Council Briefs Council Briefs (March 25, 2005)

Jobs-housing debate evolves

Zoning conversion issues do not tend to generate much interest from the public, at least not at city council meetings. But council members became emotional while they discussed when to allow developers to convert vacant industrial sites into housing.

"This is the fundamental question we need to answer now," said Mayor Matt Neely.

Developers are interested in building housing on 150 acres of industrial land throughout the city, or 10 percent of the total space allowed for industrial use. Council members and city staff fear that converting the entire amount would permanently limit future economic development and reduce sales tax revenue.

The criteria regarding which conversions will be prioritized, which the council approved 5-2, include keeping residential development out of the North Bayshore area and adjacent to existing housing.

Neely and Greg Perry dissented.

Rowhouse guidelines approved

The council approved rowhouse construction in large swaths of the city, a move that could lead to an increase in residential density in those areas.

Rowhouses, which generally feature a continuous front facade of linked multistory units, are becoming an increasing popular mode of medium-density housing, according to city staff. They were previously allowed in a limited number of "precise plan" areas.

Only two rowhouse projects are in the works, including a Shea Homes development on Evelyn Avenue. The council set a public hearing on that project for April 12.

Park costs spark questions

The city council approved a $95,000 contract with a landscape architect to design Devonshire Park.

Council member Greg Perry raised concerns about the $660,000 the project will cost to complete. The money is coming from developer fees and a federal grant program, amd Perry said the city can use them to build a nicer park or a bigger park.

City project engineer Mike Fuller told the council that the cost is due mainly to construction of the walkway, playground and fields in the park, which the city envisions looking similar to Mercy-Bush Park.

City nets $326,000 from land deal

A builder has agreed to buy a city-owned lot near Rengstorff Park for $326,000. ZYF Partnership is planning to build a large single-family home on the corner of Rengstorff and University Avenues.

The council decided to put funds from the sale into the Strategic Property Acquisition Reserve and earmarked them for the future purchase of parks or open space. The council purchased the property in 1966 as an improvement project along Rengstorff Avenue. It is one of several surplus properties the city identified last year.

Water system upgrades behind schedule

The required seismic retrofits to the Hetch Hetchy water system are nowhere near completion.

Art Jensen, general manager of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, told council members that it is possible that San Francisco will simply not build the planned capital improvements to the system that supplies water from the Sierra mountains to 90 percent of Mountain View residents.

The state believes that, without $4 billion in repairs and upgrades, customers on the system could be without water for 60 days after a major earthquake. The state has been passing laws to compel San Francisco to move forward with those improvements.

"It's been about 15 years since Loma Prieta," said Nick Galiotto. "We've finally got a plan, and we find out it's not being enacted."

Council member Mike Kasperzak is a member of the water agency's board.

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