{"id":1179,"date":"2011-03-01T18:39:49","date_gmt":"2011-03-01T18:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/?p=1179"},"modified":"2011-03-01T18:39:49","modified_gmt":"2011-03-01T18:39:49","slug":"HANC-recycling-at-the-Board-of-Supervisors-February-28-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/2011\/03\/01\/HANC-recycling-at-the-Board-of-Supervisors-February-28-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"HANC recycling at the Board of Supervisors, February 28, 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

more testimony yesterday about the Haight Ashbury Recycling Center. Completely copied here in larger font than what’s on SFGov. The SF Weekly also has a new story on this latest meeting<\/a><\/p>\n

queued up video of the meeting<\/p>\n


\n \"Get
\n<\/a><\/object><\/p>\n

\nVery good. madam clerk, please call item two.
\n>> resolution requesting the recreation and parks department and the <\/p>\n

department of the environment collaborate to establish a comprehensive <\/p>\n

parks recycling program utilizing the
\nexpertise, volunteer base and facilities of the hanc
\nrecycling center in golden gate park, for the department of the <\/p>\n

environment to establish an independent recycling center master plan, <\/p>\n

and requesting the recreation and parks department to rescind the <\/p>\n

eviction of the hanc recycling center from
\ngolden gate park.
\ncenter
\n>> I want to follow up
\nfrom a
\nwell-administered, a thorough
\nhearing two weeks ago about the
\npossible eviction, termination
\nof lease of the haight-ashbury
\nneighborhood counseling recycle center, following that
\nparticular hearing, we used the
\ninformation, which I thought was helpful in constructing a resolution <\/p>\n

before us today.
\nI want to thank supervisor
\navalos and mar for the co- sponsors of of the resolution. i do not <\/p>\n

plan on this being another in-depth hearing as it
\nwas two weeks ago, but as we
\nwere able to will document from
\nthat particular hearing, it seemed rather hasty and
\ninconsistent 5 rec and parks department and the part of the
\nenvironment and city to move on this termination of lease on the
\nrecycle center by using the premise that the recycling center is a <\/p>\n

nonconforming use
\nfor this park — for this part
\nof golden gate park, and as it
\nrelates to the master plan, yet
\nnot exercise any due diligence
\nas the city had done elsewhere
\nin trying to help a resource
\nlike the recycling center moved to a different location.
\nThat lack of due diligence, I
\nthink, proves it was a rash decision in the way that it was
\nprocessed by the wreck and park
\ndepartment, compared to the water recycling plant that is
\nbeing proposed by the puc in
\ngolden gate park, which would
\nalso be categorically accepted
\nas also a nonconforming use, where the city has realized
\nperhaps there should be alternate locations for that
\nparticular service. In the same would apply, I think for the hit-. <\/p>\n

Neighborhood council.
\n— haight-ashbury neighborhood council. Yet when we search for an
\nalternative location for the puc water recycling center compared
\nto the hanc recycling center, it pales in comparison to whatever <\/p>\n

efforts are being led for our efforts.
\nIn helping to preserve and sustain an important resource.
\nThat resource, some might argue, is obsolete, because of our blue
\nbeen efforts half
\napproximately 5% of the total
\ncontribution of what our overall
\nobjectives are, city-wide, towards our diversionary rates, as required <\/p>\n

by state law.
\nOf those independent recycling
\ncenters, hit after neighborhood counseling recycling center is
\nthe largest of that recycling center, and their contribution
\nis not insignificant, but more importantly, quite profound with
\nregard to the level of tonnage it takes in every year and the <\/p>\n

diversity of the recycling that
\nit is able to help process from many communities, not just communities <\/p>\n

which have become the poster child for those who
\nare looking at an exhibit a to give cause for the removal of
\nhanc, being that of homeless
\npeople who are distressed, down
\nand out, who often cause concern to many neighborhoods in the
\nsurrounding area, of that part of our city, as well as other
\nparts unrelated to the recycling center.
\nPeople of middle class and upper means use the recycling center, too.
\nIt would be a mistake for us to
\nlose this particular service
\nthat has been such a mainstay in our larger environmental goals for <\/p>\n

