A draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is currently being compiled by the San Francisco Planning Department to determine effects found to be potentially significant to the surrounding neighborhood during the demolition of existing buildings to make room for a proposed Home Depot in Visitacion Valley.

Impacts on visual quality, transportation, operational air quality, operational noise and contaminated soils have already been determined to be potentially significant, and will be  analyzed in the forthcoming EIR, as will be land use for informational purposes only. Effects determined either to be insignificant or to be mitigated to a less-than-significant level through measures included in the project include: land use, population and employment, construction noise, construction air quality, odor, shadow, wind, utilities/public services, biology, geology/topography, water, energy, historic architectural resources, and archaeological resources.

Although the proposed Home Depot would occupy all of the east side of Bayshore Boulevard between Raymond and Sunnydale avenues, a 7,000-square-foot parcel at the southeast corner of Bayshore Boulevard and Visitacion Avenue is not part of the project site.
Currently there are six vacant one- to three-story industrial buildings that were most recently occupied by the Schlage Lock Company, and a seventh building that formerly housed the company offices. There are also several smaller buildings that formerly served as storage sheds and a security office.

Schlage Lock had announced plans to close its San Francisco facility more than a year ago, completely vacating the site at the end of 1999. Existing buildings at 2201, 2401, 2445, and 2555 Bayshore consist of approximately 470,000 square feet of floor area. Another structure, a three-story building formerly containing the Schlage Lock offices at 2201 Bayshore Blvd. at Blanken Avenue is located on a 1.5-acre surplus parcel not proposed for inclusion in the Home Depot project and will not be demolished. Collectively, the Home Depot project consists of all or part of eight assessors' parcels.

Following demolition of existing buildings, construction would begin on a single-story 32-foot-tall commercial building of about 108,000 square feet to be used as a Home Depot retail center. An outdoor garden center would of about 17,000 square feet would also be built.
Approximately 865 parking spaces would be provided in a surface lot south of the proposed Home Depot store, and four truck loading bays would be located in the eastern wall of the building.

Design of the proposed Home Depot would be similar to the company's other stores. The building would be constructed of tilt-up concrete slabs, painted tan, on a concrete floor slab that would also support the garden center and areas immediately surrounding the building; including some retaining walls. The store itself would have traditional Home Depot orange signage: the store name above the main pedestrian entrance, a "pylon" sign about 40 feet tall at the secondary entrance on Bayshore Boulevard, and a ground-level "monument sign" at the primary vehicle entrance on Bayshore at Visitacion Avenue.

Freight loading would occur at the four loading spaces in a sunken loading dock area on the rear (eastern side) of the proposed building. A trash dumpster/compactor would also be located at the rear of the building. Additional loading for the garden center and for lumber delivery would occur in an open loading area at the north end of the proposed building.

Two retaining walls would be constructed along the northern project site frontage, one on either side of the truck entry driveway, to allow a stepping down to the finished grade of the store. Another retaining wall would be built along the Bayshore Boulevard frontage of the store. This western property boundary would also be screened by a vinyl-coated chain-link fence. The project would include landscaping in the form of trees planted along the Bayshore Boulevard and Sunnydale Avenue site frontages, and within the parking lot.
Most of the site is in an M-1 (Light Industrial) Use District; the eastern part is zoned M-2 (Heavy Industrial). The entire site is in a 40-X Height and Bulk District (40-foot height limit, no bulk limits).

Retail sales and parking lots are permitted as a principal use in M-1 and M-2 Use districts. However, Conditional Use Authorization would be required because the project site is within an Industrial Protection Zone created by Interim Zoning Controls intended to "temporarily eliminate the threat to the supply of industrially zoned land and building space available to production, distribution and repair businesses." The proposed project would also require building and demolition permits.

Three access driveways are proposed on Bayshore Boulevard for the project with the primary access opposite Visitacion Avenue and feeding into the access isle. To allow for vehicles to enter the project site from the north, a southbound left-turn pocket (approximately 260 feet long) would be constructed at the intersection. A second access point would be for northbound traffic only (right-turn in and right-turn out), and would be located mid-block between Visitacion and Sunnydale avenues approximately 300 feet south of the primary entrance. A third driveway, a one-way truck entry, is proposed on the far northern portion of the site opposite Raymond Avenue. A 20-foot-wide one-way access ramp would lead to the rear of the building and the loading areas.

