dpw will not report it. i have no idea if these people were fined, if the property owner has a lien on their property. i know around the corner there was a home that was sold. two years ago i mentioned to dpw that their palm tree was there. it is still there. if dpw is telling me i have to maintain my own trees, if i want to remove a tree that i do not like and replaced it, i do not know why i have to jump through all of their troops and pay thousands of dollars to plant two trees. i increased the tree canopy in my neighborhood, is not only my property. i think dpw owes the residents of san francisco who have maintained their trees. supervisor avalos: thank you. next speaker please. "dm my name is alan grossman. i'm here for the san francisco urban forest coalition. i think what is missing from this discussion is a premise to this proposal, which is that if these trees are transferred back to the property owners, they will do a better job of maintaining and replacing them and dpw does. -- than dpw does. anyo

i will let dpw present. we will have questions, and then we will go on to more questions from the public as well. >> good morning, supervisors. joining me today, we have quite a number of staff. i do have a presentation that i would like to share with the board that will explain the situation we have facing us at this time. and why we have put forth this proposal. dpw, under article 16 of the public works code, has jurisdiction of all trees in the public right of way and is charged to realize the benefits of trees over san franciscans. dpw believes a healthy urban forest enhances our quality of life and reduces water, air, and noise pollution. management includes planning, planting, maintenance, and removal of trees on the public right of way. we care for public trees and enforce the code for privately maintaining trees. because of public cuts, -- of funding cuts, dpw is not able to care for all the trees which are currently our responsibility. we believe transfer of maintenance responsibility to property ow

dpw was going to do a lot of things for the city. back then, as director of dpw, mr. lee was responsible for doing that. now as mayor, he gets to sign the top off. [applause] >> thank you and good morning to this topping off. when ever you get three eds and an andy to gather you are going to have fun. i want to thank the pc for its leadership. they are leading the way in this building and in so many other things. -- the puc for its leadership. they have a tremendous amount of jobs on the street right now keeping the city alive, moving forward with labor unions. i want to thank webcor, dpw, department of the environment, working together under the puc commission to make this building come together. i just signed my name on that last iron been going up. i wanted to make sure that i was recognized at this moment because it was one of the few times that a former public works director can actually have permission to do graffiti. but it is for a good cause. i know it represents so much of a great energy that has been poured in. it is lede platinum. that is a standard for th

the sense of entrepreneurship from dpw is very strong. you can see in the interactions with julian wyler, bernal gardens, and others in the committee who make this happen. dpw deserves credit. they built a concrete platform. they delivered supplies. the organized community work days and brought in tools. we worked with sandra. thank you for your hard work. you can partner with dpw, but you have to have a person there to be a partner. she has been hit. on our own staff, i want to thank julie and brean for their -- brandy for their two years of work on this. we have the committee challenge grant that provided a lot of funding for this. lanita is an able leader for that program. thank you to all of our partners in the city and community. enjoy your new garden. [applause] >> thank you, everyone, for coming out. i think we have a ribbon to cut. it is green because this is a green space. please join us in formally opening the park. are we ready? [applause] thank you. i will beat anybody to that tape. -- i will beat anybody to that cake. [laught

rather than asked dpw to cooperate. >> i understand, commissioner. obviously, if dpw does not agree, it all three parties cannot agree, then we do not have an agreement and we would have a different discussion at the next hearing. i understand that you cannot commit dpw, but we are asking they engage in a dialogue with us. we have had some e-mail with usf, productive exchanges, but i sent 3 e-mails to dpw and i have received no response. it is the context of that. president goh: thank you. >> commissioners, i am john from the department of public works. in these cases when there is a settlement between parties, as long as there is no expansion to the encroachment, the department would typically reissue a minor sidewalk encroachment, rescind the previously issued a permit, and describe what the new it encroachment would be. there is very little from that perspective that dpw would need to participate in the discussion for. it is an agreement in place between the parties and all we do is validate in this case that the encroachment has been reduced and

the sense of entrepreneurship from dpw is very strong. you can see in the interactions with julian wyler, bernal gardens, and others in the committee who make this happen. dpw deserves credit. they built a concrete platform. they delivered supplies. the organized community work days and brought in tools. we worked with sandra. thank you for your hard work. you can partner with dpw, but you have to have a person there to be a partner. she has

dpw, that is their purview. there was an ordinance six months prior to the vacant building -- i forget the supervisor -- i think it was mirkarimi. when that ordinance was written, dpw was the lead agency for graffiti blight. we are more in a supporting role. we would be more like the broken windows. commissioner murphy: how about overgrown vacant lots? >> it is in our housing code. we can certainly address it. but the lead agency is usually dpw. we could get health involved in it, if it was deemed to be a health hazard. commissioner murphy: so the complaint would come into you, to dbi first? >> generally, yes, it would start at the third floor as a routine complaint. then it would be routed to the sixth floor, to the building inspector we have assigned to that particular task. >> because we have had a wet spring, through june, i am sure the growth of that, especially on lots that are vulnerable, especially this summer, to brush fires. we normally think about that as outside of san francisco, but is that a possib

