SAN FRANCISCO
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

 

Meeting Minutes

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

Wednesday, September 6, 2017
12:30 p.m.
Regular Hearing

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

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT WOLFRAM AT 12:34 PM

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE:  John Rahaim – Director of Planning, Natalia Kwiatkowska, Johnathan Vimr, 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.

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.

SPEAKER:

Marvin Lambert – Overlapping cultural boundaries

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

1. Director’s Announcements

Director Rahaim:
No new announcements today. Good to see you all, it's been a while. Actually the one thing I should mention perhaps, I know Tim has been working with staff on organizing a briefing for you on the Central SOMA Plan and the reason I mentions that, that's leading toward its 11th hour right now. We've had a couple briefings at the Planning Commission; I think it's time to brief you as well and I think Tim is working with Steve Wertheim to get that moving so the schedule currently has it going to the Planning Commission in December for approval so want to make sure that you are up to speed on it well before that and get your comments on it. So we will get that organized and that's all I have for today. Thank you.

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

Jonathan Vimr, Department Staff:
Just two announcements for you today, number one The Living Heritage Symposium, Tim Frye is currently in San Antonio, along with Mike Buehler of San Francisco Heritage and Public Historian Donna Graves, to participate in a forum to develop best practices for safeguarding cultural heritage. San Francisco Planning was invited to attend to share our recent work and developing tools and outreach strategies when incorporate tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets into our own historic preservation program. He will share the findings of the symposium with the HPC when he returns September 20th. Number two is an update on LGBTQ Cultural Heritage Strategy; the strategy committees have hosted a number of events and continue their outreach to community members, organizations, and city agencies. The committee chair recently created a Facebook page to promote events in the survey. Since launching in June, the survey received hundreds of responses, nearly 300, by mid-July. It will be advertised on MTA this fall and it has been translated into Mandarin, Spanish, and Tagalog. The Spanish version of the survey will be available online. The Board of Supervisors progress report hearing scheduled in late July was postponed and we are awaiting a new hearing date. We anticipate it will be scheduled in October.

C. COMMISSION MATTERS

3. President’s Report and Announcements

None

4. Consideration of Adoption:

• Draft Minutes for HPC August 2, 2017

SPEAKERS:	None
ACTION:	Adopted as Amended
AYES:	Wolfram, Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman

• Draft Minutes for HPC August 16, 2017

SPEAKERS:	None
ACTION:	Adopted
AYES:	Wolfram, Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman

5. Commission Comments & Questions

Commissioner Johnck:
I didn't catch the sponsoring organization of the cultural heritage symposium. Did you say it was Living Heritage or what? 

Jonathan Vimr, Department Staff:
Living Heritage Symposium in San Antonio.  

Commissioner Johnck:
Was it sponsored by the National Trust?

Jonathan Vimr, Department Staff:
That's a great question; I don't have the answer to.  I can definitely get you that.

Commissioner Johnck:
Okay, thank you. Then I was sad to hear about the death, the passing of Bob Hamaguchi. Is that the correct pronunciation of his name? He has come to us many times and Diane you might want to comment some more about him because he was quite the leader for that cultural statement, the district.

Commissioner Matsuda:
Right, the JCHESS. Mr. Hamaguchi was diagnosed with bile duct cancer about a year and a half ago and was doing well and then the tumor came back and he was scheduled for experimental treatment and unfortunately that did not work. He went to hospice and passed away Sunday morning. He was definitely the leader of pushing forward the JCHESS report as well as community benefit district which just recently passed, so Japantown has lost a great leader and great supporter cultural preservation efforts. He will be sorely missed. 

Commissioner Johnck:
I was wondering for somebody like that, who has been so active with the commission, would it be appropriate for the commission to send a condolence letter to the family?  

Commissioner Matsuda:
Sure, I'm sure they would appreciate that and maybe if we can close in his honor. 

Jonas Ionin, Commission Secretary:
We will certainly adjourn in Mr. Hamaguchi's honor.  

Director Rahaim:
Thank you for bringing that up. I had the privilege of getting to know Bob in the early phases of the Japantown Plan before it was called the JCHESS and he was a very special person to me. He was incredibly energetic and passionate about the work in Japantown and he was always, he was never critical of the work that we were doing, he was always thankful for the collaboration we were doing with him and respectful of the staff and Department. I think a really special person and I was very surprised to hear of his passing and I really appreciate your adjourning the meeting in his honor because I think he was a really great ally and great community advocate.  

Commissioner Matsuda:
Considering he was born and raised in Los Angeles, came up here about 20 years ago for a job and just decided that that was his commitment to the community and got right involved from the start. We will miss him.  

D. REGULAR CALENDAR 

6. 2012.1410A                                                  (N. KWIATKOWSKA: (415) 575-9185)
77-85 FEDERAL STREET – southeast side, bounded by Federal, 2nd and De Boom Streets; Assessor's Block 3774, Lot 444 (District 6) – Request for Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the existing two non-contributing two-story office buildings and construct a new five-story-over-basement mixed-use building (measuring approximately 72,070 sq ft) within South End Landmark District. The subject lot is located in a MUO (Mixed Use-Office) Zoning District and 65-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions
(Continued from Regular Meeting of June 21, 2017)

SPEAKERS:	= Natalia Kwiatkowska – Staff report + Mitchell Benjamin – Project presentation = Rob Strasser – Negative impacts to 21st amendment
ACTION:	Approved with Conditions
AYES:	Wolfram, Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
MOTION:	0316

7a. 2016-011786COA-03                                           (J. VIMR: (415) 575-9109)
1053 TENNESSEE STREET – east side, between 20th and 22nd Streets; Assessor's Block 4108, Lot 013 (District 10) – Request for Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior and interior alterations including the restoration of historic cladding and trim; new entry stairs and windows; new skylights; and a new, three-story horizontal addition at the rear of the front building that will replace an existing, non-historic addition. The subject property is contributory to the Dogpatch Landmark District and is located within a RH-3 (Residential House, Three Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions

SPEAKERS:	= Jonathan Vimr – Staff report + Carl Peterson – Project presentation
ACTION:	Approved with Conditions
AYES:	Wolfram, Hyland, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman
MOTION:	0317

7b. 2016-011786VAR                                               (J. VIMR: (415) 575-9109)
1053 TENNESSEE STREET – east side, between 20th and 22nd Streets; Assessor's Block 4108, Lot 013 (District 10) – Request for Variance from front setback, exposure, and rear yard requirements pursuant to Sections 132, 134, and 140 of the Planning Code to construct new entry stairs to each building at the subject property, and to replace an existing addition at the rear of the front building with a new, three-story horizontal addition. The subject property is contributory to the Dogpatch Landmark District and is located within a RH-3 (Residential House, Three Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.

SPEAKERS:	Same as Item #7a.
ACTION:	ZA Closed the PH and indicated an intent to Grant

ADJOURNMENT IN HONOR OF BOB HAMAGUCHI – 1:14 pm
ADOPTED WITH AMENDMENTS SEPTEMBER 20, 2017