Timeline History
NOV 2007
Community process began
MAY 2009
released
Draft Recreation and Open Space Element
JUL 2010
Funding for the environmental review secured
JUN 2011
Revised Draft of the Recreation and
Open Space Element released
Nov 2013
Open
Final Administrative Draft of the Recreation and
Space Element Released
 Mayor’s Open Space Taskforce
Outreach
• 80-member taskforce and numerous working groups, 2007-2008
 Community Meetings
• 22 neighborhood-based community meetings, 2008-2009; Open
House-December 2013.
 Focus Groups- e.g. nature and natural areas, Chinatown tenants and
youth, SPUR, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, etc., 2008-2009
 PROSAC
Nov., and Dec. 2007; May-Sept. 2009, August 2011, Jan. 2014
 Recreation and Park Commission
Nov. 2008, June 2009, August 2011, January 2012
 Planning Commission
October 2008; May 2009; June, August, and October 2011
 Community Working Groups, individual stakeholders,
neighborhood groups September, October, and November 2011;
November 2013
Role of the General Plan
 General Plan Elements are high level policy and visionary
documents.
 General Plan policies vs. the Planning Code
 A guide for directing decisions that are “on balance” in
conformity with the GP
 Challenging to distinguish between high level policies and
detailed actions and programs.
Why should we update the Element?
 Updated plans and priorities
 Updated information on priority acquisition and renovation
areas
 Further clarity and guidance on conversion of open space
 Emphasize importance and need for community
engagement in open space projects
 Inclusion of all our supplemental and new types of
spaces: living alleys, parklets, POPOS, etc.
 Shifting focus from natural areas to nature and local
biodiversity
Proposed
Objectives & Policies
Well-Maintained and
Highly Utilized Open
Space System
 Flexible and dynamic use of
existing open spaces and
recreational facilities: user
responsive recreational
programming, community garden,
concessions, active and passive
uses.
 Preserving open space by
restricting its conversion to nonrecreational uses
 Maintain open spaces to modern
standards
High Needs Areas: Priority
Renovation and Acquisition
Areas
 Population
density, high
density of low
income, seniors,
children and
youth
 Future growth
areas
 Areas that are
not within walking
distance of a
space
Connectivity:
An Open Space
Network
Street Network:





Green Connectors
Parkways
Living Streets
Living Alleys
Street Closures
Trail Network:
 Bay Trail / Coastal Trail
 The Ridge Trail
 Cross-Town Corridor
Biodiversity and
Environmental
Sustainability
 Restoring local biodiversity including
native and non-native habitats
 Education and
awareness of
habitat/ecology.
 Coordinate
management on
designating and
protecting
natural areas
 Environmentally
sustainable
design
Engaging the
Community
 Design, Programming, and
improvement to recreation and
open space
 Facilitate community initiated
recreation and open space
efforts
Secure Long-term Funding Sources
 General Obligation Bonds
 Tax Revenue options
 Public - private partnerships
 Park Improvement Districts…
Snapshot of community comments on
“Concerns about
the 2009 draft
“Our parks are
special places and
a respite from
urban life, they
should be
protected and not
commercialized.”
“Recreation should have
a greater/lesser
emphasis (both
comments heard).”
Maintaining our parks
is a key concern.
“Our parks should
be preserved as
open space.”
“Nature should be
incorporated
throughout the City
and greater emphasis
should be placed on
its importance in the
ROSE.”
“Sustainability
should play a more
prominent role.”
privatization:
focus shouldn’t be
on short-term
revenue
generation, but
on long-term
protection of our
open spaces.”
“Maintain private
open space
requirements in
the ROSE, not just
in the Planning
Code.”
What has Changed
since the previous
draft?
What Changed from the 2011 Draft
 Emphasis on Recreation in addition to Open Space
 Clear guidelines on replacement open space where removed
(Objective 1)
 Focus on better utilizing parks and open spaces rather than
emphasis on activation (Objective 1)
 Updated the high needs areas per recent census data
(Objective 2)
 Focus on local biodiversity inclusive of all habitats (Objective 4)
 Emphasis on community engagement in programming of open
space in addition to capital improvements (Objective 5)
 Addition of criteria for public private partnerships (Objective 6)
 Established a new network of Green Connections
2014 Adoption Schedule
Jan.
Parks and Recreation Open Space Advisory Committee Presentation
7
Jan.
9
Jan.
Recreation and Open Space Element Initiation
Planning Commission, City Hall, Room 400
All comments due to the Planning Department staff.
15
Feb.
20
Feb.
27
Recreation and Open Space Element Informational Presentation
Recreation and Park Commission-Full Commission,
City Hall, Room 416
Recreation and Open Space Element Adoption
Planning Commission, City Hall, Room 400
THANK YOU
Please send comments to
Kimia.haddadan@sfgov.org (415) 575-9068
OR
susan.exline@sfgov.org (415) 558-6332
http://openspace.sfplanning.org