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SAN FRANCISCO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Hearing Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
11:30 A.M.
Regular Meeting
_______________ ______________
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chase, Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram
COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Damkroger
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT CHASE AT 11:33 A.M.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Mark Luellen – Acting Current Planning Director, Joanna Linsangan – Communication Manager, Debra Dwyer, Devyani Jain, Andrea Contreras, Joy Navarrete, Richard Sucre, Pilar LaValley, Shelley Caltagirone, Tina Tam, Tim Frye – Preservation Coordinator, and Linda Avery – Commission Secretary
A. PUBLIC COMMENT
SPEAKERS: None
B. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Director’s Report
Acting Current Planning Director Mark Luellen reported that Jeff Joslin was selected by Director Rahaim as the new Director of Current Planning of Planning Department. He replaces Kelley Amdur and will visit and join the Planning Department in August and on October 9 respectively.
2. There were no items to report on the previous events from Planning Commission (PC). Preservation Coordinator Frye brought to the attention of the Commission the following:
· Planning Department’s summer interns attended the hearing and they were acknowledged by the HPC.
· Mr. Frye would present the proposed legislation for the Mills Act Program at the Land Use Committee on July 23, 2012.
· If the HPC could not reach a quorum for the July 19, 2012 joint hearing with the PC on AIA’s Good Design presentation by Renee Chow, the Planning Department (PD) would continue to work with the AIA to find an alternate date that would work for both the HPC and PC.
· Mark Paez of the Port would give an update on the status of Pier 29, the bulk head building and the reconstruction efforts on August 1, 2012.
· Report on the Dog Patch Police Station on 3rd Street: 1) Donald Duffy from the Department of Building and Inspection toured the site and noted the smoke damage was located on a small addition to the side of the main police station structure and it was in reparable condition; 2) The building would be listed on the vacant building register; 3) The Department declared the property is city surplus and the Real Estate Department would develop an RFP for sale of the property. PD was drafting a General Plan Referral to allow the sale and to state the significance of the building, and that any measures taken to rehabilitate the building needed to be in conformance with the Secretary of Interior Standards and be brought before the HPC for review.
· PD received a CLG grant for the next fiscal year from the Office of Historic Preservation. PD proposes to use the grant to develop a context statement, a historic component of the design guidelines that relates to the historic Neighborhood Commercial District (NCD) and a storefront [study]
· The Certificate of Appropriateness approved by the HPC for 55 Laguna Street was appealed to the Board of Supervisors. The appeal would be heard on July 31, 2012. Staff planned to attend the hearing.
3. Quarterly Report: Landmark Designation Work Program FY2011-2012
(T. FRYE: 415/575-9074)
NOTE: There was no question from the Commissioners on the Report. Staff would bring the entire Work Program back to the HPC on August 15th or September 5th for the Commissioners to re-evaluation and re-prioritize for this fiscal year.
C. MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION
4. President’s Report and Announcements - NONE
5. Consideration of Adoption:
a. Draft minutes of the June 20, 2012 Regular Hearing
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Martinez, Matsuda, Damkroger
6. Disclosures
Commissioner Wolfram toured the Veterans’ Building with Elizabeth Murray; traded phone messages with [Jade] from Page and Turnbull regarding 55 Laguna Street, but did not speak with him.
Commissioner Johns toured the Veterans’ Building with Elizabeth Murray and others; received letters from the veterans; spoke to several people from both sides regarding the Veterans’ Building.
President Chase received email communication from Mary Miles and Cynthia Servetnick regarding 55 Laguna Street, but did not speak with her.
7. Commissioner Comments/ Questions
Commissioner Hasz commented on the recognition of years of service of Planning staff published in the Director’s Report.
8. COMMISSION SECRETARY POSITION
Commissioner Matsuda briefed the HPC on the activities and achievements to date to fill the Commission Secretary position: - 1) the Sub-committee put together a position description and a draft job announcement for review by both Commissions; 2) drafted a re-classification letter signed by presidents Chase and Fong for the Commission Secretary position to Ms. Micki Callahan, Executive Director of the Department of Human Resources; 3) put together a list for distribution and posting the final job announcement; and 4) discussed meeting in the future to establish interview questions and criteria to rate candidates responses to interview questions. Commissioner Wolfram commented that the HPC is not just an advisory entity. It has entitlement authority to approve Certificates of Appropriateness and Permits to Alter for development projects. The Commission Secretary Position Overview should be changed to reflect that.
