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City and County of San Francisco
September 17, 1008

FINAL ACTION MINUTES

OF THE

SAN FRANCISCO

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

CITY HALL

1 DR. CARLTON B. GOODLETT PLACE, ROOM 400

SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

12:35 P.M. ROLL CALL

FOR FULL LANDMARKS BOARD CONSIDERATION

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Maley, Samaha (arr.@12:40), Street

BOARD MEMBER(S) ABSENT: Dearman, Martinez

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Tim Frye, Acting Preservation Coordinator; J. Dean; C. Nikitas; S. Middlebrook; Sonya Banks, Commission Secretary; Marlena Byrne, Deputy City Attorney

PUBLIC COMMENT

Erin Bevk: S.F. Heritage will be hosting a fundraiser for Proposition J. The fundraiser will be held at the Haas Lilienthal House on Monday, September 22nd at 5:30 p.m.

REPORTS

  1. STAFF REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tin Frye, Acting Preservation Coordinator:

  • On September 18th at 10:00 a.m. the Planning Commission will hear the proposed code changes to Article 10 and 11 of the Planning Code. On October 1st, the

Landmarks Board will hear the proposed code changes.

Marlena Byrne, Deputy City Attorney

  • Regarding the proposed code changes to Article 10 and 11, there will not be specific language before the Planning Commission the ordinance has not been introduced, only an informational presentation at this point on anticipated code changes. Once the ordinance has been introduced, it will go through the normal 90 day referral process.
  • On September 18th, at 6:30 p.m., the Planning Commission will hear the Western SOMA Community Plan.

2. PRESIDENT'S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

None at this time.

3. MATTERS OF THE BOARD

None at this time.

  1. LANDMARKS WORK PROGRAM 2005-2007 UPDATE

None at this time.

  1. HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND COMMITTEE UPDATE

This item was continued to October 1, 2008 hearing.

ACTION ITEM(S)

CONSENT CALENDAR

All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar, are considered to be routine by the Planning Department, and will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Landmarks Board. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Board, the public, or staff so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Calendar and considered as a separate item at this or a future hearing.

6. 2008.1044A (S. MIDDLEBROOK: 415/558-6372)

988 GUERRERO STREET, Assessor's Block 3618; Lot 071. The subject property is located on the west side of Guerrero Street between 21st and 22nd Streets, and is a contributing building within the Liberty Hill Historic District, under Article 10, Appendix F of the San Francisco Planning Code. The site is zoned RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-family) with a 40-X Height and Bulk limit and a required 15' front setback. The proposal is a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a project that proposes to remove two masonry chimneys and to replace each with metal flues above the subject building's roofline.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with Conditions.

President Maley requested this item be removed from the consent calendar.

Speaker(s):

George Hauser

Board Action

It was moved by Board Member Damkroger (seconded by Hasz) to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness with the following conditions: the project sponsor will work with a structural engineer to see how much of the original brick chimney could remain showing above the roofline (must be in compliance with the height code requirement) and work with staff toward completing the project. The vote was unanimous.

AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Maley, Samaha, Street

NOES: None

ABSENT: Dearman, Martinez

NON-ACTION ITEM

INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION

7. (C. NIKITAS: 415/558-6306)

GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCE, at the request of the Landmarks Board an Informational Presentation providing an overview and status report on the San Francisco Green Building Ordinance, an amendment to the Building Code.

Speaker(s)

None

Tape No. 1a

ACTION ITEM(S)

ITEM NO. 10 WAS HEARD NEXT.

REVIEW AND COMMENT

8. (S. MURAOKA: 415/749-2577)

1407 gough street, between Sutter and Post Streets. Assessor's Block 0688, Lot 002 - Request for Review and Comment with a Informational Presentation by the Redevelopment Agency on the Historic Resources Evaluation Report prepared for the proposed demolition of the existing structure and construction of a new building on a parcel currently under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency (RDA). The RDA is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed project, because the project sponsor proposes demolition of the existing building and has issued a Notice of Preparation of an EIR. The RDA has requested comments on the Historical Resource Evaluation Report (HRER) and Notice of Preparation (NP) from the Planning Department. The Board will submit written comments on the HRER and NP to the Planning Department. The site is zoned RM-4 (Residential, Mixed District, High Density) and is in as 50-X Height and Bulk District.

