The State : S.F. Asks Navy to Alter Plans

San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos asked the Navy to revise its plans for basing the battleship Missouri in his city, but the service’s civilian chief declined any immediate endorsement of the idea. Navy Secretary William Ball “heard the mayor out, will study his proposals and get back to him at a later date,” said Cmdr. Jeff Zakem, a spokesman. The mayor told reporters Monday that he would like to see the Navy base the huge battleship at a nearby port while placing the smaller escort ships at a rebuilt Hunter’s Point shipyard as originally planned. The smaller warships would not require the extensive dredging needed for the battleship, easing environmental concerns, the mayor said. The city also would like the Navy to renegotiate an agreement signed last year so that a more balanced mix of industry, office and residential buildings can be developed at Hunter’s Point. Pentagon officials, who asked not to be named, said the proposal by Agnos might kill for good the assignment of a battleship battle group to San Franicisco.