Transcripts For SFGTV Retirement Board 121416 20170102

Lagoon in mortal danger by creating had been tablet two close to the ocean endangered the species a youre trying to protect areas their moss more at risk the long term effects on the lagoon and resident will be disastrous the communities of the golf course are too important to be hidden within an eir please extract the renovation plan from the final eir thank you. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon early evening i woken one block if mountain Davidson Park in a home i walk in the forest areas almost daily the thing that is so wonderful about the forest none has mentioned it is so dense you cant see another building or hear traffic cant hear or see cars only the greenery and forest the javpz called that been proven to say a calming up literally effect on people thats what it side to you im against the cutting of 16 hundred trees in mountain davidson and dont support of eir everyone has talked about the 82 plus trees fell and the horrible release of carbons i have to say because i live a block if mountain davidson ive seen them putting on the herbicides and signs posted that is a do not apply in wet weather ive seen it apply that millions of times and their populated to stay on the while it dries they never stay on sited when is wet it is super dangerous people are walking up there. So i ask the commission again, please respect the will of the people not to contributed if combroernl and not certificate the eir as required thank you. I provided copies of comments to the record to melanie hugh shell provide them to the commissioners, i have a long version of citations and what the summary of table of impacts i just want to comment about well unfortunately, im a lawyer i have to tell you the problem laughter you have a big problem with a problematic eir for a bunch of projects miss marched together you cant have a problematic eir youve heard the people say sharp park is one deal the problematic eir did work the discussion of the vifrl superior alternative says well the reason maintenance alternative is superior didnt have the habitat what does the lagoon restoration have to do with the highest point in the city of San Francisco the other problems with the eir are the fact that contrary to the table 21 agitate unmitigateable impacts in at least 4 areas culture and battalion to logical shown on table 21 the maintenance alternative and the eir didnt consider the hybrid maintenance the maintenance alternative says youll keep the distribution and install live oak whenever i remove the tree fails or whatever you want the response to the comments also is asking you to bet on the com can youll do at the bottom of my comments have 54 metric tons of Carbon Sequestration from cutting the trees one and 77 in sharp park and amortized plus one and 85 metric tons of carbon from the heavy construction well what happens you cut down the trees what happened if you dont complete the project you dont center any guarantees finally conclude by saying 3 things that the eir did not consider the drought one reason the maintenance alternative is preferred because it didnt require water to maintain for the life of the new trees were in a drought you might not building that looking outside were in a drought. Okay. Next speaker. And calling names . Hi good afternoon, im a stan i live atsdz at pacifica were truly concerned about Sea Level Rise and the loss of our homes nothing in the either addresses it and in the last election all 89 couldnt passed the tax to increase the size of wetlands theyre one of the best way to stop the flooding into rising assess and didnt have to contend that the bay action at the same time the f eir is suggesting razor the golf course that traps the lagoon wetlands between the golf course and others rising ocean with this plan have our wetlands will shrink and disappear San Francisco is considering arming with magnificent puvenlg a agency a responsible solution to protect the golf course with the existing berm and continued penalty of perjury and salt intrusion salt participants are replacing the grass other than little Northwest Side will cost 30 million with the arming to protect the beach the sand need to be replaced with the cost in essence of 50 million a lot of money to protect one business a selfstudy cost analysis stated if you leave the wetlands alone theyll essentially be no cost future in allowed the beach and lagoon will exist by retreating natural naturally and only 4 to 5 feet levy in front of the realistic homes those homes will be better protected than by an armed wall sfpd will talks about protecting the wetlands this can be scientifically shown to be stripg them your preserving a golf course and destroying a eco system im being dramatic but everything can be shown to be scientifically proved ive lived there 2 two years and wachld that lagoon disappear and a healthy lagoon will not only impact the golf course blue realistic infrastructure and businesses in the area so i strongly, strongly urge out to please, please pull this thing in the f eir and do that right thank you. Hello my name is frank in my association with the natural areas policeman began when i volunteered to plant plants on Billy Goat Hill 20 volunteers and dedicate park employees spent half a day planting dozens of native plants we felt good about that, however, within 6 months many of the plants had begun to die within a year seems like all were overtaken by the other vegetation at the time owe wrote it off and participated in the second planting a Software Firm put in a lot of plants the result was the same equip for two oak trees that i thrived over that period Everything Else died for a plan to be successful a metabolism of representation and a mechanism for available bans my experience i looked for and found little almost all the projects recommend planting native plan but what you wouldnt finds restoration plant will be revisit to determine mortality of the species verify the establishment of feed banks and look at it guidance for future planting simply this on billy goat more life vegetation a lot of people talked about the forecast i have problems im in support of maintenance alternative and the one for one replacement is pie in the sky it assumes zero mortality because of this kind of program have performance statements as much as replacement trees will be recame down over 5 and 10 years integrals and this is such after 10 years one herbicides and pesticides are dangerous some more so are dangerous cant apply the chemicals to dangerous they require special protective clooekt this is in crack to kids and cats and births and other wildlife after the specialist left the area in short the plans lacks the accountability i dont see how you can certificate this document until accountable standards or excluded to insure that pursuant use of taxpayers resources thank you. Thank you and. Next speaker, please. Calling im hi doctor victor as i said in the overflow room and left hand to all the comments i noticed that in general those who support the Natural Areas Program tend to be Government Employees, a. M. R academia or political connected nonprofit many oppose tends to be long term San Francisco resident like myself people that use the parks everyday and walk amongst the trees those are the people that cant afford to lose a day earns the bathroom, is no popular with the common san franciscan about a year and a half ago my dog go into the round up that was freshmen separate in glen park and consecutively im against the use of round up on our public land and opted to the eir as it is currently written it does still you know let those things be used and if you have to approve it please do the maintenance option instead mr. And mrs. Please stop that destruction of trees and please stop spraying in the name of nature area a study by the Stanford University conducted concluded that grasslands are doomed in the Warming Trends they hope to find that grasslands can safe us sequester the only answer to