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Committee advances Botanical Garden lease and nonresident fee after contested public debate
Summary
After hours of testimony for and against a proposed lease and nonresident admission fee at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, the Budget & Finance Committee approved the lease and the fee by separate roll‑call votes and forwarded both items to the full Board for July 16.
The Budget & Finance Committee advanced a lease and a renewed nonresident admission fee for the San Francisco Botanical Garden on Friday after a long public debate in which residents, volunteers and community groups gave sharply divergent views.
Opponents argued the fee and associated lease elements exclude low‑income residents, create barriers for families and visitors, and are part of a broader trend of privatizing park assets. "The Arboretum should be free for everybody," one public commenter said during the hearing, capturing a recurring refrain from opponents who urged rescinding the fee and…
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