2740-2742 FILBERT STREET - north side between Broderick and Baker Streets, Lot 010 in Assessor's Block 0942 - Request for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2004.04.08.0828, proposing to convert the existing attic into habitable space and to construct a rear horizontal addition to the existing four-story, two-unit building in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Do not take Discretionary Review and approve the project.
SPEAKER(S):
(-) Lock Holmes - Representing Discretionary Review Requestor
- One of the concerns is that this project is too large.
- The mid-block open space is not respected.
- The proposed project would cut into the rear yard quite a bit.
- There is no basis for an exception.
(-) David Thompson - Discretionary Review Requestor
- The owners on this street feel that the project as presented is not adequate.
- Parking is also an issue with this project.
- It is important to analyze the regulations.
(-) Welton Rotz
- The developer has been speaking for about a year.
- They found out that it is not permissible to build a "bump out."
- They would accept a 12-foot bump out with a 5-foot set back on each side.
(-) Bill Higgins
- The code only allows a 12-foot pop out and the project sponsor wants to build an 18-foot pop out.
- He displayed diagrams to show the extent of the pop out.
(-) Barry Bone
- He has lived on Filbert for 30 years.
- He has parked on the street all that time.
- When he was shown the plans, he was concerned about the parking in the neighborhood.
- Neighbors will be circling the block endlessly looking for parking.
(+) Joe Sherer - Builder
- He believes that they have followed the rules.
- The project will be within the 40-foot height allowed.
- Parking will be for two cars.
- He would welcome the ability to widen the garage door.
(+) Mary Grudnowski - Project Sponsor
- This has always been a building that has two addresses even though there has always been one owner.
- Through the course of the year, her representative has met with the neighbors to discuss thoroughly the project.
(+) Jeremy Nelsen - Transportation for a Livable City
- There will be two units with two independently parking spaces.
- The project sponsor can cancel the parking for the other unit and therefore the parking would not be impacted.
ACTION: Did not take Discretionary Review and approved the project.
AYES: Antonini, Bradford Bell, Olague, W. Lee
NAYES: Hughes and S. Lee
15. 2004.0399DD (G. CABREROS: (415) 558-6169)
2121-2123 LEAVENWORTH STREET - west side between Greenwich and Filbert Streets, Lot 002 in Assessor's Block 0094 - Requests for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2003.08.28.3345, proposing to construct a new fifth floor and a side horizontal addition to the existing four-story, two-unit building in an RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Do not take Discretionary Review and approve the project.
(Continued from Regular Meeting of June 24, 2004)
SPEAKER(S):
(-) John Henry Coba
- He would like a continuance because they are close to a settlement.
- He would just like to pick a date that will be good for everyone.
(-) Susan Dumont
- She agrees to the continuance as well.
- But unless there is really going to be some movement, she would rather go ahead today.
(+) Alice Barkley
- She did not receive certain information.
- She now understands the concerns that she just found out about today.
- She is prepared to go forward if the Commission wants to listen to the project today.
ACTION: Without hearing, item continued to October 28, 2004
AYES: Bradford Bell, Hughes, S. Lee, W. Lee, Olague
RECUSED: Antonini
16. 2004.0635D (M. SNYDER: (415) 575-6891)
3150 18TH STREET (aka 470 TREAT AVENUE) - northwest corner of 18th Street and Treat Avenue, Lots 2 and 12 in Assessor's Block 3573 - Mandatory Discretionary Review under the Eastern Neighborhoods Interim Policies (Planning Commission Resolution No. 16727) of Building Permit Application No. 2004.05.21.4487 and Demolition Permit Nos. 2004.05.21.4485 and 2004.05.21.4484 proposing to demolish existing light-industrial structures and to construct a new structure that would contain approximately 260 units of rental workshops for arts activities, light manufacturing, repair and small business service uses, approximately 54 off-street parking spaces, a care-taker's unit, and a small café, in an M-1 District, a 50-X Height and Bulk District, and within a Core PDR Zone as designated in the Eastern Neighborhood Interim Policies.
Preliminary Recommendation: Take Discretionary Review and approve the project with conditions.
