Flyfunston

If you want to save our setup area, you need to let the GGNRA know that there is a better location for the accessibility improvements planned at Fort Funston.

Attending the public meeting would be best:

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 4:00 to 6:30 PM
GGNRA Park Headquarters
Fort Mason Building 201
San Francisco, CA 94123

If you can't make the meeting to leave your comment, please go here instead, email link at the bottom of the page: http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/p ... access.htm

The last day to make a comment is November 17.

Your personal words are best, here is what I wrote;


Dear GOGA Planning,

I fully support providing access for those with special needs, however, some of your current plans do not take into account the critical needs of other established users.

My comment is in regard to the accessibility improvement plans for Fort Funston, specifically, the picnic tables and wheelchair seating planned for the area on the south side of the existing wood boardwalk that connects the north parking lot to the hang glider deck. This area is currently being used as a setup and breakdown area for hang gliders and is crucial to hang gliding operations at Fort Funston.

The Fellow Feathers of Fort Funston Hang Gliding Club has been flying at Fort Funston for over 30 years and was the first group to sign a Special Use Permit when the GGNRA acquired the property. Our SUP includes use of the setup area, as this is the only location that provides sufficient shelter to safely set up our gliders. Without this sheltered area, the wind would continually blow over our gliders, and we would not be able to set them up or break them down safely. Hang gliding at Fort Funston would be gravely effected.

There is a simple solution to this problem: There is an area on the north side of the existing wood boardwalk that would provide shelter for picnic table and wheelchair seating, while at the same time giving visitors a great view of the hang gliding activities. I strongly urge the GGNRA to build the accessibility improvements in this area rather than take away from the hang glider setup area.

Another benefit to making accessibility improvements on the north side has to do with the elevation difference between the parking lot and the hang glider deck. An ADA compliant ramp will need a long approach to comply with the slope requirements. I believe these requirements could be met by routing the ramp from the north west corner of the parking lot and skirting around a north side picnic area. You can see a mock-up of this route here: http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p32/ ... icarea.jpg

On a different topic; Your plans to build a bathroom with running water and a drinking fountain/dog water station sound great! These facilities will benefit all visitors and we look forward to their completion.

I have been hang gliding at Fort Funston for decades now, and there are not enough words to express my appreciation for your keeping this world class hang gliding site open to the public.

I will simply say “Thank You!”

Sincerely,
Steve Rodrigues
Brisbane, CA