exploratory and has been working with the staff to allow them to -- each day i work with my staff with hundreds of thousands of visitors. these are people of all ages and backgrounds. this is a place for people can explore and learn the exciting world of science. the solutions before you will help us to continue to operate and fill our mission. i ate respectfully submit that you approve the proposal. >> thank you.

>> the people that attend our performances all seem to come at the same time. there is a little bit of a different issue here than the means of the -- we were trying to mitigate the impact to the neighborhood. when you have close to 400 cars coming at the same time, this creates a large traffic jam. most of the cars come from lombard street.

my fear is when we lose 258 parking spaces, there will be a traffic jam backed up towards the lombard street and we will be basically gridlock. our strategies were to try to create parking spaces that were in many different areas to replace the lostsome of these se rejected for various reasons. my fear now is that if we keep limiting some of these proposals, we will end up with nothing. it is going to be a nightmare. it seemed like most of the opposition is for the triangle lots. i am looking at it a little differently.

i took aside the residents, and i think there is an opportunity to improve that area. there were large trees on it, but they are now destroyed. [chime] i think there is a possibility to actually improve this space and not look at it as having this parking lot across the street. president buell: thank you. >> i don't believe there has been any compromise. the only reason they cannot pursue the ankle parking on baker street is because it did not fit and it did not measure it. once they found out it didn't fit, i don't consider that a compromise. if you vote not to approve the

triangular parking lot, i don't understand why. the residence unanimously came to you here and are asking you not to approve it. they are the ones that live there. it seems like it is the government against the residents now. i don't know why you would enter the residence. it will turn out to be 18 spots. he will ask about the -- you will ask him about the ada. i have been sued under the ada. i am sure you will not take my opinion for it, but i think every parking spot requires its own successful lot that will take up spaces. i don't understand why you want to enter the residence for 18 spots. you have to build a retaining wall. it seems like an awful waste of

time and money to anger some many residents. -- anger so many residents. >> here are the signatures for 90% of baker. over 70%-a 80%, they are documented by who owns the building. what is disturbing me is that they have never told you guys that there is the lawsuit by the engineers' union on this project. it might be six, eight, 10 years. we have a problem here. what disturbs me the most is the fact that for two years, there

were secretive, clandestine meetings without the public involvement. they come to us in six weeks beforehand and tell us this is what we are going to do. the eir, they were supposed to mitigate this with shuttle parking from the main parade ground. there is still another lot out there. they are still refusing. and they are holding this city hostage once again to issues that impact us. there is another section that i have known for 10 years and want to change the parking over at chestnut and lion. take the bus restrictions off. if you vote on this, your being part of that bigger story.

i really think you should continue in even past the first of the year because there is a lot of information that is coming out momentarily. did you know the planning department has not passed this on environmental? i bet you did not know that. there are lots of things you are being told that i think you should continue this until after the first of the year. we are willing to take the brunt. i don't understand why you are determined to do this. i heard about this lot being taken to a parking lot over 12 years ago. the next thing we know, they want the trees torn down. this was and still is possibly a spotted owl nesting ground. there are redwoods. can you cut down redwoods? i am not really sure according to the law. i think you are making a

decision based on political pressure and i think you should take your time on all of this. what was not told to you was the most of the voters were not notified. [chime] one second. and only 3 people showed up to the meeting. all free pointed out parties and staging. president buell: thank you. >> we have some folks outside that have been called to speak but we cannot have them come in. if you have spoken, let me ask you to step outside to we can allow them to come in, please. thank you. is there additional public comment on this item?

>> right now there is an international meeting concerning global warming. we hear you talking about providing more parking, more parking, more parking. we have yet to implement this policy. this commission has not made any mention of public transit. sadly, not even the residents have mentioned transit. they recommend that we drive around until we find parking. what does that do to our air? rich or poor, we are all going to go down together. here and there and in the park,

this will be wreck-reation. i wish you would consider those things. it is devastating considering what we are headed for. thank you. >> yvonne. hashim is here also. if you could come forward, please. you have two minutes. >> have done have a prepared speech. -- i do not have a prepared speech. i have three young children and i feel that this project -- we

have a space across the street that has been ignored, abandoned. we have planted seeds and tried to create a really pretty spot. we don't need more traffic. i have kids i need to watch out for. i just feel that it is yet another thing we have to deal with. with the opening of the fine arts improvement that looks wonderful, i think it is great. i think the traffic is going to come through and it is going to stop right there. we will have all of these cars, and i am very concerned and i am very upset. i feel like we are being ignored. it will decrease the property value. i just feel that i am very much

against it and i would like you to know that. president buell: thank you very much. >> hashim. >> hello. i manage our high-school program. we higher high-school age kids on the museum floor when we are open. i am a product of the high- school is better program, and i still work there today. the impact that this will have, many of the public that we work with are moving because of accessibility. it is really hard for them to get to the exploratorium. it will impact us in the afternoons. not to mention other counties. the only way they can get to us

is by car. we have a large capacity of people that come on their own. in some sense, this will be really difficult for the families that come here with their kids and the individuals that come from out of town. we definitely need support for the parking because it will be hard for our attendance and many of our staff. i drop off my kids at a preschool and i drive to the exploratorium. we definitely appreciate your support in this and it will help us with our commitment to reach out to the community and work with them. >> is there anyone else that like to speak on this? if so, come forward.

