>> we're at the directors announcement, for the historic preservation committee. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i would like to introduce you to the new director of current planning in the department. he joins us from the fair city of portland, but of course he has found religion and is moving south. jeffrey has a great range of experience. 20 years of experience. he managed the urban design team and specifically projects that would be for the design commission and the historic preservation commission. the next three or four years he has a working as a consultant

with the urban design consultant. the fact he is a registered architect, there is the largest single staff of the department. we'll have jeff on board and he will start in this position, on october 9. he will be here for some time before then. jeffrey, great. and that concludes my report today. >> commissioners, just before he comes up, with the board of supervisors, the board of appeals did meet last night.

my understanding from mr. sanchez is that there were no items before then pertaining to the planning commission. >> the department's staff, a couple of items. with the historic preservation commission, my report will be a little bit longer than normal. the architectural review committee met before the regular hearing, with design advice before the project. this is a series of life safety upgrades. for the new assembly. the architectural review committee was impressed with a level of sensitivity taken, with much of the historic interior.

this is currently going through sequa review and will move through this fall. the historic preservation commission initiated the first landmark district, and the initiation, for 2003 and the city of san francisco. the commission initiated the landmark designation of the continuous district, with the building's clad and bricks across the mid market area identified as part of the market plan. planning staff has conducted an extensive public outreach, with each of those buildings owners and we have support except for one building that we are still trying to contact for the landmark designation.

because this is the initiation of a landmark district, a recommendation by this commission is required before it goes to the board of supervisors. we hope to have this for you by late september. we also improved to several entitlements, and one of them was 1355 market street. the twitter building at the old sf mart. there were a series of storefront operations and -- and outdoor space along stevenson alley. we also review this project, but the project design team with the june 6 hearing. this was to procure entitlements. and we complied with the recommendations of the department's staff and the

architectural review committee. and there was the ground floor storefront alterations along market street, and the h pc voted to approve the project with minor revisions to the condition. proposed by the staff. and we have the bayview opera house. there was a series of upgrades including a new outdoor stage and landscape improvements surrounding the opera house. this project was funded through the redevelopment agency and the remains from the former redevelopment agency, including a very elevated walkway to provide access along the entire site. there was a great deal of discussion about the contemporary design of the

elevated walkway. they did approve the project with some modifications to the walkway, to allow for a stronger performance with the interior standards and some of the items found here. this is a turn-of-the-century structure and some of this could be softened by introducing more would materials to the elevated portions of the war where. finally, the h pc previewed a veterans memorial, which has been proposed since the original design of the war memorial court between the opera house and the war memorial building. thomas church intended for this to be included at this location but for many reasons, political and financial, nothing had been

designed. after a great deal of discussion about some of the modifications, which include the of grades and the configurations of historic hedges, they did improve this project -- for the installation of the new veterans memorial. that concludes my report unless you have any questions about yesterday's hearing. thank you. commissioner antonini: an excellent report, as always. a question about the district, if i am stating the title correctly. i assume that as we move forward, restoration of these buildings would have to honor their historic status and keep them as they are.

>> the buildings were designated as as but any future alterations would have to be in compliance with the historic character. one of the key points that i have been working on his decided she and the store from improvement program for each of the building. when there is a new tenant there is the understanding of what kind of changes are acceptable at the ground-floor level. >> i would assume that they have oversight of the buildings that filled the discontinuous portions, that's not deemed to be historical buildings. and they would still have some input about when they would improve this construction? >> this commission would have the review approval of those designs. the unique aspects of this district, is that each of these

buildings is designated, so the borders of the district are just the perimeter of the footprint of each building. as a new building requires the entitlement, we will have this in your packet at this time. >> they will have a comment on those buildings. my thought is that they could be as contextual as possible. to bring in some continuous nature. >> that is the intention. all of these are exemplary buildings that were identified as part of the market plan. >> thank you. commissioner moore: i thank you for your update. the owner -- >> there is no intent at this

time but they're trying to provide life safety upgrades for the assembly use. there was discussion about the bank teller counter. the planning staff has come up with a compromise to keep portions of that so that they can provide a large assembly space, and they felt that this was a very reasonable compromise. >> and forever young -- those are uses in the buildings that are hard to manage? this sounds like a very appropriate way of going through this. >> thank you. >> commissioners, before we go further, all of the surrounding the door, you create a fire hazard. i need you to move over to the other side of the room, or find

a seat, if there is one available. thank you. commissioners, this is the 15- minute general public comment category, where members of the public can talk about things that fall within the jurisdiction with regard to agenda items. each member of the public may address you for three minutes each. i do not have any speaker cards. >> is there any general public comment on items not on today's calendar? president fung, i was there and it took a lot to get that two- run home run. i would like to thank the mayor for his appointment of rich ellis to the planning commission. i have worked with him in the

past and look forward to a continued relationship. the preservation fund committee will miss you, sorely. thank you very much. for the record, joe butler. thank you. >> commissioners, are there no other speakers for public comment? >> good afternoon, commissioners, members of the public. i represent the efficient co. i would like to use the overhead. i brought you guys a blank page here, and what this says it represents a nice picture as opposed to 407 ferrel street.

