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Politics & Government

Pacifica Mayor to SF Mayor: Save the Golf Course

A letter from former Pacifica Mayor Mary Ann Nihart to San Francisco Mayor Mary Ann Nihart regarding a recent decision that could end golf at Sharp Park.

Editor's Note: This letter was sent by former Mayor of Pacifica Mary Ann Nihart to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee regarding the recent to investigate the transfer of supervision of the , owned and operated by the City of San Francisco, to another agency, including the National Parks Service, present locally as the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Nihart provided the letter to Pacifica Patch for publication. 

 

Dear Mayor Lee:

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As a fellow Mayor, I am writing to encourage your veto of the ordinance adopted by the Board of Supervisors to explore transfer of the management of the Sharp Park Golf Course to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). I am also writing as a representative of the Pacifica City Council who unanimously passed a resolution to support the continuation of the Sharp Park Golf Course.  We support this vital resource remaining at the heart of our community. 

GGNRA has been very clear they do not wish to run a golf course. The net effect of this ordinance is to end golf at this precious Alister MacKenzie course, which serves as a vital recreational resource for a diverse population of modest income public course golfers.

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Pacificans are known for their efforts at conservation and the Pacifica Land Trust brokered acquisitions of Mori Point, Sweeney Ridge and most recently Cattle Hill.  These are large additions to public recreation in a town that is now over fifty-one per cent open space. For the past five years, our city staff and council members have worked with San Francisco to find ways to protect the snakes and frogs and maintain this key recreation area. 

San Mateo County and Congresswoman Jackie Speier stand ready to step in and help maintain this historic treasure in the center of our town. We have also learned first-hand that GGNRA does not like to take on encumbered properties, so San Francisco will need to expend considerable resources to complete the transfer. This ordinance is an unnecessary step that will only complicate the process since your best partners stand ready to help.

I therefore urge you as strongly as I can to veto this legislation and leave the door open to continue the honored tradition of affordable, accessible, public golf at Sharp Park. I truly believe that the golf course can be sustained, while at the same time finding responsible solutions to improve the surrounding habitat for native and endangered species.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely, 

Mary Ann Nihart

Mayor

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