April 15, 2009
San Francisco
Historic Preservation Commission
Meeting Minutes
Commission Chambers – Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
12:30 P.M.
Regular Meeting
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chase, Damkroger, Hasz and Martinez
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT CHASE AT 12:32 P.M.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Tina Tam – Preservation Coordinator, Angela Threadgill – planner, Joy Navarrete - Planner, and Linda Avery – Commission Secretary
PUBLIC COMMENT
At this time, members of the public may address the Historic Preservation Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Historic Preservation Commission except agenda items. Public comment will be taken on each agendized item. Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes. If it is demonstrated that comments by the public will exceed 15 minutes, the President or chairperson may continue Public Comment to another time during the meeting.
The Brown Act forbids a commission or board from taking action or discussing any item not appearing on the posted agenda, including those items raised at public comment. In response to public comment, not on an agendized item, the Commission is limited to:
(1) briefly responding to statements made or questions posed by members of the public, or
(2) requesting staff to report back on a matter at a subsequent meeting, or
(3) directing staff to place the item on a future agenda. (Government Code Section 54954.2(a).).
SPEAKER(S):
Charles Marsteller
Re: 1268 Lombard Street
REPORTS
1. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Staff reported on the status of Diane Matsuda and Ruth Todd at the full Board of Supervisors.
2. PRESIDENT'S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
President Chase wants to agendize at the May 6 meeting a report from Planning Department and Department of Building Inspection a discussion regarding 1268 Lombard Street and the process that led to and resulted from the demolition.
3. MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION
· Adoption of Commission Minutes of 2/4, 2/18, 3/4, 3/18/2009
President Chase did not receive the minutes and Commission Secretary Avery requested that the minutes be continued to the next meeting.
ACTION: Commissioner Hasz (seconded by Damkroger) motion to continue adoption of the minutes to the next hearing on May 6, 2009
AYES: Chase, Damkroger, Hasz, and Martinez (+4, 0)
· Commissioner Martinez wants a report on the status of the C of A for 55 Laguna
· Commissioner Hasz would like an update on the status of the Permit Tracking System
REGULAR CALENDAR
4. 2003.0587L (A. THREADGILL: 415/558-6602)
938-942 MARKET STREET, north side between Mason and Cyril Magnin Streets, Assessor's Block 0341, Lot 005. Request for Review and Comment on the completed rehabilitation in accordance with Ordinance No. 238-04 conditionally designating the subject property, the Garfield Building, as Landmark No. 244. The Garfield Building is a seven-story commercial structure with Renaissance/Baroque details designed by San Francisco-based firm Reid Brothers and constructed in 1908 for real estate developer Elise Abigail Drexler. The property is within the C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial) Zoning District and a 110-X Height and Bulk District, designated as Category I (Significant) under Article 11 of the Planning Code, and is within the Kearny-Market-Mason-Sutter Conservation District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Direct staff to draft written comments of the Commission.
SPEAKER(S):
None
The architect went through the rehabilitation program completed in 2007 per the conditions stated in the LPAB, CPC, and BOS resolutions.
Vice President Damkroger asked whether the State Historical Building Code was used – the architect said no. She then asked whether the project sponsor is still interested in pursuing a Mills Act, the architect said he wasn't sure. President Chase stated that he thinks the project sponsor should. Damkroger asked about the bird control condition that wasn't met, Chase stated he did not find that to be significant since it is more for the maintenance. Martinez wanted to see a historic plaque in the lobby about the history of the building but accepted that can happen as part of the Mills Act contract.
ACTION: None Required
Staff will compile commissioners' comments and provide a draft letter to President Chase for review and signature. The signed letter will be given to the Director of Planning to make a determination on landmark status.
5. 2002.1334E (J. NAVARRETE: 575-9040)
555 WASHINGTON STREET/545 SANSOME STREET Project Draft Environmental Impact Report, southwest corner of Washington and Sansome Streets, Assessor's Block 0207, Lots 033, 035, and 036. Public Hearing to assist the Historic Preservation Commission to prepare a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The proposed project would demolish the two existing buildings of the subject lot: 545 Sansome Street is an approximately 57,000 square-foot, nine-story building constructed in 1930, which is considered an historical resource for the purposes of CEQA; 501-505 Washington Street is an adjacent one-story building of approximately 2,000 square feet (sq. ft.) of retail use, constructed in 1977. The proposed project would construct on the subject lots a new 336,585 square-feet, 38-story, 390-foot tall, residential tower containing 248 residential units and amenities, 6,780 sq. ft. ground floor retail, and four subsurface levels for 230 off-street parking spaces. The subject property is within the C-3-O (Downtown Office) Zoning District and a 200-S Height and Bulk District.
NOTE: The Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2007122003) was published on March 25, 2009. The 555 Washington project may result in the destruction or degradation of an historical resource. The Draft EIR identifies this as a significant and unavoidable environmental effect of the proposed project, and identifies a mitigation measure to lessen this effects, though not to a level of insignificance.
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIR on May 7, 2009. This hearing is intended to assist the Historic Preservation Commission such that the Commission may prepare written comments on the Draft EIR to submit to the Planning Department. Written comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted at the Planning Department until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 11, 2009.
Preliminary Recommendation: Direct staff to draft written comments of the Commission.
SPEAKER(S):
Ronald Lisman
The Commission was in concurrence with the Planning Department's determination that the subject property is a historical resource (significant under Criterion 1 for events) and felt that the proposed project (demolition) will be a significant impact.
Damkroger recommended conditions / mitigations regarding documentation per HABS – Level 3 (including distribution of the document to the SF public libraries and NW Info Center at Sonoma State), commemoration by a qualified historian (meeting the professional qualifications per the Secretary of the Interior Standards), further examination of the geotechnical study and water table changes as it affects the historical resource, and explicit statement of disagreement about the preservation alternative regarding that taller building is more consistent with the neighborhood historic context (this is simply not logical – keeping a shorter building is in fact more consistent and a preferred alternative).
ACTION: Commissioner Hasz (seconded by Martinez) made a motion to write a comment/ response letter regarding the 5 – 6 items discussed above for President Chase's signature.
AYES: Chase, Damkroger, Hasz, and Martinez (+4, 0)
Adjournment: 1:17 P.M.
The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, June 17, 2009.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Chase, Damkroger, Hasz, Martinez, Madsuda
