mar: i would like to have this voted up or down tonight. i know you haveof time in. please listen to the residents from the richmond that have spoken and intend to limit this to one particular industry. we want to look at it more broadly but this is urgent for me, my district, and many residents. i would urge you to do your best to try to make a decision tonight. thanks. >> there is a motion and a second to approve with modification. president olague: call the question. >> on that motion -- commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner fong: no. commissioner moore: no.

vice president miguel: aye. president olague: aye. >> that motion passes 4-2. and that will place you on item 12. case north 20 11.0399 c, request on grove street for conditional use authorization. >> good evening. i am with the planning staff. this will allow development on a lot greater than 10,000 square feet and to approve the planned unit development at the southwest corner. the project would demolish an existing parking lot, a mixed use development containing 63 developments, approximately 5000

square feet of retail sales, 35 residential parking spaces, and two partial parking spaces. the development will be in two existing buildings including a lower three-story building containing town home units. i should note the commission approved a similar use on the site in 2008. the project before you today represents a reduction of the amount of retail space and on street parking. the sponsor is requesting a number of modifications from the planning code. this process gives flexibility from the strict application of code requirements to obtain a superior product that meets the policies of the general plan, exhibits outstanding design, and complements the character of the area.

the or project request modifications from the requirements for a rear yard, boeing unit's exposure, bay window projectors -- projections, and height measures. we believe the requested modifications are relatively minor and maintain the intent of the planning code. staff believes the project exhibits the quality of design that is compatible with the quality of the area. the five-story building is articulated and the overall composition of the project is further differentiated along by the street -- along ivy street. there is a pedestrian realm with retail uses extending beyond the corners at grove and ivy streets. this fulfills the requirements of the better streets plan, with

several improvements including a curb expansion and raised crosswalk, public seating, and accent landscaping. your packet also includes a concept drawing for an enhanced treatment along the subject lot. this includes a robust landscaping program, permeable paving, and other enhancements. this joint is not intended to be a specific proposal, but a conceptual vision the sponsor may want to pursue. such enhanced improvement would be eligible as an in-kind improvement that would offset some of the impact of the project. staff has received three communications. there is a provision of on-site

inclusion of housing and a limited amount of parking. staff also received two communications in opposition to the project, which included a loss of light and air to adjacent properties. one of the opponents has recently withdrawn their opposition to the project. staff supports the design and program of uses for the site. stock for common support a conditional use authorization and development approval. president olague: thank you. project sponsor. >> good evening. my name is elizabeth costello, and i represent ivy grove partners. my partner is here, and david baker. we are a san francisco based development company that does market rate housing for sale.

we acquired 401 grove last year with existing entitlements for 61 units and ground for commercial. this was a former freeway parcel that has been used as a parking lot for many years. this will increase the number of units and reduce the amount of commercial space, generally working within the existing building configuration. the immediate neighborhood and community has been in support of our plan, in keeping with the market octavia plan. the planning commission is pleased to see additional housing and a low parking ratio. they have written a letter of support, as has the sf and housing coalition. in may 2011, we invited the neighbors to an open house for

the site. we recently heard from the owners of the adjacent property who were concerned about losing their science on the east property line. -- there -- their signage on the east property line. we will continue to try to come up with solutions to help them deal with the coming changes. we have worked hard with the planning department for many months. i feel we have come up with a project that will be a great asset to the neighborhood and enjoys a lot of support. david is going to walk through the details of the project. thank you. >> i am david baker, the architect. i guess he will turn the show on. >> once you start speaking, it will come on. >> this is an aerial view, a

digital aerial view. you can see the project in the middle. it is currently a parking lot. that is the intersection -- this is if you flew in a balloon above city hall and looked back. that is the grove street intersection. 63 residential units total. one studio. 231-bedrooms. i think this is really a good part of this, a great feature. we have 34 two bedrooms. multi bedroom units for families can live are 62% of the project, which i think is pretty cool. there is a portability provided. it is on site. we are not relocating it. parking -- i like this.

we have 68 bicycled spaces and two car shares bases, 32 residential car spaces, and three for commercial parian one of the things we did was work a lot with the planning commission. the peach things are based coming out and the gray are coming in. we wanted to get something articulated in a model we could pass along. this shows the other side. this is the building going in and out. we not gotten high-definition tv yet. but someday.

