SPUR Publications

Jimmy Chiu , Airport Infrastructure Program Director, led both design and construction efforts for the successful implementation of FAA-required runway safety areas at San Francisco International Airport ( SFO ). Chiu worked to build consensus among the FAA, airlines and airport operations staff to ensure the project would be completed by the December 2015 federal deadline.

Paula Kehoe oversees pivotal water conservation and water resource diversification programs for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission . With California’s severe drought conditions, the work of the Water Resource Division, led by Kehoe , is particularly critical. Kehoe directed the development of new strategies for water supply diversification through non-potable supplies.

The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal Team managed design, financing and project implementation to create a LEED-certified , world-class cruise terminal at Pier 27. The team set priorities, aligned interests and assured financial stability for this Port of San Francisco project.

The Family Violence Prevention Team implements new strategies to promote safe communication between parties in child-support cases. Through their work with the Family Violence Initiative, they have facilitated a 16 percent increase in the number of child support cases that are receiving payments.

Colleen Chawla led the effort to create the groundbreaking Health Care Services Master Plan ( HCSMP ) for the City and County of San Francisco. The first of its kind in the nation, the HCSMP allows policy makers to evaluate the impact of citywide health-promotion efforts, community planning and land use decisions on the health of citizens.

The idea of urban agriculture incentive zones has begun to spread within California. On February 10, both the City of Sacramento and Santa Clara County took official steps toward creating zones that would allow landowners to receive a property tax reduction in exchange for committing their land to urban gardening or farming for at least five years.

December’s drenching rain and big swells were the biggest thing to hit Ocean Beach for years. Fortunately, sand placement was already in process, providing a ‘sacrificial’ (i.e. temporary) buffer in the locations most vulnerable to erosion. This will be an important design factor in the managed retreat process.

Oakland’s Lake Merritt is one of our grandest and most beloved examples of great public space, unique in the region and deeply embedded in its community. And after a decade of thoughtful reinvestment, it is thriving.

The San Francisco Planning Department recently secured $173,850 from the California Coastal Commission and the Ocean Protection Council to amend our Local Coastal Program to incorporate climate change and sea-level rise. The Planning Department will lead the Local Coastal Program amendment effort and, working closely with stakeholders, capitalize on the collaborative foundation built through the multi-stakeholder Ocean Beach Master Plan process.

It seems everyone’s abuzz about Pop-Ups these days: those retail businesses that appear suddenly, operate for a day or two—sometimes for weeks—and then disappear. Pop-ups are temporary by definition, but they can have longer-term impacts on communities. That’s becoming quite evident in Oakland, where pop-ups have proven to be a tool in the work of downtown revitalization.