[The Plain English description, typed in exactly 12 pt spacing, Arial 12 pt, no more than 250 characters/spaces in brackets [ ], should clearly state the purpose of the legislation as the legal title sometimes does not state the reason.]

Resolution urging the Presidio Trust and CalTrans to immediately resolve the toxicity issue at Mountain Lake through further testing, clean up and diversion measures; and urging the Recreation and Park Department to immediately post signs warning residents that Mountain Lake has been designated a toxic clean up site.

WHEREAS, Mountain Lake is one of the last two remaining natural lakes in the City and County of San Francisco and has been designated a toxic clean up site by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, a department within the California Environmental Protection Agency; and,

WHEREAS, Mountain Lake is a spring-fed natural lake covering almost four acres located mostly in the southern portion of the Presidio and directly east of State Highway 1 just before the MacArthur Tunnel leading to the Golden Gate Bridge; and,

WHEREAS, Mountain Lake serves as a feeder to Lobos Creek, which is a source of drinking water for the Presidio; and,

WHEREAS, The City and County of San Francisco own the adjacent hiking trails and beach outlining the Lake making Mountain Lake a focal point for Mountain Lake Park. The playground and tennis courts look out on to the Lake, walking trails wrap around its shores, park users picnic along the shoreline and families feed ducks that swim in the lake; and,

WHEREAS, Mountain Lake has been impacted by stormwater roadway runoff from the adjacent Park Presidio Boulevard also known as Highway 1; and,

WHEREAS, Since their inception in the 1930's, a series of storm drains collecting runoff from Highway 1 discharge directly into the lake through piping underneath and adjacent to the roadway; and,

WHEREAS, The Lake sediments have been compromised by heavy metals, sediment and petroleum hydrocarbons that have been washed off the roads and into the lake. The lake water and sediment quality is also compromised by other factors, such as filling of the lake during construction of the MacArthur Tunnel and Highway 1; and,

WHEREAS, Mountain Lake is vulnerable to any future accident or spill on Highway 1 because of the Lake's proximity to the roadway and the direct flow of runoff from the road to the lake; and,

WHEREAS, The Lake has also been impacted by runoff from the Presidio Golf Course; and,

WHEREAS, To improve the lake water and sediment quality, two actions are necessary including (1) diversion of storm drains flowing directly into the lake from the roadway and replacement of the outlet and overflow pipe and (2) dredging of the lake to remove contaminated sediments and fill; and,

WHEREAS, A hearing was held on this issue in the Land Use and Economic Development Committee on Monday, February 25, 2008, where representatives from the Presidio Trust and CalTrans were present; and,

WHEREAS, Both parties bear responsibility for cleaning up Mountain Lake but have yet to come up with a plan to remediate the problems facing the Lake; now, therefore, be it

RESOLved, That the Board of Supervisors urges both the Presidio Trust and CalTrans to come up with a plan to clean up Mountain Lake and to prevent further contamination as soon as possible; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors urges the Presidio Trust to conduct further testing on the lake shore to rule out any shoreline contamination problems where individuals may come into direct contact; and, be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Board of Supervisors urges the Recreation and Park Department to install signs along the beachfront areas of Mountain Lake warning residents that the Lake has been designated a toxic clean up site.