Supervisor Carmen Chu: Pot Dispensary Appeal

Community Update

As we wrapped up the month of October, our office hosted the third annual Halloween Costume Giveaway in the district. Each year, the costume drive has grown and we would like to thank all of the generous neighbors who have donated to the community.

This year, we handed out close to 200 costumes at the Safeway store on Noriega Street on Oct. 23. The remaining costumes were all donated to the Goodwill Store in our district. We hope that everyone enjoyed their Halloween!

Parkside Branch Library to Reopen

We are excited to announce that the Parkside Branch Library is scheduled to re-open on Saturday, Nov. 6. Please join us for a grand re-opening community celebration from 1 - 2 p.m. at the Parkside Library, located on Taraval Street, between 22nd and 23rd avenues.

The Parkside Branch underwent renovations to bring the library up to date in terms of seismic safety, energy conservation, accessibility to all users, and library service. Parkside Branch is also the first branch library in San Francisco built to Silver Certification standards under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

Some of the renovations include additional floor space, new accessible restrooms and entry ramps, a large new teen area, an updated children's section, a refreshed books and materials collection, and a beautifully landscaped outdoor patio. These renovations were completed while retaining the original building and its architectural integrity as the first post-war library designed by the architecture firm Appleton and Wolfard, which designed a total of eight modern libraries in the '50s and '60s for the San Francisco Public Library system.

As home to many children and families, the Sunset/Parkside District is ready to welcome back into service the Parkside Library!

McCoppin Square Renovation

As the Parkside Branch Library prepares for its grand re-opening, its neighbor McCoppin Square is currently undergoing renovation and will be closed to the public during construction.

Improvements will be made to the ball field (anticipated completion in January 2011), as well as the rest of the site, including a new playground, contemplative garden, accessible pathways, resurfaced tennis court, new half-court for basketball and a new restroom facility (anticipated completion in July 2011).

In 2008, San Francisco voters supported the Clean & Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond, which made this park revitalization project possible. We thank the neighbors who came out and provided their feedback through several community meetings over the past two years. Please contact our office if you have any questions about McCoppin improvements.

Update on Medical Cannabis Dispensary

Neighbors have approached our office about the medical cannabis dispensary (MCD) proposed for 2139 Taraval St. and whether the MCD is already in operation.

Since the SF Planning Commission's hearing on May 20, several community organizations have filed official appeals with the city's Board of Permit Appeals. The MCD is not allowed to operate until all appeals are considered and final permits are approved.

The Board of Appeals hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 17, at City Hall in Room 416. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. Please note that written input from the community to be included in the meeting packet for Board of Appeals members will not be included unless it is received before Nov. 3.

If neighbors have not had the opportunity to provide their input to the Board of Appeals members yet, members of the public can attend the Board of Appeals hearing on Nov. 17.

Please contact our office at (415) 554-7460 or chustaff@sfgov.org on the day of the hearing if you plan to attend and would like more specific information about when the Taraval MCD item will be heard by the Board of Appeals.

Community Call for Turkeys!

Sunset Youth Services (SYS) is hosting its annual turkey drive on Monday, Nov. 22. For years, SYS has helped make Thanksgiving more special to those in need by handing out free turkeys to community members.

Please contact SYS at (415) 665-0255 if you are interested in donating this season.

Supervisor Carmen Chu represents District 1.