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SAN FRANCISCO
PLANNING COMMISSION
&
RECREATION & PARK COMMISSION
Joint Meeting Minutes
Commission Chambers - Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Thursday, October 11, 2012
10:00 AM
Special Meeting
PLANNING COMMISSION:
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Rodney Fong; Cindy Wu; Michael J. Antonini;
Gwyneth Borden; Rich Hillis Kathrin Moore; Hisashi Sugaya
RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION:
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Mark Buell; Tom Harrison; Paige Arata, Gloria Bonilla,
David E. Lee, Alan Low, Meagan Levitan, Larry Martin
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT BUELL AT 10:07 AM
PLANNING STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: John Rahaim – Director of Planning, Josh Switzky, and Linda D. Avery – Commission Secretary
A. SPECIAL CALENDAR
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NOTE: The Joint Commissions will hold one public hearing for the public to provide testimony on all items listed below. Following the public hearing, 1) the Planning Commission will act jointly with the Recreation and Park Commission to consider action to raise the cumulative shadow limits on various parks (listed in item 1 below) that could be shadowed by development pursuant to the Transit Center District Plan, and incorporate additional qualitative criteria for two additional parks (listed in item 1 below); and 2) the Recreation and Park Commission will consider making a recommendation to the Planning Commission regarding the possible adverse impact of shadow on various parks (listed in item 2 below.
1. 2007.0058K (J. SWITZKY 415.575.6815, K. GUY 415.558.6163)
SECTION 295 ACTIONS RELATED TO THE TRANSIT CENTER DISTRICT PLAN. Discussion and possible joint action by the Planning Commission and Recreation and Park Commission to (1) amend the Section 295 Implementation Memo adopted in 1989 to (a) raise the absolute cumulative shadow limits on seven park properties (Union Square, St. Mary’s Square, Portsmouth Square, Justin Herman Plaza, Maritime Plaza, Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground, and Boeddeker Park) that could be shadowed by development pursuant to the Transit Center District Plan, and (b) incorporate additional qualitative criteria for nine parks (the previously listed seven parks, plus Woh Hei Yuen Park and Chinese Recreation Center) that describe the quantity, coverage area, duration, times of day, and times of year of new shadows; and (2) adopt findings under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”).
(PLANNING COMMISSION AND RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION JOINT ACTION)
The Transit Center District Plan (“Plan”) (bounded by Market Street to the north, Steuart Street to the East, Folsom Street to the south, and a boundary line located between Second and Third Streets on the west) was signed by Mayor Lee on August 8, 2012. Adoption of the Plan included reclassification of numerous parcels in the area to increase height limits, including a landmark tower site in front of the Transit Center with a height limit of 1,000 feet and several other nearby sites with height limits ranging from 600 to 850 feet. The Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (“FEIR”) identified potential new shadows that could be created cumulatively by likely development sites in the Plan area on up to nine open spaces under the jurisdiction of the Recreation & Park Department. Approval of these buildings would thus be subject to approval under the procedures of Planning Code Section 295 (also known as “Prop K” or the “Sunlight Ordinance”) by the Recreation & Park and Planning Commissions. In order to implement the Plan, which is a holistic update to the Downtown Plan and the open space system in place at the time of the 1989 Memo, the Planning Department recommends amending the 1989 Memo to comprehensively revise the absolute cumulative limits (“ACLs”) for seven downtown parks based on the cumulative potential shading by future buildings anticipated in the Plan’s zoning framework and as analyzed in the Plan EIR.
Preliminary Recommendation: Amend 1989 Implementation Memo and adopt CEQA findings.
PLANNING COMMISSION:
SPEAKERS: Supervisor Weiner, Gilbert DeAnda, Danny Campbell, Tomika Moss, Richard Schaefer, Howard Wexler, Benjamin Bac Sierra, Sean McGarry, Julian Sullivan, Ruben Santiago, Tim Frank, Ramon Hernandez, Jim Lazarus, Jonathan Yorba, Sue Hestor
ACTION: Approved as amended to provide language to indicate priority in the distribution of impact fee funds for open space/parks in Chinatown
AYES: Fong, Wu, Antonini, Borden, Hillis
NAYES: Moore, Sugaya
RESOLUTION: 18717
REC/PARK COMMISSION:
SPEAKERS: Same as shown for the Planning Commission.
ACTION: Rec/Park Approved as amended
AYES: Buell, Harrison, Arata, Bonilla, Levitan, Martin
RECUSED: Alan Low
RESOLUTION: 1210-001
2. 2008.0789K (K. MAUNEY-BRODEK 415.575.5601)
101 1ST STREET (A.K.A. TRANSBAY TOWER; BLOCK 3720 LOT 001) – south side of Mission Street between 1st and Fremont Streets - Discussion and possible action by the Recreation and Park Commission to (1) recommend to the Planning Commission that the net new shadow from the proposed project at 101 First Street will not have an adverse impact on Union Square, St. Mary’s Square, Portsmouth Square, Justin Herman Plaza, Maritime Plaza, Woh Hei Yuen Park, Chinese Recreation Center, and Boeddeker Park, as required by Planning Code Section 295 (the Sunlight Ordinance); (2) allocate net new shadow to the proposed project at 101 First Street for the following six park properties: Union Square, St. Mary’s Square, Portsmouth Square, Justin Herman Plaza, Maritime Plaza, and Boeddeker Park, and (3) adopt findings under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”).
(RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION ACTION ONLY)
The Project proposes to construct a new 61-story office building with lower-level retail space, open space, and subterranean parking. The proposed building would reach a roof height of 912 feet, with a mechanical parapet reaching a height of 970 feet and a metal lattice crown feature reaching a height of 1,070 feet. The proposed building would contain approximately 1.37 million square feet of office uses, approximately 10,600 square feet of retail space, and approximately 39,370 square feet of off-street subterranean parking area. The project proposes over 28,300 square feet of public open space, including a 24,000 square foot plaza at the corner of 1st and Fremont Street that would provide access to the Tower and the Transbay Transit Center and would feature two means of direct public access to City Park (the 5.4-acre public park atop the Transit Center) via a funicular along the Fremont Street edge and an elevator connected to the Tower. The Project is proposed on property currently owned by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, the public agency responsible for construction and operation of the Transbay Transit Center and Downtown Rail Extension. The Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the recommendation of the Recreation and Park Commission at its regular hearing on October 18, 2012, at which time the Planning Commission will also consider other actions related to approval of the Project (Case No. 2012.0257EBX). Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt Recommendation that Shadow is Not Adverse, Allocate Net New Shadow on Six Parks, and Adopt CEQA Findings
SPEAKERS: Same as those listed for item #1.
ACTION: Rec/Park Approved as amended
AYES: Buell, Harrison, Arata, Bonilla, Levitan, Martin
RECUSED: Alan Low
RESOLUTION: 1210-001
Adjournment: 1:21 PM
Adopted: November 1, 2012
