>> to relocate from curious street to a vacant storefront at 1423 polk street. the bar is being

relocated to make room for the medical establishment. include a service window. because it is located less than 3 feet from the front property line, it would also require conditional use authorization as a walk up facility. no entertainment uses are proposed for the bar. what upholstery corridor posts a number of projects, it would not be an overconcentration because the relocation would not result in increased in the number of bars and the area. the current property owner of the existing location has agreed to record a restriction on the property that would preclude the future establishment of a bar at that location should the expansion plans changed to not include that parcel. it should also be noted there are no bars currently operating in the 1400 block of polk street.

the storefront is currently vacant and the project would not displace a current tenant. staff has received over five cover letters and petitions in support of the project. a sampling are included in the packet, and i am asked to include additional letters of support. supporters cite the reasonable -- i am sorry, the responsible management of the existing bar as well as community involvement of the business owners. the project has received written support as well as verbal support from the police department. the staff has also received seven communications in opposition to the business, including several letters received following publication of the report. opponents expressed concern about noise, parking impact, overconcentration of bars, and increased crime. in conclusion, stafford and support of the proposed project because it would continue the operation of a locally

established business and contributed the overall vitality of the polk street corridor. it would not displace an existing retail tenet, and the nature of the business would activate the storefront through the day. staff believes the product its desirable for and compatible with the neighborhood. this concludes my presentation, thank you. president olague: thank you. project sponsor? >> good afternoon, president olague and planning commissioners. thank you for your time today. my name is lori martin, and i am here with my business partner. we are the owners of koko cocktails. we are here today to request the additional bridge a conditional use authorization for 1423 polk street so we can transfer our

license. because of the california pacific medical center project, we need to relocate to survive. we're the last business left on our current block, as all other businesses have closed, and our time is running out. we took over koko cocktails in 2007. the old business was known for drug, violence, and gangs. through our passion and hard work we have turned it into a well respected small business with a spotless record with the san francisco police department and the abc. we support nine people and three children. it is the only business that we own and our only source of income. san francisco need responsible businesses that contribute to the local economy and provide jobs. in preparation for our relocation, i began out reach nearly one-and-a-half years ago. we are active members of the lower palatinate could association and they support our relocation. i have spoken with leaders of

the middle polk neighborhood associations are because about our product, the cathedral hills association supports our project. when members of the merchant association and a support our product. we have 450-plus letters of support from residents and customers, 60-plus letters from local businesses, and the majority of the businesses on the 1400 block wellcome our presence. numerous personal letters and support letters from businesses. we held an open house at our new location at 1423, and invited our new neighborhoods on the 1400 block to discuss our project and hear their concerns. we have sent all of our mailings and posting requirements required by the planning department and that abc, and i have documentation of such. we have tried to be open and honest with our project and open to suggestions from neighbors and made concessions.

we would like to relocate to 1423 polk. we're not adding a liquor license to the neighborhood, but rather moving a few blocks from our current location. we have listened to concerns about a business in the area not (the day, so we intend to offer take-out coffee service daily. by adding additional service, we will be present engaged with the community through the day and evening. we will not sell alcohol during the day. we have also listed the concerns and we will not renew our entertainment license. we looked at a variety of spaces within a quarter mile of our front door, and 1423 was the most appropriate for our purpose. it is relatively the same square footage, there are no other bars of the 14 harbach. we remain at 49% occupancy, and there are no upstairs neighbors.

safety is our number one concern, and as with our current location we will still provide a safe and controlled environment, no unruly behavior tolerated. we employ a doorman nightly to control noise from our patrons, to be eyes on the employees, and neighbors. we will install security cameras with a street view for the san francisco police department to access at any time. we understand the concerns of neighbors. i am a 17-year note resident of the lower bulk neighborhood and i know what the issues are. i care about the neighborhood. we will be available to address any issues or concerns that may arise on our presence on the 1400 block. ultimately, i believe that we are good for polk street. our goal is to coexist peacefully with all our neighbors and preserve our objectives to be a small, safe, unique neighborhood destination

that prides itself on its friendly, capable staff and local clientele. thank you, commissioners, for giving our product you're careful consideration. i appreciate your time. president olague: thank you. we may have questions during the deliberation. i'd like to ask all of those who have speaker cards for this item to bring them up at this time. we will be limiting public comments to two minutes. paul, georgia, followed by heather. please come to the microphone. >> my name is paul.

i did live directly across the street from this address. it -- i live directly across the street from this address. i have lived there since 1975. unfortunately, i had a bad experience with two previous bars on pulte street, which colors my expectations of what this bar will bring. one was busbies discotheque in the 1970's, and the other was the palms nightclub in the 1980's. both of those bars were very hard to take, incredible noise and problems. the course, this was in the cocke era. anyway, to keep it short, i am against this bar moving in because of past experience with bars. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> my name is georgia.

i'm a resident of 1424 pulte street. i live directly across from where this proposed bar will go in. i have lived in that department since 1978. i have experience with all the bars on pulte street. there are currently other bars and the neighborhood. polk is gaining a reputation of being a great place to come for pub crawls, and regularly on any week or week and that night, the streets are just teeming with roving bands of drunks going from bars to bars at all hours. it is not only when they open. when they close at 2:00 a.m., there are out front yelling and screaming. i'm afraid of this comes in directly across the street, i will be exposed to more noise and cigarette i am strongly opps

bar. thank you. president olague: thank you. john, frank. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i have materials on the project. my name is john. the issue, the list of issues for this product. on december 27, the process sponsor was credit 8.48 for the correct location. the lower polk neighbors

discussed this proposal and did you worry 12, 2004, june 13, 2004, january 9, 2006. buying a bar that was in trouble with abc and the property being subverted to a medical -- converted to a medical building, they acted in bad faith knowing there would be relocated prior to purchase of the bar on it geary street. the current property owner came to the commission on august 5, 2010, to request a conditional use permit for a full-service restaurant. most of you commissioners were here. on august 12, 2010, the commission denied that conditional request. for 41 months, this project sponsor knew they had to

relocate their business. they had been given guidelines to follow for relocation. they have a 50-mile radius to relocate. for the last several years, we have had heated debates in front of this commission of the saturation of liquor licenses on pulte strepolk street. i urge the commission to deny the conditional use permit for 1423 polk street. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon, president and commissioners. my name is dawn, with the middle polk neighborhood association. i point out the reason for the moving is the expansion of the plants, a project that has not been approved. it is a shame that we need to

argue today about a move being forced on a business over a plan that has not yet been approved. by a vote of the middle polk membership, we are opposed to this project. we have consistently stated we are opposed to more liquor on pulte-- on polk street. we have a liquor issue on polk street and is getting what lay out of hand. it would not become another north beach where our locations are converted into bars and restaurants. we respectfully disagree with the project sponsor, and i underline the respectful part. ms. martin and her partners are well-known commodities and the neighborhood, and i state this in the most positive of terms. they have been a very up front with us about their plans, and

them about our opposition, with both parties being completely respectful and understanding of the other's positions. thank you for hearing me. president olague: thank you. >> commissioners, my name is frank with the middle polk neighborhood association. i want to reiterate what she said, we are not opposed to the private sponsors, which are opposed to more liquor on polk street. on the run of polk street, from post to broadway, 10 blocks, there are currently 21 locations serving hard liquor. these are bars or restaurants serving hard liquor. this project would make that 22. it is on a block that only has