>> i am a public high school chemistry, astronomy, and theater teacher in san francisco. i am exhausted, because i just finished finals. a request that you not certify, for the following reasons. it fails to adequately are honestly address many of the concerns raised in the session. i was at both. i put in multiple commons. i did not have time to go to the huge thing with the exam. this profoundly changes the experience of the park, negating the articles extolling the quality of the slammer. soccer leagues do not represent the majority of the humans who use and appreciate this part of the park. i go through it every day. even though we are less organized, we have significant interest in this area. humans present a small fraction of those who use and rely on

this part of the park. for them, this is a life and death decision. their needs are being ignored. specifically, the birds, but there are more. there are coyotes, skunks. the eir makes the common mistake in economics of ignoring the great value of functioning ecosystems. the eir repeats the tragedy of the commons by not recognizing the complex, layered reality these grassy meadows present. calling meadows athletic fields renders them one purpose use. the functions they fulfill our negated because of this. it makes it that much easier to steal these resources, and to diminish the park as a whole. i strongly urge you not to certify it this eir. thank you.

commissioner borden: [ -- president buell: [names are called]

if you are ready. >> good evening, commissioners. my name is steve. i am a father of two soccer girls. i have lived in san francisco for 32 years. i would urge you to accept the eir. it has set aside any reservations we might have about what this is going to be. i love the san francisco sense of community. i find the recreational facilities are a big part of that. this will only build on that. i have gone to see my daughters play.

you discovered it is not only for kids. it is for people who do not play soccer. it is a community-building facility. i think this will do the same thing for what is pretty much an underused area of golden gate park, particularly because it cannot be used for soccer often. i appreciate your time. please accept the eir. i appreciate your attention. >> there is a group of girls here who need to get home. i was trying to see if they could speak first. >> good evening, commissioners. we came here in fourth grade to talk about turfing these fields.

in the same room we are in today. our passion for this sport has driven us to come back three years later to discuss these fields. >> as female athletes, we are taught to stand up for things we believe in, and fight for causes that are important. we are here to fight for these fields. we are asking you, since you are in voting positions and we are not, to please vote on our behalf. >> here are our reasons. when the fields are wet, we practice on the beach and cut ourselves. when we play on soccer fields, we like the ball to go straight. >> our teammate broke her ankle. she had to have surgery and is

unable to play for the rest of the season. this means that when we go to denver for regionals, she will not be able to play in what is potentially the biggest match in our lives, all because of a grass field. >> when we play, we focus on our improvement. when we play at beach chalet, the only thing we focus on is our safety from pot holes. >> as a goalie, and frequently fall on dirt, holes, and rocks. >> as young athletes, it is very important that we get as much practice and exercise that we can. >> please, be our voice. [applause] >> i am debbie. i have two girls that are 16 and 18. they have been playing soccer since the were in kindergarten. we have a lot of experience on virtually every field in san

francisco. the concern at the beach l.a. has always been the safety. i do not just mean the gopher holes. there are a lot of unsavory characters. i want to read an e-mail i got from their middle school coach on april 14, 2009. >> i want to report to everyone an incident that occurred at soccer practice today. the girls witnessed a police capture of an armed gunmen. when we saw the police circling the field, everyone was wondering what was happening. the assistant and i spoke with the other parents at the field. police were searching for someone in the bushes with a gun. we immediately moved all of our players to the middle of the park and had them sit together with the other team and their coaches. the officers captured the man and hauled him away. i commend the girls for being, and cooperative. -- for being calm and

cooperative. this is an unsafe area. lights and activity can only help to make it safer for everyone. thank you. >> my name is pat murphy. i was born out in the sunset and and still living there. i played athletic field soccer. sometimes, i wonder if we are talking about the same field. i think we are talking about the same field with the last speaker. it has always been kind of sketchy out there. i have a hard time believing, if there are families out there, people playing soccer at night, you will have similar activity. i am wondering if we will have the same status quo, or if we are going to move forward and have something constructive. thank you for your time.

