ROLL CALL:                                                                         

 

                                            President:                                Rodney Fong

                                            Vice-President:                      Dennis Richards

                                            Commissioners:                    Michael J. Antonini; Rich Hillis; Christine Johnson

                                                                                                Kathrin Moore; Cindy Wu

 

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.             2013.0517X                                                                                              (K. DURANDET: (415) 575-6816)

98 PENNSYLVANIA STREET  - located on the north side of 17^th Street bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue to the east, Mississippi Street to the west and 7^th Street to the north, Lot 002 in Assessor’s Block 3948 (District 10) - Request for Large Project Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Section 329, for the construction of a five-story (48-ft. tall) over basement residential buildings (measuring approximately 48,000 gross square feet) with 46 dwelling units, 31 below-grade off-street parking spaces, 46 Class 1 bicycle parking spaces, and approximately 2 Class 2 bicycle parking spaces. The project includes private and common open space. The subject property is located within the UMU (Urban Mixed Use) Zoning District, and 48-X Height and Bulk District. 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 September 22, 2016)

 

2.                   2013.1711CUA                                                                                             (C. TOWNES: (415) 575-9195)

495 CAMBRIDGE STREET - located on the east side of Cambridge Street between Felton and Bacon Streets, Lot 060 in Assessor’s Block 5992A (District 9) - Request for a Conditional Use Authorization-Planned Unit Development (PUD), pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303 and 304, to demolish four vacant school buildings and construct 28 residential buildings for a total of 54 dwelling units with 82 off-street parking spaces and 72 bicycle parking spaces. The new dwelling units would be constructed around a central driveway and shared open area, and would vary in size from 1,625 square feet to 2,260 square feet. The new dwelling units would vary in height from two-stories at street level (or 22-feet tall) to three-stories-over-basement (or 32-feet tall). Per Planning Code Section 304(d)(4), the Project is permitted a maximum residential density of 55 dwelling units for the lot area (85,191 square feet). Under the PUD, the project is seeking exceptions to the Planning Code requirements for rear yard (Planning Code Section134) and the location of off-street parking (Planning Code Sections 135 and 155). The subject property is located within a RH-1 (Residential-House, One Family) Zoning District, and 40-X Height and Bulk District. 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 Indefinite Continuance)

 

 

 

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

 

3.             2015-011424CUA                                                                                            (S. ADINA: (415) 575-8722)

601 VAN NESS AVENUE - located on the west side of Van Ness Avenue between Golden Gate and Turk Streets, Lots 026-479 in Assessor’s Block 0762 (District 5) - Request for a Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303(c) and 712.83, to develop a T-Mobile Macro Wireless Telecommunications Services Facility consisting of up to nine (9) screened rooftop mounted panel antennas, one (1) screened microwave dish, and one (1) GPS antenna and an associated rooftop equipment area as part of the T-Mobile Telecommunications Network.  The subject property is located within a RC-4 (Residential-Commercial, High Density) Zoning District, and 130-V Height and Bulk District.  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

                                                                                                                                                           

C.         COMMISSION MATTERS

 

4.             Consideration of Adoption:

·         Draft Minutes for May 5, 2016 – Joint Hearing

·         Draft Minutes for May 5, 2016

 

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.

 

D.         DEPARTMENT MATTERS

 

6.             Director’s Announcements

 

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

               

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.

 

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.

 

8.             2015-016599PCA                                                                                         (M. MOHAN: (415) 575-9141)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN DIVISADERO AND FILLMORE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL TRANSIT DISTRICTS - Planning Code Amendment to require payment of a higher affordable housing fee or provide additional affordable housing for certain sites that obtained higher residential development potential as a result of the rezoning of the Divisadero Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit District and the Fillmore Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit District; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; and making findings of consistency with the General Plan, Planning Code, Section 302, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1.

Preliminary Recommendation: Adopt a Recommendation for Approval

 

9a.                                                                                                                                      (T. CHANG: (415) 575-9197)

                ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY - Informational update to the Planning Commission to provide preliminary processing approaches and policy recommendations; staff will also provide a preliminary assessment of the projects that will be recommended for Commission approval or disapproval.

