by Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco Proposition B the measure that restricts any new construction and buildings on San Francisco’s Waterfront won by 18 points 59 percent to 41 percent and will only allow new construction for buildings over 40 feet unless voters approve. If the measure had lost the San Francisco Giants who wanted to build condos and retail on Parking Lot A at AT&T Park would have more than likely been able to proceed with construction with little interference. Ideas for new construction would have been able to move forward without the public’s approval.

The measure was reported losing after polls closed at 7:00PM and there was not much hope for a Prop B defeat after absentee ballots were all counted at the close of the polls. Former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos who campaigned for Prop B and was saying all along that height limits would protect the beauty of the Waterfront Embarcadero and also would give the city those traditional views of the bay, the Mayor Willie Brown Bay Bridge, and the greater East Bay.

The Golden State Warriors who originally wanted to build their dream arena at Piers 30-32 and realized that the Waterfront neighborhood didn’t want the NBA team as a new neighbor with the new arena and a tower of condos, hotels and retail and later settled for some Mission Bay property where they’ll build a new arena. The new arena at Mission Bay was met with virtually no opposition from Agnos or the Sierra Club.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the arena developments for Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings for http://www.sportsradioservice.com