COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: : Hasz, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram
COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Hyland
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT HASZ AT 12:33p.m.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE:
Lily Yegazu, Steve Wertheim, Gretchen Hilyard, Eiliesh Tuffy, Tim Frye - Preservation Coordinator, Jonas P. Ionin –Commission Secretary.
SPEAKER KEY:
+ indicates a speaker in support of an item;
- indicates a speaker in opposition to an item; and
= indicates a neutral speaker or a speaker who did not indicate support or opposition.
A. PUBLIC COMMENT
SPEAKER(S): Mike Buhler, SF Architectural Heritage - Legacy Business Registry for San Francisco;
(F) Speaker, asked the HPC for consideration of adopting a resolution recommending to the BOS to approve the historical property at 205 Ocean Avenue;
Desiree Smith, SF Architectural Heritage - announced a Latino Context Statement event would be held October 11 at the SF Main Library’s History Center from 10AM - 5PM.
B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS
1. Director’s Report
Director Rahaim: Thank you. Good afternoon, Commissioners. I just wanted to make a mention about a project that you have been seeing a fair amount of in the press recently, which is the Flower Mart site. I thought it might be of interest to you. There has been a lot of discussion about maintaining the Flower Mart on that site. The preliminary discussions we have had with the developer is to search for ways to maintain that facility on-site even if the site is developed with another use. The Mayor has made a strong point of saying that he believes that they should do that. We believe it’s physically possible to do that and we are working with them to do that. They do not have a formal application with the Department yet. We expect in a few weeks we’ll get their Preliminary Project Assessment application so that we will be able to see what they propose on that site, but I just wanted to let you know that we are very much concerned about that issue as well as a lot of folks in the neighborhood. Secondly, related to that, related to the concern that I think is maybe more pertinent to your calendar later on, but just the general concern about PDR uses in the South of Market districts. We are in the midst of doing a Central SoMa Plan right now, which we believe the draft EIR is scheduled to come out in early 2015. We are looking in the context of that plan at the possibility of a 1:1 replacement policy if PDR uses are displaced, whether that’s on site, off site, outside or inside the district. We are looking at a variety of alternatives. Given the interesting trend right now, which is not only that there are very real jobs in those businesses, but there’s a growing demand for PDR spaces in the City right now, which is a reversal of multi-year trend until the last couple of years. There are growing small manufacturing businesses in the City that are looking for space and having a hard time finding it. We are looking at that issue in the context of the Central SoMa Plan as well, just wanted to give you that update. Thank you.
Commissioner Matsuda: When was the Flower Mart started? Was it post WWII, 1945?
Steve Wertheim: It’s been in South of Market before WWII but in the current location, about 50 years.
Commissioner Matsuda: There was never any discussion about considering that for landmark status. It has a lot of history.
Preservation Coordinator Tim Frye: It is being survey currently under the Central SoMa Survey so those findings will come to you prior to your reviewing the EIR.
2. Review of Past Events at the Planning Commission, Staff Report and Announcements
Mr. Frye: There was no Planning Commission hearing last week in observance of the Jewish Holiday, but I have a couple of items to share with you.
1. Governor Brown vetoed the State Historic Tax Credit Bill, AB 1999. I want to reiterate our disappointment in that. The City family, including our partners at the Port, came in full support of a state historic tax credit. We’ll continue to provide support and whatever assistance is needed to Heritage, California Preservation Foundation and others to hopefully move something forward in the following year;
2. I passed out earlier a postcard outlining an event as part of the Latino Cultural District in partnership with SF Arts Commission and our Invest in Our Neighborhood Program. The event is basically a stamp collecting event where folks can walk around and collect stamps designed by various artists within the Latino community. The event is on October 26th. I encourage you to attend. I think a lot of us are going to as well;
3. I want to bring to your attention two items in your packets and correspondence folders. The Pine Street Project - the developer sent a response to your letter that was issued at your last hearing. Also, we included a copy of the completed New Era Hall landmark designation report. This is just to bring something forward to you for your informational purposes to understand that while we do have our completed designation report on file at the Department, we are still working with the property owner on some outstanding issues and concerns they have with locally designating that property;
4. To follow up with Mr. Buhler’s comments about the Campos legislation in the paper today, Planning Department has been part of those meetings and we think it is a really interesting idea and we are going to continue to work with their office. I also put Commissioners Hyland and Matsuda in contact with the Supervisor’s Office as our newly appointed members of the Cultural Assets Subcommittee. I hope to rope them into the discussion as we move forward with any proposed legislation in the future. That concludes my comments and happy to answer any questions.
