plan is a little bit smaller, but we also have a much larger open space, almost 10,000 feet of open space that is a common amenity to the entire building, and it is located to the south. you will see that in the mass things -- massings as well. this is a typical four, showing how we refit into the previously entitled design. a couple of renderings. on the left, you can see their original design. this is looking up ninth street. on the right is our proposed design. one of the things we have really tried to do is to make the design much more residential in character. we felt that the original entitlements, in early 2000's, were for an office building. the new design -- while it became a residential building, it does not look residential. one of our goals with planning has been to try to give this a

bit more residential character. you can see that there are a couple primary building elements before us. on the right hand side, if you're looking at that image, there is an element that has some dynamic motion to it. it kind of goes from market street and sweeps up to become almost like a chair element, we're calling it. it is meant to reflect the kind of transition from the market street architecture to some of the varied forms that you see when you are into the south of market, a long mission, in the area. -- a long mission, in the area. both of these are focused on the south facade. the previous design on the left had almost a share wall facing south but went down to a very small open space. if you're looking at the south face of the new design on the right, you will see that that

building tucks in and creates this wonderful open space, which is about 10,000 feet to the south. finally, just a building elevation study. the amount of materials is reduced and a simplified. we have introduced significant usable balcony's over what was in the existing design. you can see that chair element, the orange the sort of zig zagged form. this is meant to make some reference to this transition from market street to mission street. this is just a final image looking down ninth straight. so if you're standing sort of near the furniture mart looking across the street at night, this is what you would see. there is open space to the north, this plaza, and you can see a row of trees.

behind that is our garden, which will have access to the bicycle parking in the lobby. that is our presentation. commissioner miguel: thank you. is there any public comment on this item? >> sue hester. i was involved in this project five years ago. two things. one, the design is a really good improvement. it kind of matches the quality of the design of the best projects in this area. affordable housing development, mercy charity did a bang out job, and their projects on mission street are tremendously wonderful architecturally. i particularly love their land turn at the end of their elevators. second question, the people that were most heavily involved last round, i was listening for

anything that said we have talked to the neighbors. there is the friends meeting house on ninth street. there were the people that were here five years ago. and i did not hear from anybody. you should just ask and conf% the people in the area. a meeting house is a church, and the have sunday activities. there were very sensitive to how this relates to the type of activities they have. and the garage is still in the proper place so that it does not have as much of an effect on of the noise for their meeting house, because they worship in silence. so i just wanted to verify that they have been talking to their neighbors, and their neighbors are a church and low-income housing, projects. but the design is much better. i have got to say that. thank you. commissioner miguel: thank you. is there additional public comment? if not, public comment is closed.

commissioner antonini. commissioner antonini: thank you. i see a lot of good things and a couple things a lot to comment on. i have been around for both the the previous permutations. the state building, which much of the workforce is not here anymore, and we have to look at that, losing companies that provide for the type of middle- income jobs that are not here. the company has to have their headquarters in san francisco, i think, by law. i like the fact you have more open space. i guess the project sponsor architect had a question. i know that avalon -- if you want to come to the microphone, please. avalon bay is predominantly rental, but i believe you always work, aere condo -- to be able o have condos. >> we build apartments.

condo mapped. commissioner antonini: there is a slight difference in the way buildings are built that they are designed to be an apartment as opposed to ownership. i know in the beacon, when the move from rental to ownership, they had to make some changes but i do not think there things that are insurmountable and can be done at the time the conversion might take place. >> i agree. commissioner antonini: that is the first thing. i guess that was my only question. the others are just comments on design. i am not so sure that i agree with, you know, the design -- i have some concerns about the checkerboard-looking pattern. i am not sure -- i know you will continue to work with staff on the that. also, there is more glazing then there was in the first fermentation but sometimes i think less of glazing is better. a kind of balance is the

building off. that is my own personal taste. i am glad you're working with staff and a going forward. i think it is a great project, as long as it fits in with market street. commissioner sugaya: project sponsor, as long as you are at the podium, following up on ms. hester's common, we heard quite a bit of testimony from your immediate neighbor to the south. so i hope that you'll be talking to them or have talked to them. >> yes, we have been in fairly constant communication with the friends. we are aware of all of the discussion around the first approval in 2007. some of you might recall they were concerned about the entry of the garage, and we have retained their desires and kept the entry into the location that they wanted, which was closer to market street, further north, not adjacent to their property. we have retained those wishes.

