There is a vision for recreation and open space in San Francisco; it is called the Recreation and Open Space Element of the San Francisco General Plan (ROSE) and is composed of several sections, each dealing with a certain aspect of the City’s recreation and open space system.
According to the Planning Department, one priority of the General Plan is "that our parks and open space and their access to sunlight and vistas be protected from development." This is the priority that is addressed in ROSE.
The ROSE sections are:
- The Regional Open Space System
- The Citywide Open Space System
- The Shoreline
- The Neighborhoods
- Downtown
Some aspects of the sections are interrelated, they should be read together to more fully understand the whole plan. The entire plan can be viewed by clicking here.
Despite the glaring examples in our City of gaps and inequities with regard to neighborhood access to adequate parks and recreation, very little acquisition is actually taking place. The ROSE of the General Plan (GP), Policy 4.4, states the City shall “Acquire and develop new public open space in existing residential neighborhoods, giving priority to areas which are most deficient in open space.”
Our sytem is stymied by big questions such as "How can we adequately maintain the open space assets we already have?" and "What are the funding strategies for acquiring and sustaining open space, when the city budget is being cut each year?" The ROSE is inspired document in many ways, but it lacks mandates and strategies that will assure our open space needs be met.
There are plans afoot to "update" the ROSE this coming year. The document truly is visionary, but lacks the teeth to ensure that it's vision is enforced by the powers that be. What will bring this vision to life is citizen action and involvement. Click here to read a letter from the Planning Department explaining the updating process, in addition to information about other San Francisco Open Space Policies and Codes.
Please consider taking a look at it and then letting us know what you think by emailing kedwards@sfnpc.org and/or the Planning Department. Keep an eye out for notices on the NPC and Planning Department websites that will announce opportunities for action regarding proposed changes to the ROSE.
