Historic Preservation Commission - March 4, 2015 - Minutes

Meeting Date:

March 4, 2015 - 12:30pm

Location:

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

Director Rahaim: Good afternoon Commissioners. I just want to highlight one item from the written Director’s Report which is related to the short-term rental applications. I am just trying to get the word out as much as possible that we are trying to accommodate people who want to come and apply to have a short-term application registration. We will be having evening hours on March 18th, from 4:00 P.M. To 7:00 P.M. and we'll take drop in appointments for people who want to come in and register their dwelling unit as a short-term rental unit. Just as a reminder, it does require not only appropriate materials that are listed on our website but it does require a business license by Code before we can approve a registration for short-term rental. So for the public I just want to remind everyone that to please go get a business license before coming in to actually get register for the short-term rental. We are getting hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and much interest in doing this. We are trying to register people as quickly as possible. That concludes my report. Thank you.

President Hasz: Quick question. Is the Treasurer’s Office going to maybe be at those night time ones issuing those business license or application?

Director Rahaim: At this round no. We have been in touch with them and how to stream line that preparation, so people don’t have to jump around between buildings, but we are hoping, this one they won’t be available, but for future ones we hope that we can do that.

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

Preservation Coordinator Tim Frye: Good afternoon, Commissioners. I have no formal report of the Planning Commission; however, I do have a couple of items to share with you. First of all, congratulations to our commissioners that were recently reappointed. I look forward to continue working with you. Second, I wanted to point out a letter that was issued by SFMTA that was included in your correspondence packet. This is regarding the Certificate of Appropriateness regarding the traffic signal at City Hall. As you recall there were three Conditions of Approval outlined within the HPC’s approval and the MTA has issued this letter stating that of the three they will be able to honor the painting of light signals or the traffic signals to the dark opera blue, but the other conditions or recommendations they we will not be able to fulfill. Certainly if you have any questions about this, happy to have a broader conversation with SFMTA about future projects moving forward. They do indicate at the end of the letter that they agree that working more closely with the Department is a good thing and will continue to do that. I actually had a discussion with some other folks from MTA about some additional traffic signals and light poles within the Uptown Tenderloin District, National Register District, this morning. Just want to let you know that coordination is already occurring. Then the last thing I wanted to just mention to you and this, in particular, I think is useful for our Cultural Heritage Assets Subcommittee. This past weekend I was in Washington D.C. at a meeting hosted by the National Parks Service and they were talking about their budget for the next two fiscal years and there are two competitive grants that will be issued, hopefully, the fiscal year '16 one will remain unchanged but as you know with the federal budget those things are constantly in flux. The two grants I wanted to mention to you is one in fiscal year 15-16. There’s a grant program for under-represented communities, but this includes documentation and interpretation, survey inventory, etc. This was formally offered only through the Office of Historic Preservation at the state level. They are now going to allow for local governments to apply for this grant, so there may be an opportunity for us to apply for something here and certainly, we can bring this back to you at a future date and figure out what projects or what types of initiatives would be more closely aligned with the requirements of the grant. The Parks Service says the application will be available in the end of March and likely due in May. I will keep you posted and provide some information of similar projects that were awarded the grant in previous years and maybe we can come up with some ideas. The second is in the fiscal year '16 budget, the president is, in particular, is interested in providing grants related to civil rights sites associated with African American history and it will be a grant awarded for brick and mortar projects interpretation, survey and inventory and there is no match required, so this is a pretty exciting endeavor. Right now it will be limited to African American history. They are hoping based on the success of the grants and projects coming out of it then they will open to more multicultural representation of civil right issues and history, and one last thing I want to mention is the grant I’ll bring back to you, the grant proposals for this year, the one that will be available end of March where the application is due in May, is a $500,000 grant pool, but there was no indication of the size of grant we can apply for, but certainly once I have that information I will forward it along to you. That concludes my comments unless you have any questions.

Commissioner Matsuda: Are these capital grants or grants used for a number of purposes?

Mr. Frye: My understanding is that they can be for a variety of different purposes for survey, landmark designation reports. They could be used for education and outreach modules, local communities and ways for the commission and local government to get local communities more engaged in preservation projects. Certainly, once I have a better understanding of what they have awarded and granted, in the future I'm hoping we'll have a better understanding then.

Commissioner Matsuda: If you can get a copy of the grant applications submitted in previous year and what was awarded and what was selected from that grant application I think that would be helpful. Today I know that Wayne Donaldson is conducting an Asian Pacific American Heritage site meeting at Angel Island and so, and I'm sure we can also ask him to provide some assistance as well. Thank you.

C. COMMISSION MATTERS

3. President’s Report and Announcements

President Hasz: Thank you, just one thing. During our confirmation hearing it also became a pitch hearing for our position for the citywide survey; so it sounded like we have some supervisors’ support on that as well.