NOTE: This item was called out of order and followed item 12
SPEAKERS: None
D. CONSENT CALENDAR
9. 2011.0681L (M. BROWN: 415/575-9074)
4004-4006 THIRD STREET – west side between Galvez Avenue and Hudson Avenue; Assessor’s Block 5253; Lot 030. Consideration to adopt a Resolution to recommend to the Board of Supervisors Landmark designation of 4004-4006 Third Street, historically known as Sam Jordan’s Bar, as an individual Article 10 Landmark pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. The HPC adopted a motion initiating landmark designation of the subject building on June 20, 2012.
Recommendation: Approval
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Martinez, Matsuda, Damkroger
RESOLUTION: R684
E. REGULAR CALENDAR
10. (J. LINSANGAN: 415/575-9119)
PUBLIC OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT – Informational Presentation - In 2011, staff (with support from the Friends of City Planning and Pepperdine University’s Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership) conducted a Public Outreach and Engagement Effectiveness Assessment on the department’s outreach and engagement efforts. Based on the results, a program has been created to better serve staff, stakeholders and the community at-large through a supported outreach and engagement program. This presentation provides a review of the survey’s findings and an overview of the program.
SPEAKERS: Jim Meko, represented South of Market (SOM), said the SOM neighborhoods had attended various public outreach settings to provide inputs on the Central Corridor Plan to the PD but nothing had changed. He said ‘until such time when staff can give a good answer to the questions of how has all this input made a difference, I think you still have a long way to go to building trust with the PD; Tim Kelley, Historical Consultant, noted there was no representation of preservation on the Public Outreach and Engagement Team (POET)
Information only – no action
11. 2008.1084E (D. DWYER: 415/575-9031)
706 MISSION STREET - THE MECICAN MEXICAN MUSEUM AND RESIDENTIAL TOWER PROJECT DRAFT EIR - North Side of Mission Street at the northwest corner of Third and Mission Streets; Lots 093, 275 and portions of Lot 277 in Assessor’s Block 3706 – Commission Review and Comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The proposed project includes the construction of a new 550-foot-tall, 47-story tower with three floors below grade. The new tower would be adjacent and connected to the existing 10-story Aronson Building, which would be restored and rehabilitated. The project would include up to 215 residential units, space for the Mexican Museum, possible office use, and ground-floor retail/restaurant use. The project also includes the conveyance of the existing Jessie Square Garage with 442 parking spaces. The project site is located in the Downtown Retail (C-3-R) Use District and a 400-I height and bulk district in the former Yerba Buena Center Redevelopment Area. The proposed project would require creation of a Special Use District (SUD) overlay to the C-3-R and/or rezoning to Downtown Residential District (DTR).
This public hearing is intended to assist the Commission in its preparation of comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Comments made by members of the public at this hearing will not be considered comments on the DEIR and may not be responded to in the Final EIR (FEIR). The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIR on August 2, 2012. Written comments on the DEIR will be accepted at the Planning Department until 5:00 p.m., August 13, 2012.
Preliminary Recommendation: The Historic Preservation Commission will discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to frame their written comments on the adequacy of the DEIR, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
NOTE: Commissioner Martinez commented that the DEIR responded well to the Architectural Review Committee’s comments and the memorandum on the treatment to Aronson building seemed good and proper.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: The Commission’s written comment letter to be forwarded to the Planning Commission.
Comment Letter: L0014
12. 2007.1035E and 2008.0877E (A. CONTRERAS: 415/575-9044)
Western SoMa Community Plan, Rezoning of Adjacent Parcels, and 350 Eighth Street Project. Commission Review and Comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for a proposed project consisting of three components: 1) The first component is the Draft Western SoMa Community Plan, which covers an irregularly shaped plan area consisting of two connected areas: one roughly bounded by 13th, Bryant, Seventh, and Minna Streets, and the second area roughly bounded by Townsend, Fourth, Harrison, and Seventh Streets. The plan would require amendments to the San Francisco General Plan as well as changes to use and height and bulk controls in the San Francisco Planning Code. The plan also includes policies for transportation improvements. 2) The second component is the rezoning of approximately 46 parcels adjacent to the Plan Area (generally bounded by Seventh, Ninth, Mission, and Minna Streets) in order to reconcile their use districts and height and bulk districts with those of the neighboring properties. 3) The third component is a proposed mixed-use development at 350 8th Street (Block 3756, Lots 3 and 15) that would include approximately 444 dwelling units, 33,650 sq. ft. of commercial space, 8,150 sq. ft. of light industrial/artist space, and 1,350 sq/ ft. of community space. The project area contains numerous properties considered to be historical resources for the purpose of environmental review.
