The president of LPOA, Hal Harper, sent a open letter to his neighbors regard Junipero Serra greenbelt (western side of the boulevard) dated September 14, 2006. Please read the extended version of this entry for the letter in full.

September 14, 2006

An Open Letter to my neighbors in Lakeside:

Ref: Junipero Serra greenbelt (western side of the boulevard)

Last evening, I attended a Board of Appeals hearing at City Hall to observe the appeal that was filed on the original Board hearing of June 26, 2006.

There were ten residents of the Lakeside neighborhood in attendance. In addition, Allen Grossman, who is a retired attorney working pro bono on behalf on LPOA on the issue of the greenbelt matters represented LPOA.

It is apparent (among the various residents that spoke at the hearing) that there is no clear consensus on how to go about dealing with the matter of the present state of the greenbelt:

• Individuals that recognize a hazard of trees that may cause bodily injury or damage to personal property (homes, automobiles) if a tree loses its limbs or falls over. This has been voiced by a number of residents living along Junipero Serra Blvd.
• Individuals that are strongly opposed to any removals of trees at all – to keep the greenbelt as-is.
• Individuals that wish to micro-manage tree removals on a one-by-one basis
• Individuals that speak of forming groups among the residents to maintain the greenbelt themselves
• Matters of working with the City and County of San Francisco to resolve the ongoing dispute of who has the responsibility for maintenance of the greenbelt
• Individuals that dispute the 24 trees noted for removal –
  • This has been reviewed by an independent arborist consulted with by a Lakeside resident
  • The Dept. of Public Works arborists (3) have agreed with the independent arborist consulted by our resident(s)
• Potential indications that there may be subsequent appeals to the Board of Appeals hearing of September 13, 2006 if Lakeside residents decide this course of action.

There are other points, but I wanted to summarize the main topics that have appeared numerous times over the past 11 months since I have been directly involved with the matters of the greenbelt while serving on the LPOA board.

It is clear that we need to have a common, unified voice and objective in dealing with this matter – otherwise, as a group of individuals divided, there is a lack of focus and cohesion in working to remedy the conditions that we face with the state of the greenbelt for the present and into the future.

As a suggestion I offer is the idea have “block captains” to represent the groups:

• Junipero Serra Boulevard homeowners (90 homes from Eucalyptus to Stratford)
• Homeowners within interior streets (Stratford, Denslowe and the like)

It becomes unwieldy to try and have meetings and many variations on how to work through matters or contradicting opinions that continue to divide a common voice that we as a neighborhood could benefit from in negotiating through this situation with the City and its various departments.

As it stands at the present-

• We (as the collective residents of Lakeside) are divided in our approach with respect to the greenbelt without a clear direction in which to resolve this matter.
• The city departments and representatives have expressed confusion in who to work with – whether to work with LPOA or multiple residents on a one-by-one basis.
• There have been several meetings with Supervisor Elsbernd, Dept. of Public Works, Bur. of Urban Forestry – both at LPOA meetings and at City Hall since Spring 2005 up through August 2006.
• There have been two Board of Appeals hearings to date, June 26, 2006 and September 13, 2006.
• LPOA and Allen Grossman (attorney) are in continuing discussions with DPW, City Deputy Attorney-DPW, Bureau of Street Use/Mapping and Supervisor Elsbernd.

The matters over the ownership and responsibility of maintenance of the greenbelt has been an unresolved matter for a long time…it has likely contributed to the neglected and un-maintained condition of the greenbelt trees, irrigation provisions and the general aesthetics of it as a whole.

This matter will very likely take more time and effort to resolve the issue with the City – it may ultimately need to resolved in a court hearing if the current approach cannot achieve the result of the City assuming responsibility for a greenbelt and frontage street that was deeded to the City and County of San Francisco by the developer that built Lakeside II and III in 1939 and 1940.

Hal Harper