the captain has contacted dpw and asked that the removal of these trees the dawn. what happens is, when these trees are replaced, like on the corner of turner and taylor, there was no community input. they were basically dumped their from polk street. i am going to read the letter. these seven trees make it extremely easy for loader verse, intoxicated persons to drink and dope dealers to loiter and in danger those who walked down the street and lastly, make excellent trash cans and garbage cans for rats. district 6 is important. we thank you for your attention. basically, all we're asking for at this point, in this particular case, these trees have become a nuisance. as an organization, alliance for a better district 6, have supported all of the tree- planting programs and are nearby. we have been involved in the creation of community benefit districts which have taken some responsibility for tree planting. in district 6, there have actually been quite a few organizations formed. we are very supportive of the trees because we believe -- this has not been mentioned

what you see here, trees that are currently maintained by dpw. in some of these neighborhoods, a good number of these trees were a good part of the trees for tomorrow. you can see quite a number of trees were planted. you can have quite a number of trees along the a lot, gary, and some of the trees they -- along balboa, gary, and some of the trees there. you can see some of the major corridors, there were trees that were planted. also, south of market, we would like quite a number of trees. those are some of the areas. and, of course, western addition. the south of market area, you see quite a few trees. those are the areas the city is currently maintaining. supervisor avalos: within this map, i would imagine there are certain areas that dpw tends to focus on more than others, or is that generally spread out? >> in general, due to our resources, i would say we do have certain corridors that we routinely maintain, but there are many other locations where we are responding to safety consent requests. supervisor avalos: another question -- you menti

dpw carries most of the water. they are responsible, certainly, for graffiti, responsible for a vacant lots that are overgrown. garbage on the sidewalk. i would say probably the biggest crossover and confusion is the private buildings in san francisco. on waller street, the biggest issue was homeless teenagers sleeping and leaving garbage. the complaint came to us to do something about it. we went out there and had two notices of violation that we had written over the last couple of years and we followed up on that. that will be scheduled for a director's hearing. like john said, there are a lot of addresses. a lot of the addresses on their have come off. to be honest with you, these are all buildings that are in some state of distress. we are dealing with owners that do not have the financial resources or expertise to deal with them. we do our best with them. we give them time and work with them. when there are a lot of complaints from neighbors, they seem to get more of the attention. commissioner murphy: i think

the neighbors and kids work closely with dpw, parks trust. as you can see behind me, i think somebody else's property discuss another $1 million in value. it is worth it to transform light, to make sure we do it with our supervisors held and everyone concerned about the beauty of the neighborhoods. this is what makes neighborhoods strong. this is what i want to continue building on. leaders are working on everything from a little graffiti problem or staircase gardens saying that they want to get beyond neglect and bring it back to what it really is -- is paying attention to our neighborhoods, making them stronger, building community and building partnerships. that is what these street parks are all about. it is never about just the concrete or the flowers. it is about the life and increased value we bring to our neighborhoods. that is what being a neighbor of the great city is all about. that is what i love about the city. my neighborhood is doing the same thing with our street. we want to pay attention to it. we want to get a little help. th

president chiu: first, let me ask if there is a representative from dpw here? if you could step up to the microphone? we will have an opportunity for any members of the public who want to object to this report to also make comments. if you could please identify yourself for the record? >> yes, kenny burqas, department of public works. good afternoon, president chiu, supervisors. upon the finding of blight, with the ministry of code, the community blight reduction act authorizes dpw to use the anti- ballistic enforcement procedures -- the anti-blight enforcement procedures, as well as a fee. the department is seeking approval from the board to place liens on these delinquents properties. these are property owners to have done more -- ignored the department's various attempts for the owner to comply with the anti-graffiti and blight ordnances. we do ask for payments -- removal for properties where payments were recently received. these include 125 bayshore boulevards, boulevard, -- geary boulevard, another on mission street, in some others. president chiu: thank

beginning in his early dpw days. dpw, p u c, department of environment staff, everyone who has worked so hard on this -- i remember, it must have been 12 years now when we were first identifying different pilot projects through the city that could be brain model the. this was one of the building that they identified. -- green modeled. it is so rewarding to see this be realized as one of the greatest buildings in the country. thank you for coming and we look forward to moving in next year. -- greenest buildings in the country. >> other members of the commission, andy moran, art kane is here, various members of the puc, the general manager for water, power, waste water, business services, and juliet ellis, external affairs. one of our stars is shelly campbell, our product manager. thank you. [applause] we're also joined by the department of the environment had. -- hea. d. we are going to wait for the fire trucks to go by. this started with the dpw project and we are a client now representing the dpw is ed riskin. >> th

