Urban Agriculture Scenarios for SF PUC's College Hill Reservoir Site

Preliminary Report on Possible Design Scenarios for Urban
Agriculture and Food System Related Elements on San
Francisco Public Utilities Commission Land Within City Limits

Prepared by: Kevin Bayuk and Fred Bove, Instructors UC
Berkeley Extension and Class Participants for Summer 2011
“Designing Sustainable Urban Food Systems”
at UC Berkeley Extension

Prepared for: Francesca Vietor, President San Francisco Public
Utilities Commission

Summary
In early summer 2011 Kevin Bayuk attended two meetings with Francesca Vietor and staff at SF Public
Utilities Commission (PUC), along with other representatives from the San Francisco Urban
Agriculture Alliance (SFUAA), to solicit feedback from PUC on SFUAA's draft policy platform. In
these meetings, SFUAA learned of SFPUC's intent to develop a Policy Framework for Community
Benefits and Land Access regarding potential uses of PUC controlled public lands (what types of
access are possible? what uses are possible? who gets access? Etc.) and the intent to develop a “pilot
project” regarding urban agricultural use of PUC land. Kevin offered to support PUC in development
of the Policy Framework by having his students at UC Berkeley Extension develop scenario planning
for PUC sites already identified on the land audit completed by PUC pursuant to former Mayor Gavin
Newsome's 2009 Executive Directive on Healthy and Sustainable Food. This report shares a summary
of the scenario planning developed by the students of the UC Berkeley Extension Summer 2011
“Designing Sustainable Urban Food Systems” class in order to help assist PUC in developing an
informed Policy Framework by describing feasible urban agriculture and food system uses of the
following sites:
1. College Hill Reservoir
2. Sunset Reservoir
3. Sutro Reservoir
4. University Mound Reservoir
5. Central Pump Station/Merced Manor
6. Lake Merced Tract
7. Richmond Transport
8. Laguna Honda Reservoir
9. Stanford Heights Reservoir
10. Shafter and Fitch

These scenarios are not meant to be recommendations for use, but rather to inspire and inform land
access policies about the potential uses. Should public access be considered for these sites, these
scenarios could be used as starting points for collaborative design planning with local community
groups, residents, SF PUC and other stakeholders. These site assessments and design scenarios are
student work and are presented “as is”. Please forgive any formatting or grammar errors. High
resolution images are available for any embedded image.

Contact for more information:
Kevin Bayuk
kevin@uas.coop
415-999-5354

Table of Contents
Summary....................................................................................................................................................2
College Hill Reservoir...............................................................................................................................4
Assessment............................................................................................................................................4
Scenarios...............................................................................................................................................8
Sunset Reservoir......................................................................................................................................12
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................12
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................14
Sutro Reservoir........................................................................................................................................18
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................18
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................21
University Mound Reservoir....................................................................................................................26
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................26
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................27
Central Pump Station / Merced Manor....................................................................................................29
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................29
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................30
Lake Merced Tract...................................................................................................................................34
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................34
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................42
Richmond Transport.................................................................................................................................60
Assessment .........................................................................................................................................60
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................62
Laguna Honda Reservoir.........................................................................................................................67
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................67
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................68
Stanford Heights Reservoir......................................................................................................................70
Assessment .........................................................................................................................................70
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................72
Shafter and Fitch......................................................................................................................................76
Assessment..........................................................................................................................................76
Scenarios.............................................................................................................................................77

College Hill Reservoir
By: Josh Painter

Assessment

College Hill Reservoir is located in the Bernal Heights neighborhood between Brook Street and
Appleton Avenue, near Holly Park. Constructed before the Civil War, it is the oldest reservoir in San
Francisco. The reservoir stores approximately 13 million gallons of water. Main water lines from the
north side of the reservoir travel through the Mission district and supply an area including City Hall
and the Tenderloin. The reservoir area is fenced in and is bordered by homes on Gladys Street on the
northwest and Brook Street on the northeast. Elsie Street to the southeast is adjacent to the fence
surrounding the reservoir. The dimensions of the reservoir area are approximately 500 by 600 feet. The
main entry point is at the south corner at the intersection of Appleton Ave and Elsie Street. There is a
gate that allows vehicle access and an internal roadway that circles the reservoir. An additional
pedestrian access point is halfway along Santa Marina Street between homes.

View of reservoir from Holly park hillside across Elsie Street

The site has a downward slope towards Gladys street on the Northwest. The reservoir itself occupies
the flat area of the site at the south corner. The highest point on the site is at the south corner, which is
at 270 feet above sea level. The top of the covered reservoir surface is at at 260 feet above sea level,
and the lowest point is at the northern corner at 200 feet above sea level.

Elevation view showing slope to northwest towards Gladys St.

Sun exposure in the Bernal Heights neighborhood is good due to the area being out of the fog belt. The
predominant wind comes from the Northwest. The site, as a pronounced area on a hillside, is fairly
exposed to wind, but there is a good deal of wind protection afforded by the exiting trees on the site.
These are mostly Acacia and Monterey Cypress. There is a landscaped area with additional trees and
shrubs along the Elsie street border. Soil quality has been improved over much of the area with a wood
chip mulch. A shrub and tree landscaped area has been created in the area along the fence between the
reservoir and Elsie Street.

Acacia trees on Appleton Ave. side slope Landscaping along Elsie street, perimeter fence and Monterey
Cypress in background.

The Bernal Heights neighborhood is community oriented and residents are known for cooperating with
City agencies well. There are several community gardens in the neighborhood including Bernal Heights
Community Garden, Ogden Terrace Community Garden, and Good Prospect Community Garden.
Good Prospect Community Garden is located near the reservoir at Prospect Street and Cortland
Avenue. In a small area, this garden has a large variety of plants including roses, sweet peas, thyme,
lemon verbena, Russian sage, and fruit trees. On Appleton Avenue on the southwest side the reservoir

is partially bordered by a preschool, the Junipero Serra Child Development Center. This preschool has
a small vegetable garden.

Good Prospects Community Garden Junipero Serra Child Development Center Garden

In the western corner of the site along Elsie Street there is an area of about one fifth acre that is
surrounded by a secondary fence (Area 1 on map). Because this area is separated from the rest of the
site, has potentially good access to Elsie Street, is not being utilized currently, and has good sun
exposure, it is a primary area to consider for sustainable food system element development. This area
could be given its own access by a gate entrance to Elsie Street. Entrance to Area 1 would not mean
access to the primary reservoir area. This could potentially simplify any security issues.

Area 1, showing internal fence and sun exposue

Another area to consider for food system development would be the flat open space to the west of the
reservoir (Area 2 on map). This area currently has some sparse groundcover and some bare ground. It
is fairly barren and does not appear to have planned landscaping. It has good sun exposure and is
situated next to the access road around the reservoir, which would be useful for the movement of
supplies and produce. It is next to the Junipero Serra Child Development Center.

Area 2, showing proximity to Junipero Serra Child Development Center

Scenarios
Scenario 1: College Hill Reservoir Area 1: Community Garden
The internal fence that borders Area 1 would make it possible to give this area a separate gate and make
access less restricted for users than would be for the main College Hill Reservoir area. It may be
possible to have an unlocked gate. Because of its’ separation and its proximity to the Good Prospects
Community Garden, it’s most natural role might be as a part of the neighborhood’s community garden
system. The food produced by this garden could be distributed to the neighborhood, sold at a farmer’s
market, or donated to a food bank.

The featured plan for Area 1 contains permaculture style elements that are designed to produce a
diversity of food items with the least amount of maintenance and inputs required in the long term.
There is a focus on perennial species and the interrelation of plants to create self-sustaining ecosystems.
The layout of elements is designed to provide the easiest access to elements that are used the most
often.

The proposed gate would be on Elsie Street, near the west corner of the site. Inside the gate would be
compost bins, situated for the easiest access. Near the compost bins could be an “herb spiral” planting
feature. This is an efficient way to grow many herbs together by creating different microclimates. Since
herbs are something that needs to be picked often for cooking, this feature is placed near the gate as
well.

The vegetable planting beds are designed to be no-till. This requires more materials at the beginning,
but requires less energy in the long term and better preserves the health of the soil. Additionally, the use
of mechanized equipment is not required. The beds would initially be created by the importation of
outside materials. A “sheet mulch” using layers of used cardboard covered with organic material such
as horse manure and wood chips would cover the ground. This would eliminate weeds, build new soil,
and create the mounded planting beds. This plan features “keyhole” style planting beds. This is a
method of providing good access to a dense planting area. Gardeners can situate themselves in the
pathway connected “keyhole” area of each square shaped area of planting bed and have access to all of
the plants in that area without having to continually move along the bed. The mounded beds would
have internal drip irrigation, and use nitrogen fixing plants such as clover in conjunction with the
vegetables. The beds run perpendicularly to the slope of the area and would act as swales to slow and
capture water flow.

The site features fruit tree “guilds”, which are combinations of trees and understory plants that
mutually benefit each other. For example, a plum tree provides shade. Clover and fava beans are
nitrogen fixing. Yarrow attracts beneficial pollinating insects. Onions suppress pests. Borage acts as an
accumulator, mining minerals from the soil. The plant can then be used as fertilizer. The production
purpose of the site’s fruit tree guilds is fruit and berry production: figs, plums, apples, lemons, pears,
raspberries, blueberries, and mulberries.

