SAN FRANCISCO
PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Commission Chambers - Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1:30 PM
Regular Meeting
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Olague, Miguel, Antonini, Borden, Moore and Sugaya
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Fong
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT OLAGUE AT 1:33 P.M.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: John Rahaim – Director of Planning, Scott Sanchez- Zoning Administrator, Corey Teague, Sharon Young, Sharon Lai, Lily Langlois, Mary Woods, Glenn Cabreros, Elizabeth Watty, Sarah Dennis Phillips, Theresa Ojeda, Kearstin Dischinger, and Linda Avery – Commission Secretary.
A. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS PROPOSED FOR CONTINUANCE
The Commission will consider a request for continuance to a later date. The Commission may choose to continue the item to the date proposed below, to continue the item to another date, or to hear the item on this calendar.
None
B. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar, are considered to be routine by the Planning Commission, and will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission, the public, or staff so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Calendar and considered as a separate item at this or a future hearing
1a. 2010.0423CV (C. TEAGUE: (415) 575-9081)
140 9TH STREET - west side between Mission and Howards Streets; Lot 005 of Assessor’s Block 3509 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303 and 816.15 to convert the existing building into an arts complex including two dwelling units, eight group housing units, and artist studio and gallery space within the SLR (Service/Light Industrial/Residential) Zoning District, Western SoMa Special Use District, and 50-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
(Continued from Regular Meeting of January 27, 2011)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Miguel and Olague
ABSENT: Fong and Sugaya
MOTION: 18280
1b. 2010.0423CV (C. TEAGUE: (415) 575-9081)
140 9TH STREET - west side between Mission and Howards Streets; Lot 005 of Assessor’s Block 3509 - Request for Variances, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 134, 135, and 151 for rear yard, open space, and parking requirements for two dwelling units and eight group housing units. The project proposes to convert the existing building into an arts complex including two dwelling units, eight group housing units, and artist studio and gallery space within the SLR (Service/Light Industrial/Residential) Zoning District, Western SoMa Special Use District, and 50-X Height and Bulk District.
(Continued from Regular Meeting of January 27, 2011)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: The Zoning Administrator closed the public hearing and granted the variances subject to the standard conditions of approval
2. 2010.1043C (S. Lai: (415) 575-9087)
1214 20th AVENUE - east side, between Irving Street and Lincoln Way, Lot 042 in Assessor’s Block 1731 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 209.3(f) and 303, to establish a new child care facility for 13 or more children d.b.a. “The Neighborhood School“, within the RM-2 (Residential, Mixed Moderate Density) and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Miguel and Olague
ABSENT: Fong and Sugaya
MOTION: 18281
3. 2010.0793C (S. YOUNG: (415) 558-6346)
626 CLEMENT STREET - north side between 7th and 8th Avenues; Lot 022 in Assessor’s Block 1426 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization under Sections 716.42, 303, and 178(e)(2) of the Planning Code to add a full-service restaurant use (dba Volar Roman House) to an existing karaoke lounge (dba Volar Karaoke) on the ground floor of a two-story mixed-use building within the Inner Clement Street Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Miguel and Olague
ABSENT: Fong and Sugaya
MOTION: 18282
4. 2011.0087M (L. Langlois: (415) 575-9073)
INTENTION TO INITIATE DEPARTMENT SPONSORED GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY SAFETY ELEMENT - Pursuant to Planning Code Section 340, the Planning Commission will consider a Resolution of Intention to initiate minor text amendments to the Community Safety Element of the General Plan. The proposed General Plan amendment would add language to reference the most recent Hazard Mitigation Plan. This amendment would allow the City and County of San Francisco to qualify for additional funding for certain disaster recovery projects per California Assembly Bill AB 2140.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve a draft resolution of intention to initiate amendments to the General Plan and schedule a public hearing.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Miguel and Olague
ABSENT: Fong and Sugaya
MOTION: 18283
C. COMMISSIONERS’ QUESTIONS AND MATTERS
5. Commission Comments/Questions
· Inquiries/Announcements. Without discussion, at this time Commissioners may make announcements or inquiries of staff regarding various matters of interest to the Commissioner(s).
· Future Meetings/Agendas. At this time, the Commission may discuss and take action to set the date of a Special Meeting and/or determine those items that could be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and other future meetings of the Planning Commission.
Commissioner Moore: I want to bring to the Commission’s attention an exhibit at SPUR which is the Ocean Beach and Context – a follow up to the charrette they had. It is a very worthwhile exhibit. I had somebody take me through it. The exhibit will be on until March 8th. It asks comprehensive questions. It poses questions. It actually lays out the inter-agency requirements which are necessary to even look at this particular problem. I was quite impressed by the presentation and the issues raised.
