amendment. the only concern that i want to bring with regards to the fines that are going to be imposed on the news rack being seized by non-compliance after a notification is given, it is because of the logistical situation in many areas and locations in the city. there are more racks then would legally fit in one area. many times, when a publisher distributes information out there to correct the violation, after that is done, subsequent publisher distributors come to move the rack that was put in compliance out of compliance. i am proposing that whenever we go out there, we take photographs of the citation been taking care of so that we are

not incurring the $250 fee. thank you. supervisor chu: thank you. >> my name is francisco [unintelligible] the clarification given by the dpw was not clear. i would like to go over those issues. number one, if there are so many racks and we want to be in the 21st century, we need the ability to go on the internet and find out where these racks are. just like what was said earlier. arbitrary things, people using computers and everyone has access to them. the first thing that we, constituents want to know, is where these racks are. if we have so many, why are they

not maintained? right now if you go to powell street and open the iraq, you will find a sleeping bags and other types of things right where the tourists go. do those racks provide a certain surface? if they do not provide a certain surface, who is responsible for that? none of you asked these questions because you presuppose when clear channel is given some contract like that. they do a good job. you might think they do a good job, but those of them at ground zero in observations, of we find that we need to have our news racks like they have in every city, but maintain them.

so, we also need news racks in the other parts of our district. where there are more astute citizens and the old fashioned racks. with those racks we also need the garbage, whenever they call them, guards. dpw has been interchanging after putting good garbage in, taking them away. supervisor chu: thank you. >> our neighborhood should reflect region supervisor chu: -- reflect -- supervisor chu: thank you. are there any other members of the public that wish to speak on item number five? seeing no one, public comment disclosed. could i ask a question of grace? one of the comments made was about the empty news racks and

how they sometimes contributed to blight. i know that the legislation's attempts to deal with those issues, can you speak to that? >> this is something to the credit of the mayor around the reform allocation. the mayor saw that there were a number of bacon boxes. sometimes it is because the publications have been taken. they're very popular. in other cases, they are just empty boxes. they become an area where blight fills the city. allowing people on a first-come, first-served basis to fill those boxes. we think that many of those smaller publishers that may not have distributed, like your neighborhood newspapers, there may not be able pedestal for rack in place. there may be fewer opportunities

for misuse of the boxes. we all looking forward to those informal changes. [unintelligible] thank you. i have a follow-up question for grace. i think that one of the things i am interested in in terms of public comments that we heard about the current location of the news racks, that is something that would be beneficial. i know that legislation includes providing information online about where potential slots could be for people to be able to apply to them. from a constituent services point of view, knowing where they have been placed over time would be helpful. perhaps dpw can provide information on the number installed and the information of the installed. i also know that the news racks, when they are done, is meant to cover a certain area. there should be no freestanding

news racks in those areas. i am not sure where the existing ones are, including the covered stones. we still see from time to time the freestanding ones popping up and there is no way of knowing where they are. >> currently on our web site under the news rack program you will see a list of six pedestals loans. within each cell you can click on it and you will see a map, giving you the boundaries of the particular zone and locations. that is one thing. for the availability to be posted in a way such that anyone who might know where the location is of the unit that is empty, and the exact location. for example, a 10 unit block

might be the bottom left that is available. supervisor chu: perfect. as part of the contract, they indicated that every year after the box started, a provider would provide 100 news racks. what does that mean? one pedestal with four slots? how does that work? >> the units come in sizes. 6, 8, and 10. each year clear channel is obligated to give us 100 new units. supervisor chu: which could be a configuration of six, eight, or 10? >> correct. supervisor chu: thank you. any other questions for the committee? seeing no one, is there a motion. without objection, motion is approved. madam clerk, are there any other items before us? >> no, madam share supervisor chu:. -- no, madam chair.

supervisor chu: thank you, we are adjourned.

