potentially loss of the playground, because it is community support that will drive it. you have heard from some of the owners of the playground. i think you have are three primary objections. the first is a safety objection, were they raise questions about the safety of certain locations. i think it is notable that the parents of the children believe that any location around here is prickly sick. the second objection is around the history of the park and trying to keep an open space from the people. you have heard that people would like that to be used for recreation for their children. the third objection is this liberally -- slippery slope issue. first the playground, and then other things coming. i believe the board has the ability to differentiate between a children's playground and a condo or entertainment complex. [bell rings]

i have great confidence that there is no need for a slippery slope here. a playground will be good for the committee, good for the children. and it will be something that i hope you guys find a way to support. thank you. supervisor mar: thank you. next speaker. >> good afternoon, supervisors. my name is bill hannon. i have lived at the golden gate way for 22 years peter i am the current president of the golden gate way tenants association. we want to thank mr. ginsberg and the recreation and park department for doing an absolutely splendid job of renovating sue bierman park. it looks wonderful and reflect great credit on the department. we are opposed to other structures going into sue bierman park. we do not want a museum being built. we do not want another peter pan tent being built. we do favor a children's

playground in sue bierman park. we support the efforts of the parents. we appreciate their patients in working through the system for more than a year trying to find a home. we think sue bierman park is a good home. as to the selection between block 202 and 203, there has been vigorous debate inside our community as to where it should go. last thursday night, we had a meeting of our tenants association board of directors, and there was a vote. there were four votes in favor of a blanket recommendation -- not a blanket recommendation, but a recommendation for block 203, and there were three votes in favor of a blanket recommendation for sue bierman park without specifying an exact location. so our board has expressed a preference for block 203,

however i do not agree with the characterization that there has been an absolute rejection of 202. i think 202 is a viable backup and should stay in the mix. we recommend that the proposed amendment to the ordinance go forward as proposed by supervisor chu. thank you. supervisor mar: next speaker. >> how low. i am one of the old-time apparent that golden gateway. public schools and -- [unintelligible] thank you very much. i raised my kids that golden gateway, and they kept losing friends, because their friends kept moving. fast the baby yes, they left, because they did not have it, you know, it is a pain in the butt during to go to a playground. there is a real community around joe dimaggio, and all the parents know each other. it is more than a playground.

i could not care less where you build the thing. please just do it already. i would like to get a bill to about seven years ago. it was a wasted effort. we had a ton of meetings. nothing ever happened. i do not care where in the park it goes, but you know it is a high-density area. if that is going to be a playground, kids will stay. it is so obvious, right? can we do it already, please? thank you. supervisor mar: next speaker. >> good afternoon, supervisors. my name is bill. i am the president of the barbary coast never association but i am also the founder of the friends of the waterfront playground. i think today, you have already heard and seen that there is a tremendous need for a playground along the waterfront. i do not think that can be disputed. to give you some history, our

group has worked for 15 months to try to find a place to put a playground. sydney walton park, for example, seemed a logical place for small toddler playground adjourned at the honors at the gateway apartments rejected it. they have their own ulterior motives for that, but it has been very, very difficult. sue bierman park is a very logical location for a playground. our group would love to see it built in block 203. there is a very nice natural place for it. the scope it out. i think it will work out nicely. what we want to prevent from happening, since we have been working on this for such a long time, is some unforeseen objection comes up over putting it in what 203. let's say it is the art commission over perhaps moving the korean sculpture or doing

something, and all of the sudden we cannot build it there, and we have no place for a playground. that is why i believe that it makes sense to follow supervisor chiu's ordinance amendment as it is written. again, our ribble work as hard as we can to gain consensus among all of the neighborhood groups to build it in block 203. that is our intention. we do not want to have the frustration of not being able to build it at all if that does not work. again, thank you. we urge you to adopt this. supervisor mar: thank you. next speaker, please. >> [inaudible] supervisor mar: actually, it is not timely for you to make that, but you can pass it on and have me take a look at it. >> [inaudible] supervisor mar: it actually permits the development of the playground anywhere, in either lot 202 or 203.

