Starr King Open Space Elects Two New Board Members

BY REBEKAH MOAN

Two new members were elected to the Starr King Open Space board of directors last month. Justin Briggs and Daniel Rozynski will each serve threeyear terms, with the opportunity to run for a second time. Drew Patterson was reelected for a second period.

Briggs is from Massachusetts. He moved to Potrero Hill in 2012, where he lives with his girlfriend, Amy, and their two dogs, Ernie and Percy.

“I have utilized the Open Space on a near-daily basis for the last 10-plus years, and I feel that I owe it to the space and all who care for it to put in my time,” he said. “Having something like Starr King Open Space here is a massive privilege, so if I can help aid in its longevity in some way, I would like to do that.” dences—rely on gas stoves. In California, this number is closer to 70 percent.

“I was fixated with making an insane pizza oven; one that could replicate the perfect brick oven,” said D’Amico. “You can’t get that power out of 220V outlet, but if you put batteries into the appliance, you can boost performance greatly…. Our first product is something that’s been in the climate zeitgeist for a

According to D’Amico, integrating a lithium iron phosphate battery pack into an induction stove delivers more immediate power, while lowering overall energy needs. Safer than traditional lithium-ion, this type of battery avoids peak demands on the grid by “trickle charging” an existing connection— such as a normal 120-volt outlet—so that power surges needed to quickly heat pans are provided by the battery. Even when peak load is high, average demand is low enough to fit within a normal 120V outlet, avoiding the need to add a 60 ampere panel connection.

A recent World Economic Forum study found that gas stoves emit methane even when not in use. More than 40 million U.S. homes—about one-third of resi-

A 2021 California Energy Commission building code update mandated that new homes and buildings constructed after 2023 must have panels and circuitry to support all-electric appliances and heating. Over the past four years 50 California cities and counties – including Berkeley and San Francisco – banned gas hookups in most new commercial and residential structures. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District recently prohibited the sale of natural gas heaters starting in 2030.

Many Americans are resistant to electric stoves because of their poor performance and potential need for panel upgrades and wiring. The California Restaurant Association successfuly sued Berkeley in 2019 over its ban on gas hookups.

“The gas industry has done a good job in building preference,” D’Amico said.

Rather than promoting the negative argument that a gas stoves are polluting, however, D’Amico emphasizes the positive aspects associated with electrification, including innovation, power, and control.

“The tech has changed over the last 100 years, and there’s an opportunity to give people a fundamentally better product,” said D’Amico. “This is similar to how Tesla pitches fundamentally

Rozynski hails from Arlington, Virginia. He’s lived adjacent to Starr King for seven years, where he takes his springer spaniel, Sadie, multiple times a day.

“It’s given me a peaceful place in the City to enjoy nature, meditate, stretch, and play with Sadie,” he said. “I wanted to volunteer to give back to a place that I get so much from. What I hope to accomplish is to get younger people in my generation involved in upkeeping parks and public places. I want to energize and rally these folks to get up, volunteer, and give their time to common spaces that we all enjoy in a variety of ways.”

Patterson and his family have been Hill residents for 11 years. He ran for reelection because, “I appreciate how the Open Space provides an area for our community to come together and I’d like to continue working to see it thrive.”

All Hill residents are eligible to serve on the board. Attendees at a May 15 meeting – neighbors, candidates, and existing board members – voted on who should be on the nine-member board. Board members are required to participate in twice monthly volunteer workdays, help fundraise for a $5,000 to $10,000 annual budget, attend regular meetings, and engage in community outreach.

The Starr King Open Space Board of

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