USA vs. Russia - The Politics of Parking

From today's Matier and Ross column in the Chronicle, "They say all politics is local -- but when it comes to the politics of parking in San Francisco, you can find yourself careening toward an international incident. Just ask the U.S. State Department."

"It all started three years ago, when Russian diplomats, citing security concerns in the post-Sept. 11 world, insisted they needed at least another five restricted spaces -- on top of the four they already had -- outside their red brick consulate at Green and Baker streets in the parking-challenged Cow Hollow neighborhood."

"As the consulate saw it, it was a modest request -- given its 55 employees and the 15 families living there."

"Changing parking spaces, however, is no easy task in a city where the registered vehicles outnumber street slots by 4 to 3. The consulate soon found its request sinking into the bureaucratic quicksand of engineering studies, permit processing hearings and the objections of a lone neighbor -- of course."

"Eventually, the Russians let it be known to American diplomats back home that if San Francisco didn't start moving on the request, the Russians might start restricting parking at the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg."

"The threat got the city's attention, and it wasn't long before San Francisco's Department of Parking and Traffic signed off on the new spaces. The ever-obstinate Board of Supervisors, however, refused to go along. If the Russians get more parking, the thinking went, all 77 consulates in town will want more, too."

"Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, chairman of the board's Land Use Committee, pushed the idea when the parking problem came before the panel this past week. After a lengthy discussion, with Russian diplomats and State Department officials on hand to answer questions, the committee voted to convert 53 feet of curb space -- marking it off-limits to neighbors -- but only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays."

"The full board will vote in the next couple of weeks."