To allow for the creation of a southbound left-turn lane on Bayshore Boulevard approaching the primary entrance, the project sponsor proposes to eliminate about 15 parking spaces on the west side of Bayshore Boulevard between Visitacion and Leland Avenues. Three additional spaces would be removed for creation of the proposed secondary driveway. There would be no changes to the sidewalks on either side of Bayshore Boulevard.

Muni's Third Street light rail line, scheduled to begin operation in 2003, will have its southern terminal adjacent to the southeast corner of the project site, at the end of Sunnydale Avenue.

Operating hours for the proposed Home Depot store have not yet been established but the store may be open 24 hours per day, seven days a week, as is the existing Home Depot in Colma.

Information provided by San Francisco Planning Commission

Construction Begins on
John King Senior Community

Construction started in February on the John King Senior Community and Child Care Center to be located on Raymond Avenue at Sawyer Street. More than 90 units of senior housing, a child care center for 45 children and the new John King Senior Center will be part of the complex.

Just months earlier, the site adjacent to Visitacion Valley Middle School was home to Early Years Academy preschool.

Saturdays are Special at Randall Museum

The Randall Museum offers drop-in, hands-on art and science workshops every Saturday at 1 p.m. at 199 Museum Way (off Roosevelt, above the Castro). All ages are welcome; under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Museum admission is free with $4 per person workshop fee (except where noted). Call 554-9600 for further information.

*April 8: Boxtales presents Mayan, Aztec and Mexican Folktales and Myths - Boxtales creates amazing, participatory and highly energetic educational entertainment for children in a bilingual English/Spanish program.

*April 15: Earthquakes - Explore a 1906 refugee shack, learn about seismographs and where earthquakes happen, and hike up to the earthquake fault right on the Randall hill.

*April 22: Berry Baskets - Use ribbon, flowers and "grass" to transform a berry basket for spring.

*April 29: Spring Sprouts - Learn all about plants through fun games and activities. Start seeds sprouting in your own window box platter.

Still Trying to Recover from Holiday Debt?

Although the holidays are months behind you, the mail carrier is still dropping off department store and credit card bills for the many wonderful gifts you bought your family and friends--like that lovely scarf you bought Aunt Mary and that leather jacket you bought your brother Tony.

Is there any wonder where your paychecks are going?

If you're like the millions of people who each year over spend during the holiday season, this month finds you scrambling to get your personal finances back in order.

But, don't worry. There's still plenty of help available to help you reach your goal of becoming financially fit.

"The beginning of the year is always a good time to stop and examine how well you are managing your money," said Mike Kormos, division sales manager at WM Financial Services, an affiliate of Washington Mutual, the nation's ninth largest bank. "And it's never too late to start with a few small changes in how you spend and invest your money."

Here are some basic steps to better manage your money and get your personal finances back on track:

1. Put yourself on a budget. Start by saving your receipts for purchases for an entire month. Then, at the end of the month, review where you've spent your money. You may be shocked to find where you spend most of your money and then you'll also be able to determine where to cut back your spending. "Sticking to a monthly budget for necessities is one of the sure-fire ways to manage money," Kormos said. "You are disciplining yourself to take care of your priorities, which allows you the peace of mind to know that basic necessities such as utilities, food and bills will be paid before you spend money on items that you don't absolutely need."

2. Pay more than the minimum on your monthly credit card bill. You'll never get rich as long as you're paying upwards of 15 percent in interest (and spending more than you earn!) Since a good portion of your payment goes to interest charges, focus on eliminating the balance by paying more than the minimum payment. You can also shop around for a credit card with a lower interest rate and then consider transferring debt from the higher interest cards to your new card.

3. Pay yourself first. Put your savings aside as soon as you get your check. That way, you'll have to learn to live on what's left. If you wait until the end of the month to save, there won't be anything left. If you need to, create an invoice for yourself and pay that. Best idea? Have the cash withdrawn from your paycheck and deposited electronically in a mutual fund, employee retirement fund (such as a 401k) or an interest-bearing savings account.

4. Shop with a list. Avoid buying things on impulse. Make a special effort to avoid buying anything displayed at cash registers and use coupons. When you plan purchases and shop with a list, you are less likely to buy things you don't really need.

5. Carry your lunch and snacks to work or school. If lunch costs $5 per day, you are spending about $100 on lunch per month. Bringing your meals and snacks to work will not only save you money, it's healthier, too!