president buell: other speakers who we have called their names already? i will call some more names. [names are called] >> thank you. hello. good to see you all again. i am a father. i am abraham simmons, the father of three children, now ages 13, 15, and 21. all three are taking their stab

at being student athletes here in san francisco. we know in the fields we are dealing with now. that are doing so as part of a family that is fighting tooth and nail against the same well- publicized pressures that forced so many other families out of san francisco. the increased availability of the fields is something we look forward to. it is no answer that the deficit is so large that it is still going to be a great need. the beach l.a. is in -- the beach chalet is in my backyard. i say yes to families in my backyard. i say yes to children learning, playing, and using my backyard. i come with the greatest respect for the people who are here, my neighbors, who are speaking against the project. i have stood with them, fighting for and against other projects

in the city. i would prefer that my children play on grass. but i know from experience they are being asked not to play at all. this project is very important to us. i implore this joint committee to say yes to the project. the project is sorely needed. it is long past due, and is extraordinarily well thought out. it reaches a balance, and we need more balance. please help us take this step forward. thank you for my minute and a half. >> good evening, commissioners. my name is mike sullivan, and i am here with my son, joseph, and one of his best friends. i am here in my role as a soccer dead. it is my first time i have been to speak in front of either

commission. this is important to our family. joe and rocky have been playing on these fields for about five years. they have played on grass and turf fields. the kids love them, because that are great to play on. the family's love them because that are available. we are a traveling team. in the last year, we have not been able to play on rec and park fields. we play in brisbane, because there was no feel for us. you cannot make everybody happy. we know that. as you weigh what to do, with passionate people on both sides, i urge you to think about the families. somebody earlier tonight said it is not going to push people out of san francisco if you do not do that. but people say it is not the schools, the crime, or the housing. this is an opportunity to tip the scales in favor of family is

staying in san francisco. we are huge environmentalists in our family, big supporters of the natural areas program. joe and i volunteered every month. i do not think this is a big environmental issue for the west side of the park. this is an urban park. we have paved parts of the park for tennis courts. we have put art museums in our courts. this is a modest thing to do. it will be a big help to our family. i urge you to support the program. i want to ask if the kids want to say something. >> our fields are fun to play on because they are never rained out. whenever we come to grass fields, there are differences in the ground to mess up our shots.

>> right into the microphone. >> i am joseph. i played goalie for the revolution. i am 8 years old. i want you to build the fields, because i do not like getting hurt. >> an icon is about to be destroyed. that is golden gate park. i am a native san franciscan. my mother was going here also. -- was born here also. i do not know if that makes the third generation are not. my mother was brought up in sunset, on noriega's street. i am of course concerned about the artificial turf. i think everybody knows that it

is poisonous. but go ahead. the long-term effects have not been proven yet. do you want to wait for that? the other thing that concerns me is cutting down 55 trees, which serve as a windbreak between the ocean and the park. think carefully about that. at least send the eir back for modifications. by calling them bushes, these are 30 feet tall on average. that exempts them from close scrutiny. even the eir acknowledges that the essential character of golden gate park will be changed by this. i really cannot believe that in good conscience you will approve this. i would urge you again not to do so. thank you. >> i feel sympathy for you

tonight. many that are talking here tonight think your job is to bad. actually, your job is to decide whether the eir is fair, unbiased, and honest. i am going to show right now that it is not a fair eir, but a biased eir. the golden gate park master plan is the constitution of the park. it took 10 years of citizen input to create. the master plan must be followed. the eir acknowledges this. let us take a look at the master plan items. the demands for recreation need to be balanced with the objectives of preserving the of original intent of the park as a pastoral retreat. historically, signs have been kept to a minimum, because the conflict with the pastoral

nature of the landscape. somehow, signs are a problem, but 7 acres of dead, plastic turf that is toxic is ok. the absurd. lighting is for safety purposes and is not intended to increase might use. that kills the whole thing. how does the eir handle that? they do not mention it. they realize that sentence would kill it. it shows you what a fraudulent eir this is. there is a nice section on the bottom of page 100 of the eir. it describes the existing lighting system of the park as a acquitted and in need of replacement. why did they put that in there?

might as well put in 60 foot towers with lights. president buell: that is two minutes. thank you. you can leave that, if you like. [names are read] >> my name is marsha denver. i am a resident of the neighborhood. we are very concerned about the way this plan is shaping up in golden gate park, which we have always considered is best served by being as rural and undeveloped as possible.

