Residents tell Fire Commission to stop blocking Golden Gate Greenway project

Several residents on Tuesday used the public-comment period of the San Francisco Fire Commission meeting to press commissioners to urge the Fire Department to stop objecting to the Golden Gate Greenway project in the Tenderloin.

"The fire department has held up this project for more than 6 months with various objections," caller Drew McDaniel said. Callers said the project has broad neighborhood and elected-official support and that continued departmental objections are depriving the Tenderloin of scarce open space.

Lisa Church, a District 3 resident, said the greenway is "a desperately needed feature" for families and children near her neighborhood and asked the commission to ask department staff to work with community stakeholders. "There has to be a way that you can work with the community to allow these projects to go forward," she said.

Other callers including Michael Howley and Luke Bornheimer described the project as supported by Supervisor Preston and the mayor's office, and said repeated changes in the department's stated reasons for objections had left the community frustrated. Kieran (no last name given) described a personal example of how a 6-year-old community member lacked local play space and urged action.

Commissioners did not announce any formal action in response during the public-comment period. The remarks were recorded as public comment and the commission closed the public-comment item after the speakers finished.