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SAN FRANCISCO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Hearing Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
12:30 P.M.
Regular Meeting
_______________ ______________
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Johns, Wolfram Martinez, Matsuda, Chase, Hasz
COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Damkroger
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT CHASE AT 12: 52 PM
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: John Rahaim – Planning Director; Gretchen Hilyard; Moses Corrette; Richard Sucre, Tim Frye – Preservation Coordinator, and Linda Avery – Commission Secretary
A. PUBLIC COMMENT
SPEAKERS: None
B. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Director’s Report
Director Rahaim introduced Jeff Joslin, the new Director of Current Planning, who will start working for the Planning Department (PD) in October. He will oversee the entitlement and zoning processes, and the preservation program in the Department. He has managed the design review and entitlement divisions for the City of Portland for many years; was a member of the Design and Preservation Commissions; and worked as a private consultant and developer.
2. Preservation Coordinator Frye reviewed past week’s events:
· On August 2, Planning Commission (PC) heard the 100 Van Ness project that would convert the mid-rise office building to a residential building. Being in the proximity of the Civic Center Historic District and in the surrounding area of the Beaux Arts corridor of the District, the PC approved the project with the condition that sponsors continue to work staff.
Other Reports:
· The Sunset District Historic Surveys, made possible by a CLG grant, has completed work on a trilingual mail notification; created a Chinese/English web site; and Planning will conduct a Chinese/English walking tour in the neighborhood. Once the context statement and findings to the survey work is complete in early October, staff will distribute copies to the HPC.
C. MATTERS OF THE COMMISSION
3. President’s Report and Announcements - None
4. Consideration of Adoption:
a. Draft minutes of the July 18, 2012 Regular Hearing
b. Draft minutes of the August 1, 2012 Regular Hearing
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved July 18, 2012 minutes as corrected on page 4, item 11, the Mecican Mexican Museum; approved August 1, 2012 minutes as drafted.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
5. Disclosures
· Commissioner Wolfram had a meeting with Walter Hood and Paul Cooper regarding the Bay View Opera House; had a phone conversation with Todd [last name] of the Shorenstein Office regarding 1355 Market Street before it came to the Architectural Review Committee of the HPC, but not since then.
· Commissioner Johns had conversations with Walter Hood and Debra [Freeman] regarding Bay View Opera House, with Wilkes Bashford Will [last name] regarding War Memorial Courtyard; and received emails regarding the Courtyard.
· Commissioner Martinez received one email regarding the Courtyard.
· President Chase met with Ms. [Freeman], Mr. Hood, and a member of the Tom Elliot Fisch Architects’ staff regarding Bay View Opera House; and had phone conversation with [Tom Hart] from the Shorenstein Office regarding 1355 Market Street.
6. Commissioner Comments/ Questions
· Commissioner Matsuda provided an update on the August 8, 2012 Commission Secretary Search Sub-committees meeting: 1) the Planning Department has an approved budget that includes funding for a Planner III salary position as the manager in the Commission Secretary Office. The Sub-committees of PC and HPC have agreed, and wanted to ascertain and to relate to others in the search process that this position would work directly with the two commissions and under the direction of the Commission Secretary; 2) The Director of the Department of Human Resources has responded to the letter jointly signed by the presidents of both the commissions for the consideration of re-classifying the Commission Secretary position. Her response indicated the level of classification was determined by the information from a job analysis questionnaire, and her recommendation was to increase clerical staff rather than re-classify the Commission Secretary Position. The Sub-committees disagreed with the recommendation and has scheduled a meeting on August 22 to discuss the issue of not having had the ability to provide input on the job analysis questionnaires, and to see if there are any procedural ways that the Sub-committees could go before the Civil Services Commission for the reclassification.
· Commissioner Martinez thought it might be worthwhile to take up Supervisor Olague’s call for a hearing to discuss the idea of an alternate cultural resource designation.
· Commissioner Hasz suggested limiting project sponsors presentation time to 20 minutes for the Architectural Review Committee of the HPC in order to give commissioners time for deliberation.
D. CONSENT CALENDAR
7. 2012.0097A (GRETCHEN HILYARD: 415/575-9109)
735 MONTGOMERY STREET, west side of Montgomery Street between Jackson Street and Columbus Avenue, in Assessor’s Block 0195, Lot 001. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to renovate the ground floor of the north and east facades to convert existing offices into retail spaces and provide access from the public right of way. The proposal includes removal of non-historic existing balconies, storefront glazing, and entry stairs; lowering a section of the ground floor level; and the installation of new storefront glazing, entry doors and signage. Constructed in 1924 by an unknown architect, 735 Montgomery Street is a four-story office building designed in an altered 20th century commercial architectural style. The subject property is a potentially compatible resource to the Jackson Square Historic District, which is locally designated under Article 10, Appendix B of the Planning Code.
Recommendation: Approval with Conditions.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
MOTION: M0168
E. REGULAR CALENDAR
8. 2011.0705L (MOSES CORRETTE: 415/558-6295)
MARKET STREET MASONRY DISCONTIGUOUS DISTRICT - Market and Franklin Streets between Fell Street, Van Ness Avenue and Valencia Street. Consideration to initiate Landmark designation process of the following eight buildings (Assessor Parcel Number Block/Lot): 150 Franklin Street (0834/012); 20 Franklin street aka 1580-1598 Market Street (0836/010); 1649-1651 Market Street (3504/001); 1657 Market Street (3504/046); 1666-1668 Market Street (0854/004); 1670-1680 Market Street (0854/005); 1687 Market Street (3504/040)and 1693-1695 Market Street (3504/038) as an Article 10 Landmark District pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. Further consideration by the Historic Preservation Commission and the Board of Supervisors will occur at a future public hearing and will be noticed separately for a future date.
