July-August 2005 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

Bring on the CBD

Editor:

Hooray for the proposed Noe Valley Community Benefit District (CBD) on 24th Street [June 2005 Voice]. The CBD would benefit us all, and commercial property owners like Mary McFadden should applaud the proposal. Indeed, improving 24th Street will only make the properties more valuable.

Also, I was delighted to hear about the possibility of allowing more restaurants in the area. Competition will only benefit the consumer. We the diners will decide if we have too many restaurants; those that aren't providing the food and service we want, at the prices we want, won't make it.

Alec Hemer

Church Street

Patrols a Mickey Mouse Idea

Editor:

Since the attraction of Noe Valley for homebuyers is that it's "a hip but unpretentious urban village" with "down-to-earth charm," it seems ironic that "Downtown Noe Valley is close to trading in its shabby-chic look for a spiffy makeover that will include steam-cleaned sidewalks, benches for resting and conversation, new signage, flower boxes, and uniformed security patrols." (I'm quoting from articles on pages 1 and 17 of your June 2005 issue.)

Before this makeover is instituted, I hope its supporters will consider whether creating an artificial Disney World, complete with patrols, is really in their best interests. I also hope they will think more deeply about how a community is made attractive and secure.

I believe true security comes from vigilant, caring individuals like Hannah Oxley and Karri Cormican, who foiled a man's attempt to slip a white powder into his date's drink at Noe's Bar (story, page 56). Whether Noe Valley is a clean, attractive, safe community to live in is up to each one of us. It cannot be bought with a special tax.

Ruthanne Lum McCunn

Noe Valley resident for 30 years

City Should Rein in Vicious Dogs

Editor:

I'm an animal lover. In fact, my family and friends would probably agree that I am better with my pets than I am with people. But I am very concerned about the frequency and severity of dog attacks, on people and animals, in the past few years.

I have lived in San Francisco most of my adult life, and I love this city. However, I think we are at a crossroads with the most recent dog-mauling death. We can be naive and do nothing, or we can address the issue. A few days before 12-year-old Nicholas Faibish was killed on June 3, I was shopping during rush hour and was pushed into the crowd and into a young man walking two pit bulls. I barely escaped being bitten. I now realize how lucky I was, after hearing what damage these types of dogs can do. Whereas years ago I never saw any pit bulls on the street, I now see them all the time, and frankly I feel I'm putting myself at unnecessary risk.

Just last year, a friend's dog attacked my cat in my house. I saved my cat's life, but I was severely bitten. My medical bill was over $7,000, with my insurance only paying a portion. When I asked my friend for some monetary reimbursement, she was furious. She gave me a few hundred dollars--and nothing for all the extreme pain and trauma the incident caused me. I almost lost the use of my right hand. A week later, this same friend brought her dog into the office without a leash and frightened a coworker. So nothing had changed.

Another incident occurred a few years ago when an unleashed dog attacked my dog that was on a leash. I was able to pull the dog off while the owners stood by helplessly. When I complained to them, they smiled and said I shouldn't have gotten in the middle of a dogfight! As they walked away, they politely told me to f - - k off!

We have strict laws about smokers in our city--how about pet owners? Why not impose a few-hundred-dollar fine on unneutered and unleashed dogs, and a hefty couple-thousand-dollar fine for dogs that maul or attack another animal or human? Why can't a person owning a vicious dog be registered, as gun owners and karate experts have to be? Meter maids and police could focus a bit less on parking tickets and a bit more on pet owners breaking leash laws.

It isn't fair that pet owners have more rights than innocent, law-abiding citizens. Dangerous dogs in dense areas just don't mix.

Paula Pagano

Duncan Street

No Shortage of Restaurants

Editor:

By limiting your survey of Noe Valley restaurants to 24th Street between Chattanooga and Diamond, you missed quite a few good restaurants.

If you had extended your survey just one block--to 24th and Douglass--you would have included Firefly and Rin's Thai restaurant, and just off of 24th Street on Diamond, Bacco Restaurant.

Considering Church Street and environs, we have Incanto, Eric's, Alice's, Pomelo, Long Island Restaurant, Yianni's, and Verona Restaurant and Pizza. These are the ones that come readily to my mind, but there are many more.

There is no shortage of restaurants in Noe Valley, and many of them are within walking distance depending on the location of your readers' homes.

Donna Rand

27th Street

Editor's Note: Our story and sidebar in the May issue--titled, "Growing Hunger for More Cafes on 24th Street" and "How Many Cafés and Bars Do We Have Already?"--focused on 24th Street between Chattanooga and Diamond streets because that is the zone whose number of bars and restaurants is currently restricted by the city planning code. Under rules adopted in 1987, new bars and restaurants can move onto that stretch of 24th Street only when an existing bar or restaurant vacates a spot.

Our story covered a Planning Department effort, which is supported by a group of local residents and merchants, to modify the code so that it will allow a few more eateries on 24th Street.

Letters to the Editor

THE VOICE welcomes your letters to the editor. Write the Noe Valley Voice, 1021 Sanchez Street, San Francisco, CA 94114. Or e-mail editor@noevalleyvoice.com. Please include your name, address, and phone number. (Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.) Be aware that letters may be edited for brevity or clarity. We look forward to hearing from you.