SEC. 4.113. RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION.
§ 4.113
The Recreation and Park Commission manages San Francisco's parks and recreation facilities through a seven-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Recreation and Park Department, under the Commission's direction, operates these facilities, issues permits, and can construct new parks and buildings, except in Golden Gate Park and Union Square Park (which require a two-thirds Board vote) and except for non-recreational uses (which generally require voter approval, with limited exceptions for underground parking facilities).
San Francisco has a seven-member Recreation and Park Commission appointed by the Mayor to oversee parks and recreation. The Recreation and Park Department runs the parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers on the Commission's behalf. The Department can build new parks and facilities and issues permits for using park property. However, they need special approval from the Board of Supervisors to build most structures in Golden Gate Park or Union Square Park, and they need voters to approve if they want to use park land for non-recreation purposes. One exception: the city can use the space underground in parks for parking garages if the Commission says it won't harm the park.
- Complex:Subsection 2 contains a long, nested conditional sentence about underground parking that combines multiple approvals, conditions, and revenue-sharing provisions in a single clause.
- Controversial:The provision allowing underground parking in parks involves a trade-off between recreation use and city services that residents may reasonably debate.
AI-generated · claude-haiku-4-5 · informational only, not legal advice.
Official text
The Recreation and Park Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor, pursuant to Section 3.100, for four-year terms. Members may be removed by the Mayor only pursuant to Section 15.105.
Pursuant to the policies and directives set by the Commission and under the direction and supervision of the General Manager, the Recreation and Park Department shall manage and direct all parks, playgrounds, recreation centers and all other recreation facilities, avenues and grounds under the Commission's control or placed under its jurisdiction thereafter, unless otherwise specifically provided in this Charter.
The Department shall promote and foster a program providing for organized public recreation of the highest standard.
The Department shall issue permits for the use of all property under the Commission's control, pursuant to the policies established by the Commission.
As directed by the Commission, the Department shall administer the Park, Recreation and Open Space Fund pursuant to Section 16.107 of this Charter.
The Department shall have the power to construct new parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, recreation facilities, squares and grounds, and to erect and maintain buildings and structures on parks, playgrounds, square, avenues and grounds, except as follows:
1. No building or structure, except for nurseries, equipment storage facilities and comfort stations, shall be erected, enlarged or expanded in Golden Gate Park or Union Square Park unless such action has been approved by a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Supervisors;
2. No park land may be sold or leased for non-recreational purposes, nor shall any structure on park property be built, maintained or used for non-recreational purposes, unless approved by a vote of the electors. However, with permission of the Commission and approval by the Board of Supervisors, subsurface space under any public park, square or playground may be used for the operation of a public automobile parking station under the authority of the Department of Parking and Traffic, provided that the Commission determines that such a use would not be, in any material respect or degree, detrimental to the original purpose for which a park, square or playground was dedicated or in contravention of the conditions of any grant under which a park, square or playground might have been received. The revenues derived from any such use, less the expenses incurred by the Department of Parking and Traffic in operating these facilities, shall be credited to Recreation and Park Department funds.
3. The Commission shall have the power to lease or rent any stadium or recreation field under its jurisdiction for athletic contests, exhibitions and other special events and may permit the lessee to charge an admission fee.
(Amended March 2000)