SAN FRANCISCO

PLANNING COMMISSION

Meeting Minutes

 

Commission Chambers - Room 400

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Thursday, August 11, 2011

12:00 PM

Regular Meeting

 

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Olague, Miguel, Antonini, Fong, Moore, Sugaya

COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:  Borden

 

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT OLAGUE AT 12:16 PM

 

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: John Rahaim – Director of Planning, Sophie Hayward, Michael Jacinto, Joy Navarrete, 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.         COMMISSIONERS’ QUESTIONS AND MATTERS

 

Adoption of Commission Minutes – Charter Section 4.104 requires all commissioners to vote yes or no on all matters unless that commissioner is excused by a vote of the Commission.  Commissioners may not be automatically excluded from a vote on the minutes because they did not attend the meeting.

 

1.         Consideration of Adoption:

 

·         Draft Minutes of Regular Meeting of June 23, 2011

 

SPEAKERS:     None

ACTION:           Approved

AYES:              Olague, Miguel, Antonini, Fong, Moore, Sugaya

ABSENT:          Borden

 

 

2.         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 Miguel:  

I noted an interesting article with the title "Medical Office Play." You remember the trying goal --
triangle matter that was before us. This is the property directly across from 16th Street.
It is in Mission Bay. It is four large blocks – lots on 17th and 16th Streets.
It is being discussed within the department and everything.  But they are thinking of putting in a medical office building. While it could possibly be an excellent adjunct to what is happening in Mission Bay, remember back when the Parnassus Campus of UCS was buying up residences and putting in housing and small medical offices until the neighborhood stopped them from doing that, and while certain medical related facilities are undoubtedly necessary, it is possibly something we should be cautious about.

Commissioner Sugaya:

This is an ad (held up a picture) that shows the clarity of the glass by showing landscaping through the glass, which does wonders for birds.  I will pass this off to the bird people, whoever they are. I do not remember the website, but this does show the outline of an owl that has flown into a window.

President Olague:   Thank you for that. Can you keep us posted on when this will be at the Board? I think some of us may want to go and give support to the Department’s recommendations.

 

C.         DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

3.             Director’s Announcements

 

Director Rahaim:

I want to give you a short update on staff working with Wholefoods. Did you get a memo in your packet today? The bottom line is the neighbors are not completely happy with the situation, but we do believe they are now in compliance.  There are two main issues that I think were part of your conditions of approval:  one was the hours of loading and the other is the staging of trucks on the street. Your conditions did allow them to load between 4:00 A.M. And 7:00 A.M.. We believe 4:00 A.M. Is the time when the conditions would allow that. Primarily because we did not want to stage trucks on the street during traffic hours, and because when they are using the building without making modifications, the trucks have to go through the parking lot. It is very difficult, if not impossible to load during store hours, so, that is the challenge we have. It is a very early hour, admittedly, to load, but that was consistent with the Commission’s conditions. We did have the Department of Public Health test for the noise conditions, and we believe they are in compliance at this time.

 

4.         Review of Past Week’s Events at the Board of Supervisors, Board of Appeals, and Historic Preservation Commission.

 

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:

No meeting this week

 

BOARD OF APPEALS:

John Rahaim – Acting Zoning Administrator

There are three items Scott thought would be of interest to the Commission from last night's hearing.
One is that the Board presented an award to Lawrence Kornfield for his years of service. As you know, he is serving as the Special Assistant to the City Administrator working on the Earthquake Safety Program at the Mayor's Office. Second has to do with 2344 Market Street, the site of the Trigger Bar. You heard the code enforcement case, the Board heard a jurisdiction request related to the notice violation and the penalty issued on May 7, 2010. Trigger requested the Board to reduce the penalty currently at $50,000. They are able to go to the Board to reduce that penalty, but in this case, the Board voted to deny the jurisdiction request and the NOB has been upheld and the penalty remains in effect. The third item has to do with 1727 Union Street, the Brickyard Restaurant, the Board heard that appeal on June 22, and continued to allow the petition holder to meet with neighbors and address noise concerns. The permit holder did not meet with neighbors and did not submit alternatives until August 3. The Board addressed that with them - that they did not meet with neighbors in a timely fashion. They voted to continue the item until September 21 to allow more time to meet with neighbors.

 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION:

No meeting this week

 

D.         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.

 

Ms. Harrison

Re:       Urged the commission to work with others on the need for a re-entry program in the Bayview and throughout the city

 

E.            REGULAR CALENDAR 

 

5.         2011.0656TZ                                                                 (S. HAYWARD: (415) 558-6372) 

Amendments to the Planning Code Sections 602.10, 607.1, 608, adding Section 608.16, and amending Sectional Map SSD of the Zoning Map: Establishing the City Center Special Sign District [Board File No. 11-0448]. Ordinance introduced by Supervisor Farrell amending Planning Code Sections 602.10 (Definitions), 607.1 (Neighborhood Commercial Districts), 608 (Special Sign Districts), adding Section 608.16 (“City Center Special Sign District”), and amending  Sectional Map SSD of the Zoning Map to establish the “City Center Special Sign District” encompassing the real property bounded by Masonic Avenue, Geary Boulevard, Lyon Street, and O’Farrell Street (Assessor’s Block 1094, Lot 001), to allow additional projecting signs, freestanding identifying and directional signs and to modify existing controls on business wall signs; 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.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Modifications