(Continued from 9/3/08 hearing)

Speaker(s):

Moshe Dinar

Gee Gee Platt

Board Comments

The Landmarks Board members had the following comments:

  • The Historic Resource Evaluation lacks information listed about the artist Lucien Labaudt.
  • The HRER should be fleshed out and supported by more research. It was suggested that Richard Candida Smith's book  Utopia and Dissent – Art, Poetry and Politics in California be examined for information on Labauldt. Mr. Smith is a professor at UC Berkeley and may be a useful contact as well.
  • Suggested hiring an art historian/historian (who meets the Secretary of Interior Standards qualification) to research and evaluate Lucien Labaudt as an artist and provide more information about his wife Marcelle Labaudt. Also suggested contacting the SF Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) curatorial department to inquire about Lucien Labaudt and for possible research assistance. It was noted by a board member that SFMOMA has at least six Labaudt works in their collection.
  • The Board feels the Notice of Preparation has inadequate mitigation measures. The Board recommended contacting the Arts Commission early in the process, as members of the Commission may have contacts that would assist in the research on Labaudt as well as ideas for developing creative mitigation measures.
  • Would like to see other alternatives to demolition of the building. The building may be in poor condition but it may still have enough integrity under the National and California Register's guidelines to qualify as a historic resource.
  • Suggested hiring a qualified architectural historian to survey the building the building's interior to identify any potential historic material associated with Labaudt and his wife.
  • The HRER need more information on the impacts to the historic resource and should be further reviewed during the EIR process. Suggested the project alternatives be designed by a preservation architect.

Tape No. 1a and 1b

9. (J. DEAN: 415/575-9028)

SAN JOAQUINREGIONAL WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT: An informational presentation on the proposed project and Public Hearing to assist the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board to prepare a comment letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) proposes the San Joaquin Regional Water Quality Improvement Project to improve water disinfection capabilities at the SFPUC's Tesla Portal site and the Thomas Shaft site, both within unincorporated San Joaquin County. The Tesla Portal site is located about 7.5 miles south of the City of Tracy, at the western terminus of West Vernalis Road. The Thomas Shaft site is located about 7 miles southwest of the City of Tracy, near the end of the Thomas Shaft Road approximately 1.5 miles south from its intersection with Corral Hollow Road. At the Tesla Portal site, the Tesla Treatment Facility is proposed, which entails replacement of the existing Tesla Portal Hypochlorite Station with a new Chemical Process Building and Office/Control Building, and the construction of an ultraviolet (UV) facility, which would disinfect water using a series of UV light arrays. At the Thomas Shaft site, the Lawrence Livermore Water Quality Improvements would upgrade the existing water treatment facility with a UV system. Both facilities are proposed to meet disinfection requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule and the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. 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 Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

NOTE: The Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2007052109) was published on August 25, 2008. The San Joaquin Regional Water Quality Improvement Project Draft EIR identifies potentially significant, but mitigable construction-related impacts on historical resources, and identifies mitigation measures to reduce impacts to less than significant.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft EIR on September 18, 2008. The 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 Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

Speaker(s):

Karen Frye

Chris McMar

Board Action

It was moved by Board Member Hasz (seconded by Damkroger) to accept the recusal of Board Member Street from this item. The vote was unanimous.

AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Maley, Samaha

NOES: None

ABSENT: Dearman, Martinez

RECUSED: Street

Board Comments

The Landmarks Board members had the following concerns:

  • The Board suggested that it would be helpful to have a full written historical documentation or survey of the entire Hetch Hetchy water system to be use as a guide and/or tool for future projects.
  • On page 57, the Board supports and recommends the following comment regarding the steam engine foundations and bucket assembly:  since they are closed to the staging area, it is recommended that they be properly fenced off to avoid potential inadvertent physical impacts or damage to the resource that could occur during project construction .
  • On page 4.7.6 (DEIR), and on pages 27 and 28, a brief summary about the political controversy surrounding hydro-electric power should be included. The Board suggested strengthening that statement by providing recognition of the opposition by electrical power companies for constructing this facility, especially PG & E.
  • The Board appreciates the opportunity to provide their comments but does not feel comfortable commenting on the archeological components of the project because there is not an archeologist member on the Landmarks Board.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS

10. 2008.0202A (A. HEITTER: 415/558-6602)

491 POST STREET, The First Congregational Church, located at the southeast corner of Mason and Post Streets, Assessor's Block 307, Lot 9. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to install two bronze statues on the Post Street façade, previously installed without the benefit of a permit, business signage and exterior lighting fixtures. The subject property is Landmark No. 177 and is zoned Downtown General Commercial (C-3-G) and is in a 80-130-F Height and Bulk District. The building is rated as Category 1 (Significant) under the Downtown Plan, and a contributor to the Kearny-Market-Mason-Sutter Conservation District.

(Continued from 4/2/08, 8/20/08 and 9/3/08 hearings)

Speaker(s):

Paul Correa

Board Action

It was moved by Board Member Samaha (seconded by Street) to accept the request for a continuance to the October 15th hearing. The Board requested an update on the proposed project. The vote was unanimous.

AYES: Chan, Cherny, Damkroger, Hasz, Maley, Samaha, Street

NOES: None

ABSENT: Dearman, Martinez

Tape No. 1A

ADJOURN: 2:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Sonya Banks

Recording Secretary

ADOPTED: November 5, 2008

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Last updated: 11/23/2009 1:19:40 PM