[Sustain] CEQA UPDATE: Hearing Today, But Next Key Hearing, Mon, June 10

[Eric Brooks]

Brief CEQA Update - Hearings Today & June 10

Hi all,

It looks like we are getting a breather from the intense CEQA schedule 
that we have been under and can plan for our next strategy meeting to be 
in the first week of June.

Our legislative drafting team has been in intense negotiations with 
Supervisor Chiu for the last two weeks and Chiu has decided to continue 
the CEQA item in today's Land Use hearing until Monday, June 10 when we 
are hoping to have a final and acceptable compromise CEQA procedures 
measure ready for a vote of the Board of Supervisors. I'll send an email 
soon proposing a June 3 meeting (either at the Main Library or City Hall 
at around 12 noon) so that we can regroup and prepare for the hearing 
the following week. (NOTE: We should also begin discussing the looming 
and very serious threat to CEQA posed by the 'One Bay Area Plan' 
development rules juggernaut. See 
http://onebayarea.org/regional-initiatives/plan-bay-area.html )

Today's Hearing

With that said, it wouldn't hurt for a few of us to attend today's 
hearing to make sure everything goes according to plan, and to reiterate 
a core message that if the San Francisco CEQA appeal trigger is going to 
be pushed to an earlier time in the process, we need -other- rules to be 
assured that enable the community sufficient CEQA protections; such as a 
longer appeal window, the strongest possible noticing, and a -very- 
strong definition for project modifications which would mandate CEQA 
review with the rock solid ability to appeal the Planning Department's 
decisions on such project modification assessments.

The hearing starts today at 1:30pm in SF City Hall Room 263 and the CEQA 
items are numbers 5, 6, and 7, so showing up by about 2pm is likely soon 
enough if you want to be there to comment.

I'll send a more detailed report-back soon with next meeting and hearing 
details.

in solidarity,

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