Dianne Feinstein's Special Treatment

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her mega-millionaire husband, Dick Blum, have a bit of fence mending to do with their soon-to-be neighbors in San Francisco's Gold Coast.

It seems that workers remodeling the Pacific Heights mansion that the couple just bought leveled all the green in the adjoining public garden -- without the city's approval.

And not just any green -- we're talking about a Tivoli-style garden just off the front entrance of the couple's $16.5 million abode, which sits at the foot of Vallejo Street, between the Presidio and some of the city's most posh residences.

The garden is actually part of the city-owned Lyon Street steps -- a favorite of joggers, walkers and tourists looking for a picture-postcard view, and even for teenagers looking to sneak a late-night drink or two.

The steps' proximity to the house is a bit of a landscape oddity, and even some Feinstein friends questioned the couple's decision to buy the property.

But the real oddity came two weeks ago when, without warning, a landscaping crew showed up and ripped out the garden -- plants, hedges and all. When they were done, nothing remained but the dirt.

Even city officials were caught off guard.

"Any removal of plant material in a public right-of-way needs to be run through us for approval, and that wasn't done in this case,'' said Paul Sacamano, head of the Public Works Department's urban forestry division.

Dianne Feinstein sure is special isn't she?