30-plus years and to not
\nthink of a plan to have alternatively already in place.
\nBy the fact of there was no
\nadvanced thinking, before the
\nrec and park commission moved on
\nthis, shows how intuitive the department and city is not synchronized <\/p>\n

with the department of environment. When it was well reported here
\nthat the concept of losing 1,600 tons per year and that is taken
\nin byhanc, to only be compensated with 27 vending machines that would <\/p>\n

be
\ndistributed in areas nearby
\ngrocery stores so that people
\ncould singularly feed bottles
\nand cans, was not well received in my opinion by the grocery
\nstores, as we have called and asked them, nor do I think it
\nwas well thought out, if the goal was to mitigate that kind
\nof distress caused by people who call for the blue bins or
\ncrew tried to resell those goods
\nthat has given rationale to what
\nmoved hanc in the first place.
\nWhen wholefoods opened its doors
\nin the upper haight, and I spoke to the vice President. They are <\/p>\n

petrified of the notion
\nthat they would all of a sudden
\nbecome the replacement facility. They had no idea this was coming.
\nThat they would be the replacement facility of
\nmultiple vending machines, not what they would not want to be a
\nhost to those vending machines, but that they would be left
\nalone having to steer an usher
\nin and around the people traffic
\nthat would be lining up, simply
\ntrying to feed those bottles and cans.
\nSo again, logic did not dictate
\nthe proper reasoning of what the
\ncity wants to do with hanc while
\nit thinks it is responding to neighborhood concerns.
\nSo the resolution before us
\nsimply tries to provide, I
\nthink, a more methodical step that the city should undertake.
\nwe ask mayor kelly, dept. Of the
\nenvironment, rec and parks, real estate, to look at their reasons
\nand marriage as to why hanc
\nshould stay, and if not, provide that due diligence, which has been <\/p>\n

absent in the process.
\nSo that is really what is before us, colleagues.
\ni would be happy to cover to
\npublic comment so that we can go and ahead and process what is on <\/p>\n

people’ s minds.
\nKeep in mind, how we got to this
\nplace, the natural tension that has culminated over the years
\nbetween neighborhood and hanc,
\nis not just on the shoulder of
\nofhanc, or competing member
\norganizations, but it is also a big city hall but did not refer these <\/p>\n

tensions. Over the years, it could’ ve
\nhelped steer that unity that one might expect, even when there are <\/p>\n

diverging opinions in
\nneighborhoods that are eclectic and well-known historical for their <\/p>\n

civic engagement, like the
\noperate — upper haight.
\nI think we are fortunate that
\nprevious administrations, and
\nnot so distant pats, have not use of aerosol and political
\ncapital to obtain a win-win in this. I am hoping that with this
\nresolution, we can inject some sensibility that you cannot
\ndismiss, the matter where one’ s
\nopinion May lie on what hanc
\ndoes or does not do for their
\nparticular neighborhood, but you do not on rightly discounted a
\ncontribution of a non-profit, of
\na service, somebody who helped elevate our environmental goals over <\/p>\n

all as being anachronistic
\nor absolute, and therefore not as necessary. I do not buy that.
\nby the lack of a plan that the department of the pirate — <\/p>\n

environment, certainly was not able to prosper in lieu of hanc’
\ns loss and other independent recycling centers them seem to be on the <\/p>\n

chopping
\nblock, only shows why these
\nrecycling centers should be stayed, and should be allowed to flourish <\/p>\n

in the city.
\nThe city needs to be that referee so that this tension is
\nnot simply shouldered between labor organizations, but also on the <\/p>\n

leadership of san francisco.
\nIt is our obligation.
\nMr. Chair, I would be more than happy to call their cards before us. <\/p>\n

[Applause]
\nThank you. [Applause]
\nI am going to call a few names.
\njoey came. Calvin whelks.
\nMichelle welsh. Jerry lastly.
\nIf you could just line up in the middle, I would appreciate it.
\n>> thank you, supervisors. You pretty much summed it up.
\ni want to reiterate, this notion
\nthat it is an anachronism, that it is unnecessary.
\nWe have over 1000 people who
\nhave used the recycling center in the last three months, who have <\/p>\n

written to the mayor. We have their addresses.
\n1000 people over a three-month period.
\nThe fact that we give out over
\n$700,000 a year in buyback to folks in the kids this is a needed <\/p>\n

service.
\nThis mythology that has been
\nvoiced by some lame, suburban
\ncolumnist in “the chronicle”
\nattacking a neighborhood organization is absolutely outrageous.
\nIt is bad policy to close the center down. Thank you.
\n>> neck speaker please.
\n— next speaker please. >> I will try to be brief.
\nScheherazade’ s calvin while. I just want to stress, the fiscal facts.
\nThe pay-per neighborhood council contributed $1.5 million a year to <\/p>\n

the city’ s economy.
\nDirectly, it contributes $700,000 of that to the city’ s
\neconomy by diverting these of
\ncost to the city, of its 1,500
\ntons a year that it diverts from
\nthe solid-waste stream, $500 a ton.
\nThe fee that is generated for
\nthe city by being a convenience-own buyback center.
\nWe employ 10 people. We pay full health benefits for those 10 people.
\nIt is astounding to me, at this
\ntime and day, 10 greene jobs are
\nsimply waved off as being meaningless.
\nI have no idea how many grain jobs mayor newsom created.
\nCertainly, losing 10 would be a substantial impact on the number
\nof green jobs created.
\nAlso, for the last 20 years,
\nthe haight-ashbury neighborhood council has played an increasingly <\/p>\n