This public hearing is intended to assist the Commission in its preparation of comments on the DEIR. Comments made by members of the public at this hearing will not be considered comments on the DEIR and may not be responded to in the Final EIR. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIR on July 26, 2012. Written comments on the DEIR will be accepted at the Planning Department until 5:00 p.m., August 6, 2012.
Preliminary Recommendation: The Historic Preservation Commission will discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to frame their written comments on the adequacy of the DEIR, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
NOTE: Commissioner Martinez commented, and Commissioners Hasz and Johns agreed, that the 350 8th Street Project is inappropriate, and being bundled in the EIR would make addressing historic resources difficult; that plaques and honorifics for cultural/social resources are not real mitigations; and cited examples of incentives that should be given to historic resources.
SPEAKERS: Jim Meko, Chair of Wester SoMa Task Force (TF), stated that the TF was initiated by the BOS, unlike other recent planning processes, the TF is a citizens planning effort. It partnered with Asian Neighborhood Design, worked with the PD, Transportation Authority, DPW, and garnered students’ contribution from SF State University, Cal Poly of San Luis Obispo, and UC Berkeley.
ACTION: The Commission’s written comment letter will be forwarded to the Planning Commission.
Comment Letter: L0015
13. 2012.0194H (P. LaValley: 415/575-9084)
459 GEARY STREET, mid-block on south side of street between Mason and Taylor Streets, Assessor’s Block 0316, Lots 018. Request for a Permit to Alter to construct a one-story vertical addition, partially infill lightwell at east elevation, replace storefront, and rehabilitate existing projecting sign as part of the rehabilitation and reuse of the existing six-story building as retail (art gallery), office, and one residential dwelling unit. The subject building is a Category IV (Contributing) Building in the C-3-G (Downtown General) District with an 80-130-X Height and Bulk limit. The project also requires Downtown Project Authorization pursuant to Section 309 of the Planning Code for an exception to Planning Code Section 263.8 to add height over 80 feet and for construction over 75 feet in height within a C-3 zoning district. The Downtown Project Authorization request will be heard by the Planning Commission at its regularly scheduled hearing on July 26, 2012.
Recommendation: Approval.
PRESENTER: Jim Branzer, Design Architect for the project from FMR Architecture
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
RESOLUTION: M0165
14a. 2011.0420A (R. SUCRE: 415/575-9108)
VETERANS BUILDING, 401 VAN NESS AVENUE, located on the southwest corner of McAllister Street and Van Ness Avenue, Assessor’s 0786A, Lot 001. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations including, but not limited to: rehabilitation/repair of the existing steel-sash windows; replacement of the roof membrane, roof panels, and mansard roof; replacement of the existing skylights; repair of terracotta architectural elements; and installation of new rooftop equipment. The subject property is Landmark No. 84 and is also a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District. It is located within a P (Public) Zoning District, the Civic Center Special Sign District, and a OS/96-X Height and Bulk Limit.
(Continued from 4/4 and 6/6/12 hearings)
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
NOTE: This item was called out of order and followed items 15a & b
PRESENTER: Beth Murray, Managing Director of the War Memorial; Steve Harris, Engineering, requested the HPC to allow the interior portion of the project to proceed without a Certificate of Appropriateness; Mike Myatt, retired Marine Major General and Vice President of the Board of War Memorial Trustee, stated the Trustee pledged to provide the facility and space the veterans needed and if it’s deficient, the Trustee would adjust it in the future.
SPEAKERS: Paul Cox, Vice President of War Memorial Commission, addressed the need of a C of A for the interior work. If the HPC passed the exterior work without a C of A for the interior, the historic fabric would be changed; Nelson Lum stated the American Legion of War Memorial has no objection to the exterior work proposed.
