ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
MINUTES OF THE
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
City Hall, Hearing Room 416
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA  94102

COMMISSIONERS

Present

Audrey Joseph
Steven Lee
Liam Frost
Dori Caminong
Laura Thomas

STAFF       

Present

Executive Director, Jocelyn Kane
Deputy Director, Maggie Weiland
Sound Inspector, Jordan Pauley
Commission Aide, Crystal Stewart

CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chair Audrey Joseph called the meeting to order at 5:43PM.

ROLL CALL

Director, Jocelyn Kane called the Roll. 

Present at the meeting were Commissioners, Audrey Joseph, Steven Lee, Dori Caminong, Laura Thomas and Liam Frost.

Absent were: Bryant Tan and Al Perez

1. 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.

2. Approval of Meeting Minutes.  Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the February 16, 2016 Commission meeting [Action item]

Commissioner Joseph moved to approve the minutes of February 16, 2016 Commissioner Lee second the motion

Vote:

Yeas- Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee Commissioner Joseph,

Absent – Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Perez

Abstain – Commissioner Thomas

3. Report from Executive Director Legislative/Policy Update: Developing 2016 Summit topics and date; Update on One Stop Shop planning; Staff and Office Update: Update on Residential Disclosure website; New Commissioner Intro: Laura Thomas. Corrective Actions: Nothing to Report. Report from the Sound Inspectors Jordan Pauley and Sean Burke report on recent venue sound inspections and report of activities by staff. [Discussion Item]

No public comment was made.

Inspector Pauley - Notes for EC meeting 3/1/16

COMPLAINTS:

3/1/2016 4:15 PM Love & Propaganda 85 Campton Pl.: Receiving noise complaints from neighboring hotel. Issue surrounds noisy smokers congregating in quiet alley. Action pending.
2/25/2016 11:15 AM Barbarosa Lounge 714 Montgomery St.: Receiving noise complaints from neighbors. Issue surrounds extremely noisy bass and lack of sound abatement. Action pending.
2/25/2016 10:30 AM Hue Nightclub 447 Broadway: Receiving noise complaints from neighbors closely surrounding the venue. Smoking area and litter may be an issue.

COMPLIANCE:

3/1/2016 10:45 AM VERSO 1525 Mission St.: Talked to management about eliminating issue with noise escaping into a utility room. The utility room shares a wall with the neighbor.
2/25/2016 10:30 AM Kels Irish Pub 530 Jackson St.: Discussed neighborhood complaints with manager. Manager now active in eliminating discussed issues.
2/20/2016 11:45 PM Infusion Lounge 124 Ellis St.: Issues around programming and promotion seem to have been resolved. Manager was replaced.

INSPECTION:

2/27/2016 11:45 PM Holy Cow Nightclub 1535 Folsom St.: Holy Cow had an issue with an unsecured door. Issue resolved. In compliance.

Inspector Sean D. Burke - Notes for EC meeting 3/1/16

Complaints
12/19/15  Hawker Faire 3139 16th St.
Anonymous report of unpermitted restaurant operating as a nightclub with cover charge. Visited and spoke with Assistant Manager who said that, to his knowledge, no live entertainment has been hosted on the premises. General Manager has been contacted to discuss further and monitoring will continue.

12/25/16 La Oficina 4234 Mission St.
Anonymous complaint regarding ongoing noise. Upon inspection, door and sound curtain were closed. No sound audible from outside establishment. Monitoring will continue.

1/5/16 26 Mix 3024 Mission St.
Intermittent excessive noise reported. Voicemail left and email sent to complainant. No response. Upon inspection, no sound was audible outside venue. Monitoring to continue.

1/10/16 1300 Fillmore 1300 Fillmore St.
Reports of sound being heard inside residences above permitted venue. Anonymous complaint. Not in operation at time of inspection on 2/27/16 at 10:30pm.

1/31/16 Delirium 3139 16th St.
Report of excessive noise, especially Sunday evenings. Anonymous complaint. Visited venue and spoke with management who will be in contact next time they have a Sunday event.

