Board affirms categorical exemption for Washington Square water conservation project after appeal

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Nov. 13 voted to affirm the Planning Department’s determination that the proposed Washington Square water conservation project is categorically exempt from further environmental review under CEQA.

The vote followed an appeal filed by Save North Beach (appellants Mark Bruno and the North Beach Business Association). Bruno argued the project had been improperly noticed and the timing for appeal was misinterpreted by the Planning Department. He also criticized the project’s scope and cost, saying, “Number 1, it costs $3,050,000,” and questioned why a more modest and far cheaper alternative had not been tried first.

Rec and Park and Planning staff defended the project and the public outreach. Toks Sijike, director of capital and planning for Rec and Park, told the board the project was the result of multi‑year work with the Friends of Washington Square and the SFPUC, and said the improved irrigation and drainage would “be saving over…