important role in the community garden movement in san francisco.
\nour fiscal sponsorship of
\ngardens for the environment, our
\nability to use recycle and
\nsurpluses to cover the
\nnotorious slope of the city on contracts to guard and the environment <\/p>\n

has meant we have
\nbeen able to keep their staff
\nbody and soul together as well. It is an important economic benefit to <\/p>\n

this city that should not be ignored. Thank you. >> next speaker <\/p>\n

please.
\n>> jerry
\nlasley, a 30-year resident of the city.
\ni own eight units.
\nI use the recycling center very frequently. Those machines you are <\/p>\n

proposing will not serve my means. There is no way to get the volume <\/p>\n

of cardboard and paper that I used to get into those things.
\nI probably take 1 ton of paper myself.
\nyou are talking about a community garden to serve maybe 40 people.
\nRight now, there are 3000 of us using this recycling center.
\nThank you, supervisor mirkarimi, for pointing out the rash decisions <\/p>\n

that have been made.
\nThey came in through the back door and stabbed us in the back.
\nThere was the public combating.
\nthe one public meeting we had, no one from the other side showed up.
\nThis is really not about community gardens but about one group tried <\/p>\n

to get rid of another group.
\nAnd for past problems.
\nThese things have not been vetted in the public. They need to be. This <\/p>\n

is unfair.
\nit feels a little soviet union
\nto read in the paper one lie after the next.
\nI could not believe the column I had read or the weekend.
\nThis guy says last friday was the last day of the recycling center, <\/p>\n

and most people believed it because they have to trust our news media.
\nthese people have been busy convincing my neighbors that if they only <\/p>\n

get rid of these
\npeople who come and take their recycling, they will increase their <\/p>\n

property value.
\nSo it is greedy and selfish motivation here.
\nNo one got to say anything.
\nYou had a more accountable only
\nto the mayor, a
\na decision that
\nwas made by the mayor.
\nThis whole process spells, smells of something not fair.
\nSo please do something about it.
\nwe do not need to fix something that is not broken. You’ re going to <\/p>\n

have to pay money for this other thing which will not work.
\n>> I am going to call some names before the next speakers.
\nHe lane cigar rock. Michael job.
\n>>
\njust a few quick point. You have heard all the arguments.
\nFirst, recycling is the way to go.
\nThere is no substitute for it. Those machines will never work.
\nIt has been an incredible biological and social economic resource for <\/p>\n

the city for 30 years now.
\nIt is a resource we should never paved over.
\nThere are better alternatives. As a citizen of san francisco, a
\nparent, whose child benefits
\nfrom a local public school, do the right thing. Do with thousands in <\/p>\n

the
\nneighborhood and thousands in this city want you to do. It is the best <\/p>\n

opportunity for all of us in san francisco.
\nDo not just keep it going. Expand its impact.
\n>> next speaker please.
\n>> let me thank supervisor at
\navalos, mar, elsbernd, and especially mirkarimi for considering this <\/p>\n

issue.
\nMany of the criticisms of this have already been mentioned. The loss <\/p>\n

of 10 jobs.
\nThe simple fact that even if it
\nwere at fault of the
\nproliferation of homeless, its removal would only ruler could the <\/p>\n

problem instead of dealing with the source.
\nI am here to talk to you as a gardener. Although I would love nothing
\nmore than a community garden across the street, there are simply <\/p>\n

better locations.
\nFirst of all, exposures.
\nThe site only gets one-third direct sunlight.
\nWould take extensive pruning and tree removal to bring it up to
\nacceptable level of sun exposure.
\nFurthermore, the site has been
\noperating as a recycling center for 30 years.
\nTrucks and forklifts have been driving through heavy oil and other <\/p>\n

pollutants in the soil.
\nBecause of that, the amount of
\nmoney, labor, and time, it would
\ntake to run — without the asphalt and remove trees would simply make <\/p>\n

this fiscally irresponsible.
\nOn top of all that, what makes it even more ridiculous, there are <\/p>\n

numerous other sensible locations for community gardens, as was <\/p>\n

mentioned two weeks ago.
\nThere is a spot near mclaren
\nlodge, as well as a two-acre
\nfield to the west of the recycling center.
\nIf even a small portion of that were allocated for the community
\ngarden, it would leave over 1 acre for field games.
\nIf the rec and parks department
\nultimately decides to stay there course, I hope that they will at
\nthe very least postpone these evictions until they can
\nrelocate the recycling center. Thank you for your time.
\n>> if I have called your name, please come into the middle of the <\/p>\n

aisle.
\nNext speaker.
\n>> my name is michael job.
\nI am a member of the haight- ashbury. Thank you for the resolution.
\ni want to speak on being careful with who you listen to with regard to <\/p>\n

