Meetings - July 20, 2021 - Minutes
City and County of San Francisco
Entertainment Commission
MINUTES
Meeting was held remotely
Tuesday, July 20th, 2021
5:30 P.M.
Regular Meeting
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT, Ben Bleiman (President), Dori Caminong (Vice President), Steven Lee, Laura Thomas, Al Perez, Dave Falzon, Cyn Wang
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Executive Director Maggie Weiland; Senior Analyst Dylan Rice; Senior Inspector Antonio Savino
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT BLEIMAN AT 5:30 PM
SPEAKER KEY:
+ indicates a speaker in support of an item;
- indicates a speaker in opposition of an item; and
= indicates a neutral speaker or a speaker who did not indicate support or opposition
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
1. General Public Comment
Members of the public may address the Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission. With respect to agenda items, members of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes at the time such item is called.
Public Comment: None
2. Approval of Meeting Minutes. Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the June 15, 2021 Commission meeting. [Discussion and Possible Action Item]
Public Comment: None
MOTION: Commissioner Wang moved to approve the June 15, 2021 meeting minutes; Commissioner Lee seconded the motion.
ACTION: Approved Minutes for June 15, 2021
AYES: Vice President Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Wang, Commissioner Falzon, President Bleiman, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Lee
NAYS: None
3. Report from Executive Director: Legislative/Policy Update: none; Staff and Office Update: brief update on upcoming Commission and staff schedule, and an update regarding the re-launch of One Time Indoor Entertainment Event, Sound Truck, and Fixed Place Amplified Sound permits; Update on Board of Appeals Actions: none; Corrective Actions: none. [Discussion Item]
Public Comment: None
4. Report from Senior Inspector: Senior Inspector Antonio Savino reports on recent enforcement activities. [Discussion Item]
Public Comment: None
5. Updates on Nightlife Business Assistance, Industry Survey, and Temporary Permits in Response to COVID-19:
- Ben Van Houten, Business Development Manager, Nightlife and Entertainment Sector with the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, provides an update on nightlife business assistance in response to COVID-19.
- Dylan Rice, Entertainment Commission Senior Analyst, provides updates on the entertainment and nightlife industry survey results as well as the “Just Add Music” or JAM temporary permit program administered by the Entertainment Commission in response to COVID-19. [Discussion Item]
Public Comment: None
6. Hearing and Possible Action regarding applications for permits under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment Commission. [Discussion and Possible Action Item]
Consent Calendar:
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar, are considered to be routine by the Entertainment Commission, and will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission, 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.
Consent Agenda:
- EC-1594 – Jeremy Castillo and Justin Dolezal of Bar Part Time, LLC dba Bar Part Time, 496 14th St, Limited Live Performance permit.
- EC-1595 – Joshua James of inagoodway LLC dba Ocean Beach Café, 734 La Playa St, Limited Live Performance permit – change in ownership.
- EC-1596 – Adhiraj Singh of 500 Columbus LLC dba Red Window, 500 Columbus Ave, Limited Live Performance permit.
- EC-1597 – Scott Meyer and Luke Max McCal of Endgames Improv, LLC dba Endgames Improv (location #2), 2967 Mission St, Limited Live Performance permit.
- EC-1598 – Alan Aronoff of Synergize Live LLC dba Folsom Street Foundry, 1425 Folsom St, Limited Live Performance permit – change in ownership.
- EC-1599 – David Velasco and Lorena Cortez of The Mellow, LLC dba The Mellow SF, 1401 Haight St, Limited Live Performance permit.
- EC-1600 – Joseph Wallace and Robert Lemons of LRJ Ventures dba Bus Stop, 1901 Union St, Limited Live Performance, Mechanical Amusement Device, and Billiard Parlor permits – change in ownership.
Public Comment:None
MOTION: Vice President Caminong moved to continue the item to the call of the chair; Commissioner Thomas seconded the motion.
ACTION: Item a) Continued to the call of the chair.
AYES: President Bleiman, Vice President Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Falzon, Commissioner Wang
Regular Agenda:
- EC-1601 – Daniel Hawkins of Café La Onda LLC dba Gestalt, 3159 16th St, Limited Live Performance permit.
Public Comment:
+ Jay Sanders stated that he lives in the Mission neighborhood and wanted to offer his public comment in support of Gestalt getting approved for their entertainment permit.
- Matthew Wong stated that Gestalt has not reached out to any of the neighbors, and that their noise levels have been very loud. Further stated that he checked with 311 and there has been more than 25 calls over the previous month. Matthew asked that the commission deny the permit or at least, heavily condition the permit.
+ Michael Katz stated that he has lived on the block for 27 years and thinks the music is very special and means a lot to the neighborhood. He also works with Dan at Gestalt, and the patrons love the music. He expressed his support in approving the permit.
MOTION: Commissioner Thomas moved to continue the item to the call of the chair; Commissioner Falzon seconded the motion.
AYES: President Bleiman, Vice President Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Falzon, Commissioner Wang
7. Election of Vice President: This item allows the Commissioners to nominate and elect the seat of Vice President of the Entertainment Commission for one-year term. [Action Item]
Public Comment: None
MOTION: Commissioner Thomas nominated Commissioner Caminong as Vice President for the Entertainment Commission, Commissioner Lee seconded the motion.
ACTION: Commissioner Caminong was elected as Vice President of the Entertainment Commission through July 19, 2022.
AYES: Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Bleiman, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Wang, Commissioner Falzon, Commissioner Perez
NAYS: None
8. Election of President: This item allows the Commissioners to nominate and elect the seat of President of the Entertainment Commission for one-year term. [Action Item]
Public Comment: None
MOTION: Commissioner Wang nominated Commissioner Bleiman for President of the Entertainment Commission, Commissioner Caminong seconded the motion.
ACTION: Commissioner Bleiman was elected as President of the Entertainment Commission through July 19, 2022.
AYES: Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Bleiman, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Wang, Commissioner Falzon, Commissioner Perez
NAYS: None
9. Commissioner Comments & Questions; New Business Request for Future Agenda Items: This item is to allow Commissioners to introduce agenda items for future consideration, and to make announcements. [Action item and Announcements]
ADJOURNMENT at 7:53PM