June 1, 2011

 

A.         PUBLIC COMMENT

 

SPEAKERS:   [Glendon Enceconda], member of Western SoMa Citizens Task Force, urged the HPC to save and landmark the Eagle Tavern and the lot as it is.  Doug [Hilzinger], member of the Eagle for 14 years, urged the HPC to investigate the historical and cultural significance in landmarking the 90 years old A-frame building that could be dated back to the 1906 Earthquake. 

 

B.        STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Acting Preservation Coordinator Frye:

a.        Planning Department Presentation at Alamo Square Neighborhood Association Meeting to refresh homeowners and tenants on the meaning of Article 10.  The Department later discuss 940 Grove Street Project, the new three-single family homes that came before the HPC a couple of months ago for the review of a provisional Certificate of Appropriateness (C of A).  The Neighborhood had some concerns on how the process might be different from the previous Landmark Preservation Advisory Board.  Their concerns were addressed and they moved on to discuss the design of the building.  The developer was also there to learn what the community want to see at the site.  Final C of A will come before the HPC this summer for a final review on details associated with the exterior of the building.

b.        1742 Jones Street is a building listed on the National Register as a contributor to the Russian Hill Vallejo Street Crest National District in the 1987 by the Russian Hill Neighborhood.  The property owner received a notice of enforcement from the Department for installation work done on the exterior without a building permit. Subsequently the property owner submitted a building permit which was now under reviewed by the Department.  Yesterday, a news article discussed the frivolous nature of the enforcement.  The Department brought this situation to the HPC as it was indirectly related to a historic significant property.  Supervisor Weiner introduced a code amendment to the building code to exempt the installation of these type of architectural features from needing a building permit.  Mr. Frye would report back to the HPC on final language and legislation in the future.

c.        1576 Market Street was identified as an individual building legible for the California Register. Under events, it was built immediately after the Earthquake and Fire in 1906, and under architecture, it was a fine example of a early 20^th Century masonry commercial building.  The Department brought this to the attention of the HPC because the Department of Building and Inspection had determined to demolish this building due immanent hazards.  The Department has the A & B forms, past documents and photographs of the property and has asked for additional background information so that the building is properly documented prior to demolition.

d.        The Eagle Tavern supposedly scheduled today for discussion was rescheduled to June 15^th hearing.

                                                                                              

C.        MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION

 

  2.        President’s Report and Announcements - None

 

3.        Disclosures

Commissioner Wolfram communicated by email with Peter Lewis regarding the Inner Mission North Survey.

Commissioner Martinez talked to Jim Reuben about 1150 – 16^th Street

Commissioner Matsuda talked to Tim Kelly about 1150 – 16^th Street and reported that her non-profit organization received a recent contribution for a fund raising event from Reuben and Junius.
 

4.        Commissioner Comments/Questions

 

Commissioner Johns asked the criteria on Disclosure for Item 3 in the agenda and whether it was appropriate to put it there.  He thought there should be some better guidelines for Disclosure.  Commission Secretary Avery answered that the HPC went through a public hearing process to discuss Disclosure before it is placed in the agenda.  From the discussion, the HPC chose to publicly disclose whom they talked to and contacted with between meetings on any matter and any body that had a case that come before them.  Deputy City Attorney (CA) Ruiz-Esquide informed the HPC that the she had prepared a memo about a year ago that put together several options, from no ex-parti communiction at all to ex-parti allowed but with a formal disclosure requirement.  The options were discussed but the HPC never arrived to a consensus.  From the CA Office point of view, the HPC has all the information it needed to make the decision.  Commissioner Wolfram stated that was accurate and recalled the discussion that the HPC had on revised Rules and Regulations about a year ago, among other things, Disclosure was part of the discussion.  He asked for the status on Rules and Regulations.  Acting Preservation Coordinator Frye would schedule the revised Rules and Regulations discussion for July 6^th HPC hearing. 

          

D.        REGULAR CALENDAR

 

5.      2011.0417A                                                                     (R. Sucre: (415) 575-9108)

2 HARRISON STREET, north side of street between The Embarcadero and Spear Street, Assessor’s 3744, Lot 005 – Request for Certificate of Appropriateness to install a roof deck and two doorways on the seventh floor.  The subject property is known as the Hills Bros Coffee Plant and is Landmark No. 157. It is located within the RH-DTR (Rincon Hill Downtown Residential) Zoning District with an 84-X/105-X Height and Bulk limit.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approval

             

SPEAKERS:   None

ACTION:         Approved

AYES:             Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger

ABSENT:        Chase

Motion No.     M0123

 

6.       2011.0401U                                                           (M. WEINTRAUB: (415) 575-6812)

INNER MISSION NORTH HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY - Consideration to adopt, modify, or disapprove the findings of the historic resource survey - The survey consists of: field survey information for approximately 2,009 individual properties; historic resource/non-resource evaluations for approximately 1,745 individual properties that are at least 50 years of age; and historic district evaluations of 13 areas that contain significant groupings of historic contributors. The study area covers approximately 30 square blocks and includes the northwest portion of the Mission Area Plan and a small portion of the Market & Octavia Area Plan. The general boundaries of the study area are: Duboce Avenue and Market Street to the north; 20th Street to the south; Folsom Street and Shotwell Street to the east; and Dolores Street to the west.