>> i do not have a prepared statement. first of all, i have copies of the male -- emails. has everything been answered? i don't believe it has. i don't believe all of the things have been answered other than that. >> the answer to that question is yes. >> that everything in these pages has been answered? including confirmation that you don't need ada parking spaces. i think you do. from what i understand. i live on the corner of bay and lion.

we get every tour bus, every cable car with amplification talking about our home because they go and they come. it will take away the parks that the neighbors have worked on and was nobody taking responsibility? we believe we deserve to keep 18 spaces. we just heard from an employee that parts that the space. the exploratorium is a rent- paying private organization. they list public transportation that people can take. can they be transferred first? president buell: thank you. >> i just had an opportunity to

review the background material on this, and i did not see any reference to ceqa or environmental review. if there has been an environmental review, that should be before you as a decision maker. if there has not been environmental review, i don't think you should take action on it today. i would associate myself with the residents that have asked for a delay of this item if those concerns cannot be addressed today. >> is there any additional public comment? please come forward. >> i am the facilities director at the exploratorium. i want to reiterate a couple of things that my co-workers have

already said. part of my job is dealing with the traffic and parking issues that come up with our organization. i have been with the department for 11 years. although we would love for everyone to be able to take public transit, it is not really feasible for everyone right now. and part of the opportunity we have to have a better public transportation. until that time, we need parking for our visitors. we are losing 258 spaces. we feel like every space is a precious right now. especially as it relates to our mission and our ability to operate. every visitor that decides not to come, that is money that we

lose, and we feel like we will be in danger. the other item i wanted to mention is that we did give the -- up. we feel like we are trying to take the neighbors into consideration. we are trying to her hair what they are saying and we just feel that this one last piece is something that will be more important to the palace theater than to us because of the entrance. it is something that will benefit of residents. -- both residents. >> is there anyone else that

would like to speak on this item? public comment is closed on item number 10. president buell: i have a couple of questions that i would like to ask. is the representative still here? maybe we will ask the staff. can i ask questions on the project? how many meetings were held in the neighborhood? and how long ago did that process start? >> we have held five-six meetings. we met with the neighborhood organizations. we met with the neighborhood

associations. president buell: how long ago did the process start? >> a couple of months ago. president buell: that's fine. that's ok. i'm asking generally. it sounds consistent with what i have heard from the neighbors. from a timing standpoint, how much latitude do we have to approve or wait on this matter? >> is essential that the project moves forward. there is time that is needed to implement what we are talking about today. it has to be fully designed and implemented. the parking lot goes offline in

about six weeks. president buell: do we have the rep has of the -- representative of the exploratorium? any vehicles that come from your side, do you employ any transportation systems to bring large groups to and from? >> jennifer is our facilities operations person. the field trip program is administered or you have to make a reservation. they call, a reserve a space, and of those charter buses or school buses are scheduled. the demand is managed that way.

president buell: do they work for you? >> both. sorry, i misunderstood you. there are the yellow buses owned by the school districts, and many districts now charter them. we don't own the buses. president buell: they have had, in the past, had to put a transportation management plan together to get people out of there? it is the visitor's option on doing that? >> it depends. there are days when it is no problem. when there is demand, we wrote off areas for buses. they flow students and kids to and from the building.

there is an active parking management on a daily basis. >> because we have so many people here, i will make a suggestion if i can make it fly. i would propose that for that portion of the project that is the 18 or 20 spaces, that we put that over and allow more time to get more information on that, and the remainder of the spaces, we move forward and prove that today. if that meets with my fellow commissioners, then i have a motion to that effect and a second. all in favor? thank you very much. we are going to take a 10-minute break -- a 15-minute break. [laughter] we will call it a 10-minute

break, the back in 15 minutes. we will take up the golden gate park president buell: there are many people of good intentions that had strong feelings about this issue. i would like to as that everybody refrain from applause or any sounds of this content when someone is speaking or finishes speaking. we will try to get through this as fast as we can. we believe you will have a valid point of view to a share. we're going to limit testimony to one minute because of the vast number or we will be here all night. think about what you want to say and be concise. we will listen to it. because we have yet another item

to hear that has many people here as well. let's proceed with the agenda. >> we are here today to share proposal for an exciting new project in golden gate park. the recreation and parks department is proposing the creation of the golden gate gardens. this response to many well- documented programming needs. it allows us to pursue multiple opportunities for community partnership with a broad set of stakeholders. the creation of the new community gardens -- it is one of the most needed facilities.

it also states that the community gardens are one of the most important recreational facilities to households. this demonstrates the level of enthusiasm, and the project manager will describe in more detail. this is confirmed by our experience in managing the community garden program. the recreation and open space element also clearly urges us to expand community garden opportunities throughout the city, noting that it is a valid use of open space, revitalizing neighborhoods. in july, 2009, the mayor issued an executive directive stating

that food production and horticulture education will be encouraged in the city at to the extent feasible on city-own the land. -- city-owned land. we also comply with one of the most important mandates, the master plan. we had extensive community outreach process. there were literally dozens of meetings held between 1992 and 1998 with a broader array of stakeholders. over 50 of them participated. it was adopted by the recreation park commission and states that the center receives recyclables and is an nonconforming use of the golden gate park and that the non-parks serving activities should be phased out. this non-performing use has had

impact on of the park and the neighborhoods. neighborhood groups have had concerns about the existence of the industrial use neighborhood for years. i now live like to ask howard director of operations to share some of their perspectives on this. >> we are responsible for the day today that emissions -- day- to-saday admission.s s. these concerns fall into two categories. i would like to first ask our

current curve manager to comment on the media to impact in the immediate visit the. -- the city. --a vicinity. >> the negative impact that the recycling center has had has been significant in throughout deregulation -- throughout the facility. one of the things i have asked over the years to the users and the staff is that, it could be attributed to the smell or the odor that is created from the recyclable material. it tends to blow a rancid odor through the stadium.