collaborative discussions about our construction phasing and timing and dates. they do food-service on sundays. and how to accommodate that. because we get the lines out the door. we are in consistent communication with them. thank you. commissioner sugaya: ok, thank you. >> reduce staff have a question on the bmr units? there is a distribution formula, isn't there, between the various unit types, one-bedroom, studios, two bedrooms? >> that is correct. we have been working with the project sponsor and have come to an agreed double -- an agreeable proposal with size and geographic distribution throughout the building. generally ask for the units to be placed within the lower two- thirds of the building and in units that are sort above comparable desire ability in terms of relationship to street

or the interior of the site. fortunately, the nature of the building is such that, you know, all locations are fairly well- accessible to light and air. we did come to an agreement with the public sponsor on where those units would be located. commissioner moore: if i recall correctly, we have an alley also in the background, and passed through. and their conditions with how we keep the valley into the residential/mixed use nature alive. do those conditions still hold? >> yes, those conditions still hold. we will continue working with the sponsor about achieving connection to the plaza. there are some comfort improvements and things of that nature. commissioner moore: it is good because we fought very hard for the alley. and we were doing that is not open space. the only thing we can hope is that there will be no buildings,

taller buildings, to the south, which will ultimately cast a shadow on this open space. commissioner antonini: thank you. i know the answer, but for the benefit of the public, if the unit changes and increases, and i believe we have that latitude of the percentage up and a percentage down, and this falls within the latitude of unit increase. >> that is correct. commissioner antonini: that is why did not need further entitlements. >> correct. on that point, we did consult with the zoning administrator. this is within the standard allowance of a 5% increase. from a policy standpoint, it is a suitable location for additional units. but i do believe it is within the original approval. commissioner antonini: thank you. commissioner moore: very interesting that this project would come to us today to approve. what i appreciate is that height

was reduced, the unit number was increased, parking was kept constant, bicycle parking was increased. a number of really good moves. in addition to the fact that i do appreciate that the very massing of the new building is keeping with the residential expression we all talk about, in an addition to the fact that recognizing the main tracking line along market street is maintained and the facade. that is appreciated. it will not just be a new building tie, as something very much in keeping with the predominant expression and height of market street at that lot. commissioner miguel: without disparaging the former design, i think this will fit into the neighborhood far better. and the purposes that is serves are great. the increase in the number of units and the manner of the open space. everything works here.

very much appreciated. >> commissioners, i believe we can get back to item 11, resolution commending john billovits' 20 years of service with the city of san francisco. commissioner miguel: john? i had mentioned prior to your coming in that i had the pleasure of being at your retirement party yesterday. i thought it was a great outpouring of appreciation for 20 years of not just work for the department, but of involvement in the improvement of the department and particularly the number of comments around the side and publicly of the mentoring you

have done in 20 years in the department. that is something that does not always come out at retirement parties. it was a very great to hear. we have a resolution that, while you are standing there, i would like to read, from the commission. a resolution is thinking john billovits for 20 years of dedicated service within the city of san francisco, whereas john billovits is a proud of london said the university of california, santa barbara, with a degree in geography and a master of city planning from the university of california los angeles. prior to joining the planning department, john work for an archaeological company and was inspired by the flight of a group of people. he was ready for his forthcoming 20 years of commuting to work by bike for his years as a bike mckenith. he gained experience at an

environmental consultingei firmenvironmentalt this alexians bijan and grace moved to san francisco in 1991. one day upon calling the jobs hotline number, discovered is that there was a posting for an environmental planner within the planning department. john joined the planning department in 1991 and was then called the office of environmental riviera as a planner -- review and was assigned to important city projects such as the recycling and a solid waste systems plan into the rebuilding of san francisco county jail in san bruno. whereas, as a planner within the city planning division, he co- managed the better neighborhoods program. that is where we first met. and helped to create new area plans for the city's general plan. john established a new approach to working with the community that held died future development in neighborhoods -- helped guide future development