the community gardens.
\nCommissioner mirkarimi, if you
\ncome to the 600 block of schrader street and see with the greening of <\/p>\n

the sidewalk has
\ndone there, the department of urban forestry allocated all that.
\none year later, the permit was okayed, after it was a done fact.
\nThe same thing is going to
\nhappen, as you heard from the
\nspeaker before, if community gardens is allowed to be put into this <\/p>\n

space.
\nIt is not thought of by the ones proposing it.
\nAll I am saying is, be careful review take advice from.
\nIn regards to community gardens and so on. Please keep hanc recycling
\ncenter opened.
\n>> thank you.
\nSupervisor mar: I — thank you. I am going to read some names.
\n>> greg gar..
\nI have worked at the recycling center for 27 years.
\nI started the native plant nursery. Of course, I support the
\nproposed resolution. I hope we can get the votes from the full board.
\ni understand it will not
\noverturn the rec and parks
\ncommission vote, but it is an opportunity to go in another direction.
\nWhen you actually combine the
\nrecycling, native plant nursery, a native plant gardens,
\ncomposting, that ecological classes that we have at this
\nsite, the end result is really
\nthe golden gate park because center.
\nThat is what the facility is, and eco center.
\nThe rec and parks department, the department of environment,
\nand hanc should be partners in sustainability. All stakeholders should <\/p>\n

negotiate and find common ground. Thank you.
\n>> thank you. Next speaker please.
\n>> kevin bayuk.
\nmember of the hanc recycling
\ncenter council.
\nIt is clear this is not about community garden spirit to do the <\/p>\n

retrofit at frederick and make it a community garden, you
\nwould have to remove asphalt,
\nsoil testing for chemicals and
\ntens of thousands of dollars of additional cost, which you would
\nnot have to do any of the other applications approved already by the <\/p>\n

commission.
\nIn terms of being fiscally responsible, I would answer questions about <\/p>\n

that.
\nIt is also important to
\nmention, the hanc recycling
\ncenter already provide additional services to the agricultural <\/p>\n

community. That would be provided by rec
\nand parks proposed community gardens urban agriculture site such as <\/p>\n

the ability to pick up mulch and compost.
\nHanc is providing those services at no cost to the city.
\nit has already been
\nproposed that they will not be able to use the capital budget that <\/p>\n

they have been allocated.
\nHanc is able to provide those services today at no cost to the city. <\/p>\n

Something very important to consider.
\nIn terms of money spent, $250,000 to get 45 garden plots.
\nI am a principal in the valley project here.
\nWe have been able to spend $35,000 and provide gardening opportunities <\/p>\n

for over 6000
\npeople and educational opportunities for youth.
\nSomething to think about when
\nbouncing funds during this time. We need to look at how we are <\/p>\n

spending every dollar. Thank you.
\n>> thank you. Next speaker please.
\n>> hello, supervisors. I spoke at the last hearing.
\nspoke at the last hearing
\nand that that hearing and I talked about the reason that I
\nuse the hanc
\nrecycling center myself.
\nAt the last hearing I overheard one of the opponents saying that these <\/p>\n

people could just get other jobs. I have a neighbor with two sons at <\/p>\n

home with him.
\nOne has been unemployed for two years.
\nI do not think that we can cavalierly say that these people can just <\/p>\n

get other jobs.
\nIt can be difficult to find jobs
\nlike these with health benefits.
\nI would like you to support this resolution and save these jobs. Thank <\/p>\n

you.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> my name is jim rhodes.
\nI am a 35 year resident of weeks height.
\nI am particularly interested in the part where they set up a
\nreally good recycling operation for golden gate park. we can do that.
\nWe have a lot of experience.
\nIn past years we have talked about doing that but there has never been <\/p>\n

follow-through.
\nIf we could do something together, I would look forward to it. Thank <\/p>\n

you.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: thank you.
\nNext speaker, please.
\n>> thank you for your time. Good afternoon.
\nI managed two properties there and have been there since 1984.
\nThe people against the recycling center do not want to solve the <\/p>\n

issues, rather pushing them under the rug.
\ni know this because I have a government employee and I understand why. <\/p>\n

We’ re going to get paid regardless and it is more work that we have <\/p>\n

to do on top of the other jobs.
\nAs civil servants it is our
\nresponsibility to properly vet issues.
\nI do not think that recommend park did so and I think it is <\/p>\n

deplorable.
\nWe have beaten to death of the
\nreasons why hanc should stay and
\npointed out all the reasons why beckham park is wrong.
\nmost importantly, in my opinion, the recycling center
\nprovides revenue, jobs, and they are desperate for money.
\nI do not understand how the unjustified moving to recycle
\nand center initially to build a community garden that only
\nserves about 50 to 60 people instead of the thousands in the community <\/p>\n

that it currently serves.
\nThere are better locations that recon cards have found themselves. <\/p>\n