Preliminary Recommendation: None - Informational

 

9b.          2008.0586E                                                                                                (C. FORDHAM: (415) 575-9071)

                ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY - Public review and comment on the Draft Existing Sites Technical Memorandum (ESTM), published by the Planning Department on May 4, 2016. The ESTM examines the environmental impacts of past non-permitted work at 34 Academy of Art (AAU) properties and recommends conditions of approval to remedy those impacts. The 30-day public comment period for the Draft ESTM document begins May 4, 2016 and extends through June 3, 2016. After the close of the public review period on the ESTM the Planning Department will consider all comments received on the ESTM, incorporate changes as necessary, and finalize the ESTM. The Final ESTM will be used by the Commission for information in all AAU approvals in regards to understanding the environmental impacts of the past unauthorized changes and AAU’s ongoing operations. The Draft ESTM, including a detailed project description, is available for review on the Planning Department’s website at http://www.sf-planning.org/sfceqadocs.

Preliminary Recommendation: Review and Comment

 

10a.        2013.0677CUA                                                                                                 (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)

2000-2070 BRYANT STREET - located along the west side of Bryant Street at 18th Street, Lots 001, 002, and 021 in Assessor’s Block 4022 (District 9) - Request for a Conditional Use Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 303 and 317, for the demolition of three existing dwelling units. The subject property is located within the UMU (Urban Mixed-Use) Zoning District, and 68-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

 

10b.        2013.0677X                                                                                                       (R. SUCRE: (415) 575-9108)

2000-2070 BRYANT STREET - located along the west side of Bryant Street at 18th Street, Lots 001, 002, and 021 in Assessor’s Block 4022 (District 9) - Request for a Large Project Authorization, pursuant to Planning Code Section 329, for the demolition of the existing buildings on the project site, and the new construction of a six-story mixed-use building (measuring approximately 203,656 gross square feet; approximately 68-ft tall) with up to 199 dwelling units, approximately 7,007 square feet of ground floor retail, 3,938 square feet of ground floor PDR space, up to 84 off-street parking spaces, 128 Class 1 bicycle parking spaces, 18 Class 2 bicycle parking spaces, and private and common open spaces. Under the LPA, the project is seeking a modification to certain Planning Code requirements, including: 1) rear yard (Planning Code Section 134); 2) ground floor ceiling height for non-residential uses (Planning Code Section 145.1); 3) off-street freight loading (Planning Code Section 152.1); 4) horizontal mass reduction (Planning Code Section 270.1); and, 5) flexible units-modification of the accessory use provisions of Planning Code 803.3(b)(1)(c) (Planning Code Sections 329(d)(10)). The subject property is located within the UMU (Urban Mixed-Use) Zoning District, and 68-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

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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

Hearing Procedures

The Planning Commission holds public hearings regularly, on most Thursdays. The full hearing schedule for the calendar year and the Commission Rules & Regulations may be found online at: www.sfplanning.org.

 

Public Comments: Persons attending a hearing may comment on any scheduled item.

v  When speaking before the Commission in City Hall, Room 400, please note the timer indicating how much time remains.  Speakers will hear two alarms.  The first soft sound indicates the speaker has 30 seconds remaining.  The second louder sound indicates that the speaker’s opportunity to address the Commission has ended.

 

Sound-Producing Devices Prohibited: The ringing of and use of mobile phones and other sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a mobile phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices (67A.1 Sunshine Ordinance: Prohibiting the use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices at and during public meetings).

 

For most cases (CU’s, PUD’s, 309’s, etc…) that are considered by the Planning Commission, after being introduced by the Commission Secretary, shall be considered by the Commission in the following order:

 

1. A thorough description of the issue(s) by the Director or a member of the staff.

2. A presentation of the proposal by the Project Sponsor(s) team (includes sponsor or their designee, lawyers, architects, engineers, expediters, and/or other advisors) would be for a period not to exceed 10 minutes, unless a written request for extension not to exceed a total presentation time of 15 minutes is received at least 72 hours in advance of the hearing, through the Commission Secretary, and granted by the President or Chair.