Global Warming to reducing the emissions and planting for trees in a plan to replace carbon sequestering trees what shrubs and california oaks to a certain extent this is a species dying off in california it is a different environment than the 1800s please dont pass that plan thank you. Good afternoon, commissioners my name is paul im a president of the pacifica historic of Historical Society i want to address the sharp park question from a Historical Perspective ill leave the science that is discussed for many years to others in 1929 when the San Francisco city fathers were looking for someone to build the new golf course on the coast of the san mateo couldnt they hired the greatest living golf architect in the world alastair was in the process of revolutionizing the way the game was played and now considered one of the most influential architect in the history of the game the course he designed agency sharp park is an absolute jewel a showcase of his touches the magnificent sightlines of horizons the wide fairways and Rolling Hills like all mckenzie courses that offers a game enjoyable so for the average player challenging for more talented golfer this remember is a municipal course open to all players not a pampered private Country Club Course for over 80 years sharp park has been the most democrat graphically diversity if i had recreational opportunities in the bay area sharp park is now in the best shape ive seen it in years the work having been done on the course is successful and i might add that the frogs are thriving. Mckenzie genus is for equivalent than ever we congratulate the city. The Historic National treasure and encourage you not to separate sharp park from the Natural Resources Management Plan thank you okay. Ill say is good evening laura paw my name is tim im a homeowner up on mountain davidson in fact, my Property Line touches the Natural Areas Program part of mountain im very concerned of the cutting of the trees up on mountain davidson and urge you to go the route of the maintenance option while other cities are planting thousands and thousands of trees all over the world our city choose to cut them down to try to bring down the mountain prespanish i think we cant go back the trees form like many others in the audience have said that is a recess pies from city knowledge even if youre in the in the forest you look at up at the cross and the trees it is calming. I want to bring up that nap has been less than transparent theyve not reached out to the citizens up on mountain davidson what they want to do with the forest and with our new president well be spending a lot of money on cutting down trees one agency rec and park that is cutting trees down another Agency Spending a lot of money to plant trees whats wrong with that picture not good to rush into judgment youre probably under a lot of pressure to pass that i want to say to you what looks good at the moment and all the experts ive been here since 1 oclock pass this pass this what will the people in 20 or thirty years what were they thinking coming out u cutting down trees to plant shrubs back to the 1950s the double deckerer we had experts saving this is the best thing since bread this is the total sloth under urban rule those railroad excellent ideas at the time and pushed by a lot of people but look what they did to whole community and vic arena homes torn down for urban rule i ask you think he go into our cells and minds is this 9 right thing to do thank you. Good evening, commissioners im rudolph for the record live in coal valley and go the internal of the belt im not a Government Employee not employed by and nonprofit but urge you to vote to certify the eir and approve that plan i believe that people have a sincere love of in each, however, youve heard obligations that the Natural Program is jen phonetic or racist well, im an immigrant i love the wildlife in california i understand the nonnative species have here eucalyptus and blackberry will not be we dont have to ignore our native areas chugging that didnt comply i hope youll reject that hyperbole this is managed to the rec and park Test Management program that has a regular refuse with the extensive public input not to manage that 240 the Management Plan or the eir itself very little San Francisco original landscape has thrived in the state and maybe 3 percent of city still retains representation of the bay area that makes that a diversity hot spot 20 years ago the city began the approach to preserve and restore those for san franciscans to experience the fall environments in the city that Management Plan is very wellthoughtout and it is for School Childrens and all the vs. That work in the restoration project i urge you to approve the Management Plan and thank you for all the time youve spent here today. Mc3 my name is matt i think i have a perspective that might be laboratory unique ive spent hundred and hundreds of hours the last 6 years of my working with the nap and the urban Forestry Department and i agree with the last speaker this is not a clearcut issue of you know native good nonnative bad and this is isnt a radical mission to x mat all the trees many trees will be left for you to enjoy id like to there that there are a lot of species on Mount Davidson less chars masklike the wildflowers you may see for 3 months out of year that are persisted and the most threatened and that we we knew about them more there is more Common Ground we appreciate nature i think more outreach and thoses those places will be used as an educational space theres a lot of passion but theyll remain open as multi use areas i would say that a lot of the trees on Mount Davidson are old they have lifespan of around one and 20 years and these trees are aging impacted by drought and disease and they didnt receive maintenance as they were growing so theyre not very structurally sound theyre on trails which put people realistic i hope you tree lovers dont go up there they whether or when windy roots not structurally sound i had a lot of time working in the presidio that was very hideous when that happened removed hundreds of healthy trees and replaced them with plant it took ifd thousand plants i was able to monitor what was there and keep statistics over what happens ether time it is successful and mammals use that thank you. Ive been here for 5 hours i took the day off work we all care thank you. Hi there im rachel and i first became aware of the plan on bernal hill a student at university of california, San Francisco any gut reaction because the hyperbole about how it will curtail access for folks with dogs i was directed by professors at the university of San Francisco to the rec and park for internship and respected to rec and park and found that the plan is modest and works the edges to try to preserve what we continue to have in terms of bio diversity and the department engaged me as a young person in the commercial dog Walking Community and actually had me do my Research Project on engaging the dogwalkers within the most contiguous places for dog walking he it thankless work but im standing up for 2 1 2 years i walked dogs i vufk thought that should be my lives work in allergy us and became a staff member and 5 years served the land despite the deep concerns from the compassionate people the department worked well, that the department of the environment the San Francisco puc nonprofit last week audubon and the California Native Plant Society and group the department is trying hard to get this right. I hope you move that forward understanding that project specific public process can continue to happen as these plans move forward so this big picture eir provides much needed guidance and xrienz for the department and still allows for us to move individual projects like Mount Davidson that involves the Community Process thats one of the nice things this is not an end stop but give us a nice a framework and something to look at it and take into consideration with each action and ill say in my time working for the department i worked