Historic Preservation Commission - March 16, 2016 - Minutes

Meeting Date: 
March 16, 2016 - 12:30pm
Location: 

SAN FRANCISCO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

 

Meeting Minutes
 

Commission Chambers Room 400,
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
12:30 p.m.
Regular Hearing

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:   Wolfram, Matsuda, Johnck, Pearlman, Hyland, Hasz, Johns
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT:     Johnck


THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY COMMISSIONER PEARLMAN AT 12:36 PM

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE:   Jeff Joslin - Director of Current Planning, Shannon Ferguson, Rich Sucre, Susan Parks, Tim Frye - Historic Preservation Officer, Jonas P. Ionin – Commission Secretary

SPEAKER KEY:
+ indicates a speaker in support of an item;

  • indicates a speaker in opposition to an item; and

= indicates a neutral speaker or a speaker who did not indicate support or opposition.

Hearing Materials are available at:
Website: http://www.sfplanning.org
Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street, 4th Floor, Suite 400
Planning Information Center, 1660 Mission Street, 1st Floor
Voice recorded Agenda, only: (415) 558-6320

Commission Hearing Broadcasts:
Live stream: http://www.sfgovtv.org

Ordinances and Accessibility
Hearing Procedures

A. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT

At this time, 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 except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the Commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting.  Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.

None

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

1. Director’s Announcements

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer:
The Director’s report was included in your packets; happy to answer any questions should you have them.

Commissioner Matsuda:
I just had one question about the upcoming event on April 6th, the Mission Action Plan; you're going to be also discussing supporting local businesses. Will we have anything available about legacy businesses by then that you could share with them?

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer:
That’s a great question. I will check with the organizers of that event and if there is anything that we can include. We may at least be able to include some maps or information from San Francisco Architectural Heritage about their program.

Commissioner Matsuda:
Or maybe create a list of people who may have some interest or know of legacy businesses?

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer: Sure. That's a great question.

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

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer:
No formal report for you regarding the recent events of the Planning Commission, but I do have a few things to share with you. One is that the Planning Department hosted a table at the San Francisco History Days at the Old Mint last weekend on March 5th and 6th. We answered general questions regarding the Department's preservation program, as well as property information and we did have a map posted where members of the public could write down landmarks that they think should be designated in the future and we’ve compiled that list and will share it with you during your next quarterly Landmark Designation Work Program quarterly report. Second is the Department began its public outreach portion of the neighborhood commercial storefront survey effort. The survey and historic context statement will be in front of you in June. On Tuesday March 8 from 6 to 8:00 P.M. we held a community meeting in Russian Hill and it was really well attended and after a short presentation we broke out into small discussion groups at tables; a lot of positive feedback about the survey results and we are conducting three more community events and along with four walking tours of neighborhood commercial districts in those quadrants. We did have a walking tour of the Hyde and Polk Street on March 12th, but it was canceled due to rain so we are going to reschedule that later this year before the HPC renders a vote on the survey. We also had an Ask a Planner event scheduled at a local coffee shop which we will also reschedule so members of the public can come and ask us questions, either general questions about the Planning Code or specific questions about the storefront survey. The last item I wanted to share with you is something that was published this morning that you may have heard about; it appears that Supervisor Campos and Peskin have co-sponsored legislation to add about $350,000 into the preservation fund for legacy businesses in advance of it becoming active in July. This money will largely, if passed, could largely be used to 1) fund a staff member for the small -- Office of Small Business; but 2) provide rent subsidies for businesses that qualify as legacy businesses. According to the article it appears that the Office of Small Business has about ten working applications right now. I don't believe any of those are complete yet because they haven't been forwarded to our office, but I will reach out to Regina Dick-Endrizzi  and find out the status of those and certainly keep you posted about the funding and how it moves through the Board of Supervisors. It appears it will be going to the Budget and Finance Committee fairly soon and that concludes my report unless you have any questions. Thank you.

C. COMMISSION MATTERS

3. President’s Report and Announcements

President Wolfram:
The only announcement I have is that I plan to attend on behalf of the Commission the hearing of the Rec and Park Commission tomorrow to speak about our comments that we made about the Mother's Building.

4. Consideration of Adoption:

SPEAKERS:          None
ACTION:             Adopt HPC; Continue ARC to April 6, 2016
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck

5. Commission Comments & Questions

Commissioner Johns:
The current issue of the Argonaut Magazine published by the San Francisco Museum Historical Society has part two of Jim Haas’ history of the Civic Center, so those of you who would like a detailed presentation on that subject I recommend it highly.

President Wolfram: I have a request of planning staff, I understand that the New Mission theater has been denied their -- one of the city landmarks we approved Certificate of Appropriateness-- has been denied their historical tax credit application was denied and I’m wondering whether we might, I believe there is an appeal, and if maybe at the next hearing agendize this item to consider write a support letter for the appeal.

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer: Certainly, just in preparation the Department has generally drafted a letter for the Commission's review. Would you like us to draft a letter then you could edit and talk about at the hearing?

President Wolfram: Yes, that makes sense.

Tim Frye, Preservation Officer:
Okay.

