what is oftentimes a little bit of an intense and topsy turvy exciting ride. you have been our stability, and you always start the day making sure that we smile, and you make sure that we end the day with a smile, and that is the way it should be. we are the recreation and park department and it is about joy and no one exemptifies that joy like you do and i am honored to give you this. [applause] >> stacy i'm going to come down and get in that picture but i want to add on behalf of the commission with the unexpected absence of margaret you stepped in and did a phenomenal job and your skill set is more than just putting up with the general manager and we are very grateful for the job that you did. thank

you. [applause] >> i don't want anybody to be here too long. first i want to say thank you to my co-worker. it was her nomination that got he here and i want to thank her and thank you to the commissioners for being so understanding the last couple of months. you made the job easy for me and i enjoyed working more closely with you the last few months and it's been 24 years now in the department. >> wow. >> yeah. i think i'm holding up pretty well. again thank you to everyone, all of my colleagues. everyone i worked with in the

public. i really appreciate it. >> thank you. [applause] >> all right. and to conclude the general manager's report we have a quick video of last month of parks.

>> we get the fact there is a new type of recreation in the city and we still love soccer and walking and the parks but we love skate boarding. just a couple of weeks ago on the other side of balboa park and [inaudible] and awesome about the park system. we got this and one of the best in the city and best baseball fields in the stea. i know we have the best skate board park in san francisco right here.

>> and that concludes the general manager's report. >> thank you. >> is there any public comment on this item? >> yeah. >> please come forward. >> good afternoon -- sorry good morning commissioners and general manager. phil ginsburg. disasters, a very appropriate topic to bring up in this recreation and park meeting. disasters call for preparedness. disasters call for some sort of plan because people don't plan to fail. they just fail to

plan. but the disaster i'm most concerned about is the disasters that the recreation and park department cause. man-made disasters and what are citizens to do when all of a sudden they find their most treasured recreational resources vetoed? that constitutes a disaster. equestrians living in san francisco have been through a political disaster, and i don't see the recreation and park department doing anything about it, or even having a table for them to crawl under. yes, it's pretty bad when the people that are supposed to protect you in

a disaster are the ones causing the disaster. isn't that right megan? thank you for your comment -- thank you for your time and i hope you listen to my comments. >> is there anyone else who would like to make public comment on this item? seeing none public comment is closed. we're on item four, general public comment. at this time members of the public may address the commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the commission and do not appear on the agenda. with respect to agenda items you're opportunity will be afforded when the time is reached. i have two cards. benjamin and kelly watts. >> thank you good afternoon. i have a letter here to submit. can i give that to you? thank

you. commissioners i recently had an experience in golden gate park that makes me question my vote on the upcoming parks bond. i voted for the last one and i hope to vote for the next one. i have concerns about the continuing privatization and commercialization of the park. from my personal experience i witnessed the park patrol enforcing alcohol violations that were non existent, clearing out people that were not in violation of the park code. i happen to know the code quite well. the patrol doesn't know it necessarily well. okay. so a wedding party and conservatory of flowers complained and officer sant tee ago sent someone over to clear it and the conservatory of flowers is private but the place in front is public and because you aren't it for a wedding starts at

$2,500 up to qean $8,900 was able to rent it and clear out the people from the concertiorari mado. that's not right. >> >> since the budget it has increased to 21 full time officers. working with the commission policy was employ plemented to pay for them security and hefty overtime and there was a scandal involving sant ago and you can google it and it's the second item that comes up. this has caused some events to end and power of the peaceful and not like it should have been. there is a long tradition of golden gate park of free concerts and it's sad to

see the fee increase that power to the peaceful can't afford them. the park is for those with money and not all of san francisco. we need more power to the peaceful and not officers that don't know the code and used as a private security force that can pay thousands of dollars for private park access or perhaps the park patrol knows exactly what it's doing. thank you. >> thank you. maybe we could have the general manager at least give us information on that issue at some point. thanks. >> kelly. >> i have an overhead sfg tv. last month i made an appeal -- i have an over head. last month i made an appeal to this commission after i was assaulted by two san francisco officials wielded pipes. they knew i advocated to a alternative to

