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UCSF Awards Grants to GreenTrust and Friends of Esprit Park at Mayor's Reception on Thursday, November 15, 2007: Dear Friends: On behalf of UCSF, I am writing to invite you to attend a reception celebrating the inauguration of the Mayor's Open Space Task Force on Thursday, November 15, 2007, 5:00-7:00 p.m., UCSF Mission Bay Community Center. During the program, UCSF will award grants to the GreenTrust and Friends of Esprit Park. During the recent baseball season, UCSF donated $5 per car to the GreenTrust each time a fan who attended a San Francisco Giants game parked at the UCSF Mission Bay Third Street Garage. For this season, UCSF will donate $21,125 to the GreenTrust, a community-based nonprofit that works to realize a greener Central Waterfront and improve the community's social and ecological health. UCSF will also award $50,000 to the Friends of Esprit Park, which was founded by Dogpatch neighbors to encourage the Esprit Corporation to donate the park to the City and County of San Francisco. They continue to raise funds and organize volunteers to help maintain and improve the park. With its strong San Francisco presence, UCSF has a long history of maintaining open space in San Francisco. The 61-acre Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve on UCSF's Parnassus campus is an ecological oasis in the heart of San Francisco's urban environment. The 3.2 acre Koret Quad at UCSF's Mission Bay campus serves as an informal landscaped gathering place for the public as well as the campus community. UCSF is proud to be part of the Mission Bay community, both as a responsible property owner and a concerned neighbor. We are pleased to contribute to two distinguished organizations that are committed to improving and preserving neighborhood parks and open space in San Francisco. I hope you will join us in celebrating our grants to these two organizations on Thursday, November 15. Please RSVP to (415) 621-3260 or kedwards@sfnpc.org.
Warm Water Cove Park Clean-up Day - August 4, 2007, 9 a.m. - noon See the Projects page for information about the Warm Water Cove Cleanup. GreenTrustSF—Central Waterfront has elected our Board of Directors Officers: Janet Carpinelli, Chair Members-At-Large: Loring Sagan, committee chair, Project Development/Implementation Charmaine Yu, committee chair, Membership/Communications Ralph Wilson, Web master Next Board of Directors meeting: 6:15, May 8, Piccino, 801 22nd St @ Tennessee St., San Francisco. Elections for our first Board of Directors for the GreenTrustSF/Central Waterfront will take place during our meeting on Thursday, April 26, 7-9pm at Sundance Coffee, 2295 Third St. @ 20th St. The voting will be by secret ballot by those attending the meeting. As per the By-Laws, nominations will also be taken from the floor. The following people are nominated to the Board of Directors of the GreenTrustSF Stephen Antonaros Stephen Antonaros is an architect, community activist, and San Francisco native and has lived and worked in the city most of his life. His office is at 2298 Third Street. A resident of Bernal Heights for 15 years, he served for 10 years on the Board of Directors of the Bernal Heights Community Foundation, 6 years as Board President. Among other things he was responsible for securing a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for completing a large-scale community planning process in that neighborhood. Stephen is known for his ability to facilitate collaborative solutions that address all stakeholders' concerns. He is keenly interested in effectively incorporating community input into urban design and planning projects, especially around enhancing the streetscape, expanding open space, and encouraging alternative transit systems. He looks forward to the GreenTrust becoming a model for successfully bringing developers and community together to produce innovative solutions to neighborhood improvement needs. Janet Carpinelli I am an avid believer in the need for green space within urban environments. Green spaces connect people to the natural environment and the other creatures of the world, and in so doing, help bring balance to urban living. I am particularly interested in public/private/neighborhood partnerships that can go beyond what Park and Rec. can provide. We can create and enhance green space that will bring people together and have a positive and lasting impact for this neighborhood and The City. As an active neighbor in the Mission Bay Plan citizens meetings, I initiated and successfully petitioned to have the soon-to-be waterfront green space moved from the west to the east side of Terry Francois Way, resulting in more usable open space for the public. A Dogpatch resident for 26 years, I have enjoyed being involved in the neighborhood’s evolving character through my active membership in Dogpatch