with a program very dedicated to reducing reflex with pesticides to in protecting trees with the ones not native and protecting the land in general, i hope youll moved this plan thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Hello commissioners. Im dennis the president of San Francisco since so 50 with the forest think Mount Davidson was 70yearold that forest in Mount Davidson area has not been a nature area since 1980 and try to turn that it probation officer a scrub lands i put it into the category to tear down hetch hetchy dam i cant believe our seriously going to adapt that im against the plan always a speaker said a massive peshd pesticides goes into the ground water their mixing with the hetch hetchy water as for the golf course i advocate no changes at all for the golf course the frogs are thriving the people that tried to close the golf course couldnt prove that was impacting the frogs or snakes necessary talk about the snakes circled by moeers i dont believe theyve documented that the only make ive seen added the park was a hawk in the just a i couldnt identify it as a San Francisco garden snake and cutting you down 16 thousand trees at sharp park a waste of money adjacent to that park several square miles of scrub land so if you cut down the effort our interesting the bio diversity you can look up that and if 90 San Francisco has money to cut down the trees go to the other parks there or where there are dangerous trees one fell on a woman and sfta San Francisco will pay a lot of money for that and thinning out the trees that are a threat for people that walk there, there at stern road several trees will take somebody out to spend a lot of monies to come out u cut down a forest is ridiculous i hope you consider the management alternative and replace those with live oaks the grow at stern grief amongst the eucalyptus trees. Thank you, thank you. Hi ive lived in San Francisco for 20 years commissioners, i urge you to adopt the eir and approve the Natural Resources Management Plan without delay it helps the landscapers and promotes soil and restore resiliency to climatic change and advocacy for viral justice and approaches to Resource Management the plan is long over due it lags hidden the recognizing and protecting Natural Resources the city is behind the times the usda has a policy in 1965 the department of interior in 1967 over the past 5 decades having objectives have evolved like climatic change and Environmental Justice frankly our neighbors the Presidio Trust and California State Parks have been roebs and protecting critical Natural Resources for many years time for the office of the Small Business commission to step up it is time for the City Government to stop shirking the responsibilities and pitch in like the neighbors for years now your opportunity commissioners to protect our environment demonstrate responsible viral leadership by adapting the eir and approving the plan good evening im nancy former member of the rec and Park Advisory Committee and for 9 years educate i came today to ask to please approve the maintenance alternative for the natural areas Management Plan in the eir viral sensitive and superior i should say tomorrow i would like to you have request the general manager of rec and Park Department mr. Ginsburg to prepare for your consideration a document that officially transfers the management and maintenance of the forest currently in the natural bathroom, to the jurisdiction of the depth of urban Forestry Division that is on the under naps control in the prior tilsz for maintenance because in their nonnative indeed paupgs f states the longterm goal for the urban Forest Management in certain areas to slowly convert those areas from forest to native scrub grasslands the plan calls for 34 hundred trees to be removed and another 15 thousand trees to be removed from the sharp park nap wants the land having nap in charge of the forest not in the interest of preserving that efforts in nap gets money to chop down 18 thousand trees the department can invest and preserving our beautiful forest by the adequately funding the upper market to do the job in 1998 the first nap plan was proposed various parks were offended to be part of Brand New Program that then i building the citys forests were considered to be part of nature so they were included in nap now nap as rejected caring for the nonnative trees time to resign to the professional employees that want to keep the trees as part of citys companion and how to keep them healthy youve heard testimony that our forests are not properly maintained by nap now that you know that you have the responsibility for taking the appropriate corrective action to insure the work is properly managed by the flu qualified urban Forestry Division be proactive and protect our trees thank you, mr. Frankie support him had the same experience of dead plants in the park thank you very much. Good evening denise a native san franciscan ive golden on Mount Davidson for 4 decades a volunteer for the Natural Resources division in glen canyon and other Resource Areas around the city i urge you to support the eir and the enar ramp as is because we can trust that rec and Park Department has vested the plan we need to understand that the stance see eucalyptus trees are not what person theyve been stressed by drought because of the draulth theyve slung even the shallow roots have slung back in heavy wind trees can easily topple and actually slide down the hill okay. So unhealthy trees should be removed please consider the urban Forest Council and the experts recently found that there is a dye back amongst the trees all trees need to be managed but especially now so i urge you to support the eir and to help money to starts removing unhealthy trees neighbors and i live in fear the huge fire those are liability risk the city needs to address with our help thanks. Next speaker i think i forgot any card my name is anastasia and, of course, i want to solve the problem not natural i wanted that i wanted out i live in the natural areas this is not natural i know that is not going to happen okay. But you heard enough the eir is not by in any stretch of the mention why talk about one to within tree remove if not in the plan you discuss it while you discussing one to one removal not to be found why the administration is underestimated not accurate not whatever it escapes me, please do not certificate if you certificate it please do not approve the project please approve the maintenance and within the gentleman if r f d wants to know what theyre doing i know i was there on november 2nd they were cutting the sprut of the eucalyptus tree that was in 2007 for one reason or another and putting herbicides on it i learned about this i was working from the set city on Mount Davidson and pesticides are there their toxic now about the responsibility youve heard please dont use that is more responsible thing it should be forbidden and dont make mistake many plan is not ambassador forest maintenance about replacement of forested areas for the scrub and grass 82 percent this blessed california not in danger so you have to cut one thousand trees over there there are so many things people have assessing not true like the eucalyptus is 3 to 5 hundred years not one hundred years now on mountain davidson how many of the unhealthy trees like this same natural areas straight how many of you are like if their unhealthy probably thank you very much for Natural Area Program thank you very much. Thank you commissioners thank you for grounded patience and endurance i worked for you a long time ago i working closely with the Natural Areas Program i have seen the staff work miracles in so many areas but i am a pacifica i strongly outburst to this project i respect request you remove it from the eir golf course im sure you understand the golf course is not a natural area natural areas theoretically dont include manicured lawns do you have a different definition from a golf course than a manicured lawn you must theoretically oppose the