Committee moves Botanical Garden lease amendment to full Board after debate over flexible pricing and free resident admission

The Budget & Finance Committee on Feb. 9 advanced a resolution that would amend the city's lease and management agreement to give the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society responsibility for the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Japanese Tea Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers and sent the measure to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. The committee paused consideration of a companion ordinance to waive admission fees for San Francisco residents (and for nonresident veterans) and to reauthorize flexible pricing for nonresident adults, continuing that item for further refinement and reporting.

The changes proposed by the Recreation and Park Department would unify admissions, education and outreach functions across the three institutions now managed under separate agreements. Eric Anderson, superintendent of Parks and Open Space, told the committee the intent is to improve visitor access, expand education and volunteer programming, and secure a revenue stream for a Garden Improvement Fund to pay for capital projects such as…