Neighborhood Assn and BOD, the steering committee for the neighborhood driven Potrero Central Waterfront Plan of 1999, UCSF Mission Bay Community Advisory Committee and its Hospital Replacement Committee, Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Assn., and Potrero Hill Garden Club. Active in establishing the Dogpatch Historic District; worked with neighbors, Friends of Esprit Park and Supervisor Maxwell to save Esprit Park as a public park. With FUF, Dogpatch neighbors and MUNI, planted flowering trees in 22nd St. mini park and street trees throughout the neighborhood. I look forward to seeing a network of greenspace grow throughout the central waterfront. Pat Mulligan I was born and raised in San Francisco and graduated from UC Santa Cruz. For the past eight years, I have resided in Dogpatch and am an active member in the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association. I look forward to raising a family with my wife in this neighborhood and am concerned with social and environmental issues that impact our area. I currently sit on the boards of two local non-profits in San Francisco. For the past seven years, I have been serving on the Executive Board of Carpenter's Local Union 22, and am currently serving as the financial officer. Carpenter's Local 22 has been operating as a non-profit in San Francisco for the last 125 years, providing job placement and job training for local residents. For the past six years, I have also sat on the board of directors at the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center, currently serving as Board Secretary. Ella Hill Hutch is a full service community center providing childcare, homeless facilities, after school programs, job placement and counseling for Western Addition residents. Loring Sagan I have been involved in designing and building homes and buildings for 28 years. With experience in architecture and development, (consisting of allocation and management of various resources), and working with various community interests, I would be happy to contribute time towards doing the same for our city. My Sagan-Piechota website (www.sp-architecture.com) and Buildinc. website (www.buildinc.biz) exemplify the work I am involved with. Ralph Wilson I've been a Potrero Hill resident since 1989, and a resident of San Francisco since 1973. I'm a member of the Potrero Boosters and was active in the Boosters-sponsored Central Waterfront citizens planning effort (1999). I've also been a contributor to the Potrero Hill History Archives Project and am particularly knowledgeable about the history of Potrero Point. I'm a member of the Port of San Francisco's Citizen Advisory Group for the Central Waterfront, which focuses on the preservation of the historical resources of the Pier 70 shipyard. I created a website (www.pier70sf.org) to document Pier 70 and surrounding areas, including Dogpatch. The site has had thousands of visitors, and serves as an important resource for preservation efforts. As an avid photographer, I've documented the central waterfront for many years, and I frequently explore it on bicycle and on foot. I am the volunteer web designer and Webmaster for GreenTrustSF-CW. I believe the GreenTrust is a great initiative to enhance the livability of the central waterfront, an area I care deeply about. I know that with active citizen involvement the central waterfront can be a beautiful, vital and exciting asset for our city. Mark Walther Mark Walther is the principle of Walther Law Associates based in San Francisco, CA and a co-founder and partner in Oso Rojo Wine Importers also based in San Francisco, CA. Mark earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and his law degree from Willamette University in Oregon. Mark has been a resident of Potrero Hill for 3 years and a resident of San Francisco for the past 10 years. During his residence in San Francisco he has demonstrated a strong commitment to service to his community including serving as an active member of the GreenTrust Steering Committee. His other community activities include being and AIDSride cyclist, serving as a local area coordinator for Toys for Tots with his wife, and volunteering his time with the California Mental Health Association, the San Francisco Food Bank, Conard House of San Francisco, Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, and Legal Aid of San Francisco. Mark is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking and as such possesses a strong commitment to the preservation of green space in the urban environment as well as open lands for public use. Mark is also a dedicated and responsible dog parent who hopes to preserve open space for use of all residents of San Francisco, both the two legged and four legged varieties. Michael Yarne Michael Yarne is Director of Development for Martin Building Company (MBC), a local real estate development