The Central Corridor Project

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DRAFT PLAN FOR PUBLIC REVIEW

April 2013

The Planning Department published a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report on April 24, 2013. This document is available here.

Project Description

In 2011, the Planning Department began the process to develop an integrated community vision for the southern portion of the Central Subway rail corridor. This area (see map below) , located generally in the vicinity of 4th St between Townsend and Market Streets, offers a unique opportunity for integration of transportation and land use. The Central Corridor Plan will propose changes to the allowed land uses and building heights, and will include a strategy for improving the pedestrian experience in this area. These changes will be based on a synthesis of community input, past and current land use efforts, and analysis of long-range regional, citywide, and neighborhood needs. This Plan is funded by a Transportation Planning Grant from Caltrans.

Project Context

Background Report (May 2011)
A report produced by the Planning Department in May 2011 to examine important trends in the housing and the economy, as well as local conditions in the area.

Public Realm Existing Conditions Report (October 2011)
A report produced by the Planning Department examining existing conditions of streets, sidewalks and open spaces in the area, including a synthesis of comments and ideas from the public during the initial "Idea Gathering" phase from February through July 2011. Based on this examination and input, the report identifies targeted focus areas on which the Planning Department will concentrate conceptual design efforts for this Plan.

Capitalizing on De-Industrialization to Sustainably Address the Demands of Growth & Modernization (January 2012)
A report written by Steve Wertheim of the San Francisco Planning Department, based on his independent field work supported by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. This report looks at several European cities case studies, examines the strategies they employed in their de-industrializing urban cores, and discusses how they might be relevant to the Central Corridor.

Related Planning Efforts in the Area

• Transit Center District Plan
• 4th and King Railyards Study
• Bicycle Plan
• Eastern Neighborhoods (including the East SoMa Area Plan)
• ENTRIPS Eastern Neighborhood Trips
• Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan
• SB375 and Bay Area Sustainable Communities Strategy
• SFMTA Central Subway
• SoMa Historic Resource Survey
• Transit Effectiveness Project
• Western SoMa
• Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Area

Maps of Existing Conditions:

• Zoning
• Heights Allowed
• Plan Areas
• Land Use
• Building Heights
• Soft-Sites
• Open Space
• Historic Resources
• Transportation

Idea Gathering

Who we talked to

Meetings with Community Groups:

• Asian Neighborhood Design
• California Culture and Music Association
• Central Subway Outreach Committee
• Clementina Cares
• Filipino-American Development Foundation
• Housing Action Coalition (HAC)
• Rincon Hill /South Beach/Mission Bay Neighborhood Association
• San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR)
• San Francisco Youth Commission
• South of Market Action Network (SOMCAN)
• South of Market Business Association (SOMBA)
• South of Market Leadership Council
• South of Market Project Area Committee (SOMPAC)
• Western Soma Taskforce
• Yerba Buena Community Benefit District

Walking Tours

The Planning Department hosted two walking tours featuring a variety of speakers along who discussed their area of interest and vision for the corridor.

• Map and speakers for the June 1 walking tour
• Map and speakers for the June 8 walking tour
• Photos from the walking tours

Storefront Charrette

From June 22nd through June 25th the Planning Department set up shop in a retail space at 825 Howard Street and invited everyone to drop in to chat and to provide input that we will use to formulate the plan.

• Photos from the storefront charette

Community Survey

From May 1st through August 1st the Planning Department conducted a Community Survey. See below for the results.

What we heard

• Summary of Ideas
• Survey Results
• Results of the Mapped Visioning Exercise: Built Form | Public Realm
• The Public Realm Existing Conditions Report includes a compilation and synthesis of the ideas and comments generated during the Idea Gathering phase through July 2011 and, based on this, identifies targeted focus areas on which the Planning Department will concentrate conceptual design efforts for this Plan

Plan Development and Workshop Materials

The first step in the drafting the Plan was to develop a set of Land Use and Urban Form Principles that guide the development of the Plan. To see our draft Land Use and Urban Form Principles, click on the links below.

