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City officials announce Pier development deal and EIR clearance for America's Cup; Port and event authority outline infrastructure and job plans
Summary
City and Port officials told the Rules Committee that the Planning Commission cleared the America's Cup EIR and an agreement exchanges long-term development rights away from sensitive Marina piers to Pier 54; officials described investments in piers 27'9, a cruise-terminal project and a Pac-12 media center moving to San Francisco.
City representatives and event-authority officials gave the Rules Committee a progress report on waterfront projects tied to the America's Cup and related port investments, highlighting recent planning approvals, an exchange of long-term development rights and expected job benefits.
An event-authority representative and city staff said the Planning Commission unanimously approved the environmental impact report that clears the way for event-related waterfront work. Mayor's-office representatives and the Event Authority negotiated an agreement "to give up long-term development rights to piers 14 to 22 and in exchange accept the development rights for Pier 54," a city speaker said, a move framed as protecting key waterfront views and focusing development where it is more appropriate.
Port Director Monique Moyer described operational planning and infrastructure investments needed to support the event and the city's cruise-terminal project. "That portion of the waterfront . . . fits perfectly in that," Moyer said, detailing how moving a marina and reallocating uses will allow the waterfront to balance public access and working-port needs. She said investments in Piers 27-29 and other port projects are part of a public-private partnership tied to event improvements.
Officials discussed job estimates and fundraising. The city said the America's Cup package could generate thousands of jobs and that the organizing committee's preliminary fundraising target was $12 million to cover host-agreement obligations; Mike Martin of the mayor's office said the organizing committee was "well on track" to meet initial targets but that specific pledges should be confirmed by the committee itself.
The committee also heard an announcement that the Pac-12 Media Center signed an 11-year lease for 370 Third Street and intends to begin operations in August 2012; officials said the center is expected to bring roughly 150 new local jobs.
Public and supervisor questions focused on infrastructure funding and timing. Supervisors pressed port and event staff about who will pay to repair and upgrade pier infrastructure and when construction would begin; Port and mayor's-office staff described a mix of public financing tied to the cruise-terminal project, event-authority investments and private partnerships for specific piers.
What's next: Port commission and Board of Supervisors actions remain part of the approvals pathway for development agreements and terminal financing; officials said public meetings, port commission hearings and ongoing outreach will continue as designs and financing are finalized.
This article relies on on-the-record remarks to the Rules Committee by port staff and event-authority representatives, including Monique Moyer (Port Director), Stephen Barclay (America's Cup Event Authority) and Mike Martin (mayor's office).