company with expertise in historic preservation and urban mixed-use residential projects. MBC is currently obtaining entitlements for a 179-unit mixed-use residential project located in the heart of the Central Waterfront, at 2235 Third Street. Working with Susan Eslick and members of DNA, Michael was instrumental in launching the concept of the GreenTrust, including committing $100,000 in seed money to help launch the GreenTrust. Under Michael’s leadership, MBC has also obtained approvals and financing for the creation of Mint Plaza, a new public green space near 5th and Mission Streets. When MBC breaks ground on this project in May 2007, it will be the City’s first privately-financed public plaza built in a former street. In addition to working at MBC, Michael is Chairman of the Board of City Carshare, San Francisco’s first car-sharing service and the largest non-profit car sharing organization in the United States. Michael is also President of the Board of the newly formed Central Market Community Benefits District and serves on the Board of Friends of City Planning. Michael received his law degree and a Masters in City Planning at University of California, Berkeley. Prior to his graduate work, Michael served in the US Peace Corps, working on sustainable agriculture, forestry and education projects in rural Niger, West Africa. Michael lives in the Mission District. Charmaine Yu I am interested in becoming a member of the Board of Directors of Greentrust. I've been a resident in the Waterfront neighborhood for more than 2 years, and -- even in the short time that I've been here -- seen the development and subsequent pressure on our greenspace increase by leaps and bounds. I'm interested in increasing and preserving greenspace for all types of uses -- children, sports, picnicking, sunning, walking. Most specifically, though, I'm interested in ensuring that adequate greenspace is preserved for dog owners to use as recreation and socialization space for their dogs. To that end, I've been involved in negotiation about Esprit Park, located at Minnesota and 20th Street in Dogpatch over the past year. I'm past-president of Dogpatch Dogs (our neighborhood association of dog owners) and a member of the Esprit Park task force headed by a staff member of Sophie Maxwell's office. The GreenTrust Springs Forward! We now have Adopted By-Laws Thanks to the folks who came to discuss and vote on these By-Laws at our Feb. 27 meeting. As announced in the pre-Feb. 27 email sent to all who have attended previous meetings and have given us their contact information, nominations are being accepted, as per the Adopted By-Laws (read them on the website), for Board of Directors, to be voted on at our Annual meeting in April. Because we are getting a bit of a late start, we will have the meeting during the last week of April. You may nominate yourself or another qualified person. Please submit a brief descriptive paragraph with interest and qualifications to info@greentrustsf.org by April 6. The list of nominees with descriptions will be posted on the website by April 8. Join your neighbors for the first 2007 meeting of The San Francisco Central Waterfront GreenTrust Tuesday, February 27 The steering committee has written the Vision Statement and proposed By-Laws. In order to fulfill our non-profit status we need to discuss and vote on the By-Laws at this meeting. We will nominate candidates for Board of Directors at this meeting and during the month of March. We will vote for the Board at a general membership meeting in April. The neighborhood will benefit from your energy and interest in our greener future. The Vision Statement and proposed By-Laws will be posted on our web site shortly. Save the date and stay tuned. Thank you, Join your neighbors for the first 2007 meeting of The San Francisco Central Waterfront GreenTrustTuesday, February 27 Please read our Vision Statement and proposed By-Laws before the February 27th meeting. In order to fulfill our non-profit status we need to discuss and vote on the By-Laws at this meeting. We will nominate candidates for Board of Directors at this meeting and during the month of March. We will vote for the Board at a general membership meeting in April. The neighborhood will benefit from your energy and interest in our greener future. Save the date and stay tuned. Thank you, CENTRAL WATERFRONT GREENTRUST KICK-OFF EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS(Potrero View, February 2006) by Janet Carpinelli
