Hi Jim,

This parking proposal greatly, greatly concerns me.   I'm not a resident in Potrero Hill, but my husband drives from lower Noe Valley to the Caltrain station every morning and depends on available free parking in that area.   I would love to do everything I can to help your petition and be on top of this issue.   Can you please let me know what I can do to help you with your counter-strategy?

Thank you

Hi Tracy,
There is an online petition that you can sign at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-parking-meter-installation-in...

The other thing is that SFMTA will have a public meeting to consider
the proposal. They have not yet announced the time/date of the
meeting. As soon as they do, I will post on the potrero boosters site.

Jim

Hi Jim,

This parking thing would be a joint agreement between SFMTA and the SF Port Commission.   I see that there will be a Port Commission meeting this coming Friday, December 16th, at 10:15am (open session).  (http://www.sfport.com/index.aspx?page=1966)   On the Port's Forward Calendar agenda items, I see they have marked an item for an "informational presentation" on SFMTA and Port Mission Bay Parking Strategy.   So as far as timing, the Port does not seem to have technically passed this proposal yet.    Perhaps it would be useful to attend this Port Commission meeting this Friday and utilize the Public Comment period to speak out against this action.  

Hi Tracy,
Thanks for your note. I dont know if they allow comment on items in
their "Forward Calendar" I called the Port Authority to ask about
their authority. They do have a plan to put parking meters all over Terry Francois Blvd and closer to the bay. In talking to them and checking the maps, It appears that their authority
extends only up to Illinois St. and does not go further into Dogpatch
and Potrero Hill. We still do not have any information about when
SFMTA is scheduling their meeting about Dogpatch/Potrero Hill.

Jim

I signed the petition. I have contacted the Director of the SF Food Bank, the Muni Transit Workers Union, Caltrain, The Chronicle, The Potrero View, The Examiner, SFMTA and  passed out flyers to Muni Drivers and Caltrain Commuters to try and gain support for opposing the plan to carpet Potrero Hill and Dogpatch with meters. If you hear of any opportunity for the public to voice opposition, please let me know so I can tell my fellow commuters, Food Bank staff & volunteers and the Muni drivers. 

I don’t know if it will make a difference but, I’ve been saying this about the plan to carpet Dogpatch with meters: 

I am a San Francisco Resident, Food Bank Volunteer and Caltrain Commuter. If you are not already aware of this, SFMTA wants to install parking meters along 22^nd, 23^rd, Pennsylvania Ave., Indiana Ave, Iowa & Minnesota near the 22^nd St. Caltrain Station. 

This is bad news for Volunteers and Staff at the Food Bank, Muni workers at the Muni Yard, factory workers, those who commute to Silicon Valley via Caltrain and the Dogpatch Neighborhood in general. 

For Caltrain Commuters, this may just be enough to tip the scale and many will return to commuting by car defeating the higher goal of using mass transit. For some, paying for parking will almost double the cost of the commute.  Free parking encourages use of the 22^nd street Caltrain Station. 

There is already burden enough on the working class without having to feed meters and risk tickets. 

I hope you and others will voice your opposition by contacting SFMTA:  Jay.Primus@sfmta.com 

Contact District 10 Supervisor Malia Cohen: Malia.Cohen@sfgov.org 

Get on the distribution list and attend the public hearings.  Spread the word!

Details on the proposal can be found at:  http://sfpark.org/resources/draft-mission-bay-parking-management-st...

For Caltrain stakeholders, my husband is speaking out during the Caltrain Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting tonight December 14th at 5:40pm - 1 block from San Carlos Caltrain station.  Anyone who will be an affected commuter - please show and voice your opinion if you can.    (the meeting calendar says December 21st, but if you click on the Agenda link, it shows the meeting has been moved to tonight)  http://www.caltrain.com/about/advisorycommittees/cac/Citizens_Advis...

Jack,

I was very happy to read your post and I agree 100% with everything you say. I have thought a lot about the people at the Food Bank and the impact this would have on them. I am so happy that you have gotten the word out to them and to commuters and Muni drivers. We currently have over 450 signatures on the petition. I am trying to stay informed about the status of SFMTA's potential meeting and will pass along any news here and on NextDoor Potrero. For those who have not yet seen it, the petition can be found at:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-parking-meter-installation-in...

Jim

Hello everyone,

I created a Stop Parking Meters in Potrero Hill Facebook Group.  Please join and tell others if you are interested in this cause so we can communicate and organize action to combat this plan.

Nick

I heard from the MTA Board today as it relates to the area near the Caltrain Station. Note public hearing scheduled for January 13.

Text of email below:

Thank you for taking the time to write.   Here is what our Director of Transportation, Ed Reiskin, recently said about this proposal to another member of the public who recently expressed similar concerns:

There is no question that we at the SFMTA want to encourage transit use, both of Muni and of our partner agencies, such as Caltrain.  We also want to manage parking so that it’s efficient, effective, and supportive of transit.

