Historic Preservation Commission - February 18, 2015 - Minutes

Meeting Date:

February 18, 2015 (All day)

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

Tim Frye, Preservation Coordination: On behalf of the Director, the report was included in the packet, happy to answer any questions.

Commissioner Johns: One of the things that was part of that, was an analysis or at least a statement of residential units in the pipeline. Just within the last couple of days, I read in the paper that there is legislation being proposed that would prohibit the construction of certain kinds of housing in the Mission District and I wondered if it is too early, but if the Director has or is planning on analyzing the effect of that legislation on the amount of housing that is in the pipeline?

Mr. Frye: When the legislation is introduced it will be referred to the Planning Department for analysis and we are happy to share that analysis with you once we’ve prepared it.

2. Review of Past Events at the Planning Commission, Staff Report and Announcements

Mr. Frye: A couple of announcements to share with you, one is, President Hasz, were you going to talk about Planning Commission last week? OK, I have nothing to report on the Planning Commission from last week because President Hasz will fill you in on that, but I wanted to mention just a couple things to you. One is an ordinance past recently at the Board of Supervisors. It is amending the Planning Code to make reasonable accommodation for persons with disability. The reason it did not come before this body is because we don't believe there is any effect to historic resources outlined in the past legislation and I'll pass around a copy for you to look at. I highlighted two areas where historic resources are explicitly called out. Basically, the ordinance allows for an administrative process to expedite any projects that would allow for reasonable accommodation of a dwelling unit under the Fair Housing Act. In particular, some of the details of the amendments are to allow parking where no physical structure is proposed, an access ramp provided that it is designed and constructed to meet accessibility provisions and the California Historic Building Code, and then three is additional inhabitable space or elevator overrides, etc., that don't result in addition of a dwelling unit or require expansion of permitted building envelope. And again he California Historic Building Code is explicitly outlined in the ordinance and in the amendments and also compliance with the Secretary of Interior Standards is also required for any buildings either formally listed or determined eligible for historic status. That was passed, I believe, last week and will go into effect in 30 days and I'll pass around the legislative digest and ordinance for your information. The last thing I wanted to do was introduce Shannon Ferguson as a new member of the Planning Department survey staff. Shannon started with us several weeks ago and was the co-founder of Chattel San Francisco office
where she worked as a senior preservation associate and worked on a variety of work including HRER’s, supplemental information, architectural surveys and impacts analyses. We are excited to have her and she is solely devoted to research and documentation of properties listed on the Landmark Designation Work Program so this is in response primarily to last year’s budget discussions about allocating more staff to writing those reports and doing research. We are happy to have Shannon and welcome. That concludes my comments unless you have any questions.

C. COMMISSION MATTERS

3. President’s Report and Announcements

President Hasz: Thank you. Last week I went to the Planning Commission and spoke about why we have this EIR preservation alternatives statement coming out. They were very receptive and in fact were kind of not, not kind of, they were very concerned about the projects I brought up and they had other projects in mind as well. What I learned is we only write a few of these letters every year related to Planning Commission and I think it would be incredibly beneficial if we went and presented them to give an understanding of what they just get something that says we disagree or agree, or whatever it is, but they weren’t here for the discussions and it is easy to make it. It is at the beginning of the meeting and just a couple minutes discussion would be incredibly beneficial so they understand where we are. There are commissioners there that I sometimes bump into and talk to and other commissioners I have never met before so they don't know where we are coming from and what our ideas or agenda is. I would love to make that just a regular thing.

Commissioner Johnck: Would this be during open time for public comments or would it be agendized too?

President Hasz: Just like what happens at the Planning Commission, it’s what happens at the Historic Preservation Commission, on their agenda. It is right at the beginning.

Commissioner Johnck : I think that is great idea.

President Hasz: I just think it would bring more, I mean we are supposed to be two separate bodies of course, but I think an understanding of what we are doing and if they have questions then and there we can get to it. So maybe this goes under comments and questions, but I want to thank the individuals who brought in the – they left. They are gone. I know this building very, very well - phenomenal building. I never knew the history of it, but the window line they created along the north side just speaks to the alley way and it is such an integral part of that corner and alley. I have always loved the building let alone there is fantastic history behind it. Is there a project queued up for this?

Mr. Frye: Not that I'm aware of, but I will look into it. I know the building is for sale.

Commissioner Johns: Do you think that this Planning Commission report from Historic Preservation Commission, do you think Mr. Frye would present that or would one of the Commissioners?

President Hasz: Normally Mr. Fry does present it, but I think it would be great from our side of our discussions that we had here. That is just my feeling. There was really nice back and forth. I think it also speaks more about Planning Department as a whole rather than these big separate entities.