2/22/16 Tipsy Pig 2231 Chestnut St.
Report of live band on Tuesday, February 9th. Upon visit, it was discovered that operator did host entertainment for an anniversary party and was unaware that a permit was necessary.

2/21/16 Regency Ballroom 1300 Van Ness Ave.
Reports of bass inside apartment building across Sutter Street. Spoke with management and worked to bring down low frequencies during performance. Sound mitigation strategies to be discussed on an ongoing basis.

1/31/16 Taqueria La Cumbre 3139 16th St.
Ongoing complaint regarding musicians using restaurant electrical outlet to power amplified guitars. Spoke with management and access to outlet was revoked.

CITATIONS
2/27/16  1:15 AM Revolution Cafe 3248 22nd St. - In violation of Good Neighbor Policies #2, #7, and #8.

4. Police Department Comments & Questions.

This item allows any member of the SFPD to address the Commission regarding matters related to nightlife and public safety. [Discussion Item]

Officer Steve Mathias from Central Police station stated the two main things he was working on was Love and Propaganda and Hue.  He added it was the same issues of noise complaints from the hotel.  He added he and inspector Pauley were on the same page of reducing the noise level.   He sent out an email to the manager regarding the noise complaints since they reopened. 

5. Hearing and Possible Action regarding conditioning existing permits under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment Commission. [Action item] 

a) Paul Volfovski & Dina Jacobs, dba The Cellar, 685 Sutter St., Proposed modification of existing conditions to a Place of Entertainment permit.

Director Jocelyn Kane stated the police and the applicant requested to push the item to today.  She added since an incident that took place late January 2016 there were severe consequences that ended in someone’s death the club has since been closed.   She added the two people that were listed on the agenda were no longer involved in the business the third partner that owns the lease was present who operated the venue prior to Paul Volfovski and Dina Jacobs.  She added he was in close contact with working with the Entertainment Commission and SFPD and the ABC liaison unit to decide where to go from here.  She added the owner voluntarily surrender is entertainment permit temporarily until he knows what he is going to do with the location.

Officer Steve Mathias stated he has meet with the Entertainment Commission staff and Mr. Goodman as well as the ALU.   He added they were satisfied with working with Mr. Goodman moving forward and seeing what the business plan were.

Mr. Goodman stated he planned on keeping the business closed until he knew what he was going to do at the location and has a 25 year lease and planned to be there for quit sometime.

Commissioner Caminong moved to accept the surrender and give the applicant as much time as needed to come back to the Commission Commissioner Frost second the motion

Vote:

Yeas- Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee and Commissioner Thomas and Commissioner Joseph

Absent –  Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Perez

6. Hearing and Possible Action regarding applications for permits under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment Commission. [Action item]

EC-1359 – Jaber, Maroan, Seniores Pizza, 2411 19th Avenue, Extended Hours Premises Permit.

Our only permit on calendar this evening is an Extended Hours Premises permit for Seniores Pizza located at 2411 19th Avenue. Seniores is coming into compliance. As you may know, Seniores is a staple late night pizza parlor. The premises plans to be opened from 11am-6am daily. Taraval Station approves the Extended Hours Premises permit. Please see their four conditions attached. Here to tell you more about Seniores Pizza, are Stefano Cassolato and owner Maroan Jaber.

Stefano Cassolato spoke on behalf of the applicant.   He aadded about a year ago Mr. Jaber came forward to apply for a conditional use permit to have extended hours at Seniores Pizza from 2:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M., and in February of this year they were able to get planning to support the extended hours. 

Officer McLaughlin stated the applicant has been receptive to the conditions and the 1:00 A.M. closing.

No public comment.

Commissioner Frost moved to approve with the police conditions Commissioner Lee second the motion.

Vote:

Yeas- Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee Commissioner Thomas and Commissioner Joseph

Absent – Commissioner Tan and Al Perez

7.  Commissioner Comments & Questions. [Discussion item]

Commissioner Joseph stated the Nitey’s were great.

8.  New Business Request for Future Agenda Items. [Discussion item] (This item is to allow      Commissioners to introduce agenda items for future consideration).

No new future business items were discussed.

Adjourned 6:39 PM.