Friends of Golden Gateway

These are FOGG’s Talking Points. Please use them whenever you can to help save our open recreational space.

WHY 8 WASHINGTON IS THE WRONG PROJECT

1. ZONING – IT VIOLATES CITY POLICY NOT TO RAISE HEIGHTS ON NORTHERN WATERFRONT.

 First HEIGHT INCREASE in 45 Years.

 A massive (200+ %) increase in the allowed BULK.

A 400% INCREASE in allowed on-site PARKING.

Zoning restrictions should serve the larger PUBLIC good, not just the needs of developer building $2.5-$7.5+ million condominiums that are 80’ higher than the old Embarcadero Freeway torn down in the early 1990’s.

2. ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED DESIGN IS AVAILABLE.

The 8 Washington/SWL 351 design is based on the Northeast Embarcadero Study (NES) which never received community consensus and has never been approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The Asian Neighborhood Design (AND) Community Vision Plan is a viable alternative.  This Plan has community consensus.  The AND Plan balances revenue generating, open space and active recreation uses across all seawall lots, including Seawall Lot 351, and is both financially and politically feasible.

3. BREADTH OF OPPOSITION.

The Developer is telling Supervisors this is a fight between the rich and the very rich.  NOT TRUE.  He claims opposition is “just a few vocal neighbors”.  Opposition is citywide and crosses the political spectrum from renters and seniors at Golden Gateway to the Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, San Francisco Tomorrow, Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association, Golden Gateway Tenants Association, SF Tenants Union, FOGG, Telegraph Hill Dwellers, former Mayor Art Agnos, former City Attorney Louise Renne and a growing list of more.

4. CREATES 400 SPACE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.

 Project disregards SF ‘Transit First Policy’ and city parking standards for residential development.  We don’t need a 400-car underground garage in a densely populated area so close to public transportation.

5.  AFFORDABLE & MIDDLE CLASS HOUSING NEGLECTED.

SF falls far short of its needs for affordable middle class and low-income housing.  8 Washington does NOTHING to help this problem. It serves ONLY the wealthiest of the wealthy ($2.5-$7.5+ condos) and pushes affordable housing needs to the back burner.

6. DESTROYS EXISTING 45 YEAR OLD RECREATION FACILITY.

This facility has been an integral component of Golden Gateway Apartment complex; a neighborhood and City-wide asset; affordable to middle class families. City must stop loss of active recreation that helps keep middle class in SF.

a. By demolishing the City’s only outdoor recreation center (GGTSC) with 9 tennis courts and 2 swimming pools, project deprives thousands of middle income families, youth and seniors access for recreation and social activities.

b. The Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club is the only community recreational center in SF open to members and guests 12 to 15 hours a day, 7 days a week. For those who swim every day, GGTSC is cheaper than “public” pools.

c. Closing GGTSC and reducing its size from nearly 85,000 square feet of open recreational space to 21,500 square feet of open recreational space will severely restrict or eliminate nearly all existing active, outdoor recreation programs.  All that will be left are two pools.  There will be no tennis courts.

7. PUBLIC TRUST VIOLATION.

Project is not an appropriate use of Public Trust land (housing not allowed).  Proposed ‘land swap’ offers land that’s already open space–no real gain.

8. THE WALL OF WEALTH.

Project does not ‘reconnect San Francisco with the waterfront.’  Instead creates a wall along the Embarcadero and a gated community for the super-rich.