Attendees:
Dick Allen Golden
Gate Heights Neighborhood Association
Sheldon Baccus Guest of Gary Ehrsam (Dolphin
Swimming & Boating Club)
Anna Marie Bratton City
College of San Francisco
Tim Colen Greater
West Portal Neighborhood Association
Joan Cooper Lake
Merced Hill
George Durgerian GGNRA -
Fort Funston
Gary Ehrsam Dolphin
Swimming and Boating Club
Robert Farrell Lake
Merced Boat House
Dave Frietag SFSU
Carolyn Gates SPEAK
Suzanne Gautier Office of Assemblyman Kevin Shelley
William Green Papadopulos
and Associates
Eric Giessler St.
Ignatius College Prepatory (Rowing Coach)
Elizabeth Goldstein General
Manager, SF Recreation and Parks Dept
Ruth Gravanis Sierra
Club
Ron Hamilton Recreation
Center for the Handicapped
David Hochschild Office of the Mayor
Pete Holloran California
Native Plant Society
Barbara Holzman SFSU - Dept of Environmental Studies
Linda Hunter Neighborhood
Parks Council
Ginny Jaquith SFSU
– Recreation & Leisure Studies
Robert Karis San
Francisco Bicycle Coalition
Michael Leo Friends
of Recreation and Parks
Laura Louttit SF
Zoo – Director of Youth Programs
Bob Maddow Olympic
Club
John Mahoney Lowell
High School
Dan Murphy Golden
Gate Audubon Society
Victoria Narkewicz SFSU - CHHS
Craig Perez CSU
Aquatic and Boat Safety Center
John Plummer Friends
of Lake Merced
Jessica Ring Office
of Supervisor Mabel Teng
Kevin Rushton Pacific
Rod and Gun Club
Howard Strassner Sierra
Club
Patrick Sweetland City of Daly
City
Phil Ting SFSU
– Government & Community Relations
Michael Vasey SFSU
– Biology Department
Isabel Wade Neighborhood
Parks Council
Lisa Wayne San
Francisco Re
Bud Wilson West
Twin Peaks Central Council
Cat Woodmansee Friends of Lake Merced
Dee Workman San
Francisco Beautiful
Marvin Yee San
Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
Flora Zagorites Lake
Shore Acres Improvement Club
Randy Zebell California
Native Plant Society
Don Zingale SFSU
– Dean, College of Health and Human Services
Meeting
Hosts: John Plummer, Friends of Lake Merced; Dee
Dee Workman,
San
Francisco Beautiful; Don Zingale, San Francisco State University
I. Announcements
and Introductions:
Don Zingale welcomed
all attendees and introduced several new members including Phil Ting, San
Francisco State University, Government and Community Relations and Victoria
Narkewicz who replaced Aliza Kohn in the administrative position for the
College of Health and Human Services.
All attendees were
asked for introductions including organization name and affiliation with Lake
Merced.
II. Overview
of Meeting and Expected Outcome:
Dee Dee Workman gave a
brief overview of the agenda and expected outcomes
including:
Presentation of Committee reports; Addressing Issues regarding Committee
reports; Presentation on Harding Golf Course at the end of the meeting
III. Workgroup Presentations:
a) Nature
Work Group – Lisa Wayne
Lisa Wayne summarized
the Nature work group report. The
Nature work group consists of 18 members.
Recommendations and
action items include the following:
- Conduct study of aquatic ecosystem:
-Evaluate the status
of aquatic invertebrates including macro and micro-invertebrates, phyto and
zooplankton.
-Develop a predictive
model of the relationship between lake water level and habitat distribution
in order to assess impacts of proposed
changes in lake water levels.
-Identify the effects
of storm water runoff on the lake, including sources, input volumes, and
treatment
levels.
-Assess levels of
pesticides, heavy metals and other possible contaminants and their impact on
aquatic organisms.
-Once the studies
identified above are completed, develop and implement management
recommendations that will improve the
ecological health of the lake. These actions may include
raising the lake level.
1.2 – Conduct study
of terrestrial ecosystem.