ACTION: Approved with conditions recommended by staff.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
RESOLUTION: M0166
14b. 2011.0420U (R. SUCRE: 415/575-9108)
VETERANS BUILDING, 401 VAN NESS AVENUE, located on the southwest corner of McAllister Street and Van Ness Avenue, Assessor’s 0786A, Lot 001. Request for Review and Comment, pursuant to Article 10, Appendix J, Section 8 of the Planning Code, on the interior alterations associated with the proposed project. The proposed project consists of exterior and interior alterations, including a seismic upgrade, facility modernization improvements, accessibility improvements, upgrades to the Herbst Theater, reorganization of existing offices and meeting rooms on each floor, and renovation of the fourth floor to accommodate the San Francisco Opera. Proposed exterior work is subject to Historic Preservation Commission Review and Approval under Case No. 2011.00420A. The subject property is Landmark No. 84 and is also a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District. It is located within a P (Public) Zoning District, the Civic Center Special Sign District, and a OS/96-X Height and Bulk Limit.
(Continued from 4/4 and 6/6/12 hearings)
Recommendation: The Historic Preservation Commission may draft comments to the San Francisco War Memorial Trust regarding the proposed project’s interior alterations.
SPEAKERS Nelson Lum, Chair of the American Legion of War Memorial Commission, opposed the interior construction work at the War Memorial Veterans’ Building and requested that the interior be landmarked before it’s demolished; Paul Cox, Civil Engineer, addressed speaker Steve Harris’ comment on load bearing walls; Ester Chavez, President of the Philippine American Press Club, asked to preserve Room 126, the WWII Memorial Room, because it is a repository of photos and artifacts from the US Philippine history; Aquinino Delen, World War II Veteran, commented on equal footings for the WWII Philippine veterans; Rudy Ascercion asked to preserve the history in Room 126; Bill Siler III, State Adjutant for the American Legion in the California State, asked to preserve Room 117, the office that oversees 495 posts in California and archived pictures from the beginning of the American Legion since 1919; John Caldera, President of the SF Veterans Affairs Commission and Commander of Bob [Basker] Post 315, said the commission meets in Room 101 once a month and the Post’s Office meets in Room 125. He urged HPC to preserve the history of the veterans in the building and said the current proposed plan would take all the history away; Cecilia Gaerlan – urged the HPC to preserve Room 126 where it houses the only repository of the archive of the battle ground in [Buta-ahn] where more soldiers died there than at Pearl Harbor; Tom Hugget represented Post 198 and spoke on behalf for Commander Patterson for the new African American Post. The Commander wanted to remind the commission that African Americans had to struggle to join the American Legion and would like to preserve a place for the Post in the War Memorial building. The Post is working on a solar training program to train soldiers for careers and new business; Dr. Richard Kempis, former Member of the Mayor’s Office of Community Development and Vietnam War Veteran, said the War Memorial should be used to house activities that benefit and support the veterans; Christopher Bowman, Vietnam War Veteran, Member of Post 448, and a member of the SF Republican Party, asked to preserve, protect, and restore the American Legion State Head Quarter and the individual post offices along the 1st floor to its original status and not to put them into cubicles on the second floor; Roger Dong, Members of District 8 and 348 Cathay Post, said the Post is the oldest post and had struggled for an office in the American Legion. The Post would like to keep the office on the 1st floor to continue the established Success Center in providing training for returning veterans; Mario Benfield, Commander of Alexander Hamilton, said the Post has occupied Room 128 since 1985 and stated the importance of saving that room; Latonia Dixon, Second Vice Commander of Post 315, Registered Nurse, Artist and Disabled Veteran, proposed for a state-of-the-art veteran arts gallery at the new improved Veterans’ Building; John Forrett, District 8 Commander of the SF American Legion, asked HPC to refer to the actual City Attorney official opinion (different from the one heard at the 6/20/12 HPC hearing) He believed a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for the interior work; Jim White, Veteran and Chairman of the Veterans and Artist Café, a national coalition for veterans to perform plays, display arts and sciences, asked for a wellness center in the Veterans Building to groom mentors of tomorrow; Stephen Noetzel, Vietnam War Veteran and Secretary of the Veteran Affairs in SF, made reference to General Myatt remarks and stated the veteran communities asked for reasonable use of the building. He asked HPC to deny the C of A [for exterior work] in order to create the last chance for the veterans and the Board of Trustees to meet to hear what the veterans really want. Paul Cox, made three points: 1) substantiated that hollow-clay-tile bearing wall was a significant structural element when the Veterans Building was built; 2)the reduction of veterans square foot usage from 17% to 10% didn’t make sense, and 3) keeping the diversity of veteran groups alive; Jean Morris, Air Force and US Fly Marine Veteran, helped created the Veterans Media Center. He would like the HPC to take into consideration that the Board of Trustees has not been receptive to the current needs of the veterans in the past and doubted it would anticipate any future needs of the veterans in the future after the retrofit.
