Planning Commission - May 28, 2015 - Minutes
SAN FRANCISCO
PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Commission Chambers, Room 400
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102-4689
Thursday, May 28, 2015
12:00 p.m.
Regular Meeting
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Fong, Wu, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
COMMISSIONER ABSENT: Johnson
THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT FONG AT 12:15 P.M.
STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: John Rahaim – Planning Director, David Winslow, Rich Sucre, Michael E. Smith, 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. 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 30, 2015)
Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions
NOTE: On April 30, 2015 after Hearing and Closing Public Comment; the Commission continued the matter to May 28, 2015 by a vote of +7 -0.
(Proposed for Continuance to June 4, 2015)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Continued to June 4, 2015
AYES: Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
ABSENT: Johnson, Wu
2. 2015-004022PCA MAP (D. SANCHEZ: (415) 575-9082)
REZONING PROPERTIES ON OCEAN AVENUE - Planning Code and Zoning Map Amendment to rezone properties facing Ocean Avenue, between Phelan Avenue and Howth Street, from RH-2 and RM-1 Use Districts to the Ocean Avenue Neighborhood Commercial Transit (NCT) District, and to include them in the existing Ocean Avenue NCT; rezone properties facing Ocean Avenue, between Paloma Avenue and 19th Avenue, from NC-1 to NCT-1; and adopting findings including environmental findings, Section 302 findings and findings of consistency with the General Plan and the eight priority policies of Planning Code Section 101.1.
(Proposed for Continuance to June 18, 2015)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Continued to June 18, 2015
AYES: Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
ABSENT: Johnson, Wu
3. 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
(Continued from regular Meeting of April 30, 2015)
(Proposed for Indefinite Continuance)
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Continued Indefinitely
AYES: Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
ABSENT: Johnson, Wu
B. COMMISSION MATTERS
4. Consideration of Adoption:
· Draft Minutes for May 14, 2015 – Rules Committee
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Moved to June 11, 2015
· Draft Minutes for May 14, 2015 – Regular Hearing
SPEAKERS: None
ACTION: Adopted
AYES: Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
ABSENT: Wu, Johnson
5. 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:
Just to comment on the garage at Civic Center and I don’t know if any of you have run into the same problem I am having, but there are many days when you arrive at 11:30 or little after11:00 and there's someone out there saying it's full. Today there was just a sign saying that it was full. Usually, I can get in by flashing a Commission card and search around and eventually find a single place, but my whole point is that we're not really evaluating the impact of things that are done. For example, the new PUC building was built with the theory that people aren’t going to drive there, we won't provide any parking there, and of course they rob parking from this garage and there is a significant part of it that is reversed for PUC, as well as charging stations for electric cars. These are all good things, but the problem is where, there is only so many parking places and this is a very significant garage, not just for City Hall, but for the courts, for the Orpheum Theater, for a lot of activities in this area that people wish to park in, so I think in the future we should look at situations with reality in mind not the way we wish it would or are going to be. We wish everyone would take public transit or walk or ride a bicycle, but that’s not the reality. So, when we make decisions about where – what kind of parking to provide we have to make sure that we're realistic about our exceptions. Thank you.
Commissioner Richards:
I just wanted to call your attention to an article I read in the Chronicle on Sunday about A.T. Kearny has published a paper. I think they do it every few years on world-class cities and what makes them, they have you the personal well-being, public safety, health care, the economy, GDP innovation, presence of incubators, private investment and good governance. San Francisco currently ranks #22. One through five were New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong but for potential which is coming up within the next decade, San Francisco goes to number one. So, that tells us a lot about where the city is going to be in terms of the attractiveness of people to move here, investment to flow here and if you get a chance, I really suggest that you take a look of that report that A.T. Kearny wrote. It’s on the web if you just search for it. If anybody needs information, I’d be glad to forward it to you, but it’s a really interesting read and it’s an incredible vote of confidence in this City.
C. DEPARTMENT MATTERS
6. Director’s Announcements – No Report
7. Review of Past Events at the Board of Supervisors, Board of Appeals and Historic Preservation Commission
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
No Report
BOARD OF APPEALS:
No Report
HISTORICE PRESERVATION COMMISSION:
No Report
D. 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.
E. 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.
8a. (D. WINSLOW: (415) 575-9159)
MISSION BAY REDEVELOPMENT AREA PLAN OVERVIEW - Informational item - Catherine Reilly, project manager from Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII), will provide an overview of the redevelopment plan for Mission Bay: 303 acres of land between the San Francisco Bay and Interstate-280. The Board of Supervisors established the Mission Bay North and South Redevelopment Project Areas in November 1998. Development is controlled through the Redevelopment Plans and Designs for Development, Owner Participation Agreements between the former Redevelopment Agency, now OCII, and original master developer, Catellus Development Corporation (now held by FOCIL-MB LLC), and Interagency Cooperation Agreements, which commit all City departments to the Mission Bay Infrastructure Plans. Mission Bay is a mixed-use, transit-oriented development.
