Positive compromise over Sharp Park

By Ilana DeBare
Golden Gate Bird Alliance and allied conservation groups reached a compromise with San Francisco city officials on Tuesday, in which we agreed to support the city’s new Natural Areas Plan in exchange for removal of a harmful project component at Sharp Park golf course.
The Significant Natural Resource Areas Management Plan (SNRAMP) had been under development since 2006, with countless hours of community input. It is aimed at creating a framework to manage the city’s natural areas over the next 20 years.
Golden Gate Bird Alliance had long been involved in helping formulate the plan and strongly supported the concept of a master plan to protect and enhance the city’s natural areas.
But the plan hit a stumbling block when, late in the process, the city added the controversial Sharp Park golf course redevelopment project to SNRAMP. Sharp Park is home to two endangered species – the California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake – and the city had plans to raise the height of the fairways in a way that would jeopardize their habitat.

GGBA and its allies mounted a campaign urging the Board of Supervisors to remove the Sharp Park project from SNRAMP so the golf course redevelopment could undergo its own separate, comprehensive environmental review.
On Tuesday, shortly before the Board of Supervisors was set to vote on SNRAMP, Supervisor Aaron Peskin forged a compromise in which the city agreed not to raise the height of the Sharp Park fairways. In exchange, GGBA and our allies (including Wild Equity, Sierra Club, and National Parks Conservation Association) agreed to drop our appeal over inclusion of the golf course project in SNRAMP.
With this compromise in place, the Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 to let the SNRAMP move forward.
Enactment of SNRAMP is a significant milestone for the City of San Francisco. It’s one of the country’s most thoughtful and progressive plans for promoting wildlife and habitat in an urban area. It establishes a framework to protect and enhance 32 areas where city dwellers can enjoy the beauty and solace of nature.

Red-tailed Hawk in Glen Canyon Park, one of the natural areas included in the plan, by Lee Hong Chang

2014 CBC in McLaren Park, one of the areas included in the Natural Areas Plan / Photo by Marissa Ortega-Welch

Golden Gate Bird Alliance is pleased to see this plan – so long in development, with so much community input – finally approved. We appreciate Supervisor Peskin’s diligent work in forging a resolution to the Sharp Park issue, as well as the support of all the other supervisors for nature in the city. We also appreciate attorney Mike Lozeau‘s work on  our Sharp Park appeal.
And… we especially thank all of our members who sent emails and made phone calls supporting a Natural Areas Plan that protects at-risk species like the red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake!
Now we look forward to working to implement this plan with S.F. Recreation and Parks, our conservation allies, and the many city residents who treasure San Francisco’s wildlife.