It’s a real measure of the dysfunction that characterizes San Francisco government when the city is unable to assist citizens in the most basic of bodily functions.
Six years ago, the city completed Noe Valley Town Square (on stolen land?) and invited neighborhood families to hurry and enjoy the park before the tent cities went up.
For most families it was a short visit because the park was built without any bathroom facilities.
Dogs could have a great time in the sun — assuming the owners scrupulously observed all the city’s hazmat regulations regarding doggie doo — but families were, to put it mildly, constrained.
City government’s main constituency, the homeless, had no problem with the lack of formal facilities. The politicians assumed the project was complete and moved on.
Families were not happy and continued to complain until a member of the California legislature noticed all these children hopping around with their legs pressed together and decided to take action.
Heather Knight of the San Francisco Chronicle tells us Assemblyman Matt Haney obtained state money for a Noe Valley Town Square bathroom and was preparing to announce his response to years of citizen urinary tract infections.
Then the announcement news conference was cancelled.
Haney learned the 150 ft. square bathroom would cost $1.7 million and take almost three years to complete.
Here we can all thank a loving God that San Francisco isn’t in charge of rebuilding Ft. Myers, or other parts of southwest Florida.
Haney wants answers from the city before proceeding. "I’m glad that Noe Valley will at some point get a bathroom, but it shouldn’t cost this much and it shouldn’t take this long, and I’m angry about it. It’s not something I want to celebrate right now."
Knight contacted a Virginia expert on public construction and asked him to estimate what he thought the project would cost. He said since it was The City by the Bay, he’d estimate high and put the price tag at $200,000.
After learning the San Francisco price tag, the expert was so appalled he did some research and found that Los Angeles built seven modular bathrooms for the same amount of money SF wants to spend on one and the project was complete in eight months.
We think the process has much to do with San Francisco’s problems.
Knight explains, "An architect will draw plans for the bathroom that the city will share with the community for feedback.
"It will also head to the Arts Commission’s Civic Design Review committee comprised of two architects, a landscape architect and two other design professionals who, under city charter, 'conduct a multi-phase review' of all city projects on public land — ranging from buildings to bathrooms to historic plaques, fences and lamps.
"The web-page describing that process states the point is to ensure ‘that each project’s design is appropriate to its context in the urban environment, and that structures of the highest design quality reflect their civic stature.'
"The project will then head to the Rec and Park Commission and to the Board of Supervisors. According to the city’s statement, it will also be subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act.
"Then, the city will put the project up for bid."
And that is only if everything goes smoothly. If not, the process must start again.
Evidently San Francisco likes government rigamarole, because voters continue to elect these idiots. Until that changes, one might say civic constipation will be a continuing problem.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.