it does not specify one way or the other. ok? next speaker. supervisor mar: i am the chair person of the parent committee over it the infinitely complex in san francisco. i am here to give support to the development of the playground structure over at the sue bierman park on behalf of the parents that the insanity and many of the other residents were not parents. we have had a children's fare in july at the complex, and we had well over 50 + people come in support of the waterfront playground and to provide donations to provide money to support the playground structure. thank you for your time, and we fully support the endeavor here. supervisor mar: is there anyone else would like to speak that has not been called?

walter, you already spoke. >> ♪ fedor part tel -- fairy park tails -- i'm sorry. supervisor mar: if you could first answer the question around justin herman plaza and why this site was not going to work there. then i would like to ask about 202 versus 203. >> justin herman plaza, it was logistically and more complicated project. there are alternative uses on that the farmers market uses it twice a week. we also felt that there were some safety issues associated with putting a playground that close to the muni turn around and the american dairy -- embarcadero roadway. lastly, from a design perspective, we thought that it might actually be a more expensive project.

and then i think it is important to note that it is actually further away from a lot of the families that were responsible for organizing and desire in a playground. as it is now, there is not a playground with and at least a half a mile of many of the residential areas, residential units that are supporting the playground. during later hours in the day and on weekends, less eyes on the site perhaps. more green space, more trees, it was more desirable and a strong relocation logistically. supervisor mar: and answer the issue of 202 versus 203. the legislation permits the possibility on either side. but there has been discussion about limiting it to 203. >> we do have a master plan for sue bierman park for both lots, and it shows a small sitting area and plaza around the

sculpture that is currently located there. so the rec and park commission could actually improve some changes to the master plan after community and put in after we agreed on a concept of design. it would require -- would be a little bit more costly, requiring an additional scope for a landscape architect, and a little bit more community outrage. the piece is part of the civic art collection and would also needed the visual art committee to vote on relocating the sculpture. supervisor mar: thank you. why don't we close the public hearing, unless there are any other members of the public who wish to comment on this? supervisor chu: i want to thank you for your patience in listening to this hearing. i understand there are many other parents who were prepared to come today. but i do understand that the

parents who came are representative of the folks that have a perspective on this. i want to thank the parents for being the representatives of the larger group of folks that do wish this to happen. i want to really think everyone who has been working together to move this forward. all of you who have really organize for the better part of the year plus an have considered it a lot of different sites. i know this is not in the easiest process. it has been frustrated. all of your children have aged a year. we hope that does not continue to happen in the near future. let me say that, of the very reason discussion over the last few days of lot 202 vs 203, if there truly is committee consensus around a lot 203 and assuming this is ending that is feasible and that we can do without undue delay, i would give it support. but we still need to understand from rec and park exactly what those nuances are.

because of that, i think i would like to ask if you can move this out of committee as it is, just giving us the flexibility for that. but i want to make it clear that if there is a community consensus for that and if we can get this done in a way that makes sense, i would be supportive of keeping it on what 203. i also want to make it clear that my legislation does not at all in bad weather and other structures will be placed on sue bierman park. another has been discussion and concern about other museums or other buildings are other things being placed on sue bierman park. the only thing this legislation allows us to do that is different from the status quo is to allow for the program structure. i want to make it clear that that is the intent of what we're talking about. no one here has any intent about anything else, just to put people's mind at ease on that. with that, it is my hope, colleagues, that we can move this to the full board and get this done as quickly as possible. i would ask the rec and park staff of you could work with us to help accelerate this as quickly as possible.

we all know that there are many procedures that still need to be moved forward to actually get this done, but i would be happy to work with your staff to do what ever we need to do with in the bureaucracies of city government to press this forward. with that, colleagues, i ask if we can move this forward? >> [inaudible] supervisor mar: i do not think it is appropriate right now. supervisor wiener? supervisor wiener: thank you. i think this is very, very exciting. we live in these awful economic and budget times. we, as a city, are finding ways to support our parks, to improve them, to create new playground, improve old ones, to create libraries -- it is just tremendous that we, as a city, have prioritize these public institutions. so i find this kind of project very exciting, that the district