to the left, the retail wraps around. that shows the corner with this special bid -- that is really a gatepost or a signifier of the hayes valley it retail district. you can see retell below. the retail faces goth. i did a field trip to his belly, figured out how narrow those stores are, and tried to use that technology -- smaller stores. a lot of stores there are 10 ft. wide. it is quite amazing. you can see the corner there. president olague: time is up, right? but we will probably have questions, i am sure. how many minutes did we give

them? we should give them 10. most people have been given 10 minutes. another five minutes. >> this is goss and ivy. you see the little valley there. another bay, the corner. ivy street, we would like to do some sort of living street treatment. we are working diligently with everyone to get something to happen. not easy because of code considerations. this is the ivy street elevation. they have three bedrooms and roof decks. that is the build out version. we will see how much we would really like to see this be consistent. this shows the courtyard facing by the street. all of the town houses have roof

decks. that is it. thank you so much. president olague: thank you. open it up for public comment. peter patel and arvin dyer. >> my name is peter patel. our partnership owns the property next door which is going to be a little bit impacted. in general, we do not oppose anything that is going to be developed. we do have one major grave concern. we have talked about it with the developers. that is our signage. we have been there 28 years or so. it is the days inn, which is a hotel. our signage would be greatly

impacted by the development. our main concern is that we have been providing there have been transit taxes, property tax, etc.. our only concern other than those that are minor, but we are speaking about, and the property line -- i am sure that are going to do shoring and structural engineering will be involved. the main concern is the signage. that is the bet -- the vitality of our business. it is economic help for the business. this becomes a largely residential neighborhood. we have a hotel that needs to be visible from the line of sight from grove and also from goff, going down.

we want to have solutions. however, the way the buildings are construction -- are constructed right now, we have no options for our signage to be implemented elsewhere. we ask from the commission or from planning or from the developers that we find a viable solution so that line of sight is not removed. that may involve street skipping, landscaping concerns, or maybe the bay windows. as an overall project, this looks really great. we do not have an issue with that. the main concern is our signage. if our business is impacted as far as our gross revenues are concerned, that translates into our equity into the building. therefore, we have a real issue with that. we would like to have that

solved before anything goes further or in the approval is met at that point. that is basically our major concern. we have parking next door and all those people will be displaced with this new project, and they have parking based on the aspect ratio mandated by code. again, i cannot stress the importance of our signage. president olague: thank you. >> my name is arvin dyer. i am an architect. i live in the city and have my office in san francisco. i have been working with my clients at days in. i have done a few renovations since i've designed it 20 years ago. i like the overall project and am here to support the project.

but there are concerns in terms of the impact it has on the neighbor's property. when i was asked to look at it, i think the treatment they have done on the side is beautiful. even on goff street, i think it was handled very well. but when it comes to grove street, i think a massing of this project is too large when it comes to the next-door neighbors. if you noted most of the buildings on grove street, on that side of the street, they are set back. even the days since is set back -- the days in is set back. there is a two-story. restaurant. the building is set back. this building comes right up to the property line on the corner

of the neighbor's property and grove streets. it is going to put the whole building -- the existing adjacent building is a three story building. this is going to be a five story building. they have not made any attempt to stop the building down on grove street as well as on the height side. those of the concerns i am raising in terms of the design aspect. overall, i like the design. the other concern that i have is the restaurant which is there. everybody has commented on how quite that place is, even though it only accommodates 15 or 20 people. those are the concerns i thought i should raise, besides what the owners have brought up in terms of signage.