Thank you very much.
\n— wreck and park — rec and
\npark have found themselves. Thank you very much.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. I have a few more names.
\n[Reads names]
\n>> good afternoon.
\nI work with after- school youth development program for children in <\/p>\n

low-income areas.
\nI predominant it work with it graders and one of the things I
\nam teaching them is about global environmental issues. They are <\/p>\n

burning about the trash heap in the ocean that is the size of texas.
\nwe discussed why these problems exist.
\nThey have come up with ideas
\nabout lack of education, lack of
\naccess, and lack of incentive for recycling. This center provides <\/p>\n

those things.
\nAs greg was saying, this was cycling center is like an eco center.
\ni come here for my recycling and composting. You can exchange things <\/p>\n

within
\nthe community.
\nI have been able to put together our projects and a costume box.
\nSo, I support the resolution. Thank you.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: thank you very much. Next speaker, please.
\n>> thank you for the opening remarks.
\nI also wanted to tell you about the ecology class that i
\nattended yesterday about the native plants and native wildlife that <\/p>\n

depend on the native plants.
\nFor example, the mission water
\nslide that was introduced to the
\ncity last year depends on a particular loop. It is the oils and leaves <\/p>\n

that
\ntell the butterflies that it is time to lay your eggs.
\nlater the
\nlarvae will get the signal from the oil in the beef to start eating.
\nSo, it is very necessary for us
\nto have the native plants for the native wildlife.
\nServices provided by hanc go beyond recycling with native plants and <\/p>\n

the nursery.
\nI think that it is time for the city to acknowledge the
\nservices provided by hanc.
\ndoing something to highlight the services provided by this <\/p>\n

organization. Thank you.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> is this usable? No?
\nMy name is
\npam, I have lived in
\nhaight for 35 years.
\nhanc has been an invaluable resource.
\nHave concluded that the time has
\ncome to terminate 10 employees and close a fully functional service. <\/p>\n

The recreational recycling facility.
\nfor no reason other than to push
\nagainst the progressive stance, generally.
\nIn the eviction of low- income
\nfolks, beyond that issues should not be confused.
\nTypically the folks that are
\ndefecating in our entryways and living in our driveways, lying
\non our sidewalks, are not those the one — are not the ones working <\/p>\n

tirelessly.
\nAs a society we need to provide to the homes more affordable
\nhousing, solving our mental health service issues.
\nRecyclers are tirelessly collecting bottles and cans.
\nThey need to be separated . So many people are bumping. We have been <\/p>\n

at work with
\nhomeless people for least 20 years.
\nRecyclers are clearly a part of the solution.
\nThe closure of the recycling center will clearly cause
\nhardship for the people who, for a multitude of reasons, have come to <\/p>\n

rely on the meager
\nredemption funds to supplement their income. i want to conclude by <\/p>\n

saying
\nthat in the event an eviction is
\navailable, all of us available
\nto donate should continue to do just that.
\nPumping vending machines full of
\nbottles and cans, hanc can
\nhopefully be able to have a recycling center if that is what the city <\/p>\n

is demanding.
\nThe pioneer efforts deserve to
\nbe rewarded and not merely
\ncoopted by a handful of loca
\nvocal nimby.
\n>> good afternoon, supervisors. i am a resident and owner of coral <\/p>\n

st..
\nI am here to support the
\nrecycling center proposal to rescind the executive order.
\ni call the san francisco chronicle the san francisco comical because <\/p>\n

of the reporting it has been doing.
\nI wanted to empathize with — empathize with the gentleman who was <\/p>\n

looking for a metaphor
\nearlier.
\nThere is something rotten in the recreation and parks department. <\/p>\n

[Applause]
\nBy reasons for keeping the
\nrecycling center opened, I will not repeat myself.
\nBut it is part of the fabric of the neighborhood for almost 40 years.
\nAnd my children have gone their to do community work.
\nbeginning in world revolution.
\nI was in germany for years ago.
\nThey have recycling centers there that are very comprehensive.
\nit is the forward way to go all
\nof the other reasons why,
\nbetween given by recycling , I would choose to give it to the
\nrecycling center every time. The last thing that I would like
\nto say, to close recycling
\ncenters are physically and morally wrong.
\nPlease support this resolution.
\nThat is all I have to say. Thank you.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> I am probably preaching to the choir, but we need to see
\nthrough the bog of what is going on.
\nIt is not a community garden issue. Everyone here stands up for <\/p>\n

community gardens.
\nWhat I would like to know is
\nthat — an initial site survey was done? mclaren was the most <\/p>\n

feasible? What happened there?
\nAlso, for many of us it is not a recycling issues so much as a buyback <\/p>\n

