Thanks to those who attended the summer quarterly meeting July 16 at Bird & Beckett Books & Records. Our host Eric Whittington graciously welcomed the standing-room only crowd, thanking his landlords for keeping rent low, his patrons for keeping book sales high, and the supporters of his arts non-profit for funding live music, poetry readings and book readings 4+ times a week.
First up, announcements: Glen Park received three Avenue Greenlight grants this year: funds for corner murals and planters along Slow Arlington, funds for beautification of the Pono patio, which could be the site of pop-up events in the future, and funds for neighborhood banners along Mission Street between Highland and Bosworth, the gateway to Glen Park, where screen-printers EvolvedSF and Keikos Coffee Shop on the 3900 block of Mission have joined long-time businesses to beautify the busy corridor.
Upcoming events include the August 1 Greenway work day, the August 15 Refuse Refuse cleanup followed by the August 15 Night Market, and a block party on Slow Arlington August 29 (see more info below).
We introduced representatives from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency by touting safety improvements the GPA can take credit for, thanks to your input and our nagging: flashing beacons for pedestrians crossing Bosworth at Brompton, a larger stop sign on Chenery at Elk, and crosswalk restriping at the Bosworth I-280 onramp, among others. Interested in seeing more? Join the GPA transportation committee and see how your involvement can translate into real improvements for everyone.
Mark Dreger (senior planner), Alejo Alvarado (transportation planner) and Peter Garcia, (transportation planner) from SFMTA’s Liveable Streets program presented proposed “quick build” projects to improve the Monterey and Bosworth freeway portals. They are also trying to improve bicycle routes between the three neighboring slow streets: Arlington, Hearst and Cayuga.
The solutions combine analysis from the SF County Transportation Authority (which includes feedback from neighbors at the spring 2025 GPA quarterly meeting), complaints logged with 311, meetings with advocacy groups like the SF Bicycle Coalition, feedback from tabling at events like Bike-To-Wherever day and neighborhood groups like the GPA.
Among other improvements, they propose to add a crosswalk spanning Bosworth at the foot of Arlington, a flashing beacon to the crosswalk spanning the I-280 freeway onramp on Bosworth, and a protected bike lane between Monterey Boulevard and San Jose Avenue. Click here to download the slideshow for the quick build projects.
They will refine the proposals based on public engagement through the fall before doing an internal design review this winter. Approvals could come as early as late winter, with implementation following in 2027.
You can learn more at the August Night Market, because the SFMTA will have a table there. You can also email your feedback to them at BosworthMontereyQB@sfmta.com.
Dreger introduced the agency’s new Community Corners program, which gives community groups like the Glen Park Association the opportunity to enhance state-mandated “daylighted” corners with murals and planters. Come to the August 29 Arlington block party (400 block plus the Mateo spur) to give feedback on mural design, or just come to enjoy barbecue, live music, games for the kids and your neighbors.
Please email your feedback about the Community Corners program to SlowStreets@SFMTA.com. Want to get involved in Slow Arlington or give feedback food or bad? Email SlowArlington@gmail.com.
The spotlight then shifted to Glen Park’s merchants. Although Glen Park has a few empty store fronts, the community has half a dozen new businesses that have opened over the last year or so. Merchants spoke to why they chose Glen Park: the welcoming neighborhood, the supportive merchants association, the proximity to public transit.
Marian Dalere from the Glen Park Merchants Association highlighted the range of wellness services offered at both Soluna and Celtica Wellness Sanctuary, then handed the mic over to Daisy of La Cigale. Interested diners were happy to learn that the Michelin-recognized restaurant is now taking reservations through Open Table. Next up was Heather Schneider of Goose & Co. Grooming at 667 Chenery, where dogs (and cats!) are treated to stress-free treatments that make nervous dogs calm and reluctant cats, well, reluctantly clean.
We also know that newcomer Martin’s Nail Corner at 2966 Diamond Street is offering 15% off all services through July 31; Glen Park Cafe at 2798 Diamond Street has started Super Senior Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m., when seniors can get 50% off all menu items; and Perch gift shop has a new owner.
District 8 Supervisor (and Board President) Rafael Mandelman then grabbed the mic to update us on his work at City Hall, including his work on charter reform.
The 548-page City Charter is San Francisco’s constitution, which governs how the city operates and delivers services. It is also the longest city charter in the country. Instead of simply broadly instructing how the city should be run, it is full of specific mandates that are better suited to the administrative code, which can be updated through the city’s legislature rather than by puzzled voters at the ballot box.
Mandelman is the proud author of what he calls The Boring Charter Reform ballot measure, which will eliminate arcane rules, like the requirement to have a bookbinder in the city’s law library or to eliminate the Streets and Sanitation Commission, which oversees a department that no longer exists.
Separately, the Supervisor defended the Board’s vote to reduce the percentage of required affordable housing in new developments (from 15% to 5%), as a way to spur housing development.
City policy seeks to maximize affordable housing without harming the financial feasibility of market-rate development, according to a memorandum from the city controller issued last spring.
The memorandum concluded that the current rate (already reduced from 20% in 2023) is harming financial feasibility, and that even 5% might be too high to spur development.
On an administrative note, the GPA announced that we are proposing to double dues, which have been the same $10 per voting member per calendar year since at least the year 2000. Inflation has nearly doubled in that time. Your dues fund grants to local organizations, host events like Halloween on Chenery, the blog’s website, Mailchimp, and help bring you meetings with city officials and bureaucrats so that your voice is heard in City Hall.
The meeting ended with a wonderful remembrance of former GPA president Michael Rice, told by former GPA transportation chair Lewiston Lem, who happened to run into Michael in Washington, D.C. not too long ago. Lem shared a lunch with Michael and his wife Jane, while the three caught up on Glen Park and other topics. We miss you, Michael!
Thank you to whoever brought those delicious cookies!!