Planning Commission - April 30, 2015 - Minutes

Meeting Date: 
April 30, 2015 (All day)
Untitled 1

 SAN FRANCISCO

PLANNING COMMISSION

 

 

Meeting Minutes

 

 

 

Commission Chambers, Room 400

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

 

 

Thursday, April 30, 2015

12:00 p.m.

Regular Meeting

 

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT:   Fong, Wu, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

COMMISSIONER ABSENT:       None

 

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT FONG AT 12:09 p.m.

 

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE:  John Rahaim – Planning Director, Kate Conner, Marcelle Boudreaux, Todd Kennedy, Nicholas Foster, Kimberly Durandet, Chris Townes, Sharon Lai, Laura Ajello, Erika Jackson, Carly Grob, and 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.            CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS PROPOSED FOR CONTINUANCE

 

The Commission will consider a request for continuance to a later date.  The Commission may choose to continue the item to the date proposed below, to continue the item to another date, or to hear the item on this calendar.

 

1.             2014.1019C                                                                                                 (E. JACKSON: (415) 558-6363)

1000 MISSISSIPPI STREET - west side of Mississippi Street, through lot to Texas Street, near 25th Street; Block 4224, Lots 015-016, and 037-040 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to construct four 4-story residential buildings on a single podium containing 28 dwelling units and 28 off-street parking spaces in an underground garage in a RH-3 (Residential, House Districts, Three-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk designation pursuant to Planning Code Section 304. Modifications, including density (Planning Code Section 209.1), rear yard (Planning Code Section 134), open space (Planning Code Section 135), exposure (Planning Code Section 140), and method of measurement for height (Planning Code Section 260) are being requested under the PUD provisions of the Planning Code. This proposal is to modify the previously approved project – Case No. 2006.0810CEK under Motion No. 17583 approved on April 17, 2008.  This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Pending

(Continued from Regular Meeting of April 2, 2015)

            (Proposed for Continuance to May 14, 2015)

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Continued to May 14, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

2.             2013.0614X                                                                                                     (B. BENDIX: (415) 558-6362)

600 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE - southwest corner of the intersection of 17th Street and South Van Ness Avenue, Lot 070 in Assessor’s Block 3575 - Request for a Large Project Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Section 329 to construct a five-story, mixed-use building of approximately 34,715 gross square feet that contains 27 residential units, three ground floor commercial retail spaces totaling approximately 3,060 gross square feet, 17 off-street parking spaces, 27 bicycle parking spaces, and common open space, within the Urban Mixed Use (UMU) Zoning District and 58-X Height and Bulk District. The project is seeking a modification of the requirements for: 1) rear yard (Planning Code Section 134); 2) open space (Planning Code Section 135);  3) permitted obstructions over the street (Planning Code Section 136); 4) dwelling unit exposure (Planning Code Section 140); and, 5) street frontage (Planning Code Section 145.2). This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

            (Proposed for Continuance to May 21, 2015)

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Continued to May 21, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

3a.          2012.1531CX                                                                                               (K. CONNER: (415) 575-6914)

361 TURK STREET - south side between Leavenworth and Hyde Streets; Lot 017 in Assessor’s Block 034 - The overall project includes the construction of two eight-story group housing buildings with a total of 238 group housing rooms on two properties (361 Turk Street and 145 Leavenworth Street) previously developed with surface parking lots. Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303 and 253 to allow construction of a building over 40 feet in height on a property previously used as a surface parking lot. The proposed project is to construct an eight-story group housing building, containing 140 group housing rooms, and approximately 3,854 gross square feet of ground floor retail space. The project site is located within the RC-4 (Residential-Commercial, High Density) Zoning District, the North of Market Residential Special Use District 1, Fringe Financial Services Restricted Use District and 80-T Height and Bulk District. A companion project at 145 Leavenworth Street is seeking a Downtown Project Authorization with an exception to the requirements for Reduction of Ground-Level Wind Currents in C-3 Districts. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

(Proposed for Continuance to June 4, 2015)