issue.
\nalso, and how do I say this , the
\nrecycling center nursery has
\nshown line for line that it
\nmeets the master plan for the park.
\nIt has taken steps to do so along the way.
\ni wanted to point out those issues and bullets and things, looking you <\/p>\n

reach in the eye to
\nsay thank you, thank you, thank
\nyou for bringing this out and having more dialogue, which is really <\/p>\n

what we need. Thank you. >> thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> my name is lynn stein.
\nI could not come a couple of years ago because I had one of my rare <\/p>\n

attempt jobs.
\n— attempt jobs
\n— temp jobs.
\nAny program that provides any revenue stream should not be
\ngotten rid of in this economy.
\nOften when I am not working, I
\nhave my system with my bag and I pick up trash along there.
\nIf you put recycling things in golden gate park, people’ s
\nbehavior in these centralized
\nareas, it will not be the same .
\nA lot of people, most people will likely do the right thing, but many <\/p>\n

do not.
\nTrust me.
\nthey leave their recycling in the trash or where they are.
\nAny incentive to get someone to
\nfind these and recycle them is so important.
\nRescue these things. Recycle them. Fund them.
\nOften I am on the beach and I have discovered bottles that will become <\/p>\n

trash and then they will be gone.
\nThe cycle within an hour. Because people have the incentive.
\nThat is all.
\nThank you.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
\n>> I have lived in the haight for 25 years.
\nThree issues come to mind on this.
\nOne of them is practical, one is environmentally responsible, the <\/p>\n

other is ethical. To me it does not make sense
\nthat at any time, especially
\nduring budget shortfalls, that the city would cut off the
\nactions of independent in the fishing community organizations that put <\/p>\n

money into the coffers
\nof the city and those efficient work that the system would not
\nbe able to make up for.
\nall of us agree the community gardens are important.
\nOne does not have to be pitted against the other.
\nThere is no reason why a community garden has to be placed at the <\/p>\n

eastern end of the park.
\nTwo weeks ago we saw mets with a
\nvast majority of community gardens on the eastern half of the city.
\nI would think that there will be
\npriorities further west in the park to offset the community gardens in <\/p>\n

the western half of the city.
\nOn an ethical basis, rec & park did not do its job.
\nThey did not to be out reach needed to get people together to discuss <\/p>\n

this critical issue in that part of the city. I’ ve been asked the <\/p>\n

board to
\nallow scrutiny and examination for the action or lack of action on the <\/p>\n

part so-called rec & park.
\n— on the parts of rec & park. thank you.
\nAha supervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
\n>> why am I advocating for
\nkeeping the native plant
\nrecycling nursery center open.
\nthe recreation and park
\ncommission makes it sound so,
\nthis, and industrial operation in golden gate park.
\nThis is a common sense and laudable effort.
\nA local effort to think globally have an act locally.
\nwith the other side, you have to pay attention.
\nvoting for their wishes.
\nI am certainly swayed.
\nWanting to make it public comment. Thank you.
\nSupervisor
\nmirkarimi: next speaker, please.
\n>> good afternoon, supervisors.
\nI was hoping to be last, but thankfully near the end of public <\/p>\n

comment.
\nWe have heard no opposition to the resolution.
\nso, please go ahead, pass the
\nresolution, and then helped convince her colleagues on the board to <\/p>\n

support it. Thank you.
\n>> good afternoon, supervisors.
\nWhen reckoned parts on this on
\nthe community, they created the immediate impression that there
\nwas broad scale support for
\ndeploying hanc — for evicting
\nhanc from the center.
\nI started asking around to
\npeople in the neighborhood and everyone that I spoke to
\nsupported keeping hanc firmly in place. We decided that because there <\/p>\n

was a complete lack of community
\nprocess on this, we would call a
\nmeeting ourselves. In the hall of flowers be called for people from <\/p>\n

the broad
\ncommunity, including those that
\nwere opposed to hanc.
\nin three days 90 people showed up for the meeting.
\nNot a single person supported
\nevicting hanc.
\nNot one person. We invited everyone. We urge people did these come.
\nwe asked for rec & park to come and argue their side. They did not do <\/p>\n

it. This false impression has been
\ncreated and that the broad community is supporting hanc in
\nsupporting is a falsehood.
\nYou can look in this room right now.
\nNot one single person appear
\nbefore you who is opposed to the resolution. Not even one person even <\/p>\n

showed up here today.
\nI ask you to please pass this
\nresolution on to the full board
\nof supervisors and to urge your colleagues to support it.
\nIt makes eminent sense.
\nit does give the opportunity for
\npeople opposed to this to come forward with true solutions for <\/p>\n

relocation.
\nIt is a very measured resolution. Not one that is totally on one side, <\/p>\n

but it takes into consideration this point of view. Thank you.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: next speaker, please.
\n>> good afternoon.
\nI would just like to say that
\nnationwide, people are trying to go green. Recycle.
\nIn our neighborhood we have a fight over where you can sit and
\nlie in our neighborhood. There is a lot of difficulty
\nwhen you have people coming and purchasing their homes in a <\/p>\n