entire eir youve heard about the redesign not to be included in the natural areas plan youve heard the quote should changes to the sharp park course be proposed theyll under go a separate regulatory review including ceqa piling dirt on top of the green not the green but the fairways in order to raise them is definitely a new addition to the f eir today youre looking at at a proposal to raise the golf course and lock the lagoon closer to the ocean where redlegged frogs cant live in salty water and 20 years for in plan if so not enough if you lock that lagoon and in refuse it to migrate weve lost our frogs and snakes local experts in benign and botany have stayed quote Habitat Enhancement by the rec and park in their preferred 18 hole alternative is inadequate to allow the recovery of the San Francisco garden snakes and redlegged frogs at the site and it is set up to fail with climatic change and Sea Level Rise i repeat golf course is not a natural area if you choose to include the golf course resign as part of eir and approve that eir your choosing lagoon and extinction of the populations again, thank you for your tolerance and endurance. Commissioners my name is paul im a nature and resident of San Francisco evolution continues not statistic and probably one of the concedes we can control things i suspect that nature and evolution are forces that is a conceit we can control that imagine from the idea we can postpone evolution in the challenge of plants and extend that to the previous years go about 8 thousand years when it is ice age was started to reseed sitting around to reviewing the eir and somebody trying to say we have to stop here this well allow those plants to exist those plants have to go were trying to. That is silly and awkward that is true that were working with forces here and nature weve not resolved them i oppose obviously the eir but if it is necessary to certify that i ask you to adopt the maintenance alternative as a number of people have done described in the eir as the environmentally superior alternative to at least use of herbicides and the less removal of trees e , etc. , etc. One hundred and two native tests were dead in last years all of a sudden oak deaths since 1995 nature and nonnature trees will be important in the future especially in the urban forests. Consideration will need to be of considerations will need took species neutral were in at times shrubs and every piece of grass important lets not destroy them before theyre ready thank you. Next speaker, please. And is there any additional Public Comment . Youre up. You might want to try speaking into the hello is that better okay. Wonderful okay myself a mary i dont know why you didnt have any card by the way, i submitted one i have been a resident in the Sherwood Forest Mount Davidson and afterward that is a home that we brought our two sons to live with us from the hospitals and they grew up and loved their homes and loved being in the neighborhoods from the start we appreciate the forest study we moved to daily wood and across from us was covered with trees across from you say that was fabulous and wonderful i thought that was in heaven never until the strong winds of 1982, 83d we have concerns of the at all trees across the street from us they were 80, one hundred feet tall through the storms of january 82, 83 my husband opened the door and my second son was an infant in the rear seat one of the trees from across the street from the storm came crashing down and knocked down the power lines i was so flabbergasted and grateful that i had not lost half any family that day and a second incident well have problems from this he support the eir definitely but for the purposes of maintaining watching out for the unhealthy trees for keeping the place safe and this is something should have been done years and years ago and also another incident happened was in october right across the street from our neighbors house a cypress tree came stumping down and the power lines went down none can explain this the city only took away the tree, of course, and so were not against the trees it is just necessary need to be maintained right now recently a lot of the trees are unhealthy having gone through a lot of lack of rain they very and theyre nothing like the ones in australia i understand theyre short and our trees dont reach the ground their dangerous. Youre out of time. Thank you. Is there any additional Public Comment. Not seeing any, Public Comment is closed. And jonas remind of us action we will take. Surely commissioner president there will be two acts the first will be taken been the Planning Commission and the sec about the to certify the eir and the second action by the rec and park to adopt the plan and okay. So go. It has to happen concerning so the Planning Commission deliberate and on the Environmental Impact report and allow the rec and park to do the same for the plan okay. Thank you. Commissioner hillis best part thank you and thank you for your Public Comment obviously people are passion about their parks we deal with the built in environment that is educational for us i want to make one clarification something we grapple with with the eir versus the policy documents and the policies of natural areas the eir is here to to the policymakers in this case the rec and Park Commission adopting or changing out e all the natural areas our job so make sure the document looks the impacts and it comprehensively were looking to rec and park to set the policies on the eir a couple of questions im sure for Planning Department staff or rec and park staff can someone explain the sharp park the reason why were doing a project level eir for the sharp park changes in a Program Level eir weve seen this in other areas but maybe clarify to us why this is happening in this case. Im going to turn it over to don to talk about how anymore specifically prohibit in the documents its been a long hearing and passionate voices i think want to be clear were talking about the Habitat Restoration on an existing golf course not doing a golf course but this has been planned in consultation with the u. S. Fish and wildlife and intents and purposes to help the redlegged frog and snake atheist im going to turn it over to dawn. As stayed the sharp park before you is not a Golf Course Development a restoration project that has been contemplated in with only form or another since so 92 that saves a lot of restoration at sharp park since 2006 the rec and Park Department decided to actually pursue a more robust restoration project that was than was initially contemplated in 2006 at lagoon and the action was needed in coordination with the regulatory agencies we developed that started as a pragmatic project like in the eir was more specifically it and developed to to thirty percent drawings to seek. Permit necessary to conduct this restoration having completed that work that made tremendous sense the goals were relayed to the Program Goals to wrap the park into the eir rather than to pursue im not sure what mosaic accomplished but by separating it at this point they were identical and came out of the praveng eir make sense to include that that more robust Habitat Restoration project included additional habitat between the stable pond that habitat necessary its a in a domino effect causes a invbltd impact the golf course had to be analyzed per ceqa for impacts and had to explore not causing a historic impact thats all according to ceqa being drive by by the restoration the golf course remodeling has an impact on the golf course and also in addition it relates to the errata submitted dredging has been a part of restoration project to help us to maintain open water habitat within this and to say complete project description couldnt say were drudging cubit feet and didnt know where it will go it identifies the location for the replacement of those soils the errata submitted to you this morning makes many more clear 4 coequal potential uses material or i should say material to be dredged the primary use for