Over twenty neighbors gathered Sept. 8 to discuss the operating hours, sale of alcohol, security measures, gambling, age limits, and parking for the billiard hall proposed for 1948 Ocean Ave.

Two Discretionary Review applications had been submitted to San Francisco’s Planning Department requesting a public hearing on the proposed changed use for the building.
The business partners of Legendary Billiard Hall wanted to change the building’s use from
“Other Institutions, Large” that the previous occupant, a senior center, operated under to “Bar and Other Entertainment.”

The partners made concessions after an August 24 meeting with the Ocean Avenue Association, the neighborhood’s new community benefit district. Hours would be reduced
late at night. An alcohol license would not be sought. There would also be a security guard during operating hours, on top of security cameras. The age limit would also be 18.

Originally, the business plan called for 10 billiard tables and a wine and beer bar along with some food service. Now there will be nine tables, wireless internet and coffee, an idea proffered by Taraval Police Station’s Lt. Mar at the OAA meeting.

“It will have a family atmosphere,” said Mike Alahwal of Comax Realty, who represents
the partners.

The Discretionary Review

Yong Winchell Yu and his partner have leased the space for six months, but neighbors only learned of the permit request notice a month before its expiration date.

“We’re trying, you know,” Mr. Alahwal said. “It’s bad. My clients have paid $60,000 in rent We have to start again or go to the hearing. I have to check with my lawyer.”

Fairfield Way resident Jeff Harding, 51, who filed a DR, split the $500 fee with one of his neighbors. Other neighbors later gave him money to recoup part of his half.

“Hours and alcohol are my concern,” he said. Mr. Harding went door to door with his five-year-old child to inform neighbors about the permit request.

If Legendary Billiard Hall receives a change of use permit, remodels, and opens, a liquor license could still be pursued. If that occurs, Mr. Harding said, “at least we will have their track record to look at.”

The Ingleside Terraces Homeowners Association also filed a DR application.

The Business

A resident of the Sunset, Mr. Yu, 29, graduated from San Francisco State University and works at a hospital. His business partner lives in Ingleside, attends City College of San
Francisco and works at a restaurant.

“There’s not much entertainment in this neighborhood,” Mr. Yu said.

Situated across the street from the Voice of Pentecost Academy and in the same building as a 1944 Ocean Collective medical marijuana dispensary, 1948 Ocean Ave. has been vacant for many months.

$150,000 will be spent on remodeling the building, updating windows, flooring, signage, electrical work, and painting, according to Mr. Alahwal.

“The OAA was supportive,” Mr. Alahwal said. “Howard Chung, the president, supported the idea of fixing up the building.”

Mr. Alahwal also said the rusted billboards on the facade could be restored or removed.

Neighborhood Safety

Throughout the meeting, residents found safety the primary concern.

“Pot patients already smoke in their cars in front of our homes,” a resident said.

When a resident pointed out that even if alcohol is not served, patrons will go elsewhere to drink, like to the nearby 7-11, Mr. Alahwal said, “We won’t allow drunks on the premises.”

“Isn’t it bad enough a security guard is required?” another resident asked.

“We know how to secure the neighborhood,” Mr. Alahwal replied.

The article appeared in The Ingleside Light’s September 2011 issue.

District 11 Supervisor John Avalos has not had a day off since a family trip to Yosemite in July. When he returned, he entered the race for mayor to find himself a popular candidate running a new type of campaign. —Alexander Mullaney

What makes your campaign different from the rest? I’m trying to bring people back into San Francisco politics. I’m concerned about who has the ability to shape what happens in City Hall because I see more and more that it’s the wealthiest, the one percent. I am running a campaign so that people can get a greater sense of our power and recover what we lost over the years. We lost a lot in January with the new mayor and board of supervisors. I was moved to a marginal role on the board based on the deal making for David Chiu to become board president. He wanted to be board president so he could get a better shot at being elected mayor. In that process, a lot of people lost a lot of power. I saw a candidacy unifying for working and middle class people that could make a difference in what we talked about in the election, and how we could create an idea of what government should be doing through the election and beyond. That’s what my campaign is about.

