Rules Committee reestablishes Presidio neighborhood working group, adds environmental council seat

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors— Rules Committee advanced a resolution to reestablish the Presidio Neighborhood Representative Working Group, adding one representative from the Presidio Environmental Council, and sent the item to the full board with recommendation.

Supervisor Elliot O'Pear, who introduced the measure, said the working group dates to 2001 when the Presidio Trust released its implementation plan and environmental impact statement. He said neighborhood organizations and environmental groups "would like the work group to address these proposed changes as it has done in the past" and urged the committee to forward the resolution.

Two members of the public who had served on the earlier work group spoke in favor. Redmond Kernan said the group "was an effective mechanism" for neighbors and city departments to collaborate on comments to the Trust's supplemental environmental impact statement. Joan Gerardo, who said she had been elected chair the last time the group convened, said the working group was the only practical way to get city departments to work with neighbors on environmental responses.

Committee members accepted the sponsor's cleanup amendments and advanced the resolution "as amended with recommendation to the full board" without objection.

The committee record indicates the Presidio Trust issued a notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement on Oct. 23, 2007, covering proposals including a contemporary art museum, a lodge, rehabilitation of the El Presidio site and theater, and circulation and parking improvements; the sponsor said the SEIS was expected to be released with a 45-day comment period. The committee did not take additional policy action beyond recommending the resolution for full-board consideration.

The Rules Committee adjourned after finishing the agenda.