[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6530061,"mediaKeyId","3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5","parentId",3731132,"title","Commission approves water-lot purchases, Japantown contract increase and other items","audioSeconds",1894,"startMs",3232000,"endMs",5126000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5&start=3232&end=5126","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5/thumbnail_3232000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6530061/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Commission-approves-water-lot-purchases-Japantown-contract-increase-and-other-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530061-e97a56bb637419a2f09c314161a1be46/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122569&Signature=KnHmJS0vVfbeotxLEhPgEBv0ANdPqeYqVW6I4hKfL75c0CHB4Hl2fRi-iRlbUuDGDpRveO-gBwuJPtPjI61cv2N~MZokQbKwywNdITNEIe0bZL64lIZCL39kFNFZZD2Qu7cFjL-ow0wACWWFCMXARJ3ejAcgefj~Axh929L028iyiy~wH9Z76oIko8QECQNQ3TWnV~aW4ftARYQ9EhbzQF6n5GpX~J5Q1bv8drWYOpFWKNrPMfoUkeRUhhzl2QNF8Sqxo5DoWGHw9bemF4bgwvknmE5a7KWOaPGXykFhDNquHiETOKP43lh9au7k3xVtDbfrVcmQcafTx1JCZwAJLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of San Francisco","date","2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","article","The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission approved several agenda items in a single meeting, including recommendations to acquire water lots for the India Basin Waterfront Park, a contract amendment for the Japantown Peace Plaza renovation, a conditional-use wireless facility at 350 Amber Drive and routine consent items. Commissioners also held a closed session and voted not to report or disclose the closed-session discussion.

Votes at a glance

- Consent calendar: Approved by voice vote with no opposition.

- 350 Amber Drive (AT&T monopole): The commission moved the project forward after a shadow analysis from the Planning Department concluded the project would add negligible shadow to George Christopher Playground and Glen Canyon Park. Commissioners voted in favor; there were no opposing votes.

- India Basin Waterfront Park water-lot acquisitions: The commission approved a resolution recommending the Board of Supervisors authorize the city to spend a total of $5,000 from the open space acquisition fund to purchase five water lots (Blocks 4598: Lots 010–014) from two private owners at fair market value. The staff report said the city will pay $2,500 for lots 010–012 (Ferrari brothers, ~0.3 acres) and $2,500 for lots 013–014 (Edward Connor Trust, ~0.2 acres). The commission approved the recommendation; staff said appraisals are pending and the board of supervisors will consider the purchase.

- Japantown Peace Plaza renovation contract amendment: The commission approved an increase to the construction contract with Plant Construction Company to $21,000,000, an increase of $5,546,784, and extended the contract period by 233 days. Staff cited additional structural work, major waterproofing repairs (including work beneath the finished floor slab), utility conflicts, hazardous-material abatement and schedule impacts as drivers of the change order. Staff said the project is fully funded and the change requires approval to continue construction.

- Closed session reporting/disclosure votes: After a closed session, the commission voted to not report the action taken in closed session and to not disclose the closed-session discussion. Both motions passed without opposition.

How commissioners voted

Roll call at the meeting recorded the following commissioners as present and participating in votes: Kat Anderson (President), Commissioner Hallasey, Commissioner Louie, Commissioner Mazzola, Commissioner Wintraub and Commissioner Clark Herrera. Commissioner Brianna Zwert was recorded as excused absent at roll call.

What happens next

- The India Basin water-lot purchases require Board of Supervisors approval and appraisals to support the agreed price points, city staff said.
- The Japantown contract amendment will proceed; staff said the project is about 50% complete and the change orders were required to address unforeseen structural and utility conditions.
- The AT&T monopole will proceed through the Planning Commission’s conditional-use authorization process; Rec & Park staff and Planning Department analysts said shadow impacts meet the 1989 memorandum guidance (the increase was well under the 1% threshold used for parks of the scale involved).

