-acre development site in the Pier 70 area from 40 feet to 90 feet. Proposition F would provide that all aspects of development other than the height limit increase will continue to be subject to public approval processes, including environmental review under the California

Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The height limit increase would not become effective until the Port, after compliance with CEQA, approves the development plan.

Proposition F would make it City policy to encourage the following major features in developing the site:

  • nine acres of waterfront parks and recreation areas that would provide public access to the Bay;
  • approximately 1,000 to 2,000 new residential units; most of these units would be rental units, and 30% would be below market rate and afford- able for middle- and low-income households;
  • restoration and re-use of historic structures;
  • space for arts and cultural activities, nonprofits, small-scale manufacturing, retail, and neighbor- hood services;
  • preservation of the artist community currently located in the Pier 70 area;
  • between 1 million to 2 million square feet of new commercial and office space;
  • parking and transportation improvements; and
  • a significant number of permanent jobs and revenue to support public housing facilities.

Fiscal Impact:
City Controller Ben Rosenfield has issued the following statement on the fiscal impact of Proposition F:

Should the proposed ordinance be approved by the voters, in my opinion, it would not, in and of itself, affect the cost of government.

The ordinance would authorize building heights up to 90 feet on a portion of the Port of San Francisco's Pier 70 property as part of a residential, office, retail, arts and public space development that is currently being planned.The financial agreements and other aspects of the development project are subject to existing public approval processes and will not be materially affected by the ordinance.

Meaning of Voting Yes/No
A YES vote on this measure means:
If you vote "yes," you want to:
  • increase the height limit for new buildings on the 28-acre development site in the Pier 70 area from 40 feet to 90 feet;
  • encourage the City to proceed with public approval processes, including environmental review, for this mixed-use project; and
  • make it City policy to encourage parks, housing, cultural space, and job creation for this site.

A NO vote on this measure means:
If you vote "no," you do not want to increase the height limit or adopt this City policy.

  
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Arguments For Proposition F Arguments Against Proposition F
Prop F is the result of years of community participation and neighborhood input to revitalize vacant land and deteriorating buildings currently behind fences that block waterfront access.

Prop F creates affordable housing, local jobs and new waterfront parks. It rehabilitates historic buildings, funds transit, and provides space for artists and local manufacturing.To make these public benefits possible, it changes the height limit from 40 to 90 feet + the same height as the site's tallest existing structure.

A broad coalition including Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association, Mayor Ed Lee and former Mayor Art Agnos support Prop F.

Public Benefits:

Affordable Housing: Creates up to 600 affordable homes + more than double required by city law. A majority of the units will be rentals.

Waterfront Parks: Creates public Bay access with all buildings at least 100 feet from the shoreline, and nine acres of parks, playgrounds and recreation.

Historic Preservation: Rehabilitates existing historic buildings.

Studios for Artists: Provides new artist studios at affordable rates.

Local Manufacturing Space: Provides space for local manufacturing, retail and services.

Jobs: New commercial space will generate up to 10,000 permanent new jobs.

Transit: Generates more than $20 million to fund local transit improvements.

There are strong real estate developer pressures to run up the population of the City and County of San Francisco beyond its current estimated population of about 850,000 to over 1,000,000 people before 2020.

Unfortunately, San Francisco has less than 49 square miles, with large areas occupied by parks, schools, playgrounds, and other developments.

The City already has major traffic problems, lots of auto accidents, a poorly planned Muni bus and street- car system, and many more serious urban problems.

Passing Proposition "F" will just increase San Francisco's growing overpopulation difficulties.

The Coalition for San Francisco Neiborhoods, a large federation of some 48 civic organizations and improvement clubs, has wisely voted "no endorse- ment" on Proposition "F".

San Francisco already has more people per square mile than any other of California's 58 counties.

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Created: July 23, 2015 14:58 PDT
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