While we are proposing meters in the areas you mention, we are proposing a pricing scheme that is meant to recognize the value of and better manage the parking spaces without dissuading use for commuter parking.  This proposal will not limit the amount of parking for commuters who use Caltrain -- the same number of parking spaces will be available.  In fact, better parking management will likely increase the usable supply of parking by significantly reducing the number of spaces that are used by people to store their car, RV, trailer, or camper for long periods of time.  In other words, it may actually increase the number of people that can use Caltrain at this station.

Our general approach as it relates to near-Caltrain parking is as follows:

• Install meters at currently unmanaged on-street parking.  (Where on-street parking is unmanaged, there is little turnover or availability, and some amount of parking is taken by people storing campers, RVs, trailers, or cars, reducing the useable supply of parking.)
• Meters will have no time limit.
• Meter rates will start at $0.25/hour rather than $1.00/hour (with SFpark demand-responsive rate adjustments going forward)
• In the Dogpatch area, meters will operate 9am-6pm, Monday—Saturday. Around the 4th & King Station, meters will operate 9am—11pm, Monday—Sunday.
• Drivers can prepay at the meter, so if someone arrives to take a 6am train they can park and pay the meter ahead of time (they won’t be charged from 6am-9am, but can pay ahead of time).

We have conducted extensive outreach on these proposals, and continue to welcome feedback such as yours.  We will be releasing revised proposals next week, will hold a public hearing on January 13, and will bring the final proposals to the MTA Board on February 7 for their consideration and approval.

I hope that this will allay some of your concerns but in any regard, I will forward your email to the SFMTA Board of Directors.  They do appreciate hearing from the public and will keep these comments in mind as they consider the item. 

Hi Jack

I have just had correspondence with Jay Primus about this and he cites the same arguments about RV's and cars parking long term. That's ok, except that those cars are parked there illegally under current ordinances, if I am not mistaken. It is SFPD's/SFMTA's responsibility to identify those cars and cite/remove them from the street. So the argument that putting parking meters there to control this sort of activity doesn't hold a lot of water. The petition currently has 498 signatures and counting. I will deliver a print copy of the petition to MTA prior to that meeting.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-parking-meter-installation-in...

It is good to finally get a date on the public comment session- Jan 13. Obviously, we need to get as many people to attend that meeting as possible.

Jim

Friday I learned the public hearing will be Friday, January 6, 2011, at 10:00 AM, in Room 416 (Hearing Room 4), City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102.

They say it will be on the SFMTA website 10 days prior. As soon as I have confirmation of this new date I will hand out flyers and post notices at the 22nd St Caltrain Station and surrounding area.

Go to SFMTA home > About Us > Public Notices and Meetings > Engineering Hearings >

Opinions on these proposed changes may be filed in writing prior to the hearing with the City Traffic Engineer at the Sustainable Streets Division, One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5417.  Written opinions may also be transmitted to the Sustainable Streets Division via fax at 415.701.4737.  Submitted opinions will become part of the official public record and will be brought to the attention of the person(s) conducting the hearing.  Information on the proposed changes may be obtained from the Sustainable Streets Division at the above-referenced address or by telephone at 415.701.4500.

Sorry for the clutter but I just got off the phone with Jay Primus at SFMTA and he says Jan 13 most likely hearing date. As soon as this is posted on the SFMTA website and confirmed I'll let everyone know.

Info from Jay Primus NOTE INFO ON PUBLIC HEARING:

Summary of revised version

That revised version is attached and is also posted online at http://sfpark.org/resources/mission-bay-parking-management-strategy/. The main changes are: 

• On blocks that are predominantly residential, some blocks where meters had initially been proposed were removed in favor of residential parking permits.
• Where meters are proposed, rates are proposed to begin at $0.25 per hour rather than $1.00 per hour as initially proposed. Using demand-responsive pricing, the SFMTA will charge the lowest rate possible that achieves a minimum level of parking availability so that it is easier for drivers to find parking quickly.
• Some motorcycle and loading zones were added.
• To facilitate enforcement in existing residential parking permit (RPP) areas in the Dogpatch area, it is proposed to reduce the time limit for visitors (i.e., vehicles not displaying the residential permit) from a four hour time limit to a two hour time limit. This will match time limits in the majority of RPP areas in the city.
• Drivers will be able prepay at the meter (someone can pay ahead of time at 7am but won't be charged from 7am-9am), addressing a concern that many expressed. While always planned, it was not clear in the original proposal.
• Most meters will not have time limits, except for 4^th Street and Channel Street. 

Thanks to many of you for your help in improving this plan. 

Next steps

This proposal is being forwarded for review and approval.  

The first step in that process is a public hearing, which is scheduled for Friday, January 13 at 10 a.m. at City Hall, Room 416 (Hearing Room 4).  If you cannot attend but wish to submit input for consideration, please email sustainable.streets@sfmta.com with subject line “Public Hearing” or fax to 415-701-4737. 

After the public hearing, the next step is for the SFMTA Board to consider for approval, which is scheduled for February 7. Those meetings are typically held  at 1 p.m. at City Hall, Room 400.