we went through a similar experience 12 years ago when dpw was relinquishing the street trees in a wide swath in our neighborhood. as soon as people got the notices in the mail, there was a line of four tree removal permits. the trees were planted in the 1970's and suddenly in the 1990's, it was relinquished. eventually after a lot of contention, most of the trees were unrelinquished. at the time, the city agreed to hand over a couple of corridors. virginia avenue, a bunch of trees on other streets. they said they would keep on maintaining. but the first reaction was, for a number of homeowners, to ask for removal permits. subsequently, some of the people that had to maintain their own trees had topped them, as seen in earlier illustrations. i do not remember what the numbers are, but we have effectively lost trees that were going just fine in the neighborhoods. i think that was an unsuccessful experiment. the fact that we managed to resurrect some of the trees and keep dpw maintaining them was a success in the neighborhood eyes. as other speakers mentioned, we have the folsom tree corr

there have been 100 your people on the streets for dpw, and that is affecting those conditions. our strategy is to deploy resources where they are needed greatest. the commercial corridors, and it's everyone's concerns, are where they are actually needed. that is why our budget assembles funds from dpw, puc to partially restore the training program. the funding will pay for a non- profits provided that would hire between 20 and 30 people that will be trained and managed by dpw. they will specifically be deployed to commercial corridors. this program will serve as a formal labor apprenticeship program, already cleared through our city-build partners. we will not only be getting the corridor districts clean, but be providing career opportunities for these individuals to enable them to benefit from future city construction work and opportunities that will enhance the local higher registration. i see a win/win/win here that makes this a good investment and i hope the supervisors here as you read you the budget will find this to be true as well. -- as you review the budget will find

we are working closely with the mayor to get san francisco back to work with dpw. with that, i would just say, on these bonds, make sure that the citizens can pass it and that supervisors not do that 248 to make san francisco beautiful. [applause] >> thank you. you have heard from government and labor. we are going to end with a one- two punch from some of the stake holders an advocate for this stuff 365 days a year. we talk a lot about mobility, getting people out of their cars. in order to do that, we have to make walking and biking safe and attractive. happy to welcome of the director of walk sf, elizabeth stanton. >> every year, we see 800 people in san francisco could hit by cars. that is not taxable. this bond will be a great investment. it includes $50 million for streetscape improvements, to improve safety for pedestrians, and for cycling, all throughout the city. we really need

and the urban forester to make sure we are not the one against the recommendation or what dpw would have. in essence, we get more sidewalk, more trees. we feel that is win-win. >> thank you. is there any other public comment? >> good evening. my name is mcintyre, and i give up a dinner with my granddaughter for this. i feel obligated to say something. i have been a resident of university terrace since 1979 and san francisco since 1963. as a citizen of san francisco, i endorsed this agreement and. sybil reached by the appellant and permit applicants -- i endorsed this agreement in principle reached by the palin and the permit applicants. with respect to the fences and the sidewalk encroachment. as i understand it, the role of the board of appeals is to adjudicate possible errors by the permit authority based on the law, and i am happy to say that in order to get to the full facts, you have had to continue this hearing twice. hopefully you'll be patient and continue one last time. until now, i have been somewhat critical because it seem very difficult for an appellate to get four vote

the fact that we managed to resurrect some of the trees and keep dpw maintaining them was a success in the neighborhood eyes. as other speakers mentioned, we have the folsom tree corridor from bernard hill to the mission to approximately 21st street. elm trees that were planted at the neighborhoods request by the city in 1973. the city was going to maintain them. well, they have come in some cases better than others, but it is an iconic corridor that people can compare to other places in the city. like delores street. people know where it is. we would like to keep that going, and as the previous speaker mentioned, it is not going to happen if individual property owners who run a little coffee shop on the corner or rent out a couple of apartments -- how are they supposed to take care of trees like that? so i would urge you to make arrangements so that dpw actually gets more tree maintenance vehicles because the city needs them. supervisor avalos: thank you very much. another iconic street is persia street in the excelsior district. next speaker please. >> good morning. the key word for

i also want to thank everyone, including the planning office and dpw.the very first meeting i held after being elected was about a north beach library, and we have, a long way, but from my perspective, i think we need to move forward. the north beach library is one of the most use sites in the city, and from my perspective, the current library has been inadequate, it picks -- in accessible, and seismically unsafe. we have been envious of you and all of the right -- ribbon cutting june and going to. we have the opportunity to build a bigger library and a bigger plaza. we all know it takes a village to raise the children, and i think it takes a village to raise our libraries. i think eir is adequate for what we want to do, and this point, i want to make a motion that we affirm this and table item 48. >> we have a motion on the table. is there a second? seconded bypass supervisor elsbernd. comments? supervisor wiener? supervisor wiener: thank you. i will be supporting the motion and want to thank the president for his work over the years to get us to where