Legislation to Save Mark Twain’s "Jumping Frog” in SF Park

Plater says during the rainy season, the golf course uses pumps to move water out to sea, but that's bad for red-legged frog breeding.

"The frog lays its egg masses at the high mark of the water level. When they drain that water down, it exposes those egg masses to the air, and you can lose an entire generation of frogs."

Plater says the San Francisco garter snake is also at risk.

"The San Francisco garter snake is the most beautiful and most imperiled serpent in North America, and probably the vertebrate species we will lose next on the San Francisco peninsula unless something is done to save it."

Golfers want the course to stay open because the green fees are affordable. Supervisor John Avalos' ordinance proposal addresses that concern by allowing Pacifica residents to pay San Francisco resident rates at San Francisco's five other golf courses.