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Continued to June 4, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

3b.          2012.1531CX                                                                                               (K. CONNER: (415) 575-6914)

145 LEAVENWORTH STREET - west side of Leavenworth between Turk and Golden Gate Avenue, Lot 002 in Assessor's Block 0345 – The overall project includes the construction of two eight-story group housing buildings with a total of 238 group housing rooms on two properties (361 Turk Street and 145 Leavenworth Street) previously developed with surface parking lots, Request for Downtown Project Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Section 309 with exceptions to the requirements for Reduction of Ground-Level Wind Currents in C-3 Districts pursuant to Planning Code Section 148. The proposed project is to construct an eight-story group housing building, containing of 98 group housing rooms and approximately 2,725 gross square feet of ground floor retail space on a property previously used as a surface parking lot.  The project site is located within a C-3-G (Downtown General Commercial) Zoning District and 80-X Height and Bulk District. A companion Project at 361 Turk Street is seeking a Conditional Use Authorization to allow construction of a building over 40 feet in height. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

                                (Proposed for Continuance to June 4, 2015)

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Continued to June 4, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

 

B.         CONSENT CALENDAR

 

All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar, are considered to be routine by the Planning Commission, and may 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

 

4.             2014.1337Q                                                                                        (M. BOUDREAUX: (415) 575-9140)

243-247 HENRY STREET - cross street Castro; Lot 061 in Assessor’s Block 2612 - Request for Condominium Conversion Subdivision to convert a three-story-over-garage, six-unit building into six residential condominiums within a RH-2 (Residential-House, Two Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Approved

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

                MOTION:               19361

 

5.             2014-000768CUA                                                                                     (T. KENNEDY: (415) 575-9125)                                                                                                                                                                                                                

4598 MISSION STREET - the northwest corner of Mission Street and Norton Street; Lot 006 of Assessor’s Block 3148 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 703.3, 703.4, and 303.1 to authorize a Formula Retail Financial Service (d.b.a Umpqua Bank), within the Excelsior Outer Mission NCD (Excelsior Outer Mission Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District) and 40-X Height and Bulk District.  This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).      

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Marlo Loper – Sponsor presentation

                                                + Taylor Jordan – Community Outreach

                ACTION:                                After being pulled off of Consent; Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Johnson, Richards

                MOTION:               19362

 

6.             2014-003095CUA                                                                                      (T. KENNEDY: (415) 575-9125)               

160 WEST PORTAL AVENUE - northwest side of the street between Vicente Street and 14th Avenue; Lot 006 in Assessor’s Block 2988A - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303, 790.90, 790.91, 729.43 and 729.44 to change a use from a Limited Restaurant to a Restaurant, within the West Portal NCD (West Portal Avenue Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District) and 26-X Height and Bulk District.  This project has been reviewed under the Community Business Priority Processing Program (“CB3P”) that was adopted by the Planning Commission on February 12, 2015 under Resolution Number 19323. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + LeAndre Davis – Sponsor presentation

                ACTION:                                After being pulled off of Consent; Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Richards

                NAYES:                  Moore

                MOTION:               19363

 

7.             2014-000285CUA                                                                                        (N. FOSTER: (415) 575-9167)

1515 PINE STREET - south side of the street between Polk Street and North Van Ness Avenue; Lot 021 in Assessor’s Block 0667 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 723.44, 790.142, and 303, to establish a Restaurant (name TBD) serving beer and wine in conjunction with a Bona Fide Eating Place at the subject property within the Polk Street NCD (Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District) and 65-A Height and Bulk District.  This project has been reviewed under the Community Business Priority Processing Program (“CB3P”) that was adopted by the Planning Commission on February 12, 2015 under Resolution Number 19323. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions


SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Continued to May 28, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

8.             2015-00635CUA                                                                                           (N. FOSTER: (415) 575-9167)

