May 16, 2007FINAL ACTION MINUTES
OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY HALL
1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, ROOM 400
May 16, 2007
12:35 P.M. ROLL CALL
FOR FULL LANDMARKS BOARD CONSIDERATION
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Dearman, Hasz, Martinez, Street
BOARD MEMBER(S) ABSENT: Maley
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Mark Luellen, Preservation Coordinator; N. Moses Corrette; Tim Frye; Tara Sullivan-Lenane; Viktoriya Wise; Sonya Banks, Commission Secretary; Marlena Byrne, City Attorney
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
REPORTS
1. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mark Luellen, Preservation Coordinator:
iOn May 8, 2007, Supervisor Peskin introduced a resolution to initiate the designation of the First St. John's Methodist Church, 1601 Larkin Street; it was received and assigned to the Land Use and Economic Development Committee.
iThe EIR for the Market/Octavia Plan will be heard before the Board of Supervisor's on May 22nd.
iOn April 19th,the Planning Commission heard the Mills Act application for 1735 Franklin Street, and it is waiting to be heard before the Budget Committee.
iThe Review and Comment for 55 Laguna Street was heard at the Planning Commission on April 19th. The Department will release the response to comments in a couple of months.
iThe Department hopes to have the TDR database within 4 to 5 weeks. The Department will provide written responses to Heritage's letter by the first hearing in June.
iThe Mills Act application for 1080 Haight Street was approved by the Budget and Finance Committee on May 9th and was heard by the Board of Supervisor's on May 15th.
2. PRESIDENT'S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Vice President Cherny announced the birth of President Maley's son, Paul Coleman Cannon, who was born on May 4th. The Landmarks Board sends their congratulations.
3. MATTERS OF THE BOARD
Damkroger
She asked if the Planning Department knew the status of the Geary Street Bus Rapid Transit and whether there would be a historic resource survey conducted as part of the environmental review process to know whether any potential resources could be affected by the project?
Street
On April 23, 2007, she and planning staff members attended the Alamo Square Society meeting. It was a productive meeting because members had the opportunity to have dialog with the neighbors who felt there was a new garage policy. They discussed adding garages and what it means to be in a historic district.
4. LANDMARKS WORK PROGRAM 2005-2007 UPDATE
- HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND UPDATE
The Committee received the re-submittal proposal for a context statement for African American history in San Francisco, and it is now being reviewed by a sub-committee. Three contracts have been awarded for surveying the South of Market.
ACTION ITEM (S)
6. APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 4, 2007 DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Board Action
It was moved by Board Member Street (seconded by Chan) to adopt the draft action minutes. The vote was unanimous.
AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Dearman, Hasz, Martinez, Street
NOES: None
ABSENT: Maley
- APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 18, 2007 DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Board Action
It was moved by Board Member Chan (seconded by Dearman) to adopt the draft action minutes with the following statement added to #7 Board Comments The Board members stated that the issue of the proposed project was distinct from the eligibility and designation of the site . The vote was unanimous.
AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Dearman, Hasz, Martinez, Street
NOES: None
ABSENT: Maley
8. 2007.0387A (T. FRYE: 415/575-6822)
1800 MISSION STREET, the State Armory & Arsenal Building, bounded by Mission, 14th, and Julian Streets. City Landmark #108 is located on Lot 001 in Assessor's Block 3547. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the rehabilitation, restoration, and replacement of the historic wood windows. The property is located within a C-M (Heavy Commercial.) District with a split 50-X/65-B Height and Bulk limit.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions
Speaker(s):
None
Board Action
It was moved by Board Member Street (seconded by Dearman) to approve the Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness with conditions. The vote was unanimous.
AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Dearman, Hasz, Martinez, Street
NOES: None
ABSENT: Maley
INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION(S)
9. 2007.0319L (T. SULLIVAN-LENANE: 415/558-6257)
55 LAGUNA STREET, blocks bounded by Buchanan, Hermann, Haight, and Laguna Streets; Lots 001, 001A in Assessor's Block 0857 and Lots 001, 002, 003 in Assessor's Block 0870 - Request for the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board to review revisions to Resolution #613 and the landmark designation report, specifically the particular features to be preserved, for the U.C. Extension Campus at 55 Laguna Street, formerly San Francisco Teacher's College, which will be incorporated into the final landmark designation report and forwarded to the Planning Commission.
Speaker(s):
Steven Vettel
Board Action
It was moved by Board Member Dearman (seconded by Chan) to accept the list of features to be preserved under #1 with changes: Designated as Burke Hall (later known as Richardson Hall), add the word Historic Exterior to the windows description.
It was moved by Board Member Street (seconded by Dearman) to accept the list of non-contributing features under #2 with changes: Designated as Anderson Hall (later known as Woods Hall), and Gymnasium Hall (later known as Middle Hall).
