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Marina Project Update | Project update October 2023

Association Notices, Meeting Notices

Subject: Marina Project Update | Project update October 2023

On October 19, 2023, the Recreation and Park Commission authorized RPD to proceed with planning and design for environmental review under CEQA for the Marina Improvement and Remediation Project. This work will include a financial feasibility study of the Marina with the objective of minimizing the number of slips in the West Harbor and identifying opportunities to add additional slips in the East Harbor. The environmental review process is expected to take 18-24 months and includes an Environmental Impact Report, which will be prepared by the Planning Department.

Once the review is complete, RPD will bring a proposed project back to the Recreation and Park Commission for approval with the adoption of CEQA findings; the project will consider both community feedback and the purpose of the settlement—to ensure an environmentally and financially sustainable marina.

Since the beginning of this year, RPD has received and continues to welcome public feedback about the project. The FAQ provides all the relevant project information and will continue to be updated as needed (link here).

A link to the Commission Meeting presentation can be found here. Additionally, the Staff Report can be found here.

Thank you for your continued interest in this project.

Monica L. Scott, PLA

Project Manager, Capital & Planning Division

San Francisco Recreation and Park Department

49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1220 |San Francisco, CA | 94103

Annual General Meeting Notice: Wed Jan 17, 2024 – 7 to 9 PM

Association Notices, Meeting Notices

SF Marina Harbor Annual Meeting – Wed Jan 17, 2024 – 7 to 9 PM
Ft. Mason Center – Room C205

Harbormaster Scott Grindy will discuss dredging, security, staffing, waitlist
and a wide range of topics, plus take Q&A

Monica Scott and Kelli Rudnick, SF Rec & Park Project Management team, will
outline revised designs of the East Harbor project and request your input

Election of Officers & Directors – The Nominating Committee recommends:
President & Treasurer – Bruce Stone
Vice President – Risley Sams
Secretary & Webmaster – Kurt Hemmingsen
Directors: Theresa Brandner, Andy Zimmerman, Peter Jeal, James Vernon,
Mark Hensley, Al Cavey (emeritus)

SF Marina Harbor Annual Meeting and RPD presentation on East Harbor Project – Jan 19, 7 pm, Ft. Mason Center

Meeting Minutes

Agenda for Annual Meeting

Harbormaster Scott Grindy will discuss dredging, security, staffing, and a wide
range of topics, plus take Q&A
Kelli Rudnick, SF Rec&Park Project Manager, will outline the East Harbor project
which is moving ahead with the initial design and community outreach
Election of Officers & Directors – Nominating Committee recommends:
President – Risley Sams
Vice President & Treasurer – Bruce Stone
Secretary & Webmaster – Kurt Hemmingsen
Directors:

 

Kelli Rudnick, SF Rec & Park Presentation:

2023 01 19_Marina Harbor Association_sm

 

West Marine Sounding Report Feb. 24th | Harbor Master’s Office Advisory

Uncategorized

Please find the most current sounding report for West Marina, per Feb. 24th, 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO MARINA SHOALING ADVISORY

West Marina Channel Entrance

Boaters are advised that shoaling conditions can exist at the West Channel. Caution
should be taken at all times, especially at low to medium tides, to monitor depth on
entry and exit of the channel.

The lighted red and green PATON markers serve as a guide and aid to navigation, and
hazard buoys have been placed to warn boaters. Boats should always exercise
vigilance and caution in this general area when transiting the West Marina channel.

It is recommended that larger or deep-draft vessels traverse alone through the west
channel and monitor depths and speed.

During the winter and spring, boaters can expect very low tides in this area of the San
Francisco Bay until the allowable dredging window occurs in the summer/fall of 2022.

Prudent boaters should consult local tide tables whenever they expect to traverse
hazardous areas prone to shoaling conditions. The San Francisco Marina is happy to
provide boaters and the public with a complimentary 2022 Tide Book at the Marina
Office during business hours.

Please also monitor for swimmers, as they have been sighted in the open bay outside of
the West Marina Entrance. (Swimming is prohibited in the marina and the channel
entrance.)

