The Embarcadero - by the Bay
In the late 1960s the State of California transferred some 7.5 miles of land facing the Bay - from Lower Fort Mason to Pier 98 to the SF Port Authority.
The SF Port Authority comes under an Enterprise Department and has to garner its own recourses - to pay for itself. As an Enterprise Department it cannot tap into the City and County of San Francisco's - General Fund.
The Ferry Building
The 7.5 mile area that comes under the SF Port Authority - come under what is know as Public Trust Land - and any Californian - who is a citizen of the United States - has stake in this land.
The Public Trust Land document is one that gives us Citizens of the United States and stake holders of California - a lot of power - more, to participate in the deliberations that matter.
However, most citizens are so busy - and especially now - with all the trials and tribulations - that hardly anyone cares about Public Trust Land - and less attending the drab SF Port Authority meetings.
The SF Port Commissioners are hand picked by the Mayor - and most of them pander to the authorities - more folks like the former " thug" Mayor of San Francisco - Willie L. Brown.
I use to attend the meeting at one time - did so for over 30 years and then stopped.
Too many pertinent meetings at City Hall - where I address many important issues - on behalf of the community at large.
As you age - you must pace your time - and take care of what is important - health and peace of mind comes first.
For the longest time ever the SF Port Authority has experience problems with its budget - and chose deferred maintenance as an option.
The Piers on both sides of the Ferry Building - the odd and even Piers - in large measure fell into disrepair.
Some have been fixed - and the longer we wait - the more it will cost to repair the Piers - that have to be removed to completely build - brand new sound Piers.
Here is a plan that one can read what the San Francisco Port Authority purports to address - be it more talk and less walk :
https://www.sfseawall.com
Climate Change as I mentioned again and again to the SF Port Authority Commissioners way back in year 2000 - including sea level rise - and a host of other issues - were taken lightly.
I represent the Muwekma Ohlone - at that time we had a Park name the Muwekma Ohlone Park and Sanctuary. The Park was on SF Port Property - we clean the park - that was inundated with needles from drugs use - other rubbish - and built a nice Park.
We had many visitors come to the Park - children from the SF Unified School District and more.
That Park was compromised the SF Public Utilities Commission has a Force Main - right by Pier 80 - and underground - in the center of the Park. One day we found -
a pool of sewage - destroy and contaminate the Park. We reported the issue to the SF Controller's Office - and are still awaiting an adjudication.
If you google the name of the Park - you can learn more.
Here are some photographs when the Muwekma Park and Sanctuary was bustling :
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/56/islaiscreeklove/index.vhtml
Soon the Inter-Model was built - a narrow bridge - and the area became unaccessible - and that was the end of our dream Park - the Muwekma Ohlone Park and Sanctuary.
Today - all the issues - falling Piers, salt water intrusion, tidal waves, structural foundation failures, more - have compounded and the SF Port Authority are at their wits end.
Recently the Corps of Engineers the premier Federal Agency that deals with dams, levies, sea walls, dredging, large structures in peril - seismic and other issues related to large structures in the United States - gave a presentation - to the public at large and the SF Port Authority Commissioners - at the Ferry Building in San Francisco.
When public comment was announced there was no one to give public comment. Does that surprise anyone?
The SF Port Authority Commissioners - had little to say - except to praise the two men presenters - having understood little - as the information was far too technical and deep.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers present a general " needs assessment " with a couple of Blue Prints - setting goals and timelines - prioritizing 11 large area - the 7.5 mile area that comes -under the jurisdiction of the SF Port Authority.
None of the 11 areas - have been full vetted - the process is cumbersome - Environmental Impact Studies (EIS), California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), other Federal, State, and Local permits and grants - that have to be lined up.
Near by skyscraper -
thousands of pedestrians during peak hours -
vehicular traffic - and more - the Embarcadero.
As one may expect the plans are there - to upgrade and fix the impacted area - and the more complicated the project - the more the money the project will cost.
There was a Bond Measure put on a Ballot for the sum of $2 Billion and it passed - constituents of San Francisco - voting for the Bond Measure - but the outreach to the public at large has been very poor - and more has to be done.
The $2 Billion Bond Measure passed because much was made of the impending Big One - the Earthquake that will hit us soon. This ploy used - works every time - no one can fool all the people all the time.
For sure if the Big One strikes the impact on the Ferry Building area - the promenade at the Embarcadero, the near by Financial District and more will be adversely impacted.
When the King Tides rule -
this path is covered with knee deep salt water -
this year it was something to behold -
I have been watching the circus for the last 30 years.
