>> basically this complex will cause -- it already causes a lot of parking problems and things like that whenever any event goes on. the entire project is oversized for the location and it does affect safety and safety is one of the major issues and parking is a huge problem in the area. and for any time the staff picked up 10 parking spots in the community by themselves with just staff members. so that and the heighth and the direction of where the gym is going to be, it's actually going to make by backyard a lightbulb area totally lit by the gym because that is basically right in my lot. and personally if the plan was the same going north and south the way it is now, it would be more appropriate and keep the open space and so forth available there. secondly the site of it is way too high for the neighborhood.

it dwarfs everything around it and really we need your insight and professionalism to show that this is just out of character for the neighborhood and is going to drastically affect not only safety, parking, and just not going to fit in our neighborhood and we really wish you would consider the whole situation of down sizing it. and food for thought and this may not be on the right time frame, but i used to be an instructor and trying to create more positive behaviors with criminally insane and developmentally disabled and what i think would be a great asset to this community is if you could combine not only the foster housing but to put seniors in there to mentor the foster kids. that way the kids have somebody to talk to and look up to and the seniors could help basically guide the children because i don't see how the foster kids are going to benefit from not having somebody who has had the experience of life and so forth. i think that would be a great plan to help get their monthly

income and sustain a smaller building. [bell ringing] president olague: again, i wanted to remind members of the public that this is solely to address the issue of the environmental impact report. you will have an opportunity afterwards to address the issue of the project itself. ellis barkley, and just refrain from -- so all those cards are related to the project? okay. and since there was some confusion, i am going to ask, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak to the environmental impact report at this time? if you could come up please. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am andrea alfonzo and an employee of the city of san franciscos and a landscape architect but i speak here today as a private citizen. as a landscape architect, i have

dealt with many e.i.r.'s in my professional career and this e.i.r. and in all the incarnations is completely derelict in its duty to serve the community in the function that it purports. the e.i.r. is a justification of the plan and it's not a true assessment of impacts of the project. and any adequate e.i.r. that does not assess all the real conditions is a violence of ceqa. there was inadequate time for consideration by the community and the lack of the e.i.r. circulation when major modifications were done to the project is also a violation of ceqa and this was not the case. this project has had so many incarnation and changes and we just haven't had adequate time to consider it. the e.i.r. contains misleading and incorrect figures. it is at the top of the hill. it doesn't really show that in

the drawings and the figures. there is a figure 12 on page 124 that shows 24 homes in the area that are three stories and they are actually two stories. the impact is not laid out in this e.i.r. in both the draft e.i.r. and in the final responses and comments. and basically the community is ignored. also the mayor's office of housing has advanced funding for this project. that's a violation of ceqa. and there's been millions -- there's been hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by the city and other agencies and it's preapproving the project before the certifications that we're seeking here today. it's not right. and basically -- [bell ringing] president olague: thank you. is there any additional public

comment on the environmental impact report? secretary avery: madam president, before the next speaker comes out, and we are setting up the overflow and all of you who are standing, all of you who are sitting on the floor, you have to go to 408 and now that overflow is set up, we will not continue until you have left this room. 408. right down the hall. president olague: if you handed in a speaker card, we will be calling you to speak.

secretary avery: if i can announce for all of those who had to leave the room, there is the exact same setup in this room as is in this room and they will be able to monitor exactly what is happening and if they turned in cards and their name is called, they will have time to come down and still be able to participate in this process. >> good afternoon, president olague and members of the commission. my name is steve william and i

submitted extensive comments on the e.i.r. let me start by thanking supervisor mark ferrell who has heroically taken on the attempt to reach a comprise on this project and those of us who live in the neighborhood or represent the neighborhood and there are hopefuling that the comprise may win the day. i support the comprise i submitted to that extent and let me comment on the e.i.r. this e.i.r. should be recirculated. just given the amount of time it's been back in the department which is more than eight months and with the document and was completely rewritten within many sections and is entitled to comment on the sections and was