San Francisco Marina Small Craft Harbor
1 Marina Green Drive | San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: (415) 831-6322 | Fax: (415) 775.1060

SF Marina Harbor Association Annual Meeting Feb. 10th 2022 – Minutes and Video

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Annual Meeting

Kurt Hemmingsen was re-elected as Secretary-Webmaster and Theresa Brandner was elected Director without opposition.
Besides the board members, there were almost 50 attendees which is about double the number who attend an in-person AGM.
Bruce Stone, the Treasurer, reported about $10K in the treasury fund and an increase in membership.
The proposed East Harbor sailing center was well received with a number of favorable comments.

 

Here’s the recording of the Feb 10 SF Marina Harbor Association Annual Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/TaBtruoURe-_krdTq3KL7HqoPHb40uqZ03MyGSonjIBowmNF622bijH0mSDuHKXm._ZF_yxeeGbvG6df7

Passcode: &9xmiFZi

In the meeting, Harbormaster Scott Grindy and Rec and Park Project Manager Kelli Rudnick reported on various initiatives,  Some highlights:

Berth holder bathrooms – BCDC’s EIR that authorized the West Harbor project specified two new berth-holder toilets in the west end of the harbormaster hut when his office relocates to the degaussing station. This document is attached.

At the east end of that building, there are two rooms for berth holders, each with two showers – one ADA-approved and one normal.  In November 2014, we proposed removing the normal shower and installing a toilet and sent drawings to the Harbormaster (see attachment).  Now, 8 years later, he has announced that Rec and Park will make this conversion.

The harbor entrance is getting narrow and shallow.  See the attachment of readings on 02-09-22 at a +0.8 tide. At a normal 0.0 sea level, just deduct 0.8 from these readings and you will understand what it means for a typical boat like a J/105 drawing 6.5 feet – running aground unless hugging the northern side and avoiding the green buoys.  Also, note that these readings taken by the harbormaster staff are rounded off to the nearest foot so could be 0.5 shallower.  In the areas marked 7 feet on this diagram, there could be just 4.5 to 5 feet of water at a low tide.  It will continue to silt in, and not be usable for keelboats in a few months.  Also, the channel marked by these buoys is in the wrong location as the dredging was done to the North, closer to the jetty.  For the past two years, we have been requesting these buoys be relocated in a curve to the North, guiding boats in a safer path, but the Harbormaster said that takes a year and is expensive to study and implement. The harbor’s budget runs from July 1 to June 30, and fresh funds become available in August; therefore the Harbormaster stated he must wait until next fiscal year to dredge.  We pointed out that the harbor is being choked off and we’re not getting the benefit of the bargain in the slip fees we pay.  We suggested that the Coast Guard and the Fire Department cannot get their larger boats into the harbor and nor can deep draft boats visiting for a cruise or passing through for a regatta, and it will get worse.  He said he cannot do anything about it, and to avoid transiting the entrance at low tide.

The BCDC EIR also counted on the continuation of the sandpit just outside the jetty to mitigate shoaling of the harbor.  The Harbormaster says that was handled by the Department of Public Works and is outside of his jurisdiction.

Kelli Rudnick, Project Manager for the East Harbor renovation, described the calendar for the project.  Concept design and community outreach in 2022-23, design and permitting in 2024, bidding and then vacating the harbor in 2025, and then a three-year construction period to 2028.  Berth holders would be expected to relocate to other parts of SF Bay.  The Department is reviewing three options but favoring not rebuilding the shallower south end of the harbor. We pointed out that rather than abandon that area, we favor building a platform to support a community boating center like in Alameda and Redwood City, with classrooms, showers, and dry boat storage for skiffs, dinghies, small keelboats, kayaks, paddleboards, and secure storage of boaters’ gear. This would generate rental income.  See attachment. We would seek funding from various corporations and foundations to cover the cost of lessons for SF public school children. We also believe the harbor needs a sheet-pile breakwater along the East axis, close to the adjacent Ft. Mason pier, to protect the harbor from northeasterly swells.  As this would also benefit Ft. Mason, we requested that the Department reach out to the National Park Service and our Congressional representatives for a cost-sharing program.