Commissioner Borden: I was at an all-day forum on Tuesday about disaster resilience and community sustainability and I heard a gentleman speak from the Salvation Army about work that they are doing there in New Orleans related to rebuilding housing for people at the bottom of the economic spectrum. What was really fascinating is that they have this whole green program for people at the bottom of the economic spectrum and what they did was they did a competition and they sent our RFPs to architects all over the country and they said that they want you to build an 800 square foot unit for $100,000. People said it couldn’t be done. They had 15 firms from around the world who came up with ideas. Architecture for Humanity, which is headquartered locally, did a really great job. Now what they have is these plans on the shelves so when they are looking at redevelopment in some of these poorer neighborhoods, these are the plans that they are using and the Salvation Army helped leverage that with funding that had gotten from people to help provide money to build this housing. Now granted, I don’t think we can build $100,000 homes in San Francisco, but I thought it was really innovative because not only did they marry this idea with having plans on the shelf that were possible and people could use in moving forward with this, but they also coupled it with giving people these green gift baskets. People got a basket of all the different kinds of improvements that they could put into their homes so they could save money on their heating, and on their water, and all their different bills, and it made a big difference. These were people who were at the edge anyway housing wise, and to have a new unit could be cost prohibitive if the cost had gone up. So marrying the new unit with all the environmental sustainability really meant the difference about these people being able to afford their homes. I would really love to have the gentleman from the Salvation Army who worked on that program talk to us about it. I thought it was a really innovative approach to taking green, looking at the other end of the spectrum, and also being prepared in the sense of when you are doing redevelopment of housing for people who are at the lower end of the spectrum – how do you make sure that you build housing that they can afford to live in going forward.
Commissioner Miguel: I came across – actually a friend sent it to me – a web blog from an organization called Fast Company that I had never seen before. It was very interesting because they were talking about Wal-Mart and Target opening small foot-print outposts, and they were talking about San Francisco. I hope they were talking about the general San Francisco Bay Area because they were talking about opening two dozen micro-stores in San Francisco. Often when people who are not that familiar with San Francisco use the term San Francisco for the Greater Bay Area. Perhaps that is true. I haven’t heard anything. We know about Target’s two stores, but nothing about Wal-Mart.
I also have been at meetings this last week on the T-line extension to Chinatown with a lot of controversy around it still, and a very interesting meeting on something that will be coming to us in the near future, which is Executive Park.
Commissioner Antonini: I too had some meetings in the last few weeks that I should mention. Yesterday I met with project sponsors for Treasure Island development; last week with a DR requestor for a future project that will be coming forward on Edgewood Drive; and about a month ago for a project we will see today at 2509 Bush which will stretch the imagination; yesterday, 2750 Mission, which will be next week; and then some neighbors concerns about the development at 800 Presidio; and finally about two weeks ago I met with a representative about a future development at the Dagget Triangle.
D. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
6. Director’s Announcements
Director Rahaim: I think I forwarded to you an email about the latest activities regarding the Redevelopment Agency - a proposal by the Governor. Our Redevelopment Agency Director, Fred Blackwell, has been meeting with other Redevelopment Agencies and has proposed an alternative to the Governor’s proposal. That discussion was to happen I believe today or yesterday. We will see the results of that shortly hopefully.
Secondly, I just want to announce a couple of changes to our legislative staff. As you know, AnMarie heads up that work. To help AnMarie we made some changes on who is staffing legislative analysis. Instead of having one position, we will have it broken up into three different positions. You will see Sophie Hayward, Aaron Starr, and Erika Lovejoy who will be taking part of the responsibilities for that work. Part of their time will be spent on their normal duties in Neighborhood Planning or on MEA work and the other part will be focused on legislative work.
7. Review of Past Week’s Events at the Board of Supervisors, Board of Appeals, and Historic Preservation Commission.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
No report
BOARD OF APPEALS:
No report
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION:
No report
E. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT – 15 MINUTES
At this time, members of the public may address the Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the Commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting. Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.
SPEAKERS: None
F. REGULAR CALENDAR
8. 2010.0673C (M. Woods: (415) 558-6315)
2509 BUSH STREET - south side between Scott and Divisadero Streets; Lot 032 in Assessor’s Block 1051 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303(c), 317(f) and 712.38, to allow the conversion from two residential units to a preschool for up to 48 children (an “Other Institutions, Large” as defined in Planning Code Section 790.50) in an existing two-story over basement building, containing approximately 3,900 square feet, in the NC-3 (Moderate-Scale Neighborhood Commercial) District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
(Continued from Regular Meeting of February 10, 2011)
SPEAKERS: In support: Michelle Lawton – Project Sponsor, Eric Stein, Arch Bishop Gregory Richardson, [Name unclear], Christina Morris, Cordelia Brown, and Sharon Tabar
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Miguel and Olague
ABSENT: Fong and Sugaya
MOTION: 18284
9. 2010.0766Z (G. CABREROS: (415) 558-6169)
2451 SACRAMENTO STREET – south side between Fillmore and Webster Streets; Lot 037 in Assessor’s Block 0636 - Recommendation to Board of Supervisors to Adopt a Zoning Map Amendment pursuant to Planning Code Section 302 to change the zoning district of the subject lot from the RM-1 District to the adjacent Upper Fillmore Neighborhood Commercial District. The Planning Commission will consider a resolution recommending this Zoning Map Amendment to the Board of Supervisors; adopting findings, including environmental findings, Planning Code Section 302 findings, and findings of consistency with the General Plan and the priority policies of Planning Code Section 101.1.