(Continued from May 18, 2011 Hearing)

Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt the Inner Mission North Historic Resource Survey.

 

SPEAKERS:   Peter Lewis, Cofounder of Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association (MONA), objected that the proposed survey does not include the eastern side of Dolores Street in the historic district; favored the Dolores Street median and the Park be included in the survey; brought up the overlapping issues between Mission Dolores Neighborhood and the Mission District; Lucia Bogatay, Co-President of MONA, felt the themes of the proposed district too narrow.  It would be much simple to have a single or 2 or 3 larger districts for an inclusive theme that would not break up the community which survived the Fire event together; Ted Olson, Member of MONA, felt the proposed boundary lines of the proposed survey divides the neighborhood and urged the Commission to focus on the cultural history of the cohesive community before and after the Fire.

 

ACTION:         Adopted with amendments 1) the extension of the Albion & 16^th Streets District farther south to include the one building that’s directly across the street in the District; 2) in the future there would be an analysis of the area south of 19^th Street along South Van Ness as a potential district containing buildings from the 19^th C.; 3) there would  be an analysis of Dolores Avenue which potentially belonging to Dolores District; 4) the understanding that there are needs for an analysis of the east side of Dolores Avenue, particularly some stretches the HPC felt perhaps might fit better into the Dolores District than into other district; and 5) the understanding that the Department would bring recommendations of individual landmarks for this survey at another time.

AYES:             Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger

ABSENT:        Chase

Motion No.     M0124

 

7.         2010.0485U                                                          (M. CORRETTE: (415) 558-6295)

showplace square – northeast mission historic survey – Informational Presentation - The survey consists of a historic context statement; field survey information for approximately 633 individual properties; historic resource/non-resource evaluations for approximately 423 individual properties that are at least 45 years of age; and evaluations of two areas that contain significant groupings of buildings, one of which was found to be an eligible historic district. The study area covers approximately 124 blocks and includes the Showplace Square Area Plan and the northeast portion of the Mission Area Plan. The general boundaries of the study area are: 13^th Street and Bryant Street to the north; 20th Street to the south; Folsom Street and Shotwell Street to the west; and 7^th Street and Pennsylvania Street to the west.

Preliminary Recommendation: Informational only. No action required.
 

SPEAKERS:   Fred Synder, Representative of David Allen Trust, requested more time to do research about the historic significance on their properties since he did not receive the notification; Daniel Frattin, from Reuben and Junius, re: 1150 16^th Street told the HPC how this project was held up for seven years and how the surveys actually have an effect on what could be built, on cost, duration on the permit process and on project sponsor; Tim Kelly brought up two concerns on 1150 16^th Street, the Axis Café, regarding whether the building was an auto repair shop and the construction type; Charles [Blosay], Architect and Structural Engineer, disagreed that 1150 16^th Street is a post and beam building, and it is not a significant historic resource.  The building is one of the early 20^th C. cast-in-place concrete buildings in Showplace Square; Sergio Nibbi, owner of 1150 16^th Street, showed aerial photos of the site as evidence that the building was not an auto repair shop and told the HPC that this project’s entitlement for the 15 residential units would be running out at the end of the year; Judy West, Resident of Northeast Mission and Geologist, commented on seismic upgrade might not be triggered on industrial buildings that has a historic significance designation; Kate [Sophus], Executive Director of SF [Made], asked the HPC to take caution on the effect on blue collars who are operating and earning a slim margins in existing industrial buildings be judicious when applying a historic significance designation on top of an these industrial stock; Josh Smith, from Walden Development, was concerned about the findings and the reasons why 1200 and 1210 17^th Streets were identified in the survey.  He requested for more time to research on information regarding past history purported to have taken place in the buildings.
 

 ACTION:         Informational presentation only.  No action.

 

NOTE:            The Commission would hear this item on June 15^th.  At that hearing, HPC would have to decide to continue the entire survey of Showplace Square to July 6 with the exception of 1150 16^th Street, the Axis Café which could be heard.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT:   3:34 P.M.
 

The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, July 20, 2011

ACTION:           Approved

AYES:              Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Chase

ABSENT:          Damkroger, Matsuda, Wolfram