[Sustain] Important Update - WIENER ATTACK ON CEQA - Hearing Dates Have Changed

[Eric Brooks]

Hi all,

Last Thursday's strategy summit and Planning hearing each went well for 
us in defending our local access to challenging development via CEQA 
(the California Environmental Quality Act) from the new attack to weaken 
that access by San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener.

Over 20 representatives of environmental, neighborhood, historic 
preservation, social justice, and park protection organizations attended 
the strategy summit. Several attorneys well versed in CEQA attended and 
gave excellent briefings on the legislation and its many deep attacks on 
public process.

A very good discussion was had on near term strategy to defeat Wiener's 
measure, which resulted in an effective working consensus on how to 
proceed as a unified opposition campaign. (I'll post more on that 
working strategy in a follow up email.)

WIENER'S REACTION & NEW HEARING DATES

Many of us attended, and spoke at, the Planning hearing on Thursday, and 
met with Supervisor Eric Mar's office the next day, Friday Nov 16. We 
learned at the Commission hearing and from Supervisor Mar, that the 
rapid, energized opposition and avalanche of comments to supervisors and 
planning commissioners that we all have launched together, have gotten 
Supervisor Wiener's attention in a -big- way and caused him to 
dramatically reassess his strategy for pushing this legislation.

As a result, in the November 15 Planning Hearing, consideration of the 
measure was postponed for two weeks, and Supervisor Wiener also asked 
Eric Mar to reschedule the crucial Land Use Committee hearing on this 
matter to early December (instead of next week).

Most importantly, Wiener has asked that the December Land Use hearing be 
informational only, with no action item to pass the legislation on to 
the full Board of Supervisors. So we now have sufficient time to 
organize and implement a rock solid campaign to stop this legislation in 
its tracks, and to demand a full legitimate stakeholder process for any 
changes made to CEQA procedure and protections.

We should meet right away to keep in strong forward motion, and to work 
out a good organizing strategy for the next few weeks. I'll follow up 
soon with a proposed date, time and location for the next strategy session.

NOTE: If your organization has a good meeting space, please reply asap 
so we can line up effective venues for the next and future strategy 
sessions.

NEW HEARING DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS

Here are the new hearing dates, times and locations. (Pleased attend as 
many of these hearings as you can and speak to the many deep flaws and 
betrayals of public process in Wiener's legislation.)

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
- Wed, Nov 21, 12:30pm
- SF City Hall, Room 400

PLANNING COMMISSION
(IMPORTANT HEARING TO PUT DETAILED OPPOSITION ARGUMENTS ON THE RECORD)
- Thu, Nov 29, 12 noon
- SF City Hall, Room 400

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS LAND USE COMMITTEE
(VITAL HEARING TO SHOW THE BOARD WIDESPREAD AND DIVERSE OPPOSITION)
- Mon, Dec 3, 1pm
- SF City Hall (probably in Room 250 - will send confirmation)

I'll follow up soon with meeting notes from Thursday's strategy summit.

Excellent start all!

We have gained the high ground, and are well poised to defeat this 
legislation if we stay in high gear.

cheers

Eric Brooks
Campaign Coordinator, Our City
415-756-8844