South City officials are once again expressing interest in abandoning and replacing Cypress Park. They are exploring options to build a park elsewhere instead of upgrading Cypress.
During a Special Meeting on 6/15/21, 53:35 minutes, Councilman James Coleman inquired on the status of renovating Cypress/Pine playground. https://bit.ly/3hBpqSy
Assistant City Manager Ranals indicated the City was exploring options to move the park and gave no indication it planned to renovate it. “ECD is working on comparing some green space at the end of Linden…..we definitely want to provide better park amenities….but part of it is the site lines at Cypress & Pine…it’s elevated, you don’t have good lines of site into the park. A decision has not been made.”
City Manager Futtrell added, “Old Town/Downtown deserves a better park. We did get a grant from the EPA at the end of last year” to address the environmental concerns on the other potential lots for constructing a neighborhood park.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHARE PETITION AND EMAIL City Council at Council@ssf.net and demand they KEEP CYPRESS COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND in place for several reasons:
1. Child safety.
2. Playground is already in place and tax dollars are better spent renovating and meeting other community needs.
3. Reports over the past 30 years indicate the area is in need of parks and youth services, needs that still haven’t been met.
4. Old Town has been taking the brunt of housing demands with unaffordable high-rise buildings. We can’t replace Cypress Park with another building.
IN RESPONSE to city concerns about playground sitting on an elevated lot: This is absolutely ideal for child safety reasons. A neighborhood playground on Linden, a high-trafficked street, is neither ideal NOR safe for our children. There is always the potential for children to run out to the street chasing a ball. Neighborhood playgrounds should remain within skirts of communities, not on outskirts, nor along busy, high-trafficked streets, such as Linden, which is an extension of Grand and eyed for improvements as such.
Also, the available open lots along Linden are SMALLER in comparison to Cypress/Pine Lot, which would not provide a “better park” for community that has been designated as being deficient in park needs and youth services, per reports in 1990 and 2015.
7/11/1990 PARK, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN
“Needs and Deficiencies section (page 7). "Many neighborhoods are not served by neighborhood parks. Residents must walk or bicycle long distances or drive to other parks. This problem is especially acute in the Downtown….. area is in need of additional green space and lacks opportunities for children and teens.”
5/2/2015 PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN
"Prioritize -Downtown …. Reduce barriers to park use."
EMAIL 7/20/20 received after petition went public.
Thank you ALL for your continued support!!!!
Note this response: “The City does not have any plans to change…..the use of these parks.”
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: CostaSanders, Lisa <lisa.costasanders@ssf.net>
To: perez94080@yahoo.com <perez94080@yahoo.com>
Cc: Gross, Billy <billy.gross@ssf.net>; Rozzi, Tony <tony.rozzi@ssf.net>; Eric Yurkovich <eric@raimiassociates.com>
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2020, 11:32:10 AM PDT
Subject: General Plan update - parks designation to remain
Hello - We noted there is a petition to save downtown parks that you may be a part of. If you are not the correct person, my apologies.
https://www.change.org/p/city-of-south-san-francisco-no-high-rise-buildings-save-cypress-park-pine
We would like to clarify that the City does not have any plans to change the zoning designation or use of these parks. The draft land use map alternatives all include parks designation on these sites (though due to the scale of the maps it may be difficult to see that). Our consultant is clarifying the maps to better represent the park designation.
This will be highlighted today at the community meeting focusing on the Downtown area. The Downtown area meeting is at 6pm today and can be accessed with the following link:
This will be highlighted today at the community meeting focusing on the Downtown area. The Downtown area meeting is at 6pm today and can be accessed with the following link:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88164130229?pwd=NVRMdUhVVEY0WFdZRGw0R2plQzhmUT09
Meeting ID: 881 6413 0229
Password: 082826
Phone number: (669) 900-6833
we are also updating the information on the project web page to better show the park designation on the land use maps:
https://shapessf.com/
Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. I can be reached at 650-333-0248.
thank you, Lisa
Lisa Costa Sanders
Project Administrator
City of South San Francisco
400 Grand Avenue
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Lisa.CostaSanders@SSF.net
650-333-0248