commissioner joseph: reading of

light and number seven, -- item number seven, is someone here? >> i am number seven on your permit memo. applicants will apply for an extended hours per met to open a comedy club and restaurant lounge at the corner, basically. she sought conditional use authorization from the planning department and received it in august of 2009. for all the uses described in the application. they expressed concerns regarding the extended hours permit application and she can tell you she agreed to what i

think amounts to a six month continuance of that part of this application. so we will be required, if that comes to pass and the commission dirac's, it will be required to post mid january. to bring that application back to you. the business plan describes the local and national comedians, tableside breakfast service, there is an abc license, an occupant limit of 273. the security plan includes a hiring a universal protection service, the applicant has also submitted numerous letters in

support for the business from residents and neighbors recommending approval with a set of conditions that you should find behind this memo. staff at the time, based on information, we are recommending conditional plans and a continuance to january 2011 of the extended hours permit per request of the applicant. >> hi, i'm holly. commissioner joseph: you are welcome to make a presentation, holly. >> i am looking to open a comedy club. it is at that address and has been there for six years. it is a historical landmark. i am sure that you are aware of

the space and it is really lovely. we're hoping it will increase activity in the area. there is no happy our venue at all in the area. -- happy hour venue at all in the area. we are hoping to provide an upscale menu as well. i am now looking to postpone on the suggestion of officer gallagher, it would provide for a late-night breakfast venue on saturday night -- friday and saturday night from midnight until 4:00 in the morning. we would like to provide tableside service, bananas foster, with the possibility of

live music. the concern from northern station was that any venue that might be open after 2:00 in the morning might provide a venue for an savory activity. i would like you to know that my intention is to provide a more sophisticated and elegant environment for a more mature clientele for late night dining other than, no offense to denny's, but something a little more upscale which really doesn't exist in this city. >> that is what they all tell us. [laughter] commissioner joseph: do you agree with officer gallagher? >> after hearing about some of the situations that have been happening in the city, i am

concerned. his suggestion was that a venue such as mine, even though it may be upscale, might be rushed by a gang or group, and they might take over my venue. that concerned me. it scared me quite a bit, because that is not something -- commissioner joseph: did you feel any kind of grass? >> absolutely. i appreciate it, but a major factor in my dream is the late night breakfast aspect, because in my background, i did do comedy. and when the comedians will finish playing at the various comedy clubs, they would join together at a diner and have breakfast together and recount their evening. i wanted to provide a place for

those comedians where they would come to my venue, and i think that customers in the club might enjoy the comedians enjoying breakfast there as well. commissioner joseph: if we are willing to discuss this moving forward with your extended hours permit, would you still want to postpone it, or would you prefer to have it now? >> i would rather have it now. commissioner joseph: you said you have all kinds of comedy stars? like who? >> i just returned from the montreal comedy festival. i spent a week there, and i met some many comex. i would really like to cater to young up-and-coming comics. the a-listers, of course, who ever i can get.

but i would like to provide a venue for young aspiring comedians. i am hoping that maybe it robin williams, dana carvey, to local comedians -- you have to spend money to make money. i have some fairly good connections as far as booking agents go. commissioner joseph: how are you going to promote this place? how are you going to market its the that you know they are there -- they know you are there? >> a lot of promotion is done on line at. -- online. the venue itself, there is a corridor that leads you to the escalator where you go to see the movie. in that corridor, i am having a

big screen television that projects on either side, continual promotion showing the comedians that are coming. in that building, there is parking in the basement, and because of the attendance for the theater, there's quite a bit of foot traffic there. i am hoping that the interior promotion will be successful. also all of the other venues, radio, television, word of mouth. commissioner alan: good evening, thank you for making an interesting opportunity. we usually see predominantly dance clubs, so is nice to see some variety in the entertainment that is going to be available to folks in san francisco. could you let me know a little bit about what you bring to the table that would lead us to

believe you are going to have a successful venue? i couldn't find that in the information i saw. you both shared employment at an auto dealership. >> my resonate? -- resume? i was a performer from the time that i was 3 years old. i grew up in the midwest and that it everything you could do as far as television, stage, that kind of thing. i moved to sacramento in the mid 70's where i had an improvisational comedy group. i am sure you're familiar with the committee in san francisco, we were lucky enough that they came to sacramento and taught improv workshops. i moved to san and cisco, studied with the committee, and

