a step back and just remember -- i know we have some concerns about a specific location at union square, but the overall proposal before you, there is probably not another amenity or concession proposal we have brought before you that is more consistent with the mission of this department. it is exercise and bicycles, and it's transit-friendly and environmentally friendly, and it has the option. this is something very unique. we are creating for the first time in this city a bike network. a bicycle network where you can -- and it's something that the mayor and several members of the board of supervisors have been talking about for years. that you will be able to pick up a bike in one location and actually drop it off. and this is also going to be in our parks. and it's an opportunity to get people from the downtown corridor, the hotel corridor. i don't think this is just limited to tourists. to get people from downtown out

to golden gate park, out to union square, and hopefully marina green, and hopefully other locations where we can get people to our parks. some of the operational concerns, i don't want you to lose sight of a really exciting and youous amen -- joyous amenity this really is. with respect to those at union square, having listened to them, we understand the issues, but as commissioner levitan suggested, why don't we actually see what happens instead oftying about -- instead of thinking about what's the worst that could happen. along the lines of a nine-month trial, i think we could amend the lease. my staff has worked with park wide with some of the discussion going on. we could amend the lease to actually provide for the commission at its sole

discretion to revoke it. so what i have suggested would be if after nine months of operating at union square, because after this step, it still does need to go to the board. i think park wide will need some time to get up and running. so after nine months of operating at union square, the commission determines at its sole discretion that it presents a significant safety hazard to park wide customers or members of the general public. the commission shall be permitted to revoke park wide's ability to operate at union square. that would be the amendment. we are happy to provide by report around the nine-month mark, and frankly, we can do it periodically during m.t.a.'s construction project. i don't think it should be lost upon us at m.t.a. that traffic and transsport experts have said they think this is a navigable

issue. i'm sure that we would ultimately hear about concerns anyway if they occur. so i would suggest that amendment to the lease. brulebrule thank you. commissioner lee? -- commissioner lee: so it would be amended to say -- if we're sticking with the five-month lease, just to reiterate, it would be that we would have a review in nine months from the beginning of operation and that the commission will then determine at that nine--month interval whether or not to allow the lease to go forward. if there's a hazard, it would not go forward? >> i think that's basically it. i think what we're saying, if after nine months of operations

at union square the commission determines -- and i think commissioner buell said we would submit a report. if there's something that comes to the commission's concern where you want a calendar and you determine that the bike rental operation presents a significant safety hazard to the customers or members of the public, the commission should be revoked at union square. commissioner lee: is that something that would be agreeable to your group? >> we need you to come forward, please. thank you. >> i want to say that we've never had a problem with the operators, just to underscore what others have. the concern has been about safety.

i think you've done a nice compromise. i just don't think people understand what that traffic diversion plan is all about. when you say you're launching on to post street, so is every other car that's coming south on stockton who isn't trying to go west. commissioner lee: in nine months, we'll review the process. and if there's a safety issue, the commission will have the power to revoke the lease. is that agree sfble >> that's agreeable. >> i think what we can say for further clarification for miss magellan, so if after nine months of operating at union square or any point thereafter, because i think some of us will depend on the nature of the m.t.a. project. they've given us assurances that this will not affect operations. >> are you really sure m.t.a. talked with their subway team? >> it's a fair point, linda, and

i think that's what we're suggesting is let's wait and see and if significant concerns come up, i'm sure this commission will hear about them and you can do some fact-gathering and hear some testimony and make a decision about whether union square continues to be an appropriate location. commissioner bonilla: i think we've kind of hashed out a little bit, or quite a bit some of the safety issues. and it appears that we may be on our way to addressing them. i think there is one very important issue that hasn't been addressed. and that is the anxiety that i sense coming from the union street murcommants and the residents in terms of the chaos. you know, what is happening in

terms of central subway construction and the traffic mess that may be caused by rerouting traffic and what have you. and the question i have is i know we're approving here a master bike rental concession. and when i look at the -- when i look at the proposal, it's clear that all the other areas, all the other places that we're proposing to have these bike rentals, it's not an issue. and it's not an issue because there isn't any construction that's going on. there isn't -- i mean, it's a whole different scenario.

