Mayor Ed Lee’s Sharp Park veto stands

 
The Board of Supervisors today could not muster enough votes to override Mayor Ed Lee’s veto of legislation that would have compelled the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to transfer management of Sharp Park to the federal government, if an agreement could be brokered.

 The override vote was 6-5 — the same vote it passed by last month — and fell two short of the minimum needed to buck the mayor. Supervisor Christina Olague, whom Lee appointed to a vacant seat on the board Monday, voted in favor of the override. Her position in supporting the transfer mirror’s that of Ross Mirkarimi, the supervisor she replaced.


Joining her were Supervisors John Avalos, David Campos, David Chiu, Jane Kim and Eric Mar. Opposed were Supervisors Carmen Chu, Malia Cohen, Sean Elsbernd, Mark Farrell and Scott Wiener.

The parkland property — owned by San Francisco — is located on the Pacifica coast and used for a public golf course. The goal of the legislation is to restore the land to its natural habitat for inclusion in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area that’s under National Park Service jurisdiction.

Environmentalists have been pushing for the change. The land is home to the endangered San Francisco garter snake and the threatened California red-legged frog and also have taken their fight to court.

“The real thrust of this ordinance is to really protect endangered species in the Pacifica area,” Avalos said before the vote. He also voiced concern that operation of the golf course is draining rec and park funding that could be better used within the city.

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Posted by Steve Sinai