It was moved by Board Member Martinez (seconded by Dearman) to add the interior features of the gymnasium under #1 (Features to be preserved).
It was moved by Board Member Dearman (seconded by Chan) to accept the removal of items under #3. The vote was unanimous.
AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Dearman, Hasz, Martinez, Street
NOES: None
ABSENT: Maley
Tape No.: 1a
10. 2004.0557E (V. WISE: 415/ 575-9049)
1601 LARKIN STREET HOUSING PROJECT: Public Hearing to assist the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board to prepare a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The project site (Assessor's Block 0620 and Lot 006) is located in the Nob Hill neighborhood on the northwest corner lot of the intersection of Clay and Larkin Streets. The existing project site is an 11,200-square-foot lot containing a two-story over basement church building of approximately 19,050 square feet and a ten-car surface parking lot. The church building is considered a historical resource under CEQA. The project sponsor, California Nevada Conference of the Methodist Church and Pacific Polk Properties, LLC, proposes to demolish the existing church and construct a 63-foot-high, six-story-tall building of approximately 67,500 square feet containing 27 residential units and 30 off-street parking spaces in two separate parking levels (one at ground level and one below grade). The main entrance to the residences and the driveway to the ground-floor garage would be from Larkin Street. Vehicular access to the below-grade parking garage containing 21 spaces would be from Clay Street. The project site is in a RM-3 (Residential Mixed, Medium Density) Zoning District and a 65-A Height-Bulk District. The project sponsor is seeking a Conditional Use Authorization for a building taller than 40 feet in a residential district and a variance from the rear yard and dwelling unit exposure requirements.
NOTE: The Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2006072021) was published on April 14, 2007. The Draft EIR identifies the following impact as significant and unavoidable: Historic Resources: the First St. John's United Methodist Church is considered a historical resource under CEQA. The proposed project would result in the demolition of the historical resource and therefore, would have a significant and unavoidable impact. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIR on May 24th, 2007. This hearing is intended to assist the Landmarks Board such that the Board may prepare written comments on the Draft EIR to submit to the Planning Department. Written comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted at the Planning Department until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, 2007.
Speaker(s):
Stanley Saitowitz
John McInerney
Michael Schoolnik
Joe Butler
GeeGee Platt
Board Comments
The Board concurs with the Planning Department's findings of historic significance, which is in conflict with the findings of the Historic Resource Evaluation prepared by McGrew Architecture. A Board member would like the DEIR to acknowledge that the proposed project is in conflict with the General Plan Priority Policy #7. The Board concurs with the Planning Department's determination that the existing church building is individually eligible for both the California Register and the National Register of Historic Places, and that it is located within a potential historic district associated with San Francisco's reconstruction after the 1906 earthquake. The Board does not feel that the Partial Preservation alternative proposed in the DEIR is a viable option. The Board would like the DEIR to expand the discussion of the proposed Adaptive Reuse alternative (specifically for the DEIR to include graphic studies of the proposed alternatives, including floor plans and renderings), the incentives that relate to the two preservation alternatives, suggested that there be a more thorough written history of the existing building (any written documentation proposed as a mitigation should be performed to the standards outlined by HABS), and greater detail regarding the architectural salvage program proposed as a mitigation measure. The Board would like to know if there are original plans of the church. The Board feels that the existing church building as an institutional building within a residential district has greater significance than an individual residential building, and that its loss would result in a significant impact to the potential historic district. The Board recommended including photographs of the existing church building, particularly from the rear. The Board would like the DEIR to include an expanded discussion of the architect of the existing church building, George Washington Kramer, including his body of work and practice. The Board would like to DEIR to include an expanded discussion of the history and role of the Methodist Congregation in San Francisco.
Tape No.: 1a/b
11. (N. MOSES CORRETTE: 415/558-6295)
MARKET AND OCTAVIA AREA PLAN SURVEY
Originally presented at a public meeting the Department held on April 11, 2007, this informational presentation will discuss the progress of the Market and Octavia Area Plan Historic Resources Survey to date.
Speaker(s):
Joe Butler
Cynthia Servenick
GeeGee Platt
Board Comments
A Board member asked why 30% of the age eligible buildings did not receive DPR 523 B or D forms and questioned what criteria were used? A Board member asked if the Department had considered putting the draft DPR forms on line so that people can comment and address their concerns. A Board member asked for an explanation on how to determine if a B or D form should be used. A Board member asked if the Survey Advisory Committee had the opportunity to add their comments? How was it determined what properties should be surveyed, and did any of the excluded buildings have architecturally significance? A Board member asked if the State would regard this as a comprehensive survey.
Tape No.: 1b/2a
ADJOURNMENT: 3:00 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sonya Banks, Recording Secretary
ADOPTED: June 6, 2007
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