At the Dec. 2, 2010 Recreation and Parks Commission meeting, parking strategies to accommodate Presidio Parkway (Doyle Drive) construction staging were presented for the commissioners’ vote. The proposals included one plan for a new parking lot near the southern entrance of the Palace of Fine Arts and two plans for restriping existing parking lots near the St. Francis
Yacht Club.

The parking lot behind the Exploratorium, which is owned by the Presidio, will be closed to public use in January 2011. The lot is within the temporary construction easement (TCE) for the Presidio Parkway Project, and the Presidio Trust agreed to make the space available for the construction and operation of temporary bypass roadways, resulting in the temporary removal of 258 public parking spaces.

The parking plans proposed by the Recreation and Park Department were developed to accommodate displaced Palace of Fine Arts Theatre and Exploratorium visitor parking and bus activity, and to minimize parking overflow into adjacent neighborhoods. The proposed strategies are to be implemented while the Presidio Parkway is under construction and restored back to their existing conditions when the highway project is completed in 2014.

The specific plans include:
1) Create a temporary parking lot with approximately 23 spaces at the empty triangular lot located at Palace Drive and Lyon Street (across from the south entrance to the Palace of Fine Arts).

2) Allow parallel parking for 18 spaces on the west side of Yacht Drive (parallel to the Little Marina Green).

3) Restripe the two existing yacht harbor parking lots (on either side of the St. Francis Yacht Club), dedicating the eastern portion to yacht club users.

A previous proposal to restripe Baker and Bay Streets to create angled parking was removed from consideration due to very strong objections from neighbors over reduced traffic safety and increased traffic volume on the residential streets.

Palace Drive and Lyon Street Parking Lot

A new parking lot is proposed for the empty, marginally landscaped lot formed by the triangle of Lyon Street, Palace Drive and Doyle Drive, across from the new south entrance of the Palace of Fine Arts. This 9,000-square-foot piece of property is co-owned by S.F. Recreation and Park and CalTrans. Approximately 23 parking spaces are planned for the lot, with the entrance/exit located on Palace Drive.

Notably, there were objections raised from residents on Lyon Street who were concerned about additional traffic noise from both the parking cars and the loss of noise-buffering trees on the lot. Neighbors were also concerned about the “visual noise” created by a parking lot. To lessen the visual impact, the use of permeable concrete pavers planted with drivable grass was proposed to create a more natural appearance than asphalt paving.

Recreation and Park’s Recommendation

Recreation and Park recommended approval of four parking realignments to accommodate the displaced parking spaces: to create the temporary parking lot for approximately 23 spaces at the triangular lot located at Palace Drive and Lyon Street; to allow parallel parking on the west side of Yacht Drive for 18 spaces; to restripe the east and west yacht club parking lots (dedicating the eastern portion to Yacht club users); and the installation of Exploratorium directional signs within the yacht club parking areas.