1318 GRANT AVENUE - east side of the street between Vallejo Street and Green Street; Lot 028 in Assessor’s Block 0132 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 722.43, 790.90, and 303, to establish a Limited Restaurant (dba DIP) within the North Beach NCD (North Beach Neighborhood Commercial District) and 40-X Height and Bulk District.  This project has been reviewed under the Community Business Priority Processing Program (“CB3P”) that was adopted by the Planning Commission on February 12, 2015 under Resolution Number 19323. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Marsha Garland – Sponsor presentation

                                                + (M) Speaker – Owner presentation

                ACTION:                                After being pulled off of Consent; Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson

                NAYES:                  Moore, Richards

                MOTION:               19364

 

C.         COMMISSION MATTERS

 

9.             Consideration of Adoption:

·         Draft Minutes for April 16, 2015

 

                SPEAKERS:           None

                ACTION:                                Adopted as Corrected

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

10.          Commission Comments/Questions

·         Inquiries/Announcements.  Without discussion, at this time Commissioners may make announcements or inquiries of staff regarding various matters of interest to the Commissioner(s).

·         Future Meetings/Agendas.  At this time, the Commission may discuss and take action to set the date of a Special Meeting and/or determine those items that could be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and other future meetings of the Planning Commission.

 


Commissioner Antonini:

Thank you. I had the fortune of spending yesterday at Harding Park watching golf it was sensational, and for those of you who may not know it, in addition to the world golf championship there, two other significant tournaments are taking place in and near San Francisco, last week, this week and the following week. So, it’s a tribute to the foresight of early pioneers who knew that it was a great location for golf and it is world renowned and that’s why we get so many tournaments, but particularly in terms of Harding
Park, just want do a shout out to former Supervisor Tony Hall who had the vision enough to renovate the course, which was a great course, but it had fallen into disrepair and one of the things he did when he assumed office in the year 2001, was to get a funding and do a renovation and just allow significant golf tournaments, including the PGA in 2020 to come to that course, and it certainly is worthy of that kind of thing. One of the other things he was able to do, was to divert some of the rainwater that had been running often into treatment plants and into the ocean, into Lake Merced, and the level since that time remained consistently pretty high even in a year when we supposedly have not had a lot of rain, though we did have 18 and half inches so far in San Francisco, those were couple things that were very farsighted on his part. In terms of the drought I'm supportive of efforts to conserve. I think that is sort of the first step. I mean we need to have the vision that our forbearers had to look for sources of water or to get more storage. I mean if we’ve taken the attitude that we are taking today, when we settled San Francisco in the middle of the 19th Century, they’d have said, we can't live here, because there is no water, there is no trees, there is no greenery, and instead they went to find water, wherever they had to go, and they not only created enough water for San Francisco, but enough to support another one and a half million customers outside of San Francisco. So we need that kind of vision today, because there is lots of water in many places throughout the United States. If we can build pipelines for oil from the north coast of Alaska or across the United States, we certainly can build some for water sources and also let's build our dams, so we can store a little bit more for years when we don't have water, because with the growing population, conservation it is a short sited concept, because you're never going to have enough if you don't store or get new sources, so that's my opinion on the whole situation.

 

Commissioner Richards:

