P
resident Donald Trump's executive order to eliminate the Presidio Trust, a federal agency overseeing San Francisco's national historic landmark, has sparked fears that the beloved public land could be eyed for real estate development. However, such plans are unlikely to move forward due to legislation protecting the Presidio and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

    In the 1960s, Pittsburgh real estate developer Thomas Frouge envisioned a bustling oceanside metropolis in the Marin Headlands, dubbed "Marincello," but his plans were stalled by environmental groups and federal legislation that protected the area as public open space. The Presidio Trust Act, which created the federal agency overseeing the national park, sets strict conservation guidelines.

    After Trump called for the Presidio Trust to eliminate its non-statutory operations, the 1,500-acre park was reconsidered as a potential site for a futuristic city based on his campaign plan. Mark Lutter and Jeffrey Mason of the Charter Cities Institute published an article calling on the president to start work on the "Presidio Freedom City," but legislators say the law protecting the space was designed to prevent such an "attack."

    The Presidio Trust Act includes provisions that make it nearly impossible for Trump or anyone else to change the park's footprint without changing the law. One provision limits development within the park to the replacement of existing structures, while another protects the Presidio from development by including it in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

    Whether Trump will be able to make any changes to the Trust's operations remains unclear. The agency has said all its functions are based in the law and will continue business as usual. However, Trump could try to target the seven-member board that oversees the Trust, but even if he replaced board members, they would still be bound by the Presidio Trust Act.

    The courts will ultimately decide on any attempts to change the park's management or development. According to Dave Owen, a professor at UC Law San Francisco, "the board is still going to have the same statutory mandate, which includes not developing in areas that aren’t already developed and acting in accordance with the mission of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and its governing law."