Harvey Milk Plaza removes benches

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | November 2, 2012 | by Vivian Ho

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The purple benches at San Francisco's Harvey Milk Plaza were removed Friday following growing complaint that they had become a loophole for drunks and others to avoid the city's ordinance prohibiting sitting or lying on walkways.

The removal decision was made earlier this week by the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, the community group that paid $40,000 to install the benches in 2010.

"It's about time," said Dan Glazer, owner of the nearby bakeshop Hot Cookie. "They pee, they defecate and they leave their garbage there. They have no respect for the plaza or for Harvey Milk and what he meant to our community."

But Hot Cookie employee Dylan Burditt disagreed.

"Generally, they're around, but that's just San Francisco," he said. "I think it's a drastic choice. Just because certain people are complaining, everybody else has to suffer (without benches)."

Jane Haggerstone, an employee at Sunday's Tanning Salon across from the plaza, echoed that sentiment.

"It's a shame because a lot of people have to wait for the buses and it would be nice for them to sit," she said.

[kingattax]