21. (G. GREEN: (415) 558-6411)
REVIEW AND COMMENT ON INTERIM POLICIES AND CONTROLS FOR THE EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS: (including eastern SOMA, Showplace Square, and the Mission). Review and comment on adopted policies and initiated draft interim controls, which were established by the Planning Commission on February 12, 2004 to set forth areas for Housing and Mixed Uses, Core PDR (Production, Distribution, and Repair), and Housing/PDR in specified Eastern Neighborhoods Community Plan Areas. This hearing will summarize prior Commission actions and provide an opportunity for the Commission to comment on Staff recommendations for potential policy amendments and modifications to initiated interim controls.
NOTE: On February 12, 2004, the Commission adopted Resolution 16726 initiating draft controls and Resolution 16727 adopting policies for portions of the Eastern Neighborhoods. On May 6, 2004, the Commission adopted Resolution 16783, which amended the boundaries of the SOMA as addressed under Resolution 16727. On March 25, 2004, Commission President Bradford Bell re-opened the consideration of initiation of interim controls for the Mission, as addressed under Resolution 16726. On June 3, 2004, without a hearing, the Commission continued the matter to July 1, 2004. On July 1, 2004, the Commission held a public hearing and continued the matter to September 2, 2004.
SPEAKER(S):
Charlie Sciamas - MAC
- It has been about four years that this issue has been discussed.
- The community planning process began because the Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition fought to initiate this.
- Until the community planning process is completed, there is a need to establish controls in the Mission District.
- The documents, which were issued recently, do not contain the issues that the community has raised.
Fernando Marti
- They support the interim controls in their prior version without the amendments.
- He displayed a map of a previous industrial report in 1999. What is outlined is the NEMIZ.
My Do - MAC
- She supports the interim controls, which were submitted in July.
- These new controls lack community input.
- The new controls are flawed in many respects.
- Building heights are allowed that can block light and create wind tunnels.
- Without real interim controls in place, PDR would be lost on a case-by-case basis.
- She urges the Commission to adopt the interim controls that were discussed in July.
Miriam Zamora
- She works in the community fighting for the rights of the community.
- Historically there have been controls protecting the Mission District.
- How is it possible that a team of four people can completely make changes without the input of the community as well as the staff which has been working on this for the past six years.
- Every job has a process and it cannot be done like pulling something from you sleeve.
Richard Marquez
- He welcomed back Commissioner Bradford Bell.
- They are tired of being tired. They are tired of delays. They demand interim controls.
- Certain moves coming from inside the Planning Department have stalled the progress of the Mission.
- It is time to go beyond land use controls.
Oscar Grande - MAC/PODER
- They don't want the interim rules that the Planning Department has presented.
- These rules do not promote family housing.
- They want a meaningful discussion of the interim controls which were submitted in July.
- There is staff that is not here today that have been sidelined.
Maria Lavoy
- She has been a resident of the Mission since she was three months old.
- She is concerned that a beautiful community is being dilapidated because of policies.
- If you are going to come into the Mission and are going to build a project, the community needs to be respected.
- She knows what it is to struggle.
- She is asking the City to take responsibility for these interim controls.
Carmen Ramirez
- She is representing all the women and the residents of the Mission.
- She asks the Commission to be human and try to understand the people that live in the community.
- It is important to receive help from the Commission.
- It is important to have these changes.
- There are many changes going on in the community but none of these are positive.
Francisco DeCosta
- He is going to speak for the people of the area.
- The Commission can see the concrete jungle.
- If the Planning Department does not have a dialogue with the community, then something is wrong.
- Quality of life issues are not being dealt with.
- The Commission should pay attention of the voices of the community.
Robert Pender
- He has lived in his home since 1969.
- He is sure that the citizens here have lived in their home just as long or maybe even longer.
- People are being forced out of the City.
- His children have had to move away from San Francisco because they cannot afford to purchase property.
- The Commission needs to take care of the new generations.
