i do feel this is different from fontana towers. this particular site is a cornerstone peace, a corner location, to the market- embarcadero juncture, intersection as a whole. i do not think it will stick out like a sore thumb. i think it will be a cornerstone. the developer has made many modifications to the project. i do not know what version they are on. i know there are many. in response to the neighborhood, i think they have been responsive. that is the main part of my comments. as far as the actual height, the best example is when we had the peter pan tent. someone pointed out that was exactly the height of what is being proposed now. i am curious what my fellow commissioners have to say. i am supportive of moving forward. commissioner moore. >> i would like to ask the city attorney to interpret for myself and the rest of the commission what we do when we find a discrepancy between different documents that we reference for our decision making. we have found ourselves in the situation before. it is extremely difficult. only you

i invite you to go to fontana towers. that was built before the public became aware of the possible destruction of public access and use of the north waterfront. your predecessors wisely took the opportunity at that point to say no more high-rises on the waterfront. this is the first step between market and the north waterfront. this planning commission is being asked to approve a project which is going to put a 150 ft. building right on the embarcadero north of market, blocking the view from the ferry building, anybody looking to the west. what is the public purpose? the developer talks about all of the open space is going to create. that is going to be the argument you will get. every building has a march down the waterfront. they will say we will give you more open space. there's plenty of open space. if the port is not like the use of it as a parking lot -- i share their view. they do not need to put a building that violates the long term plan to keep the north and northeast waterfront will rises so that they are not

. >> reporter: at 6'0", pete fontana is not your average elf. >> i'm the head elf. i report directly to santa claus. >> reporter: his workshop is in new york city's main post office, the headquarters for operation santa claus. >> i'm here to help santa open that mail and make sure that as many of these families and children get what they need for the holidays. >> reporter: these are some of the 2 million letters the new york post office expects to receive this year. they are sorted by zip code. and look who sits here. fontana's team of elves opens every letter and people who want to be santa's helpers go through the letters and choose. kim and jim found some so heart-breaking, they had to act. >> my mom works very hard but we never have enough money to buy gifts. >> very sweet. >> i want a barbie designable hair extensions and dolls. merry christmas. i love you. >> this is a way to give back and share some of the blessings. >> mm-hmm. >> reporter: the toys are wrapped and brought back to the post office so santa can deliver them on christmas eve. robert lighter has

in fontana, a big rig flipped over on the highway.d some winds here yesterday. >> temperatures ended up near record highs yesterday because of that wind, those downsloping warming winds. it is still cold out there, it's not stopping these people from enjoying our beautiful golden gate bridge, they may think it's like this all the time. it's been an abnormally dry december and that's going to continue. as we head through your hole day weekend as well. we have got some dry clouds streaming in from a front. a dry front tried to stream through the bay area so it falls apart just over monterrey. as we head throughout the day today, your highs will be a little bit cooler in most cities than they were yesterday. in fremont, 62 degrees in san jose and hopefully you do have family members to enjoy the weather over the course of this christmas weekend. high pressure builds back in after that trough passes through, it's going to be a little bit on the frosty side tomorrow morning and slippery. it's probably going to end up in the 30s and 40s. no

we also need to keep in mind the fontana apartments and the repercussions from that. also like to mention alan jacobs who was our planning director many years ago. he put together an urban design plan that won awards. it is world famous. it is taught in all the schools. one of the factors in the urban design plan was at the height limits dissent -- descend down to the waterfront. i was active in opposing the earlier proposal on the waterfront that is apparently coming back. that is the one they wanted to build up to 110 feet south of mission street. this is just the beginning of the end. you have to think ahead on what this is going to trigger in terms of future development. this is a very developer- friendly city. there are going to be water from hounds. the port has made much about reconnecting the city with the waterfront. this does not do that. this is a wall, fenced in community. when you think about who will be living here, these are going to be the most expensive condos in the city. you have to keep in mind the fact that there is a growing one% movement of peop

keith fontana is joining us. pete, are these stories coming in already? coming in by the thousands every day. >> when did you start to see those letters come through? >> i would say it's about on the same par for the course as last year. last year we had about 1.8 letters to santa here in the new york area and we'll probably realize that figure or better this year. >> i just gave them a glimpse of some of the letters. would you say that follows along the main theme of a lot of the ones that you are seeing? >> absolutely. we're seeing a lot of needy letters. last year as well. this year seems even more. homeless children livering in shelters, people asking for basics, like winter coats and money to pay the bills. it's unbelievable. >> when did you start to see the transition? kids, of course, you get these every -- i shouldn't say this every now and then but when did you see the uptick over the last few years? >> i would say last year there was a notable increase. >> when you say notable increase, it's probably hard to put a number on it, but give me an id

fontana's team of elfs sit right here and then they go through the letters and choose. some were found so heartbreaking, they had to ask. >> my mom works very hard, but we never have enough money to buy gifts. >> so sweet. i want a barbie designable hair extensions and doll. merry christmas. i love you. barbie designable hair extension and doll. >> this is a way to give back and share some of the blessings, you know? >> reporter: the toys are wrapped and brought back to the post office so santa can deliver them on christmas eve. robert lider has done this for seven years. >> every child should have that magic at this time of year. >> across the country, 75 post offices are helping santa, six times as many as last year, says pete. >> is santa a good boss? >> santa is the greatest boss. he's the funniest person and the most loving person of all. >> he is why teresa is lending a hand this year. >> i can be an elf, santa's helper. >> reporter: and all the elves giving children young and old a reason to believe. ann thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> still to come, kim kardas

. >>> those same winds being blamed for toppling this big rig in fontana near san bernardino.hway patrol says it's one of at least three semis that blew over in these winds, which have been reported more than 60 miles per hour in places. >> a note that the same winds that were blowing in stinson beach overnight up to 70 miles per hour at sea level. then in our higher elevation around mount diablo, nearly 4,000 feet in elevation, also a 70-mile-per-hour wind gust. they call them santa ana winds in the southland. we call them diablo winds. they are dying down for the most part. still 10-mile-per-hour wind in half moon bay. but as these winds settle, the temperature is going to drop off rapidly. right now 46 degrees in santa rosa after a high today of 67 degrees with that offshore flow. dry cool air mass in place. therefore, the national weather service has issued a freeze warning for the north bay, east bay and santa clara valley all the red highlighted areas. temperatures tumbling to the 20s and 30s. take a look at santa rosa at 22 degrees forecast overnight low. most of the ea