Preliminary Recommendation: None - Informational
SPEAKERS: + David Maneka – Arena design presentation
+ Pat Valentino – Non-venue retail, bicycle spaces
+ Robert Graham – Support
+ Dino Adelfio – Enhance public open space
+ Cheryl Adams – Physical fitness and community development
ACTION: None - Informational
8b. 2014.002701OFA (D. WINSLOW: (415) 575-9159)
EVENT CENTER AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT AT MISSION BAY SOUTH BLOCKS 29, 30, 31, & 32: LOT 001 IN ASSESSORS BLOCK 8722 - Informational item, GSW Arena LLC (GSW) proposes to construct a multi-purpose event center, two 11-story office buildings containing 503,900 leasable s.f. office space, public open space, a parking facility and visitor-serving retail uses on MBS blocks 29, 30, 31 and 32. The event center would host the Golden State Warriors NBA basketball team during the NBA season, as well as provide a year-round venue for a variety of other uses, including concerts, cultural events, family shows, conferences and conventions. The site is located in the Mission Bay South Plan Area’s Commercial-Industrial District and an HZ-5 Height District. The office buildings will be brought to a subsequent Planning Commission hearing for and Design Review approval in accord with Resolution 14702. Office allocation pursuant to Planning Code Sections 321 and 322 (the Annual Office Development Limitation program) has already been allocated to the site.
Preliminary Recommendation: None - Informational
SPEAKERS: Same as Item 8a.
ACTION: None - Informational
9. 2013.0159TZ (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)
AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL PLAN, PLANNING CODE AND ZONING MAP FOR 525 HARRISON STREET -located on the east side of Harrison Street between 1st and 2nd Streets, Assessor’s Block 3764, Lot 063 - Request to Initiate a General Plan Amendment, Planning Code Text Amendment and Zoning Map Amendment, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 302 and 306, to amend Policies 3.3 and 3.4 of the Rincon Hill Area Plan, amend Planning Code Section 270(e), and amend the height and bulk designation of Block 3764 Lot 063 on San Francisco Height and Bulk District Map No. 1 (HT01). Currently, the subject lot is located within the RH-DTR (Rincon Hill Downtown Residential) Zoning District and 65-X and 65/400-R Height and Bulk District.
Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution Recommending Initiation
SPEAKERS: + Cameron Faulkner – Project presentation
+ Ben Wrigley – Design presentation
ACTION: Adopted a Resolution Recommending Initiation
AYES: Wu Antonini, Hillis, Moore
NAYES: Fong, Richards
ABSENT: Johnson
RESOLUTION: 19382
F. DISCRETIONARY REVIEW CALENDAR
The Commission Discretionary Review Hearing Procedures provide for presentations by staff; followed by the DR requestor team; followed by public comment opposed to the project; followed by the project sponsor team; followed by public comment in support of the project. Please be advised that the DR requestor and project sponsor teams include: the DR requestor and sponsor or their designee, lawyers, architects, engineers, expediters, and/or other advisors.
10. 2013.1762D (M. SMITH: (415) 558-6322)
372 SUSSEX STREET - north side between Diamond Heights Boulevard and Swiss Avenue; Lot 010 in Assessor’s Block 7555 - Staff Initiated Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2012.11.26.4748 proposing to construct a rear addition at the first story, a new second story and a roof deck with stair penthouse access above the existing single-family dwelling. This project is being brought back before the Commission for Discretionary Review because the revised project does not comply with their decision in DRA-0359. The property is located within a RH-1 (Residential, House One-Family) District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.
Staff Analysis: Full Discretionary Review Analysis
Preliminary Recommendation: Do Not Take Discretionary Review and Approve
(Continued from Regular Meeting of May 14, 2015)
SPEAKERS: + Mary Kawaguchi – Project presentation
- Catherine Yosefi – Opposed to modifications
- Andre Yousefi – Opposed
- Serena Bosnick – Opposed
+ Kevin Anderson – Support
+ (M) Speaker - Support
ACTION: Did Not Take Discretionary Review and Approved
AYES: Wu, Fong, Antonini, Hillis, Moore, Richards
ABSENT: Johnson
DRA No: 0420
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 – 3:59 P.M.
ADOPTED: June 11, 2015