neighborhood where they do not
\nunderstand things and try to force their opinions on the neighborhood.
\nbut, we have sit lie laws in this city now. Residents that are not <\/p>\n

supposed
\nto sit are still allowed to do
\nso on ashbury and cole, the place where they tried to be implement the <\/p>\n

law.
\ni would like you to realize that recycling and things are not done by <\/p>\n

everyone.
\nThe small bit that is done is a big help.
\nWe need the recycling center. We need the native plants.
\nI appreciate your time and energy. Thank you.
\n>> supervisors. Thank you for this hearing.
\nI am going to talk about some inconvenient troops.
\nEveryone else has testified as
\nto the giving and generous quality of the community in the recycling <\/p>\n

center.
\nit was identified clearly that
\nwe need to not hold public
\nprocesses on November 30, just three days before the December 2 <\/p>\n

hearing.
\nrpd has not had an outside recycling program for years.
\nAfter months and months of lots of us criticizing them for that
\nprocess, they just announced one
\nweek ago that they would do a broad pilot program in gold gate park, <\/p>\n

but there were skeptical about whether it would work.
\nthat they would spend $3,000 on each garbage can.
\nIt sounds like a very fiscally responsible decision.
\nRpd did not attend the meeting when they could have heard a lot of <\/p>\n

comments.
\nFinally, they announced that the recycling center has non- conforming <\/p>\n

use.
\nWhat about the rest of the
\nsoutheast corner of golden gate park?
\nIt has an apartment house,
\nlaundromat, other stores , where
\nmy wife purchaser bicycle, and a host of other things.
\nThey did not do anything about that.
\nBasically it is the private 49′
\ner stadium.
\nWhich was privately controlled by private interest.
\nThe final and inconvenient truth
\nis that the hanc recycling
\ncenter actually serves the community without taking from
\nthe community, as other private
\ninterests have done for so long.
\nI would urge you to support this excellent resolution. Thank you.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> I have lived in 7 cisco since
\n1970 and used hanc many times for recycling.
\nEspecially cardboard.
\nI have also taken several classes at the garden for the environment.
\nwe have the machines at bell
\nmarket on 24th street in the past.
\nIt was an interesting experience. They were always broken.
\nYou had to stand there for a long time to make 20 cents.
\nand there was no cardboard recycling.
\nI am very to appointed in an “to
\nsan francisco chronicle” for the
\nlack of balance reporting on this issue.
\nI would ask you to support the proposal.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: thank you. Next speaker, please.
\n>> I do not know if this is on. Can you hear me?
\nBy name is beatrice laws — my name is beatrice laws.
\nWe have lived in bp haight for
\n45 — we have lived in haight for 45 years.
\ni was disappointed in what appeared to be the overwhelming
\nfavorite of the struggle — for this resolution.
\nThere are only four super burt — supervisors who have heard this.
\ni am here to plead with each of you to try to talk your colleagues <\/p>\n

into supporting this resolution. I think that it will be
\nessential for giving more time for this to be resolved.
\nthank you, supervisor, for what
\nyou are doing to try to help and resolve this issue.
\nI hope that the rest of the board will understand just how important <\/p>\n

this is to the city. Thank you so much.
\n>> good afternoon, supervisors.
\nI have the privilege of being the husband of the last witness.
\nWe have observed
\nevents in the
\nhaight and participated in the
\nlife of this neighborhood the entire time we have lived there.
\nWe have been a cycling at the center since the beginning.
\nI find this entire situation
\nreminds me of something that charles walton had occasion to say.
\nThat is how much effort it
\ntakes simply not to slide backwards.
\nTo wonder that we can claim to
\nmake any progress at all.
\nall of this difficulty would not have occurred if there had been
\na full hearing on the issue
\nbefore rec & park had it.
\nAs was developed during the
\ntestimony and from what we heard
\nin evidence, had they taken proper proceedings cure the
\ncommunity and their many
\nreasons why the center should be allowed to stay.
\nI share my wife’ s concern.
\nThat perhaps your colleagues misunderstand the situation.
\nMisrepresentations in the newspaper.
\ni am urging you, in the event that anyone seems to be
\nwavering, to plead with them to
\nwatch the last proceedings on television.
\nThere can be no other result in
\nsupport of this resolution if
\nthey are fully informed of the pack. thank you.
\nSupervisor
\nmirkarimi: thank you.
\nNext speaker, please.
\n>> thank you again, supervisor, for another wonderful resolution the <\/p>\n

to have brought forward.
\nyou brought one forward about how the commission disappointed.
\nI hope that it will be introduced again.
\nThere is no public process in the department.
\nRec & park watch — if you
\nwatched rec & park on line, you hear this complaint over and
\nover and over and over and over. We are tired of it. Be what some <\/p>\n

