Pacific Heights Residents Association

February 2003

Annual Meeting Celebrates 30 Years of Achievement

Thirty years of accomplishment was the theme of the PHRA annual meeting October 24. Winning 40-foot height limits and limited density may have been the biggest achievement, but it wasn’t the only one.

Some of the other recent successes of PHRA outlined by President Greg Scott:

Getting the Planning Commission to require on-site parking for the residential units planned for the Chong Wo Laundry site at 2863 California Street.

Some down-scaling of the construction plans of the Presidio Trust.

The Webster Street Historic District’s reaching a settlement under which the Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute will maintain its Victorian houses and use them only for residences.

Preventing the numerous consulates in Pacific Heights from securing no-parking zones around their property.

Fighting Muni’s attempts to enlarge its bus zones.

Defeating a "laundry list" of residential zoning violations.

Linda Klouda, a PHRA Director and the Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening, thanked many individuals and organizations that made the 30th anniversary meeting special:

Schools of the Sacred Heart: the evening’s venue.

Mike and Lana Castle: The Flower Shop of San Francisco, at California and Broderick streets: flowers

Mike Temple of Vino, at California and Fillmore streets: wines.

The Joseph Schmidt company: celebratory chocolate truffles.

Calvary Presbyterian Church: the directors meeting each month.

PHRA Treasurer Noel Kirshenbaum reported that the association had assets of $19,751.69 at the end of last year and approximately $2,200 more as of now.

Judy Langley summarized the efforts of Friends of the Webster Street Historic District and its fund-raising house tour. The tour and previous fund-raising activities netted approximately $17,000, but contributions still are needed to retire the last $5,000 owed to attorneys.

Former PHRA Vice President Ian Berke called on members to participate in the next major fight: proposal for a major increase in density at the California Pacific Medical Center. Berke noted, "No other institution has had such an impact on our neighborhood. They promise to be better neighbors but they never are." He described the years of construction problems that will precede an exponential growth in traffic and parking problems. "They seem deaf to our concerns," he said.

Scott then presented two "Carrot" Awards, one to Charlotte Maeck for creating and leading PHRA (see story on facing page) and one to David Ish, publisher of The New Fillmore, for his long-time support of PHRA on major issues.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Matier and Ross were the evening’s featured speakers. They credited PHRA with being "the most successful" group, amending that to "You and the Bicycle Coalition."

Ross observed that politics is the main sport in San Francisco, which is why the audience was at the meeting instead of being at the World Series. He commented that there has been a power shift in San Francisco and it’s no longer just "Willie Brown’s show." Matier added that the Board of Supervisors does now seem more responsive to neighborhood concerns.

Looking at the broader picture, Matier asked rhetorically, "Why does San Francisco stay the same after every election?" The answer is that we always want to change the rules instead of changing the people. Term limits "doesn’t change things."