[roll-call] >> this is the recreation and parks meeting of june 28. we welcome everyone here and ask that you turn off all electronic devices.

if you wish to speak on an item today, please complete of blue card. please address your comments to the item that is being heard. please address your comments to the committee. neither the staff or committee will respond to comments made. >> we are on item number two. >> two brief items. i understand item 8 and item nine will be heard together but voted on separately, and i contend will be pulled off the calendar. is that correct?

>> that is correct. >> the second part is to read a certificate of appreciation to a young man in the audience and then have the pleasure of presenting it and then hopefully get him a chance to say a few words. good this is a certificate of appreciation to tom clark. [applause] today we honor a true friend in the recreation and park apartment. tom clark came to san francisco as a director of the president's cup in 2008. as the championship for five years prior to moving to

montreal. tom stayed on as the executive director for the championship. he has been a tremendous resource for the san francisco recreation and park department, management, and staff, and as our local representatives. tom immediately embraced san francisco as his own and has been a champion for san francisco. he now moves to atlanta to become the fifth executive director of the pga tour championship in its long history. he will be sorely missed by all who know him and to have had the pleasure of working with him. while we are sad about him leaving, we wish him all the best in his new home and expand an open invitation to return to

san francisco soon and often. let's present it. [applause] >> mr. president, commissioners, i wanted to say a few words about tom and make an additional special presentation. we have talked so much, and we cannot do it alone.

we need partners, and i cannot think of a better partner than tom clark. tom has understood the opportunities and challenges associated with working with the public agency. his passion for san francisco and a golf course is true and absolute, and he has been a joy to work with. he has helped us. the last time of the u.s. open was in san francisco the golf course was used as a parking lot. today it looked actually better, and that is in no small part due to tom's efforts to put together

a team common and and his ability to work with our staff. his relationship with tom hart, who has done such an amazing job on behalf of the department. we are very excited for you. we are going to miss you terribly. as i joked last night commo, ths commission just heard about some flexibility for different events that could come to san francisco, while he is heading to the pga event in atlanta are, so we have something extra the gang put together. what do you get a guy who has

everything and is on his way to at centinela -- atlanta? you get a pin, signed by many of the people who know and love you. congratulations, tom. >> i would like to say that tom has been an amazing person to work with. it is a difficult job to bring a course to the level harding has achieved. his incoming person i do not think is going to be a problem.

i am going to miss you very much and hope to stay in touch with you. >> i did not think this day would come. i asked my boss about it, and he said, you can start to look for all home. i narrowed it down to two or three places, and he said, there has been a change. what do you think about moving to malaysia? i said, i am not interested in moving to malaysia. i just became a grandfather, and i am not interested. he said, we may need you to move to atlanta because that gentleman is interested in moving to malaysia. that is what happened. it was not in the plan at all i

have been doing this for about 22 years, and with the work of jim and the team, it is an immaculate golf course. it is a pleasure to say that is where we were holding events, so thank you for that. your team has done a great job. it was a huge change when jim joins us. he brought a different expertise, but i know we are excited about staying here and having the contract extended. the next thing is some of the events will be at a different time of year, so i can come and visit. i would like to thank the commission and your entire teams for helping me get the job

done. thank you again. i really appreciate it. gooaxe congratulations. good -- >> congratulations. [applause] there is a whole story about the work you have done. but is there any public comment on this item. we are on item number three, general managers reports. >> a few announcements. one presentation, and our monthly video. announcement number one, show your pride. rec and park is proud to show diversity in the lgbt convention.

find out about exciting recreational events. we are located out booth pne4. happy pride day. stren grove kicks off on sunday. join the festival for a vague no picnic -- for a picnic starring anita baker and featuring the family stone live ensemble. for more information, visit sterngrove.com. i invite everyone in the department and the chinatown community for a special event celebrating the reopening of the historic center in chinatown.

as part of the 2008 clean and safe neighborhood parks bond, the center is set to reopen a new center named in honor of a san francisco native and national heroine thanks to this commission. enjoy activities for kingston and light refreshments on saturday, july 14 -- enjoy activities for kids and light refreshments on saturday. it is a pro. this opens in july, because july is national parks and recreation month. goothis is the official parks ad recreation month. join us in celebrating all the great things we love about our programs here again -- our programs. visit us at sfgtv.org. we have got a number of things plan. speaking of anniversaries, i do

not think they are in the audience, but i want to congratulate glen eagles golf course. glen eagles golf course celebrates its 50th anniversary. i want to thank tom and his staff that have done a tremendous job of rejuvenating the course and making it one of the hidden gems of the city and probably the toughest nine holes anywhere. i have another special announcement and presentation to make today, and i want to ask gloria to stand up for a second. gloria has served as 5428 and a half years. gloria has had a positive impact on our parks, playgrounds, special projects. gov. passionate commitment to preserve and protect the

framework and also by generations of gardeners whose true legacy of leadership for the park. her attention for high-quality work performance has resulted in improved this does, better gardening, and a myriad of renovations and bio diversity. her efforts to rein resources and training. she effectively started. on behalf of millions of park visitors, thousands of volunteers, a professional co- workers commo, i want to saluter

for her respect for our parks. goomr. president, if you can jon us, congratulations on your retirement. did we have a number of colleagues to celebrate, and i want to add my personal notes, which is how much i have appreciated in learning from you. your historical commitment is incredible, and it has been nothing but an odd sloot pleasure. good congratulations. [applause]

fax i want to say thank you. it has been an honor to serve this beautiful city. i am grateful for opening the door for meaningful work, and i want to thank the recreation and parks department and a passionate and dedicated people who have the passion for all these years. good crops we have one thing i almost forgot. -- >> we have one thing i almost forgot. we would like to allow you to bring this home. [applause] >> thank you very much, and congratulations, and since you

are so young, what is your next career. >> i will be coming back to volunteer. >> i would like to conclude the general managers' report with a look at this month in parks. goo♪