was lucky enough to perform with the committee. i wrote and produced a live, a review that was very successful. i did a soap opera and studied in the actors studio. during that time, i did some stand up, but i met a lot of stand-up comedians that are now household names. i was involved in the entertainment business most of my life. when i left new york city in 1992, i decided i wanted to not pursue that line of work anymore. it is a very difficult line of work. throughout that time, my joke is that once an actress, always a waitress. i did fine dining for 25 years. i became the first woman captain

ever, and that is where i discovered tableside service. i recognized the entertainment factor in the table side prospekt. when i came back to san francisco, i decided i wasn't going to act any more and began selling high-end luxury cars. for 15 years, i sold a mercedes- benz, and most recently lambourgini. the man that has had that dealership, after 15 years, he asked what i wanted to do. i said, i want to open a comedy club across the street with fine dining. he said, let's do it. 2.5 years later, here i am. [applause]

[laughter] end scene. [laughter] commissioner meko: great story. now back to the reality of the permit. a question for staff. i believe the police code now requires a minimum of one security for 100? use a the occupancy is more than 200. the security plan that they submitted said that they're going to provide one or two security persons depending on the crowd they attract. what we just automatically require three security at the occupancy? >> yes. commissioner meko: you can't guess what the crowd is going to

be and make arrangements. if your occupancy is more than 200, you plan on three. >> our occupancy is 239 people, but the logistics of that room, due to the fact that there are really large pillars that block of visibility from some of the area, i probably will only have 190 seat capacity because of the visibility. but i would have at least two, because i doubt that we would never have more than 200 people. commissioner meko: we are stuck by the legal occupancy unless you agree that there will be one security at the door with a quicker. if somehow you went beyond 200, they would have to turn people away. >> then we would have three

security people. >> just wanted to get that on the record. >> in that building, there is security 24 hours. just the space itself has 24 hour security. commissioner meko: but it has nothing to do with the application before us. commissioner joseph: anyone else? commissioner newlin: pardon my ignorance, what is tableside dining? >> that is when the customer is sitting at the table and you approached the table with a car that offers may be an electrical device. my concept is that i would like to provide tableside omelets, which means that we took the omelet for you at the table. beni-hana's with a -- are you

familliar with crepe suzette and bananas foster? those things. commissioner joseph: i would like to open the floor to public comment. please state your name. >> not to blow holly horn's horn for her, i got to speak at a conditional use and i was hoping to see as many open sooner because i like the concept. most importantly, she is a dynamo. she just went through the preservation commission to get this place opened. she has shown a lot of tenacity. this woman doesn't give up. i also understand the way, it

works in san francisco. in certain people who are in it sometimes would prefer that the comedian's play their venues. that is just the reality of it. it is more or less understood it. i like to see her be able to run her business model in the conceptual form presented. i would like to see her be able to run the concept as she wants to present it. it is well capitalized, so it is not going to be a situation where she is on a shoestring budget. she has the ability, and sometimes you can go by talent, you can buy good people. with her energy and her vision, with the capitalization, i think she can really make a go of it. the building used to be owned by ford motor company.

it is a historical building that she is going to adapt, and i can't think of a better use than what she is going to put in there. some of us are now getting older, and we don't want to much energy as too much excitement, but we want a nice place to go to. [laughter] commissioner joseph: any other public comment? seeing none, public comment is -- [laughter] seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioner meko: one more question for staff. i don't have anything in writing from officer gallagher. >> is behind the memo. >> i don't have that memo. >> neither do i..

-- do i. commissioner joseph: commissioners? commissioner meko: if i could continue this, this approval for extended hours, premises, but no. station recommends that this comes up for review by the police department and the entertainment commission six months from the date of opening. the applicant has agreed to this condition. officer gallagher is not here, correct? is there anyone from the sand and cisco police department that would like to speak to the issue of not granting extended hours at this time? because we're basically bound by a police code 1070 to grant the application if she is serious about not wanting to really

