The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission took two steps in support of urban agriculture at a recent meeting. The first step was making it easier for community gardeners and urban farmers to install new water hookups at their sites. Currently, the price of a new water meter installation is approximately $8,500. That high cost barrier has led many garden projects to source their water from…

At this year's Silver SPUR Awards Luncheon, SPUR Executive Director Gabriel Metcalf reflected on the contrasts between what he called "the totally dysfunctional state of our country right now and the remarkably functional state of our city and region." We are at a moment in history, he says, where solutions to the big problems are not coming out of Washington — they’re coming out of…

In January 2012, we will launch a SPUR office in San Jose. Our San Jose Director, Leah Toeniskoetter, reports on the city's new Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan. The big idea in the plan is to create urban villages, specific areas that will provide active, walkable, bicycle-friendly, transit-oriented, mixed-use urban settings for new housing and job growth.

Outside of the much-discussed mayor’s race, there were some important items on the ballot this year, and voters appear to have ignored the noise and focused on the business at hand. Here's our take on the election results, and an analysis of how SPUR's recommendations fared in the final count.

Thanks to all who have provided input on the Ocean Beach Master Plan Draft Recommendations at Public Workshop #3 and afterward. If you haven't given us your feedback yet, please do so by the END OF WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD! These Draft Recommendations represent a comprehensive, ambitious, and (we think) exciting approach to the future of Ocean Beach. Now is the time to make…

Please see attached for translated versions of the 'Ocean Beach Project Description' and 'Summary of Key Moves.' SPUR 致力為公眾服務，並與地方，州立及聯邦機構一同為Ocean海灘創立一個長期的發展眼光。我們邀請了公眾為Ocean海灘的總體規劃建议草案提出意見，其中包括海岸保護，自然資源及公眾入口等內容。這份建议草案基於來自公眾，律師，及城市機構方面的資訊投入，分別在3次的公眾合作營中完成及匯報。建议书概述了一個大膽及有前瞻性的眼光，為求增加公共空間的易達性，保護和恢復生態資源，及保護重要基礎設施不受未來幾十年海平面上升和侵蝕的影響。建议书提出改變一些街道布局的計劃，其中包括Great高速路及Sloat街。 我們希望能夠得到你們對於建議書的意見反饋，並於接下來的幾個月時間繼續修改和完善建議書的內容。 如果你們錯失了參加我們公眾合作營的機會，或者想在復雜事物中尋求關於Ocean海灘的新鮮話題，請瀏覽以下網址：www.spur.org/oceanbeach 獲取關於工作營的更多資訊。

In late October, SPUR shared with the public a set of draft recommendations for the Ocean Beach Master Plan, a long-range vision for managing coastal erosion, infrastructure, access and ecology on San Francisco’s western coast. Of the six big ideas in the draft, here are two that propose the most significant — and most exciting — changes to streets, public spaces and coastal management at Ocean Beach.

We’d like your input! This pdf (24MB) presents the Ocean Beach Master Plan Draft Recommendations. (It is shorter than the one in the previous post, which also provides a lot of background etc). The issues at Ocean Beach are complex and challenging. If you’re new to the project, please spend some time with the materials on this site to familiarize yourself with the background. A…

For those that missed Saturday's workshop (10/29) or want a review, here is the presentation. It provides some project background, info on the public process to date, and a summary of the Draft Recommendations. Stay tuned for lots more workshop materials, and an online feedback tool! Please note: the coastal dynamics and infrastructure animations don't work in this viewer. They are both available on this…

In the weeks leading up to the November 8 election, San Franciscans find themselves up to their necks in news articles (from the Chronicle, the Mercury News and even The Economist) about our ranked-choice voting (RCV) system and how the tallying of voters’ first, second, and third preferences might affect the outcome of the mayoral election. In principle, ranked-choice voting is simple: If…

The Bay Area is in the midst of a major planning initiative to identify where to grow and how to allocate scarce transportation dollars over the next 30 years. City agencies have been consulted in the development of the Sustainable Communities Strategy, but recently they got a chance to respond publicly to the plan and raise concerns about its three proposed growth scenarios. SPUR agrees with much of the city’s response, but we differ on a few key points. Namely, we believe San Francisco should absorb a big share of future growth.

As mentioned at this saturday's Ocean Beach Workshop, the SFSU Neighborhood Task Force will be meeting this evening to discuss the 19th Avenue/State Rte 1 Corridor study, which is of interest as it may include some analysis of OB Master Plan transportation proposals.

Dale Minami has served as a Bay Area attorney for four decades, garnering nationwide recognition for his civil rights leadership in the process. A personal injury attorney with Minami Tamaki LLP by practice, Dale has made substantial contributions to the advancement of Asian-American rights. He helped found the Asian Law Caucus and the Asian American Bar Association, both the first of their kind in the United…

Rick Laubscher is most well known for his transformative impact on Market Street’s historic streetcars, but his transportation advocacy and commitment to San Francisco’s important historic treasures extends well beyond the Market Street Railway. A fourth-generation San Franciscan, Rick and his family have long been engaged in the vibrant life of Market Street. Among his civic contributions, Rick served as founding board chair of The City Club…

Art Gensler is a business visionary who has transformed the industry of architecture and design through his entrepreneurial creativity and leadership. In 1965, he co-founded Gensler, a San Francisco architecture and design firm, now a 3,000-person firm with 30 offices worldwide. A Cornell University graduate, Art is on the Advisory Council of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning. Art’s civic leadership includes service to…

Natalie Berg, Ed.D., has influenced San Francisco as an educator, civic leader and land use consultant. In her 30 plus years at City College of San Francisco she has served as a professor, dean and most recently as an elected member and president of the Board of Trustees. Natalie recently retired from 12 years of service at Forest City Development, where she was responsible…

What’s the best way to revitalize Central Market? There isn’t one way, but many — and they all need to be coordinated with one another. While this sounds like an answer that Yoda might offer, we hope that the folks at the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OWED) don’t have to rely on the Force alone to help finalize the Central Market Economic Strategy. The strategy is full of good ideas — and all will need substantial political support in order to be realized.