Looking north over Duboce Park, 1945 [Image courtesy of Friends of Duboce Park]
Efforts to landmark 3.5 blocks adjacent to (but excluding) Duboce Park have reached the last hurdle. Next week, the Board of Supes' Land Use Committee will decide whether to support the Duboce Park Landmark District. The collection of 89 late-19th century homes bounded by Waller, Scott, Steiner, and Duboce Park would become the City's 12th such district and the first since the Dogpatch Historic District came into being a decade ago.
An historic home comes with some perks, including potential tax savings, but residents worry that the designation will also bring a host of new rules about what they can and can't do with their property, causing grief every time a window needs to be replaced. Extensive community feedback to this effect led to a version of the designation ordinance which only applies to the exterior of buildings and—according to the Planning Commission—was described by one Historic Preservation Commissioner "as the most permissive and flexible landmark designation" she has ever seen. However, and like always, some neighbors still hate the idea. To counteract rumormongering the Planning Commission set the record straight for naysayers in a handy dandy (pdf) summary of the details. At this point, things aren't looking good for the opposition, but if you have something else to say about this would-be Landmark, take it the Board of Supes' hearing next week. - Laura Tepper
· Duboce Park Landmark District Hearing Monday [Haighteration]
· Duboce Park Neighborhood Up For Landmark Designation [Curbed SF]
· Duboce Park Landmark District [SF Planning]