(Continued from Regular Meeting of July 28, 2011)

 

SPEAKERS:     Jim Reuben, representing Project Sponsor, Ms. Mills, Project Architect, Ms. Harrison, Melba Lew, Jim Walters

ACTION:           Approved as amended

AYES:              Olague, Miguel, Antonini, Fong, Moore, Sugaya

ABSENT:          Borden

RESOLUTION:   18428

 

6.         2009.0291E & 2010.0275E                                                 (M. JACINTO: (415) 575-9033)

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART EXPANSION / FIRESTATION RELOCATION AND HOUSING PROJECT – Public Hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Report: The proposed projects include the following: 1) on the block bounded by Third, Mission, New Montgomery, and Howard Streets in the Yerba Buena Redevelopment Area, an up-to 200-foot-tall, 235,000-square-foot expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art at 151 Third Street (Assessor Block 3722, Lot 78), involving demolition of the structure at 670 Howard Street (Assessor Block 3722, Lot 27) and San Francisco Fire Department Station No. 1 and at 676 Howard Street (Assessor Block 3722, Lot 28); and 2) on Folsom Street between Fifth and Fourth Streets in the East SoMa Plan, development of the property at 935 Folsom Street (Assessor Block 3753, Lot 140) with a 3-bay, 2-story replacement fire station fronting Folsom Street and a 13-unit, 45-foot-tall residential building fronting Shipley Street. The existing, vacant 935 Folsom Street industrial building would be demolished. 

Preliminary Recommendation: No Action Required

Note: written comments will be accepted at the Planning Department’s offices until the close of business on August 25, 2011.

 

SPEAKERS:     Deb Self, Nan Connell-Henson, Liz  Bridges, Nancy Tomlison, Foster Weeks

ACTION:           Public hearing on the Draft EIR – No Action Required

 

            7.         2010.0493E                                                                (J. NAVARRETE: (415) 575-9040)

The 34th America’s Cup and James R. Herman Cruise Terminal and Northeast Wharf Plaza Projects Draft Environmental Impact Report - Public Hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Report:  The City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) and the America’s Cup Event Authority propose to host the 34th America’s Cup (AC34) sailing races in San Francisco Bay  in 2012 and in 2013.  Venues proposed for the AC34 events are piers, water areas, and facilities managed by the Port of San Francisco (Port) including: Piers (Piers 19, 19½, 23, 27-29½, 26, 28, 30-32, and 80), water basins/water areas (Piers 19-23, 23-27, 29‑31, 14-22½, 26‑28, 28-30, and 32-36), and Seawall Lot 330. Various other venues are proposed for spectator‑related activities, some of which are under the jurisdiction of other City, state or federal agencies, including Crissy Field, Marina Green, Fort Mason, Aquatic Park, Alcatraz Island, Fort Baker Pier at Cavallo Point (near Sausalito), SF Civic Center, Union Square, and Justin Herman Plaza. The event venues would include team bases and operations, support space, media operations, hospitality services, commercial space, entertainment and spectator areas, and temporary berthing and mooring facilities for race-related and spectator vessels. The Port proposes the development of Pier 27 as the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal and Northeast Wharf Plaza, which would be phased to allow America’s Cup Village uses at Piers 27-29, including an initial phase of the cruise terminal building, for the 2013 AC34. The Cruise Terminal project would involve demolition of the existing Pier 27 shed, a portion of the Pier 29 shed, and Pier 27 Annex Building, and construction of a 91,200 square foot, two-story cruise terminal building along Pier 27. The Northeast Wharf Plaza would provide a 2½-acre open space at the south end of Pier 27, fronting along The Embarcadero promenade including a multi-use recreational space and ancillary structures for commercial and recreational services.

Preliminary Recommendation: No Action Required.

Note: written comments will be accepted at the Planning Department’s offices until the close of business on August 25, 2011.

 

SPEAKERS:     Sam Ferguson, Andrew O’Mahony, Douglas Overman, Buffy Baumann, Will Paowning, Mike Savage, Saul Bloom, Jane Connors, Robin Rome, Jesse Czelusta, Megan Sullivan, Donald G. Harrison, Cathy Bump, Steven R. Krolik, Nancy Shanahan, Peter Straus, Michael Lynes, Brian Gilbert, Ken Coren, Diane Walton, Lee Hammack, Polly Rose, Keith Howell, Kevin Carroll, Kimberly Pross, Reuben Hechanova, George Robin, Jeffrey Anderson, Daniel Osborne, J.E. Illick, Jan Blum, Dennis McKenzie, Teri Shore, Kate Coleman, Foster Weeks

ACTION:           Public hearing on the Draft EIR – No Action Required

 

 

 

F.         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))

 

None

 

Adjournment:    3:57 PM

 

Adopted:          September 8, 2011