ADDENDUM

SAN FRANCISCO

PLANNING COMMISSION

Meeting Minutes

 

Commission Chambers - Room 400

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Thursday, September 15, 2005

1:30 PM

Regular Meeting

 

President: Sue Lee

Vice-President:  Dwight S. Alexander

Commissioners: Michael J. Antonini; Shelley Bradford Bell; Kevin Hughes; William L. Lee;

  Christina Olague

 

Commission Secretary: Linda D. Avery

 

H.         REGULAR CALENDAR 

 

13a.      2002.0449Cv                                                        (M. Snyder: (415) 575-6891)

375 Fremont Street - east side between Folsom Street and Harrison Street, Lot 006 in Assessor’s Block 3747 - Request for Conditional Use authorization to allow for the construction of a residential project that would include approximately 225 dwelling units, 217 non-independently off-street parking spaces, two off-street loading spaces, in a structure that would be 250-feet tall and 28-stories.  Conditional Use is required pursuant to Planning Code Section 253 for the construction of a structure greater than 40-feet in a Residential District, and pursuant to Planning Code Section 249.1(b)(1)(B) for the construction of a project that would have full lot coverage on a sloping lot in the Rincon Hill Special Use District.  The project is being considered under the Planning Code Section 249.1, the Rincon Hill Special Use District, rather than the recently adopted new zoning controls for the Rincon Hill area as outlined in Planning Code Sections 827 and 309.1.  Planning Code Section 175.7 allows the subject lot to pursue entitlements under the zoning controls in effect prior to the adoption of the zoning amendments implementing the Rincon Hill DTR District.  Under the previous controls, the subject lot was in an RC-4 (Residential Commercial Mixed High Density) District, the Rincon Hill Special Use District, and a 250-R Height and Bulk District.  Under the new adopted zoning, the project site is within the Rincon Hill DTR (Downtown Residential District), and a 400-R Height and Bulk District.   

preliminary Recommendation: Approval with modifications.

 

 

SPEAKERS:    

Robert McCarthy, representing Project Sponsor

1. This plan has major goals, and this project fulfills them all.
2. The first and foremost goal is to maximize housing.
3. We have 225 units at this site.
4. To provide for affordable housing, we will write a check to the Mayor’s Office for $6,000,000.
5. The plan says, we need affordable family housing.  43% of our units are two and three bedroom units--88-two bedrooms and 8-three bedrooms.
6. We’ve got to improve this neighborhood.  It is fill by warehouses.  We need to make it look like a residential neighborhood.
7. We are widening the sidewalks and planting trees at our own expense.
8. We’re going to make a $5,550,000 contribution for the infrastructure.
9. This contribution is going to advance some of the more important goals of this plan, it will rehabilitate some structures, it will restore a historical landmark, and we will build a park for the kids.

Allison Pool, Architect for 375 Fremont Street

1. Gave an overall description of the project

Theodore Brown

1. Asked Commission to show their of confidence in the residential project at 375 Freemont St. with an approval
2. It has been a long, difficult and expensive process.  Without your support, the Rincon Hill fees and affordable housing will not happen in the City.

Debra Stein

1. Having tower separation is not an objective of the Rincon Hill Plan.
2. Rincon Hill Plan calls for slender, elegant towers like 399 and 375 Fremont with light, and air and openness.
3. 375 Fremont fulfills the goal for light, air and openness.
4. Staff indicated that the reason we need an additional separation is to avoid creating a high-rise canyon.

Elan Drucker, Planner,  GCA Strategies

1. Spoke about the staff recommended design and the adverse design in housing.

Bob Myers

1. Strongly opposed to the staff scheme to turn our tower 90 degrees.
2. Urged the Commission to reject the staff recommendation and approve the project as designed.

Gregg Miller

1. Respectfully asked the Commission to approve the project at 375 Fremont Street because this project satisfied all the factors required to be satisfied under the bulk exemptions and findings pursuant to Planning Code Section 271c.

Robert Herr

1. If you were to realign the building as the staff has proposed it, you would deteriorate the resident’s quality of life for no reason.  Their open space is just directly right-- adjacent to our eastern property line.

Norma Osgood

1. This project deserves your consideration because it provides much needed community benefits.
2. The project helps to alleviate the City’s housing crunch, with 225 units of new quality housing.
3. The project provides 27 affordable housing units if they are built on site, 38 if they are built off-site.
4. The schools will benefit, by getting over $100,000 dollars, and if you read the paper everyday, you will realize the needs of our schools.
5. Annual Property taxes will rise by $5,000,000.
6. Hundreds of new jobs will be created.

Joel Goodrich

1. Concerned about the ceiling heights for 375 Fremont.
2. Staff raised the idea that some units should be eliminated from the 375 Fremont Street Project so there will be more luxury ceiling height.
3. In fact there already are several buildings with high ceilings in the area.  For example, the Golden Gateway, has 12-foot high living room ceilings.

