Planning Association for the Richmond, SF

3333 California Street project — community workshop Sept 21

The former Fireman's Fund / UCSF site on California Street in Laurel Heights is going to be redeveloped — come out and participate in a community workshop to learn more and weigh in:

When: Monday, Sept 21, 2015, 6pm-7:30pm
Where: JCCSF, 3200 California Street

The Prado Group says:

In the meeting we will share what we learned in the July community meeting, how that feedback informed our design values, and present urban design imagery that we believe to be responsive to those values. The community will have the opportunity to provide feedback and engage directly with the design team. The topics covered will include pedestrian experience, open space/landscape, mobility, neighborhood context, mix of uses, architectural design elements and sustainability. Similar to the July workshop, the format will be interactive stations hosted by the design team members.

Please visit 3333CalSF.com for more information and project updates.

SF VA Medical Center taking comments on Environmental Impact Statement for Long Range Development Plan

The San Francisco VA Medical Center has prepared a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). An EIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and is an important tool for decision making.

There will be a 60-day public comment period for the Supplemental Draft EIS from March 9 — May 8, 2015. For comments to be considered they must be received by May 8, 2015.

Learn more and comment on the DEIS at a public meeting on April 14:

Public meeting — everyone is welcome
Tuesday, April 14, 2015, 5-7 PM
San Francisco VA Medical Center
4150 Clement Street
Auditorium, Building 7, 1st Floor, Room 112

Comments may be provided:

• At the public meeting on April 14, 2015 (see above)
• On the E-Gov Web Site at regulations.gov
• Via mail or email:
  • Robin Flanagan, Project Director
    San Francisco VA Medical Center
    4150 Clement St., Bldg. 2, Room 300A
    San Francisco, CA 94121
  • [email protected]

Comments should reference “SFVAMC LRDP Supplemental Draft EIS” in any correspondence.

Copies of the Supplemental Draft EIS are available for review online at www.sanfrancisco.va.gov/planning/eis.asp. Copies are also available for review at the following locations:

• San Francisco Public Library: Anza Branch, 550 37th Avenue
• San Francisco VA Medical Center: Engineering Office, Building 3, 1st Floor

For more information please contact Robin Flanagan, Project Director, at [email protected] or (415) 750-2049.

POSTPONED: SF VA Medical Center — Community Meeting Dec 11

[The meeting has been postponed — watch here for updates]

Please join the San Francisco VA Medical Center for a Community Meeting:

Thursday, December 11, 2014, 6-7 PM
San Francisco VA Medical Center
4150 Clement Street
Auditorium, Building 7, 1st Floor

Topics include:

• Construction project updates
• Long-range planning updates
• Ebola preparation

For more information, contact Judi Cheary at (415) 750-2250 or [email protected].

News and reminders from the Assessor-Recorder's Office

Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu has sent a letter to PAR and other community groups with some important reminders:

Since mid-October, over 200,000 tax bills have been mailed to San Francisco property owners. While the Office of the Assessor-Recorder does not issue bills or collect payment, I wanted to update you on a few issues property owners may care about.

Every year a number of property-related bills or notices are returned because we do not have your updated mailing addresses. At times, property owners may request that their bills and notices be mailed to an address that is not the address of the property (for example, mail request to a PO Box). To make sure that you do not miss any important mail, please take a moment to update our records with your correct mailing address. We've made it easy and convenient by creating a simple online form - just click on the online Change of Address application link found at www.sfassessor.org. You can also print a form and return a hard copy of the application to us if you prefer. When in doubt, please call 311 with any questions.

Taxpayers should also be aware of aggressive solicitations in the mail. Recently, we have had residents notify us of official-looking solicitations they've received. One example is a solicitation offering copies of property deeds and other records at costs that are significantly higher than the actual cost of copies you would pay if you made a request for copies directly from our office. Our office provides official copies with fees ranging from $3 - $14 as set by State law. A few taxpayers have notified us that they have made a payment through one of these solicitations without ever receiving the document copies!! Please contact the Police Department’s Fraud Unit at (415) 553-1521 if you have had these experiences, as they can help advise you on any next steps.

Additionally, we remain committed to expanding language access by providing more translated fact sheets and enhancing translation services. If you or someone you know would like to see their annual notice of assessed value in a different language, please let us know by calling 311 and making the request.

You can read Assessor-Recorder Chu's full letter here.

Property Assessment Appeal Period Ends September 16

If you own property in San Francisco, you should be aware that you can appeal the assessed value of that property, but the deadline for appealing assessment is coming up quickly. Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu has sent a letter to PAR and other community groups with an important reminder:

On Monday, September 16, 2013, the City and County of San Francisco will close the filing period for a formal appeal of the 2013/2014 assessed property value. The period for appeals opened on Tuesday, July 2, 2013.

Many property owners are not aware of this appeals deadline, so the Office of the Assessor-Recorder wants to make every effort to ensure they are aware of their rights. We see the appeals process as an opportunity for property owners to bring additional information to the table.

Our office is beginning to see a decline in the number of appeals for the first time in over four years, with 2012/13 appeals decreasing to 5,500 from 6,399 in 2011/12. As home prices in San Francisco rise, this trend of declining appeals is likely to continue as homeowners see their property regain its base year value.

In order to appeal, property owners must complete the Application for Changed Assessment form (accessible by visiting www.sfgov.org/aab) together with a non-refundable $60 administrative processing fee and submit it no later than 9/16/2013 to the Assessment Appeals Board (AAB) at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall, Room 405, San Francisco, CA 94102.

You can read Assessor-Recorder Chu's full letter here.