actually creation of up land habitat that could be disposed or used on the golf course assuming all the uses not trig an additional impact and the soil itself was of a quality that made 2 appropriate for the user i think i want to refer to and help to try to clear up some of the miss existence that occurred the department has made a consistent commitment to insure that golf course renovation go through a review process required by ceqa that project doesnt exist yet the golf course drawings included as part of ceqa document for the purposes of demonstrating the existing conditions and the fact pass restoration project that occurs within the context of a golf course to show f on the errata map shows the rifle range and also the green waste facility the first map in the eir didnt include that visible detail and it was confusing weve specified multiple used for the soil and you know done our best to clear up i think a persist miss understanding. Not necessarily in the eir question but that project has funding autopsy the recreation project no. Okay. So i mean, theres a lot of process still needed in and that i didnt understand some of the Public Comment people were asking to take that out of eir. He its not in the eir but. But the fact we analyze it and certificate it gives us the built for the rec and park to do the project and do one of the alternatives and reduce that the maintenance alternatives in the project taking it out of the eir didnt help anyone that ties the hands with the rec and Park Commission to continue on with the status quo. Commissioner hillis dave i want to make a few clarifications rec and park provided a good overview why they included the sharp park as part of project i thought to clarify the different roles Planning Department acting as the lead agency evaluates the project as it is promote by rec and park and we had as you can see from the theres a lot of design work that went into the project and had enough information to be be able to analyze the project at a project level thats why sharp park recreation is analyzed at a project level versus the rest more pragmatic and to the pragmatic we heard a lot of testimony about Mount Davidson as that project move forward given a project level eir and funding becomes available and more specific project at the level maybe with sharp park what i mean whats the environmental process with the rec and park kind of Planning Community involvement is to that moving forward. For sure begin with the Planning Department process once rec and park has one of the pragmatic projects more clearly extended they will come to planning and we will evaluated their project and numerous with ceqa look to the either to so whether or not the project has been fully analyzed if it has then the project can go forward if it not been fully analyzed and found additional issues then Additional Information will be required. Okay. Commissioners les can rec and Park Department so typically for our Capital Projects there is no current funding for either the rooms of the urban forest or for the tree 39 im aware of but a typical process for one of the praveng projects for the identification of funding we will have a tree assessment so an or not comes out and assesses the trees and gives us their opinions which trees will be removed and Community Meetings we will be back in front of the rec and Park Department for approval of the concept plans as well as potentially depending on the Funding Amount the approval of the contract and so theres quite a bit of progress that will happen as parts of one of those renovation and Capital Projects. Thank you there was a question of the use of trails i know the plan has restoring trails and eliminating some but there are a couple of commenters that said theyre a policy you utilizing areas of the park that is off trail is that changing as a result of the natural plans seeing that in the eir. But kind of going off the trails i mean some folks mentioned now that is kind of disallowed has there been a change. I think it is good Land Management to encourage people to stay on trails, of course, people wander off all the time that is standard if federal, state, and local and open spaces that you know when our trying to preserve Natural Environment you encourage people to go on trail that is generally speaking has been our policy for a long time and continues to be the case. For the existing policy now. It is kind of off people walking. Again, were trying to bring people to recreation and enjoy those places in a you know responsible manner. Okay. Then the one to one Tree Replacement issue that came up that is in the eir and analyzed the there were discussed about. It is in the eir on page 92 of the description so it is part of project description that has been property by rec and park all right. Thank you. Thank you commissioner moore. I like to perhaps laboratory to the comment that commissioner hillis made and get to the bottom why there is so much opposition to include the sharp park into the discussion i know bits and pieces many years ago this plan was in front of us, however, in the scoping of the eir that was to be constituent and studied with alternatives in a separate manner and 4 person that are engaged and many people speaking to that tell the court matter a disappointment because no alternatives are being discussed it is formulated in a manner that deals with restoration or protection of natural areas that little big disappointment the robust discussion for an ian alternatives are basically going under the table i emphasize to my own big disappointment the nature of eirs since the early 70s has greatly changes and each time we have seven years between the scoping of the eir in front of us the disappointment for those people that are involuntarily actively active since the early 70s a disappointments of what were not doing or not do for other reasons is bigger and bigger thats the severity of the criticism of what weve potentially overlooking today im concerned and a little bit more from the 70 thinking of eirs and have tried to maintain that perspective ive concerned about not giving in particular area more attention why are rerushing it i dont know the background if we discussed that in a program was it with the commission perhaps months ago more up to speed im concerned were looking it today as an inclusive part as a robust and stronger eir. And waiting to be convinced otherwise go ahead. Commissioner Vice President richards. Several things popped up during the Public Comment and the materials were handed in today, the first one is the definition of bio diversity and people kept on questioning that whether or not that relates to the eir and the project itself staff any comment on that. Hi yes jessica Planning Department staff we did do are is a grossy glossary i dont have imagine to say think outside the box that topic. Rec and park. Thank you les can rec and Park Department i think that is important to think about you can talk about bio diversity as a overall number of species but really 72 hours not fair inform compare an endisagreed species around the landscapes whether youre talking about bio diversity the indicators of bio diversities are the species limit in their range like the Mission Blue Butterfly they become more important about the bio diversity they might be small in population and go extinct quibble but more the sensitive plant and mammal species to some that are more ubiquitous is not really comparing apples and oranges like when you talk about bio e bicycle in the Scientific Community youre talking about native species and putting more emphasis on those species. I guess another question along the lines of what commissioner moore was talking about in terms of sharp park mr. Ginsburg there is not a orders to do something in the department of finish and game. I dont think that is exactly rights maybe you want to talk about the quote unquote alternatives. Keep it the way it is. Yeah. Keep it the way it is option this is the whole purpose of the exercise bay that is