request that six month review period. unless they could cite specific portions under which we should deny that permit. there is nothing on here to include any specifics that are part of the code. so lacking that, i reaction would basically be to support granting the extended hours as well. i would like to hear from the rest of the commissioners. commissioner newlin: [unintelligible] commissioner joseph: thank you, commissioner newlin. commissioner alan? commissioner alan: i have nothing but positive things to say about the potential. commissioner perez: i am excited about it. commissioner meko: i move that

we give conditional grant to this venue for a place of entertainment as well as extended hours. commissioner joseph: we have a motion and a second. commissioner newlin: aye. commissioner meko: aye. commissioner perez: aye. commissioner alan: aye. commissioner joseph: aye. but luck, -- good luck, holly. [applause] >> we have a pause for everything. -- a pplause -- applause for everything. 7b, doing business as a place of entertainment. commissioner joseph: mr. castro, are you coming up? -- miss castro, are you coming up? >> hold your applause, people.

i really want to or read this entire background again for purposes of review. this is an application for only a place of entertainment. there is a liquor license. i will just go to the update. the last time the applicants were before the commission was april 2010 and the commission directed the applicants to work with the entertainment commission staff and the police department, and with the broadway entertainment and cultural association on outstanding issues that were brought up at that time. since that time, they have completed sign off, including a sound tats which they passed, the health department, the fire

department, all of those are attached. they have had regular contact with the police department and the staff in turn -- in the form of e-mail's and internal incident reports. the central station, however, has not communicated anything formal in writing. i have not received anything relating to any conditions for your consideration. i think they are still here. she has indicated that the board of directors had voted to remove its objection to this application, and as far as the staff is concerned, obviously, after review of whatever conditions, we're recommending granting this permit based on

all of these sign-offs' being completed. i thought we had attached potential conditions, but i don't know if they are here. you are? the staff for recommend one similar to what you have seen in the past -- commissioner joseph: they are done? if we grant it tonight, they get a permit? >> correct. >> i have some letters from the chamber of commerce and the supervisors and staff. the amendment to the current security plan, there is something a little more on that. commissioner joseph: is there any further presentation you would like to make? >> we inc. a jazz-infused funk

happy hour. it is going very well. we got the health inspection done. of like you all to come and eat some day. we're doing comedy now. the events we have on the weekend are very well behaved. we staff twelver 13 security guards on saturday night, 1012 on friday night, at 56 during the week. for the safety of the community and the neighborhood and our patrons, we decided to overstaffed and keep everybody safe. commissioner joseph: is that affordable to you to over staff? >> it is costly, but i think it is needed for the present time

on broadway until we can incorporate other establishments and the bloc starts to get better. it will come along, and i think it is good for the community. closing on the weekends, we form an l. we keep the streets cleared and we stay out there until there is maybe 10 people left to make sure everybody is safe. commissioner joseph: how long you stayed after after you close? >> is about 2:30 depending on how busy broadway is. commissioner newlin: i think you guys have responded very well to the problems and issues that had been identified. the concern that i had last time is the under 21 crowd based on

your license with the food, so that will be something i will be watching to make sure that that does not become a problem. >> we only have 21 and up events. commissioner newlin: i was under the understanding that you were allowed to. >> we are allowed to, but we don't. commissioner meko: are there any recommendations from staff with regard to the conditions in addition to the standard good neighbor policy? any conditions regarding procedures at the door?

give us any police recommendations, he could give it to us verbally. >> i've steve mathias. we do have abc restrictions. so we're satisfied in that area. as far as mr. castro and his staff, we're happy with the turnaround. we had some -- we had a lot of concerns. and we just met as recently as yesterday with mr. o'neill and mr. castro and also my captain and myself. we're happy with the progress that they've made just with specifically their establishment but also in front and in the area. and so, yeah, at this point we're very happy. we said that really our only

concerns at this point is you've gotten everything up and running and good operation. and we just want to make sure that they maintain that. they said they would be maintaining that. we want to make sure that they continue to do what they're doing. commissioner joseph: great. and you'll be checking on them from time to time. >> pardon me? commissioner joseph: you'll be checking on them from time to time. >> yes. commissioner joseph: commissioner allan? commissioner allan: i want to thank you as to how the issue has evolved. concerns were raised to me about the thursday event. that has been dropped. and that has led partially to the turnaround that you expressed here tonight. i think that the police department would agree with my philosophy that having a business operator in that space and having it not be vacant is -- is definitely a more positive thing for the