>> thank you all for coming out on this beautiful san francisco day. i brought my sunglasses. i'm the director of public works here in san francisco, very pleased to be here today, despite the weather and grateful you all came out, in intite of it as well. in spite of it as well. what we're talking about today is a pretty momentous for san francisco -- it would be really anywhere under -- under normal times but given the given what is going on in the state and around the world, it is more remarkable. the city of sfrarnings the land area of san francisco -- the land area of san francisco, 25% of it is taken up by public rights of way. it is a real big part of the city that we maybe don't necessarily always think of as part of our public realm.

often we're just passing through it. we're really very fortunate here in san francisco that after -- after really more than a generation, i would say, of neglect, that we now is here. we have a mayor. we have a board of supervisors that understands the importance of the city's infrastruck which chur and the public rights of way that com provides a significant part of the city. that understanding has been manifested in their financial commitment to investment and infrastructure, both to main and repair and upgrade it but also to improve it. what -- what you're going to -- what you're seeing here already and what you're going to hear from the speakers is just, the latest example here on leland is an example of that improvement. it is not just making sure the streets are paved which is absolutely important and making sure the sidewalks are in good condition and we have accessible curb cuts so folks in wheel

chairs and other disabilities can access our public realm safely but really ep happensing the public realm so it is not just passing through as you whiz by in your car, it is for being in and enjoying and i think -- helland is -- is really an excellent machine festtation of that, a world class facility, that we're bringing to the neighborhood has is long overdue. the reason all of this is happening it because we had the leadership to make it happen and to drive it to happen. so we have a lot of folks here that i want to acknowledge and a few folks that are going to speak. of course i want to start with the person who has been driving this from before he became mayor, but certainly before he was mayor full time, gavin newsom. >> thank you for coming out, this is our sixth great street

project. we had a vision to be more like chicago. an ode to chicago. anybody has ever visited chicago, you go down michigan avenue and everyone goes like why can't we be like chicago? they don't go in the neighborhoods, they just go down michigan avenue and the entire city and county of chicago and the cook county around chicago looks like michigan avenue. but nonetheless, it is something that vexes you, you think why can't we be more like michigan avenue. so began the journey many years ago to say what do we need to do differently had order to organize ourselves in a way that we could create great streets through the commercial corridors and the main entry points in and out of our city. we got the together and we realized there was a lot of money already being spent, it wasn't being coordinated, it wasn't a collaborative. you didn't have the arts commission working with the department of public works and the public utilities commission

and working with the economic development office and our lobbiest at the state and federal level to match state and federal and local dollars to organize a much more organized narrative. that's what the great streets propose to do. if you been down divizidero. if you have been been to polk, and valencia, it is extraordinary. the work that will be done soon and balboa, the work that will be done down on 19th avenue and then the significant work that will be disproportionately certed by harrington, down caesar chavez will be extraordinary. those will be the final three of those nine great streets projects. leland and sam bruno were among

the last two. we're celebrating this -- this today, but we're also celebrating those that we completed in the past number of months and last few years. why does this matter? you'll hear in a second why this matters. creates a sense of place. a streetscape with the neighborhood and it com -- in a completely different way. it encourages and enlivens a pedstrone flow and -- pedestrian flow and sense of community. it slows people down. i have been here 300 times, if you think i'm exaggerating, i have not. i spent too much time. there's never too much time, but a lot of time at the sunny dale housing projects. the first few years i was mayor, i was down here for the wrong reasons, that was because of the struggles and frustration we had to deal with the issue of crime and violence and coming down

back and forth, almost on a weekly basis to visit the families that were victimized by the crime and violence. we started to celebrate with tournaments and fairs. nevertheless this street neatedee needed help and support. i want to thank supervisor maxwell for her steadfastness and her deliberativeness and her desire to make sure we doesn't forget vision visitation valley. she reminded us what 457ped and the impact on the naked and the commercial corridor, et cetera. here we are, not only celebrating her vision and leadership and celebrating this occasion with all of these lights and the 60-plus trees and the new curb cuts and all of the new landscaping that has been done and this great piece of public art which we'll talk about in a moment. the naked market place initiative that we incorporated in this, and we got facade improvement hoops and enbe