important for people to understand the context sharp with 4 Hundred Acres the golf is one hundred three Hundred Acres and some it of it is extremely rich frankly habitat resources between two Major Regions a creek there was Mission Blue Butterfly habitat rich habitat as sharp one of the reasons frankly the potential tree removals a lot of sharp is in an unaccessible canyon there is tree ethiopian that is necessary there the project that weve been seeking there our primary focus it Habitat Restoration yes, we want to balance a reservation amenity but the mission of plan and an Important Mission of department is to conserve Natural Resources and preserve habitat that project in consultation with other agencies is an ambitious will be one of the most ambitious projects this department has taken on and could off and on be a gamechanger for the california redlegged frog so maybe staff and mr. Ginsburg trying to look at those excluded the sharp partitioning is problematic eir it is included this is a. So in 2009 noticed the preparation and initial study was prepared thats where the notice of preparation the golf course was not included in the project between 2009 and august 2011 the draft eir was heals e releases thats when we analyzed the project has not changed since 2011 other than the errata i want to point out the alternatives that were analyzed we analyzed project level alternatives for sharp park. Okay. Maybe while youre up a couple of other things within the major issues i got out of document from the Forest Alliance theyre claiming the calculations for the Carbon Sequestration is erroneous from what they submitting comment on that. The green house analyze was not bans completely on quantify analysis the primary significance determination was bans a qualify active with the consistency of the Green House Gas emissions reduction strategy an approach the city used consistently on all the environmental documents the Green House Gas emissions from the plans based on that quantify assessment of compliance with regulations that are reduced g h g bans the comments on the initial studies their perfectly requesting the analyze the sir, has an analysis bans comments on the draft eir critiquing that analysis the response to comments included an updated quantitative analysis the updated analysis in the response to comments was based on methods to quantitative based on protocols including do department an energy and others assuming that the comments submitted on the green house analyze your heard and assuming that those comments represent those of an expert at best what you have a disagreement amongst the experts doesnt make the draft eir inadequate throughout this the department has made efforts to address the comments related to Green House Gas emissions a one other question weve already talked about the herbicides i completely am in argument with the herbicides their thank you, everybody, running off so the methods by which of the herbicides are applied are based on the guided by the im. Read like did statutes behind second is people focused; right . Focused on the use of environment by people in the maintenance of the environment for mankind and this program is about i also i am proud of the eir document. I think its comprehensive. It meets the criteria of transparency and full information. I do have a question for the parts Department Staff and thats about the use of herbicides and pesticides. So what is an ipm program the and i also had a question about the implementation of application of chemicals. The training that the workers undergo before they can do it and who exactly make the decision to apply to michaels and what training do they have . What is the chain of command and Quality Control after application . You yes. Riso Wayne Recreation Department and [inaudible] department of environment is here today. He oversees the idm program for the department of the environment. So there were a lot of questions in there. Let me see if i enter them all. You will let me know such a recurring question. Absolutely. Integrated Pest Management or ipm is a decisionmaking process by which you evaluate past problems and you look for the least toxic alternatives. Thats a guiding principle that we all in San Francisco should be very proud of, the fact that many years ago but by the department of the environment the adopted an ipm ordinance where its very transparent to the amount of herbicides we use. We greatly greatly reduced the amount of Chemical Usage in our park lands since the adoption of this frankly awardwinning program. So thats kind of ipm in a nutshell. On the implementation side of things on the reparation and part department, we use over sides herbicides when theres no other options that are feasible to address the problem and to meet the Land Management objectives. Keeping in mind that the people of San Francisco are not only looking to us to protect biodiversity but they want of good ballfields to play on and softball pitches and lawns and Everything Else. Theres a variety of different land use objectives that we as a land managers need to think about. In the process we go through first and foremost, can thisthe first is this pest really a problem . Is it really going to spread . Is going to really be an impact to the biodiversity or to the playing field. If the answer is, yes, the next question is, what kind of alternatives do we have to address it . We use hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours every year addressing weeds grow our park system. So a lot of it is done manually. Occasionally, its done with mechanics or equipment. In very few instances, we do rely on herbicides. I do want to kind of give you a little more on how these herbicides are pride in our lands because theres a lot of comments saying acid spraying children. Yes. Children. The way these herbicides are applied if we get down that road that is the only method of treatment among most of the times he herbicides are applied with what is called a cut and drop treatment that is you cant boast of the plan and you use my kids always had these [inaudible] theyre kind of like liquid comes out like a shoe polish container. Filled not with 100 chemical but watered down chemicals. You are cutting something that might be that big and putting some herbicide on it. That is the lion share of what we do. Sometimes we do use backpack sprayers and that is the staff Walking Around and treating individual plants throughout a big landscape. Chris geiger can speak to this more, but in the last in these first three quarters of 2016 in the natural areas, there were 2. 7 courts of active ingredients used on 1100 acres of land. So that comes to be. 04 ounces per acre. Very very very small amounts and as i said before, we are very proud of the fact we reduced our usage by over 91 . Chris, you can probably add to this and i hopefully i answer most of your questions. Thank you. Chris Geiger Department of the environment and i coordinate the Pest Management program. I been here for 13 years doing this that were very proud of this program. Recent data good job of describing ipm is always above described not on an elevator. Like to addwithout objection [laughing] anywhere for that matter. I like to add first of all what she said was correct but the amount used in the past year. Its pretty menacing smile if you consider how much land is being treated and we have a very good job with rec and park landscape meant maintenance staff over the years and allowed that is revolves around our training program. I think you asked what training. Something about a dozen trainings per year. Training events including a big springtime training. All the gardeners on a monthly meetings of the ipm program which includes half. Were doing these things and our objective is to stay in front of whats available to reduce hazards and risk. This is its part of precautionary principle that we are required to do is called alternatives analysis to not just do with legal or even what is safe but what is the safest alternative