At first glance, the block of Divisadero Street between McAllister and Fulton is pretty yet unremarkable. There’s a pizzeria and burger joint on the east side and a couple of bars on the west.
But splitting the North of the Panhandle roadway is a median bursting with purple-flowered ceanothus, Mexican marigolds bushes, salvia and lupines, among other species that were chosen because they attract bees and hummingbirds.
Well, there was.
On Wednesday, Department of Public Works crews ripped out much of the guerrilla garden, filling trucks with dirt and foliage until an alarmed neighbor pleaded with them to spare the rest.
The reason for the carnage? The plant life was overgrown and limiting visibility for drivers, DPW says.
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The irony? The city is inviting community members to replant the strip Saturday as part of a neighborhood beautification project (opens in new tab).
The mournful atmosphere on the block felt like the aftermath of a crime scene. A woman in a high-visibility vest consoled her crying child. Others screamed at authorities over the phone.
“I’m super heartbroken,” said Fennel Doyle, an artist who spearheaded the effort to maintain the green strip in front of her apartment. “I couldn’t go outside. It would be too devastating,” she said after a neighbor told her about the uprooting.
Yet, she was on the spot hours later with her son and other supporters when workers returned to haul away debris.
About 10 years ago, Doyle took the initiative to plant native species and succulents after greenery installed by the city died during a drought. Ever since, she’s been regularly out there dodging traffic to water the plot and clear litter.
The rest of the median along Divisadero does not have a patron like Doyle, much to the chagrin of NoPa businesses.
“It’s the envy of the rest of the corridor,” said Divisadero Merchants Association President Ryan Booth. “No one doesn’t love it.”
Medians on other blocks were untouched by city workers and will not be part of the weekend beautification effort.
City officials are apologetic.
“It’s unfortunate how this came about, and we acknowledge that we should have been more diligent in finding Fennel before removing the plant material,” said Chris Heredia, a spokesperson for the city’s Bureau of Urban Forestry. “It’s not uncommon for community members to roll up their sleeves and take matters into their own hands.”
Divisadero Merchants Association President Ryan Booth, left, and neighbor Fennel Doyle look at the median. | Source: Kevin V. Nguyen/The Standard
A stretch of the Guerrero Street median in the Mission was similarly greened through an official city program, Heredia added. For street safety reasons, he urged neighbors to contact DPW before working on a median.
Back on Divisadero, the city is working to select plants that beautify the neighborhood without interfering with road conditions. Some may be ready by Saturday; others could take more time.
The efforts to make amends are appreciated, Doyle said, but she is not entirely won over.
Her feelings “are to be determined,” she said. “If they’re going to send the help, I welcome it.”