During this time of year, wildflowers pair with Bernal Hill’s rakish microwave antenna tower almost as well as peanut butter and chocolate.
Photo: Telstar Logistics
Supervisor Campos Breaks Silence, Says He “Wants to Inject Common Sense” Into Coke Mural Controversy
The case of Anonymous NIMBY vs. Vintage Coke Mural has been exasperating for (almost) everyone involved.
It has been exasperating for homeowner Richard Modolo, who has had to deal with the inconvenience and expense of responding to the City’s notice of violation about the old mural. It has been exasperating for the City Planning Department, which has become the object of national scorn and ridicule as a result of its decision to declare the mural illegal. And today Bernalwood learned that it has also been exasperating to Supervisor David Campos.
Indeed, the only one who probably feels empowered by the debacle is our Anonymous NIMBY. One complaint, and — boom! — an all-consuming controversy ensues. Not bad for a lone voice in a city of many tens of thousands.
This evening Supervisor Campos returned a phone call from Bernalwood. The Supervisor did not explain his long silence on this issue, but he reiterated that he has been trying to get a sense of how the neighbors in Bernal Heights feel about the vintage Coke mural.
The results of his fact-finding were clear and directional.
Campos received exactly one (1) email — perhaps from our Anonymous NIMBY? — expressing concern that the presence of the Coca-Cola mural so close to Paul Revere School might encourage childhood obesity. To gauge the depth of this sentiment, Campos says he reached out to a group of parents with children at the school. Were the parents worried the nearby mural might send their little ones careening down a path of sugar-fueled gluttony and lifelong corpulence???
Hardly. “None of the parents had an issue with the sign,” Campos reports.
Campos says he is now “moving in the direction of protecting the sign.” He also said he has been in discussion with the City Attorney’s office, and that he intends to make the details of his plan clear during the Board of Supervisors meeting that will take place tomorrow afternoon, on Tuesday, March 1.
“We need a solution for the city as a whole,” Campos says. “There is value in preserving our history, and that’s true city-wide. Creating a historic preservation district may help in this particular case, but we need a broader mechanism.”
Bernalwood couldn’t agree more. In fact, hasn’t this incident shown that the current law is more than a little ridiculous?
Campos readily agreed. “As a matter of law, I don’t think it makes much sense, given the lack of nuance,” he said. “We want to inject some common sense into this.”
Wouldn’t that be novel! Stay tuned tomorrow, when we will finally learn the details of the Campos Plan to Save Bernal’s Coke Mural.
Photo: via Supervisor Campos
Crime Report: It’s Not an Action Movie; It’s Real Shots Fired on Alabama
This morning Bernalwood received a crime report from a reader who lives on the 1500 block of Alabama near Cesar Chavez:
At 10:15 last night my wife and I were watching a noisy action movie in the front room when seven shots were fired close by. We hit the floor, but when nothing else happened — I didn’t hear any car zooming away, if indeed the shooter escaped via a car, because it took me a minute to shut off the noisy movie — I looked outside while calling 911. The strange thing is that all was quiet for about three minutes, and then
some female screaming started. The cops started pouring into the block about a minute later. Even though I couldn’t see any details, it was clear that someone had been hit, because the whole block was blocked off for a couple of hours and the cops were going around putting down those numbered yellow evidence cones. I don’t see any news about it yet this morning but given the spate of recent shootings I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chronicle has something soon.
Anyone else hear or see it?
Update: SF Appeal has the story:
A San Francisco man was shot in the Mission district Sunday night and rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, a police sergeant said.
The 27-year old man was sitting in a car in the 1500 block of Alabama Street at Cesar Chavez at around 10:20 p.m. when suspects approached, shot the victim multiple times, and then drove away, Sgt. Mike Andraychak said.
Photo: Telstar Logistics
Style Report: Chickens Are the New Black
After a surreal weekend that saw the story of Bernal’s Coca-Cola mural controversy land on the front page of Fox News and our Ski Bernalwood trail map land on the ABC World News, it’s time for us to keep it real by introducing a few new residents of Bernal Heights: Three chickens.