completely rewritten. the most important section in the e.i.r. and no follow-up recirculation and comment on that under the law and really should be done as my written statements make clear, this project arrives and preapproved and the city has paid more than half a million dollars for it and the city is the project sponsor in essence. and that is a misuse of the ceqa process. how many of you feel comfortable actually considering one of the reasonable alternatives? are any of the alternatives even on your screen? have you even looked at them? that is what ceqa is about? and educating you to know the impacts and choose between reasonable alternatives and didn't have a chance. it is as if they never looked at the neighborhood and if you look at exhibit b, they badly missed --

president olague: thank you. is there any additional public comment on the environmental impact report? >> i am a resident of 888 presidio and first-time home buyer and moved in in december and have not seen anything in the likes of the environmental report that's been circulated around the neighborhood and i am very active in the neighborhood and street planning and some other events and literally have not seen this document and haven't had a chance to review it. so hopefully you will approve to relook at the proposal. thank you. president olague: thank you. is there any additional public comment on the e.i.r. seeing none, public comment is closed. commissioner miguel. commissioner miguel: move to certify. >> wait, wait, wait. you have to call the item. this is the public hearing on the closed matter.

commissioners, you closed the public hearing and now will go ahead to consideration of findings and final actions. the public hearing for this category is closed. before you is item number 12, case number 2006.0868e, 800 presidio avenue. before you is consideration of the certification of the final environmental impact report. >> good afternoon, president olague, commissioners, michael jacinto, planning department staff. the item before you is the certification of the final environmental impact report or e.i.r. for the proposed booker t. washington community center services project case 2006.0868e. and this e.i.r. analyzes the existing 12,000 square foot community center at 800 presidio avenue, construction of a community center, gym naz igymn and 50 units of affordable housing and below rate units for youth transitions from the

foster system and 24 below market rates to households earning 60% of the area's median income as well as two areas for onsite building manageers and a garage for 21 automobiles. a copy of the draft e.i.r. certification motion is before you. the draft e.i.r. was published on june 23, 2010. the public hearing on the draft was held on august 5, 2010. and the public comment period closed on august 10, 2010. the comments and response documents was published april 14, 2011. as stated in the e.i.r., staff reports, and on today's agenda t proposed project of the height of 55 feet will not comply with the site's existing height district and would require recommendation on the board of zoning and the board of supervisors should this commission decide to i require approval by the board of supervisors to reclassify.

among the comments, we heard primarily on the need to recirculate. the staff does not feel there is a need to recirculate here. the comments in -- show is a slight variation from what was an aized -- analyzed in the draft e.i.r. and additional information was included to stanciate the conclusions reached in the draft. there was no introduction of any new mitigation measure. the comment comment -- comment that the project would be below significant levels rerailroad relate to the historical

significance and the pornts of the booker t. washington community center, the oldest continuing -- continually operating community center providing services to the frick american community since 1918. as described in the comments and responsed findings document, the e.i.r. did not reach the objectives to the same extent. the commission would have to adopt a statement of overriding approval. at this time the staff recommends the commission certify the e.i.r. as adequate and complete and that the project complies with ceqa. that concludes my remarks.

i will be available for questions should you have any. president olague: thank you. commissioner antonini? commissioner antonini: thank you. a couple of things were raised. staff, correct me if i'm wrong but the time allowed for the comment period was consistent with what hef -- we have had on environmental impact reports and it's not reasonable to recirculate. >> and a 40-day comment period is quint -- consistent with state law and practice. antonini antonini another commentor asked about contributions that may have come from the mayor's office of housing. i don't know that there is any problem with this or it may not be specifically for the e.i.r.

but is there any kind of problem? >> i don't believe that this is necessarily germane to the e.i.r., we've prepared the analysis based on the proposal that you are considering today. antonini antonini i -- commentcomment -- commissioner antonini: i just wanted to get that clear from you if in fact it was used, the contribution, to the e.i.r., i've never heard that before. my final, i guess more of a comment, the only thing i find lacking in the environmental impact report, which i believe in my opinion is complete and accurate and should be certified is i did not see as many different views from different vantage points as i am used to seeing. usually we see a number of different sites so we kind of get an impact where this will have an impact from different

areas and we only have the one view essentially in this report so that's my only problem. 9 alternatives are here. the lower project, the, i think that's very accurately done. president olague: commissioner moore? commissioner moore: further in support of what commissioner antonini is saying, as people are saying they are concerned that the building has been refined and redesigned, that is not actually subject to -- substantive enough change. the e.i.r. in that interpretation is connect and i do believe it covers those aspects we normally deal with. president olague: commissioner miguel?

commissioner migole: move to certify. >> commissioners, before you is a motion to -- for certification of the environmental impact report. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> aye. >> thank you, the e.i.r. has been certified. thank you. commissioners, you now are on items 13 a and b. you've gone back into a regular meeting. president olague: case number 2006 .0868 cektz for 800 presidio avenue. 13 a is your consideration of proposed rezoning and text meapeds and zoning map amendments and 13 b is a request for conditional use authorization.