Scenario 2: College Hill Reservoir Area 2: School Garden

Acacia and Monterey Cypress trees cover much of the Santa Marina Street, Appleton Avenue, and
Gladys St perimeter areas around the reservoir, making these areas less suitable for sites. The Elsie
Street side has it’s own landscaping scheme which makes it unusable. The most promising area inside
the reservoir fence is the open flat undeveloped area to the west of the reservoir, adjacent to the
Junipero Serra Child Development Center, a preschool. It is possible that this school, which already has
a small garden in front, would be interested in having a school lunch garden program.

The Edible Schoolyard is a one acre garden at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley
started by Alice Waters of the Chez Panisse Foundation. This program involves students in the
educational aspects of real farming and gardening as well as food preparation while providing food for
healthy lunches. The preschool students of the Junipero Serra Child Development Center may be too
young to participate in every area of a program like this, but there is a nearby elementary school at
Highland Avenue and Holly Park Circle, the Junipero Serra Elementary School. This school is only one
block away from the entrance of the reservoir at Elsie Street and Appleton Avenue. It would be possible
that students could be led in a group over to the College Hill Reservoir garden to participate. Any

potential security issues around the use of a garden area inside the reservoir perimeter fence could be
made easier by the use of official school groups. Additionally, a secondary inside fence could be
created to prevent users of the garden from entering the main reservoir area.

The plan proposes the development of the garden at the southern end of Area 2 (marked ‘A’ on the first
map), due to its proximity to the school. Possibly a gate could be created for special school group use
only. The flat area labeled ‘B’ is also promising as a potential extension to the initial area. The area
labeled ‘C’ sloping and contains some trees, but may be suitable for a terraced orchard development.

The plan for Area 2 features most of the same elements as Area 1, but adds the element of a wind
breaking tree guild, or hedgerow. The flat topography and top of the hill location indicate that this area
would sustain a lot of wind. The hedgerow would protect the intensive annual beds from wind coming
from the northwest. The space-efficient “keyhole” planting bed style is shown in the plan, but may not
be needed due to the amount of space that is available in the northern direction of the site.

Aside from the use by the neighborhood school, other possible uses of this area as a sustainable food
production site may include small scale local “market garden” commercial farming use community
food center use.

Conclusion

Located in the center of a residential area that shows interest in community gardening, College Hill
Reservoir has strong potential to become part of the production side of a local sustainable food system.
Community connections can be made in this area to make the use of this site as a sustainable food
production area a practical reality today.

Sunset Reservoir
By: Luke Suchy

Assessment
The reservoir contains a large amount of grassy lawn areas on the North and North West edges of the
property. It contains a large amount of slope (up to 15% in some areas) along the edges with fairly
sandy soils. There are no known toxins in the soil, but it is likely most of fill may have come from on
site excavation of reservoir. Due to its elevation and relationship to the coast, moderate to heavy winds
and frequent episodes of moderate to dense fog are common. Most of the arable land is on the North-
facing and North West facing slopes, which I will be focusing on. There are other opportunities along
the other edges with more gradual slope as well. The 25,000 solar panels lie on the roof of the North
half of the reservoir. There is a fairly new and well-maintained landscape containing low vegetation
that offers a buffer zone around the North side of the reservoir.

Scenarios

There is a locked gate on the South side with ample space on the interior for a possible screened

compost drop-off area. Accessibility is a big question with this scenario, but would provide a more
concealed area for composting. This may be a solution to potential complaints of visible composting
areas. The Eastern Side has a rectangular open grass area that is adjacent to the large power and
“electrical” boxes. The metal boxes could be screened from the public by having a compost area and
drop-off at this location.

The South, South Western and South Eastern edges could have potential for fruit trees and edible
climbers along the fence line. These are areas that would not interfere with the solar panels receiving
proper solar light. The strip of lawn area on the South Western edge has a slight slope (5%), but could
be used for food production. It is low enough and has trees higher up on the slope that would provide
for a fairly protected area from the wind. One concern would be getting enough sun light in this area.

The area of extreme interest and possibly has the most potential for producing food in a timely fashion
lies on the North West corner of the site. It is a triangular shaped plot of land measuring approximately
30,000 sq. feet. The plot could potentially produce a yield of 15 – 25 lbs. of food a week. The area is
currently grass with a few existing trees (type needs to be investigated), and has a walking path through
the middle of it. The plan of action would involve investigating the soil more extensively, then sheet
mulching the entire area. This would build up the biomass to a level that is ready to be planted. It is
suggested that there be a fruit guild set up here (planting plan in power point). The fruit guild could
operate under permaculture principles and guidelines. Involvement of the local high school (Abraham
Lincoln High) that is located at the South Eastern corner of the reservoir to help maintain and manage
the area is a possibility to be explored. It was stated on the school website last year that the eco club
was in need of a school garden. This could provide the opportunity to help educate the kids involved
with permaculture and how urban food systems can work. The fruit guild could provide food for the
farmers market and/or a community forage plot. The possibility of the school providing parking for
weekend market days in exchange for the use of the land is one to explore further.

The farmers market would be located on the North side of the reservoir, along a fairly flat linear path
that wraps around the upper boundary of the property. The cement path has the stability and the width
for vehicular or flatbed cart traffic for unloading and loading at the market. It is a wonderful spot for
views of the city and has benches and a grassy hill to socialize and relax. Another area for further

research would be who would be participating in the market and how far would the radius be for people
to travel to market, as well as logistics on types of food etc.

Possible Integrated Design Scenario
1. Compost Drop-off Site
2. Fruit Tree Guild
3. Farmer’s Market/Fruit-Vegetable Stand(s)

The three main recommendations for the highest use of the site relate to a few themes:
a. Keeping Carbon on Site – The local compost drop off site will provide an opportunity for building
biomass and provide a healthy soil matrix for growing conditions around the reservoir. The idea is for
residents of the sunset district to have the opportunity to drop off compostable materials and eventually
in return receive a share of food from the yield. The fruit guild could act as a food commons for people
participating in building the biomass/composting on site or volunteering at the farmer’s market/fruit
stands.
b. Slow It, Spread It, Sink It (pertaining to rainwater and drainage systems) – The slope above the fruit
guild provides an opportunity for water filtration and water conveyance to help irrigate the agricultural
areas. The current concrete culverts direct all the water into storm water drains and essentially waste
the water instead of putting it into good use on site. The reconfiguration of the culverts and adding
swales and canals to properly sep up the system still needs hydrological design attention. The need for
added irrigation is likely and could be powered around the solar energy produced by the panels on site.
c. Close the Loops - The relationship of production, distribution, consumption, and cycling is
specifically addressed in this design. The fruit tree guild and possible edible fence lines will provide
some food for the community. It will also serve as a model and hopefully lead to more edible
landscapes within the neighborhood. When enough biomass and healthy soil has been achieved at the
reservoir, then the Food Forest will continue to thrive and expand. There are still many spaces and
opportunities that could prove to be efficient in food production around the reservoir, even on moderate
to steep slopes. The distribution and consumption of food relates to the farm stand and community
participation in exchange for access to the food commons (fruit guild). The compost drop-off and sheet
mulching relate to cycling and giving back to the land as it provides for us. Involving the local
school(s) and organizations adds to the educational process, which will in turn, be important
knowledge, techniques, and ethics for the future of the local food system. The design is aimed at
LOCAL production, distribution, consumption, and cycling. Just as the reservoir serves the community
as a model for reusable energy, the sunset district could be a leading example of the sustainable urban
food systems model.

Sutro Reservoir
By: Natalie Forsyth

Assessment
Maps, Dimensions and Elevations
Sitting just below Sutro tower, the Sutro Reservoir and Midtown Terrace Recreational Area is on the
western slope of Twin Peaks. The elevation is around 500 ft above sea level. It lies just below the
looming Sutro Tower, which is less than a half mile away up the hill. The site is close to the geographic
center of the city, located in the hills to the east of the Sunset District.

The areas outlined in blue are the suggested sites to examine for the site. The full dimensions of the
area, including the reservoir measures 592,852. The sections of the site which are being directly
assessed for this project make up a much smaller area. The land of the site has both flat and extremely
steep sections.

The small triangular-shaped field to the west of the recreation building (white roofed building at the
corner of Clarendon and Olympia.) is 3,100 square feet. This corner of the site has a gentle, nearly
negligible, slope from the corner up to the doors of the recreation center. The strip of land to the north
of the reservoir is 28,000 square feet. This section beyond the reservoir is either very steep or quite
steep, held up by a retaining wall. It is so steep that it would not be easily climbed on foot. The section
where the retaining wall is is slightly less steep.

The field to the east of the community center is 25,000 square feet. This field is very flat, with a steeper
slope on the north side leading up to the reservoir.

Sector Analysis
This hilly location guarantees strong wind from the ocean, across the Sunset and up and over the
Midtown Terrace neighborhood. It seems to be windy most of the time. With this wind often comes

fog. The fog, which roles around Sutro tower, is also constantly rolling over this site. During site visits
throughout the summer months, the sun was never witnessed. The sun must emerge at times, but fog
and wind are the predominant weather characteristics of the area.

