Slope. How
steep is the land under the home you are considering?
The lands on both sides of the Golden Gate are characterized by their dramatically steep slopes.
Hills make our magical views possible, keep us fit, and add variety and drama to the landscape. The direction they face has a huge effect on the amount of light and wind and fog your property will be blessed or cursed with, as discussed in the previous 4 posts. The slope and composition, or
substrate, affect construction decisions, because of course gravity exempts no human or building.
San Francisco's development history is intertwined with technological responses to slope. Nob Hill became develop-able after the
construction of the cable car system, as did West Portal, Forest Hill
and the like after the construction of the tunnel to the west side of Twin Peaks from down town.
I am a fan of the
funicular. There are
still quite a few with various levels of functionality in SF and Marin. When I lived in Sausalito my elderly neighbor across the street used hers all the time. I sure was jealous when I had a lot of books and groceries to lug.
Of course for the energetic, there are marvelous
stairways all over
SF and
Marin.
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