3. A presentation of opposition to the proposal by organized opposition for a period not to exceed 10 minutes (or a period equal to that provided to the project sponsor team) with a minimum of three (3) speakers.  The intent of the 10 min block of time provided to organized opposition is to reduce the number of overall speakers who are part of the organized opposition.  The requestor should advise the group that the Commission would expect the organized presentation to represent their testimony, if granted.  Organized opposition will be recognized only upon written application at least 72 hours in advance of the hearing, through the Commission Secretary, the President or Chair.  Such application should identify the organization(s) and speakers.

4. Public testimony from proponents of the proposal:  An individual may speak for a period not to exceed three (3) minutes.

5. Public testimony from opponents of the proposal:  An individual may speak for a period not to exceed three (3) minutes.

6. Director’s preliminary recommendation must be prepared in writing.

7. Action by the Commission on the matter before it.

8. In public hearings on Draft Environmental Impact Reports, all speakers will be limited to a period not to exceed three (3) minutes.

9.        The President (or Acting Chair) may impose time limits on appearances by members of the public and may otherwise exercise his or her discretion on procedures for the conduct of public hearings.

10.     Public comment portion of the hearing shall be closed and deliberation amongst the Commissioners shall be opened by the Chair;

11.     A motion to approve; approve with conditions; approve with amendments and/or modifications; disapprove; or continue to another hearing date, if seconded, shall be voted on by the Commission.

 

Every Official Act taken by the Commission must be adopted by a majority vote of all members of the Commission, a minimum of four (4) votes.  A failed motion results in the disapproval of the requested action, unless a subsequent motion is adopted. Any Procedural Matter, such as a continuance, may be adopted by a majority vote of members present, as long as the members present constitute a quorum (four (4) members of the Commission).

 

For Discretionary Review cases that are considered by the Planning Commission, after being introduced by the Commission Secretary, shall be considered by the Commission in the following order:

 

1.        A thorough description of the issue by the Director or a member of the staff.

2.        A presentation by the DR Requestor(s) team (includes Requestor(s) or their designee, lawyers, architects, engineers, expediters, and/or other advisors) would be for a period not to exceed five (5) minutes for each requestor.

3.        Testimony by members of the public in support of the DR would be up to three (3) minutes each.

4.        A presentation by the Project Sponsor(s) team (includes Sponsor(s) or their designee, lawyers, architects, engineers, expediters, and/or other advisors) would be for a period up to five (5) minutes, but could be extended for a period not to exceed 10 minutes if there are multiple DR requestors.

5.        Testimony by members of the public in support of the project would be up to three (3) minutes each.

6. DR requestor(s) or their designees are given two (2) minutes for rebuttal.

7.        Project sponsor(s) or their designees are given two (2) minutes for rebuttal.

8.        The President (or Acting Chair) may impose time limits on appearances by members of the public and may otherwise exercise his or her discretion on procedures for the conduct of public hearings.

 

The Commission must Take DR in order to disapprove or modify a building permit application that is before them under Discretionary Review.  A failed motion to Take DR results in a Project that is approved as proposed.

 

Hearing Materials

Advance Submissions: To allow Commissioners the opportunity to review material in advance of a hearing, materials must be received by the Planning Department eight (8) days prior to the scheduled public hearing.  All submission packages must be delivered to1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, by 5:00 p.m. and should include fifteen (15) hardcopies and a .pdf copy must be provided to the staff planner. Correspondence submitted to the Planning Commission after eight days in advance of a hearing must be received by the Commission Secretary no later than the close of business the day before a hearing for it to become a part of the public record for any public hearing.

 

Correspondence submitted to the Planning Commission on the same day, must be submitted at the hearing directly to the Planning Commission Secretary. Please provide ten (10) copies for distribution. Correspondence submitted in any other fashion on the same day may not become a part of the public record until the following hearing.

 

Correspondence sent directly to all members of the Commission, must include a copy to the Commission Secretary (commissions.secretary@sfgov.org) for it to become a part of the public record.

 

These submittal rules and deadlines shall be strictly enforced and no exceptions shall be made without a vote of the Commission.

 

Persons unable to attend a hearing may submit written comments regarding a scheduled item to: Planning Commission, 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA  94103-2414.  Written comments received by the close of the business day prior to the hearing will be brought to the attention of the Planning Commission and made part of the official record. 