couraged businesss to come down to the vague capt storefronts. we'll also soon celebrate 1250 units of new housing. 10s of thousands of square feet of retail. a new grocery store. yes. finally. down here. that will be put in to the old site. the new open space, that will connect that great third street height rail and all of the streetscape improvements that we see that -- that separate the two sites. i just think this is the beginning of a renaissance down here. and i'm just grateful for all of the help for the stewardship and here for those assembled that made this possible and the community leadership assem beibled here today. >> final thing i want to mention. we're investing a historic amount of money. i thank ed for his good work. it is tough work to repave our streets and improve our -- our sidewalks and -- our -- our

thoroughfares. this year over $50 million will go to repave the streets. this is a historic amount of money. i say that, you say big deal. why is he bringing that up. well, it is a big deal in this economic climate that we're putting more money than we ever have to do something that we know we need to do. we're not backing away from that commit. $48.5 million will be invested in significant and tangible ways to improve the streetscapes of the city, including the sidewalks and not just our streets. in this next fiscal year. i'm very proud of that, it really reinforces the commitment that we're making to beautyify the city and county of san francisco. that's why i'm here to thank for your patience -- patience to the businesses that didn't know if this would hurt or help. i know it he renegotiate your leases. they say, the street is better. we got to worry about that. i apologize for those rental

negotiations may be tougher. that's the price, right, of investment, everybody benefits. nonetheless you're the first beneficiary after this strong construction process. again to the community, because again, i think this helps the residents, not the commercial corridor. great essential place and identity, job well done. finally, i'll come back out here. don't just come here today. what do you have -- your fifth street festival this sunday? the 19th. come on down to leland. take -- take muni. take caltran. take your brike. get out and jog. walk down here. this will be the -- this will be the fifth street fair to put together. congratulations, that is what it takes is the strong cohesive commitment to keep the energy going to keep these expoings going and -- keep these things in people's consciousness front and center, a very important

part of the fabric of san francisco, visitation valley, a part of the city that -- we have not forgotten. it is a part of the city that we must not neglect for years to come. thank you [applause] >> thank you, mr. mayor prp both -- for the leadership, that is -- that's why we're all able to have these events over and over again to trumpet the good work we do in san francisco. particularly to reinforce a record amount of money going into street resurfacing this year in san francisco, augmented by additional funds for streetscape improvements, sidewalk repairs, and -- two points on that. one is that not only are we getting our infrastructure repaired and improved and enhanced but we're also creating jobs in the process. so, at a time when many people need them most, we're -- we're putting people to work as well. we not only get better streets

and rights of way as a benefit. we get people working, a point not to lose in this infrastructure nevment. one other point that it is not just local funds. it is a heavy -- it is not easy if the mayor and the board in this kind of climate to make the commitment to put aside the local funds needed to keep this moving. what those funds do as well as a lot of machining and coordination between all of the different city departments is that it makes us competitive for federal fuppeds and part of this project and many other project including some that we have just been awarded, through the federal government, are bringing millions of additional dollars in to san francisco. again, it is because of the here of the mayor and the board, getting the city agencies together to coordinate, to plan, so that when we go and compete against other cities andtates, we're competitive and those dollars are coming to san francisco, so, thanks -- thanks again to the leadership, and with regard to our legislative

branch, i think the mayor set it up well, and this community -- you have and have had for the last seven and three quarters years or so, a very strong advocate and your supervisor is someone with whom i know my department and the other city departments finds a great ally on the board. someone that helps us serve the needs of this community, this project is just one of many. we have a new library down the street, also, representing some of the efforts of your supervisors i like to ask sophie maxwell to come up and say a few words. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> thank you all, first and foremost, i have to thank the valley community because -- they have been in the forefront of planning. we been planning for -- i been in office about 10 years, fran martin one of the community leaders has been there with us. we been planning for a long time our steets, the hibe prairie, the -- of course our green way, the valley greenway that is