Kurtis Eisenberger - Mission Colation for Economic Justice and Jobs
- He thanked the Commission for allowing them to listen to their concerns.
- In an area that has been shown industrial, there are 900 rental units.
- Controls are defective.
Milton Gaines
- He displayed a parcel map showing that 30 percent is now public benefit space in a 42 block area.
- Is this too low? Is this too high? What should the set limit be for the NEMIZ?
- The definition of PDR is faulty.
James Collins - Six Street Agenda
- Without interim controls there are no set limits on what a developer can do in their neighborhoods.
- The blue prints that Commissioners have before them is not the same as the one that they presented in July.
- Reconsider the correct blueprint.
Susan Marsh
- She lives at 17th and Mission Street.
- Not everything is negative in her neighborhood.
- She finds her neighborhood enjoyable. But there are various problems--like the lack of affordable housing.
Bill Murphy
- He is a third generation San Franciscan.
- He urged the Commission to pass interim controls.
Ellen Pound
- She is a housekeeper residing at the Jerry Hotel in the Mission.
- She urged the Commission not to change the rules that they have agreed to.
- Housing development should be protected.
Rene Salcedo
- She has lived in the Mission for many years.
- She works for La Raza Centro Legal.
- There are small business owners who cannot keep workers
Bob Meyers
- More people would probably be here if there had been adequate notice.
Phillip Lesser
- About three years ago he was against interim controls.
- He has so much faith in the Commission [and believes] that they will be looking at each project one by one.
Fred Snyder
- He pleads with the Commission to bring the community together.
- The process has been flawed since the beginning because there has not been community input.
- Part of the problem has been the contentiousness between the groups.
- It is important to bring this back and have some meaningful discussions.
Michael Burke
- He owns property at 16th and Bryant.
- In February 2004, the Commission determined that policies rather than controls would be best for the NEMIZ.
- They have sited state law which supports their contention that you cannot subject the NEMIZ to interim controls because there has not been any change in circumstances that supported previous interim controls.
- The Commission should not "tie their hands" with interim controls in the NEMIZ. With policies the Commission will have full discretion under Discretionary Review.
Kepa Askenazy
- She requested that the Potrero Hill area be removed from this discussion because they were not properly noticed.
- She suggested that the Commission make a motion to speak specifically on the area of the Potrero/Showplace Square area.
- They have lost a lot of businesses recently.
- She requested from the Commission direct Director Green to return the Citywide staff back to working on the Eastern Neighborhoods.
Babette Drefky
- Potrero Hill should be removed from this discussion.
- She invited the Commission to Potrero Hill.
- It is important for staff to come to the community and chat.
Toby Levine
- She has been a resident of the Mission District since 1967.
- In 1994, there was a rezoning plan that was developed for the NEMIZ. It had community and commission support. The problem with this plan is that there was no money for the EIR. So the whole plan was stopped or forgotten about.
- That plan was very different than the one being proposed. It promoted job development and job preservation.
- She believes that this plan is moving in the wrong direction.
- The maps are not right either and they need to be fixed.
Jim Meko
- Alleys are where residential population is found.
- In the existing zoning there is little protection for the alleys.
- There is now panic in the Mission with developers trying to take advantage of this interim.
- All the alleys are very important to SOMA.
Toby Levy - Architect
- She has been an architect for 20 years.
- She believes in the diversity of South of Market, it's development patter and it's uses.
- The 40 foot height limit exclusion on the alleys should not be eliminated.
- As an architect, it is really hard to face your client down when there is a real ambiguity.
- She requested that we keep the 40 foot height limit on the 40 foot wide streets.
Debra Stein - GCS Strategies
- This is an opportunity to consider the more generalized concern about how long range planning products are used.
- There is a site that the Eastern Neighborhoods has been excluding.
- The Eastern Neighborhoods is not the only long range planning that has taken too long.
Lou Blazej
- Right now there is environmental review limbo because the loss of PDR needs to be analyzed while people are still trying to define it. This is not fair.
- Everyone has been waiting for an initial study to be published for over 14 months. This is hurting projects and it's hurting the community.