(Continued from Regular Meeting of September 2, 2004)
SPEAKER(S):
(+) Steve Vettel - Morrison and Forrester
- This project's Negative Declaration was before the Planning Commission in June of 2004 and the Commission unanimously upheld it.
- The Board of Supervisors upheld the Commission's decision on this project.
- This project does comply with the core PDR policies.
- These are some light industrial artist's spaces.
- They have adequate parking and amenities.
- He recommends that the Commission do not take Discretionary Review unless it's to specify that these spaces will not be used as offices.
(-) Jilllen Doroan
- She is an artist.
- She has worked for many years to promote art space.
- She supports arts development in San Francisco.
- The proposed project as currently designed does not contribute to the neighborhood and is not responsible development.
- There are numerous non-cost productive ways to improve the design.
(+/-) Kellie Seringer
- This is a good project concept yet it does not respond to the content of the neighborhood.
- The building resembles a penitentiary. It just looks like a box on a lot.
(-) Heidi Sokolowsky
- She is a designer and an architect.
- The project does not really respond to the street.
- They welcome the use but are concerned about the massing.
(-) Ian Green
- This building does not speak to the Arts Component because there are no controls on how much these spaces will rent for.
- He has a real concern about the scale, the massing and the lack of articulation in this building.
(-) Ron Slayen
- His job causes him to make a lot of noise.
- He knows that the noise the project will render will not bother him or the neighbors.
- He is concerned about the size and massing of the project.
- The exterior of this project should be changed.
(+/-) Kathleen Diop
- The units of this project are very small.
- There are about 700 people looking for work space to rent.
- They are moving towards an agreement to get some kind of structure that will build in some affordability program.
(+) Jonathan Beery
- He lives in Berkeley.
- He has had a very good experience with Active Space.
(+) Lisa Roberson
- She supports this project.
- This project will allow people to have work spaces.
- She hopes that she will be moving back to San Francisco soon.
(+/-) Oscar Grande - MAC
- They have met with the developer many times.
- They are concerned about the retention of PDR. This is not a perfect project but it's on its way to being a perfect project.
- They are concerned that the Latino Immigrant Community will have limited access to the units.
- What this building provides, the community can use.
(+) Mike Sagalovitch
- He is glad that MAC has concerns that this is not PDR.
- He is concerned about the size and mass of the building.
- There is also no ventilation in the building and this is very important.
(+) Richard Stacey
- He spoke about the architectural aspects of the project.
(+) Jeremy Nelson - Transportation for a Livable City
- The project sponsor provided a transportation study. This should be required by all projects.
- They like the fact that there are bike spaces.
- The parking is upgraded and interior. There is no row of parking slots in the front.
- There should be a stronger pedestrian realm.
(+) Gary Romain - Project Sponsor
- This project provides an opportunity to accommodate different uses over different times.
ACTION: Took Discretionary Review and approve the project with the following recommendations: adopt design changes for the Treat Avenue facade that were presented by staff. Require a Notice of Special Restriction be recorded against the property indicating that office and residential uses (except for a care taker's unit) not be permitted as part of the project.
AYES: Antonini, Bradford Bell, Hughes, S. Lee, W. Lee, Olague
17. 2004.0360DD (R. CRAWFORD: (415) 558-6358)
1422 45TH AVENUE - East side between Judah and Kirkham Streets. Assessor's Block 1807 Lot 026 - Request for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2004.02.04.5540, to construct horizontal and vertical additions to the existing one family dwelling including new second and third floors in an RH-1 (Residential House, One Family) District, and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Take Discretionary Review and Approve the Project with Modifications
(Continued from Regular Meeting of June 24, 2004)
NOTE: On June 24, 2004, the Commission stated that the top story was unacceptable and directed the sponsor to explore options that would eliminate the top floor and find another location for the displaced floor area. The matter was continued to September 23, 2004 by a vote +5 -0.
SPEAKER(S):
(+) Dennis Bud
- He is available for questions.
ACTION: Took Discretionary Review and approved the project with modifications submitted to the Department on drawings dated September 17, 2004.
AYES: Antonini, Bradford Bell, S. Lee, W. Lee
ABSENT: Hughes and Olague