• Draft Land Use Principles (Nov. 3, 2011)

• Draft Urban Form Principles (Nov. 3, 2011)

• November 29, 2011 Public Workshop on Initial Land Use and Urban Form Scenarios
  On Tuesday November 29, 2011, the Planning Department hosted a public workshop at the SPUR Urban Center to present the draft land use and urban form principles, implementation strategies, and a range of scenarios for both zoning and height limits.
  Download the entire workshop presentation (screen version)
  Download the entire workshop presentation (print version)
  Zoning Scenario Maps
  Building Height Scenario Maps

• 3-D Urban Form Simulations of Building Height Scenarios

• Please fill out the online Feedback Form!
  The Planning Department would like to know what you think of the draft principles, implemenations strategies, and zoning and urban form scenarios. Review the materials above, download and fill out the feedback form, and mail or email it back to us:
  
  Joshua Switzky
  San Francisco Planning Department
  1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
  San Francisco, CA 94103
  joshua.switzky@sfgov.org

• March 6, 2012 Public Workshop on the Public Realm
  On Tuesday March 6, 2012, the Planning Department hosted a public workshop at the SPUR Urban Center to present and receive feedback on concepts for improvements to the public realm (streets and open spaces).
  Download the entire workshop presentation (screen version)
  Workshop Questionnaire (Please fill out this form to provide us feedback on the workshop. Email the completed form to joshua.switzky@sfgov.org or print and mail to the address above.)

• June13, 2012 Public Workshop on Refined Plan Proposals
  On Wednesday June 13, 2012, the Planning Department hosted a public workshop at the SPUR Urban Center to present and receive feedback on refined Plan concepts for all aspects of the Plan, including land use, urban form, streets and circulation, open space, eco-district, and public benefits program. The Department refined its proposals presented at past workshops based on comments received from the public as well as additional analysis.
  Download the entire workshop presentation (screen version)
  Download the workshop boards
  Workshop Questionnaire (Please fill out this form to provide us feedback on the workshop. Email the completed form to joshua.switzky@sfgov.org or print and mail to the address above.)

• Sustainable Communities Index and the Central Corridor (April 2013)
  At the request of the Planning Department, the Department of Public Health conducted a Sustainable Communities Health Assessment of the Central Corridor Plan Area. The Assessment yielded a series of potential opportunity areas for improving neighborhood health, and this document describes how the Central Corridor Plan will assist in addressing these important health issues.

Public Hearings

• April 14, 2011 at the San Francisco Planning Commission
  An informational presentation to provide the context for the Cental Corridor Plan and describe our outreach strategy
  Download hearing presentation
  Watch the hearing on SFGovTV ( Look under 04/14/11 click on Video, click on Agenda Item #5. The presentation starts at 38:30 of the video.)

• November 3, 2011 at the San Francisco Planning Commission
  An informational presentation to describe the results of the "Idea Gathering" phase and introduce the Plan's draft Land Use and Urban Form Principles
  Download hearing presentation
  Watch the hearing on SFGovTV ( Look under 11/03/11 click on Video, click on Agenda Item #14. The presentation starts at 5:39:30 of the video.)

Draft Plan

Based on all of the conversations and the input we have received during the Idea Gathering phase and public discussion of the Draft Concepts, Planning Department staff developed this Draft Plan for Public Review, which represents the culmination of the initial planning phase, and marks a key milestone in the process.

Download the DRAFT PLAN FOR PUBLIC REVIEW (April 2013)

Printed copies of the Plan will be available soon for purchase or viewing. Please check back.

Next Steps

We invite you to read through the Draft Plan, and look forward to hearing your feedback, which can be provided in a number of ways:

• By writing directly to staff at the address below.
• By meeting with Planning Department staff. Please contact us to set up a date that works for you.
• By attending a monthly working session on key topics in the Draft Plan. These collaborative, informal sessions will be focused on specific policy or design matters related to the Draft Plan, and will help us refine the Plan, especially its zoning controls and design guidelines, for adoption in late 2014. You will receive notice of these sessions, including the topics they will address, as they are established. Look for announcement of the first session in June!

A Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Draft Plan will be published in the next few weeks. Please be sure to sign-up for the email list via the webpage if you have not done so, so that you receive announcements related to the EIR as well as working sessions and hearings on the Plan. As the Draft Plan undergoes environmental review, staff will continue public outreach efforts to develop and refine this Draft Plan. We hope to complete refinement of the Plan’s proposals and environmental analysis, and begin efforts towards certification of a final EIR and adoption of a final Plan, in late 2014.

Contact

Make sure to sign up to be on our project mailing list to get updates on the Central Corridor planning process. Questions, comments, and suggestions on this planning effort should be directed to:

Joshua Switzky
Project Manager San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street
Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103

joshua.switzky@sfgov.org
(415) 575-6815