ACTION: Approved the changes proposed as appropriate; however, the background research and presentations on the history of the building is deficient.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Chase
NAYS: Martinez and Wolfram
ABSENT: Damkroger
RESOLUTION: R685
ACTION: Agendized an item to discuss the potential of landmarking the interior of the first floor within three months from this hearing.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez Matsuda
NAYS: Wolfram and Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
15a. 2012.0033ACEF (S. CALTAGIRONE: 415/ 558-6625)
55 LAGUNA STREET – two blocks bound by Laguna, Haight, Buchanan, and Hermann Streets; Lots 001 and 001a in Assessor’s Block 0857 and Lots 001, 002, and 003 in Assessor’s Block 0870 – Request for Review and Comment for the infill design component of the 55 Laguna Mixed Use Project. The property contains San Francisco Landmark Nos. 257, 258, and 259 - Burke-Richardson Hall (a.k.a. Richardson Hall), Anderson-Woods Hall (a.k.a. Woods Hall), and Anderson-Woods Hall Annex (a.k.a. Woods Hall Annex). The buildings also contribute to the National Register-listed San Francisco Normal School/State Teacher’s College campus. It is located within a RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. The site is zoned RM-3 (Residential, Mixed, Medium Density District)/ 40-X Height and Bulk District; and NC-3 (Moderate-Scale Neighborhood Commercial District)/ 85-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: The Historic Preservation Commission may direct staff to draft written comments of the Commission to be forwarded to the Planning Commission.
PRESENTER: Chris [Higland], Principal of BAR Architect; Elisa Skaggs, Page and Turnbull.
ACTION: The Commission’s written comment letter to be forwarded to the Planning Commission to point out that the Open House Building, the Amenities Building, and the Circular Stairs are not compatible with the district, or, need improvement.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
RESOLUTION: R686
Item 15b was heard before 15a as a courtesy to the Mayor’s Office of Housing as there was a time limitation to provide comment for finance purposes.
15b. 2012.0033ACEF (S. CALTAGIRONE: 415/ 558-6625)
55 LAGUNA STREET – two blocks bound by Laguna, Haight, Buchanan, and Hermann Streets; Lots 001 and 001a in Assessor’s Block 0857 and Lots 001, 002, and 003 in Assessor’s Block 0870. Request for Review and Comment on a draft Memorandum of Agreement prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH), the lead agency, and supporting documents for Section 106 Review of the proposed project to address its impact on historic resources. The property contains San Francisco Landmark Nos. 257, 258, and 259 - Burke-Richardson Hall (a.k.a. Richardson Hall), Anderson-Woods Hall (a.k.a. Woods Hall), and Anderson-Woods Hall Annex (a.k.a. Woods Hall Annex). The buildings also contribute to the National Register-listed San Francisco Normal School/State Teacher’s College campus. It is located within a RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. The site is zoned RM-3 (Residential, Mixed, Medium Density District)/ 40-X Height and Bulk District; and NC-3 (Moderate-Scale Neighborhood Commercial District)/ 85-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Direct staff to draft written comments of the Commission to be forwarded to the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) and State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO).
ACTION: The Commission’s comments [that the Sacred Palm Tree shouldn’t be moved] and that there are more openings in the current design than approved in the C of A be forwarded to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and the State Office of Historic Preservation.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
COMMENT LETTER: L0016
ADJOURNMENT: 4:33 PM
The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
