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Staff says school landmark nominations face Board of Education concerns; department will brief supervisors
Summary
Planning staff told the Historic Preservation Commission that pending local landmark nominations for George Washington High School, Roosevelt Middle School and Sunshine School drew concern from the Board of Education, which worried honorary designation of state-owned school buildings could complicate future work; staff said it will brief supervisors and consider sponsoring designations if needed.
Tim Frey, a planning department staff member, updated the Historic Preservation Commission on Feb. 21 about three pending local landmark nominations for George Washington High School, Roosevelt Middle School and Sunshine School.
Frey said department staff and representatives from SF Heritage (including Donna Graves and Robert Cherney) presented the proposed designations to the Board of Education the previous night and that several board members expressed reservations. "They believe it... convolutes the board's process and, to move forward with projects or would complicate" work on those properties, Frey told the commission, summarizing the Board's concerns that an honorific local landmark designation could be used by the community to object to future alterations.
Frey stressed the department's position that local landmark designation is largely honorific for state-owned properties and does not impose local regulatory controls, and he said staff will brief individual supervisors and follow up with the Board of Education. "If the board of supervisors or members of the board choose not to sponsor the designations, the department would become the sponsor," Frey said, adding that staff could work with the city attorney to develop approaches that address the district's concerns.
Commissioners raised questions about communication and process: Commissioner Jeong said the situation suggested a lapse in communication with the Board's Building and Grounds Committee after leadership changes. Frey told commissioners that staff had been meeting with the committee since 2015 and that turnover among facilities leadership was the primary change.
The department also flagged related items of concern, including public questions about ownership documented in redevelopment-era conveyances for other properties and a New York Times story referenced by staff suggesting market-rate conversions at certain properties; staff said they will continue to monitor and report back to the commission.
Next steps, according to staff, include follow-up meetings with the Board of Education and briefing individual supervisors on the nominations and the Board's concerns.
