By Tim Redmond : 48hills – excerpt
The infamous tower that nobody likes
State Sen. Scott Wiener, in a move that makes very little policy sense, is trying to exempt San Francisco’s oceanfront areas from the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission.
On the surface, it’s a solution in search of a problem: The commission’s oversight powers are very limited, and only cover a tiny sliver of developable land on the Western edge of the city.
In the 51 years since the voters approved the commission, there have been only two instances when someone has appealed a development decision on the San Francisco coast—and both times, the commission denied the appeal…
Wiener’s bill, SB 951, would “remove urbanized San Francisco from the Coastal Zone — while retaining coastal natural resources in the zone — and refine the role of the coastal commission in housing approvals under certain circumstances.”…
“The Coastal Commission is the first pre-emption of local government land-use authority,” Sup. Aaron Peskin told me. “Wiener can’t have it both ways.”…
In fact, Peskin has introduced a resolution opposing the bill, and already has five co-sponsors.
“This is a naked power grab,”…
In addition to sending out odd press releases, Scott has a way to attacking his constituents during an election campaign that makes one wonder how much he really wants to continue in his position. There are three other candidates who so far have not threatened to squash San Francisco under the kind of loads Mr. Wiener is threatening to lower on us.
Only if you failed to witness the latest Scott Wiener attack via phone comments at the latest Coastal Commission Meeting, where he practically screamed at the Commissioners accusing them of holding up a project on the beach for 9 years. According to the Commissioners, he was mistaken and another organization help the project up for 9 years. They turned it around in 5 months once they were handed the documents they needed to proceed.
Details and links to the California Coastal Commission meeting are here:
https://csfn.net/index.php/2024/01/25/wiener-called-out-by-coastal-commissioners/One wonders how relevant this is to a similar encroachment on the Marina Green by Rec and Park that is under scrutiny now by the citizens and the Board of Supervisors. Does the state want to hand over our entire coastline to the Developers to do what they will with it? More on that here:
Ordinance # 231191 – Implementation of Gashouse Cove Project – Marina Yacht Harbor and oppose the plans proposed by San Francisco Rec & Park. Already two petitions have generated thousands of letters and neighborhood groups are living up to protest these projects. Add your voice.
In addition to his anti-constituent anti-build opponents, Wiener has now managed to piss off a lot of his YIMBY followers by attacking what is left of the streets of San Francisco. The anti-car brigade is out of control and has gone too far for many of his former fans. SFMTA pretty much killed downtown San Francisco by removing traffic and parking and now they are attacking our neighborhood businesses by destroying the roads from Valencia to Taraval. People are crying ENUF ALREADY.