that still gets the job done and one of the alternatives is not doing it all. So the list its also worth pointing out as far as the kind of temples that are used on state properties, this is a constantly manage list of approved products. Everything is prescreened to we have our own pathological review. Its another level regulation to we our own regulatory system that layers on top of the state and federal pesticide regulations. So we are very proud of that and we are always trying to reduce whenever we can but we have we know there are some situations when we need these tools. Theres no other alternative. Im not sure i covered all your questions. Thank you commissioner moore as a Management Plan and as a programmatically eir it is worth our while to get numbers. We have a lot of people talk about Mount Davidson, mcclaren park and 8032 areas which comprise about 2300 acres we need to look at the Management Area within the larger acreage of those 32 sites. We need to look at the existing trees and the numbers of trees which will be affected over a 20 year time frame. Thats a very [inaudible] approaches are most like doing Structural Engineering but not doing the whole structure in one day. So this is perhaps very simplistic and i. E. Intentionally kept the one size which is a special discussion out of the thing. Of which at the end of 20 years about 3450 would be removed. That means about all this linear mathematics. Nothing else. In means about 174 four trees per year over the entire area of 32 areas. Its not going to be like picking 10 trees out of those 20 areas but if you break it down and unfortunately dont have any flow charts or graphics with particularly layout of the zine over time. I think people would feel significantly more comfortable because the Management Areas of invasive trees within the larger park acreage of those parks where it occurs are far far [inaudible] smaller parks theyre not affected at all. See you can read across on the summary charts and it does not look haphazard or finger in the wind at all. It looks like a very scientificlike a very deep we studied piece of work and the question is, theres a leap of faith and there is trust. Since whenever you move into scientist doing these kinds of things, it gets quite difficult because i have to at least speak for myself, i am [inaudible] in listening but im inexperienced in fully getting to the depths of all findings. Its the best and most honest way about to describe my expertise here. Im quite quite capable of putting one to one together. I can use enough judgment to judge on an eir and i believe that what is in front of us has all the substance of what is necessary to support the plan and again im bracketing out one area which is too complex and particularly because its not joining the larger city proper its in san mateo, further away. In light of that, if you have to create a cover exhibition for all areas with an equal level of attention, i believe that is been achieved. If, over time or sixmonth updates could be developed if, over time there would be illustrations of where interventions would be, to what extent in what particular areas of the park you could put on a screen would be able to see if that would be wonderful. Commercial trademark water minus were focusing on the eir. Im trying to figure out i do believe as i said and i preface my comment would also maybe its a leap of faith and i think its ultimately building trust. This type of an undertaking and we are plenty of added up evidence of people being concerned about what would happen. Where they live or what is the history of their being in owns. All it means i think in order for this particular eir to really be as effective as it needs to be we need to at least be allowed to raise those kinds of questions because we need to bridge what we decide today the next 20 years when this is going to happen. So that are my comments on it. Thank you. It appears theres no further comments. Call the question no further comment commissioners this emotion that has been seconded to approve excuse me me Environmental Impact report on a motion commissioner hillis aye johnson aye koppel aye mell other skype muscat richards aye fong got so moved that motion passes 61 with commissioner moore voting against. I leave it to the Recreation Department we could ask use the Planning Commission if they want to run. I dont know how long we have a lot of questions . A lot of them have been asked. Let me start with commissionershould we proceed and with commissioner low. Just a followup on commissioner moores statement it staff can also confirm the calculation on the trees. Were not clearing trees. How manyweve heard 18,000 days, 3400 trees. Can staff comment on the Forest Management . Commissioner, i can start and if anybody else wants to kind of jump in. Commissioner moore was corrected enough to look at this in different sides and i think Mount Davidson was the product of much discussion today. So let me just kind of flip up there if i can find it quickly. At Mount Davidson, the proposal calls for a total of 1600 trees over a 20 year period. 9400 of them would remain. That isthat is what the plan would also be allow. Other specific sites that came up. I think glen canyon if i can find it. Glen canyon, 5880 trees. The plan discusses the removal over a 20 year period of 120. I do one or we emphasize the 121 the planting that was my next question. Can iwe are not removing them correct. We are doing a onetoone removal removing and replacing and doing a lot of other good habitat. Removing mature trees and planting trees that need to grow but youve heard a lot a lot of Land Management agencies [inaudible] the presidio needs to be regional parks. Just to name a few. There is aging and it he spoke from his expense [inaudible] theres not a Land Management agency that is an actively manage and maintain its urban forest. Its critical. Weathers opportunity, would we be looking to 4221 replacement . The urban speed forced to counsel recommended a more aggressive approach but i think the plan says 121 which is the minimum we would do. Its also resource dependent and some of it is i think has some depends on the environmental conditions of a particular site but overall the departmentswe operate with atheres a stock called annette tree game which is looking at the trees removed versus the number of trees added in our system and i think over the last few years we are around 1. 8 so were averaging more trees planted then removed. I would like to tell you that we could get to three 21. I think more trees are better so we continue to plants. Commissioners . Do you have a question. Go ahead. To speak to [inaudible]. To speak to [inaudible] i am just going to speak to i agree. The Planning Commission asked the pertinent questions that you get down to it is the [inaudible] is not a golf course about when its a habitat plan and we have looked at it as requiring greater focus sooner which is a better thing. So i think that is a positive move and i think the number of trees actually if i use the calculation on Mount Davidson over a 20 year period, keeping a mind that we dont even have funding for this at this point, its less than 1 per year. So that is just a framework for it and i would go back to a comment made earlier. This document, which is had in a normas amount of work and enormous amount of staff time, and now in the environment will Impact Report is the framework to get give guidance. This doesnt mean tomorrow theres going to be chainsaws out clearcutting dont davidson or any other part of the city. So with that i would entertain a motion. I like to move to have this approved based on the resolution that materials. I do agree this was the very thoughtful document, conference of, well founded on scientific evidence. Scientists and disrepute maybe like lawyers can disagree. It was a very thoughtful document and i would like to commend staff and staff before staff, and the hard work they did to put this together. Is there a second second. Moved and