>> because of our partnership we are giving kids a chance to make healthy choices, so thank you very much. >> i am excited to participate in the festival. this is a great opportunity and demonstration of the collaboration. >> i want to say this playground was built in the mid 1930's, and it was made through the generations and when and a great staff of the rec and park department. we are going to transform this place. it is one of the treasures of

the city. [applause] >> as always, i want to thank jamie harvest for doing such an amazing job putting this together, and that concludes the report. >> is there any public comment on this item? seeing none, we are on item number four. members may address items of interest but are in the interest section of the commission and said do not appear on the agenda. your opportunity to address the commission will be afforded.

now catherine howard. >> good morning, commissioners. catherine howard, sf ocean edge. we have filed an appeal for the project hearing. the hearing will be on july 10 at 4:00. it is not the way we want to do things, but we have been left with no choice. the department is trying to pick residents against each other are not listening to our point of view. you spent $1 million on an eir that was not necessary. i am here to offer an appeal to reagan for two months we have

been trying to meet with its general manager, and i hope you can help set up this meeting. good eveninone of our members mn appointment. that appointment was cancelled. another one was subsequently set up. that was cancelled within 24 hours. he felt is respected -- disrespected. he did not want another appointment. i spoke to the general manager, and he suggested i made an appointment. i have called and called. his assistant has tried to do this, but i still do not have an appointment. we have some ideas. we do not want to keep fighting. i hope it can work out. >> my understanding is the meeting has been set up for july

13. >> is there any other public comment? seeing none, public comment -- >> hi, i am a resident and a property owner in pacific heights. it is currently the site of a major renovation undertaking at lafayette park. my understanding is this was founded after the 2007 initiative and the following bonds and over $10 million has been allocated for this project. good questions have come in terms of see " proprietary -- in terms of ceqa, a certain things

for renovation as well as violation of the charter and violation of the current road as well as the draft road. at this time the plan is for an 11-acre park to be closed for 10 months. two small areas have been cordoned off for dog walkers to use. during this time there seems to be no plan whatsoever for watering the young trees that were planted over the last decade. they do require special protection, and a sensitive habitat will be lost. it has been noted by the city that is likely does qualify as a

national historic treasure property, that is certainly qualifies under state guidelines for historic places, and right death of pinnacle -- right at the pinnacle where he fought for 70 years about whether he could keep his mansion with a million-dollar view that is shared by another mansion or it should be city park. during that fight commo, a lot f history transferred, and there were efforts to update parts of the park. now we have a plan that will take apart those historic features. what is going to go where the hallway mansion used to be? in part, it is going to be a new storage shed that will be five times the size of the existing shed, and a plan to put in a new

facility not for recreational purposes is in violation of the city charter as well as several roads with protected nils -- hilltop views and historic places. another feature anticipated is regrade the slope and bring in vast quantities of dirt so another structure can be built here ago we have policies to not have new structures, and we have policies to maintain what we do have. good >> you have used your time, but i think we get your message. >> we need -- >> if i give you more than three minutes, i have to give everyone more than three minutes. fykes we lived across from the park, and we visit the park

together with many of our friends, and they cannot go to the playground. it is a 15-minute walk by stroller, and we will not do that twice today. we were hoping there would be a designated children's area during the renovation. we try visiting the area a couple times, but you are seeing a lot of dog poop, pee, ticks. it is not an area for children any more. another issue is the upcoming water feature. i am not a helicopter mom. i would like my daughter is in attendance when we play.

-- my daughter to have independence when she plays. unfortunately with is being built, and we are concerned about sanity of this water feature. there are habitats in the park, and we have a feeling this will be used for different agendas other than to play in. thank you. >> is there any other public comment? i just quickly to say that now they have been trying to get this meeting in which the general manager, and to find out evenit is after the appeal hearg is unacceptable. i have been trying to solve ongoing issues asner and

amicably as possible, and i am not getting satisfaction. we had a surplus of money for sunnyside playgrounds, and we have been trying for three years to spend it. we cannot spend it, and now we have no contractor to install it. we are being told everything that is expedient. everything is on back order. how long can a picnic table be on the back corner -- how long can a picnic table be on back order salmo? we paid twice to replace one section of sense that ended up being replaced twice for the benefit of only two residents while we had a lot of people who lost their privacy because of inferior work, so we have tried. we have done everything weeke cn

to get somebody to talk to us. there is no where we can go to get satisfaction. nor can we get someone to work this out for us. now we are living up to our part of the bargain. all of this had to be done again. now i am living up to my aunt of the bargain. we have alreadypu