Living in a back yard near Crescent and Andover in Bernalwood, the chickens are named Notorious R.E.D., Checkers, and Garuda. And though they have exceptionally small brains, they are typical Bernal residents in that they have a stylish home, gourmet aspirations, and their own blog. The blog is called Yolk Tales, and it describes a typical day’s quest for fresh-laid eggs as follows:
I was opening up the coop this morning to fetch the newly laid egg, and Checkers darted out into the yard. With sleep in my eyes and my pajamas still on, I chased that little bird around the yard for a good five minutes before grabbing her and tossing her back into the run. I’m sure it would’ve been rather amusing had there been an audience. I love having the ladies roam around in the yard, but they get a taste of freedom and crave more and more. And they’re fast.
But not fast enough. The chickens are already producing eggs, and our sources tell us these homebrewed eggs pair nicely with Niman Ranch center-cut bacon:
Keep an eye on Yolk Tales for further developments.
Photos: Yolk Tales
Coming Soon: The Sad Coca-Cola Mural Cover-Up
While the City Planning Commission runs on bureaucratic autopilot and Supervisor David Campos thinks really, really, really hard about whether Bernalwood’s vintage Coca-Cola mural is worth saving, homeowner Richard Modolo is making plans to cover up the historic mural to avoid facing $100 daily fines.
The San Francisco Examiner reports:
After being notified last month that the billboard didn’t have an advertising permit from The City, Modolos was given 30 days to either remove the sign, apply for a permit or request a reconsideration notice.
But choosing the latter option would have required Modolos to pay $3,400 up front for the initial hearing and possible fees, according to the notice. “Just as I’m reading this thing, I’m thinking how can you possibly do anything,” Modolos said. “They’re making it so difficult.”
So Modolos opted to cover the sign for the time being. He said he’ll find out later this week if the department approved his plans.
Bernal Heights residents who support the billboard have expressed interest in seeking help from Supervisor David Campos, who represents the area, to protect it by creating a “historic sign district.”
Planning Commission vice president Ron Miguel said that although the sign isn’t currently legal, there are ways that it could be made legal. “Somehow, it’s got to be resolved,” Miguel said.
Ya think?
Bernalwood has been receiving regular updates from both Richard Modolo and the City Planning Department. Only Supervisor David Campos has yet to weigh in, and yet only he can now save the mural. But after two weeks of uncertainty and controversy, Campos has yet to declare a position. Apparently, this is a difficult decision, so he needs still more time to think about it…
Photo: Supervisor Campos, via Guillaume Paumier via Wikipedia
Saturday Was Brought to You By Big Fluffy Clouds
Photo: iPhone Instagram by Telstar Logistics
What Do Fox News and Bernalwood Have In Common?
Fox News got the memo about Bernal’s Coca-Cola mural controversy.
So what do Fox News and Bernalwood have in common?
Normally, almost nothing (apart from the fact that we’re both fair and balanced). But this week…
- We both think the City’s jihad against a 70 year-old Coca-Cola mural in Bernal Heights is absurd, and…
- We both wonder why the San Francisco Planning Department hates America so much.
Has Proof of Intelligent Alien Life Been Discovered in Holly Park?
We recently discovered some unnerving evidence of UMO’s to Holly Park. What could these markings mean for little-leaguers and kickballers on the Hill?
Your Ski Bernalwood Snow Report for Feb. 25, 2011
Notice the fresh tracks on 14 Limited at Ski Bernalwood
Wow. That was an intense storm that blew through early this morning. And when I went downstairs to make a cup of coffee, I noticed some snow(ish) accumulation in the back yard:
“If there’s snow(ish) here, there might even be fresh powder at altitude!” I exclaimed. So I piled into the Jeep, dropped it into 4WD, and set a course for Ski Bernalwood.
The lifts were running when I arrived, but conditions were still pretty extreme on the North Face:
It was a similar scene on the South Face, where the earlybirds had already tracked-out the cornice at Cornelio’s Folly:
By that point, my caffeine levels were dropping into the red zone, so I decided to head back home to recharge. Along the way, I noticed whitewater on Cesar Chavez, and a few of the local kayakers were out shooting the rapids on their way to work.
Those of you who bought season passes to Ski Bernalwood will want to keep those boards waxed and ready, because more storm activity is expected in the next 24 hours.
Photo: Telstar Logistics
Meanwhile, a Discussion About the Mural on the Bernal Heights Library
Great news! If you’ve enjoyed gnashing your teeth over the fate of Bernal’s historic Coca-Cola mural, you’ll be glad to know that you can also gnash your teeth during an upcoming series of meetings to discuss the future of the murals that cover the Bernal Heights Branch of the San Francisco Public Library.
