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Pre-Construction and Construction Standards and Guidelines

See the requirements for construction projects in the Presidio.

Preconstruction

Conferences and Meetings

Contractors are required to attend the following.  

Pre-Construction Meeting 

A pre-construction on site meeting is required for all projects before mobilization can occur. The purpose of the meeting is to review and confirm Presidio-wide requirements and project-specific protocols and conditions. The meeting is organized in coordination with the TDR and will include the Contractor’s key staff and Trust support staff, including the Federal Preservation Officer, utility personnel and other specialists, depending on the project’s scope of work. A separate pre- construction meeting focused on inspections and testing may be required by the Permitting Manager, also depending on the project’s scope of work.  

District Construction Coordination Meeting 

Contractors working on projects in close proximity to each other or within the same Presidio planning district must attend weekly district meetings. The purpose of the meetings is to coordinate activities to minimize the potential for conflicts; improve efficiency and safety; and reduce impacts on the public, residential and commercial tenants and Trust operations. Each Contractor must provide a “3 week look-ahead” schedule at each meeting, along with supporting exhibits necessary for effective coordination (e.g., staging and hauling plans, locations of temporary road closures, anticipated utility outages, etc.). Each Contractor must have decision-making authority for their respective project. The Trust is the final decision-maker, should conflicts arise involving project coordination.  

 

Notifications to the Public, Presidio Residents, and Tenants 

Advance notification is required for activities that may affect the use and enjoyment of the Presidio by the public and/or the Presidio’s non-residential and residential tenants. 

The Contractor must work with the Trust’s Marketing and Communications Department to develop a public information plan for projects with significant public impacts, as determined by the Trust. The public information plan must be approved by the External Affairs Department before mobilization can begin. Public notification will be issued by the External Affairs Department at its discretion. Unless otherwise directed by the Trust, the Contractor must submit a monthly project update to the TDR that includes a description of the current project phase of work, a “look ahead” to activities occurring in the next reporting period, identification of any traffic and pedestrian concerns, a description of noise-generating activities and a description of hauling and staging operations. The External Affairs Department may use information from these reports at its discretion. If the project site has a “web cam,” arrangements can be made with the TDR to post images on the Trust’s website. 

For projects with limited impacts or impacts that are generally expected to affect only non-residential and/or residential tenants of the Presidio, the TDR will submit draft notifications to the Trust’s Real Estate Asset Management Department for review and approval. Notifications must contain a general project description, construction schedule, hours and days of operation, summary of expected impacts (e.g., noise, temporary parking changes, anticipated power outages, etc.) and contact information for the project’s TDR. If applicable, haul routes, traffic detours and other transportation controls must also be included. 

The notifications must be approved by the Trust’s Real Estate Asset Management Department at least 15 working days before mobilization is expected to occur. 

Staff of the Real Estate Asset Management Department or the respective property manager will send the notifications to non-residential and residential tenants 5 to 10 working days before mobilization is expected to occur. 

Construction

Following the pre-construction requirements, the following requirements apply to actual construction through the close-out of a project at the Presidio. 

Construction and Demolition Noise

Construction equipment must be adequately muffled and maintained to minimize project noise. The Contractor and all equipment operators must comply with noise criteria established by the Trust, as well as with the standards and levels included in San Francisco Municipal Code Section 2909.27 Construction noise is limited to 80 dBA (A-weighted scale per American National Standards S-1.4-1971, or the latest approved revision thereof) as measured at the construction site boundary.  

 

Construction Trailer, Material and Waste Storage

Job trailers, waste management containers and portable restrooms must be installed within the project site but outside of any right-of-way. Material storage and deliveries are also prohibited in a right-of-way.  

The Trust requires recycling and documentation of construction debris that is diverted from landfills. All dumpsters and receptacles for food refuse must be water-tight, wildlife-proof and secured at all times. The Trust prohibits the accumulation of debris, litter or trash on construction sites.  

Job sites require an on-site hazardous liquid material spill clean-up kit that contains a 25-pound bag of Floor-Dri (or its equivalent), absorbent pads and other materials for immediate clean-up. If hazardous liquids are stored at off-site lay- down areas, this requirement applies there as well.  

 

Crane and Concrete Pumps

Tower cranes may be required at project sites with little or no setbacks. The Trust strongly prefers electric cranes because they generate less noise and no fumes or emissions. The Contractor must apply for a crane erection and set-up permit and comply with OSHA regulations, including those associated with operator certification. The Contractor must maintain at the job site all records of crane inspection and certification (issued by a certifying agency or the OSHA crane certifier). Mobile cranes and concrete pumping rigs have the same requirements.  

The Contractor is prohibited from trimming or pruning trees; if tree pruning is deemed necessary by the Trust, it will be undertaken by the Trust forestry crew.  

 

Delivery Requirements

Traffic control for project deliveries must be coordinated with the Trust’s Planning Department, with assistance from the TDR. Roads will not be closed unless the Trust grants an encroachment permit. The TDR may also identify possible staging locations for deliveries along approved haul routes.  

Delivery and all other on-site vehicles are prohibited from idling for more than five consecutive minutes. The San Francisco Police Department enforces the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s traffic restrictions for local streets, including those leading to and from the Presidio gates. 

 

Emergency and Other Contacts During Construction

If a construction-related emergency arises such as a sewer collapse or a water main break, the Contractor must immediately contact the Presidio Dispatch line at (415) 561-5656. Depending on the type of emergency, notification will be relayed to the Trust Utilities Department.  

If a natural disaster or other type of emergency occurs, the Presidio Emergency Information Hotline, containing recorded information, will be activated at (415) 561-4500.