No recorded roll-call tallies naming individual yes/no votes were provided in the public portion beyond the general “ayes” recorded on each motion; the meeting transcript recorded unanimous voice votes on the items described above.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of San Francisco - Video Open Video Only in Windows Media Player - Jun 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission approved several items, including a resolution recommending purchase of five India Basin water lots for $5,000, a $21 million Japantown Peace Plaza contract amendment and advancement of a wireless monopole project, and it voted to keep closed-session action confidential.","taxTitle","San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California","taxId",5751,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6530066,"San Francisco Zoo touts youth programs and passes USDA inspection while public urges audits and transparency",0,3261000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5&start=3261&end=3261","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5/thumbnail_3261000.jpg","/articles/6530066/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/San-Francisco-Zoo-touts-youth-programs-and-passes-USDA-inspection-while-public-urges-audits-and-transparency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530066-129429fbf21b32fe05d86c9b417779f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122569&Signature=UpT2keWOYuaXFgBq9~BuBr1yYxQNg0M00H4OZPTBBjY7~O-6MCUPnjn2B3j6zc9MY7M3SM5nLtk1lQXpLrKWr8~8vBrFdFrGViklhNkIk7yYgKMGf4AuGjRieCNSjcG1oEC8m9kkw25Pi-Hle6bTUrj4iZZBa7hS4q5LBZiGtmLZJj52KBaE4yP~uxKkjvXH0xxXosUZj3~okEL2GyjqfKP2WnGU6d04k1glgBDOIHCrGlAhqtK4hBc0RtBSEHSNjB-JHDeYjmMl5dMV1XFRBmHkVd5dJTOmduiQta8~4hh81IVUHoD4TwrGfhya9rHylmD-HnvbzTnQXaKwvti6jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of the San Francisco Zoo reported that the institution passed a recent unannounced USDA inspection and outlined summer youth programs, while public commenters and commissioners urged the zoo to comply with public-records requests and audits.

At the Recreation and Park Commission meeting, a zoo staff member identified as Lamar, who said he heads the zoo’s belongings program, told commissioners the zoo passed an unannounced USDA inspection in May that followed an earlier January inspection that left the zoo certified for three years. Lamar summarized planned youth internships, zoo camp leadership fellows and partnerships with local high schools.

But public commenters used the zoo report item to press elected officials on transparency. Justin Barker of San Francisco Zoo Watch said the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force found the zoo in violation of local and state transparency rules and the zoo’s contract with the city, and urged the department to insist the zoo provide records and comply with audit requests. “The lack of transparency is very problematic,” Barker said.

Commission members echoed the concerns. Commissioner Mazzola, who chairs the commission’s zoo committee, said the advisory committee has repeatedly requested simple documents — such as subcontractor lists — and that the zoo’s refusal to provide records has hampered oversight. In strongly worded remarks, Mazzola said he had reached the limit of his efforts to get information from zoo leadership and suggested the city should consider seeking new management for the institution.

Other public commenters described animal-care and management concerns and urged the city to withhold public funds until audits are complete. Several speakers recommended the commission and department examine alternatives and urged visits to other successful institutions, such as the Oakland Zoo, to study best practices.

Department and commission staff said the day-to-day operations and financial management of the zoo are not under direct Rec and Park operational control: the zoo operates under a lease or contract arrangement for which compliance with reporting requirements is part of the department’s oversight. Commissioners said they will watch for responses to public-records requests and audit findings and expect the zoo to comply with its contractual obligations to provide records when requested.

