Richmond Roundup

Supes Reject Starbucks
The SF Board of Supervisors rejected a Starbucks that would have been located at Geary Boulevard and Fourth Avenue.

The small Starbucks would have been about 750 square feet in size and located in a closed Cala. The building is currently being remodeled by San Francisco Toyota and will become a part of its Inner Richmond network of sites. The Starbucks was to be a part of the Toyota dealership's customer service area.

The Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 on Sept. 11 to reject the coffee shop. It had the power to hear the case because of a new law which says any business with more than 10 locations nationwide has to have a Conditional Use Permit from the SF Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission gave a green light to the project and granted the Conditional Use Permit in June, but several thousand Richmond residents signed a petition urging the rejection of the coffee shop.

The battle was brought by Jesse Fink, owner of the Toy Boat Dessert Cafe on Clement Street, and was supported by other local coffee shops, including Javaholics on Balboa Street.

Opponents successfully argued that the Starbucks would take business away from "mom and pop" stores, which are unique and help the city's diverse neighborhoods maintain its local character.

New SFPD Study for Safety
The SF Police Department (SFPD), in partnership with the controller's office, worked with the Public Safety Strategies Group and the Police Executive Research Forum to conduct a Police Effectiveness Review aimed at improving public safety services in the City. The review, which took place in Chinatown and the Sunset and Richmond districts in August, will evaluate SFPD's systems, organization and practices over a period of two years.

Specifically, community input was needed for case studies about the foot patrol pilot program and the district station boundaries analysis.

To find out more about the progress of the review and upcoming public hearings, visit the Web site at www.sfpolicereview.org or call (415) 554-5297.

Move to improve Pedestrian Safety on Park Presidio Boulevard
The SF County Transportation Authority and its partner agencies have been studying pedestrian needs and potential solutions to increase pedestrian safety along 19th Avenue and Park Presidio Boulevard. As a result of the ongoing work, including input from two recent community workshops, the agencies have put together a package of near-term actions.

According to Chester Fung, a member of the SF County Transportation Authority, the SFPD has agreed to station officers along these corridors to enforce red light running, speeding and pedestrian right-of-way violations. A portable speed radar trailer will also be set up along 19th Avenue to display the speeds of passing vehicles and encourage more cautious, lower speeds.

In addition, pedestrian safety outreach and education in the Sunset neighborhood will be organized, and the California Department of Transportation will proceed with its upgrade project of installing pedestrian countdown signals in early 2008.