The Issue

At the time of the GMPA, a portion of Crissy Field was used as an Army maintenance facility and much of the land was covered with asphalt or hardpack. The GMPA's recommendations were to accommodate recreational users, restore the tidal marsh and dunes, and restore the airfield, but the 145-acre parcel was barely large enough to accommodate all of these different uses. This challenge, along with the political nature of planning in San Francisco, made the planning process extremely difficult. The design plan for this small piece of land had to consider cultural, natural, and scenic values while still meeting the public's need for recreational opportunities. There was tension between those who saw the highest value of the land in a recreated marsh providing plant and animal habitat, those who viewed the land strictly as a cultural landscape that should be managed for its significance in aviation history, and those who valued the recreational opportunities for residents in the surrounding urban community. Consideration of these conflicting interests during development of the plan, and implementation of that plan, proved a long and difficult process. Management of the property will continue to pose challenges. The National Park Service and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy are working to build and maintain relationships with neighboring communities and constituents throughout San Francisco.