when people go down to the ocean, they would often like to be able to watch the natural change of lighting as the sun moves down, and experience it that way. that will be totally destroyed by these huge lights. and the toxins going into the water system, the awkward for, the water table, and into the ocean, from the toxins that are in the turf that are talking about -- they have a beautiful area with a windmill and tulips. this will totally destroy the feeling of being in that area. i just cannot believe that anybody would choose to have that when they can have turf kinds of things with plastic grass in other parts of the city. do not rule in the west and of golden gate park.

thank you. >> my name is kerry jones. i am a representative of the california youth soccer association, which affiliates the local youth leagues. local sports groups began advocating for the installation of artificial turf in 1998. fortunately, the rec and park department has embraced the concept, and has provided some beautiful complexes. there is not enough complexes. the local youth leagues are growing. they still need more places to play. beach chalet has been a traditional facility foreground sports in san francisco. previous renovation occurred in 1998.

unsafe conditions became apparent to mayer brown, and he remedied it. unfortunately, that has dwindled since then, due to lack of maintenance. the opposition seems to be out of touch with the realities of providing natural turf fields in our environment. for sports facilities, we need practical solutions. i am wondering if they will next the demand that the park tennis courts be converted to grass. this is a practical solution to the shortage of soccer fields in the city. this is a safe alternative. i support the project. thank you very much. president buell: we have a kid''

group. some folks have been waiting. if we can back up some of the teams together, and may be one speaker for all of the green team, that would be great. >> i am a new manager of the competitive team in san francisco, the nighthawks. it is very difficult to find playing fields as a team in san francisco. this project allows triple the amount of playing time. the lights provide very little effect beyond the area in which that are lighting. we believe that this project for youth and adult sports is very important. this area of the park is historically one that is used for active recreation.

it is our belief that this renovation of the part is consistent with that usage.>> ye down a little. it makes it easier. >> i live at 745 10th ave. i love playing soccer. i think kids in san francisco should have more turf fields to play on. president buell: thank you. >> good evening. i am a 28-year-old san francisco resident. i grew up in the shadow of mountains in montana. needless to say, i have terrific

appreciation for the environment. the weapon year earlier, but i made decisions that necessitated i stayed at work. i spent an hour with 10 disadvantaged high-school students. second, i spend three evenings a week with boys as a little league baseball head coach. i do not have a child in school or in little league. i do not have children of my own. i simply believe i can do more for the kids of san francisco. i am advocating port in preschool programs for disadvantaged kids. i support increased opportunities for kids to be kids. i can happily tell you that 13% of our citizens were preserved because south sunset has field

turf similar to what is being proposed at beach chalet. that allowed for more help the competition and more smiles. that is as good as it gets. i got involved in little league to facilitate more as opposed to less chances for our city youth to compete. much like adults should not get in the way on the ball field, adults should not be an obstruction off of it either. >> i am representing mission green. i think the children in san francisco should have a chance to play on turf fields because there is a lot of holes in natural grass fields. the turf fields are open longer

than and natural grass field when it rains. >> my name is mark. i think that artificial grass will make it better, because the fields will stay open when it rains. if we had lights, the adults could stay off the field in the day and play at night. the kids can play during the day. >> i live five blocks away from the field. our coach tried to get permits, but we could not. my parents cannot afford a car. >> my name is angel. i am going to say this in spanish.

[speaking spanish] >> i have to go across town to play soccer at crocker, because it is open during the reign. -- the rain. this would be more efficient. you do not have to cut and water the grass. you just have to make a safe environment for the kids. you would have more kids sitting at home, plain text box --

playing xbox. president buell: thank you very much. [names are read] after this, we are going to take a short break. >> my name is michelle. i am a third-generation san franciscan, raising my fourth generation, or raising a fourth generation. i am a volunteer for the schools of sacred heart for field day. my daughter does play soccer and i am in support of soccer. i want to turf beach chalet. i have 400 boys out on the field day i have done for the last nine years.

i cannot tell you how many injuries i get on a field day from the boys on that field. i am also up at night, wondering if the field will be closed. i have to have a backup plan. as i call to get a reservation, every year, there is a tossup whether it will be closed, if they want 400 kids on the field. if we had more turf fields, public schools and independent schools would use them during the day. i pay considerable right to rent the field during the day. that is more revenue to the park. that is for the use of turf fields. nobody wants to go out. nobody wants 400 kids during the day, because they are afraid it is winter ruin these grass fields.