Preliminary Recommendation: Recommend Adoption
SPEAKERS: In support: Arch Bishop Gregory Richardson and Barbara Smith – SF Housing Authority as the Project Sponsor; In opposition: Susanne Gamble
ACTION: Following a failed motion to continue the item to 5/12/11, it was approved with a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to require the project sponsor to meet with the neighborhood association and that the project would be brought back before the Planning Commission as an informational item
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Sugaya, and Olague
NAYES: Moore and Miguel
ABSENT: Fong
MOTION: 18285
10. 2005.1204D (E. WATTY: (415) 558-6620)
449 BUENA VISTA AVENUE EAST - south side between Park Hill Avenue and Upper Terrace; Lot 063 in Assessor's Block 2607 - Request for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2005.11.07.7601 proposing construction of horizontal front, vertical, and horizontal rear additions to an existing two-unit dwelling within the RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Staff Analysis: Full Discretionary Review
Preliminary Recommendation: Do not take Discretionary Review and approve
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: DR withdrawn prior to the hearing
5:00 P.M.
11. (S. DENNIS PHILLIPS: (415) 558-6314)
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES STRATEGY - Informational Report - on Senate Bill 375, the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) and the effect of the law on local governments as well as the Bay Area as a region. This report is based on reports provided to Planning Department staff by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). No action is required on this item.
SPEAKERS: Peter Conley, Mr. Malcolm Young, Egon Terplan, William Ho, Fernando Marti, Brad Paul, Gen Fujioka, and Mark Solomon
ACTION: Informational only – no action
12. (T. OJEDA: (415) 558-6251)
MARKET & OCTAVIA PLAN MONITORING REPORT (2005-2009) INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION BY STAFF – The Market & Octavia Plan Monitoring Report describes commercial and residential development activities and transportation trends in the Market and Octavia Plan area between 2005 and 2009. It is the first five-year time series monitoring report since the Plan’s adoption in 2008 and accounts for new construction, demolitions and alterations completed in the last five years as well as provides near term development trends in the pipeline. The Report also discusses community improvements in transit infrastructure and services, affordable housing construction, and first source hiring. The Market & Octavia Five Year Monitoring Report is available for the public at the Planning Department and through the department website. A supplemental report has been prepared by the Market/Octavia Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and is being submitted to the Commission in addition to the Monitoring Report.
Preliminary Recommendation: No Action requested. Informational only
SPEAKERS: Peter Cohen, Jason Henderson, Robin Levit, Maurice, Calvin Welch, Mark Solomon, and Linda Chapman
ACTION: Informational only – no action
13. 2007.1275M (K. DISCHINGER: (415) 558-6284)
2009 HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE - Consideration of a Resolution of intention to initiate amendments to the San Francisco General Plan. Pursuant to San Francisco Charter Section 4.105, Planning Code § 340(c) and § 306.3, consideration of a Resolution of intention to initiate an amendment to the San Francisco General Plan, a proposed revision of the Housing Element. At the hearing, the Planning Commission may consider adopting a Resolution of Intention to initiate amendments to the General Plan, and schedule a public hearing to consider adopting the proposed General Plan amendment.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval
SPEAKERS: Sarah Karlinsky – SPUR, Rose Hillson, Eric Brooks – SF Green Party, Linda Chapman, Kathy Devincenzi, Mark Solomon, Hiroshi Fukuda, Tim Colen, SF Housing Action Coalition, and Judy Berkowitz
ACTION: Approved initiation
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Sugaya, and Olague
NAYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Sugaya, Miguel, and Olague
ABSENT: Fong
RESOLUTION: 18924
G. PUBLIC COMMENT
At this time, members of the public may address the Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the Commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting with one exception. When the agenda item has already been reviewed in a public hearing at which members of the public were allowed to testify and the Commission has closed the public hearing, your opportunity to address the Commission must be exercised during the Public Comment portion of the Calendar. Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.
The Brown Act forbids a commission 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, the commission is limited to:
(1) 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))
SPEAKERS: Eric Brooks
Re: Hydrogen as a fuel
Adjournment: 9:32 p.m.
Adopted on 4/14/11 as corrected on item 13 to show the correct vote:
AYES: Antonini, Borden, Sugaya, and Olague
NAYES: Antonini, Borden, Moore, Sugaya, Miguel, and Olague
ABSENT: Fong