John Ritchie

1. Asked the Commission to approve the conditional use for 375 Fremont St.

Jeanne Corfu

1. Urged the Commission to approve this project as proposed.

Ernestine Weiss

1. This project is a new kid on the block in the Rincon Hill.  It blends perfectly, and synchronizes with the rest of the building in the area.

Mike Milstein

1. We in San Francisco definitely need the housing and the revenues that this project will bring.

Gloria Hartman

1. The City is in a housing crisis.  We need many new housing units as soon as possible without unnecessary delays because of the planning process.

Heide Vandoren Detz

1. This is a well designed, well thought out residential project that will benefit the community for all of the reasons already stated here.

Brendan Dunnigan, HKS Architects

1. This project at street scale is the right solution.
2. There has been a lot of time spent between this project architect and planning staff to develop a more friendly, softer disposition to the neighborhood.

Bella Farrow

1. Spoke in favor of the project.

Pedro Rocha, HKS Architects

1. In support of the original proposal and believes this project responds to a variety of design needs.

Tim O’Brien

1. Supports the project.

Eleanor Killebrew Braun

1. Supports this project.

Claudia Latchman

1. Is in favor of the project.

Manny Flores, Local 22

1. Would like to see the project that is proposed today, be approved.

Kim Lum

1. Asked the Commission to approve the project as submitted.

Jim Madden

1. This is another project that will make San Francisco greater that it is.

Reed H. Bement

1. I do not believe that the goal should be to cram as many units as possible into the limited area on Rincon Hill.
2. The goal should be to create a livable neighborhood.

William H. Smith

1. Spoke in favor of the project.

Ed Osgood

1. Asked the Commission to expedite the process of approving this project.

Sheryl Sensenig, Local 22

1. Urged the commission to approve this project

John Mullan

1. By denying this project to pass, you will deny the dream to own a home in San Francisco to a lot of people.

Jim Salinas, Sr.

1. This project will create jobs and revenue to the City.
2. Urged the Commission to approve this project.

Luis Sanchez, Local 22

1. Asked the Commission to approve this project.
2. This project will bring quality housing to San Francisco.

Hector Cardenas, Local 22

1. Please, approve the project.

Patrick J. McGaraghan, Attorney for the Archdiocese

1. Endorsed the project at 375 Fremont St.

             ACTION:           Meeting held.  Continued to October 6, 2005.  Public hearing remains open.

            AYES:              S. Lee, Antonini, Bradford-Bell, Hughes

            NAYES:            Alexander

            ABSENT:          W. Lee and Olague

 

13b.      2002.0449CV                                                        (M. Snyder: (415) 575-6891)

375 Fremont Street - east side between Folsom Street and Harrison Street, Lot 006 in Assessor’s Block 3747 - Request for Parking, Loading, and upper floor setback variances   to allow for the construction of a residential project that would include approximately 225 dwelling units, 217 non-independently off-street parking spaces, two off-street loading spaces, in a structure that would be 250-feet tall and 28-stories.  Pursuant to Planning Code Section 151 and 249.1(c)(3), one parking space is required for each dwelling unit; the proposal only includes up to 217 parking spaces (193 independently accessible, and 24 tandem).  Pursuant to Planning Code Section 249.1(c)(3), 50-percent of the frontage is required to be setback by 25-feet at a height of 50-feet; the proposal does not include such a setback. Pursuant to Planning Code Section 152 and 155, the project is required to include two independently access off-street loading spaces; one of the proposed two loading spaces would not be independently accessible.  The project is being considered under the Planning Code Section 249.1, the Rincon Hill Special Use District, rather than the recently adopted new zoning controls for the Rincon Hill area as outlined in Planning Code Sections 827 and 309.1.  Planning Code Section 175.7 allows the subject lot to pursue entitlements under the zoning controls in effect prior to the adoption of the zoning amendments implementing the Rincon Hill DTR District.  Under the previous controls, the subject lot was in an RC-4 (Residential Commercial Mixed High Density) District, the Rincon Hill Special Use District, and a 250-R Height and Bulk District.  Under the new adopted zoning, the project site is within the Rincon Hill DTR (Downtown Residential District), and a 400-R Height and Bulk District.   

 

SPEAKERS:     Same as Item 13a.

ACTION:           The Zoning Administrator continued this item to October 6, 2005.  Public hearing remains open.

                       

THESE MINUTES WERE PROPOSED FOR ADOPTION AT THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2006.

           

SPEAKERS       None

ACTION:            Approved

AYES:               S. Lee; M. Antonini; Bradford-Bell; K. Hughes

EXCUSED:         C. Olague

ABSENT:           D. Alexander W. Lee