thank you very much. >> good evening. i am with the san francisco bicycle coalition. i once again marvel at your stamina and dedication. the sum is sitting out here waiting to speak about this item. you will not be surprised we are bringing our strong support for this project. it is very appropriate for the site. it is a wonderful use for this former freeway footprint. of course our interest in the parking is the strongest. we are excited it respects the market octavia car parking and brings such a great amount of very useful bicycle parking, particularly 32 spaces of parking upstairs, right inside the door, right where we are saying we respect and value bicycles. it is right there. i would also like to draw your attention to the ivy street face. how wonderful we have come so

quickly. a few years ago, if you had a few coins, you could make a public space. we have just renovated that with corporate sponsorship. the notion of making i v a living alley is so exciting in that neighborhood that is booming. we bring our great and sincere support. thank you. president olague: is there additional public comment? >> good evening. my name is mark mcdonald. we are the owners of free with parcells -- freeway parcels j and h, directly south west of the site. i am here to support -- to voice our strong support. we think this project will significantly in rich and enhance this portion of the neighborhood. we think it architectural design

is very attractive, very interesting. we think it is very appropriate in terms of size and scale. there is a proposal to enhance ivy street -- straight and make it a vibrant corridor. we believe this project will significantly further the goals of the market octavius street plan and abide by its many precepts, including the 0.5 parking spaces per unit. also, the willingness to build below market units on site will enhance affordable housing. we strongly support this project. president olague: thank you. >> good evening. i am with construction employers association. i will be very brief. we represent commercial general building contractors. this project is a win-win-win.

it enhances and beautifies the neighborhood, as we have heard. it is mixed use. it has shops on the floors. it has to burst residential units as well. secondly, it has great access to public transportation. and of course pedestrian access to everything around here, including planning commission meetings. thirdly, you will not find a better contractor to build this project than cahill constructors, who have been located and building projects in san francisco for 100 years. this is their hundredth anniversary year. they have an excellent relationship with community organizations, with the carpenters union and the operators. i believe two of these unions

are here in support of this project as well. this would also create jobs. i think once again it is very smart building. it is a win-win-win. president olague: thank you. >> good night, commissioners. i represent over 3000 members in the city and county of san francisco. cahill is a great contractor with us. they imply a lot of workers here in the city. they are very open to work for the community and do some work for the city and county services. i want your support for this project and appreciate it. >> really good stamina.

>> carpenters local 22. we all wholeheartedly support this project. thank you very much. president olague: is there additional public comment? public comment is closed. commissioner moore: i move to approve the project. it is remarkable. what is really surprising to me is that this area has showed such a robust, positive response to what market octavia planning ideas had. there is a phenomenal amount of creativity. i love the addition of the park let on ivy. on linden the other day, the three of us were sitting there and saying it is unreal is so beautiful on such a small scale. this becomes the signature of this area. i think the building's response to how it opens up to ivy is

great. one question i would ask the architect, architect baker -- i am so tired i can barely recall your name -- to continue finding an answer to the concern about the adjoining building are now. -- building owner. this is a building that has been there for a long time. in its current scale, if you would look at that site today, it would probably be a different building. i leave it to your creativity to engage this building in the manner that it becomes a positive, ongoing contributor to the neighborhood. that is the only challenger would ask of you. vice president miguel: i am so pleased to see this project come forward after serving 13 years on the central freeway-octavia boulevard task force. it finally got built. even that goes back a few years

now. with the intent for these parcels to be activated. to see this come forward is fantastic. i certainly agree with commissioner moore as to the streetscape improvements. we are now seeing them all around town, some in dog patch that worked out very well. certainly ivy street can do it. i know our signage regulations are somewhat strict. perhaps there is a way to handle it that would not be a detriment to the neighborhood but would enhance another small business.

commissioner antonini: i also am very much in favor of this project. i will also urge the sponsor to work with the adjacent neighborhood to see what we can do to help make their signage visible or maybe make some different signage visible. i did appreciate architect baker and the project sponsors coming by to show me this a while back. it is a little bit taller than some of the other things. i think if we could do something at the top of it, i like the articulation, if it had a more definite finish on the top. to work with staff, i think it would blend in a little bit more. but everything else looks good. commissioner sugaya: just a quick question to the adjacent property owner. where was your sign previous to this building design?

>> the signage is basically - it is on grove street and half with to our property line, as far as the business is concerned. if you are looking from our property line from your perspective right now, our line of sight on grove street is that way, and goff coming down that way. we have existing trees and trees that will come in by this project, and a bay window that comes out. we also have a freestanding sign on the building itself that will obviously go away. we will be left with one son, which is already impeded. we have no visible recourse. commissioner moore: i want to make a comment which goes

beyond the building in specific. we talked today about retail. i do believe there is incredible synergy between ivy and linden and small-scale, entrepreneurial retail