seconded. Before i asked for a roll call about i do want to thank everybody that showed up today because i think it showed and a normas amount of interest and i share the comment that how proud we are that San Francisco takes this old sears. With that could you call roll call commissioner anderson fuck aye bonilla in favor, harrison aye low yes and buell aye it passes unanimously thank you we moved to adjourn . Moved and seconded. All those in favor say, aye. [chorus of ayes] thank you. The meeting is adjourned. [gavel] [adjournment] San Francisco is known worldwide for its atmospheric waterfront where spectacular views are by piers and sight and sounds are xhanl changing we come to the here for exercise relax ball games entertainment, recreation market, exhilaration a wide variety of contributions easily enjoyed look up the bay the waterfront is boosting for activities boosting over 25 visitors every year the port of San Francisco manages 7 may have Million Dollars of waterfront from hyde street and Fishermans Wharf to the cargo terminals and name shoreline the architecture like pier 70 and the Ferry Building is here for the embarcadero and a National Treasure the port also supports 10 different Maritime Industries alongside with the recreational attractions making San Francisco one of the most viable working waterfronts in the world but did you think that our waterfront faces serious challenges if earthquake to damage the seawall and the embarcadero roadway rising seawalls will cause flooding at high tides and Major Repairs to a safe many of the piers the port is at a critically turnl point time to plan for the future of San Franciscos waterfront this year the port is updating its marts plan the Plan Working Group to invite a wide variety of poichdz from the city and bayview and other advisory teams to share their expertise if intense and Maritime Operations the waterfront Land Use Plan has guided the use and development of the lanes for the last 20 years major physical changes take place along the waterfront and now is the time to update the waterfront plan to continue improvements that will keep our waterfront vibrate, public and resilient the Biggest Challenges facing the waterfront are out the site an aging seawall along the embarcadero roadway and seawalls that will rise by 21 hundred to provide and productivity of tides seawall is built over weak soils and mud the next earthquake will cause it to settle several feet without the urgent repairs that will damage the promenade and other things weve been fortunate over the last hundred years less than one foot of seawall over the next hundred years Scientists Say well have 6 feet of seawall rise imagine the pier 30 32 will be floated, the embarcadero will be flooded our Transportation System is fog to be heavy impacts unfortunately, the port didnt have the Financial Resources to repair all the deteriorating piers let alone the adaptations for Sea Level Rise. It is clear that the port cant pay for the seawall reinforcement or deal with the Sea Level Rise on its own needs to raise money to take care of the properties at take care of the maintenance on the properties no way absent anti funding the issues of Sea Level Rise or the schematic conditions of seawall can be development. As studies talk about the seawall challenges the working group is look at the issues please come share our ideas about recreation, pier activities, shoreline habitat, Historic Preservation and transportation issues and viral protection. We know this planning process will not have one question and one answer we need the diversity of the opinions how people feel about San Francisco waterfront and want to hear all the opinions. The challenges call for Big Decisions now is the time to explore now and Creative Ideas to protect and preserve San Francisco waterfront. Now is the time to get involved to help to shape the future of our waterfront. We need the debate please come forward and engage in the process. This is your waterfront and this is your opportunity to get involved be part of solution help San Francisco create the waterfront we want for the future. This is really to dream big and i think about what our waterfront looked like for all san franciscans today and generations to come. Get involved with the planning process that will set the fraction for what is coming at the port. Find for in upgrading dates on the ports website. ship blowing horn in distances food in san francis just about expensive eat but food for everyone and theres organizations in the city that are doing really good work making sure that healthy food it assessable to everyone. More and more as follows are are becoming interested in upper arlthd they want to joy the open green pace sea know where their food it coming from well look at 3 programs talking ushering agricultural and garden to new heights. So what exactly it, your honor agricultural it the growing food or flowers within city limits traditionally weve been referring to communities gardener that is a raised bed over and over upper argument has a more a farming way of farming. So tell me 0 whats growing in this garden. A really at all plant. In the one of the rare places, you know, people have access to green space 24 is one of the places to grow things like the purple floor. It is sort of recognizing that the more diversity in given space the better not to just have one thing by everything supported each another it provides the community with an opportunity to get their hands dirty and reach 0 out and congressmen with the community in ways they might have not otherwise to engage with one other. Now the dpw urban Planning Program so see how the garden community. So i grew up on a farm in air force base we picked the foods open the trees and share with other families and as i drive around San Francisco i see any trees with apples or mrumdz and lemon trees i can see the food going to waste and brought that idea back to the Department Many of the trees where the fruit would go to waste we origin or crop and pick other fruits and delivery this to food banks or shelters to people who need them. Im here with nang wong hello nang. Hello. I need to understand house this gleaning work. We come and harvest like for example, well come over here this is the lemon and plug it like this. laughter . Made that good, good and ease. The trick is how not to hurt the branches. Like the thing. Im so excited about this. The people are so passionate about where the food goes to the private Property Owners give us the food theyre happy that no of a t is going to waste oh. Thank you. Thank you. Again job aura natural laughter . From backyards to back lots lets take a look at the food and Community Bonding at the free farm. My idea was to start growing food and giving it away. And getting my neighbors to who had space and having a kind of event that brings people together not to run our food program this time around but to share the wealth of the abundance of our welfare. We were all divorce and as part of our philosophy of working together and working together. Whats the most rewarding aspect of volunteering for the free farm stand. Well, we could is a generalic satisfaction but something about giving food away its giving something i brought that in and sort it and gave it to you its primitive to be able to give something some basically to someone else. Now serving number to 49 come on down. We have the capability of producing this food and in San Francisco you can grow food all year round so the idea were capable of prougdz food in our own backyards were here to demonstrate an bans of food and i think that giving it away for free we show individuals it in have to be a comedy. We build time together and its the strength of any ideas of the connections well turn that connection and the more connections you make no mistake about it the more you can have a stronger power and not have to rely on money thats the people power. In this episode weve seen the urban farms and gardens provide more in fruits and vegetation people can