People frequently interact with this land. Throughout the site visits, it became apparent how active this
site is in the community, and how important it is for community purposes. It seems to be a place of
recreation, with people playing with their children, their dogs and doing exercise. There are sections
that are clearly not accessible to humans, such as the top of the reservoir, and the steep hills around the
reservoir. These are clearly marked with fences and signage. Otherwise, the park is an open space for
the community to engage with how they see fit.

Site History and Current Uses

The Sutro Reservoir was built in 1952 and holds 32 million gallons of water. It is a large space with
around 300,000 square feet of rooftop covering the reservoir. The top of the reservoir used to be
covered with tennis and basketball courts. When the top of the reservoir was redone (for siesmic
stabilization) in 2006, they intended to put the courts back on top, but due to some design issue, has not
yet been completed. Many community members miss this space. (Historical information gathered from
http://www.sutrotower.org/)

The Midtown Terrace Neighborhood Association The Midtown Terrace neighborhood was designed as
a planned community in 1957. Characteristics of note about the neighborhood include the following:
●All Midtown Terrace homes are separated and detached.
●There are no homes built directly behind one another. All Midtown Terrace homes are separated by a strip of
land called a green belt.
●All telephone lines, power lines and utilities are located underground.
●The 817 homes located in Midtown Terrace neighborhood are represented by a homeowners association
dedicated to fostering better homes and better community life.
(Statistics from Midtown Terrace Homeowner’s Association:
http://www.midtownterrace.net/community.html)

The Sutro Reservoir site is a cornerstone of the community where people are consistently engaging
with the space for many different purposes, including but not limited to:
-All ages of children playing at the recently replaced park structure
-Soccer and other children’s sport practice and general playing in the field to the east of the community
center.
-People walking their dogs around periphery of the park and using the paved walkways along the north
and south sides of the reservoir to throw balls for their dogs to fetch.
-Picnics on the field to the East of the Recreational Center.
-Small children walking the stairs and pathways around the playground for exploring and going on
adventures.
-After school program as well as summer camp program at the Recreational Center.
-Birthday parties at the Recreational Center, on the playground and on the field. Birthday parties often
bring large inflatable “jumpy” houses, even pony rides.
-Other social occasions when the community center is rented out, such as office parties.
-Senior classes at the Recreational Center.
-Basketball on the basketball courts.
-Stretching and exercising around the reservoir.
-Storing and preparing food for parties, camps, etc in the small kitchen in the Recreational Center.

Site Accessibility
There are two roads which intersect at the suth-west corner of the site: Clarendon Avenue and Olympia
Way. Clarendon Avenue is the main thoroughfare connecting Laguna Honda Blvd and the rest of the
Sunset in the west to Cole Valley, the Upper Haight and the Panhandle of the city to the east. Clarendon
Avenue is a steep and winding two to four lane road. This road seems to be traveled mostly by personal
cars. No bicycles were observed. There is a bus line that goes through Midtown Terrace. It operates
about every 20 minutes. It is the 36-Teresita (Forest Hill Station) line. Midtown Terrace is near the
geographic center of the city, so it’s accessibility to all parts of the city is theoretically great, if
somewhat car-bound. The site itself is readily accessible to foot traffic. Many people were observed
walking from inside their neighborhoods to the site. Many people were also observed parking outside
the recreation center, and then using the services of the recreation center and the park. There is a
pedestrian bridge that crosses Clarendon Avenue just north of the site. It clearly connects the school (on
the west side of Clarendon) with the site (on the east side of Clarendon.) This is important to note
because of the in-place infrastructure that will continue to support this site as a community hub.

Once on the site itself, it is not readily accessible to vehicular traffic. There are no obvious roads on the
site, and might require some infrastructural shift if it was necessary to bring in any sort of equipment to
do work.

Nearby Neighborhood Groups and Organizations
Midtown Terrace Homeowner’s Association
Brian McDermott
P.O. Box 31097
San Francisco, CA 94131
415.675.5864
Email: brian_mthoa@hotmail.com
Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midtownterrace

Clarendon Alternative Elementary School
500 Clarendon Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94131-1113
(415) 759-2796

Second Community Child Care
Cooperatively-run preschool with parents directly involved in the community.
500 Clarendon Avenue
(415) 759-1897
www.secondcommunity.org/

St. John Armenian Apostolic Church
275 Olympia Way
(415) 661-1142
stjohnarmenianchurch.com

Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center

375 Laguna Honda
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 759-3333 (volunteers line)
lagunahondavolunteers.org

San Francisco Fire Department Station
On Olympia at Clarendon.

Scenarios
Scenario: Community and Educational Garden:
Community and Educational gardens are an important component to any sustainable urban food
system. It engages the community with the food growing process. When children work in gardens, they
learn where their food grows, how to care for the earth, and how to make the most responsible
environmental decisions. Since the site is so heavily used by children, creating an educational garden is
on obvious addition to the site. The garden could be placed on the field to the east of the Recreational
Center. As the field is quite large (25,000 sq. ft), it could take up the far eastern section perhaps taking
up as much as 5,000 ft. Reducing the current play area by 1/5th. This garden could have individual
plots for people in the community to garden as they see fit. There could be 50 garden beds measuring
10 by 3 feet, taking up a total of 1,500 square feet in planting space, plus space needed for paths, etc.
People could plant fog tolerant vegetables and flowers, artichokes and tree collards for example. As the
area is so foggy, windy and cold, a green house would be a necessary part of the community garden. A
comprehensive composting system would also be part of a well functioning garden space.

Yields:
- education of community on gardening, cooking and food preservation.
- individual yields of the community plots
- 1,500 square feet of gardening space
- 50 families gardening who would not be otherwise
- increased community involvement and connection
- increased awareness around food production

Questions:
-What is current irrigation infrastructure?
-Who would be the organizing group?
-Could netting or other barrier (fruit trees?) be put up between the play field and the garden? (So that
balls would not constantly go into the garden.)
-What would be the best material for the green house? (for warmth, as well as strength- in case of
errant balls)
-Would it be worth using the space for this in terms of sunlight-fog ratio?

Scenario: Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s markets allow neighborhoods to shop for nutritious whole food close to home. They allow
farmer’s to sell their food in a consistent way. Relationships develop between farmers and community
members. The farmer’s market becomes a gathering place for the community.

A small scale farmer’s market with about 10 vendors would be appropriate for this site- including
vendors who sell vitamin and mineral rich perishable fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy and meat, as

well as other food items such as bread, grains and nuts. On this site, the market would work well as an
afternoon week day market. Many people already frequent the area making use of the playground, after
school programs and sports practices. It could become a consistent part of the communities routine,
supplying them with fresh, nutritious food and enriching community life. The market could be on the
far southwest triangular corner of the site, where Clarendon and Olympia Way meet. As this would be
only one afternoon a week, the area would be free for usual uses for most of the week.

Yields:
-ability for community to buy nutritious, whole food within neighborhood (there are currently no
grocery stores within the neighborhood.
-greater opportunity for community development
-greater percentage of communities money going to local food sources, rather than large super market
chains
-education of children and community members about the importance of a local, decentralized food
system
-income for farms participating in market
-more time for community members to be with family, not shopping farther from home

Questions:
-What sort of community outreach would need to happen to make a farmer’s market successful?

Scenario: Demonstration Fog Collection Area

Technology on fog collection is currently advancing with some real success stories throughout arid
regions of the world. These systems work by placing “fog fences” in the path of the fog. The fog then
condenses on the fences and drips down into a collection barrel. “Larger fog collectors of
approximately 40 square meters, which can produce 200 liters per day, can be set up for $1000 to
$1500 each. The system is completely passive, requires no energy inputs, and can last ten years
provided it’s taken care of.” Summer in San Francisco is notoriously foggy. The summer months are
also generally rain-free. The ability for the San Francisco peninsula to accumulate water during the dry,
but foggy, months would be a great step in being water-independent. The western slope of Twin Peaks,
which is often totally socked in with fog, would be a perfect location for a test demonstration site of fog
collection. With the large and constant circulation of community members around the site, it is a great
opportunity to not only collect water, but also to educate the community members on water
conservation and collection. The best location on the site for fog collectors is perhaps on the back
retaining wall on the far north side of the site. Could also perhaps be on top of the reservoir, or on the
far east side of the reservoir. Could also be placed on the eastern edge of the community garden,
allowing the immediate utilization of the water collection as irrigation in the garden.

Yields:
-Education around water conservation, supply/collection
-Accumulated water, perhaps to use as irrigation water in the demonstration garden.
-Potential to teach the whole Bay Area about the value and logistics of fog collection
-Moving towards water independence for San Francisco
-PR value of high impact image for SF PUC

Questions:
Would it be possible to use this water for irrigation on the site?
How much water could be collected at this site?
How many hours of fog are there yearly?
What direction do the fog cloths need to face in order to best collect the fog?
How would this information impact the suggested preliminary placement on the site?
Resources:
http://www.fogharvesting.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_collection
http://www.fogquest.org/
http://www.oas.org/dsd/publications/unit/oea59e/ch12.htm
http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/03/07/the-fog-collectors-harvesting-water-from-thin-air

Scenario: CSA- Community Supported Agriculture- Pick Up Site

Community Supported Agriculture is a method of purchasing vegetables and fruits, directly from a
farm, through a weekly box supplied at a pick up site. The CSA is purchased at the beginning of the
farming season, and allows the farmers to have the up-front capital needed for the season.

