ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
MINUTES OF THE
Tuesday, May 5, 2015, 2015
City Hall, Hearing Room 416
Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102


COMMISSIONERS

Present
Bryant Tan
Steven Lee
Audrey Joseph
Demetri Moshoyannis
Al Perez

STAFF

Present
Executive Director, Jocelyn Kane
Deputy Director, Cammy Blackstone
Sound Inspector, Sean Burke
Sound Inspector, Jordan Pauley
Commission Aide, Crystal Stewart

CALL TO ORDER

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

ROLL CALL

Director, Jocelyn Kane called the Roll.

Present at the meeting were Commissioners, Bryant Tan, Al Perez, Steven Lee, Audrey Joseph, Demetri Moshoyannis.

Absent were Liam Frost and Dori Caminong.

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.

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.

No public comment.

2. Review and approve the minutes of April 21, 2015. [Action item]

Commissioner Perez moved to approve Commissioner Joseph second the motion

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Tan, Commissioner Joseph, Commissioner Perez and Commissioner Moshoyannis
Absent – Commissioner Frost
Absent Commissioner Caminong

3. Report from Executive Director Legislative/Policy Update: Staff and Office Update Report. Report from the Sound Inspector’s Sean Burke and Jordan Pauley report on recent venue sound inspections and report of activities by staff. [Discussion Item]

Inspector Burke - Notes for EC meeting 5/5/15

SOUND INSPECTIONS
5/1-2/15 11:00 PM The Village 969 Market: Working with mgmt to ensure no further complaints.
NOTICE OF VIOLATION
4/25/15 11:40 PM Fort 1 2801 Leavenworth: 1060.1 MPC – operating without Place of Ent permit.

ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION
4/26/15 1:00 AM Club Malibu 3395 Mission: In excess of dB limit, no security presence in front of building, sign asking for neighborhood respect illegible, door open, audible from 50’+, permit holder unresponsive via cell phone.
SOUND TESTS
5/1/15 4:00 PM The Strand 1127 Market: Initial sound test. 100dBC limit.
5/2/15 8:30 PM The Battery 717 Battery: Reconfigured system. New limit of 105dBC
NEW COMPLAINTS
4/26/15 Locanda 557 Valencia: One time rental caused disturbance upstairs.
5/1/15 The Village 969 Market: Bass vibrating unit next door. Under investigation.
5/4/15 Annunciation Cathedral 245 Valencia: Sporadic events being held at unpermitted space.

Inspector Pauley - Notes for EC meeting 5/5/15
COMPLIANCE

4/29/2015 4:30PM Bruno’s Pizza 1375 Fillmore St.: Staff received complaints about Bruno’s staying open past 2 a.m. which would be in violation of their permit. In addition, they may be having entertainment. I talked to the owner of the establishment who stated that they were not staying open past 2 a.m. Will follow up.

4. Permitting System for Street Performance Using Amplified Sound Discussion of possible
options for creating a permit system, to be administered by the Entertainment Commission, for street performers who use amplified sound. [Discussion Item]

Chair Tan stated the Commission was not taking any action today and the purpose for the agenda item was for discussion and informational purposes only to possibly create a permit system for Street Performers to be administered by the Entertainment Commission staff.

Director Jocelyn Kane stated there has always been two sides of San Francisco when it came to street performers, there is a side that loves street performers and appreciates them and puts pictures of them at Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square and on the cover of the newspaper and encourages it as a tourist attraction and then there is the regulatory side which doesn’t know what to do with street performers. It was an issue that came to the Commission early on because the Entertainment Commission began to do Loud Speaker permits in 2004. She added previously the Arts Commission use to manage Street performers in the 1970’s until possibly the mid 90’s and it was discontinued. She added The Port of San Francisco has a street performers permit in place that is specific to Fisherman’s Wharf locations only.

Public comment

Brian Compton a street musician for the past 30 years stated he brought Bucket Man from Berkeley to San Francisco. He added that was the power of music everyone listens to it and it’s the soundtrack of our lives.

Larry Hunt aka “Bucket Man” a street musicians feels they should be able to play their music and he would not stop playing.

Edward Jackson who has been tap dancing at Fisherman’s Warf about 20 years and feels it shouldn’t be regulated because they regulate themselves.
Harold Wilson stated he was from Louisiana and has been in San Francisco for 35 years. He added most of his music is not amplified however sometimes it is and he tries to control it if someone complains by turning the music down or moving to another spot. He added the music comes the soul of the music of the people on the street. He added he doesn’t feel it should be regulated.

Joe Jackson wife of street performer Joe Jackson stated he they met while she worked at one of the retail spots who appreciated the performance because it added to their business. She added they hoped they would look at it from the values of the street performers and include them in part of the decisions they make and how they move forward.

Mike who is a guitar player stated they have touched people all over the world which is a positive thing. He added that tourism was the number one industry and it was a positive thing for the community and tourism.

A professional musician from New Orleans who was visiting San Francisco stated they were trying to do the same thing in New Orleans by regulating the musicians on the street. He added it was not going to work, its freedom of speech let them play.
5. Police Department Comments & Questions. [Discussion Item] (This item allows any member of the SFPD to address the Commission regarding matters related to nightlife and public safety).

No Police comments was made.

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

a) EC-1324 Noreen Curtin dba Grandma’s Saloon, 1016 Taraval Billiard Parlor permit.

b) EC-1323 Adam Pfahler dba Lost Weekend Video & Cinecave, 1034 Valencia Limited Live Performance permit.

Commissioner Moshoyannis moved to approve item A & B on the consent calendar Commissioner Joseph second the motion

Public comment

Stefano Castalano supports the permit application.

Public comment closed.

Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Tan, Commissioner Joseph, Commissioner Perez and Commissioner Moshoyannis
Absent – Commissioner Frost
Absent Commissioner Caminong

Regular Agenda:

c) ) EC-1305 Brian Sheehy dba Devil’s Acre, 256 Columbus Place of Entertainment permit.

Deputy Directory Cammy Blackstone stated Central Police Department approves the permit application adding the standard Good Neighbor Policy for conditions.

Public comment

Stefano Castalano stated Brian Sheehy had a great track record and the community was lucky to have him.

Public comment closed.

Commissioner Joseph moved to approve without any conditions on the type of music Commissioner Lee second the motion
Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Tan, Commissioner Joseph, Commissioner Perez and Commissioner Moshoyannis
Absent – Commissioner Frost
Absent Commissioner Caminong

d) EC-1313 Josette Melchor dba Gray Area, 2665 Mission Place of Entertainment

Deputy Directory Cammy Blackstone stated the applicant asked for a continuance until June 2, 2015 due to some issues around construction.

Public comment

Marty Grossman stated he lives behind the venue. He added the venue has sold ticked for the past eight weeks for events that are supposed to take place Memorial Day weekend. He hoped if the permit is eventually granted that they do not go beyond midnight.

Commissioner Moshoyannis moved to continue the item until June 2, 2015 Commissioner Joseph second the motion
Vote:

Yeas - Commissioner Lee, Commissioner Tan, Commissioner Joseph, Commissioner Perez and Commissioner Moshoyannis
Absent – Commissioner Frost
Absent Commissioner Caminong

7. Commissioner Comments & Questions. [Discussion item]

No comments were made.

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

Commissioner Lee inquired about the permit expediting time.

Chair Tan stated it should be added to the next agenda.

Meeting adjourned at 6:50 P.M.