i am not sure if you've passed this -- it is not a pretty picture. a lot of homeless live outside the building. crack and fights and heroin and dancing in the street, things like this we can't house in the city. we wllook for answers to mid- market problems. the building is vacant. the owenrner is 5th church of christ science. this is stapled up with plywood and there are also a pair of illegal signs above this and i would like to invite everyone to join us for an hour of reading, to promote a drug-free community

and also, any pressure on them to house something besides this could only be beneficial. thank you. >> for those two people who are standing on either side of the door, please go to the other side of the room, you create a fire hazard. >> next on general public comment -- >> i am linda chapman. i want to speak about the knob hill neighborhood. i really feel out of turn, commissioners. i see some signals that may encourage people to feel that they should come forward to speak for the community. this is what the community wants, whether or not they know what the community wants. why went for training and community organizing 101, they

said that this is typical. people feel that there is a need, and they organize for the community, they feel they speak for the community. they said, find out what the community wants and have the community speak for itself, if possible. i have heard some signals that encourage that. i asked that the coalition for san francisco neighborhoods, what happened? several groups at nob hill have done this. they say that things change and i said, no, except over there. what could be the reason? is this a supervisor? or maybe it is things from here.

when you see two people telling you they represent the community, or one person, and then you don't see the community, or you see a bunch of people who saw the notice and came in here, you should ask yourself, is this a group of well-intended people or maybe not? and my doing something that maybe encouraging that? this is a concern i wanted to express. >> and is there any additional public comment? seeing none, the next item. >> commissioners, we go back to item number five that was taken off of the consent calendar. this is case 2012, for 1865 post st., and the conditional use

authorization. >> good afternoon. the item before you is a request for a conditional use authorization for 1665 post street. this is for the use of 4000 square feet for entertainment use in a lounge and restaurant of approximately 5000 square feet on the ground floor of the two-story commercial building. this would have live, why in jazz music and cover bands. currently, the restaurant is open from tuesday until thursday, friday, -- saturday and sunday to 11:00 p.m.. music would be offered during active hours. prior to this, this was vacant

for approximately one year after being occupied by restaurant doing business -- and the project site is on the south side between fillmore and webster street. this is approximately 1000 square feet in size, in the japan town special use district. the property is occupied on the second level by the japan center, and the existing restaurant has on the ground floor. the project is in the western neighborhood on the corner of the japan town -- the surrounding development consists of commercial and makes use buildings with residential units above. the scale of development is 2-5 story structures. commercial areas contain a mix of cafes and financial institutions. the site is bounded by the

sundance kabuki and the japan center mall to the east, three multi-story housing to the north and to the south -- these are m- 3 residential mixed. a variety of establishments are nearby. we have three letters in support of the projects which were included in the report, and to email said oppose the project, mostly about noise disturbances from the music. i have copies for your review. in order for the project to proceed, they need to add 4000 square feet and other entertainment use -- with 9000 square feet, pursuant to

planning code section, 712. the department recommends approval and -- the project would enhance the independently owned neighborhood serving restaurants and ensure the success of the restaurant at the current location by attracting customers seeking the entertainment venue. this meets all requirements of the planning code and it would enhance the economic well-being of the neighborhood. local residents can access this by taking public transit. this is consistent with the mets commercial character of the zoning district and japan town. this is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. the business is not formally for retail use. this is concluding the

presentation and i am able to answer any questions. >> is the project sponsor here? >> good afternoon, commissioner. the whole purpose for this -- that i put together is for the japan town community, and also for the pacific island -- to get together and also for the local performer, to have a place to perform. we also have a live show for the community. if the kabuki theater concerns the noise, i will cooperate with them. i really need the full license to extend the music to midnight. and also -- i am doing this to

create jobs for the youngsters. we created 39 jobs already so far. we get together -- for a ga thering and also, this is for the public to meet there. a lot of parties there for fundraising. we have had entertainment, and not one incident of trouble. i urge you to approve the conditional use for me. >> thank you. >> we may have questions for you. go ahead and ahve a seat. >>-- have a seat.

[unintelligible] >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am nancy from sundance cinemas. we operate the kabuki cinemas next to the restaurant at 165 post street. we've operated this since may 2006. a year and a half ago, we gave up the lease and a new operator began to remodel. our former restuarant manager worked there and she has left the position and will not return. i am here to voice our concerns about the restaurant's

application. they have presented live shows on weekend nights with loud music, and we experienced a strong sound lead through the shared wall. this is alarming to us. we cannot have any interruption to the patron's experience to see movies. when we experienced sound issues, she was responsive and sensitive to this being an ongoing problem. with that manager no longer working there, our concerns may be unheeded. we had music but a small platform stage at the front of the building, facing the street. the new operators have a large stage aga walls,

causing the loud music to be heard in auditorium number 2 and our open spaces, so we hear music in the movies. as a sundance movie theater, we play smaller fields. we pride ourselves on presentation, and it is untenable to have music bleed over. the operator did not include soundproofing construction. before we can support this, they must do considerable work to make sure the amplified music will not come into our auditoriums, and there msut be conditions -- must be conditions for acceptable deciblel

decibel levels. we would like for them to pay attention to these issues before going any further. at this time we are against this use permit being granted. >> the next speaker? >> good afternoon. i am here on behalf of -- property managment and the kabuki center. the tenants are the kabuki spring and spa. we are against this project. we believe this will affect the operations of the -- of our tenants.

they are both directly affected by any noise disturbance. they have expressed to me over these previous concerts' that they have had unhappy customers and loss of income. people are asking for refunds and due to the noise. we don't feel that we are being unreasonable. we would just like to see a study done so that our tenants can properly operate their day- to-day business and everyone can be successful in this building. >> thank you. and is there any additional public comment on this item? >> i represent supervisor olague. this project has come to as many months ago. we were, at the time, informed

about how difficult it was to apply for the conditional use permit. they are currently taking out a temporary entertainment license permit every week to appalled at this. their plan to bring entertainment and livelihood to japan town special use district, that is the plan the community has been involved with. this is a project, we cannot speak in favor or against this today, but they did come out many times to speak with us. the neighborhood has been thoroughly vetted around these issues. this may be a substantial issue for you to consider but i want to say that the community and the japan town taskforce has been fully