No formal enforcement action or change of management was taken at the meeting; commissioners requested that staff continue to press for transparency and to report back on audit outcomes.","Zoo staff reported passing a USDA inspection and outlined summer youth programs; public speakers and commissioners pressed for compliance with Sunshine Ordinance requests and audits amid ongoing transparency concerns about the zoo's finances and operations.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6530072,"Rec & Park leaders say Parks Alliance breached trust; investigations underway",1185,1195000,2380000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5&start=1195&end=2380","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3731132-f048882537255338f43d26fbd416a7a5/thumbnail_1195000.jpg","/articles/6530072/San-Francisco-City/San-Francisco-County/California/Rec-Park-leaders-say-Parks-Alliance-breached-trust-investigations-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530072-6690c1ad0503956430ba5cab9ed7ad1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771122569&Signature=YSP49wFGUpcmZir98TK1eM92rbYe3QQL5JSGMVbLpSr0VlvftB4XJy99uf21RMD4nVjgd-YqrG0KOKI0QyQOLcPhdgQVcNjBdIgTDFgVKuKQz2~sbOpBCsX679qsk3-hY4-4-99-elNM-FpRT9cpxNBqW9QmN67ii7szMCO0Wo5Tl0~C-QWnBiGLM1JNGJN~RIMe8JG6XRPoMTO1VkRIEFvV6QsIGFeBrOep60a4MR6xCndopDqY3k1zIbr8qOSBBt7p~-GOLj76A0MHtmXrGxkTY~YWIuX5lllglYXhNVnHjyguZME4aKnDJe~538OhHQP5~SPlMaRbz~jsTjS9kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a public meeting of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission in City Hall Room 400, General Manager Phil Ginsberg and several commissioners addressed allegations that the San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA) mishandled donor funds and violated fiduciary responsibilities.

The department said it is cooperating with multiple inquiries. Ginsberg said city investigators — including the controller and the city attorney — are reviewing the matter and that the district attorney’s office is conducting a criminal investigation. “I am furious and, really disappointed and, you know, my heart breaks,” Ginsberg told the commission, adding that the Parks Alliance “broke community trust” and “violated in my view their fiduciary responsibilities.”

The matter matters because the Parks Alliance had acted as a fiscal sponsor for dozens of small “friends of” park groups and held money earmarked for specific local projects. Ginsberg told the commission the department is “a victim just like the other community partners” and that missing funds could be “around a million dollars, more or less” that had been given by donors for particular purposes and were commingled with unrestricted funds.

Commissioners and public speakers described community-level impacts. Commissioner Mazzola said the commission was not involved in the Alliance’s finances and emphasized that commissioners were not notified about SFPA’s internal operations: “I don't want anyone coming to me and saying, 'Why didn't you know?' Because it's not my fault,” she said. Commissioner Louie described feeling “deflated” and “angry,” saying the nonprofit “stole the money from donors.”

Public commenters and community leaders who use fiscal sponsorship services urged the department to prioritize a smooth transition so ongoing projects and vendors are paid. Matthew Blaine, chair of SF Urban Riders and a member of a newly formed Community Partner Network Advisory Committee, said his group and dozens of others want “to ensure that the function that the Parks Alliance provided continues going,” noting the Alliance had also held insurance and administrative arrangements that community groups rely on.

Ginsberg and commissioners said they will work with the controller and city attorney’s offices and keep the commission updated. The commission announced it expects audits and investigations to proceed; the city controller and city attorney have subpoena powers, Ginsberg said. Commissioners expressed support for accountability and for establishing more transparent and robust fiscal-sponsorship arrangements in the future.

Members of the commission and department framed the episode as a reminder of the importance of accountable philanthropic partnerships. Ginsberg and others named several nonprofit partners they consider effective and trustworthy — such as the Trust for Public Land and Gardens of Golden Gate Park — and said the department will seek new partners to replace the Alliance’s role once investigations and remedial steps are completed.

The commission did not take formal action on the matter during the public portion of the meeting; staff said legal and investigative work is ongoing and that follow-up reports will be provided to the commission as information becomes available.

Community groups and donors who believe they were harmed continue to seek information and possible restitution; the commission asked staff to provide frequent updates as the controller and city attorney review records.","At a public Recreation and Park Commission meeting, General Manager Phil Ginsberg and commissioners described alleged misuse of donor funds by the San Francisco Parks Alliance, said investigations are underway, and pledged to help community groups recover where possible.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves water-lot purchases, Japantown contract increase and other items

San Francisco Zoo touts youth programs and passes USDA inspection while public urges audits and transparency

Rec & Park leaders say Parks Alliance breached trust; investigations underway