SAN FRANCISCO

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Commission Chambers, Room 400

City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

 

 

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

12:30 p.m.

Regular Meeting

 

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

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT WOLFRAM AT 12:01 PM

STAFF IN ATTENDANCE:  John Rahaim –  Planning Director, Shelley Caltagirone, Justin Greving, Tim Frye - Preservation Coordinator, 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.

SPEAKERS:          Loraine Altamorano – Palace of Fine Arts future commercial use
 

B.         DEPARTMENT MATTERS

1.            Director’s Announcements                         

Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator:
Commissioners the Director's report was included in your packets. Happy to address any questions should you have them.

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

Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator:
Just a few items to share with you, no formal Planning Commission report; however, a few items at the Board of Supervisors in the upcoming weeks. Tomorrow the Mills Act application that you’ve reviewed and recommended approval for will be at committee tomorrow for their recommendation.  There is one property, the address escapes me, but it contributes to the Uptown Tenderloin National Register District, as you recall they were not going to receive any tax savings in the current year based on their assessed value but they’ve asked to stay in the program because they are proposing some substantial seismic and rehabilitation upgrades that they believe they will achieve a savings in the future, so that will be an interesting project for us to track over time and see if they actually realize the savings in the future after their major renovation project. But we’ll certainly report to you once the full board has acted on those Mills Act contracts that will be before them prior to the end of the year. Also, the Cowell House Proposal Landmark Designation has been forwarded to the clerk; Supervisor Yee is interested in conducting a site visit before sponsoring so we’re scheduling that with the property owner and we’ll certainly keep you posted on the outcome of that; 92nd Street, the Burdett Building has also been introduced and submitted to the clerk, that’s the small fire survivor that you’ve recommended –or Article 10 designation for at a previous hearing and Supervisor Kim’s office is looking at sponsorship for that property as well and we’re in contact with her office on when that move forward but it likely won’t happen until the beginning of next year.  Also wanted to mention or as piggyback to the public comment, I have received some inquiries from the National Trust Field Office here for the proposals for the Palace of Fine Arts that the Recreation and Parks Commission is reviewing. At this time, the main questions were about the historic status of the Palace of Fine Arts but we will certainly reach out to Rec and Park and if this commission is interested in getting an update or more information about those proposals as it is a local landmark, we could certainly do so at a future hearing.  So that concludes my comments unless you have any questions.

Commissioner Pearlman:
Mr. Frye, on the Palace of Fine Arts, is that under the control of Rec and Park?

Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator:
It is a city owned property, P zoned - Public, and so there would be a number of entitlements that would be required for any proposal that goes through for all major alteration or a change in use.
Commissioner Pearlman:
So that would come before us?

Tim Frye, Preservation Coordinator:
If there were exterior changes proposed, correct.

Director John Rahaim:
If I may, I think we were just talking about this, I think what would also require some zoning changes to allow a hotel because it’s a P zone, that kind of commercial use typically not allowed in a P zone. So there would be other zoning changes needed as well.

I just wanted to add one more thing; seeing the item on the Director’s report about the Central SOMA open house reminds me that it might be time to come back to you with the briefing on that plan. We’ve been at this for quite a long time. We’ve been in the EIR phase for the better part of 18 months and we are now at the point where we’re getting close to completing the EIR, so I think it might be a good time to talk to staff and have them come and brief you on that project, that planning effort as well. As you’ll note from the Director’s Report we are in the phase now what we’re looking at the community benefits package that might result from that plan so they’re looking at it as sort of total finances and the revenues that might accrue from land value recapture ranging from affordable housing, transportation to preservation, so we’re looking at that whole range of issues, so I think it might be good time to come back and have a discussion with you all about it as well.

Commissioner Johnck:
I would be interested in having a briefing on the Palace of Fine Arts before anything official comes before us, so that’ll be good. Thank you.

C.         COMMISSION MATTERS

3.            President’s Report and Announcements

               None

4.            Consideration of Adoption:

• Draft Minutes for ARC November 4, 2015
• Draft Minutes for HPC November 18, 2015
• Draft Minutes for CHA November 18, 2015

SPEAKERS:          None
ACTION:               ARC November 4, 2015 Adopted as Corrected, HPC & CHA November 18, 2015 Adopted
AYES:                    Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman

Adoption of Commission Minutes – Charter Section 4.104 requires all commissioners to vote yes or no on all matters unless that commissioner is excused by a vote of the Commission.  Commissioners may not be automatically excluded from a vote on the minutes because they did not attend the meeting.

5.            Commission Comments & Questions

• Disclosures.
• 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 Historic Preservation Commission.

President Wolfram:
We had discussed having a holiday gathering following the next hearing the 16th at a location yet to be determined. I think maybe we’ll do something similar to last time when we met at a bar or restaurant.

Commissioners:
Don Ramon’s?

President Wolfram:
We could go there again or are there other locations that are preferable? Legacy location…? Do you know what time it opens though?

Commissioner Johns:
It opens at 11:30.

President Wolfram:
Oh so if we go right after…or do we want to go at 4:30 or 5?

Commissioner Johns:
Yea we could go 4:30 or 5. It closes for an hour or two in the middle of the day.

President Wolfram:
Five o’clock? So we can add that and we have to notice it right?

Commission Secretary Ionin:
Yea we would post a notice on the website as soon as we find out. I’ve had discussions with the City Attorney’s Office and the Good Government Guide clearly states these social gatherings should be noticed whenever possible and as soon as possible.  So if we choose not to use Don Ramon’s for whatever reason or choose a different time, we could certainly do that fairly easily.

President Wolfram:
So why don’t we assume right now 5 o’clock, Don Ramon’s unless otherwise decided?

Commissioners:
Yes.

6.            2016 Commission Schedule for Review and Adoption       

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

D.         REGULAR CALENDAR 

7.            2014-001503PCA                                                                                  (M. MOHAN: (415) 575-9141)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAM – Informational Presentation regarding a Planning Code Amendment to create the Affordable Housing Bonus Programs, consisting of the Local Affordable Housing Bonus Program, the 100 Percent Affordable Housing Bonus Program, the Analyzed State Density Bonus Program and the Individually Requested State Density Bonus Program, to provide for development bonuses and zoning modifications for affordable housing, in compliance with, and above those required by the State Density Bonus Law, Government Code, Section 65915, et seq.; to establish the procedures in which the Local Affordable Housing Bonus Program and the 100 Percent Affordable Housing Bonus Program shall be reviewed and approved; and amending the Planning Code to exempt projects from the height limits specified in the Planning Code and the Zoning Maps; and affirming the Planning Department’s determination 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.
Preliminary Recommendation: None - Informational

SPEAKERS:          + (F) Speaker – Support for continuance
ACTION:                Continued to December 16, 2015
AYES:                    Wolfram, Hyland, Hasz, Johnck, Johns, Matsuda, Pearlman

8.                                                                                                    (J. GREVING: (415) 575-9169)
FAÇADE RETENTION POLICY DISCUSSION – On March 18, 2015 The Historic Preservation Commission adopted Resolution No. 0746 to clarify expectations regarding the preparation of preservation alternatives in Environmental Impact Reports. This resolution specifically omitted language about façade retention to allow for a discussion of the topic from a historic preservation and urban design perspective at a later date. Planning Staff will provide a brief presentation on various examples of façade retention projects within the United States.
Preliminary Recommendation: Review and Comment

SPEAKERS:          Mike Buhler – Facadism issues, commercial vs residential
                              Jim Worshel - Facadism
ACTION:               Reviewed and Commented

ADJOURNMENT – 1:27 pm – ADOPTED DECEMBER 16, 2015