Tag Archive for: Compare

Now is the time for San Francisco to decide the future of Sharp Park. The city has three options:

  1. Leave Sharp Park as is, and allow the course to continue losing money and killing imperiled species
  2. Close the golf course and restore Laguna Salada to its natural state
  3. Pay for expensive improvements to the course and the protective sea wall, which will necessitate privatizing the course

Partnering with the National Park Service to create a better public park for everyone is the best choice San Francisco can make at Sharp Park. But don’t take our word for it—compare the options for yourself.


Impact on: The Status Quo Restore Sharp Park Privatize Sharp Park
The Course Sharp Park remains a poorly maintained, underperforming golf course Sharp Park and the club house become the National Park Visitor Center for San Mateo County Sharp Park becomes a private course that costs over $120 for a round of golf
The Environment Sharp Park continues to illegally harm California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake Creates diverse habitat where California red-legged frog and San Francisco garter snake thrive Sharp Park receives permit to legally harm red-legged frogs during operation; garter snakes are still at risk
Pacifica Sharp Park golf course draws few tourists and does little to boost the Pacifica’s economy National Park Visitor Center draws tourists and becomes a cornerstone of redevelopment of downtown Pacifica Sharp Park golf course draws even fewer golfers and tourists because of high cost of a round of golf
San Francisco Sharp Park drains $30,000 to $300,000 a year from San Francisco city budget, City parks suffer budget cuts while the city subsidizes a San Mateo golf course Costs the city of San Francisco nothing. Frees up money for city parks and recreation Costs the city of San Francisco nothing
Recreation Provides recreation opportunities for a small number of San Francisco and Pacifica golfers Provide more hiking trails which are in high demand in the Bay Area. Also connects the 400-mile Bay Ridge Trail to the sea Accommodates an even smaller number of golfers, as high prices drive away casual golfers and school groups
The Beach The sea berm continues to cause beach erosion, which will likely destroy Pacifica’s beach within decades A restored tidal lagoon system at Sharp Park will absorb ocean waves, slowing beach erosion A $30 million reinforced sea wall will contribute to and possibly even accelerate beach erosion in Pacifica
Federal Taxpayers Costs federal taxpayers nothing Costs taxpayers only operating costs of the National Park Service Federal government pays more than $30 million for course improvements and sea wall
Flooding Course flooding threatens Pacifica homes Gradual phasing out of the sea berm and replacement of natural lagoon system will protect Pacifica homes from flooding Course flooding will continue to threaten Pacifica homes
Labor Union job opportunities stay the same Union job opportunities stay the same or increase, since the National Park System in unionized Union job opportunities disappear, because private course workers will not be unionized