6. Pay in cash. Using credit will increase the cost of your purchase if you have to pay interest.

7. Stick to your spending limits. If you go over budget in one area, you'll have to make reductions in other areas. Counting down instead of up may help. If you have a certain amount of money budgeted for groceries, for example, every time you put an item in your cart, add up how much you have already spent and make note of how much you have left. Seeing the available funds diminish increases your awareness of how much some items really cost and may lead you to be more frugal.

8. Reconsider your wants and needs. Now is the time to start reevaluating those things you consider to be necessities but may really be luxuries to which you've simply grown accustomed. Things like conference call capabilities on your home phone, premium channels on your cable service, or even cable service itself may be a luxury, especially if you make little use of them. Unwilling to compromise on name brand items, or embarrassment over shopping at discount or thrift stores can also be brought into question. The important thing is to get the most out of every dollar you spend.

"Managing your personal finances is not an easy task. Take it day to day," Kormos said. "The important thing to remember is that if you plan ahead of time, you should be able to shop well and use your savings to splurge on your retirement in the years to come."
If you'd like more information on becoming financially fit, contact WM Financial Services at (800) 888-0055.

Some Business Opportunities May Be Fraudulent

It's not hard to see why consumers would be drawn to ads for business opportunities that trumpet claims like "be your own boss," "set your own hours," "work from home," and "earn money quickly." But as the Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly found, business opportunity promotions like these often are scams, taking consumers' money up front but failing to deliver on their promises in the end.
Prospective business owners can take steps to make sure they're not taken in by fraudulent business opportunities. Before investing in any "biz opp," the Federal Trade Commission suggests that consumers:

*Get all earnings claims in writing. If the promoter hesitates or refuses to give the information in writing, find another business opportunity.

*Interview references provided by the promoter of the business opportunity. Talk to each prior purchaser in person, preferably where their business operates. This may help reduce your risk of being misled by "shills."

*Study the business opportunity's franchise disclosure document. It includes information about the company, including whether it has faced any lawsuits from prior purchasers or lawsuits alleging fraud.

*Ask the Attorney General's office, state or county consumer protection agency and Better Business Bureau in the area in which the business opportunity promoter is based and where you live whether the promoter has a history of unresolved complaints.

*If the business opportunity involves selling products from well-known companies, call the legal department of the company whose merchandise is being promoted. Find out whether the business opportunity and its promoter are affiliated with the company.

*Consult an attorney, accountant or other business advisor before you put any money down or sign any papers.
For more information about business opportunities or to make a complaint, call the FTC toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357) or visit online at www.ftc.gov.

Ingleside Station Police Report

*On Feb. 9 at 9 p.m. on the unit block of Racine, Ingleside officers responded to a call of a robbery which had occurred earlier in the evening. The victim said he had parked his vehicle when two suspects ran up to him and robbed him. The first suspect shoved a hand gun into his side and demanded his money. When he gave them his money they fled toward 2200 Bayshore Blvd. The officers made a search of the area with negative results. The first suspect is described as a black male juvenile 15-17 years old. He was 5'7", 130 lbs. and was wearing a black hooded jacket. The second suspect was a black male juvenile 15-17 years old. He was 5'5", 120 lbs. and was wearing dark clothing. Case 000166674

*On Feb. 9 at 12:16 p.m. on the 500 block of Tompkins, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a bomb threat. The school received a threat over the phone and the school was evacuated. A search of the campus was made but no suspicious device found. School was resumed. Case 000164468

*On Feb. 9 at 5:50 p.m. at Cortland/Hilton, Ingleside officers conducted a surveillance of the area awaiting the arrival of a known drug dealer. The officers observed the suspect arrive and stand at the bus stop. Several other subjects approached and an exchange of money for drugs was made. The officers were able to move in and detain the suspects. Suspect #1 was booked for possession of rock cocaine for sales, possession of rock cocaine, and an outstanding federal warrant for firearms charges. Suspect #2 was booked for several outstanding warrants. Case 000166000

*On Feb. 11 at 8:22 p.m. on the 1600 block of Valencia, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a robbery with a gun. The suspect came to the victim's counter and paid for a cup of coffee. The victim went to open the cash register when the suspect pulled out a large gun and pointed it at her. He threw the register to the ground and took the money. He then fled out of the store towards Tiffany Street. The suspect is described as a black male 19-25 years old. He was 5'7", 150 lbs. and was wearing a black jacket with a hood and black pants. Case 000176338

