MENUTurf Policy Problems
On February 19, 2026, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission adopted resolution 2602-009, Recreation and Park Department Synthetic Turf Program Policy. It aggregates the department's false promises, misleading claims and misinformation.
The policy addresses many themes of the Crocker Amazon Baseball and Softball Renovation Project and artificial turf as a problematic product. It references trees, toxins, playtime, pavement and so on. The policy for site selection would preclude Crocker Amazon Park from artificial turf program eligibility. Here is that section:
- Select Appropriate Sites: As recommended by the 2008 Task Force, select sites using priority criteria that targets high use fields where the Department can optimize limited space and maximize play opportunities. Each new site will require approval by the Commission prior to implementation.
Priority criteria include:- Select athletic fields that are consistently difficult to manage and maintain due to the heavy demand and use patterns.
[[Show Wes’s graph]] Using Rec/Park reservation system data, we discovered that Crocker is only at 10% capacity. So there’s really no need to kick the community out of that space for plastic and fences.
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- Select athletic fields to optimize and expand playtime by targeting facilities where multiple activities can be incorporated together on the same field.
This land grab by the Giants is specifically for baseball, not multi-purpose at all.
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- If appropriate, select sites where new synthetic fields would replace existing asphalt or paved surfaces.
At Crocker you want to expand the paved parking lot, chop down 100 trees and excavate 20 acres of ecologically beneficial land.
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- Where viable, geographically distribute fields across the City, so that all residents have equitable recreational resources.
As we’ve shown before, Rec/Park has 10 out of 12 toxic plastic fields in environmental justice-burdened communities like Crocker.
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- Locate fields in spaces that are not prone to flooding, sites that are above the water table, and sites where drainage will not negatively impact downstream food production sites.
Here, Rec/Park is choosing to divert 5.4 million gallons of annual rain water into the storm system of a community that routinely experiences flooding.
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- Consult with the Department’s Natural Areas Manager on site selection to avoid impacts to the City’s natural areas program, including wildlife species, state and federally listed species, and mature trees.
At Crocker, Rec/Park is choosing to place their plastic right up against a nature area with imperiled species, a cultural farm and a community garden.
Speak Up
Tell the SF Rec & Park Commission and your Supervisor about the kind of park you want.
Sign Petition
Sign our petition: Stop the Plastic Turf Takeover! We Want Natural Grass!
Flyers & Posters
We have flyers and window signs in English, Spanish and Chinese.
hello@keepcrockerreal.com