in many ways, i don't even look at union street as being a park. we're looking at a master bike rental concession in parks. i see it somewhat differently. i see it more of a historic area for -- traditionally for shopping. and for going to more the commercial areas, financial areas of our city. the question i have, in terms of this master lease, the burning question for me is why union street, or union square at this time? why is it so integral to this

whole lease? and the timing is very critical here for me. couldn't it have been -- wouldn't it have been better to do all these other leases in these other areas and then add in after the construction, you know, build that in that part of the lease. i know we're very concerned about revenue generation. and i know that we are concerned about safety and we want to do a package here, a package deal, because it's probably more cost-effective. couldn't we operate these other bike rental areas and then phase

in the union square piece to that master bike rental lease. it's a question that i think needs an answer before i can really sign on here because i can see a situation here where we have all this activity going on that's intensifying the situation in terms of traffic, in terms of the additional bike riding activity and what have you. so could you answer this question to the best of your ability, why now? what is the rush to add union square at this time? that's my question.

>> we asked respondents to suggest parks and we set a minimum that respondents must operate. and golden gate park and marina green park where we have traditionally had the bike rental concession. but we also said if there are other appropriate locations, we would be willing to consider evaluating the appropriateness of those locations. when the response from park wide came in, they did suggest operating in union square. the department evaluating the appropriateness of operating in union square and had conversations with the m.t.a., conversations with the san francisco bike coalition, extensive conversations with our partner park wide in this endeavor about their safety record.

and their plan to operate in dense, urban space safely. and the department determined in consultation with all of those people that because the transformation the city has seen the last 10 years, where we are starting to see bike lines in downtown and the bike line has been approved and there's more bike lanes that will be coming online shortly in the downtown area, that we comfortable moving forward at union square. it's obviously a question for the commission, and you've been debating it, whether the commission feels that the safety issues have been adequately addressed with the proposed amendment. i wouldn't presume to suggest that one of you should weigh in on that. i think the process weir setting up here allows us to look at the

empirical data nine months and beyond and see if there is indeed a concern, then we have that ability -- i should say you, this body, has the ability to revoke the ability to operate out there. commissioner bonilla: as a whole, i support the project. i mean, this is a transition -- this is a transit-first city. we certainly -- i mean, i love seeing the bike riders where i work. i think we don't have issues there in terms of the bike riders. and we have had a lot of construction issues there in that district with the idea of the valencia corridor and what have you. those things happened -- that

construction happened when -- i mean, when bicycling was already happening. you know, it was a way of life there. here, we have an opportunity in terms of timing, in terms of when we introduce that additional activity. i think the timing is not as great as i would like it to be in terms of the construction that's going on. that's my only -- that's the only drawback that i see here. >> i suppose iffs just positive that bicycle riding is already occurring on these streets. we're talking about streets that -- there is an existing bike lane. i don't have the exact bicycle count per day, but there are 50,000 daily bicycle trips here in san francisco. this is a core part -- >> but in that area -- >> i don't know that the traffic numbers, and we can get that for

you, if you'd like. this is a core part of the city's bicycle network, and that activity is already occurring. it's just, renting bicycles to people to ride on the existing resources bike lines. commissioner bonilla: well, i've spoken my piece on this and i leave it to my colleagues to make a determination on this. president buell: seeing no other comments, commissioner levitan had proposed a -- >> there's one more public comment. president buell: let me see if we have a problem first boyfriend i ask you to do that. commissioner levitan proposed the sense of a motion and general manager ginsburg had refined it. let me ask commissioner levitan, are you happy with that recommendation? >> commissioner levitan: yes, i am. i do want to make sure that the

city attorney gets back to me or staff about that information just to double check that we are covered on all that legal language. i'm comfortable with the refinement. and just to reiterate that, that is -- i think you -- did you write it down? >> i'd be happy to. the amendment to the lease would be if after nine months of operating at union square or any point there after, the commission determines in its soul discretion that the bike rental presents a significant safety hazard to park wide oar members of the general public, the commission should be permitted to revoke park wide's ability to operate at union square. commissioner levitan: so moved. president buell: is there a second? moved and seconded. any questions, comments? seeing none, all those in favor.

>> aye. president buell: opposed? hearing none, it's unanimous. thank you. >> we are now on item number 12, which is recreation and park department budget. president buell: i've had a couple of commissioners request a brief recess, which will allow them to pay much closer attention to the budget. we'll take a little resess.

>> i'm here this evening with the first of three presentations on the budget. before staff submits our