You’ve been campaigning for six months. Any big lessons or experiences? It’s been the most challenging thing I have done professionally. At some points I’ve wondered, “How are we ever going to get through this? How can I ever raise enough money to make this happen?” And right now, I don’t feel that way. Now things are coming along. We haven’t raised a million dollars, we’ve maybe raised $450,000. We are running a campaign that is changing the way we do campaigns. It’s a people-orientated campaign. It’s a lot of volunteers. We have signs going up all over the city. We’re really proud of it. We’ve worked really hard, and we’re really proud of what we’re achieving. We’re right up there with candidates who have spent millions of dollars, and we’re still climbing.

You’ve received a number of highly sought after endorsements. What’s that say? We got the Bike Coalition, Democratic Party, Sierra Club, California Nurses Association, Richmond Democratic Club, D11 Democratic Club and the Bay Guardian, which is really big. I really think that no one has said a bad word about me all this time, which I’m really proud of. I really think it shows how I work with people and I respect the people I work with. Also, it shows who’s behind me in terms of everyday people. I mean, it’s not my decision to run. I mean, it is but it’s with the backing of a lot of people who are really trying to create a city that we all can live in. So that gives me a lot of grounding, a lot of hope.

In debates and campaigning what District 11 issues have you brought to the foreground? Blight, Muni, commercial corridors. Our blight issues don’t get the attention from the city that other neighborhoods do. We are just like the Bayview/Hunter’s Point and Sunset neighborhoods that are furthest from the central part of the city don’t get the equity to make our neighborhood as livable as it can be. We have great assets that we can build on, like schools. We have a lot of elementary schools that are doing well. How can we make sure that we’re funding all these schools more adequately? The mayor doesn’t have direct control over the schools but can champion the schools. I want to champion our schools. Illegal dumping is a big issue I talk about a lot as well that is huge in District 10. We have a lot in common with other neighborhoods that are far away from the center of San Francisco. We talk about San Francisco being a transit-first city, but in these parts of the city, we don’t have as many options as other people do, and the options we do have play second fiddle to other parts of San Francisco.

Any legislation in the works? I’ll be looking at strengthening Local Business Enterprise participation in our public contracts. Affirmative action’s been eliminated so we can’t look at how we are doing according to race, but I think we need some approach that’s going to lift up a lot of businesses, especially black-owned businesses that are leaving the city and aren’t getting access to a lot of the contracts that we have. That’s a big thing I think that hasn’t been addressed adequately.

With the election closing in, how’s the future looking? I’m really excited about what could be in store for District 11. The campaign’s outreach has been able to focus attention on a mayor for the district’s needs, and my visibility across the whole city helps the district. I hope our district will continue to benefit from that no matter what the outcome of this election.

By Jon Bechtol

Students from Out of Site Center for the Arts are designing a “parklet”—which converts a parking space into a mini-park—to be built in front of Mama Art Cafe next year.

Mama Art Cafe, located at 4754 Mission St., has worked in conjunction with Out of Site and the Excelsior Action Group towards putting in a parklet since July. Construction should begin by early 2012.

Out of Site Program Director Raffaella Falchi said the final design will be completed by Dec. 10.

“The biggest obstacle has been incorporating all the different ideas and feedback from all the students in the class, the owner of the cafe and members of the community into the design,” Falchi said.

For the students, the best part of the project has been “designing and building a project that will be available for the public,” Falchi said. “They are working to address real design issues, like how to promote community engagement in their design and how to discourage tagging and littering.”

Construction of the project will cost around $7,000 to $8,000. Funding has been set aside from a beautification program announced by Mayor Ed Lee’s office to give storefronts in the Excelsior a “facelift” and construct the parklet. Funds from the beautification program must be spent by March 31, 2012, meaning the building process will be completed by late April at the latest, barring any unforeseen obstacles with the permit and funds.

The Excelsior Action Group has submitted a place holder design to the city and has received a commitment from the city for the permit, which will remain on hold until the design is complete. By the end of this year, all necessary parts should be a step closer towards establishing the parklet.

On Ocean Avenue, Fog Lifter Cafe owner Jawad Swirky would like to work with the city to build a parklet on Ashton Avenue, with the idea that it would be protected from Ocean Avenue’s notorious wind.

His idea for the design includes four benches, which would provide nice outdoor seating. Mr. Swirky made inquiries to turn this idea into a reality and is hopeful a parklet will come together in the near future.

The first San Francisco parklet came about in 2005 as an experiment. Since then, they have generated much support in the city resulting in a booming of parklet proposals to the Pavement to Parks program and the idea that these parklets may become more permanent than temporary.