that and they kicked me in the head and left me with a concussion. this happened after i was targeted on the sponsored website and other postings on local websites and using inflammatory rhetoric and mentality and intimidating my neighbors. i loved in cities in the south including texas and louisiana but i have never seen a good old boy system than right here. through the years i have watched many of my local neighbors including medical doctors throw up their hands and surrender to this harassment and oppression. but i believe we need to stand up to bullies, not just the children in recent documentaries but all bullies and the foundation shrewd billionaires and the well paid lobbyists and business friends and associates who stand to

reap millions of dollars from their agenday bullies ask that we turn a blind eye and ignore their corrupting influence. i had some of you sitting here would stand up for citizens who are simply willing to present a balanced perspective. maybe you can't be bothered to think about my personal safety or my family or even my neighbors but i thought at least you would have wanted to find out about the men who attacked me for the soccer parents who all of you have been well informed to continue unwlittantly untrust their children to these violent criminals. thank you. >> is there any other public comment at this time? okay. being none item four is closed. we are item five, the ktd and we do have kel. did you want to

comment on the consent calendar? mini and lovey ward. >> sf goff i have another overhead. >> can we zoom in please? or out, sorry. kelly, i will do it. go ahead. they're doing it now. okay. >> okay. i appeal this report. this project, this minilovey

ward project introduced hundreds of tons of loose in fill material into the densely populated ocean view neighborhood and childrens' play field which according to this very report the wind will easily disperse into the environment. 40% of this in fill is listed by california to cause cancer and birth defects. from over 300 chemicals identified eight appear on the list known to cause cancer. exposure to these increase cancer risks and the international agency on cancer and the world health organization have also identified the cancer connection. the cancer connection is not addressed in this incomplete report. it should be noted that the science consultants and the one and only consultants was paid for the rpv. this report deliberately

omits studies dealing with lead, mercury and arsenic poisoning and fails to acknowledge the close proximity of schools to this toxic dust. ceqa requires that this report to describe feasible alternatives and adopt mitigation measures. it does not. i submit that there are clear and overwhelming legal and moral grounds to not accept this report and risk the health of the citizens. for years i listened to rationalizations by different groups by wanting the fields and rarely someone forced to live near to them or exposed to them 24 24/7 as the people will. more and more studies are available denouncing the wisdom of this in fill. i get them from the national institute of health, yale university and all over the country. synthetic

fields do not mandate the use of the blark carbon in fill there and there less toxic alternatives but they make more money and make the association a little less money. in san carlos they used an alternative in a field of this size, so because of the vote of the individuals of this commission today the so called gift from city foundation and rpd and the play field and the ocean view neighborhood and the soccer leagues will be receiving will give a lifelong deliberately concealed cancer risk plain and simple. thank you. >> is there any other public comment on the consent calendar? please come forward. >> good afternoon commissioners. general manager. this topic is another shining example of the

progressive politics that allow the miserable status quo to survive, and it's not about what is right or wrong for the citizens and taxpayers of san francisco. it's just about getting over on them, and no matter what the issue is this commission, this recreation and park department will find a reason to go against it because that is its modus operandi to capitalize on any activity or resource by violating the rights of the people that use those resources and then implanting their own cronies, dummies, to fill that void. we have seen

this for the past ten, 11 years, and yet this commission, recreation and park department refuse even listen to the very people that gave them access to this forum. that's right. you bit the people that fed you. you bit the people that allowed you access into this recreation and park department. i bit the hand that fed you. thank you very much. >> is there any public comment on this item? seeing none. public comment is closed. >> i will entertain a motion on the consent calendar. >> so moved. >> second. >> all in favor. aye. opposed. hearing none it's unanimous. >> item six san francisco zoo.

>> good morning. tanya peterson director of the san francisco zoo. congratulations stacy dedication. you really do deserve that. i wanted to introduce our new vice president of marketing and membership jill here in the back and sometimes she maybe filling in for me as we go forward. i wanted to touch base on september attendance. we are at 70,844 visitors for the month and over projection of 58,000 had a surplus of 12,000 visitors for september. that was due primarily to the successful three day labor day hoe down and employee sponsored day at the zoo and year attendance is listed here and over budget by 3%. i wanted to show you some of the new animal acquisitions