Preliminary Recommendation: confirm nomination and initiate.
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Confirmed nomination and approved initiation of landmark designation.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
MOTION: R687
9. 2012.0502H (TIM FRYE for PILAR LAVALLEY: 415/575-9084)
1355 MARKET STREET (aka 1301-1363 MARKET STREET), south side of Market between 9th and 10th Streets, in Assessor’s Block 3508, Lot 001. Request for a Permit to Alter to construct exterior alterations to the existing building associated with conversion of upper floors for new office tenants and of ground floor for retail tenants. Proposed exterior work includes a new two-story entrance at Market Street, removal and replacement of ground floor storefronts and transoms at 9th, 10th, and Market Street façades, replacement of windows at the 2nd, 10th, and 11th floors on 9th, 10th, and Market Street façades, lowering of sill height at 10th floor windows, and new two-story openings and arcade at the Stevenson Street elevation. The subject building, historically known as the Western Furniture Exchange & Merchandise Mart, is a Category I (Significant) Building in the C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial) District and the 120-X-200-S Height and Bulk District.
Recommendation: Approval with conditions.
PRESENTERS: Jay Turnbull, Page and Turnbull; Hans Baldauf, BCV Architects; Elisa Skaggs, Page and Turnbull
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved option two as outlined by staff with the exception that HPC approved the aluminum sills on the 10th floor be shop painted; approved the storefronts except that there would be a 12 inch curb; and pre-approved not having a sill in the new lobby.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
ABSENT: Damkroger
MOTION: M0169
10. 2012.0884A (RICHARD SUCRE: 415/575-9108)
4701 3rd STREET (BAYVIEW OPERA HOUSE), located on the southeast corner of Newcomb Avenue and 3rd Street, Assessor’s 5311, Lot 036. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for site work and exterior alterations including, but not limited to: construction of a commemorative plaza, outdoor theater, multi-use court and a new fence along the perimeter of the subject lot; new signage; repair of the main entry doors; construction of a new concrete stairway at the main entry; construction of an elevated walkway for handicap access; and replacement of the non-historic plaster cladding on the rear façade with new wood siding. The subject property is Landmark No. 08 and is located within the P (Public) Zoning District and a 40-X/OS (Open Space) Height and Bulk Limit.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
PRESENTERS: Amy Elliot, Tom Elliot, Fisch/Knapp Architects; Walter Hood, Landscape Architect
SPEAKERS: Vanessa Dandridge, Grant Manager of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and the Former Project Area Manager for the Bayview Hunter’s Point Redevelopment Agency, urged the HPC to support the project in order to secure the $1,185,000 entitlement project that is listed as one of the four Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules approved by the Department of Finance. The project would be the seminal project that transforms the Bayview Hunter’s Point Community.
ACTION: Approved with modified conditions that 1) the fritted glass is to remain; 2) use wood in the accessible rail walkway system; and 3) to align the walkway to the outer column of the porch.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Wolfram, Chase
NAYS: Martinez
ABSENT: Damkroger
MOTION: M0170
11. 2012.0361A (GRETCHEN HILYARD: 415/575-9109)
401 VAN NESS AVENUE (aka. War Memorial Courtyard), west side of Van Ness Avenue between McAllister and Grove Streets, in Assessor's Block 0786A, Lot 001. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to rehabilitate the Memorial Court at 401 Van Ness Avenue, including the installation of a Veteran’s memorial at the east end of the courtyard, re-grading the existing lawn, and reconfiguration of select hedges, curbing, and paving around the memorial site. The project includes the installation of a low rammed earth wall along the boundary of the central lawn parallel to the historic hedge, and the removal of a non-historic hedge at the west end of the courtyard. The property is located between the Veteran’s Building and Opera House and consists of a Beaux-Arts courtyard constructed in 1936. The Memorial Court is part of the San Francisco War Memorial Complex at 401 Van Ness Avenue and is designated as San Francisco Landmark #84 under Article 10 of the Planning Code. The property is also a contributor to the Civic Center Historic District.
Recommendation: Approval with Conditions.
PRESENTER: Mike Myatt, Retired Marin Major General, Chairman of the Veterans’ Memorial Working Committee, and Vice President of the War Memorial Trustees; Rommel Taylor, Department of Public Works; Susan [Arduley], Artist for the project; Andrea Cochran, State Architect
SPEAKERS in support of the rehabilitation to the Memorial Courtyard: Patrick Otellini, Assisted the project for the last six months; Wallace Levin, Korean Veteran; Richard Ow, Korean Veteran; Roger Dong, Member of the American Legion; Nelson Lum; Member of the American Legion; Matthew Shilvock, Assistant Manager to the Director of SF War Memorial Opera House; Nan Keeton, Director of External Affairs of SF Symphony; Tom F. Brown, Retired Naval Aviation, Retired School Teacher, Principal and Vietnam Veteran.
ACTION: Approved as modified to remove the benches.
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Chase
NAY: Martinez and Wolfram
ABSENT: Damkroger
MOTION: M0171
ADJOURNMENT: 3:58 PM
The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, September 5, 2012.
ACTION: Approved
AYES: Hasz, Johns, Martinez, Matsuda, Wolfram, Damkroger, Chase