4. Consideration of Adoption:

· Draft Minutes for CHA February 4, 2015

· Draft Minutes for HPC February 4, 2015

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Adopted

AYES: Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

5. Commission Comments & Questions

· Disclosures

Commissioner Johnck: This is related to an item on the agenda, but I want to get a clarification. It is related to what you just spoke about, Chairman Hasz, on the issue of us commenting to the Planning Commission on preservation alternatives in an environmental impact report that would be before the Planning Commission. What I wanted to comment on was I met with a property owner in Potrero Hill who been quite active in an organization called, Save the Hill Association. I looked at – there is a proposal which we thank you for sending that is information which this Mr. Minot gave me as well. There is the EIR for the development project in that area; hasn't come before us yet for consideration of comments. But I was interested to – for us to be ready to comment on. At the moment there is no preservation alternative that is presented in the document that is being developed for this particular piece of property, but I hope that there is at some point and I guess I just want to clarify that at the time at which we comment on a preservation alternative would be at the time that you bring the EIR to us for comments when it’s ripe, when it’s ready. We wouldn't ask for a separate hearing now.

Mr. Frye: That is correct, commissioner. During the review and comment phase we'll bring the EIR to the body to weigh in on the accuracy and thoroughness of the documentation and while – not to get into a lot of detail about the alternative, but it is something that the organization shared with the department and so it will be included in the analysis of the EIR, so you will see it as part of the document once it comes before you.

Commissioner Johnck: By the way, the property is Pacific Rolling Mills. You are familiar with it. It’s a fascinating area of town, quite a great neighborhood for place setting. Thank you.

Commissioner Pearlman: I also met with Mr. Minot about that project and my understanding was, and correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Frye, there was going to be a public scoping for the EIR which I think is something fairly unique. There was a public scoping coming up in March and that would be a place where the various alternatives as we’re talking about later today could come forward.

Mr. Frye: Absolutely. The public scoping meeting is due to the size of the overall project and multitude of analysis that has to occur in the EIR, but we did encourage the organization to share that at the public scoping meeting as well.

Commissioner Matsuda: I also met Mr. Minot regarding the preservation alternative, but I wanted to share with the commissioners this insert that was part of the San Francisco Chronicle last Sunday about the 1915 Expo and all the information about the historic structures that had been created for that, and the series of performances that they are going to have at this weekend. I would like to pass that around.

D. REGULAR CALENDAR

6. 2015-001501CRV (T. FRYE: (415) 575-6822/L. GIBSON (415) 575-9032)

PRESERVATION ALTERNATIVES POLICY - Consideration of a Policy Statement outlining HPC recommendations for the development and evaluation of preservation alternatives in environmental impact reports for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.

Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt

SPEAKERS: + Desiree Smith, SF Heritage - provided edits related to project objectives and façade retention;

+ Katherine Howard, Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance - once adopted this policy will also apply to historic landscapes.

ACTION: Continued to March 18, 2015

AYES: Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

7. 2014.1422A (P. LaVALLEY: (415) 575-9084)

GHIRARDELLI SQUARE (900 NORTH POINT STREET), block bounded by North Point, Larkin, Beach, and Polk streets, Assessor’s Block 0452, Lot 002. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for alterations at Terrace Plaza and north façade of the Mustard Building at Ghirardelli Square. Proposed work includes: replacing non-historic ground floor storefronts at north wall of the Mustard Building, cladding underside of non-historic metal deck at north wall of Mustard Building, reconfiguring and repaving Terrace Plaza, which features elements dating to the 1960s Halprin design, reconfiguring a Halprin-era planter, and installing an incline lift at the stair connecting the Terrace and Fountain plazas to provide a code-compliant accessible path. Ghirardelli Square is designated as Landmark #30 and is located within the C-2 (Community Business) District, 40-X Height and Bulk District, and Waterfront Special Use District, Subarea #2.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approval with conditions

Commission Vice President Wolfram disclosed his firm had recently completed work for a different part of Ghirardelli Square with the same owner. He conferred with City Attorney and did not need to be recused from this item.

PRESENTERS: + Elisa Skaggs, Page and Turnbull - brief history of Ghirardelli Square and the project presentaton;

+ Brian Jencek, Director of Design of HOK - details of design considerations.

SPEAKERS: + Rick Alston, President of Coco Residential Owner Association - in support of the project

ACTION: Approved with Conditions

AYES: Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

MOTION: M-0250

8. (S. PARKS: (415) 575-9101)

LANDMARK DESIGNATION WORK PROGRAM - Discussion of the HPC’s Landmark Designation Work Program, prioritization and status of pipeline projects.

Preliminary Recommendation: Review and Comment

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Reviewed and Commented

Adjournment: 2:46 PM

The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, March 4, 2016.

ACTION: Adopted

AYES: Hasz, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

Historic Preservation Commission - February 18, 2015 - Minutes

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

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