SAN FRANCISCO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Hearing Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
12:30 P.M.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chase, Damkroger, Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, and Wolfram
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT CHASE AT 12:32 P.M.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Kelley Amdur - Neighborhood Planning Director, Tina Tam – Sr. Planner & Assistant to Neighborhood Planning Director, Moses Corrette, Joy Navarrete, Rich Sucre, Sophie Hayward, Tim Frye – Preservation Coordinator, and Linda Avery – Commission Secretary
A. PUBLIC COMMENT
SPEAKERS: Nancy Wuerful, Member of the Little House Committee, brought to the attention of HPC that there was a flaw in the system that endangered historic resources for issuing new permits for expired projects. In particular, she was concerned about the complete removal of a 1904 Victorian’s facade at 550 Jersey Street. F. Joe Butler, Architect in San Francisco and Member of the Little House Committee, stated that there were three historic resource properties that also had permitting issuance problems. They were 550 Jersey, 70 Gold Mine Drive, and 2807 Clay Street.
C. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Preservation Coordinator Frye:
1. Duboce Park Article 10 District Community Meeting was held at the Harvey Milk Center to discuss and present the Certificate of Appropriateness process to property owners of local landmark districts of the community. The meeting was well attended and Supervisor Wiener’s Office was there. In September, a workshop would be held to discuss how a designation ordinance would be crafted to protect important features that are important in the neighborhood. Also, several up-coming “Ask the Planner Night” events would be held at the Duboce Park’s Cafe.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Informational only – no action required.
D. MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION
2. President’s Report and Announcements - None
3. Disclosures
Commissioner Damkroger spoke with Andrew Gregg about the survey; Ms. Platt called to extend the time period for America’s Cup discussion; spoke with Nancy Shanahan about the America’s Cup Environment Impact Report (EIR); and corresponded with Joe Butler about the Little House.
Commissioner Martinez - Andrew Gregg called about the South of Market adoption.
4. Commissioner Comments/ Questions
Commissioner Martinez would like to have a report from Staff on what happened and what’s happening to the 2807 Clay Street and 550 Jersey Street houses. Commissioner Damkroger would also like some report and discussion about the Little House issues particularly with the apparent procedural inconsistencies where another family in the 2807 Clay Street neighborhood was seemingly held to a different standard.
Commissioner Damkroger commented that she liked the idea of “Ask a Planner Night.” Mr. Frye responded that he thought the idea originated from the Department’s Long-range Division with informal discussions on a one-on-one basis with the neighborhoods was a good one, particularly with some people in the community who wouldn’t feel comfortable responding in a larger format.
E. REGULAR CALENDAR
5. Rules and Regulations (L. AVERY: 415/558-6407)
a) Disclosure – Discussion of the definition of disclosures including, process, and options for the Commission.
b) Hearing Procedures related to receipt of new information during a public hearing.
c) Discussion on the format and material required for submittal of Historic Preservation Commission Hearing Packets.
Preliminary Recommendation: Adoption
(Continued from Regular Meeting of August 3, 2011)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted as amended changing Article 1, Section 2, to the HPC appoints its own Commission Secretary; Article 5, Section 6, from unexcused to un-communicated; Appendix A, III.c, to with a minimum of three (3) members or representatives.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger, and Chase
ACTION: Although not to be included as part of its Rules and Regulations, the Commission voted to adopt Option 4 of a memo from the City Attorney’s Office dated June 8, 2010 that allows the Commission to continue its practice of allowing Ex-parte Communications with required public disclosure
AYES: Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger, and Chase
NAYS: Hasz, Martinez, and Johns
6. 2010.0485U (M. CORRETTE: 415/558-6295)
showplace square – northeast mission historic survey – Consideration to adopt, modify, or disapprove the findings of the historic resource survey -- 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: 13th Street and Bryant Street to the north; 20th Street to the south; Folsom Street and Shotwell Street to the west; and 7th Street and Pennsylvania Street to the west.
(At the June 1, 2011 hearing, the Historic Preservation Commission directed staff to provide the Commission with additional information and to continue to work with the owners and tenants within the survey area. At this hearing the HPC may consider a continuance to the July 20, 2011 hearing for final adoption.)
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with modifications
SPEAKERS: Andrew Gregg, represented David Allen Trust, for properties located at 600-660 Alabama (the Pelton Wheel Building), requested additional research be done to prove the status code assigned to the properties should be 6Z. Fred Synder, represented David Allen Trust, stated that the Pelton Wheel Building was a working warehouse, not an office building, and according to his research nothing significant was invented and no important person is associated to the property. He asked the HPC if they did any historic evaluation and survey on the building, would he have to start the process all over? He was disgruntled because he was told not to do the work and was now given a status he did not agree with.