supervisor and rec and park and the community can come together and find the funding and make it happen. i also want to say that, you know, in terms of park usage, i mean, i love parks that a perfectly open spaces as well. and for my needs, that often is perfectly adequate, but there are a lot of people with different needs for park use. some people need playgrounds for their kids. some people need dog space. some people come in delores' park, need bike space. there are many diverse people in the city's parks in the park space in different ways. placing a playground in the park that will stop plenty of open space, in my mind, is very appropriate. i knew that we forward this with a positive recommendation. supervisor mar: thank you. supervisor cohen? supervisor cohen: my question might be directed towards

director ginsberg. i like the idea and the concept of this particular project. however, i am a little uncomfortable with the fiscal long-term plan. i mean, we have miniparks that already exist in san francisco, and we struggle as a city, and you struggle as a department, to try to keep them clean, said, and operational. i understand it does produce dealer endeavor is going to be privately-funded through parents, but long-term-wise, and you're speaking to a supervisor who has mclaren park in the district, the city's second largest park, and we struggled to keep it open. >> it is a great question. thank you for allowing me to enter. we have 220 neighborhood parks throughout the city. we have great need. it that speaks to the nobility

of the endeavor before you today, where you have a group of parents that are coming forward to help us fund raising pay for the construction of a playground where it is needed, allowing as perhaps to actually focus, whether it is trust for public land type project like balboa park in hayes valley. we just apply for funding to the state of california in partnership with the trust for public land for hilltop playground. adding these parents come forward today on a project for waterfront playground, it allows us to spread our resources throughout the city. as in no, we're building playgrounds every day, thanks to the voters support for the 2008 clean and safe neighborhood park fund. under the 10-year capital plan, we hope to be back with an request to place an additional bond measure on the ballot pit of the work to continue to renovate our parks and build our playgrounds continues. we do struggle on the operating side of the ledger, as you know.

but that speaks to our efforts, given general fund shortages, to raise earned revenue and to seek philanthropic sources and alternative sources the weekend continued to keep are burdening staff, as churchill line and staff to keep our parks clean and safe. i think we have done a good job of that in difficult economic times. no doubt, we will work with the community and all of those who love sue bierman park to make sure that it is well cared for and well started. supervisor cohen: i am concerned that we build this park, and how do we continue to maintain it? >> my staff maintains it. supervisor cohen: exactly. you said there are over 200 parks already in existence but i am in native san franciscan, and i have played in parks all across the city. i understand that you have an

enterprising spirit, and we struggled -- even early this year, their constant struggles and battles. and i imagined we will have another one during the next budget cycle. privatizing public space. i am trying to really look a little bit further down the line and get a better understanding. we build this park. ok, parents will help pay for it. 20 years from now or even five to 10 years from now, where do we find the funds to pay for it? >> part of our approaches been to work with groups when possible to address some of those maintenance needs. we have now had support philanthropic league for pardoning time and rec center time. we continue to work on that. at the end of the day, the city needs to make a decision that it will invest public dollars in maintaining its open spaces, like supervisor wiener talked about. yes, rec and park has taken it on the chin over the last many

years. having parents step up and say, you know what, we're willing to sacrifice our free time and take days off from work and raise money and organize to build this playground, i think we owe them a level of public investment that allows us to maintain our public spaces in a way that keeps them clean, safe, and functional. supervisor cohen: thank you. >> it is my understanding that the demographics are increasing. we should look at that little planning so that parks are where a lot of the families are. as one of the 11 supervisors, i am appreciative that our general manager and rec and park and president chiu are being responsive to the families in the north beach waterfront area. my daughter grew up around the golden gate tennis and swim clubs. having a playground there would

have made it easier for me to keep our active, before and after the swimming as well. it helps people in other neighborhoods to bring families to the waterfront as well. i know the exploratorium is coming soon, and the ferry building and others and benefit. i wanted to thank president chiu for bringing this forward. i am supportive, and like to be added and the co-author. thank you everyone for testifying. especially the got -- the barbary coast neighbors and golden gateway tenants. >> just to offer one small little addition to enter your question. the recreation and open space element of the city's general plan, and it is general best practices in urban cities that would try to have a playground cited within a quarter mile radius of everybody. that is our goal. and there is not a playground with and a half a mile of this site.