in neighborhoods and helped to provide new opportunities, supported by improved transit, additional open spaces, and never amenities. john served as a mentor to staff throughout the planning department. he always considered policy and planning direction with a focused sense of calm. that is one thing we have always noticed about john. you get things accomplished in a very mannered, calm approach. he eagerly entered as many a planner to the fish lunch spot, establishing a location for many celebrations for years to come. john has brought that same sense of focus to calm to his annual pilgrimage to a wholly observation of st. patrick's day celebration. he has used his hasnoggin for

the cause of bayous and safety in san francisco and nearly sacrificed said noggin was taking advantage of a san francisco bike lane he helped to approve. in the past year, he has been volunteering for the community, mostly at a soup kitchen. john plays a mean guitar, swings a mean golf club, and rides a mean wave. despite the demands of his job, he has surfed those waves. john will now moved to the city as an active participant, exploring the city's nooks and crannies while analyzing its crooks and nannies. [laughter] a ok, i did not write that one. be it resolved that the director of planning and the san francisco planning commission command john billovits for his

professional contributions to his department and the city, and we wish him success and happiness in his next endeavors. may i have a unanimous aye on this one. >> [all] aye. commissioner miguel: thank you. >> thank you. this is a surprise. thank you to the department for putting this together and the commission for the acknowledgment. i do not really have anything. i feel like i have spoken so much of the last 20 years, i do not know when to reel it in. i feel very honored and privileged to have had a chance to do the work that i have been able to do for the city of san francisco and i feel grateful to have had the opportunity and to work with such a great staff. such a great department. department to what it has become now. so much more robust.

and our capacity to do things has extended so greatly. i think the future looks really bright for the department and the staff. with that, i would just like to say thank you. it has been a great run. i really enjoyed it. i am still here in the city. i will be around on the street, may be in a different capacity. just ready to make changes and appreciate the recognition the commission has given today. thank you. commissioner miguel: i made a couple of comments yesterday. when i met john 20 years ago, i was a neighborhood activist at odds, as most of us were, with the planning department in those days. because they did not listen to us. the sort of did with the wanted to. we got into the better neighborhoods plan, and all of a sudden, there was someone who actually was taking us. who, from one meeting to the next, acknowledged what had been said.

and move things along. and i do not know whether john had problems in the department because of it, but he certainly did not have problems in the community because of it. it portended a change in the attitude and the culture of the department that, in my mind, started at that time. greatly appreciated. commissioner sugaya: yes, john, it says here fancy fish lunch spot to view the key organizer of that. i notice the next one has to do with st. patrick's day celebration. we know what that means. and you are a surfer. it all goes back, now that i read this, to your days at the uc santa barbara, which is the west's best party school. [laughter] >> not a bad surfing school either. commissioner antonini: thank

you. i can identify with the pilgrimage to the in the region under any place. it has been a pleasure working with you over the last 10 years. good luck in the future. commissioner moore: john, thank you. the eastern neighbor experience was incredible, and you were out there despite being dragged in all possible directions but you were fantastic. i will remember that as a bright and shining example. i know the director will kind of eternal ice this with an oversize plaque. i am sure you need those in your house. >> i would like to add my thanks to john for 20 years of great service to the department. i will reiterate what the president said about many staffs coming to me to talk about john 's minturn shebaa the last 20 years and how important that was to the younger staff. i think the commission there's

have reported this, but the market in octavia advisory committee last night also issued a resolution on john's behalf, commanding and appreciating the service of john on his retirement from the planning department. in particular, from his city- wide and neighborhood perspective. >> i do not know that. thank you. commissioner miguel: thank you, john. >> commissioners, that will place us under item 13, review of past week's events at the board of supervisors, board of appeals, and historic preservation commission. credibly the board of appeals did not meet this week. the board of supervisors did not meet this week because of the holiday. historic preservation did not meet this week. so there are no reports from those three agencies. >> ok, commissioners.