 

Appeals

The following is a summary of appeal rights associated with the various actions that may be taken at a Planning Commission hearing.

 

Case Type	Case Suffix	Appeal Period*	Appeal Body
Office Allocation	DNX (B)	15 calendar days	Board of Appeals**
Conditional Use Authorization and Planned Unit Development	CUA (C)	30 calendar days	Board of Supervisors
Building Permit Application (Discretionary Review)	DRP/DRM (D)	15 calendar days	Board of Appeals
EIR Certification	ENV (E)	30 calendar days	Board of Supervisors
Coastal Zone Permit	PUB (P)	15 calendar days	Board of Appeals
Planning Code Amendments by Application	PCA (T)	30 calendar days	Board of Supervisors
Variance (Zoning Administrator action)	VAR (V)	10 calendar days	Board of Appeals
Permit Review in C-3 Districts, Downtown Residential Districts and Large Project Authorization in Eastern Neighborhoods	LPA (X)	15 calendar days	Board of Appeals
Zoning Map Change by Application	MAP (Z)	30 calendar days	Board of Supervisors

 

* Appeals of Planning Commission decisions on Building Permit Applications (Discretionary Review) must be made within 15 days of the date the building permit is issued/denied by the Department of Building Inspection (not from the date of the Planning Commission hearing).  Appeals of Zoning Administrator decisions on Variances must be made within 10 days from the issuance of the decision letter.

 

**An appeal of a Certificate of Appropriateness or Permit to Alter/Demolish may be made to the Board of Supervisors if the project requires Board of Supervisors approval or if the project is associated with a Conditional Use Authorization appeal.  An appeal of an Office Allocation may be made to the Board of Supervisors if the project requires a Conditional Use Authorization.

 

For more information regarding the Board of Appeals process, please contact the Board of Appeals at (415) 575-6880.  For more information regarding the Board of Supervisors process, please contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at (415) 554-5184 or board.of.supervisors@sfgov.org.

 

Challenges

Pursuant to Government Code Section 65009, if you challenge, in court, (1) the adoption or amendment of a general plan, (2) the adoption or amendment of a zoning ordinance, (3) the adoption or amendment of any regulation attached to a specific plan, (4) the adoption, amendment or modification of a development agreement, or (5) the approval of a variance, conditional-use authorization, or any permit, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission, at, or prior to, the public hearing.

 

CEQA Appeal Rights under Chapter 31 of the San Francisco Administrative Code

If the Commission’s action on a project constitutes the Approval Action for that project (as defined in S.F. Administrative Code Chapter 31, as amended, Board of Supervisors Ordinance Number 161-13), then the CEQA determination prepared in support of that Approval Action is thereafter subject to appeal within the time frame specified in S.F. Administrative Code Section 31.16.  This appeal is separate from and in addition to an appeal of an action on a project.  Typically, an appeal must be filed within 30 calendar days of the Approval Action for a project that has received an exemption or negative declaration pursuant to CEQA.  For information on filing an appeal under Chapter 31, contact the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244, San Francisco, CA 94102, or call (415) 554-5184.  If the Department’s Environmental Review Officer has deemed a project to be exempt from further environmental review, an exemption determination has been prepared and can be obtained on-line at http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=3447. Under CEQA, in a later court challenge, a litigant may be limited to raising only those issues previously raised at a hearing on the project or in written correspondence delivered to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Planning Department or other City board, commission or department at, or prior to, such hearing, or as part of the appeal hearing process on the CEQA decision.

 

Protest of Fee or Exaction

You may protest any fee or exaction subject to Government Code Section 66000 imposed as a condition of approval in accordance with Government Code Section 66020.  The protest must satisfy the requirements of Government Code Section 66020(a) and must be filed within 90 days of the date of the first approval or conditional approval of the development referencing the challenged fee or exaction.  For purposes of Government Code Section 66020, the date of imposition of the fee shall be the date of the earliest discretionary approval by the City of the subject development.  

 

The Planning Commission’s approval or conditional approval of the development subject to the challenged fee or exaction as expressed in its Motion, Resolution, or Discretionary Review Action or the Zoning Administrator’s Variance Decision Letter will serve as Notice that the 90-day protest period under Government Code Section 66020 has begun.