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Supervisors re-refer Ocean View library rebuilding plan after site questions
Summary
The board voted to send back an ordinance requiring a new Ocean View-area library to be built at 100 Orizaba Avenue to committee after supervisors said prior site plans and funding options changed and the project needed further review.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to re-refer an ordinance about the planned rebuild of the Ocean View branch library to committee after supervisors raised questions about sites, funding and community process.
Supervisor Safaie (member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors) moved to send the matter back to committee; Supervisor Walton seconded the motion and it was re-referred "without objection" for additional review.
Safaie told colleagues the rebuild project, which serves the Ocean View, Merced Heights, Ingleside and Lakeview neighborhoods, "has been held up for over 2 years" and that "there's almost $50,000,000 sitting in an account we put on reserve at the budget committee." He said recent developments ' including that a bond measure did not proceed to the ballot ' removed one previously pursued community site option and made the city-owned parcel at 100 Orizaba Avenue the apparent remaining option. "We did get some movement for the first time from the librarian saying that the public land at 100 Orizaba seemed to be the only site," Safaie said.
Safaie said one of the amendments discussed in committee could allow an expansion on the existing library site if adjacent parcels become available, and he asked to continue conversations with the library and planners. He moved to re-refer the item to committee for continued work; the motion was seconded by Supervisor Walton and accepted without objection.
Why it matters: The Ocean View neighborhood library rebuilding project involves neighborhood planning, capital funds and community priorities. Supervisors said the local site discussion and the funding status require further work before the board takes final action.
Outcome and next steps: The ordinance requiring that the new branch be built at 100 Orizaba Avenue (Item 21) was referred back to committee. Supervisors indicated the librarian and project team should continue discussions and return with additional options and clarifications, including the possibility of expanding the existing site if adjacent land becomes available. The board did not vote to adopt the ordinance at this meeting.
Key quote: "This library is the smallest neighborhood library in the entire city. Unfortunately this project to rebuild it has been held up for over 2 years ' there's almost $50,000,000 sitting in an account we put on reserve at the budget committee," 'Supervisor Safaie (member, San Francisco Board of Supervisors).
Ending: The item will return to committee for additional hearings and discussion; supervisors said they expect continued engagement with the library and community before the board considers a final site designation.