then we will be under item e for general public comment. members of the public may address the commission on items of interest to the public better with in 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. up to three minutes. commissioner miguel: is there any general public comment on items not on the agenda? jim, linda. >> good afternoon. i am a native san franciscan, born and raised in the mission district. i want to welcome commissioner cindy wu and congratulate the new president, commissioner fong. and also commissioner wu on the

vote of confidence you just received from your fellow commissioners. i am here this afternoon in the hopes of sparking one other item that comes before you, before this commission, and on a regular basis, although it is not always addressed as tightly as we would like to. i speak to the issue of of the jobs that come before this commission to this commission cannot be simply about the general plan, planning codes, architectural design, landscape, the height and bulk, and environmental concerns bitter because those are obviously the greater public good that comes as a result of the back of their developers to come before you almost every week that are supportive of localhire and putting san franciscans to work along before the country was in

this recession and a crisis, the need for jobs in the city was always great. i would hope there would be emphasis placed on your discussions with developers. as i know this development community, i do not think i have come across a developer that did not support local hiring. we have young brothers and sisters that are in great need of good paying jobs. there are construction jobs that go on every day in this city. san franciscans are the last to actually secure those job opportunities. i hope that in your deliberations, in your discussions with the development community, that that might be a point of discussion somewhere along the line. i want to wish you all well. if this commission were will what -- will work well. all the very best to you, commissioner wu. and president fong, you have much to do for this city. i know that you have volunteered to do just that.

thank you. at a great day. the deliberations are short and you get home in a timely fashion. >> linda chapman. i will be speaking with relation to knob hill position on the masonic temple and other matters for myself. commissioner miguel, when you're having so much trouble with the planning staff, knob hill as a seamless relationship in the 1970's and 1980. it was wonderful. it was not involved in land use in those days. now it is not a force to be reckoned with. luckily, i have been able to put in touch knob hill association with a couple of those planners that we had such a great relationship with who are now retired. i think there will be helping you to be convinced in the future that what went on at the masonic temple was a violation of the conditional use and as a

violation of the zoning. as you know, when you have violations, that is not a non confirming years, legal nonconforming -- conforming use, it is because the zoning changes. the same situation you have with the art academy where you try to do enforcement after years when enforcement not happen because of lack of resources. in the army, they used to have a saying that treating the generals like mushrooms -- you know, you keep them in the dark and your shovel shit at that. sometimes that happens with you from staff, unfortunately. but we also have excellent response of staff, like kevin. when i look at the cases on polk street, you'd be amazed at the things that happen. did you know that planners sign off on liquor stores to abc's, even though no conditional use hearing ever occurred? that is one of the ones. and now that one has been shut down. by the way, let me say thank you

about enforcement, because i was told that now i can actually ask for enforcement without going out and doing all of the background research on permit history and so forth. so thank you. anyway, i have had to do a little. the one that is now going to be used as a bargaining chip is one that never got a conditioner use double-conditional use, illegal completely. the mission not be rewarded by having their liquor license bought and then put up at cala where you did not want to have won anyway, to justify another liquor license in the neighborhood and another use that many neighbors did not want. [bell rings] on that one, i would ask you to please consider amending the conditional use. deals are being done it now about that, and now the neighborhood has been told that it will just be left empty. some of the neighbors are finally being surveyed about, maybe we will just have to vote

to approve all this. because we cannot have this and the site. it is a danger. the have told everyone. because they believe they can get away with it. [bell rings] commissioner miguel: thank you. is there additional general public comment? if not, public comment is closed. >> commissioners, that will places on your regular calendar for item number 14 -- president miguel: 5. >> item 5 from the consent calendar, proposed amendments to planning cut section 179.1e. >> this ordinance is provide -- is proposed by supervisor cohen, regarding the eastern neighborhood amnesty program that expired. this would extend by 90 days the time the evening and

neighborhood property owners can seek amnesty and legalize their uses that are operating without proper permits. this has more detailed information about that. in my presentation today, we will talk about the background to the introduction of this ordinance, and talk about department recommendations and are out which about this program. the eastern neighborhoods plan sought to balance uses and provide this balance. one goal was to provide a space for needed production and distribution businesses in the distribution businesses in the area to ensure a sufficient prd