here at the zoo. hopefully -- >> [inaudible] >> go ahead. >>

oh there it is. thank you. >> okay. let's go to our newest birth here is a baby. she was born coincidentally on the eve of the major league play off and orange hair and her birth had 25,000 hits on facebook and we will show you that video shortly. i wanted to point out she's highly endangered and less than a thousand in china. two things and habitat loss and killed for these qualities. she will stay golden for the next year and eventually will turn black like her mother and father. we also on tuesday

brought in our new black rhino. there he is. he's from the wild safari park in san diego. he has successfully accli acclimated to his exhibit and introducing him to his neighbor who happens to be his grandmother so that is going well. he is there because he wallows in the mud around him and as you know they're from africa and suffered 96% decline in the wild and very proud of that program. australia has recently lost 20% of their mammal species because of bush fires and the domestication of the cat and donkey so we're working with their government to help with that crisis. we brought in two wallaroos and in between a two different animals

and will be in the australian walk a about and we brought in a bird also from there. this is a bird and known for their cackles and come enjoy that at the zoo. this weekend we will opening a temporary exhibit. the united nations name thursday the year of the bat. >> >> due to the conserveeration crisis with them and we think of them as scary creatures but consume a third of their body weight in bugs and saves millions in insecticides and taken out by a white nose

syndrome and costing farmers millions of dollars and we hope to promote the species and at the zoo until january 4. there is the black rhino in his costume and the weekend of the 27 and 28th. this is free for zoo members and maybe you could go there before scare grove and starts at ten amand lastly do we want to show the video. we heard that paris hilton has been playing this youtube video as well, so thank you paris. >> great. i think i will check it out now. >> we are here to talk about the birth of the baby girl. she's the one with the little orange head and we are one of the most successful zoos for breeding them and

langers do things like passing the infant around from female to female and spreads parenting responsibilities out and mom gets something to eat and not too tired and this gives the mom a break and helps the older sister develop parenting skills she will need in the future. we are proud of having this species here at the zoo and less than 2,000 in the wild and why this breeding effort is important. since she has been born the giants are doing well and will stay black and orange and come on out to the san francisco zoo. >> that is a great reference. >> would anyone like to make public comment on this item? seeing none public comment is closed. we are on item seven.

>> good morning commissioners and general manager. i am marvin yee with the parks and rec department. the item before you is the action to approve a plan to replace a free standing restroom building at portsmouth square under the bond. this is located in chinatown. it's bonded by play street and washington street and [inaudible] to the north. folsom square is contains the free standing restroom building. it's located on the southwest corner of that park. the restroom building is the most highly visited -- free standing restroom building in the park system. it's visited by both tourists visiting chinatown and used by the locals that live in

chinatown. many of them living in single room occupancy units and utilize this as an extension of their living space. portsmouth square is part of the bond under the bond program. it's 11. four million dollar program and a portion is going to the construction of a new restroom at portsmouth square. to date we have held four community meetings and today we are seeking commission approval of a concept plan that will supported at the latest community meeting. the schedule shows a completion at the end of 2013. in preparation for the project the project team has

met with staff, with members of the community, with various community organizations, and a on site analysis, and again the department has conducted four public meetings to date. as a result of those public meetings and also meeting with staff we have come up with a program, requirements for the project. foremost is the need to increase the capacity of the restroom building as i mentioned it's the highly used free standing restroom building in the park system. in addition to that the building would be designed to ensure the privacy of the users which is a current flaw in the building design and improve the functionality for the users using the restroom, and also for operations. there's an existing maintenance storage that we would also continue to provide in the new design. there is also a performance base adjacent to the existing restroom which

is highly utilized space and that is being requested to be preserved in the new design, and in addition we would need to consider the siding of the building in terms of pedestrian circulation and operations avoid hidden spaces around the building to deter elicit activity. as a result of the latest community meeting the community has supported plan a which is shown on the overhead. as you can see on one side of the building is a section for women. we have increased the number of stalls from two stalls to six stalls, and on the other end of the building design we have an area for men and we have increased the stall count from four to five. in addition in the middle of the floor plan you can see there is a separate

space identified as a family room and special request from the community to address the intergenerational uses. in other words, for example a grandfather assisting his grand daughter using the restroom facilities. in terms of site planning the new building would be situated the same location as the existing building. of course because of the increased capacity the building square footage has increased also. the goal of the siting is to create a comfortable distance between the edge of the rest of the building or the performance stage area but take into consideration the other side of the building and allow enough space for public access and maintenance access. in looking at the floor plan the os