-Create detailed map of plant
communities, soil and erosional features; systematically sample
vegetation, conduct surveys for reptiles, amphibians, mammals and
terrestrial invertebrate
-Prepare
a detailed restoration and management plan
-Conduct pilot marsh
enhancement study to assess effect of increase channel edge on birds and
aquatic insects.
1.3– Encourage ongoing research on the ecology of the lake
and its environs.
-Collaborate
with local colleges and universities to identify potential faculty and student
research
projects and provide the funding
opportunities.
2.1 – Enhance public
opportunities for education and involvement.
-Create
a brochure about the lake.
-Increase environmental
education activities in classrooms and at the lake itself.
-Develop
a training program for docents, who will assist NAP in providing
educational
stewardship, and outreach activities at the
lake.
-Enhance interpretation
about the lake at appropriate sites using wayside exhibits.
-Create
unobtrusive signs designed to educate public about human effects on wildlife.
-Create
an environmental center containing classrooms and a wet lab to offer
environmental
programs.
3.1- Maintain and enhance biodiversity in critical
area.
-Remove
invasive exotic plants in and adjacent to critical areas, restore with
appropriate native vegetation, and
monitor annually for new invasions.
-Ensure
that management activities don’t negatively affect birds: conduct survey
to identify active nests prior to initiating
any vegetation management activities
during nesting season, avoiding any nests if
found.
-Enhance western pond
turtle habitat at East Lake by identifying potential nesting
areas and potentially restricting public
access
-Take
all necessary measures to protect California red-legged frogs at Impound Lake
-Design
and implement an annual monitoring program that will assess the
progress of management actions on all plant
and wildlife species in all identified
critical areas, including western pond turtles and California
red-legged frog.
3.2 – Expand native plant habitats outward from critical
areas.
-Expand
native habitats by removing invasive plants and planting across up, and
down slopes in areas adjacent to critical
areas.
3.3- Control erosion caused or induced by humans.
-Implement
erosion control measures to improve human safety, reduce
sedimentation into the lake, and minimize reinvasion of weedy
species.
-Minimize
erosion by removing invasive plants only during the dry season.
3.4 – Native wildlife are negatively affected, often
severely so, by domestic and non-native animals.
-Develop
a city wide policy and plan to deal with is issue.
There were a total of
38 Recommendations completed by the Nature group, 10 of the recommendations
were high priority and are currently underway.
17 of the 38 recommendations need to be funded and worked on.
b) Recreation Work Group – Ginny Jaquith
Ginny Jaquith reviewed
the mission of the Recreation Work group.
The group still needs to prioritize items and identify cost for
each.
Recommendations and
action items include the following:
Goal 1: Create and
improve educational, environmental and recreational opportunities
for local and regional visitors.
-Establish a
healthy fishery and improve fishing opportunities
-Develop visitor amenities, which are compatible with educational and
recreational uses and enhance the natural environment of the lake.
-Create aquatic related
opportunities which are compatible with the natural environment of the
lake
-Create visitor activity
areas/pedestrian activity nodes at several locations with active and passive
recreational experiences, interpretative
opportunities, picnicking and comfort stations.
-Provide a safe,
attractive and compatible trail system for walkers, joggers and cyclists.
-Establish an
educational/environmental/recreational facility which brings together the
resources
of the university, city community agencies
and organizations and the community at-large to
maximize educational and recreational
opportunities at Lake Merced and create an identity and
focal point for Lake Merced.
Goal 2: Preserve,
protect and enhance Lake Merced’s scenic and natural character
-Establish trail systems that preserve and
protect the natural environment while maximizing
educational and recreational experiences.
-Support efforts to
reestablish and maintain natural areas and native vegetation around Lake
Merced.
-Recognize and value
the unique vistas and natural areas at Lake Merced and the wildlife
populations it supports.
-Support
and create links to neighboring habitats, ecosystems and resources, which
highlight
the region including Fort Funston,
Zoo and Beach.
Goal 3: Provide
adequate and safe vehicular and pedestrian access and circulation of all people
to the educational and recreational features of Lake Merced.