democracy.
\nParks are important to us.
\nI totally support the hanc has done.
\nI do not have a cycling.
\nI did not expect to have it for many years as I am in government <\/p>\n

housing.
\nI use this was cycling. It is a great community.
\nWhy would to break up a great, functioning community that makes money <\/p>\n

for the city?
\nPlease, this resolution is a great idea.
\nI hope that it is passed on.
\nyou should not have to talk any of the board into this. It should <\/p>\n

slide right through.
\nThe next process is going to be challenging.
\nPlease, thank you very much.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: thank you.
\nNext speaker, please.
\n>> hello, supervisors. i own one home to block hanc
\nfrom the center.
\n— two blocks from the hanc center.
\nI want to say two briefings.
\nThe first, I hope the department of the environment will become
\naware that putting out of vending machines cannot substitute for <\/p>\n

neighborhood environmental centers.
\nTwo, dumpsters are packed full of recyclable materials.
\nMostly it is filling up plastic bags intentionally being thrown
\naway by rec & park workers.
\nscavengers that come out for redemption serve the city’ s best <\/p>\n

interest.
\nI hope that a way to be figured
\nout to incorporate these
\nscavengers into the report — recycling program.
\nPlease go with the resolution.
\nsupervisor mirkarimi: next speaker. If there is any other public <\/p>\n

comment, please come up after this speaker.
\n>> I think the neighborhood organizations should have the goal of <\/p>\n

serving the neighborhood.
\nThe recycling center opened
\nduring a time when the environment was at issue.
\nThe issue has never been more
\nimportant than helping. The recycling center has taught
\nour community how to recycle. It is an icon of our neighborhood.
\nI cannot think of any issues that are as important as protecting our <\/p>\n

environment.
\nWe should not do anything to discourage protecting the environment.
\nThe recycling center meets that meet.
\nI encourage you to continue the
\ngood work that the city does to improve our environment.
\nThe recycling center is just one tool that helps us do that.
\nkeep the recycling center. Thank you.
\nSupervisor
\nmirkarimi: next speaker. This will be the last public comment on <\/p>\n

less anyone wants to follow suit.
\n>> I support the resolution.
\nI have used hanc and other recycling facilities as well.
\nBy 5 that hanc — I find that
\nhanc is the most organized.
\nThe vending machine on fourth street is completely closed
\nbecause it has been abused.
\nI would like to support the resolution and I hope that it passes. <\/p>\n

Thank you.
\nSupervisor mirkarimi: seeing
\nthat there is no further, but —
\npublic comment, I guess we will close public comment.
\nsupervisor avalos: thank you.
\nI would like to support everyone
\nwho came out to support the resolution. Did I say revolution?
\nI did not hear anyone who opposed the resolution.
\ni hope that this is a done deal.
\nI appreciate the folks coming
\nout to support this resolution.
\nOr they believe that their voice does not matter.
\nSupervisor, any comments?
\nSupervisor
\nmar: I think that the target has to be the mayor.
\nThat has been identified.
\nThe testimony from the last
\ncouple of hearings have shown me
\nwhat an incredible — not just
\nrecycling center, but a human
\nplace that recycles people, as staff brought up the last time.
\nother speakers brought out how
\nit is a serve the people type program that allows people to be
\neducated to build a stronger community and protect the environment as <\/p>\n

well. Understanding of local
\nimportance of hanc and the
\nrecycling center, as well as the person who brought up the ecology <\/p>\n

class, really helping to
\nmake sure that our community is hole in many ways.
\nThank you for targeting the people that need to overturn
\nthis horrible decision, continuing to organize and build the movement.
\ni will probably support this and
\nI hope that my colleagues to his well. Thank you.
\n— as well. Thank you. [Applause]
\nSupervisor avalos: Madam Clerk,
\ncan we have it roll-call vote?
\n>> this is to send it to the board with recommendation?
\nsupervisor avalos: motion to the full board with recommendation.
\n>> on that motion —
\nsupervisor avalos: I was
\nchecking the agenda to see if this was the committee report.
\n>> it does not say that.
\nSupervisor avalos: very good. Go ahead.
\n>> on the motion, supervisor mar?
\nAye.
\nElsebernd? No.
\nAvalos? Ay.E e.
\nthere are two ayes and one no.
\nSupervisor avalos: 80 that it passes.
\nThat was our last item — thank you, then it passes. That was our last <\/p>\n

item?
\n>> there is no other business before the committee.
\nSupervisor avalos: than we are adjourned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

more testimony yesterday about the Haight Ashbury Recycling Center. Completely copied here in larger font than what’s on SFGov. The SF Weekly also has a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[25],"class_list":["post-1179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-8-SF-politics","tag-sf-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1179\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bluoz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}