*On Feb. 12 at 7:51 p.m. at Joost/Baden, Ingleside officers spoke with a victim of a robbery. The victim was to meet his ex-girlfriend, who is a suspect, and exchange some property. The ex-girlfriend came to the location with two other suspects also known to the victim. One of the other suspects pulled a gun to the victim's face and asked for his money. A vehicle drove by at the time and distracted the suspect with the gun. The victim at this time stepped out into the street to flag down a vehicle for help. The three suspects then got into their vehicle and fled the area. There is no description of the first suspect. The second suspect was a white male, 19 years old and is 5'10", 185 lbs. The third suspect was a black male 17-20 years old and is 5'10", 185 lbs. Case 000179746

*On Feb. 12 at 10:53 a.m. on the 200 block of Norton, Ingleside officers responded on a call of an aggravated assault. The victim said he was in his vehicle stopped behind another vehicle. The victim honked at the vehicle in front of him and the suspect got out of his vehicle. The suspect walked backed to the victim's vehicle and started arguing with him. The suspect then pulled out a knife and attempted to stab at one of the victim's vehicle tires. The victim got out and confronted the suspect. The suspect then pointed the knife at the victim and motioned as if to stab him. The suspect then left the area, was later detained by police and charged with aggravated assault. Case 000178077

*On Feb. 12 at 11:32 a.m. on the 600 block of Geneva, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a death. A man died in his room of undetermined causes. Case 000178209

*On Feb. 12 at 9:37 a.m. at Velasco/Santos, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a robbery. The victim was at the bus stop when she was approached by two suspects. One of the suspects asked her for a dollar which she gave him. She turned her back to the suspects and felt her backpack being yanked and taken from her . The suspects then fled the area. The first suspect is described as a black male 17 years old. He was 5'3", 110 lbs. and was wearing a blue bandanna and a black coat. The second suspect was a black male 17 years old. He was wearing a blue rag on his head and a black jacket. Case 000177847

*On Feb. 13 at 6:19 p.m. on the unit block of Blythdale, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a shooting. The officers arrived on the scene and found the victim shot. The victim was involved in a verbal argument with the suspect who is known to him. The suspect left and returned with two more suspects. The victim confronted the suspects and was shot. The suspects then fled the area. The first suspect is described as a Black male 19 years old and is 6'2", 185 lbs. The second suspect is described as a black male 15 years old and is 5'2", 95 lbs. The third suspect is described as a black male 17 years old and is 5'8", 140 lbs. Case 000182965

*On Feb. 16 at 10:30 a.m. on the 200 block of Oneida Avenue, an Ingleside officer responded to the school on a call of
a threat to commit rape. The officer spoke with the juveniles involved and determined that there was no actual rape at the time. A crime was committed however and a juvenile suspect was arrested and charged with assault to commit rape and false
imprisonment. Case 000195344

*On Feb. 16 at 11:03 p.m. at Phelan/Judson, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a robbery. The victim was walking down the street and the two suspects were walking toward him. They confronted him and asked him if he had any money. The suspects quickly started searching through the victims pockets taking several items. The suspects also showed the victim a bat
and hammer in a threatening manner. The suspects fled and the victim was able to flag down the police. The victim was placed
in the patrol car and a search of the area made. A few minutes later both suspects were found and taken into custody. Both male suspects were both charged with the robbery. Case 000197895

*On Feb. 21 at 7:50 p.m. on the 200 block of Monterey, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a robbery. The victim was walking down the street when a suspect approached her and demanded her bag. The victim turned over the bag and the suspect fled the scene. She followed the suspect and observed him get into a red vehicle, possibly a Volvo with dents to the rear of the vehicle. The suspect is described as a male, 5'11", 160 lbs. wearing a hooded jacket. Case 000218526

*On Feb. 21 at 1:20 p.m. on the 200 block of Edinburgh, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a battery. The victim told the officers her brother hit her. He was gone prior to the arrival of the officers. The victim also told the officers her brother had a gun in his room and she feared for her life. She asked the officers to go in and search the room for the weapon. The officers did not locate the weapon but instead found narcotics in the room. The suspect was charged with possession of methamphetamine for sale and maintaining a place for narcotics to be sold. Case 000216724

*On Feb. 22 at 4:28 p.m. on the unit block of Argonaut, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a shooting. The officers found a victim at the scene. They were unable to question him as to why he had been shot. The suspect was a black male, 5'10". He was wearing a black jacket, black pants and a black knit cap. Case 000222696

*On Feb. 22 at 3:48 p.m. on the 900 block of Saddleback, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a death. The victim
died in his home and at this time the cause of death is undetermined. Case 000222652