If one farm could supply the community of Midtown Terrace with a CSA delivered to the site, then
dozens of homes would receive all the vegetables and most of the fruit that the families would need for
the week by simply dropping by the neighborhood playground. Having a farm in the peri-urban that the
neighborhood supported would create more community connection.

Yields:
-Healthy nutritious food reaching the community on a weekly basis without having to travel out of the
neighborhood
-Greater community involvement, a whole neighborhood supporting one farm

Resources:
http://www.wilson.edu/about-wilson-college/fulton/robyn-van-en-center/index.aspx
http://www.csafarms.org/csafarms0656231.asp
http://www.ecovian.com/s/sanfrancisco/csa
http://nuttyfig.com/2011/03/starting-a-successful-csa-tips-from-the-calif-small-farm-conference/

Placement of Different Possible Elements on Site

Map
Farmer’s Market and CSA Pickup- small yellowish triangle on SW side

Community and Demonstration Garden- small red section in the field
Fog collectors- blue lines on far north side and on reservoir itself.

Possible Integrated Vision for the Site

The primary goal for using this site as a component of the San Francisco sustainable food system will
be to bring greater awareness and action around the food system to the Midtown Terrace community,
including over 800 homes. This site is already at the center of the neighborhood, with community
members using the site daily. With a shift in the focus of the land purpose and use, the whole
neighborhood can become more empowered and enlivened to engage with a sustainable food system
directly inside their own community.

Production Elements:
-Educational garden, including community plots and greenhouse, chickens and geese
-Hardy fruit trees planted throughout area on gentle slopes
-Hands-on educational programming on gardening, from seed saving to food production

Distribution Elements:
-Micro Farmer’s Market, including fresh fruits and veggies, grains, nuts and seeds, eggs, dairy and
meat
-CSA pick-up site, possibly an egg CSA from the chickens on the site
-Educational opportunities at Farmer’s Market about why local, decentralized food systems are
important

Consumption Elements:
-Snacks for after school program provided by garden and orchard trees, when possible
-After school program food also supplied by micro-farmer’s market, or perhaps CSA
-Community garden plot yields consumed in private homes
-Hands-on educational programming on cooking, food preservation and nutrition in commercial
kitchen in the recreation center

Cycling Elements:
-Composting system, possibly vermiculture, taking all compostables from garden and from recreation
center, near greenhouse, taking advantage of thermal and wind block
-Grey-water and black-water recycling in the recreation center, used as fertilizers
-Fog collection site, used to irrigate garden and educate community
-Educational programming on water conservation, purification and composting

By incorporating different elements from each of the stages of the food system, this design for the site
at Midtown Terrace, guarantees an expanding positive interaction between the community and the food
system. Emphasizing community involvement throughout the design is necessary for this site, as it is
already hugely utilized by the community. There are already many students and children who use the
site daily. By shifting land use, the children will still be learning and playing, with the food system at
the center of their activities. Children are an essential element in helping their parents make transitions.
Through the stacking of functions, as well as maximizing the input and output to each of the elements,
this design has the potential to create a comprehensive plan that will be able to serve the community
through education, community growth, food production and distribution.

University Mound Reservoir
By: Tim Ryan

Assessment
1. Orientation- The site is rectangular in shape, the longest side(s) is parallel to a
south/southeast-north/ northwest axis
2. Street Boarder(s)- University St. (west-side), Felton St. (north-side), Bowdoin St. (east-side)
and Woosley St. (south-side). Bacon St. bisects the property on an east/northeast-
west/southwest axis, (currently it is closed to the public but scheduled to reopen)
3. Elevation changes- The roof of each reservoir is the highest & flattest area on the site, the
planted area(s) descend at different slopes from the reservoir toward the street(s). The
greatest change in elevation is on the Southeast corner.
4. Wind/Surrounding Terrain- the Northern side is the most exposed to winds, as it is located
near the break in the mountains running north along the peninsula (I-280 runs through this
corridor). The rest of the site is somewhat protected by hills rising to an elevation of nearly
500’ which wrap around the Southwest corner. This elevated feature is important also to the
drainage around the site. The southwest corner of the site is located near the base of a valley
which funnels rainwater run-off toward the reservoir.
5. Area with Existing Plantings - The majority is located on the southern & eastern edge(s) of
the rectangle with a small strip on the northern side of the property.
6. Existing Trees- Within the property are mostly Cupressa macrocarpa- “Monterey Cypress”
and along the street Arbutus marina “Strawberry Tree”
7. Structures/Paved areas- The reservoir(s) occupy the majority of the site. In the north section
are maintenance sheds & storage, a pumping station and parking lot. In the south section are
several small maintenance sheds. There is a two-story house on the corner of University &
Bacon St. with a small garden enclosed by the fence, which also surround the reservoir.
8. Access- An area on the northern side is the only section that is not fenced off. There is a
staircase located near the pumping station on Felton St. This area is terraced with two
retaining walls.
9. Fencing- most of the property is surrounded by a +10’ high chain-link fence.

Surrounding Neighborhood(s)
1. Parks
a. John McLaren Park, specifically the Louis Sutter Playground, is adjacent to the
property of the southwest corner.
b. Palega-Portola Recreation Center is one block east on Felton St.
2. Schools within a 5-10min walk
a. St. Elizabeth’s
b. Edward R Taylor Elementary
c. Martin Luther King Middle
d. Phillip & Sala Burton Academic High
e. Hillcrest Elementary
f. Cornerstone Academy (2 locations)
3. Other Organizations
a. University Mound Ladies Homes is an assisted living center adjacent to the property
at University St. & Bacon St.
4. Unused/ Abandon Property

a. Greenhouse adjacent to the property at Bowdoin St. & Woolsey St.
Questions about the site
1. Granting access to fenced areas (excluding the roof of the reservoirs)
a. Could student groups be allowed to farm the site under the guidance of teachers
during designated hours?
2. Is the house on the corner of University and Bacon St. used/owned by the PUC or is it a
private residence. Could it be used as to store gardening tools, distribution of food, as a
teaching center and/or a residence for an on-site care taker(s)?
3. Would the PUC be will (in the future) to re-position the fence surrounding the southern
reservoir to allow access to the planted area?

Scenarios
1. Immediate use of the north side to create a teaching garden for local schools
a. Create a wind break using fruiting trees which will eventually replace aging Cypress and
Eucalyptus trees
b. Use those trees (as they are removed) for construction timbers and/or mulch on or off-
site. Timber could also be sold to local artisans as a raw material.
c. Create smaller terraces to make plant-able areas easier to access
2. Begin outreach to local schools, the Rec. center and the University Mound Ladies Home for
participants as wells Non-profit organizations focusing on
a. Grant students, supervised by teachers/ instructors, scheduled access to southern section
to begin farming existing soils.
b. Students may use time on site toward community service hours
c. Programs matching students with the elderly

3. Fences as support for climbing edible plants
a. Structures are already in place
b. Use of several varieties of climbers
c. Plants will a an aesthetic quality to the site, softening the harsh feel and look of the
chain-link
4. Installation of Solar Panels, based on results of the Sunset Reservoir Solar project
a. This site is larger and more than likely experiences more sun exposure than the Sunset
location
5. Rainwater collection-Based on the surrounding topography
a. Construct rain gardens where the street(s) meets the curb edge to capture and clean
street run-off. These would be best located on the south and west sides of the site. (this
system can daylight the historic location of a creek that flowed toward the Yosemite
slough)
AND/OR
b. Construct rain gardens at the edges of the reservoirs to collect and clean reservoir run-
off. These would be best located on the south and north sides of the site
c. These rain gardens could catch the “1st flush” and allow the overflow to collect in basins
to provide irrigation to the on-site gardens.
6. Create an orchard
a. The southern section of the site can support a large number of trees.
b. Fruiting trees could begin to replace existing/aging trees,
c. An orchard would need less daily maintenance than a vegetable garden requiring fewer
visits to fenced/ secured areas on the site
d. Trees selected for the orchard should bear fruit/nuts during various times of the year to
spread the yield and work load.
7. An education center/ Teaching Kitchen
a. The yellow house on University & Bacon could be used to prepare meals using food
grown on site
b. If there is an existing kitchen small groups of students could attend classes on
preparation methods and nutrition related to the foods grown on site.
8. Transformation of Bowdoin St.
a. This street could be easily closed on a temporary basis or permanently to host a farmers’
market or small festival
b. Food from the site’s garden as well as off site farms could be sold here.
c. This street could also become an extension of plant-able space by building soil on top of
existing road surface.
d. As the area is unfenced, admission would require a lower level of supervision.