-Provide adequate and attractive parking
areas at locations including Brotherhood Way, John
Muir Way, Boat House, Sunset Circle.
-Establish safe and
identified automobile, bicycle and pedestrian access routes
-Establish safe access
routes from surrounding areas to Lake Merced
-Encourage use of
public transportation
-Link Lake Merced to regional trails
Goal 4: Ensure quality maintenance of the entire
Lake Merced area and its future improvements.
-Provide adequate
number of well-trained staff to maintain Lake Merced and its
amenities
-Provide adequate
maintenance equipment and supplies
-Encourage park
stewardship through volunteer efforts
-Intensify maintenance
activities in areas of high use to ensure safety and environmental
sensitivity
Goal 5: Provide educational and interpretative opportunities
to the public that focus on the appropriate use of and sensitivity to the Lake
Merced environment.
-Provide appropriate
signage to inform the public of park regulations
-Establish
interpretative programs which describe and explain the natural areas and
habitats
Of Lake Merced
-Increase awareness of
environmental issues related to Lake Merced
Additional Recommendations:
Other recommendations
made by the Recreation work group included creating a 12-foot wide path to
control pedestrians and bicyclists.
Establishing trail systems that preserve and protect natural
environment. Creating outlook
points.
c.) Water Work
Group - Dick Allen, Tim Colen and John
Plummer
A revised report,
dated September 28th was distributed by the Water group. The report
replaces the September 25th version that was distributed in meeting
packets. Dick Allen reviewed some of
the items listed in the Lake Merced studies handout. John Plummer highlighted some important points that were included
in 40 years of data survey including average rainfall per year and water level
information. A complete list of projects completed by the group are on the Lake
Merced website.
d) Fund Committee –
Jessica Ring
The
Committee has met monthly, but the work is just beginning. $400,000 was
received to replace
the fishing pier at Lake Merced.
Committee needs to identify
major priorities and
attach price tags to priorities.
IV. Questions and Discussions ensued
regarding the reports including:
Recreation Work Group Report:
-Questions were raised
regarding structure and order of reports and will there be a detailed list of
costs for projects.
-Questions were raised
regarding the possibility of a shorter course for rowing.
-Questions were raised
regarding landscape buffering between walkways and roadway.
Nature Work Group:
Concerns were raised
regarding the following:
-If lake is restored, what is the impact on
species of birds that depend on shallow water?
-What are potential
implications if level of water is raised?
-Is the lake a natural
system or not? Will it be managed as
natural or not?
Water Group:
- Question was raised
regarding the Committee working with Daly City?
- Question was raised
regarding preferred water range of water level?
Other Concerns:
-More information is
needed on baseline of lake and food environment.
-Address issue of
Health of aquifer.
APPROVALS:
Workgroup Reports:
The Task Force agreed
to send all reports to the Steering Committee for review and will bring back to
the Full Task Force in January with recommendations. Reports will be integrated and specific conflicts identified.
Health of Aquifer Project:
Ginny Jaquith asked
for Task Force approval to allow the Recreation Committee to take on the
project of investigating current health of aquifer including obtaining some
community comments and endorsements.
The Task Force approved this request with a caveat that all individuals
involved understand and are in agreement with the environmental issues
involved.
Dee Dee Workman
introduced Chris Himmel from Harding Golf Course. Chris Himmel invited all attendees of the Lake Merced Task Force
meeting to attend an upcoming meeting on October 5th regarding
Harding Park Golf Course development of a new range. A one-time request for exemption for pesticide use will be
addressed. Palmer Golf will be working
with Lisa Wayne closely in the future on all future developments. An
environmental consultant will be present at the October 5th meeting
to answer specific questions. Task force members suggested that LMTF and
Harding Park team work closer together in the future.
Motion for Approval:
Don Zingale motioned
and Kevin Rushton seconded to take “No
Position” on the Harding Park Golf Course issue at this time. The Task Force will take information to work
groups for future discussion.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was
adjourned at 10:00pm.
Respectfully submitted by:
_________________________________
Victoria Narkewicz