A couple of things here you'll see me always do this, I don’t know if you’ve seen Sunday’s paper about the Shreve and Company losing the lease in its own namesake building on Tuesday, -- I am sorry, Wednesday, John King had a great couple of paragraphs I’ll read them and there is another paragraph that I would love to read. He writes and I think this speaks to some of the anxiety that a lot of folks are feeling in the City, if you wrap everything up, you could put a big, huge red bow on these 49 square miles and call it San Francisco’s anxiety, it says, “These are unsettling times in San Francisco, where the winds have changed, to reach hurricane force, posh Shreve and Company jewelers, a Union Square mainstay featured in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine set to move next year to make way for an out-of-town jeweler that is even more posh. The Elbow Room on Valencia Street, everyone’s favorite punk dive bar, mine included, in the bull’s eye of condo developers. Neighborhood joints like Capp’s Corner in North Beach closed after a rent dispute. It’s a cultural upheaval more than a physical one, triggered by money and demographics, instead of a seismic force. Anything that is not protected landmark is a potential victim of the desire to ride the prosperous wave, the more novel the better. The relics of an era aren’t insights into the urban values of other generations; they’re leftovers to be cleared from the scene.” Next one I would like to read really quick, it is just one paragraph, of all places in the Sunday, the House Section called my attention, about a New Yorker who transplanted here in San Francisco, and she compares what happened here to the mid-1960s in New York, and how basically New York kind of turned on itself. She writes, “San Francisco has filled and arguably supplanted that role, New York. We've got the world’s attention. We are moving markets and defining the future. San Francisco is not just some place, is now the place, which is why exactly we have to be careful not to turn ourselves into another city, destroy itself.” I think, based on the rest of the article, the comment that she is making, is not only in a physical sense, but also in a human sense. We're all San Franciscans, I think every day I walk down the street and hear arguments being made about it should be this way, black, or it should be this way, white. I think there is probably some middle ground where we don't have to destroy ourselves in the process to cut a clear path to the future so this resonated with me a lot. The second point I wanted to make was, I know we recently adopted, very recently actually, I thought that it was earlier, the small businesses processing program in February 12th. I actually looked at the consent items last, because I assumed those are the ones that are the least contentious. I actually spent my time on some of the bigger ones where you got a lot of the communications bit. As I went back to some of the consent items, I think we are going to learn through this process and probably we do some fine-tuning along the way, and each of the pack, I didn't have time this morning to call Mr. Sider, because I was scrambling. When we go through each one of these, I I’d like to make some comments on maybe what we might want to see or maybe what we don’t want see, based on what we have approved and just use as a learning experience. Thank you.

 

Commissioner Moore:

I have been in touch with Commission Secretary Ionin, this week’s package was a total disaster. I had five duplicates copies on miscellaneous things, assuming that there were five missing in some other Commissioners packets. I had a packet stapled into another major large report, and while that is not necessary, a Planning Commission public discussion, it is something which I like to bring to the attention and get your support that we find mechanisms to help the Department and proper pressure on the vendor that this is a one time occurrence. It creates a significant amount of extra work for us as Commissioners and leads certain people who are also having full-time jobs, scrambling to have the right sequence and the right publications in their packets. I want to make this a constructive comment. I know Mr. Ionin will work on it. We need to give him all support to use all means to have the new vendor properly deliver.

 

D.         DEPARTMENT MATTERS

 

11.          Director’s Announcements

 

Director Rahaim:

Thank you, Commissioners, we'll certainly look into the packets, the only item I would have is to suggest we that close the  meeting today in honor of Commissioner Richards’ beard.  That concludes my comments. 

 

12.          Review of Past Events at the Board of Supervisors, Board of Appeals and Historic Preservation Commission

 

LAND USE COMMITTEE:

·        1501148 Planning Code - Designation of 149-155 9th Street (aka the Western Manufacturing Company Building). Sponsor: Planning. Staff: Lammers. The Land Use Committee continued this item one week in order to add an amendment that would allow the property to apply for a Mills Act contract this year, rather than waiting one year after designation. 

 

FULL BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:

·         150246 Planning Code - Landmark Designation - 2178-2174 Market Street (aka Swedish American Hall Building. Sponsor: Wiener. Staff: Lammers, Frye. Passed Second Read

·         141298 Various Codes - Noise Regulations Relating to Residential Uses Near Places of Entertainment. Sponsor: Breed, Wiener. Staff: D. Sanchez. Continued to May 5 so that the Supervisor’s office and the Entertainment Commission could firm up additional details.

·         150002 Planning Code - Landmark Designation - 182-198 Gough Street (aka the R.L. Goldberg Building). Sponsor: Breed. Staff: Lammers. Passed First Read.

 

INTRODUCTIONS:

·         150439 Hearing - California Pacific Medical Center's Compliance with the Cathedral Hill Development Agreement.  Sponsor: Campos, Farrell.  Hearing to review the California Pacific Medical Center's compliance with the Cathedral Hill Development Agreement; and requesting the Department of Public Health, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and the Planning Department to report.