Central Pump Station / Merced Manor
By: Laura Rose

Assessment

• Rainfall – October through April are the wet months, while June through August are the driest.
• Fog/Sun – Merced Manor is slightly south facing, just west of the ridgeline, so it receives good
exposure when there is sun. It can be blanketed in fog during the foggy season, sometimes
multiple times a day interspersed with sun, and receives approximately two thirds of possible
sunlight annually.
• Wind – The site is relatively exposed to a predominantly westerly wind, which averages around
8mph but can reach speeds of over 45mph.
• People – RC Hobbyist on reservoir top, smokers, it's a public open space, potentially active
community and educational centers nearby.
• Traffic – Lots of street noise from Sloat Blvd.
• Site History – Central Pump Station was originally built at the Merced Manor Reservoir in
1915, and recently underwent a restoration that wrapped up in 2007.
• Water – Located at reservoir, potentially irrigate that way. Other options include rainwater
harvesting from the roof of the pump station and/or reservoir, or fog harvesting, with storage
on-site.
• Vegetation – Grass, white clover, cheeseweed, dandelions(few, and not very healthy), plantains.
• “Weed” bio-indicators show that soil is somewhat compacted and nitrogen deficient.
• Accessibility – Good accessibility for both vehicles and pedestrians, with lots of on-street
parking and a potentially usable small parking lot behind the station.
• Soil – Sandy, not obviously stained or chemically odiferous.
◦ Composition:
▪ 60-70% Sand, 20% Silt, 10% Clay, 5% Organic Matter
• Elevation Characteristics – Located at 200ft above sea level. Large flat open area in NE corner
of site, flat surrounding pump station at N end. Steeply sloping edge of land surrounding the
reservoir, approaching 30 degrees on W and S edges, slightly less sloped along E edge.

Local/Community Organizations of Interest
• San Francisco State University (Sustainability Committee or Friends of the Greenhouse?)
• Lowell High School
• Lakeshore Alternative Elementary
• The Urban Farmer Store (not a community organization, but close by and may be interested in
involvement)

Risks/Unknowns
• Water access for irrigation
• Security concerns regarding reservoir
• Community involvement
• Costs

Scenarios
Scenario 1:

Vision & Goals:
To provide a space for community building and involvement, to provide an educational resource for the
community and nearby schools, to provide food and forage for local people, and to provide forage for
birds and insects, while cycling as many elements and closing as many loops with as little waste as
possible.

Elements:

• Greenhouse (for plant starts, tree starts, and slightly warmer/less foggy climate plants like
tomatoes)
• Thermal composting (if maintained and turned frequently with a good C/N balance, can also be
used to provide some heat for the greenhouse. Innoculate with micro-organisms needed to help
form a healthy rhizosphere in the soil. Should have three 4'x4' batch compartments)
• Community Garden (raised beds, natural slug traps)

• Tool shed
• Berry/Fruit polycultural forage border (interplanted apple, plum, linden, blackberry, comfrey,
fava beans, olallieberry, nasturtium, mint, etc, planted on slopes wrapping around reservoir,
possibly on a couple of swales on contour dug/piled in)
• Woodchip Distribution node
• Rainwater Harvesting & Storage (from the roof of the central pump station building, and
possibly the greenhouse roof)

Estimated Yields:
• Increased community awareness of issues surrounding urban food systems and healthy and
complete human nutrition.
• Increased community access to educational and material resources related to a sustainable food
system.
• Mulch, compost inputs, and finished compost
• Thousands of pounds of fruits & vegetables per year, depending on community garden crops.
• Bird & insect forage

Scenario 2

Vision & Goals:
To provide local access to market elements of a sustainable food system, provide forage for local
people, birds, and insects, to provide a functionally aesthetic space for the neighborhood and
community, to produce a relatively healthy natural sweetner (honey), and to provide an access point for
distribution of useful waste from other parts of the system.

Elements:
• Outdoor (Seasonal?) Farmers Market (there are no Farmers Markets held anywhere within 3
miles)
• Berry/Fruit polycultural forage border (interplanted apple, persimmon, linden, blackberry,
elderberry, comfrey, fava beans, olallieberry, nasturtium, mint, white clover, dandelion, borage,
etc, planted on slopes wrapping around reservoir, on a couple of swales on contour dug/piled in)
• Herb Labyrinth (lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme, mint, yarrow, chamomile, etc. which together
function as medicinals, spiritual metaphor, and stress reduction)

• Perennial Flowerbeds
• Earthworks or benches
• Woodchip Distribution node (waste woodchips to be upcycled in kitchen gardens, mulch, etc.)

Estimated Yields:
• More and better convenient local access to local, organic food
• Honey
• Calming space and Medicinal Herbs
• Bird and insect forage, human forage (thousands of pounds of fruit, other forage, annually)
• Mulch (chop and drop it in the forage border)

Possible Integrated Vision

To create a context in which people positively interact with and influence their community towards
active participation in more sustainable models of urban food production, better human health and
nutrition, and education on the principles and specificity involved in those goals. This context will be
created by a diverse array of elements that interact in a complex system of mutual feedback that
mimics an ecosystem in order to derive most of its overall nourishment from within, and implements
various permaculture strategies to educate both participants and observers by their demonstration.

The elements that will be involved in this system are:
• A greenhouse, for plant and tree starts as well as growing a limited number of less frost and fog
tolerant crops, such as tomatoes.
• Next to the greenhouse, and rigged to heat and circulate water through the greenhouse from its
active compartment(s) is set of three thermal composting containers, each 4'x4', and teeming
with appropriate microbial life, such as mychorhizal fungi and aerobic bacteria. This will serve
as a method to replenish the soil in the garden and beginning food forest.
• Also next to the greenhouse, rigged to capture water from the greenhouse roof and the central
pump station roof is a cistern for storing rainwater.
• Arrayed down the eastern side of the reservoir is a series of shade-cloth fog-condensers, each
with a smaller cistern on the lower leg/support to catch the condensed fog runoff.
• Wrapping around the south and west edges of the reservoir is a food forest with two polyculture
guilds, an apple tree guild and a coastal live oak tree guild.
• Bee boxes would be stacked along the northern edge of the reservoir, with a woodchip
distribution pickup spot near the small parking lot directly behind the pump station, to distribute
for kitchen garden/mulch upcycling.
• In front of the Central Pump Station are two perennial flowerbeds to either side of the paths,
with a healing herb labyrinth and earthwork benches between them.
• Back around in the flat open space near the green house is a tool shed, more earthworks or
benches, and a raised bed vegetable garden. The area around the greenhouse, shed, garden, and
compost and water systems is fenced, with chayote squash growing on the fence.

The greenhouse will provide some plant and tree starts for the garden and food forest, which could
provide organic matter for the compost which will heat and nourish the greenhouse, and nourish the
garden. The rain and fog capture/storage systems will provide water for all of these elements, and the
flower and herb gardens, and a demonstration of the potential of the techniques employed to help
localize water use along with food production and consumption. The food forest will provide bird,

insect, and human forage in large quantity, as well as “chop and drop” mulch for itself. The bees will
pollinate the food forest and gardens, assuring their production and future fecundity, and produce honey
for human consumption.

The forest will provide a multiplicity of functions, as will each of its elements. It will provide fruits,
nuts, leafy greens, medicinals, edible roots, berries, and more for human consumption.

The Food Forest is designed to slowly develop from pioneer plant communities to more complex,
diverse, and stable communities whose interactions mimic natural forest ecosystems to build soil and
regenerate the landscape. If we do it right it will transform itself into an interdependent network of
cooperatively self-maintaining systems.

Structure: Two swales wrapping around the West and South edges of the reservoir to capture water and
counteract erosion.

Initial Inputs: Sheet mulch, compost, water, seeds, starts

Species Selection Notes: For trees, cultivars with borderline-frost tolerant and low chill characteristics
are suitable for this foggy west SF site.

The start of an implementation timeline:
• 1st 6 months: Start with community and local schools involvement, sheet mulching, One time
inputs (compost, mulch, seeds, starts), Plant ground cover and all oak guild except climbers,
Build swales
• 1st Year: Oak guild established, soil building, plant apple guild, except climbers; Start
harvesting, reap increasing yields from here on out.
• 2nd Year: finish planting, continue to reap educational opportunities

Lake Merced Tract
By: Lisa Barret

This report explains the context of the three PUC sites at Lake Merced – including both current land
use and features and historical land use and features—analyzes the unique features of each site, and
proposes ten permaculture design ideas to develop local components of a sustainable food system. The
proposal also highlights relevant issues, such as the presence of pesticides, and addresses community
concerns and groups that need to be part of any design considerations. Finally, the proposal presents a
coherent long-term vision for use of the PUC sites that integrates elements of the ten individual design
ideas. The integrated vision outlines how the three PUC sites can be designed to recover lost energy,
cycle energy toward food production, grow food sustainably, and ensure that lake visitors, local
residents, and area establishments directly benefit from both food production and food education at the
three sites.

While many local conversations need to follow this proposal and precede design implementation, the
potential to implement a sustainable program that aligns with the goals of Lake Merced advocates and
supports the long-term health of lake ecosystems is both exciting and tangible.