ACTION: Adopted the survey as amended 1) to reconsider the status code for 600-660 Alabama; and 2) to revisit CCA building to change it to 3CS based on its architectural merits.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger and Chase
MOTION: M0134
NOTE: The Department would conduct additional research with the owners of the Pelton Wheel Building and confirm the information the Commission was provided. Owner(s) of the CCA building would be notified of potential change in status code and the Department would do additional research in support of the change.
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 to assist the Historic Preservation Commission to prepare a comment letter 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.
NOTE: The Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) (SCH No. 2011022040) was published on July 11, 2011. The Draft EIR identifies significant impacts to historic resources from the construction and operation of the proposed AC34 facilities and Northeast Wharf Plaza and identifies mitigation measures that would reduce these impacts to less than significant. The Draft EIR also identifies a potentially significant and unavoidable environmental effect to historic resources due to the proposed future long-term development and identifies a mitigation measure to reduce this impact, though not to a level of insignificance.
This hearing is intended to assist the Commission in providing its comments on the Draft EIR. It is not a public hearing on the Draft EIR itself. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIR on
August 11, 2011. Written comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted at the Planning Department until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2011.
Preliminary Recommendation: Direct staff to draft written comments of the Commission
RECUSED: Commissioner Chase
PRESENTER: Dan Holdeff, Planning and Development Division of the Port of San Francisco went over the proposed project and the NE project.
SPEAKERS: Nancy Shanahan gave a brief overview of her concerns. They are: 1) The impacts of long term development rights granted in the host agreement; 2) The proposed designation of the Cruise Ship terminal could impact the Embarcadero Historic District; 3) the NE Wharf Plaza conceptual design couldn’t be adequately analyzed in the EIR; 4) the EIR restoration alternatives and other impacts would result in historical resources; 5) The DEIR misrepresented the authority and role of the HPC and its involvement in the Section 106 process; and 6) There are potential significant important and sensitive historic resources in the GGNRA, Presidio Trust and State Park Land that were not adequately mitigated. Gee Gee Platt noted there are two historic districts - the HPC controls one, and the Port controls the Water Front. She was concerned about 1) Pier 29, at the termination where Pier 27 comes into it in the 1960s and should be considered as an historic resource; 2) The Plaza needs to be thought through better; and 3) She thought it best for the Port to pay attention to Section 10 of the Planning Code and the Charter amendment in going forward with this project. Mike Buhler, SF Architectural Heritage Issues Committee requested 1) clarification of the impacts on Pier 29; 2) The process for determining future compliance with the Secretary of Interior Standards for proposed alterations to all the historic resources; 3) clarification of the scope of environmental review for future projects describe in the EIR at conceptual level; and 4) Questioned the current proposed location of the Plaza and the effect it would have on the district and the continuity along the Embarcadero.
NOTE: The HPC requested that the comment letter, when drafted, be reviewed by Commissioners Wolfram, Martinez and Damkroger prior to August 25, 2011, the last day of the comment period. Commission Damkroger instructed that the comments from speakers Nancy Shanahan, Gee Gee Platt and Mike Buhler be included in the HPC comment letter.
R&C Letter: L0006
[R&C Letter = Response & Comment Letter]
8. 2011.0167T (S. HAYWARD: 415/558-6372)
Planning Code Controls for Historic Preservation. The Commission will consider a proposed Ordinance sponsored by the Planning Department that would amend the Planning Code controls for Historic Preservation, including but not limited to Articles 10 and 11. The Planning Commission reviewed proposed amendments on August 5, 2010 and recommended approval with minor modifications of various Code Sections to the Board of Supervisors. The Historic Preservation Commission began a parallel review of the proposed amendments in 2010 on the following dates: July 21st, August 4th, 18th, September 1st, 15th, and 29th, October 6th 15th, and 21st, November 3rd and 17th, and December 1, 2010. The Historic Preservation Commission is considering further modifications prior to sending recommendations to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with minor modifications.
Please note: The recommendations of the Historic Preservation Commission will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for its review, tentatively scheduled for September 22, 2011. Recommendations of both the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for its consideration.
SPEAKERS: Mike Buhler, SF Architectural Heritage; Gee Gee Platt
PRESENTER: Deputy City Attorney Marlena Byrne presented her proposed amendments to Article 10.
ACTION: Following discussion of each proposed amendment in which commissioners and public speakers had the opportunity to discuss Ms. Byrnes’ proposals prior to the Commission’s direction to staff, the Commission continued further discussion of Articles 10 & 11 to September 7, 2011
AYES: Hasz, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger and Chase
ABSENT: Johns
ADJOURNMENT: 4:32 P.M.
The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, September 21 , 2011
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger, and Chase