·         150436 Administrative Code - Establishing Cannabis State Legalization Task Force. Sponsor: Wiener, Kim, Mar.  Ordinance amending the Administrative Code to establish the Cannabis State Legalization Task Force to advise the Board of Supervisors, the Mayor, and City departments regarding the local impacts of possible state legislation legalizing adult use of cannabis; and setting forth the membership and duties of the Task Force.

·         150435 Redevelopment Plan Amendment - Transbay Redevelopment Project Area. Sponsor: Kim.  Ordinance approving a minor amendment to the Redevelopment Plan for the Transbay Redevelopment Project Area to provide bulk limits for general office buildings in Zone One.  This is scheduled to be heard by the Board sitting as a committee of the whole, on June 9, 2015.

·         150401 General Plan Amendments - Rincon Hill Streetscape Master Plan. Sponsor: Planning.  Ordinance amending the Rincon Hill Area Plan, a subsection of the General Plan, to incorporate the Rincon Hill Streetscape Master Plan and make other technical amendments; making findings under the California Environmental Quality Act; and making findings of consistency with the General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1.

·         141303 REINTRODUCTION Planning Code - Massage Establishments.  Sponsor: Tang.  Ordinance amending the Planning Code to require that massage establishments, with certain exceptions, obtain a Conditional Use permit; to establish a legitimization program for certain massage establishments; and to make conforming amendments.

 

BOARD OF APPEALS:

The Board of Appeals did meet last night. There was a fairly lengthy hearing, but just three items to note. The first was an appeal of a building permit for 1055 Ashbury, this had been before you as a discretionary review and was also a variance, earlier this year.  The Board of appeals upheld the variance unanimously. On the appeal of the building permit, they expressed some concerns related to the top story. This was a deeply down sloping lot at Ashbury and Downey and the rear of the building appeared quite large given the topography, so they continued it and wanted the project sponsor to study setting back the top story from the rear building wall, so that’ll come back on May 13. The other item is 2853 Broderick, which had been before you as well as a discretionary review last year. The appeal was related to the merger of two units in the building, it is going from two to one. We found that it qualified for administrative review, given appraisals that were given. The Board heard the arguments last night, voted +2 -2 to deny the appeal, that motion failed, but by matter of law the building permit was upheld. Finally, the Board adopted a resolution encouraging the establishment of notice requirements for permits that resulted in removal of illegal residential units. Currently, a building permit application to remove an illegal unit doesn’t in and of itself trigger the notification. We've been working with the Department of Building Inspection and that is actually something we are going to be moving towards fairly soon and it will be improved notification requirements by DBI in the issuance of a permit. We’ll be giving you more of an update on this in the coming weeks and I believe you'll have a copy of the Board of Appeals resolution in your packets for next week.

 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION:

No Report

               

E.         GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT – 15 MINUTES

 

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.

 

                SPEAKERS:           Dino Adelfio – Vehicular traffic data

                                                Paul Werner – CEQA checklist as it relates to Vision Zero and traffic safety

 

F.            REGULAR CALENDAR 

 

The Commission Hearing Procedures provide for presentations by staff; followed by the project sponsor team; followed by public comment for and against the proposal.  Please be advised that the project sponsor team includes: the sponsor(s) or their designee, lawyers, architects, engineers, expediters, and/or other advisors.

 

13.          2009.0342C                                                                                             (K. DURANDET: (415) 575-6816)

2516 MISSION STREET - Public information hearing to review compliance of Conditions of Approval per Motion 18434 to legalize a portion of the roof deck as an accessory outdoor activity use for the ground floor restaurant (formerly d.b.a. Medjool; currently d.b.a. Lolinda).

