On an annual basis, the Marina Community Association (MCA) elects members to its board of directors, and that board subsequently selects corporate officers to serve for the upcoming year. This year is no different, and we were happy to have Brian Davis, Laura Lanzone and Jennifer Stuart join our ranks. The leadership roles also saw some changes. Ariel Ungerleider, former MCA vice president, will serve as the new MCA president. She will be joined on the executive team by Kat Anderson, vice president; Brad Andersen, corporate secretary; Brian Davis, treasurer; and Jennifer Stuart, recording secretary. Other members of the MCA board include Don Carmignani, John Farrell, Suki Kott, John Millar, and Alan Silverman.

The new board of directors will find plenty of challenges to keep them occupied in the upcoming year. For starters, the concerns surrounding the low-income housing project at the site of the King Edward II Inn have yet to be completely resolved. A coalition of neighborhood groups, led by the Cow Hollow Association (CHA), has worked extremely hard to put together a compromise agreement between the neighborhood groups and the project sponsors. Lori Brooke, CHA president, has contributed an enormous amount of her personal time to this effort and deserves the support and gratitude of our neighborhood. (The effort has also incurred substantial legal fees, so expressions of gratitude may also be made through a financial contribution. Information is available at www.cowhollow association.org.) The compromise agreement, while probably not ideal for everyone, goes a long way toward addressing and mitigating the possibility of negative impacts on the neighborhood, and lays the groundwork for resolving those impacts if they occur.

Unfortunately, the neighborhood’s efforts will only apply to the King Edward II itself. The future of Lombard Street between Van Ness and the Presidio still remains very much in doubt. Without a clear master plan, other small hotels could follow suit as owners look for avenues to save their businesses. Vacant storefronts and restaurants will eventually be filled, but it will be up to the MCA and other neighborhood groups to preserve the unique quality of life in the Marina.

Looking to the future, we can’t forget about the upcoming America’s Cup races. The preliminary events are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2012 – that’s this coming summer. Headquarters for the race events will be at the Marina Green. The MCA continues to work closely with event organizers to ensure that any lasting impacts on the neighborhood are positive ones, and I encourage all residents to get involved. There are numerous opportunities to express your views as the planning process progresses.

Other issues are only just coming to light, and will present new challenges in the upcoming year. The popularity of Chestnut Street as a tourist destination continues to grow. This is certainly a benefit for many of the local businesses, but also puts a strain on the surrounding community. Parking and traffic issues proliferate (always a major concern in the neighborhood), and tour busses are making a habit of ignoring bus restrictions. More people on the street, particularly late at night, can also attract an increase in criminal activity, another issue that is high on the list of neighborhood concerns.

The leaders and directors of the MCA will have their fair share of challenges but are committed to working hard on behalf of our neighborhood. We appreciate their efforts and look forward to the upcoming year in the Marina.