In reality Climate Change and Sea Level rise - has already created very serious problems.
The very large generators - in the basement of the affected area - the Ferry Building and adjoining building - pump water - some time for days on end.
Embarcadero One to Four - other skyscrapers - all the way to Montgomery Street have had intrusion of salt water - and rain - as we have had in recent months.
Since the Butte Fires and the air becoming foul - dense smog - result in burning eyes and throat - some 150 days ago - today is March 5, 2019 - it has rained 51 days - this is a record - ever since we have kept records - there is more to come.
When we have King Tides - it is very common - for the tides to come so high - impeding vehicular traffic and any human traffic - by the sea wall - all along - the Embarcadero and beyond.
As much as the propaganda sent out by the SF Port Authority - which purports that it is reaching out to the Public at Large - it is not. The outreach should be meaningful - remember we the people, we the citizens, we the tax payers - voted for the $2 Billion Bond Measure - so that we the people could be help and you the SF Port Authority Agency - could be redeemed.
The best way the SF Port Authority can be transparent - is by publishing a pamphlet on the subject how they propose to upgrade and stabilize the sea wall - and of course how much it will cost.
Besides the $2 Billion Bond Measure - the State of California with some fanfare contributed $150 million - of course the City and County San Francisco - has NO clue - stands by - but not without some serious consequences.
For some time now - for sure 6 months - our former City Engineer - Mr Fuad Sweiss who worked for City and County of San Francisco - was heading this Sea Wall Project - on special assignment.
The politics were too much - Fuad left the project and now is doing well in Southern California. Our loss is someone's gain - and so it goes - when you analyze the shaky foundation - at the SF Port Authority - the SF Port Authority Commissioners patting their behinds - and thinking that we the citizens can be hoodwinked in broad daylight.
We are watching you all like a H A W K .
The Corps of Engineers in 2012 - had a presentation that presented some base-line issues linked to the Sea Wall. I studied that report and presentation.
Recently in the year 2019 it presented a deeper presentation - involving plans made by the Federal Management Emergency Agency - a collaboration that is vital - if we have an Emergency that impacts a large area.
This presentation is NOT available to the community - and if it - someone must put it on the SF Port Authority Website - how we can get access to it. If not I suppose we can using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Time will tell.
For sure we cannot have the City and County Office of Emergency and its weak leadership - address any major Emergency. It has proved itself - useless.
Again and again - this Office has failed us - and gets away with murder in broad daylight.
We have many billionaires who make their living in San Francisco that can contribute to the Sea Level Rise - project.
The many owner and Property Managers that will be impacted - can pool their contribution and some make a substantial donation - all well noted and displayed for the public to see and be thankful for.
The project should be seen as a Regional Project - we call our extended neighboring lands the - Bay Area.
We should have " meaningful collaboration " - models that work here in San Francisco - can work elsewhere.
Climate Change and Sea Level rise is universal - sound models can be applied - all over the world.
Kimberly Brandon and other like her on the SF Port Authority Commission - have no experience - when it comes to complicated structural issues. She smiles a lot - and that is good for her - behind her smile no action.
For many years some of the SF Port Authority Commissioners one purporting to have experience - heading the Longshoremen Union - says a lot but his talk means little - except pandering to those he get favors from.
Another one having a higher position with Wells Fargo Bank that has a history of defrauding so many and penalized,
Another new comer who knows about pension funds and some about hedge funds - but again has NO clue about Climate Change, Sea Level Rise - Liquefaction and Flooding and more.
One more who has some experience in the Corporate world - and Commercial Real Estate - none of them have deep information - with the issues we are facing - linked to Climate Change and Sea Level - more severe flooding and liquefaction.
San Francisco has a track record - when it comes to large projects - wasting millions of dollars.
The Central Subway started with $600 million and today exceeds $1.8 Billion.
We have seen the mess with the TransBay Terminal costing us over $2 Billion - and still shut down.
More - after opening some 6 months ago - with much fanfare - Willie L. Brown Jr and others wagging their tails and tongue - all spoke too soon - and are now talking tongue in cheek.
The Van Ness Project is a total mess - and with the rains - no one cares about the Seniors and for all practical reason and facts - the Van Ness Corridor is a State Highway.
It has so many change orders - it is over millions over - cost over runs and there is a lot to be done - hardly 25% of the project is complete.
Large Project create congestion - and some of us - remember well after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.
Well, we are here now - we have talked a lot - time for action - serious action and please NO - hoodwinking. Aho.
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