4. Consideration of Adoption:

· Draft Minutes for February 18, 2015

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Adopted

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

5. Commission Comments & Questions

· Disclosures - None

· Inquiries/Announcement - None

Commissioner Johnck: Yeah, I just wanted to say that the Pan Pacific International Exposition at the Palace of Fine Arts opened at last weekend was really great. I was pleased to see the throngs attending that. The historical events, the work that went into that was phenomenal. We are going to be seeing more of that. I wanted to thank Commissioner Matsuda for reminding us all to check into that. And the History Expo was wonderful as well. The Planning Department had a nice little table. There was a big map up that said, “Pick Your Landmark,” what’s missing, what do you want to see? There were a lot of dots on there. It was well attended. So I was pleased with that; very exciting. I wanted to say thank you for the time of the staff to put this together.

· Future Meetings/Agendas - None

D. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS PROPOSED FOR CONTINUANCE

6. 2014.0655A (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)

3751-3753 20^TH STREET – located on the south side of 20^th Street between Dolores and Guerrero Streets, Assessor’s Block 3607, Lot 066. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for façade alterations, construction of a new three-car garage, and a three-story rear addition and roof deck. The project would increase the two-family residence’s square footage from approximately 2,347 to 7,111. The subject property is a contributing resource to the Liberty-Hill Landmark District, and is located within a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk Limit.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions

(Proposed for Continuance to April 15, 2015)

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Continued to April 15, 2015

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

7. 2014.1383U (G. HILYARD: (415) 575-9109)

CIVIC CENTER CULTURAL LANDSCAPE INVENTORY – Consideration to adopt, modify, or disapprove the findings of the Cultural Landscape Inventory. The Department-sponsored survey focused on the landscape characteristics and setting of the existing Civic Center Landmark District. The Department identified character-defining landscape features of the Civic Center Landmark District and identified a period of significance from 1896-1951. The purpose of the survey is to inform planning decisions within Civic Center and to encourage sensitive design treatment and maintenance of the district’s cultural landscape. The general boundaries of the survey area are: Golden Gate Avenue to the north, UN Plaza to the east, Market Street to the south, and Franklin Street to the west.

Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt

(Proposed for Continuance to April 15, 2015)

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Continued to April 15, 2015

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

E. Consent Calendar

8. 2014.1363A (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)

970-980 GUERRERO STREET - west side of Guerrero Street between 21^st and 22^nd Streets, Assessor’s Block 3618, Lot 092-093. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for front and rear façade alterations and reconstruction of the rear stair to accommodate a change in use from a two-family dwelling to a three-family dwelling. The façade alterations include installation of a new wood entry door and wood-sash window on the ground floor, creation of a sunken terrace on the rear façade, and installation of a new wood door on the rear facade. The subject property is a contributing resource to the Liberty-Hill Landmark District, and is located within a RH-3 (Residential, House, Three-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk Limit.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions

(Continued from February 4, 2015)

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Approved with Conditions

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

MOTION: M-0251

F. REGULAR CALENDAR

9. 2011.0910L (J. LAMMERS: (415) 575-9093)

2168-2174 MARKET STREET – north side of Market Street between Church Street and Sanchez Street, Assessor’s Block 3542, Lot 017. Consideration of Resolution to Recommend Landmark Designation of the Swedish American Hall to the Board of Supervisors, as an individual Article 10 Landmark pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. Constructed in 1907, the Swedish American Hall is the most significant extant building associated with San Francisco’s Swedish community. The building is also significant as the work of master architect, August Nordin. The building was added to the Landmark Designation Work Program on June 15, 2011. It is located in the Upper Market Neighborhood Commercial Transit (NCT) zoning district and 40-X and 50-X Height and Bulk districts.

Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a Recommendation for Approval

(Continued from December 17, 2014)

SPEAKERS: Ted Olsen, third generation San Franciscan and Secretary of the Swedish American Society of SF - in support of the designation and gave a brief history of the Swedish American Hall.

ACTION: Adopted a Recommendation for Approval

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

RESOLUTION: R-745

10. 2014.1325A (E. TUFFY: (415) 575-9191)

376 SAN CARLOS STREET – west side of San Carlos Street between 20^th Street and 21^st Street, Assessor’s Block 3609, Lot 098. Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the restoration of the front elevation’s wood siding, trim and windows, reconstruction of a compatible wood staircase at the main entrance and driveway re-grading. Constructed in 1876 by The Real Estate Associates (T.R.E.A.), 376 San Carlos Street is a two dwelling unit, two-story over basement wood-framed slanted-bay Italianate building currently clad in non-historic stucco siding. The subject property is within a RTO-M (Residential Transit Oriented-Mission) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk Limit, and a Contributory/Compatible building within the Liberty-Hill Landmark District under Article 10 of the Planning Code.

Preliminary Recommendation: Approve with Conditions

SPEAKERS: None

ACTION: Approved with Conditions

AYES: Johnck, Matsuda, Pearlman, Wolfram, Hasz

ABSENT: Hyland, Johns

MOTION: M-0252

Adjournment: 1:03 PM

The minutes was proposed for adoption at the Regular Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday, March 18, 2015

.ACTION: Adopted

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

ABSENT: Johnck

Historic Preservation Commission - March 4, 2015 - Minutes

B. DEPARTMENT MATTERS

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