Deadline approaches for sustainable Treasure Island

The redevelopment of Treasure and Yerba Buena Islands is an unparalleled opportunity for San Francisco to become the "City that Knows How" to achieve comprehensive, long-term sustainable development. When World Environment Day (well days, actually) comes to San Francisco in June, we hope that we can show off the development plans with pride to mayors from all over the globe.

In March the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA), the agency responsible for overseeing redevelopment of the islands and for assuring compliance with the Public Trust, released a promising Draft Sustainability Plan. We applaud the DSP for its many forward-thinking provisions.

The city, however, must do better. In particular, the final plan needs to cluster most residential uses within a short walk (less than one-half mile) of retail services and transit hubs, with specific goals for compact development and smart transportation. More study is needed on whether ferries can be operated without enormous subsidies, and if so, how to locate the ferry terminal to support the best land-use plan and generate the highest ridership.

The draft plan mentions the desirability of reducing automobile use, but does not call for minimization of car ownership. Per-capita car ownership in today's San Francisco is unacceptably high, but with truly sustainable land-use and transportation plans, many island residents will gladly choose a car-free lifestyle. That should be a major goal. Visitors too should feel enticed by the prospect of safe, convenient, clean, peaceful, and car-less means of getting to and around the islands. Unfortunately, the amount of space that the current draft plan devotes to the private automobile (parking spaces and roads) is inconsistent with that picture.

Energy is another key area for planning. Clustered development can reduce the area to be served with utilities infrastructure, thereby facilitating energy conservation. We are pleased that a distributed energy system is being considered, and that a full range of energy-conservation and on-site renewable-energy provisions are discussed, but we await specific commitments. In addition, the islands are an excellent opportunity to explore municipal power and Community Choice Aggregation.

WhatYouCanDo

The TIDA is expected soon to release the Draft Transportation Plan and then this summer the revised Land Use Plan. This summer too the Board of Supervisors and the TIDA are expected to endorse a "term sheet" to direct future negotiations. Now is the time to insist on a development based on the principles of smart growth.

Write to Claudine Cheng, president of the TIDA Board of Directors, at:

410 Avenue of Palms
Treasure Island
San Francisco, CA 94130

and to San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Mayor Gavin Newsom, each at:

City Hall
One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102.

Tell them that development of Treasure and Yerba Buena Islands must include a firm commitment to compact development and a walkable, bike-able, transit-oriented community, with the highest possible green-building standards. More study is needed to determine the best ferry terminal location. Increases in congestion on the Bay Bridge and its approaches should be kept to an absolute minimum. Urge TIDA to support the Supervisors' Resolution 131-05, which urges the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to explore implementation of Community Choice Aggregation on the islands.

For more information about TIDA and the currently available plans, go to www.sfgov.org/site/treasureisland_index.asp

Ruth Gravanis