- He welcomes Gerald Green back and offers his full support.
Theodore Brown
- He represents a development on Rincon Hill that has been in the process for over three years.
- The EIR has been held up because of long range planning.
- He thought housing was important to this City.
- Long range planning should not kill development and housing in the City.
Fiona O'Connor
- She would rather have plans than planning.
- She has had a small business for about 30 years and has been frozen in time because of interim controls.
- Small businesses need to grow instead of coming to these meetings all the time.
Lois Scott
- She is here for the Planner Chapter of Professional and Technical Engineers.
- It is an ethical tenant that Professional planners should respect the professional views of colleagues.
- There was a prior agreement with the union and the Planning Department that when there are major reassignments of work it should be done with advanced consultation and discussion with the planners involved.
- This process would have been improved if there had been open and clear communication about the intent of the Director.
- The Citywide team's professional views should have been respected.
- There is a divided department because of the handling of this situation.
Tomas Lee - Tom Amiano's Office
- It has been enlightening to listen to 2 ½ hours of testimonies.
- They are concerned also that they did not get advanced notice of this situation.
- Neighborhoods need economic development and to create jobs.
- Businesses should come in with the community's interest at heart.
Sue Hestor
- The staff report gives very truncated information of the situation.
- Many developers do not want controls.
Joe Boss
- He is glad that Mr. Green is back from his fellowship and is taking care of organizing everything in his office.
- It is very important to figure out how to fix the machine to see what it can produce.
Alice Barkley
- The planning for all of the areas started in NEMIZ around 1984.
- It took until last Friday to get the motion out. That is why staff was not able to get anything.
- Many PDR businesses are moving out.
- She suggests that you throw away everything and do some real planning.
ACTION: Hearing held. Public comment closed. Item continued to October 28, 2004 for policies or controls. If policies, define boundaries and define the NEMIZ. If controls, initiate the process.
22. 2003.0980C (D. SIROIS: (415) 558-6313)
4840 MISSION STREET - north side between Onondaga Avenue and Seneca Avenue, (AKA Valente, Marini & Co. Funeral Home) Lots, 019, 025 & 026 in Assessor's Block 6956 - Request for Conditional Use authorization under Planning Code Sections 712.64 (mortuary use) and 712.21 (use size over 5,999 square feet) to construct a new two-story, 13,740 square-foot mortuary facility that would replace the existing 26,432 square-foot Valente, Marini & Co. Funeral Home. The subject property is located in NC-3 (Moderate-Scale Neighborhood Commercial) and RH-1 (Residential House, Single Family) Districts and in a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
SPEAKER(S):
(+) Dan Sullivan
- The funeral directors have been in business for about 80 years.
- The location of the funeral home is in a rich and vibrant community.
- The project is supported by the residents as well.
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Bradford Bell, Hughes, S. Lee, Olague
ABSENT: W. Lee
MOTION: 16854
23. 2004.0658T (P. LORD: (415) 558-6311)
PARK NEXUS STUDY - Consideration of an Ordinance amending San Francisco Planning Code Section 139 to provide that $100,000 of Downtown Special Park Fund monies shall be used to fund a nexus study, under the direction of the General Manager of the Recreation and Park Department, to examine whether the Downtown Park Fees should be imposed on uses other than office and on geographical areas of the City other than C-3 uses districts and making findings of consistency with the priority policies of Planning Code Section 101.1 and the General Plan.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval
SPEAKER(S): None
ACTION: Approved with the following Amendments:
1) Page 2 of the draft Resolution, 2nd paragraph, item a:
a) Assure that the contract for conducting the specified Nexus Study requires a maximum 90-day review and comment period by the Planning Department prior to the release of the final report.
2) Add a new item b which reads:
b) Assure that the Planning Department is involved in the scope of the study.
3) original item b becomes item c.
AYES: Antonini, Bradford Bell, Hughes, S. Lee, Olague
ABSENT: W. Lee
RESOLUTION: 16855