*On Mar. 6 at 8:38 p.m. at Geneva/Brookdale, Ingleside officers responded on a call of a robbery. Headquarters broadcast a description of three suspects who had attempted three robberies and completed one robbery. Officers were able to locate and detain three subjects matching the description headquarters broadcast. Officers were able to bring victim's to the scene and positively identify the three subjects as the robbers. The three juveniles were each charged with one count of robbery and three counts of attempted robbery. Case 000662633

*On Mar. 8 at 8:09 p.m. at Tompkins/Hanover, Ingleside officers responded on a call of shots having been fired. The victim was on his way home driving through the Alemany housing projects. A vehicle starting following him and at one point he stopped and the vehicle hit him from behind. The victim sped away from the vehicle and the suspects followed him for several blocks. The suspects were able to drive up next to him and fire several shots at his vehicle. The victim was able to lose the suspects and call the police. The driver of the vehicle was a black male 16-26 years old. There were two other male passengers in the vehicle. Case 000288024

From the D.A.'s Office

Construction Company Charged with
Labor Code Violations in Worker's Death

San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan's office on Feb. 24 charged a South Bay construction firm, Largo Concrete, Inc., with Labor Code violations in connection with the March 1999 death of Alejandro Carlos, an employee. Carlos was working at a high-rise at Second and Townsend streets when a 1,200-pound column form (used to create concrete walls and pillars) toppled onto him. He died within the hour.

Largo Concrete, Inc. is charged with having failed to secure the column forms with an anchor, guy, or brace--a violation of construction safety orders enforced by the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal OSHA). The misdemeanor charges include a violation of Labor Code Section 6425 which carries a maximum fine of $70,000. Largo was served with a summons Feb. 24.

Bookkeeper Charged in Embezzlement

District Attorney Hallinan on Feb. 25 charged bookkeeper Nidya Sanz with three felony counts in connection with the embezzlement of $107,000 from the Able Building Maintenance Company. Sanz was employed at the company between October 1997 and December 1999.

Sanz was arrested Feb. 24 by San Francisco police at her current place of employment, and was arraigned the next day with a bail set at $200,000.

The case was developed by the SFPD Fraud Detail and is being handled by the DA's Special Prosecutions Unit. Sanz is charged with grand theft, embezzlement and using a computer system to defraud.

Elderly Man Who Shot Intruder Won't Be Prosecuted

District Attorney Hallinan on Mar. 2 declined to prosecute A.D. Parker, an 83-year-old resident of the City's Bayview district who shot and killed a tire-iron-wielding intruder in the early morning hours of Feb. 21.

Parker found the intruder, who had broken into his house, just outside his bedroom. He fired one shot from an antique Spanish revolver which had not been used in 50 years. Parker, a widower who lived alone, then slammed the bedroom door shut, locked it, and immediately called 911, fearing that other intruders were in the house.

The intruder, who had a record of burglary convictions and a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, died of a single gunshot would after paramedics took him to San Francisco General Hospital.

Deputies of the DA's Homicide Unit reviewed evidence compiled by Police Department investigators, including a tape recording of Parker's grief-stricken, fearful comments to a 911 operator moments after the shooting.

In explaining the decision not to prosecute Parker, Hallinan cited a section of the Penal Code providing that "any person using force intended or likely to cause great bodily injury within his residence shall be presumed to have a reasonable fear of imminent death" from someone who has made forcible entry.

"The death of any human being is a lamentable event," Hallinan said. "But this homicide clearly falls within the presumption of the statute, and I have therefore determined that Mr. Parker should not be charged."

Unlicensed Contractor Gets Prison Sentence

District Attorney Hallinan announced Mar. 7 that his office obtained a state prison sentence for Preston Ray Griff, who defrauded two San Francisco homeowners by misrepresenting himself as a licensed contractor. Griff pled guilty to felony grand theft and was sentenced by Judge Ernest H. Goldsmith to 16 months in state prison. Griff was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.

Using a fake name and the license of a legitimate contractor, Griff obtained a $1,000 down payment on a roof repair job for an 85-year-old widow.

In a separate incident, he obtained a $2,000 down payment to paint a Noe Valley home. No work was ever performed and Griff never refunded the money to the homeowners.

Ricardo Lopez, who investigated this case for the Contractors State License Board, advises homeowners to make sure a contractor is licensed before parting with any money. This can be done by calling the Board a 1-800-321-CSLB or by visiting the Board's web page at www.cslb.gov.