Assessment
There are three PUC sites for possible development at Lake Merced:

The three sites vary in size and geographical context:

Surrounding Lake Merced are various local establishments, organizations, and resources that play a
role in the local community and should play a role in determining the most effective use of the PUC
sites within the local context:

Within close proximity of the lake are several golf courses, Lowell High School, San Francisco State
University, the Zoo, and other groups and organizations that could contribute to a local, sustainable
urban food program and/or benefit from it. In later design ideas, this proposal will circle back to how
various local establishments and organizations might contribute volunteer time and resources to
program components, and how they should be considered as main food consumers and program
beneficiaries.

This proposal also takes seriously the established current uses of the lake area and the context of Lake
Merced neighborhoods, to ensure that futures uses of the area will work well with (and also improve)
existing local structures:

Current uses and usage features: *
• Biking/walking path around the lake
– Thin but steady stream of walkers, runners, bikers, dog walkers
– Walking paths give access to the lake and are used by walkers, student groups,
and fishermen
• Three Golf Courses
• Several restaurants, including banquets, weddings, golf tournaments, and regular diners
held at Harding Park

* Based on observations over two days, 7/2011

Current neighborhood: *
• Mostly single family homes, denser on the north and west sides
• Traffic on Skyline Blvd. on the west side of the lake is fast (45+ mph)
– Almost no stop signs/intersections
– Likely a high number of commuters
– Relatively loud (both car and airplane noise)
• Traffic on Lake Merced Blvd. on the east side is relatively slower (three5 mph)
– More stops, traffic lights, residential off-shoot streets
– Likely more residential traffic

* Based on observation over two days, 7/2011

An effective design will put local residents and lake users at its center, viewing them as the
primary local consumers of, volunteers for, and contributors to the various program
components. For example, residents may really appreciate a new local farmers’ market to buy
good produce, but they may be more likely to go if it is in a highly visible location with easy
access and attractive signage. Additionally, an effective design should complement current lake
uses and goals to ensure community support and program success.

An effective permaculture design must also consider and work within the context of the area’s history,
including changes to the lake area ecology and human impact over time, and Lake Merced has
undergone significant changes in the past 200 years. In the late 1700s, the lake area was covered in
sand dunes with minimal human usage, and the lake had an outlet to the sea. Today Lake Merced
functions as a city park with many human uses and includes a range of micro-ecosystems around the
lake that vary in soil quality, flora, and fauna. Today there are also numerous, well-established non-
native species of plants and animals that co-exist with the remaining native species in and around the
lake. The following is a brief history of Lake Merced and its uses.

Brief historical timeline:

• Before 1774:
– Dune landscape and ecology
– Lake had an outlet to the sea
– Inhabited by Ohlone Indians who used the lake for fish
• 1774 – 1868:

– Passed from the Spanish to the Mexicans, used for limited but increasing
agriculture
– Increased grazing led to decreased grasses, increased brush
• 1868 – 1890
– Sea outlet disappeared
– Spring Valley Water Company purchased water rights and exercised near-
monopoly on city water, holding the city hostage for drinking water and fire fighting needs
– City of SF built Hetch-Hetchy to ensure stable water source
• 1890-1950
– Without a monopoly SVWC sold off land pieces, housing/development began to
soar
– Fort Funston was activated for military use in WWI and WWII
• 1960 – present
– Citizens established concern over water levels and loss of flora/natural habitat
– PUC acquired water rights, charged with ensuring potable water supply and
keeping water levels from dropping
– Water levels and health of the fishery have fluctuated

Given both this historical context and the importance of contextualizing permaculture designs in local
priorities, it is worth noting the priorities established by a 1998 report commissioned by the SFPUC for
the purposes of establishing baseline information on the existing ecology of Lake Merced and setting
goals for future management:

• The report stated that the number one priority of area management should be the use of Lake
Merced as an emergency water source for San Francisco.

• The report also listed three goals for a suggested Natural Resources and Education Program:
1. Enhance biodiversity.
2. Minimize human impact.
3. Educate the public about natural resources and restoration.

These three priorities inform the design ideas outlined later in this proposal and the
differentiated approach suggested for the three (very different) PUC areas.

Analysis of the Three Sites

The following analyses are based on site observations over two days in July 2011.

1. Harding Area

Wind • Strong wind from west and slightly from the north
• Not much shelter provided by trees on this part of the lake
Sunlight • Often overcast but with a lot of indirect light coming through clouds
Soil and • Gentle slope from parking lot down to the lake
Elevation • Mostly grassy, manicured effect (mowed lawns)
• Soil quality appeared good: black, rich texture, many earthworms
Plants • In terms of trees, eucalyptus dominate, also cypress
• Some shrubs and grasses
Animals • Fish in the lake, dogs on leashes (relevant to all parts of the lake)
• High concentration of seagulls on the abandoned building (southern
side) with strong smell and large amount of feathers, poop
People use • Observed use north of Harding Drive: Grills and picnic tables that
show signs of recent use, walking paths, parking areas for 80+ cars, boat
launch/storage area, student groups kayaking and learning water safety
• Observed use south of Harding Drive: No obvious current human
use; abandoned parking lot with chopped wood and cleared debris
(possibly from the golf course), next to abandoned building
• Heavy traffic/steady stream of cars to Harding Park Golf Course

2. Sunset Area

Wind • Regular wind from the west, not as strong as Harding but noticeable
• Area directly west of parking lot is somewhat protected by older
trees
Soil and • Steep slope from large parking lot down to the water
Elevation • Area just southwest of parking lot has been developed for lake access:
steep slope down with winding paved paths, bushes between paths
• Area directly west of the parking lot appears untouched: sloping, tree-
filled, flattens out at bottom, no walking paths
• Soil seems to be loamy sand (from basic soap and water test)
Plants • Trees are mostly eucalyptus; there are numerous small bushes
• Thick growth in the “untouched” area directly west of the parking lot
• Numerous flowering plants that need identification and analysis for
existing food potential; Lake Merced Taskforce documents California
blackberry (Rubus ursinus) and red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)
Animals • Fish in the lake, dogs on leashes (relevant to all parts of the lake)
People use • Observed use: walkers and fishermen on the established paths
• Use of the large parking lot (can hold approx. 100 cars) as a starting
point for walking/running around the lake

3. Middlefield Area

Wind • Relatively strong wind from the west: less windy than Harding area,
windier than Sunset area
• Some protection from trees closer to the road, although sparse
Soil and • Flat elevation, level with road
Elevation • Dry in appearance: golden-brown plants grasses and plants in contrast
with green in the other parts of the lake
• Soil seems to be loamy sand (from basic soap and water test)
Plants • Mostly grasses
• Sparse and younger trees (possibly eucalyptus, need identification)
Animals • Fish in the lake, dogs on leashes (relevant to all parts of the lake,
although in the Middlefield Area most people walk by on the
path/sidewalk and are not stopping or exploring in this area)
People use • No observed or formal use by people in this area; evidence of
informal walking trails
• Joggers, runners, and bikers pass by on the sidewalk/path on the edge

4. Accessibility

Cars • Overall easy car access with steady traffic
 • More commuter traffic on the west side/ Skyline Blvd. (conjecture)
• More local traffic on the east side/ Lake Merced Blvd. (conjecture)
• Parking lot opposite Sunset Blvd. is large, easily visible, and attractive
• Harding parking lot is smaller, invisible from the road, and suffers in
parts from heavy amounts of bird manure and feathers
• City should consider increasing access to the Sunset parking lot (e.g.
for farmers’ markets): reconstruct north-west entrance to allow entry
from west-bound cars exiting Sunset Blvd; possibly widen Lake Merced
Blvd. by the eastern lot entrance to add a dedicated left-turn lane
Bikes • Great bike lanes
 • Could serve sunset neighborhood bike traffic
• Not sure of neighborhood origin of bikers who use the lake paths
Public Transit • At least one bus line

 • Need more research on bus presence and use

Pedestrians • Walkers currently appear to be mostly exercisers who drive, park,
and walk (based on observation and conjecture)


5. Concerns
– Pesticides are being sprayed on Harding Park Golf Course:
• Confirmed: Cleary’s 3336 fungicide; active ingredient: Thiophanate Methyl
• According to a sign observed by the Harding Park Golf Course on 7/26/11, human
access was slated to resume on 7/28/11 after the last round of spray
• According to the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/tm_red.pdf)
Thiophanate Methyl is “a likely human carcinogen” and “is expected to pose a
chronic risk to endangered birds, mammals, aquatic animals, and aquatic plants
under most of the registered use scenarios”
– Permaculture designs that are less “complex” will have a higher likelihood of
sustainability and effective management for years to come, but more complex
solutions may better involve the community and ultimately lead to long-term change.
• E.g. A zoo waste composting program run in partnership with Lowell HS students
that produces compost and energy for a garden that feeds zoo visitors may be
more meaningful and impactful than a simple composting program, whereas a
simple program may be easier to maintain but less meaningful/impactful.
• Any permaculture design will need to answer the question of who will maintain
these areas in 2, 6, 10, and 30 years.
– Currently there is no composting at Lake Merced. Given the presence of energy bi-
products from picnickers, dogs, birds, fish, grass cutting, landscaping, and the nearby
zoo, there is a clear need for an energy cycling program to tap this resource. As a
“must do,” the city should prioritize creating an effective composting program.

