The Burlingame Voice

SF: The Perils of Letting Planners do the Planning

Here is another tale of future woe from EssEff via today's Chronicle:

A portion of downtown San Francisco will change dramatically with thousands of housing units, jobs — and even a public swimming pool — under a plan finally approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors after eight years of hearings, amendments and negotiations.

The Central SoMa plan will revamp a part of South of Market that runs from near Market Street south to Townsend Street, and from Second Street to Sixth Street. The approved plan proposes 8,800 housing units and will create a projected 31,000 jobs.

Sounds good, right?  Except for this one little bug in the ointment

Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer was the only one to express concern about the Central SoMa plan, as it does not include a public school. But, she said, the Planning Department and the San Francisco Unified School District will hold a meeting later this month to determine how to create enough public schools to accommodate the growing population.

8,800 housing units in one neighborhood, but no plans for any incremental school capacity except to "hold a meeting".  Nice work.  But please bear in mind we are not immune from the same sort of short-term thinking.  Our school capacities are not infinite as noted here three years ago and with the various projects on-going around town, parents should be wary.

B'game Rating: #38

The wizards at the San Francisco magazine have rated all 101 cities and towns in the Bay Area and we came out at number 38.  By combining scores for Education, Diversity, Health, Transit, Affordability, Public Safety, Culture and their own fudge factor "Editors' Rank", they arrive at Albany being the best place to live in the Bay Area.  Six years ago we were labelled as a sort of Utopia by the same magazine, so let's dig in a bit deeper.  Here are the scores

I get the good scores for Education and Transit.  Our public schools are quite good in spite of occasional issues with administrators at BIS and BHS and there are a lot of residents with bachelor's degrees or higher.  I also get how we land near the bottom in Affordability since we have always been an expensive place to live--it is more a result of the other criteria than an input on its own.  But how is B'game in the bottom half on Health?  They use physicians per capita, air quality scores and percentage of residents without health insurance.  With a major hospital in town and doctor's offices surrounding it, we must rate pretty high on the first one.  I hear at the meetings on the SFO runway noise that some residents also smell jet fuel fumes, but I doubt our air quality is below the median.

The real head-scratchers are Public Safety on the downside and Culture on the upside.  B'game has recently returned to "full strength" with 40 sworn officers and crime rates (aside from car break-ins mostly at Bayfront hotels) are pretty low.  Oakland ranked just ahead of us at 57!  And they do mean Oakland, California!!  There must be some spreadsheet error somewhere at the magazine.

I also cannot fathom how we got to number 15 in the whole Bay Area on Culture when the critieria are artistic venues per capita (we've got none other than the tiny art museum on the north end), the number of residents who list their occupation as "artist" (on Open Studio weekends we have a couple), and liquor licenses per capita.  I guess if one considers drinking with muzak playing "culture" we do OK.  While #38 isn't bad, I can't take much heart in the overall subjective nature of it all.  You won't catch many B'gamers moving to Colma (#18) or Pacifica (#22) or Belmont (#24).  I bet we just stay put.   
 

More Avenue Woes: Books Inc. Closing

You can't chat with any local B'gamer for very long before you hear two things:  "I'm going to miss Orchard Supply in Millbrae" and "I wish the Avenue would stay more local" or words to that effect like "it's just an outdoor mall" or "why can't we have more non-chain stores" or "how many hair and nail salons does this town need"?  Here is news from the DJ about the closing of another chapter in the Avenue's story

After almost two decades of enduring a changing industry and local marketplace, independent bookstore Books Inc. announced it will be shuttering its location on Burlingame Avenue.   Though the parent company continues to thrive despite the threat to retailers posed by the trend toward online sales, (President Michael) Tucker said the decision to close had more to do with the transition taking place in downtown Burlingame.  “It’s just the reality of what goes on, that a low-margin business like books cannot compete for occupancy with the big boys, the national brands,” said Tucker, nodding to the corporations such as Apple, Lululemon or Pottery Barn which also occupy nearby storefronts.

You can click through to read the full story including kind words about Karim Salma (the landlord) and more of the DBID president's thoughts

Juan Loredo, president of the downtown business improvement district, said the company’s decision to leave is similar to the other tough choices faced by other local retailers.  “The internet kind of paved the way for these smaller places and retail shops to leave because everyone is online shopping,” he said.

And this is welcome news also

Tucker took time to note though that the company plans to preserve its connection with local schools and organizations in Burlingame which the company has partnered with over the years.

Maybe this is an opening for some bookseller to find space in a less expensive part of B'game to make another run at it.  I still miss the Feldman's that was a block north of B'way before consolidating down to the Menlo Park main store.

 

Marshall Tuck for School Supe

Four years ago I highlighted Marshall Tuck's run for California Superintendent of Public Instruction here.  He came close, but did not win.  Now Tuck is back to try again.  I met him last night at a fundraiser which gave me a chance to hear about his platform.  There are at least two good reasons to vote for a candidate.  You can support their platform.  Or you may be forced to vote against a candidate you don't like--the "lesser of two evils" approach.  I think they both point to a vote for Tuck.