known all over the city and it continues down. that planning, that green way is going to influence what happens at slage hock. this community has been involved from the very beginning talking about what they wanted to see and how they wanted to see it. the merchants have been there ault way. we talked about what they needed to have things so that they could work well, what they immediated to make things work while we were cog the -- doing the streetscape. they were right there all the way encouraging people to come and continue to come. i can't say enough about -- about all of the city agencies, a lot of people -- that live -- that work for our city also live in our city. they live in our neighborhoods. they care about the places they work for and they work in. and i think a lot of that, you'll see, as they -- as we go forward, because of all of the work and hard work that they have done. i am so excited today. i'm excited about the valley community, the library is amazing.

and that's because community and people had a lot to do with it. the center is really off the hook, real different, so come and see and you'll get a taste of the valley greenway. i have to thank the p.u. crfment but because -- because a lot of property came from the p.u.c. i want to thank the community and the folks that made this lap. it was really a city effort to make it what it is. thank you, fran, thank you, nick. thank you for all of your work. thank you. thank you supervisor maxwell for the leadership. if it weren't for her, we wouldn't be here today and you wouldn't seat library and other things happening. we had references to the public utilities commission. on the face of it you may say what do they have to do with this? >> a few points on that. one is when we talk about the

surface infrastructure and the investments, a lot of condition of our infrastructure is dependent on what is underneath it -- the wart water and waste waterlines. that's managed by the pufment p.u.c. we have been working closely with them as they have been ramping up their repair and we have been ramping up ours. we benefit each other when we could coordinate and join and get all of the infrastructure repaired with less money and less disruption, so we have been making great headway in that regard. but specific to this project, what you're seeing here is not just -- not just beautiful and inviting and attractive and functional and -- in terms of mobility but it has additional functionality in terms of its environmental performance, specifically with -- with regard to storm water management. that is -- i hope this is

probably our single biggest to date effort in that regard and i hope it is the first, the first -- i expect it to be the first of many to come. to speak to infrastructure, my infrastructure partner in the city and their efforts and contributions in making this a environmental leader as far as projects go, i like to ask the general manager, ed harrington to come up and say a few words. >> thank you so much. i'm happy to be out here. this is not the leland i grew up with coming out here. it looks so nice. walking down the street here for a few blocks, the place is big and beautiful and it looks so wonderful to be here. i am happy to be here as part of the p.u.c. we gave a lot of advice to d.p.w. as they were working on it. i'm so proud of the work. happy to the with the mayor and

supervisor maxwell and the partners in the community to make this something. a few facts about why it is important to us. you see the lights here. those are l.e.d. lights, providing better height for the community and it saves 60% of the electricity it would take to light normal streetlights. this sidewalk and -- there's only a few blocks here. you're talking about. but the perm i can't believe pavement, that means five -- 500,000 gallons of water per year that used to go in the waste water treatment plant won't, it will go back in the ground water and recharge and can be used for other things. you do that across the city and you could change the way we treat storm water. the amount of money we spent on pumping the water, all that changes. in the waste water improvement program, we're looking at taking 1% of the city per year and take it from hard escapes to this kind of -- this kind of look with the pavement. it'll make a dramatic change in

san francisco. as you walk along here, please take a look. there's fairly fun things you don't see most places. this swail, the basin, you could see the storm water runs down the street, it moves over into a nice planted area. as much as -- as much as possible goes in the ground water. it comes back out and doesn't flood anything and goes in the sewer system. r -- easy and straightforward. this is the future of san francisco, we're going to monitor this a hot to make sure you do the maintsnens and it performs well and it is sustainable. we're doing this all over san francisco, you're our test case, we need to make sure it works for you and works with the rest of us. thanks to being here.