Dear Neighbor,
Last week, I reported on the progress we've made since last year on relocating the extraction site of the Central Subway's tunnel boring machines from Columbus Avenue to a less disruptive location, the Pagoda Palace at 1731-1741 Powell Street. While we continue to make significant progress in achieving this solution, we have not yet completed negotiations with the property owner on a lease that will allow the SFMTA to utilize the site. As I reported to the SFMTA Board of Directors on Tuesday, we have the broad outlines of an agreement, but the lease is not finalized.
For that reason, we will be asking both the Planning Commission (today, Feb. 7, at its noon meeting) and the Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee (on Monday, Feb. 11, at the 1:30 p.m. meeting) to continue the relevant items to allow for the completion of the lease negotiations. A continuance means that neither the Planning Commission nor the Land Use Committee will take a vote on the Special Use District or Conditional Use items. I would like to note that it is possible, even likely, that both bodies will discuss the Pagoda items publicly, and an opportunity for public comment will be provided despite the expected continuances.
Planning Commission action on the items will be continued one week to Thursday, February 14. The agenda for that meeting will be available here by tomorrow, Friday, February 8.
The Land Use Committee's consideration of the Special Use District is expected to be continued to Monday, February 25. That agenda will be available here on Friday, February 22.
Thank you for your continued participation as we work to relocate the Central Subway's North Beach construction work.
Sincerely,
Edward D. Reiskin
SFMTA Director of Transportation