Fuel Dock – Kelli stated that the fuel dock would be relocated to West Harbor, near the pump-out station across from Golden Gate YC, so on our plan we drew in a launching area for dragon boats in the area to be vacated. However, on further study, we have learned that the Fair seawall along Marina Green is unstable and that it would be unlikely to support fuel tanks.  Also, the West Harbor area is congested, so adding commercial traffic in there for refueling would be unsafe for the large number of non-motorized boats sailing in and out of the harbor.  The best location is the current location in East Harbor, and we suggested that the Department dredge that section to accommodate it is staying there.

SFHMA Preliminary Vision for Community Boating East Harbor

Uncategorized

SF Marina Harbor Association presents a preliminary vision for a community boating center in the southern end of East Harbor where the City intends to abandon many berths rather than dredging there.

We are also recommending dedicated berth-holder bathrooms as well as a breakwater along the eastern edge to protect against surges. The conceptual design is depicted below.

For more information, please join our upcoming meeting:

SF Marina Harbor Annual Meeting via ZOOM – Thurs Feb 10, 2022 – 7 PM

Link to the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84897421434

Full agenda is at www.sfmarinaharbor.org under “Latest News” and you may initiate or renew your membership at http://sfmarinaharbor.org/#hs-service-post-section – just $60 for three years!

Meeting Notice | SF Marina Harbor Annual Meeting -Thursday, Feb.10, 2022

Meeting Notices

SF Marina Harbor Annual Meeting – Thursday, February 10, 2022 – 7 PM Pacific – via ZOOM
To join the webinar please click:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84897421434

Meeting Agenda
Kelli Rudnick, SF Rec & Park Project Manager, will explain the settlement with PGE and outline the anticipated timeline for the redevelopment of East Harbor.
SF Marina Harbor Association will present a preliminary vision for a community boating center in the southern end of East Harbor where the City intends to abandon many berths rather than dredging there.  We are also recommending dedicated berth-holder bathrooms as well as a breakwater along the eastern edge to protect against surges. The conceptual design is depicted below.
Harbormaster Scott Grindy will discuss the significant West Harbor entrance shoaling, overall security, parking, bathrooms, staffing, and a wide range of topics, plus take Q&A.
Election of Officers & Directors – Nominating Committee recommends:
President – Mark Hensley
Vice President & Treasurer – Bruce Stone
Secretary & Webmaster – Kurt Hemmingsen
Directors: Alex Mulder, Risley Sams, Theresa Brandner

Other nominations may be made during the meeting
Please RSVP to bruce@brucestone.com

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Feb 10, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: 2021 SF Marina Harbor Association Meeting

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84897421434
Or One tap mobile :
US: +16699009128,,84897421434#  or +12532158782,,84897421434#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 9128  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799  or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 848 9742 1434
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcKrhT8vMG

 

 

West Marina Sounding Report January 5, 2022

Uncategorized

Editors Note:

When entering West Harbor to go to the St. Francis or your own berth, there has been continued shoaling that can endanger your boat.  Since the attached photo was at +2.8 tide, well above low, the areas marked 8’ indicate only 5.2 ft depth, therefore you can hit bottom especially along the green channel markers along the south side of the channel.  Favor the red markers along the north side of the channel.  Also, you do not need to continue to the end of the “channel” as that’s not where they dredged the last two times; rather, they dredged closer to the wave organ and the channel should curve Northerly rather than a straight line going East-West.

In past decades, there was a sandpit off the end of the wave organ which then collected sand and prevented the harbor from silting in so quickly.  This sand was given away to a dredger who came in exchange for dredging it out.  That deal was dropped when the harbor was renovated, and the consequences have been dire for the harbor entrance, costing $500k or more each year for remedial dredging and even that has not been substantial enough to make solid headway against the problem, thought to come from sand off Ocean Beach and Crissy Field.

If you have an interest in learning more, and perhaps contributing to a solution, please join the SF Marina Harbor Association.  Our Annual Meeting will be on Feb 10 via ZOOM and we’ll be sending out notices soon to members.  See http://sfmarinaharbor.org/ for how to join, just $60 for three years.  We’re also looking for another director to join our Board.

 

SF Marina Sounding Report July 25, 2021

Uncategorized

On July 25, 2021 the Harbor Master’s Officer released the most recent sounding report. The soundings taken on 7/25/2021 @ 0715 at -1.2 tide. Please note that this map is not intended for navigation purposes, try to enter and exit during high tides.