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| Support for Proposal
to Relocate Police Boundaries
Following is a letter sent Mar. 31 to Chief Fred Lau of the San Francisco Police Department by the Visitacion Valley Task Force. Dear Chief Lau: On behalf of the Visitacion Valley Task Force, this letter is to support the proposal to relocate the boundaries of the Ingleside and Bayview Police Districts, so that the entire Visitacion Valley neighborhood is contained in one district. It is much too confusing for the neighbors and the police officers to have our neighborhood split right down the middle in the way it has been for the past few years. Our residents have enough trouble reporting crimes. There are language differences, fears of reprisal, transportation problems and so forth. When they have to decide which police station to go to regarding a particular crime, they are often discouraged and fail to report the crime at all. Also, it is better for a community to build a bond, as in community policing, with a single station for unity and consistency purposes. We feel that the Ingleside District would be willing, now that they are establishing a "substation" in Sunnydale, to take the entire Visitacion Valley area under their wing. Captain Bruce has a fine reputation in our area, and has shown all of the diverse people in our area that he is a "doer" who can work with the entire population to reduce crime and violence in this neighborhood. Captain Bruce attended our March Task Force meeting and indicated that he is supportive of the change of boundary proposal as put forth by the neighbors at the special Board of Supervisors meeting in Sunnydale on March 2, 1998. The Visitacion Valley Task Force is representative of all of the sub-areas of Visitacion Valley, and exists to bring the voice of the neighbors to those who can affect positive changes to the quality of life in the Valley. The Task Force is working with neighborhood residents and leaders to facilitate their active involvement in the economic development of Visitacion Valley. At our meeting on March 28, it was unanimously decided to write you this letter in support of the inclusion of Visitacion Valley within the boundaries of the Ingleside Police District. We trust you will give this your most serious consideration, and we thank you in advance for your support for the citizens of Visitacion Valley. Sincerely yours,
Dear Muni Rider and Neighborhood Resident: I am writing to describe a proposed change in Muni line 56-Rutland to curtail service to Mansell and extend service to Visitacion Valley Middle School. This proposal will be discussed at two public meetings: *Monday, April 19, 7 p.m. at Schlage Lock Auditorium, 2401 Bayshore Blvd. *Tuesday, April 27, 7 p.m. at Visitacion Valley Community Center Gym, 66 Raymond Ave. Over the last few years, the line has had very low ridership; also over the last few years, a new program has been located at the Visitacion Valley Middle School. This program is called the Beacon and serves residents in Visitacion Valley. It operates six days a week and also at night. Muni service to the Middle School has always been a problem because of the school's location on a hillside. Muni lines 9X and 15 operate two blocks downhill from Raymond Avenue; the school is actually uphill from Raymond and a difficult walk for many people. There are also safety concerns for students and others walking to and from the nearest stops on those lines. Muni line 29-Sunset is further away and is uphill from the school. Several years ago, Muni was approached by the school staff and the Beacon and asked to consider whether any improvements in access to the school could be made. Working with school staff, a recommendation was proposed to reroute line 56-Rutland. Unlike the 9X and the 15, the 56 serves only Visitacion Valley, the northern part of the Portola district, and Little Hollywood. Muni and the school district have agreed
that the school district would improve the edge of its upper parking lot,
which is on the same level as the second floor of the school, and Muni
would propose a reroute of line 56. Because Muni's current budget provides
for only one bus on this line, Muni cannot afford to retain the entire
current line and also extend the line. Therefore, we are proposing the
following:
To allow this, but still keep the current schedule without having to use additional buses, the line would no longer operate on San Bruno north of Wilde or on Bayshore between Arleta and Sunnydale, or on Sunnydale between Bayshore and Rutland. Other Muni lines operate on all of these streets so that no one would be left without service. Riders who now use the 56 to reach Mansell could transfer either at Arleta and Bayshore or Wilde and San Bruno. Riders who now use the 56 to reach Sunnydale Avenue would have to walk one additional block. If you have questions or comments, please contact Michael Cronbach of Muni's Service Planning Department at 923-6091 or 923-6100, or write him at Muni Service Planning, 949 Presidio Avenue, Room 204, San Francisco, CA 94115. Sincerely,
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