Darcy Lee (of Heartfelt) wrote to Bernalwood to summarize the process:
There is a community meeting that will be held from 2-4 this Saturday at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center regarding the artwork that is going to replace the current mural on the Bernal library. This is after more than a year of negotiating different opinions on the future of the appearance of our beloved civic building. There are many members of our community who would love to see the mural restored, and others that would like new artwork, and others that would prefer none at all.
When the differences got heated and the Arts Commission and the Library Commission were not sure what to do, Supervisor Campos and some community members suggested that we form a group of members of the community to hash it out with the renowned facilitator Beth Roy (who happens to live in Bernal).
We reached a consensus, after hours of meetings week after week. Community Activist Mauricio Vela was an integral part of our process and we are sad to say he passed away. We formed a task force out of the original group to deal with the next difficult part- raising money and choosing artists. We are now holding community meetings with the artists to get the community’s voice.
The meetings will be held at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center on Saturday Feb. 28 from 2 to 4 pm and Tuesday, March 1 from 6 to 8 pm. More information and backstory at the Bernal Library Art Project website.
Photos by Telstar Logistics
Matched Pair: Lil’ Red House and the Lil’ Red Pickup Truck
I don’t know which came first: the immaculate 1949 Ford pickup or the beautifully restored house on Wool Street. Whatever the order, the truck was blocking the driveway of the house, so it’s safe to assume they’re a pair.
And so well paired, don’t you think? It took a lot of commitment to harmonize both those elements, but the results are so very sweet. Nicely done, neighbor.
Photo: Telstar Logistics
Supervisor David Campos Unsure If Historic Mural is Worth Saving
First, the good news: The effort to save Bernal’s historic Coca-Cola mural is gaining widespread media attention, spreading from this blog, to the SF Examiner, to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Now the bad news: Supervisor David Campos is apparently unsure if the Coca-Cola mural is worth saving. Dozens of Bernal residents have told us that the mural generates a tangible sense of joy and connection to the neighborhood. But Supervisor Campos says he’s worried about the theoretical risk that a 70 year-old mural might encourage childhood obesity. Or something. (Why am I experiencing such an unpleasant sense of deja vu?)
From today’s San Francisco Chronicle:
Campos is still mulling the issue.
“We haven’t really taken a position either way,” Campos said. “We want to hear more from the neighborhood.”
He said he’s already received a handful of passionate e-mails from both sides.
“We’re trying to fight childhood obesity,” he said. “We don’t want to promote kids drinking Coca-Cola.”
Campos will need to make a decision quickly.
Indeed he will. Because while he mulls, the clock is ticking, and the City Planning Department continues to demonstrate an unsettling myopia about the mural. Both the letter and the spirit of the law are obviously open to interpretation in a scenario like this, yet such subtleties are lost on the City’s zealous apparatchiks — history, context, common sense, and neighborhood sentiment be damned.
Campos, meanwhile, says he needs more time to lick his finger, point it in the air, and take the measure of the political winds.
That suggests he needs you to offer guidance, fellow citizen. Campos told the Chron that he wants to “hear more from the neighborhood.” So why not deliver some of the clarity that he finds so elusive? Supervisor Campos can be reached here:
Voice: (415) 554-5144
Email: David.Campos@sfgov.org
One final note: Bernalwood attempted to contact Supervisor Campos last week, but our email to him received no reply. However, if Supervisor Campos feels that he was misrepresented in the Chronicle, or if he would like to clarify the record regarding his position on the historic Coca-Cola mural, Bernalwood would be pleased to publish his statement in full. Our email is bernalwood at gmail dot com, and operators are standing by.
Photo: Supervisor Campos
A Secret View of the Hidden Precita Valley
On some level, anyone who lives in this City learns that there are really two San Franciscos: The public City we see at street level, and the secret City that’s only visible from private back yards.
Though not much distance ever separates them, the quiet spaciousness of backyard San Francisco is often a world apart from the shoulder-to-shoulder bustle of life on the street. That’s even more true in hilly parts of town, where the topography of the City’s steep grades is fully revealed only within the sheltered perimeter of the surrounding homes.
Here’s one such place: Precita Valley, on the north slope, between Mirabel (above) and Precita (below). It also happens to be the view I wake to every day from my bedroom window.
It’s a whole ecosystem that only the locals get to see.
Photo: Telstar Logistics
Bernalwood 