supervisor mar: president chiu? supervisor chu: i had a couple points on the to address. this already is rec and park land. it will need to be maintained. the issue is replacing a playground structure on it. we're talking about maintaining land that already need to be dealt with. second, i think one thing that is very different about this project is the fact that parents stepped up and offered to help pay for the capital costs themselves, which is frankly pretty remarkable and one of the reasons why i think it is so important for us to take advantage of that. i also want to state, for the record that many park advocates, i for one, and happy to help spearhead or join others in spearheading a bond measure for next november. it is so important that we find a real stable funding stream for all of our parks city-wide. i know colleagues will have this discussion over the next year,

but that is so important, to really address supervisor cohen 's long-term question about the strains on our budget. with that, i would like to ask for your support in moving this out of committee. thank you for your time. supervisor mar: can we move this forward without objection, colleagues? thank you. is there any other business before us? >> there are no other matters. supervisor mar: thank you, everyone. meeting adjourned.

to the severance as a unified school district meeting for november 15. commissioner murase: here. commissioner wynns: here. vice president yee: present. president mendoza: please join us for the pledge of allegiance. i pledge allegiance to the flight of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god, indivisible, are here with liberty and justice for all. i move for the approval of an

ordinance for the regular meetings of april 12, april 26, may 10, may 24, october 2015. >> secondary it. president mendoza: roll-call vote please. >> now for the board of education superintendent's report. welcome back, dr. garcia. >> thank you. i just got back from china, so a little bit of jet lag her it how to start off by mentioning that this month is a busy month for everybody. i wanted to thank 3 -- i wanted to thank everyone who worked in the enrollment there. our school communities are really active.

i want to especially thank the staff at the educational placement center for coordinating this great event. we have over 10,000 attendees for dissipates. that is a lot of people. as usual, this fair kicks off the enrollment process of. we have modified some of the things, so it is in full swing. do not forget that the enrollment applications are due january 27 of 2012. i know that seems pretty far. but it will be on us before you know it. since the board adopted the new guidelines, i want to remind everybody that we are still falling through. i know that the ballot initiative or whatever. we have already moved forward on what we are doing for the coming year.

we want to encourage parents to follow that process and encourage people to read through all of the different guidelines. if you are interested in more information, go to www.sfusd.edu and get more information. we are so blessed to live in san francisco. in these tough times, we almost got a 71% vote from the public to pass proposition 8. that is just incredible. congratulations. i know our board president was active. all of the board members, it was a team effort. i do not think we would have had

a chance if not for the great work that our facilities department did. they have done such a good job in building schools and bringing projects in line. just a class act. world development when you look at how good our schools look. now we have our last third to get through to fix the facilities so they look as good as the ones where the previous bonds were passing. it is great to be in a community -- think about it. 80% of people in san francisco do not have children. yet, when there is not a single item on the ballot this last election that got more votes than this. even if you do not have children, it is good that you are good stewards of the future. the children our our future. it is great that this community has rallied behind them. we are great to have that.

we are going to build a state of the art school. that is pretty darned exciting. i am excited about that. i want to congratulate our new mayor, ed lee. it is a tough campaign, but we are looking forward to the school district and the county and city. we have always had a great relationship and want to maintain that relationship area we are ready to roll up our sleeves and continue the great work that we have been doing as a city and county, together with the school district. another item i want to mention is this will be the last board meeting for our legal counsel. get that smile off your face. [laughter] we want to wish her well. she is going to a private

practice down south. thank you for your service in the school district. almost four years now. time flies when you're having fun. she did a lot of great work for us, saved us a lot of money, and we want to thank you for all of your work. thank you carian -- thank you. [applause] since this is our last meeting for the month, i want to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving. we have a lot to be thankful for. that is what makes living in san francisco so exciting for all of us. we have so much to be celebrating. i hope you use thanksgiving as not only an opportunity to give thanks, but to celebrate the success of these last elections. and all of the great work that are 56,000 children are doing out in our schools. out in our schools. and all of the faults helping