September 19, 2007

FINAL ACTION MINUTES

OF THE

SAN FRANCISCO

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

CITY HALL

1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, ROOM 400

SEPTEMBER 19, 2007

12:45 P.M. ROLL CALL

FOR FULL LANDMARKS BOARD CONSIDERATION

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Martinez

BOARD MEMBER(S) ABSENT: Dearman, Maley, Street

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Mark Luellen, Preservation Coordinator; D. Sokolove; N. Turrell; M. Weintraub; Sonya Banks, Commission Secretary; Marlena Byrne, City Attorney

PUBLIC COMMENT

Erin Farrell: She invited the Landmarks Board members to attend the India Basin Waterfront reception at Supervisor Sophie Maxell's office, on September 25, 2007 - City Hall, Room 279 to support the landmarking of 900 Innes Avenue.

John Templeton: He invited the Landmarks Board members to attend a two-day conference  Preserving California Black Heritage . The conference will be held at Ingleside Presbyterian Church, 1345 Ocean Ave., on Monday, October 7^th and 8^th. Board Member Ina Dearman will be a guest speaker.

REPORTS

1. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mark Luellen, Preservation Coordinator:

i On September 11^th, the second reading for the Landmark Designation for 55 Laguna was heard by the Board of Supervisors, this designation will become a ordinance within 30 days.

i On September 20^th, the Planning Commission will hear the landmark designation for 1601 Larkin Street.

i He provided an update on the Citywide Surveys: Work has begun on the Mission and SOMA surveys (they are part of the Eastern Neighborhood surveys). A third survey, Show Place Square, is pending the final contract agreement. The Japantown survey is expected to start in early October.

i The new Director for the Planning Department will arrive in early January 2008. His name is John Rahaim; he is currently the Director with the Seattle Planning Department.

2. PRESIDENT'S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

None at this time.

3. MATTERS OF THE BOARD

None at this time.

4. LANDMARKS WORK PROGRAM 2005-2007 UPDATE

Damkroger

She has students who are volunteering to work on the landmarks nominations.

Cherny

He has not found a student to work on the Sunshine School.

5. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE UPDATE

None at this time. The meeting was cancelled.

6. APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 DRAFT ACTION MINUTES

Speaker(s):

None

Board Action

It was moved by Board Member Damkroger (seconded by Chan) to continue the minutes until October 3, 2007 hearing for additional comments to be added. The vote was unanimous.

AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Martinez

NOES: None

ABSENT: Dearman, Maley, Street

NON-ACTION ITEM

INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION

7. 2005.0159E (D. SOKOLOVE: 415/575-9046)

WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, An informational presentation on the proposed project.

Speaker(s):

Kelly Capone

Steven We

Chris McMorris

Joyce Chow

ACTION ITEM(S)

REVIEW AND COMMENT

1. 2005.0159E (D. SOKOLOVE: 415/575-9046)

WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PEIR, Public Hearing to assist the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board to prepare comment letter on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is sponsoring a proposed program, which consists of a series of facility improvement projects and a water supply strategy that, together, implement the SFPUC's service goals and system performance objectives for the regional water system in the areas of water quality, seismic reliability, delivery reliability, and water supply through the year 2030. The proposed program runs through several California counties, including Tuolumne, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco counties.

The Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board will receive public testimony and discuss the EIR in order to frame their written comments on the adequacy of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (Draft PEIR), pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Speaker(s):

None

Board Comments

A Board member suggested including historic trees, garden, and landscaping in the project level evaluation. A Board member stated that the Historic and cultural resources were not mentioned at all in Chapter 9, CEQA Alternatives and requests that these resources be included in the impact analysis of this chapter. A Board member recommended that examples of historical materials and equipment that could be salvaged should be included into the mitigation measures. A Board member suggested including in the historical context the opposition of building the system from PG&E, Spring Valley Water Company, and Great Western Power. Further recommend looking into the role of the Federal Government in funding part or all of the extension to O'Shaughnessy Dam in the 1930's. A Board member would like to see clarification in the historical property list and confirm that the eligibility information cam from SHPO/Feds. A Board member suggested looking at the labor history, and the significance for the project of the population groups that worked on it as part of the historical context statement. A Board member asked for clarification regarding project level impacts and coordination with the National Historic Preservation Act should there be any federal involvement. A Board stated its interest in ensuring that the water system as a whole as well as interconnected segments be evaluated as potential historic and cultural resources, and that the possible existence of such resources not be lost during individual project level environmental review.