Over the course of an hour of Q&A, Tuck demonstrated a firm grasp of a wide variety of issues. He understands the the role of charter schools and how workable approaches can be shared with public school districts.  He demonstrated that understanding with examples that are precluded by the ponderous California Education Code, like work-study options, for example.  He showed a grasp of the financials including the pension explosion (no pun intended, just $80 billion unfunded) and pointed to some additional funding options (e.g. the marijuana taxes and the new Internet sales taxes).  And he has feet on the ground experience in the LA public schools.  You get the drift and can read more here.

Getting him to address the second issue of his opponent's record took a bit of prodding, but Tuck is well aware of Thurmond's shortcomings as enumerated by the SF Chronicle here.  You should click through and read the litany of failures before you vote.

I wasn't the only B'gamer attending last night.  There was a bit of a hometown feel since Tuck grew up in B'game and later H'borough and he went to OLA and Crocker. I met our own B'game Elementary School District superintendent, Maggie MacIsaac, at the event and she was very clear on her support of Marshall's platform.  That is actually a third reason to vote for someone-- when a trusted advisor recommends it.  Here is Maggie and Marshall and the Education Code tome that could probably use a good trimming down.

Build, Build, Build...Then What?

As I looked at the latest overly large building rise on Howard Ave. across from the Caltrain station while waiting for the train, I had to wonder (again) how much growth the mid-Peninsula can withstand?  Travelling by train down to Palo Alto, the question became even more pressing.  It's quite stunning to see how much real estate is "in the dirt" on huge new projects right next to the Caltrain right of way.  Blocks and blocks of additional building doesn't bode well for our traffic, school capacity or water security.  To all the people saying we need a "Regional Housing Authority" to address the "housing crisis", I say we need a "Regional Infrastructure Authority" first.

Another Time, This Place

I don't want to push the misplaced Stop Sign post down from the top, but the Voice needs to stay fresh so here is a little "thought piece" that starts 69 years ago.  If you find it boring, just scroll down to comment on stop signs, scooters, wildfires, SFO runway noise, our lack of water security, BHS woes, empty stores on the Avenew, etc, etc.

I always loved Herb Caen's take on EssEff life.  In the '80s and '90s, I read him every day and twice on Sundays.  I also read and reread his books.  His 1949 classic, Baghdad by the Bay, starts off chapter 28 with this paragraph

San Francisco, brought to life by the lusty, gusty roars of the gold seekers, has never taken itself too seriously.  From the very start there has been life and laughter in Baghdad-by-the-Bay, with every citizen a potential comedian, every stuffed shirt the inevitable butt of a joke, every facet of the city's life wide open to the snide observation.

Herb would be so disappointed by the EssEff of 2018.  There are so many stuffed shirts strutting around SF that it is positively regressive--in a progressive sort of way.  The City is a mess and I am afraid the effluent will taint B'game even more than it already has.  It's bad enough that they control our water supply, let their airport disrupt our sleep and keep trying to make socialist rent control seem mainstream.  The November ballot will be packed with sneakily written propositions and innocent claims about dangerous initiatives.  Let's hope we can channel Herb Caen and keep our sense of humor and whatever the noun is that goes with "snide".

Hall of Famer: "Stats" Jamieson

We have some real personalities in town one of whom is being honored for his long stint as the announcer for Bgame Panther baseball.  The Daily Journal noted that Tyler Jamieson is being inducted into the Bgame Athletics HoF at next year's LIttle Big Game.  I know Tyler as "Stats" Jamieson--because he keeps the stats as well as doing the announcing.  He's also the memory of the team in many ways having announced for almost 20 years--last Friday was his 500th game at the mic.

Jamieson has shown the Peninsula that a first-class production can go a long way to making high school players feel special. From announcing the starting lineups for both teams, to between-inning music and even providing the walk-up music for Panthers batters at home games, Jamieson makes sure the players get a taste of big-time baseball.

Tony Brunicardi, a 2003 Burlingame graduate and a current assistant baseball coach at Skyline College, remembers Jamieson as simply a part of the team. Brunicardi said the best was when Jamieson handed out his own postseason awards for the baseball team.

“He had the ‘Tyler Jamieson awards.’ He had his own rookie of the year, his own Cy Young award,” Brunicardi said. “I appreciated it as much back then as I do now.”

Having heard the selections for the Tyler Jamieson awards for several years, including one that was given to my son, I can tell you Stats pays close attention and has a sly sense of humor that makes it all so much more fun.  Congrats, Stats!

BHS Drug Article

We think this comment by PO'ed Mom that was entered on another BHS thread merits its own post because it is an important topic and should not be buried three pages down in the comment section.

