San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee says he'd like an app that tells him when the golf course is free for a quick game. And he says that technology is not far away.

Today at the start-up incubator The Hatchery, Mayor Lee announced a slew of partnerships between private companies and city agencies to automate services on the web and on phones. For example, he says, mobile commerce start-up Appallicious is launching an app with Parks and Recreation.

Just imagine, Lee says, "what it would be like on your phone to reserve a barbeque site, or your kid's birthday party. Pay it online, and know that it's there for you."

Lee says these mobile data partnerships won't follow the city's traditional, competitive bidding process.