Susan Eslick, Janet Carpenelli, Jane Martin, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, Loring Sagan, Patrick McNerrey, Marshall Foster, Isabella Wade, Lou Vasquez, Michael Yarne On Thursday evening, January 19 th over 250 people took part in an event marking the creation of a unique project, the Central Waterfront GreenTrust. The celebration was the kick-off for an ambitious neighborhood-based mission to create a greener and cleaner Central Waterfront neighborhood, on the eastern side of Potrero Hill. The keynote speaker, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, offered her congratulations and full support to the effort, spearheaded by the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association (DNA), the Neighborhood Parks Council (NPC), the Mayor’s Office of City Greening, and the Martin Building Company (MBC), a local developer who is planning a new 180-unit residential project on the east side of Third Street between 19 th and 20 th Streets. Conditioned upon final approval of their project, MBC has pledged approximately $100,000 of start-up funding for the initial organizing and planning efforts of the GreenTrust. Its first task will be to hire a planning consulting team to draft a “Green Blueprint” that will document existing conditions in the Central Waterfront Plan Area, provide a clear vision and set of priorities for the future maintenance and development of green spaces in the growing Central Waterfront. Based on this new plan, the GreenTrust hopes to leverage additional funds through public and private sources, including City, State and Federal grant programs. This is a complicated goal that will require cooperation and coordination with the Port of San Francisco, the City Planning Department, the Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Public Works, MUNI, new developments, and local property owners. Without the leadership of such and organization, real progress would be impossible. Michael Yarne of MBC described how the idea of the GreenTrust developed after several presentations to the Potrero Boosters and the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association of their proposed project. “It became apparent that the residents and businesses in the area were concerned about the lack of planning for open space to accommodate the residential projects being proposed for the changing industrial neighborhood. Our company concluded that we needed to be part of a solution. We went back to the Dogpatch Association and offered to partner with them to create an area-wide greening plan. The idea of the GreenTrust was born.” Susan Eslick went on to explain that for years the Association, in which she serves as President, has worked with developers such as RAM Development (22 nd and Texas) and Build Inc (Esprit Headquarters at 900 Minnesota) to set aside money for an open space fund. “We are delighted that these pledges are now going to be put to use, creating a fund to not only plan for parks and more green space, but to create the mechanism needed to raise funding for development now and in the future. We are very thankful for the generous financial support from MBC.” The Executive Director of the Neighborhood Parks Council, Isabelle Wade spoke of how excited she was that the GreenTrust had chosen her organization to serve as the fiduciary agency while the GreenTrust matures. “This is the type of grassroots effort that can achieve so much, particularly dealing with the myriad of jurisdictions in the area.” Jeff Condit, Program Director for NPC added, “We will work very hard to make this model work and believe it will be replicated elsewhere in the City.” Jane Martin, founder of Plant SF, a sustainability and beautification citywide organization, spoke of the need to take charge of local greening projects. The Shotwell Greenway, the first project completed by Plant SF, is a model of rethinking how we deal with storm water being directed into the ground instead of running off into our already over flowing sewer system. That type of permeable sidewalks, along with the use of native and drought tolerant plants will be a big part of the area’s greening efforts. Marshall Foster, Mayor’s Office of City Greening then explained how Mayor Newsome has put him in charge of a new program to work with the City agencies to make it easy and affordable for private property owners to create and improve their streetscape. He promised to help with the coordination that will be needed to make the GreenTrust vision a reality. In addition to the speeches, attendees had a delightful meal, with beverages and sushi from Moshi Moshi paid for by Build Inc. Music was provided by a DJ from Mezzanine. The event concluded with a raffle of over 30 door prizes contributed by area merchants, businesses and residents. Susan Eslick invites all interested people to get involved. “We need to build on this incredible momentum. We have already received an offer to develop our GreenTrust web site from Ralph Wilson, a Potrero Resident who built and maintains the Pier 70 and Dogpatch website.” The planning group will meet on Thursday, February 9 th at 2225 Third Street from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Goat Hill Pizza will be served to those attending. |