Preliminary Recommendation:  None – Informational

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Brian Rackhound – Sponsor presentation

                ACTION:                                None - Informational

 

14a.        2013.0312KX                                                                                               (C. TOWNES: (415) 575-9195)

777 TENNESSEE STREET - northeast corner of Tennessee Street and 19th Street; Lot 013 in Assessor’s Block 4044 - Request for Adoption of Findings pursuant to Section 295 of the Planning Code regarding a Shadow Study that concluded that the shadow cast by the construction of a new 59,855 square foot, 5-story, 58-foot tall, 59-unit residential building, would not be adverse to use of Esprit Park, land under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department.  The property is within the UMU (Urban Mixed Use) Zoning District and the 58-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

                Preliminary Recommendation:  Adopt Findings

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Mitchell Benjamin – Sponsor presentation

                                                = Karen Kaplar – 755 Tennessee sunlight impact, alternative massing

                ACTION:                                Adopted Findings

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson

                NAYES:                  Moore, Richards

                MOTION:               19365

 

14b.        2013.0312KX                                                                                               (C. TOWNES: (415) 575-9195)

777 TENNESSEE STREET - northeast corner of Tennessee Street and 19th Street; Lot 013 in Assessor’s Block 4044 - Request for a Large Project Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Section 329 to allow the construction of a new five-story, 58-foot tall, 59-unit residential building proposing a total of 59,855 square feet. Per Planning Code Section 329, a Large Project Authorization (LPA) is required for a project within the Eastern Neighborhoods Mixed use District involving new construction of more than 25,000 square feet. Under the LPA, the project is seeking modification to certain Planning Code requirements, including: 1) Rear Yard (Planning Code Section 134); and, 2) Exposure (Planning Code Section 140). The subject property is located within the UMU (Urban Mixed Use) Zoning District and 58-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

                Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           Same as Item 14a.

ACTION:                Approved with Conditions as Amended with the Finding read into the record by staff, noting the existing space is already excavated.

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson

                NAYES:                  Moore, Richards

                MOTION:               19366

 

15.          2013.1407C                                                                                                            (S. LAI:  (415) 575-9087)

2501 CALIFORNIA STREET - southwest corner of California and Steiner Streets; Lots 001,002, and 034 in Assessor’s Block 0655 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Sections 102, 121.1, 121.2, 186.1, 303, 303.1, 703.3, 718.11, and 718.21 for the demolition of the convenience store, the non-conforming  automotive service use, and the non-conforming automotive gas station (d.b.a. Shell); and to allow the lot merger and reconstruction of the non-conforming automotive gas station (d.b.a. Shell), and the establishment of a formula retail convenience store (d.b.a. Loop), within the Upper Fillmore Street Neighborhood Commercial District and 40-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

(Continued from Regular Meeting of April 23, 2015)

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Sunny Boyle – Project presentation

-   Judy Kummar – Hours of operation not in character with the residential neighborhood

                                                = (M) Speaker – Sponsor concessions satisfied his concerns

                                                = Richard Springwater – Private agreement in good faith

-   Carol Brownson – Residential nature of neighborhood

-   Karen Goldenberg – Not necessary

-   Donald Green – Service station policy

-   Joe Cordness – Opposition

-   Darlene Fryar – Opposition

-   (F) Speaker – Negative impacts, traffic, pedestrian safety

= Douglass Verdal – Serivce station benefits

-   Paul Wermer – Not appropriate for the neighborhood

                ACTION:                                After hearing and closing public comment; Continued to May 28, 2015

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

 

16a.        2014.0375CV                                                                                                 (L. AJELLO:  (415) 575-9142)

1656 POST STREET - north side between Buchanan and Laguna Streets; Lot 040 in Assessor’s Block 0686 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 249.31 and 303 to establish a new use in excess of 4,000 gross square feet within the Japantown Special Use District, to allow the change of use of a grocery store exceeding 5,000 gross square feet (formerly d.b.a. Uoki Sakai Market) to a personal service (spa) use (d.b.a. Pearl Spa) and to establish a massage use within the spa.  The project also includes converting the second story of the two-story commercial building to four dwelling units and proposes to construct a 24 square foot addition at the front of the building and a 566 square foot one-story addition with deck above at the rear of the building.  The project site is located within a NC-2 (Neighborhood Commercial, Small Scale) Zoning District, the Japantown Special Use District and 50-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

                Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Jason Tran – Project presentation

                                                + Bob Hamaguchi – Support

                                                + Paul Wermer – Community outreach

                ACTION:                                Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

                MOTION:               19367

 

16b.        2014.0375CV                                                                                                 (L. AJELLO:  (415) 575-9142)

1656 POST STREET - north side between Buchanan and Laguna Streets; Lot 040 in Assessor’s Block 0686 - Request for Variances, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 134 and 140 to modify the rear yard requirement and for dwelling unit exposure, which the Zoning Administrator will consider following the Planning Commission’s consideration of the request for Conditional Use Authorization. This project is located within a NC-2 (Neighborhood Commercial, Small Scale) Zoning District, the Japantown Special Use District and 50-X Height and Bulk District

 

                SPEAKERS:           Same as Item 16a.

                ACTION:                                ZA closed public comment and indicated an intent to Grant.

 

17.          2014.1481C                                                                                                 (E. JACKSON: (415) 558-6363)

475 VALENCIA STREET - east side of Valencia Street, between 15th and 16th Streets, Lot 018 of Assessor’s Block 3354 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization to legalize an Other, Large Institution (d.b.a San Francisco School of Massage) within an approximately 5,000 square foot tenant space pursuant to Planning Code Sections 121.2, 726.81 and 303 on the third floor of an existing building located in the Valencia Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit (NCT) Zoning District and 55-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Henry Karnilowicz – Project presentation

                                                + (M) Speaker, School Owner/Representative – Sponsor presentation

                ACTION:                                Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

                ABSENT:                Wu

                MOTION:               19368

                                                                                                                                                                               

18.          2014.1168C                                                                                                        (C. GROB: (415) 575-9138)

1650 POLK STREET - east side of the street between Clay Street and Sacramento Street; Lot 022 in Assessor’s Block 0621 - Request for Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303, 723.21, 723.24, and 723.44, to establish a restaurant use in the Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District, for said restaurant use to exceed 2,500 square feet, and to construct a rooftop seating area (classified as an Outdoor Activity Area) within the Polk Street NCD (Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District) and 65-A Height and Bulk District.  The project proposes to construct a 9,467 square foot general grocery, d.b.a. The Market on Polk, with an additional 5,424 square feet of restaurant use, which includes: a café, pizza bar, and Japanese tapas bar at the ground floor (totaling 1,801 square feet), a sushi restaurant in the basement (1,575 square feet), and a rooftop restaurant (2,048 square feet).  The proposal also includes a 2,384 square foot rooftop seating area for grocery patrons which would not have alcohol service. An accessory take-out food use, d.b.a. Smitten, would occupy 308 square feet of the ground floor grocery.  This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h).

Preliminary Recommendation:  Approve with Conditions

 

                SPEAKERS:           + Chris Fowley – Project presentation

                                                + Dawn Trennert – Support for grocery store

                                                + Frank Cannata – Outstanding outreach

                                                + Madeleine Sevitt - Support

                ACTION:                                Approved with Conditions

                AYES:                     Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Johnson, Moore, Richards

                ABSENT:                Wu

                MOTION:               19369

 

 

G.            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 with one exception.  When the agenda item has already been reviewed in a public hearing at which members of the public were allowed to testify and the Commission has closed the public hearing, your opportunity to address the Commission must be exercised during the Public Comment portion of the Calendar.  Each member of the public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.

 

The Brown Act forbids a commission from taking action or discussing any item not appearing on the posted agenda, including those items raised at public comment.  In response to public comment, the commission is limited to:

 

(1)  responding to statements made or questions posed by members of the public; or

(2)  requesting staff to report back on a matter at a subsequent meeting; or

(3)  directing staff to place the item on a future agenda.  (Government Code Section 54954.2(a))

 

Adjournment – 5:11 P.M.

ADOPTED: May 7, 2015