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Supervisors weigh permanent nonresident fee and 10-year lease for Strybing Botanical Garden
Summary
Supervisors debated a proposed 10-year lease with the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society and whether to make a nonresident entry fee permanent. Supporters said the fee funds gardeners and education; opponents argued it should remain an open public arboretum. Action was deferred pending public comment and amendments.
The Budget and Finance Committee on June 20 heard a lengthy debate over a proposed 10-year lease and the future of a nonresident entry fee at the San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing. Recreation and Park staff asked the committee to approve a lease with the Botanical Garden Society and to remove the fee—s sunset so the current nonresident charge could continue.
Katie Petruccione, Recreation and Park, laid out the fee structure proposed in the ordinance and the department—s estimate of revenue. "The entry fee is charged only for nonresidents entering the garden. It's $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and teens, and $2 for children," she said, and projected the fee would generate about $621,000 in gross revenue this year with an estimated net of roughly $400,000 after collection expenses are reimbursed to the Society.
Supporters of keeping the fee said the revenue funds gardeners and educational programming. Nick Kinsey, Recreation and Park—s director of property, told the committee the Botanical Garden Society provides critical in-kind support and that the proposed lease would formalize how fee revenue, reimbursements and program costs are managed.
Several supervisors pushed back. Supervisor Avalos said he opposed relying on a tourist fee he had previously fought to limit and warned that making a temporary levy permanent contradicts efforts to increase general-fund support for parks. Supervisor London Breed secured a concession in the negotiations: under a set of proposed amendments the department agreed to open the garden early each morning so San Franciscans could enter free before regular hours. "The department will be opening the gates at 7:30 a.m. each day and allow free admission until 9 a.m.," Breed said during the committee exchange.
The lease prompted further questions about accountability and what would happen if the nonresident fee were discontinued. Staff acknowledged the lease assumes continued fee revenue and said they would revisit terms if the fee were not extended. Several supervisors, including Supervisor Avalos, said they could not support a lease that depended on a revenue stream they hope to eliminate.
Community members and advocates pressed for clearer detail on residency verification, the breakdown of how added funds would be spent, and assurances that the garden—s public character would be preserved. The committee agreed to hold public comment at a subsequent hearing and to accept the sponsor—s amended lease on the condition that supervisors receive the final language. No final vote was taken; the item was continued for public comment and additional amendments the following day.
The committee left the core policy question unresolved: whether the garden should remain a free arboretum funded by general revenue or continue charging nonresident visitors to support horticulture and programs. The committee directed staff to return with finalized lease language and to take public comment at the next session.
The committee deferred action pending public comment and the filing of the revised lease.
