ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION

City and County of San Francisco
ACTION MINUTES OF THE
Tuesday March 7, 2017
City Hall, Hearing Room 416
Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA  94102

COMMISSIONERS

Present

Bryant Tan
Steven Lee
Al Perez
Liam Frost
Dori Caminong
Laura Thomas
Ben Bleiman

STAFF

Present

Executive Director, Jocelyn Kane
Deputy Director, Maggie Weiland
Sound Inspector, Sean Burke
Commission Aide, Crystal Stewart

CALL TO ORDER

Chair Bryant Tan called the meeting to order at 5:34PM.

ROLL CALL

Executive Director Jocelyn Kane called the Roll. 

Present at the meeting were Commissioners, Bryant Tan, Ben Bleiman, Laura Thomas, Steven Lee, Liam Frost, Dori Caminong 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.

Vlad Cood of Buzzworks congratulated Ben Bleiman on his seat as a new Commissioner.

2. Approval of Meeting Minutes.  Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of February 21, 2017 Commission meeting. [Action item]

No public comment.

Commissioner Thomas moved to approve Commissioner Caminong second the motion.

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Ben Bleiman

Noes - None

3. Report from the Sound Inspectors: Jordan Pauley and Sean Burke report on recent venue sound inspections and report of activities by staff. [Discussion Item]

2/17/17  Tank 18 1345 Howard  Report of entertainment past 10pm for LLP. Complainant has been advised to contact inspector during next disturbance.                                                           

2/26/17  Grand   520 4th St. Report of POE operating after 2am. Upon further investigation, sounds heard by complainant were from nearby illegal after hour’s party.                                                           

3/4/17   10:15P   Mezzanine  444 Jessie  Multiple complaints from guests of hotel. Operator has been advised to keep door closed or music down after 10pm. Door to be kept closed once majority of line has cleared. Music to be kept low if line has yet to clear by 10pm and door is being propped to facilitate entry.                                                           

3/5/17   12:30A Halcyon 314 11th St.  Report of audible bass across street and disturbance from cars honking due to blocked lanes of traffic. Operator not found to be in excess of established limit. Traffic abatement strategy TBD.

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]

No comments were made

5. Hearing and Possible Action regarding applications for permits under the jurisdiction of the Entertainment Commission. [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-1395 – Yushina, Olga, Natalia Avtonomova, Sergey Yushin, Rum & Sugar, 823 Geary St., Limited Live Performance Permit.

EC-1397 – Ewing, Devina, AT&T 1 Powell, 1 Powell St., Limited Live Performance Permit.

Commissioner Perez moved to approve the consent agenda Commissioner Lee second the motion

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Ben Bleiman

Noes - None
 
Regular Agenda:

EC-1394 – Abram, Jerry, et. Al. (17 collective members), The Stud, 399 9th St., Place of Entertainment, Extended Hours Premises, Mechanical Amusement Device, and Billiard Parlor Permits, Change in Ownership.

Bobby with Supervisor Kim’s office spoke in support.

Emery Mandell supports application.

Commissioner Thomas moved to approve with the recommended SFPD conditions Commissioner Lee second the motion

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Ben Bleiman

Noes - None

6.  Review and possible action to review and change the conditions on the Place of Entertainment permit #EC-1377 Place of Entertainment  and Extended Hours permit, dba Halcyon located 314 11th Street, San Francisco, CA. 94103 [Action item]

Deputy Director Weiland stated the item is before the Commission based on complaints that were received by the Entertainment Commission and was requested by the Commission to add it to the hearing this evening.    Deputy Director Weiland stated staff has not been able to resolve the issues at an administrative level and is before the Commission for discussion and possible action as the Commission seems fit.   

Gina Milano stated she was aware the neighbors were protesting the afterhours permit operation between 2AM and 4AM.  She added her business was a permitted use on 11th Street which is an entertainment corridor.   She added there were also neighbors behind her which was a mixed use that included residences.   She added she did do her initial outreach to the neighbors about soundproofing the current structure of the building and the soundproofing.    She added she came before the commission and said she would take care of certain things which she did in addition to the initial $100,000.00 dollars in soundproofing prescribed from Salter & Associates from a previous review.  She added since then she has invested $200,000 into soundproofing.   She added she has done sound testing in the residence homes for sound testing levels. She added Charles Slater has made additional recommendations to further soundproof the building.    She added 11th street has been reactivated and has gotten busier with additional venues on the 11th street area.   She added she has been proactive in trying to deal with the sound issues on 11th street inside her venue and outside after hours.   She added she understood the neighbor’s frustration and hoped they understood her frustration as well as Sean Burke’s frustration.  She added she has continued to try to resolve the sound issues.

Chair Tan stated ultimately the Commission wanted Halcyon and 11th Street to succeed and they were all here to work together.  He added when people scream that’s when people complain.   He added they needed to make sure the right type of protections are made so that everyone is happy. He added when the additional sound proofing improvements would be completed.

Gina stated she just saw them recently and needs to put them out to bid and from here point of view she would like to have them done as soon as possible she thought maybe within a month to six weeks.

Commissioner Bleiman moved to continue the item Perez Second the motion

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Caminong,

Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Perez, Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Ben Bleiman

Noes – Commissioner Frost

Public comment.

Tony Vu stated they needed action.  He added Sean has been great to work with but they were at an impasse now.   He added they asked for a timeline with no response.

Kelly Ellis stated it would be ideal goal to have the extended hours revoked in their residential neighborhood but if not to have these stipulations put in place and have the lower noise levels put in place after 2AM Entertainment staff available afterhours for enforcement and off-duty police staff employed by the venue to assist with traffic on 11th street, additional security to handle crowds outside.

Barry DNA Lounge spoke in support of the extended hours premises and stated street noise will be reduce if people trickle out of your business. 

Vlad Cood stated he was advocate of 11th street in general supports venue and entertainment was a permitted use. 

Commissioner Bleiman to continue the item to the next Commission meeting for a timeline of improvements to Halcyon Commissioner Lee second the motion

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Caminong, Commissioner Thomas, Commissioner Tan and Commissioner Ben Bleiman

Noes – Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Perez

7.  Commissioner Comments & Questions. [Discussion item] 

Commissioner Frost stated the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was this weekend.

Chair Tan requested a commission retreat within two months.

ADJOURNMENT   7:57PM