Why is the BHS student newspaper allowed to print an article about drug use ON the campus?  I'm all for freedom of speech but this is a high school newspaper that is doing the advertisement work for the drug dealer.

"According to the aforementioned student seller, people that buy Adderall from him are typically “either stressed out with exams or [people] who need to pass a class to play sports. All types of people buy, even gamers who want to play better.”

Is the student reporter required to "give up" the on campus dealers since student reporters don't have the ability to "protect a source" These are public tax dollars at work.

Who allowed this to get published and have the BPD interviewed this reporter or the Newspaper advisor? At least make the dealer pay for an advertisement.

https://theburlingameb.org/feature/2017/11/26/adderall-dealing-on-campus-reflects-increasing-academic-pressures

The paper even states "became one of many teen Adderall dealers in the Burlingame community".  "One student, who asked to remain anonymous, became one of many teen Adderall dealers in the Burlingame community shortly after he was prescribed the medication for Attention Deficit Disorder.

“I was super happy but I felt I was cheating a bit, so I started giving to people I know who were not doing so well when they had tests,” he said, emphasizing the academic pressure involved in buying the medication from peers. “I don’t turn a profit, I just do it to help the people around me.”

Thank you POM for the pointer.  We know the Voice readers will find this important.

"Housing Advocates" Please Go Away

I am thoroughly sick and tired of the so-called housing advocates trying to pressure every City decision to add more housing.  In yesterday's Daily Journal we get two more examples.  First, the piece on redeveloping a piece of Bayfront land that is sitting mostly idle is on the docket for a meeting tonight with the State Lands Commission and the city and residents

State officials received an application from H&Q Asia Pacific in 2016 to develop a new hotel and park at the site, prompting a neighbor of the property to offer an alternative proposal to preserve the land as open space.

SPHERE Institute, a public policy research firm headquartered in the area east of Highway 101 along the city’s Bayfront, expressed an interest in leading the financing campaign to preserve the wetlands which exist on the property.

Housing advocates have also called for the site to be built into a residential development.

Really?  These clowns have no idea what it would take in city time, energy and expense to support ANY housing on the Bayfront.  There is no school, no police patrol to speak of (I know, I've done a drive-along with BPD), fire/ambulance coverage takes a lot of effort and will never be great without a new station that will never happen, and the weather sucks for the most part.  Just stop already!  Then this little gem of an idea pops up in the Rec Center article in the same edition

Under the direction from councilmembers, the architect will craft new designs and bring the issue back for further consideration in June.

While design revisions were considered, housing advocates suggested developing some residential units on top of the facility as a means of combating the city’s affordability crisis.

Stop already.  It's a Rec Center, not public housing.  The whole community is wondering where the heck the parking is going to come from for the recreation part and these clowns want to add housing?  Unbelievable.  We have a huge amount of housing already "in the dirt".  That's enough until all the other support services figure out how to handle the influx that has already been approved.   Oh, and just for good measure, we are back in a drought situation regardless of how much rain we get this week. 

Parents Uniting for Nelson - Part 3

Scrolling through five or six pages of comments to get to the most recent ones on the issue of Mr. Nelson's transfer is tedious, so those who are interested in the history of this BHS issue can find the original post here and Part 2 here.  I have captured the essence of the current state from the comment stream in Part 2.  This will save us all a lot of scrolling and continue to give Mr. Nelson a venue to share important information.  As I read it the situation is

Oct. 7, 2017:

The United States Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is currently conducting its third (3rd) investigation of the SMUHSD surrounding the actions taken in retaliation against me.

The SMUHSD is refusing to produce ANY Public Record Requests surrounding this case.  BHS Principal Di Yim, SMUHSD Director of Special Education/504 Director Gloria Dirkmaat were "retired" over these issues.

The members of the SMUHSD Board promised an investigation of the issues at BHS. They never fulfilled this promise.  This "cover up"is getting expensive. The price tag was already over $100,000 in legal and investigation fees before this current investigation.

And from Jan. 8, 2017: 

The SMUHSD hired a Special Investigator, Chris Reynolds to interview teachers regarding issues at Burlingame High School.  Mr. Reynolds was paid over $10,000 for his services.

Despite the fact that the SMUHSD Administration explained to these teachers that the interviews were private and confidential, the BHS teachers collaborated with one another and coordinated stories to deflect guilt for their actions.

And from May 22, 2017:

The Burlingame English Department sits at the center of this fiasco as it became a "gossip pit," targeted students, and backstabbing those who spoke out against them. There are teachers who know nothing... but those who listened and did nothing are just as guilty. 

Lastly, the assertion was made that upon another teacher's retirement, Mr. Nelson qualifies for a return to BHS.  That is the central issue in my mind.  I manage a lot of people in my day job and I find value in having a few that are not afraid to speak up and point out problems.  One wonders if SMUSHD and the BHS administration feel the same?