Outstanding Questions

Many questions came up in researching design ideas to turn the PUC sites at Lake Merced into
working parts of a sustainable urban food program. These questions should be fleshed out in
the next phase of design and in ongoing discussions of appropriate, effective uses of these sites:

? What pollutants are affecting the water quality of Lake Merced? What are possible
permaculture solutions?
? How can Harding Park Golf Course use non-chemical pesticides? How can the city enforce
eco-friendly practices? Is there a local permaculture solution?
? Does the zoo currently have an animal waste compost program? Does it compost/recycle all of
its manure? How is energy regained from dead animals?
? What existing relationships at Lowell High School and/or SFSU can facilitate management of
urban food program structures at Lake Merced? Based on relationships to date, what is the
assessment of effort it would require vs. impact it would have to leverage Lowell/SFSU to
manage such structures?
? What consumer markets can be tapped by food production at Lake Merced, e.g. Harding Park
Golf Course (tournaments, dining, banquets, weddings, and normal users), SFSU community,
shooting range visitors, local residents?
? How sustainable is the fishery? Is it possible to run a sustainable fishing program in the lake,
i.e. no restocking? Are there bi-products of the fishery that can be utilized for the energy cycle
in an overall urban food program?
? Is there a way to manage seagull manure to result in energy benefits and minimize annoyance
(smell, appearance) for lake visitors?
? What material are the clay pigeons used by the shooting ranges? Is there a good permaculture
re-use for bi-products? Are there sustainable clay pigeon material options that can benefit an
urban food program (a la rock dust)?
? Should biogas also be explored as a possible use of zoo animal waste?

Scenarios
The following permaculture designs are potential ideas to maximize resources available at the
Lake Merced sites, while considering the context of the Lake Merced ecology and local
community resources.

Each design idea includes subjective “effort” and “impact” ratings of high, medium, or low,
where “effort” means the amount of human time and resources required to start and maintain
this design, and “impact” refers to how great of an impact this design can have on overall
sustainable food production in SF.

These ideas are not mutually exclusive and ideally should be synthesized and integrated into an
overall long-term vision. An integrated design proposal for the best use of the Lake Merced
PUC sites follows the individual design ideas.

Design Scenario #1: Composting Program

Rationale: Compost recaptures energy and diverts materials that would otherwise end up in the
waste stream. Good compost also means high food yield and has many potential uses.

Details:
• Lowest level of effort: Create composting program in the Harding Area to capture
energy from dog and picnickers’ compostable waste around the lake
• Build enclosed compost bins that meet city regulations
• Establish Lowell HS program to manage compost
• Medium effort: Add on composting program to recover all grass and landscaping bi-
products from Harding Park Golf Course
• Enforce SF regulations for eco-friendly golf course management, potentially
leveraging Friends of Lake Merced and Lake Merced Taskforce
• Remove toxins through compost process
• Medium effort: Add on composting component to recover lost energy from seagull
guano and/or fish emulsion (high in N, P, K)
• Create a fish-cleaning station to encourage fishermen to clean fish on-site and
compost bi-products in special containers; manage emulsion process through designated,
trained staff or volunteers
• Collect seagull feathers and waste for compost, or design nesting areas that will
concentrate waste for increased compost collection
• Highest level of effort: Add on zoo bi-product composting program at the Middlefield
site to recover massive amounts of available (unused) energy
• Collect animal waste and dead animals
• Compost through non-odorous processes (well-managed compost piles and black
fly larvae programs)
• Sell or offer top-quality soil for urban gardens, turning this area into a compost
pick-up site
• Could create green-collar jobs for SF residents

Design Scenario #2: Food Forest

Rationale: A food forest, once established, takes care of itself and complements lake goals to
preserve natural species, beauty, and habitats.

Details:
• Lowest level of effort: Preserving the current “wild” feel of the area directly west of the
Sunset Blvd. parking lot, cultivate native food plants
• Analyze existing plants for food potential
• Create materials to teach what is available and how to cook with it,
including posting signs to indicate what is ripe and not (and/or)
• Teach local restaurants what is available and how to cook with it to
reduce food miles for Lake Merced establishments
• Low-medium effort: Cultivate additional fruits (e.g. berries) and vegetables that can
grow in sandier soil

• Cultivate new food plants near existing walking paths, or construct
limited additional walking paths from local, abundant materials
• Bring in native food-producing plants that can also tackle erosion
• Higher level of effort:
• Cultivate native plants (more research needed) that can out-compete non-native
plants (e.g. Eucalyptus); potentially sheet mulch specific areas
• With invasive species under control, diversify with local plants in phase II

Design Scenario #3: Orchard

Rationale: The trees currently dominating the Harding and Middlefield Areas are invasive, non-
native, and non-food producing. Orchards, once established, take little effort to maintain and
bring joy to those who benefit.

Details:
• Medium effort: Bring in appropriate local, fruiting frees to the Harding Area
• Establish a wind break on the west side, near Skyline Blvd., which will cut noise
and wind and allow for an orchard on the edge of the picnic area
• Create a healthy guild with multiple nitrogen fixers, insectaries, etc. and with
trees with varying harvesting seasons and that can prevent erosion
• High effort: Create a fruit orchard in the Middlefield Area, which currently is largely
unused and generally lacks native plant species
• Designate an intensive composting and mulching area, leveraging available
nutrient-rich sources (dog poop, zoo animal waste, picnickers)
• After 1-2 years of intensive mulching, plants windbreaks, nitrogen fixers,
appropriate keystones, climbers, insectaries, etc. in designated part
• Manage harvesting with help from Lowell HS students or green collar city
workers, posting signs to inform the community whether fruit is ripe/ready
• Medium effort: Establish chicken flock at the base of the orchard, complemented by a
black fly larvae compost program to feed them

Design Scenario #4: Small-scale food gardens

Rationale: Reduce food miles for local restaurants and consumers. Create a model that can be
replicated in many local backyards.

Details:
• Medium effort: Turn the unused south side of the Harding Area into garden plots with
several potential uses:
• Green collar city workers could receive training to manage the garden and sell or
offer crops to local restaurants and residents
• Local restaurants could lease space to grow food and reduce food miles
• SFSU or Lowell HS students could lease or manage plots
• Community members could lease or manage plots
• Medium to high effort: Create a learning center in the Harding Area in the unused
building or the newly developed food gardens

• Increase wind breaks to increase diversity of potential cultivars
• Create a model garden with species and cultivar labels where city residents can
come learn, pick a garden to replicate, and start a garden in their own backyards
• Provide education about edible plants, mushrooms, nuts, etc.

Design Scenario #5: Farmers Market in Sunset Blvd. Parking Lot

Rationale: The closest farmers’ markets are currently at 8th & Irving and Stonestown. The
Sunset Blvd. parking lot is large and highly visible to lake visitors and local traffic patterns.

Details:
• High effort: Redesign parking lot entrances and traffic lanes and redraw parking spots to
increase accessibility and maximize space
• Add left turn lane and parking entrance for drivers exiting Sunset Blvd. and
heading west on Lake Merced Blvd.
• Add dedicated left turn lane into the parking lot for drivers heading north on
Lake Merced Blvd. from the east side of the lake
• Add additional pedestrian crosswalks in the vicinity
• Add attractive, hand-painted signs on all approaching streets
• Medium effort: Run monthly or weekly farmers’ markets (start slow to gauge interest)
• Manage through green collar city workers, SFSU students, or residents,
depending on their readiness and goals of the market
• Low effort: Set up roadside stands for seasonally grown produce
• Self-managed booths, requiring minimal city oversight

Design Scenario #6: Food distribution center

Rationale: Significant energy is currently spent on packaging and refrigerating perishable foods.
The cool climate of the lake creates the conditions for a green storage and distribution facility
with “natural air conditioning.”

Details:
• High effort: Revamp the abandoned building in the Harding Area to create a storage and
distribution facility
• Use root cellars and manage natural air circulation to regulate conditions year-
round
• Store tubers, squash, melons, etc. which can be stored and sold over several
weekends of Farmers’ Markets
• Use re-usable packaging and crates (wooden, cardboard)
• High effort: Install egg vending machines to reduce food miles and support local,
decentralized food exchange; if successful, expand to other products
• Use cool climate (not electricity) to regulate temperature
• Depends on local egg production/farmers to put eggs in the machine
• Best location is Sunset Blvd. parking lot for accessibility; aesthetic design would
be key

• Numerous preconditions (health regulations, physical design) for success

Design Scenario #7: High-Water-Usage Crop Cultivation

Rationale: Use lake water irrigation to cultivate crops that require high amounts of water.
Create a specialty for lake food production. Reduce water use in other parts of the city.