D. REGULAR CALENDAR 

6a. 2015-000308COA                                                         (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)
38 LIBERTY STREET – located on the north side of Liberty Street between Valencia and Guerrero Streets, Assessor’s 3608, Lot 044A (District 8).  Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for restoration of the street façade along Liberty Street, the construction of a new single-car garage, and construction of a three-story rear horizontal addition.  The project would increase the size of the existing single-family residence from 2,203 square feet to 3,968 square feet. The subject lot is located within the Liberty-Hill Landmark District, RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk Limit. 
Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

SPEAKERS:          = Rich Sucre – Staff presentation
                          - Geoffrey Gaizer – Curb out location, existing tree misrepresented
                          - Joseph Iturribarria – Window location
                          - Brent Hatcher – Inaccurate plans
                          - Ozzie Rohm – Inaccurate plans, tree removal
ACTION:             Continued to April 20, 2016
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck

6b. 2015-000308VAR                                                   (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)
38 LIBERTY STREET – located on the north side of Liberty Street between Valencia and Guerrero Streets, Assessor’s 3608, Lot 044A (District 8) – Request for a Variance from the Zoning Administrator to address the requirements for rear yard (Planning Code Section 134). The proposed project includes construction of a three-story rear horizontal addition within a portion of the required rear yard. The subject lot is located within the Liberty-Hill Landmark District, RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk Limit. 

SPEAKERS:          Same as item 6a.
ACTION:             Continued to April 20, 2016
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck

7. 2015-008685DES                                                    (S. FERGUSON: (415) 575-9074)
WOODWARD STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT – Consideration of a Community-Sponsored Article 10 Landmark District Application for the Woodward Street Landmark District, located between 14th Street and Duboce Avenue (District 9). The district was previously identified by the Inner Mission North Historic Resources Survey as the California Register-eligible Woodward Street Romeo Flats Reconstruction Historic District.  The subject properties are located within an RM-1 (Residential – Mixed, Low Density), PDR-1-G (Production, Distribution & Repair – 1 – General) and UMU (Urban Mixed Use) Zoning Districts and 40-X and 68-X Height and Bulk Districts.
Preliminary Recommendation: The Commission will review the findings of the application in consideration to initiate local Article 10 landmark designation.   

SPEAKERS:          = Shannon Ferguson – Staff presentation
                          + Stephen Schur – Applicant presentation
                          + Sandra Camacho – Support
ACTION:             Directed staff to add the proposed District to the Landmark Designation Work Program
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck

8. 2015-003877DES                                                      (S. FERGUSON: (415) 575-9074)
34-45 ONONDOGA AVENUE – Consideration of a Community-Sponsored Article 10 Landmark Application and Consideration to Recommend to the Board of Supervisors designation of the former Alemany Emergency Hospital and Health Center, south side of Onondaga Avenue, Assessor's Block 6956, Lots 016 and 017 (District 11), as an individual Article 10 Landmark pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. The subject property was constructed in 1933 as an extension of the City’s emergency hospital and healthcare system. Designed by master City Architect Charles H. Sawyer, the subject property is architecturally significant as examples of a type and period and conveys high artistic values and the interior contains frescoes painted by noted muralist, Bernard Zakheim. The subject property was added to the Landmark Designation Work Program on May 20, 2015. The property at 35 Onondaga is located within the NCD (Excelsior Outer Mission Street Neighborhood Commercial) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District, while 45 Onondaga Avenue is located within a P (Public) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve

SPEAKERS:          = Shannon Ferguson – Staff presentation
                          + Daniel Houger – Opportunity site
                          + Reb Rothman – Murals, support
ACTION:             Approved
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck
MOTION:             0276

9. 2011.1356E                                                   (S. PARKS: (415) 575-9101)
CENTRAL SOMA HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT AND HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY – The historic context statement and historic resource survey were conducted as part of the Central SoMa Plan, which is comprised of approximately 28 blocks bound by Market Street to the north, Townsend Street to the south, Second Street to the east, and Sixth Street to the west (District 6). The Central SoMa Historic Context Statement builds upon the research of other adjacent area plans, including the South of Market and Transbay. The Central SoMa Historic Resource Survey examined a total of 134 parcels within the area plan that had not been previously surveyed, or for which prior survey information was incomplete. Consideration to adopt, modify or disapprove a Motion to adopt the Central SoMa Historic Context Statement and Historic Resources Survey.
Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a motion to approve the Historic Context Statement and Historic Resource Survey
(Continued from Regular hearing February 17, 2016)

SPEAKERS:          = Susan Parks – Staff presentation
                          + Alice Light – Support
                          - (M) Speaker – Presence the tennis club
                          = Jackie Rescalvo – Preserve the tennis club
                          = Don Bruce – Preserve the tennis club
ACTION:             Approved
AYES:                 Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck
MOTION:            0277

10. 2015-007219DES                                                   (S. PARKS: (415) 575-9101)
INGLESIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSESConsideration to Initiate Landmark Designation of the Ingleside Presbyterian Church & Community Center and The Great Cloud of Witnesses. Located on the south east corner of Ocean Avenue and Granada Avenue, Assessor’s Block 6942, Lot 050 (District 7), as an individual Article 10 Landmark pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. The building is architecturally significant as the work of San Francisco master architect, Joseph Leonard, who designed the Neoclassical building in 1923. The church is also significant for its interior “collage-mural,” and folk artist’s environment, entitled The Great Cloud of Witnesses. Begun in 1980, the mural has a 35-year work-in-progress, created by church pastor Reverend Roland Gordon, to inspire the community and to highlight the accomplishments of African Americans.

SPEAKERS:          None
ACTION:             Continued to April 20, 2016
AYES:                  Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
ABSENT:              Johnck

ADJOURNMENT – 2:10 PM
ADOPTED APRIL 6, 2016