space. there is quite a bit we can do. we can add a little bit to the passat, give you a better rendering. president olague: i think if the quality of life is not taken into consideration, my concern is that people would not use these as primary units. they might be reluctant to do so. if we want to encourage people to live and work here -- >> this is 25 feet wide. president olague: i am just talking light and air. >> that wall is open totally to the sky, one floor. there is quite a bit of open area. we can do some unit reconfiguration. i think we have some good direction now. >> thank you. i just wanted to respond on the question of commercial. i do not want to unnecessarily raise expectations about the commercial.

the property is located, as i said before, on two alleyways. president olague: for what it is worth, sometimes -- if you go to the blue bottle in haight valley, they were one of the few commercial spaces along that alley, aside from a course of shot -- a corset shop that has been there for a million years. it has created a lot of vitality in that area. a larger commercial space could encourage the positive transformation of a quiet area. that is all. >> i appreciate that. it might be possible, something like a coffee shop. but it is not suitable for a walgreen's. president olague: not at all.

we are thinking of a small local proprietor. commissioner antonini: we are not necessarily instructing that you have to diminish the number of units. however, in my opinion, if you do find some of these things are correctable by decreasing the number of units by a few to make the exposure better, that would certainly be amenable to me. commissioner moore: is this mr. gardner? could you come to the lectern? would you mind -- you have an office in the city in that general location. he could show you some of the things you're talking about. these are simple little touches to existing industrial buildings. just walking around -- >> i do not understand. i have lived and worked in san francisco for over 30 years, so

i understand. san francisco is not the only place in the world. we look beyond this. there are other areas where they are doing design. commissioner moore: we're very proud of what we're doing, and i think this group tries to open up the door for you to give an extra touch to this building. >> that is what we are trying to do. president olague: i think we are good. call the question. >> the motion is to continue to october 20, with instructions to project sponsored to continue trying to address exposure and layout issues of the unit, to look at design, and to improve and produce renderings, and to look at commercial space on the ground floor. on that motion? commissioner antonini: aye. commissioner fong: aye. commissioner moore: aye. commissioner sugaya: aye. vice president miguel: aye.

president olague: aye. >> will continue the variance to october 20 as well. >> you are now going to item nine, 2962 24th street. president olague: go ahead. >> good afternoon, commissioners. you have before you an application for a conditional use authorization to establish a full-service restaurant doing business as pig and pie within the 24th street mission

neighborhood commercial transit district, a 45-x height and bulk district. the restaurant is approximately 2460 square feet, and will serve handmaid sausages prepared on -- homemade sausages prepared on site, as well as pie and ice cream. the previous business was a record store which vacated in january. there were comments indicating the desire for the community to retain at the disco will sign. the project sponsor has agreed to keep the existing design. we recommend approval with conditions on the basis that the project promote small-business ownership, establishes a neighborhood-serving use on the block with vacant storefronts,

and will not impact traffic. the proposal meets all applicable requirements of the planning code. i am available for further comment. president olague: project sponsor? >> good afternoon, commissioners. my name is miles pickering. i am a san francisco native. i spent most of my formative years in east bay. i came back to san francisco in 91, ended up in the mission in '94, and have made that my home since then. i bought my house in 2002. it was a rougher neighborhoods then than it is now, but i saw the potential and love the neighborhood. about five years ago, i thought about opening a food service

establishment in the neighborhood. i really saw a need and thought i could do something unique. last december, through friends of mine, i met my business partner, who will be running the kitchen. all the pieces seem i am sure you are aware that 24th street is really ideal for this type of use. the location that we are plan suggest right around the corner from my house. i am familiar with the area. i spent a lot of time there. 24th street is a destination for people that are looking for something to eat. it is a great commercial district. i love it. it will fit into the existing neighborhood and will be offering a casual food environment and reasonable prices.

we are not really trying to go upscale. we like the atmosphere of 24th street and we want to be at peace with that. we would like to add to the dining choices that people have there. i know this area has been public comment about signage. i want to address that briefly. yeah. we did some back and forth with the lower 24th street merchant's association about the signage and i think we have come up with a plan that will work. first one of my big concerns is having the ability to establish our identity. but we think that the addition of some other branding stuff that we will really be able to

preserve the existing sign and also establish our identity in the space. yeah. that's about it. we are confident that plan will work. we hope there will not be any hold up on our application. it is a long process getting here. we want to get started. i guess that concludes my comments. i hope you will look favorably on the application and i am happy to answer any questions that you might have. >> is there any public comment on this item? >> good afternoon commissioners. i am with the 24th street merchant's association and speaking in support of pigs and pie. miles has been very open and

has been communicating with us what his intentions are for the business. he hosted a small gathering last sunday and invited all of the neighbors and merchants to come in. the biggest concern for the neighborhood was the sign. that sign is historically and culturally and economically significant to the corridor. we have boxes that are made that are being sold that depict the sign. also on the mural at 24th that depicts the sign. it is a big part of the neighborhood. many great latin starts have come through. culturally it is very significant for the neighborhood. for us to retain that, it has made a lot of us happy in the

neighborhood. so we are just here to support the project and we have talked about the sign. we have come to an agreement how we can preserve the sign and also support the business. so, thank you. >> any additional public comment? seeing none public comment is closed. i just did want to mention that the reason i pulled the item off of the consent calendar is i received several phone calls from members in the community. this sign has a lot of cultural significance to the residents of the mission district and especially to the folks in the latino culture. i am encouraged to hear you are making an effort to preserve and keep that sign there. i think this is something that came up around a coca-cola thing. more and more we are not just

talking in terms of buildings and historical resources but also cultural resources. we have been talking a lot more about how to preserve the culture within a neighborhood. so, i think it is critical that the sign is preserved also. i just wanted to put that out there. thank you for working with the neighborhood to make sure that is kept. so, commissioners. >> i would like to add my support to that comment. i think in the long run it will be a positive for your business. you know, you can just mention to people who come there. anyway, make a motion to approve with conditions. >> second. >> commissioner antonini. >> i am in support of this for the obvious reasons, that it is going to provide jobs. there are a number of vacancies

around the area that has been vacant for quite some time. everybody seems to be on board with preserving the sign and going ahead. >> commissioner miguel. >> i am also in support and fully agree with preserving the sign. one of the big signs that you can see is on mission just south of cesar chaff owes the corner about baby blues has their rib place. and you see this huge sign that says drugs from an old drug store and baby blues is smaller down below. but the fact that they retained it because that was an institution that had been there and served the neighborhood for many, many years. and they did it without any comment at all. it was just the natural thing to do. you can see similar things all around san francisco.

old signs of former businesses. in this case a very culturally iconic sign. appreciate do youing it. >> is there language we can add to the condition to encourage the preservation of the sign or is there something that we can teed strengthen it? >> commissioners, you may add language. >> good. >> so be it. >> it is a cultural artifact. to preserve the sign. >> right. >> ok. >> can you state the language specifically that we would add? what language would be the strongest is what i am asking?

>> pavegly you can just say that the sign shall be preserved on the building. >> thank you. commissioners, there is a motion on the floor for approval with the amendment that the sign shall be preserved for cultural >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> that motion passed unanimously. >> we are going to take a

15-minute recess. >> i negligented to welcome britney back. >> welcome back britney. >> she has rejoined us after attending graduate school. she saw the light and came back. we are very happy to have her. >> we are thrilled to have you back by the way. >> thank you. >> 15-minute recess.