Tape No. 1a

NON-ACTION ITEM

INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION

9. 2004.1094E (N. TURRELL: 415/575-9047)

GOLDEN GATEPARKSTABLES RENOVATION PROJECT. An informational presentation on the proposed project.

Speaker(s):

Mary Hobson

Susan Yogi

ACTION ITEM(S)

REVIEW AND COMMENT

10. 2004.1094E (N. TURRELL: 415/575-9047)

GOLDEN GATE PARK STABLES RENOVATION PROJECT,Public Hearing to assist the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board to prepare a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (SFRPD) is proposing the rehabilitation of the four stables built during the Works Progress Administration (WPA), demolition of the Golden Gate Park (GGP) Grandstand and ancillary structures, construction of three additional stables, and expansion of the existing arena. The existing WPA Stables would be rehabilitated to meet current seismic and building code standards and the stalls would be reconfigured to increase their size. The number of stalls onsite would total 46 after completion of the project. The demolition of the GGP Grandstand would allow for the expansion of the arena to 130 feet by 122 feet (15,860 sq. ft.) from its current size 8,576 sp. Ft. The arena would be covered and lit. Other project components include construction of a retaining wall along the south end of the expanded arena to protect the all-purpose trail running east-west on the southernmost side of the site; construction of a hay barn and feed storage building totaling 1,600 sq. ft; construction of a 200 square foot manure bunker adjacent to the hay barn; use of multiple-use paths to nearby arenas, resurfacing of pathways, road, and parking lot; landscape improvements, and installation of perimeter fencing. The goal of the Proposed Project is to bring the historic activity of horseback riding back to the south of John F. Kennedy Drive between Spreckels Lake, GGP Stadium, and Lindley Meadow; and east of the GGP Police Stables. The site is located within a P (Public Use) zoning district and OS (Open Space) Height and Bulk District.

The Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board will receive public testimony and discuss the DEIR in order to frame its written comments on the adequacy of the DEIR, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

NOTE: The Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2006122033) was published on August 31, 2007. The DEIR found that implementation of the project would result in no significant environmental effects that could not be mitigated to a less than significant level with implementation of mitigation measures. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive 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, October 16, 2007.

Speaker(s):

None

Board Comments

A Board member requested using the State Historic Building Code for the rehabilitation of the buildings to be retained of the Golden Gate Park Stables. A Board member requested documentation of the entire Polo Field Arena, and the Central Arena as well as the Grandstand, as part of the mitigation (referred to as Improvement Measures in the EIR) as the Grandstand was a part of the intended arena. A Board member would like to see the documentation have defined standards (for examples, specifying a HABS level of documentation). This should include dimensioned elevations for the Grandstand as part of the mitigation. The Draft EIR states that the Grandstand is 10 stories tall; a Board member suggests that this is an error – it is probably 10 seating levels tall. A Board member requested that staff conduct further research on the history of the Grandstand, to determine if this was the first reinforced concrete grandstand in San Francisco. A Board member recommended that the Improvement Measures be conducted by a qualified consultant who meets the professional qualifications specified in the Secretary of Interior Standards.

Tape No. 1a and b

11. (M. WEINTRAUB: 415 5756812)

DRAFT MISSION DOLORES HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT. For the purposes of this context statement, the area covered is bounded by Market Street, the Central Freeway, Valencia Street, Twentieth Street, and Church/Sanchez Streets (transitioning at Seventeenth Street). Prepared by Roland-Nawi Associates for the Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association, sponsored by the Historic Preservation Fund Committee (Mayor's Office of Economic Development). Request the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board, Review and Comment and consider endorsement of the draft historic context statement.

Speaker(s):

Peter Lewis

Gideon Kramer

Stephen Haigle

Shelagh Ross

Vincent Marsh

Carol Roland-Nawi

Board Comments

The Landmarks Board members agreed that the document was well prepared. A Board member stated that there was a more complicated mix of people that came from Mexico and suggested making the discussion on ethnicity more detailed. A Board member feels that the signage is inappropriate. A Board member would like to see more information on the ethnic institutions and more attention to the working class institutions in the area. On page 25, regarding the comment about the city seal, the phoenix of the seal dates back to the 1850's, not to the fire of 1906. The Board considers the context statement a living document; approving it today does not foreclose changes in the future.

Board Action

It was moved by Board Member Chan (seconded by Damkroger) to accept the endorsement of the Draft Mission Dolores Historic Context Statement. The vote was unanimous.

AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Martinez

NOES: None

ABSENT: Dearman, Maley, Street

Tape No. 1b

ADJOURNMENT: 2:45 P.M.

Respectfully Submitted,

Sonya Banks,

Recording Secretary

ADOPTED: 10/3/07

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