C. COMMISSION MATTERS
3. President’s Report and Announcements - None
4. Consideration of Adoption:
· Draft Minutes for ARC September 17, 2014
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
· Draft Minutes for HPC September 17, 2014
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
5. Commission Comments & Questions
Commissioners Pearlman, Matsuda, and Johns had conversations with Andrea Bruss from Supervisor Cohen’s Office about the PDR topic.
Commissioner Johns had a conversation with Supervisor Cohen about the PDR topic.
D. CONSENT CALENDAR
6. 2014.1361H (L. YEGAZU: (414) 575-9076)
1355 MARKET STREET, south side between 9th and 10th Streets. Assessor’s Block 3508, Lot 001 – Request for a Major Permit to Alter to install mechanical ducts along the Stevenson Street façade. Specifically three ducts spanning the height of the existing building will be located at three locations between existing windows on this façade. The subject property is an Art Deco commercial building constructed in 1936-1937 with addition along 9th Street in 1947. Historically known as the Western Furniture Exchange & Merchandise Mart, the structure is a Category I (Significant) building under Article 11 of the Planning Code and is located in a C‐3‐G (Downtown General Commercial) Zoning District and 120-X-200-S Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved with Conditions
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
MOTION: M-0240
E. REGULAR CALENDAR
7. 2014.1249T (S. WERTHEIM: (415) 558-6612)
PLANNING CODE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO OFFICE CONVERSION CONTROLS IN LANDMARK BUILDINGS IN PDR DISTRICTS – The Historic Preservation Commission will Consider a Resolution to approve amendments to the Planning Code. The amendments are intended to limit the conversion of Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR) space to office space in Landmark buildings in PDR Districts. The Planning Code is proposed to be amended by revising Sections 219 and 803.9.
(Continued from September 17, 2014 hearing)
Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a Recommendation for Approval with Modifications
PRESENTER: Andrea Bruss - Supervisor Cohen’s Legislative Aide
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted a Recommendation for Approval with Modifications to correct the spelling “preservation” in the resolution, and to note Commissioner Matsuda’s idea to include an interpretative display for displaced PDR space of the building in the landmarking process.
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
RESOLUTION NO: R-736
8. 2014.1383U (G. HILYARD: (415) 575-9109)
CIVIC CENTER CULTURAL LANDSCAPE NVENTORY, Consideration to adopt, modify, or disapprove the findings of the inventory. The Department-sponsored survey focused on the landscape characteristics and setting of the existing Civic Center Landmark District. The Department identified character-defining landscape features of the Civic Center Landmark District and identified a period of significance from 1896-1951. The purpose of the survey is to inform planning decisions within Civic Center and to encourage sensitive design treatment and maintenance of the district’s cultural landscape. The general boundaries of the survey area are: Golden Gate Avenue to the north, UN Plaza to the east, Market Street to the south, and Franklin Street to the west.
Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt
SPEAKERS: - Jim Hass - the document is not accurate or adequate;
= Mike Buhler, SF Architectural Heritage - UN Plaza and the Civic Center Plaza be reevaluated for their character defining features and that analysis be incorporated in the final document;
ACTION: After hearing and closing public comment; Continued to October 15, 2014
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
9. 2014.0719U, 2014.0720U, 2014.0746U (E. TUFFY: (415) 575-9191)
MILLS ACT CONTRACTS (68 PIERCE STREET, 563-567 WALLER STRET, 621 WALLER STREET) - Consideration of adoption of resolutions recommending Board of Supervisors approval of three Mills Act historical property contracts. The Mills Act authorizes local governments to enter into contracts with owners of private historical properties who, through a historical property contract, assure the rehabilitation, restoration, preservation and maintenance of a qualified historical property. In return, the property owner enjoys a reduction in property taxes for a given period. All three properties are designated as contributors to the Duboce Park Landmark District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a Recommendation for Approval
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted a Recommendation for Approval
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
RESOLUTION NOS: R-737 for 68 Pierce Street
R-738 for 563-567 Waller Street
R-739 for 621 Waller Street
10. (T. FRYE: (415) 575-6822)
ADMINISTRATIVE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND MINOR PERMITS TO ALTER DELEGATION - Renewal of Motion Nos. 0188 and 0212 to delegate to Planning Department Preservation staff the review and approval of administrative Certificates of Appropriateness for individual Landmarks and Landmark districts pursuant to Article 10 Section 1006.2(a) of the Planning Code and Minor Permits to Alter for Significant and Contributory Buildings & all buildings with Conservation Districts regulated under Article 11 pursuant to 1111.1 of the Planning Code.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Approved as revised
AYES: Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz
ABSENT: Hyland
MOTION: M-0241
Adjournment: 2:06 PM
The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, October 15, 2014.
ACTION: Adopted
AYES: Hasz, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram
ABSENT: Hyland