Details:
• High effort: Design gardens in the Harding area for high-water-need crops
• Use multi-layered worm/compost bins to filter lake water, digest possible toxins
in the water, and cycle water into simple, sub-soil drip irrigation system
• Plant melons, cucumbers, and/or other high-water-need plants
• Adjust light and wind (reflective light, natural wind breaks, etc.)
• Create guilds with plants that match possible toxins, i.e. analyze toxins in the soil
and water and introduce appropriate plants that can absorb or break down toxins to keep them
out of food production
• High effort: Replace invasive eucalyptus trees, which use a ton of water
• Designate pieces of the Harding area to remove eucalyptus, sheet mulch,
“restart” the soil, and envision new guilds of food-producing trees
• Include a significant number of trees to break wind
• Determine which trees can thrive in a relatively harsh, cold climate
• Consider phasing in high-water-need trees and plants in designated plots of the
Middlefield area, with years of soil-enrichment work/mulching

Design Scenario #8: Consumer Focus

Rationale: Focusing on the perspective of existing users can produce a simple, streamlined
design approach, with the goal of complementing existing practices with sustainable designs.

Details:
• Cyclists: Create a water re-fill station for cyclists with treated lake-water
• Design attractive educational boards to promote sustainable practices
• Explore using a root system to filter water (similar to using watercress to filter
fish waste out of water in closed-loop aquaponic systems)
• Zoo visitors: Sell sustainably-grown food to the zoo café/restaurant
• Capitalize on visitors’ inherent interest in nature and the environment
• Use zoo waste to grow plants to feed zoo visitors; highlight this cycle to zoo
restaurant visitors to increase consumer interest and spread good practices
• Zoo animals: Raise plants at the lake to feed zoo animals, reduce food miles
• Walkers: Create a seasonal juice stand using fruit/berries grown at the lake
• Address the fact that beverage consumption practices are particularly wasteful
(packaging waste, many food miles, refrigeration energy)
• Fishermen: Create a designated baiting and fish-cleaning area
• Develop a worm/grub harvest program using dedicated plots/bins
• Post attractive educational materials with sustainable practices/ regulations

• Provide an area to clean fish on site and recover “waste” for energy cycling

Design Scenario #9: Packaging

Rationale: There is a huge need for sustainable food packaging made from local, abundant
sources. Willows and other weaving plants can grow in the lake climate.

Details:
• Low effort: Analyze existing lake-side plants for weaving potential (for packaging
production), and increase the abundance of plants that can be used for weaving material
• Integrate planting of new plants with lake beautification goals, which should
include planting more trees to reduce wind, reduce sound, and absorb pollutants
• Establish Lowell HS program to appropriately harvest plants for weaving
• Sell or provide raw packaging materials to local individuals who can produce
sustainable packaging
• Medium effort: Explore low-city-investment options for packaging production, e.g. hire
or appoint community members or SFSU art students to develop a weaving program
• Medium-high effort: Establish formalized, commercial packaging program
• Invest in branding
• Invest in tools or machinery, as well as location

Design Sceanrio #10: Seagull Management

Rationale: Although seagull management alone is not necessary for urban food production, if
integrated with sustainable agriculture practices at Lake Merced it will recover energy (scat) for
nutrient cycling, improve the appeal of the lake to visitors and potential food buyers, and
address possible disease transmission.

Details:
• Low effort: Introduce closed compost, recycling, and garbage containers around the lake
to remove unintended seagull food sources
• Include effective educational signs on the importance of proper waste disposal
and proper trash separation
• As part of regular park clean-up activities, collect feathers and poop from
Harding Area and deposit into the compost area on site
• Medium effort: Design structures that will attract gulls to roost, in order to manage and
concentrate the population and recover waste products/energy
• On land: Add an aesthetically attractive and gull-friendly rooftop design to the
abandoned building in the Harding Area; use materials that will catch feathers and are easy to
clean
• Over water: Design a floating island with a mesh bottom to attract seagulls to
roost and return feathers and poop to the water for energy cycling
• Explore introducing a managed food scrap program, to manage human desire to
feed the birds, e.g. mechanism to deposit crumbs on the island

Possible Integrated Design Scenario

Context:

An effective overall design for the Lake Merced PUC sites, to support the larger city goals of
designing and promoting sustainable urban food programs across San Francisco, needs to
integrate the various design ideas above into a comprehensive long-term vision. Then in order
for the vision to move forward, the process must involve local stakeholders and community
groups for the purposes of incorporating local input, aligning goals, and determining
community commitments. This plan cannot be successful without the support and commitment
of local groups (see Next Steps).

As alluded to previously, the goals of many Lake Merced advocates include preserving natural
habitats and native species in and around the lake. Effective permaculture designs also depend
on replicating and developing healthy, balanced ecosystems. Therefore the integrated design
proposed here differentiates its approach to each PUC area, to consider the unique natural
features of each:
• Harding: The Harding Area presents a manicured setting with a traditional park feel
(grass, picnic tables, paths, parking, outdoor activities). Therefore proposed design features are
“hands-on,” bringing in sustainable human activities such as gardening and composting to
complement existing uses.
• Sunset: The Sunset Area is composed of a well-accessed, highly-used and paved area of
human activity right alongside a largely untouched tract of trees, shrubs, and other plants. To
complement these features, the proposed design preserves human and natural boundaries.
• Middlefield: The Middlefield Area is a more unused (by humans), dry, sandy area with
numerous invasive species. The presence of invasive species and the changes to this area over
time suggest that appropriate management should preserve some of the existing features but
requires significant human intervention to address current imbalances in the micro- ecosystem.
The proposed design features therefore strive to achieve a middle ground between preservation
and re-envisioning of this area.

This proposal also makes assumptions about the human resources necessary to set up and then
manage ongoing Lake Merced design components and includes some ideas for human
resourcing in the text below in italics. The assumptions need to be scrutinized and refined
before finalizing the program design. To manage all aspects of the proposed program, a paid
site-manager position could be a full-time, city-funded, green-collar job that conceivably pays
for itself or is subsidized through the successful sale of crops, food products, and high-quality
soil from the program. However, to determine the most effective management and staffing
structure, a detailed analysis will need to be undertaken to confirm true costs and projected
profits/outcomes of the program, as well as available community resource to help sustain it.

Rationale:

The integrated design proposal naturally combines the individual design elements by weighing
the benefits of any component or strategy against the effort it will take to implement that
component, in order to ensure the overall plan is not only effective but efficient. The integrated
design proposal also continues to focus on local context: how to ensure benefits to local users

and expand the impact into local establishments, backyards, and routines.

More specifically, the integrated design proposal stems directly from the larger permaculture
goal to maximize use of the PUC sites to support sustainable food practices in San Francisco.
Therefore, the integrated design proposal
• Pulls out individual design ideas that are high impact, in order to maximize use
of the available land (e.g. composting is a central feature, seagull management is not) and
focuses on implementation of these ideas.
• Selects lower-effort means of achieving high-impact results (e.g. creating a
compost program in the Harding Area with existing lake waste products) to work most
efficiently and also take advantage of “low-hanging fruit.”
• Only selects higher-effort strategies with significant positive impacts (e.g. a zoo
animal waste composting program is a big operation but benefits a significant numerous city
residents in multiple ways, from increasing soil quality in the PUC sites to helping farmers
throughout the city fertilize new gardens to reducing landfill quantities to increasing food
production).
• Includes a diverse range of program components in order to broaden the impact
of this work by affecting multiple users (e.g. restaurants, fishermen, local households and
shoppers, etc.).
• Offers multiple entry points for long-term impact opportunities, including
through educational materials and training sessions (e.g. food foraging can become a high-
impact activity if sustainable practices are replicated by visitors in their own backyards or
replace previously-practiced non-sustainable approaches).
• Thinks both short- and long-term by
• Ensuring that immediate, tangible results (“quick wins”) will build
immediate community support (e.g. food production in gardens and food forest), and
• Putting in place design components that will help local residents
internalize and implement permaculture practices (e.g. through model gardens, food foraging,
local egg production, etc.) for years to come.
• Increases in complexity year over year to ensure incremental success (e.g. starts
with gardens only in the Harding Area – the natural choice –but builds soil quality in the
Middlefield Area to eventually implement a well-managed guild there, expands the Harding
Area gardens to increase impact and scope, etc.).
• Addresses issues that are obstacles to success (including the presence of toxins
and harsh wind which will affect human use and enjoyment of the area no matter what, in
addition to permaculture success).

Long-Term Vision:

20-Year Vision: Simplified Overview
Zoo

Food forest
Orchard,
gardens
Egg vending,
regular farmers’
Gardens market

Eco-friendly golf
course practices
Harding Park

Compost material collection Food production Educational info.

Compost production Food selling and consumption
Over the next 20 years, Lake Merced PUC sites could become effective food- and energy-
producing hubs of urban food production. This plan envisions a comprehensive program that
would complement existing lake uses and priorities, utilize currently unused local resources,
cycle energy through healthy ecosystems, and produce job and educational opportunities for
green-collar workers and community residents, students, and volunteers. In this plan, zoo waste
products would no longer be “waste”: They would contribute to the health of the lake
ecosystems. Rather than shipping in produce from great distances, local restaurants would have
the opportunity to grow food crops close to their establishments, reducing food miles and using
sustainable resources. Residents would have opportunities to appropriately harvest edible
plants already growing around the lake and learn how to start gardens in their own backyards.

The 20-Year Vision: Simplified Overview gives a general overview of a well-managed, locally-
supported, sustainable urban food program at Lake Merced that works with and benefits the
local community in multiple ways. Details for achieving this vision follow.

Integrated Design: Year 1

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