>> good afternoon, glen creabs of the department staff. the cases before you this afternoon are a t.u., a z.u. and k.u. case for a rezoning and text amendment and zoning map amendment. the project is located at 800 presidio avenue. it is the proposed demolition of the existing facility and construction of a new facility, 55 feet tall including affordable housing, and such uses as a gym nacium and porking. the project before you requires zoning map and text amendments and planning code text amendments. the s.u.b. legislation for your

information was initially by supervisor aliote o'pier in 2008. in 2010, supervisor farrell reintroduced it with co-sponsors. this afternoon the commission will be considering an authorization for planning and development. the applicant is seeking exemption from the rear yard open space, dwelling unit and exposure parts of the planning code. in short, the staff finds that the design and contemplated uses to be consistent with the general plan and policies of the planning code particularly with regard to the size and availability of affordable housing in the estimate this project was initially proposed as a six-story building with

110 units. the records indicate three letters in -- of concern and over 250 letters in support of a project that side. in 2007 with the application for conditional use authorization, public comment to date includes opposition from at least six individuals and a collective effort from the neighbors, particularly from the neighbors at the block and as submitted to you by steve williams. six letters from various organizations from the community in support of the project have been provided for the probably as proposed in its current form. at this time. -- at this time staff to -- would like to conclude our presentation. three motions are before you this evening or this afternoon in your packet. the first is the for the adoption of ceqa findings, the second for the creation of the special use district for the height and density uses and

last for the conditional use, the planned unit development. i would be happy to answer any questions. thank you. president olague: thank you. project sponsor? >> members of the commissioner, i'd like to let the commission know that we're going to be sharing booker t. will share 15 units -- minutes to present the project and i only have one very brief thing to say and that has to do the legislation. i'd like to direct the commission's attention that the legislation is not one that said we are increasing the height limit to 50 feet, period, but rather it is a very neutral to allow flexibility from 40 to 55 feet so that the commission have the ability to evaluate the merit of the project in deciding how high it can go and how much density you

can give. so with that comment, i would like to have paschal, who is -- pat scott, who is the director of bakhtiarizadeher t., be the next speaker. -- of booker t., be the next speaker. >> my name is pat scott. i'm the executive director of booker t. washington center. you've already heard that booker t. started in 1919, but it started in 1919 as a direct result of women that started this organization because of the blatant discrimination and jim crowism in san francisco, that soldiers and their families couldn't find services or do anything else in san francisco and from that time to the second warled wore we were still into some of the same kind of problems and it became not just a recreation center but it became a place where people could have organized

sports but as well have some social services, some education, and quite a few other things going on. so over the years it's moved. when the redevelopment came along in the fillmore, it created quite another problem and that prop was -- problem was that we had children that did not have parents to support them so we were using booker t. at that time to do after-school programs and to suplement what should have been done in families but was impac bell to do at that time. so we are still in that situation. our board of directors looked at how booker t. could work into -- our board of directors looked at how booker t. could best function into the 21st century and decided that one of the fall -- falouts from the redevelopment in the 1960's and 1970's was that we have a lot

of transitional aged youth that don't have services, that don't have anything going for them. they age out of foster care. those that are in foster care become emancipated at 18 and there are no services for them. so this is a drop in the bucket, almost a band-aid to deal with some of those issues. we're look at providing housing r -- for transitional aged youth and we have wonderful partners. we have drew schools. they use our gym during the day and provide tutors to our kids after school. we will have a san francisco bureau of youth radio, which has won the highest award in the country, the peabody award for the work that they've done with the youth in the bay area. i just want larry to talk about this. he grew up in bookie t., -- booker t., i didn't. but he can talk a bit about

what booker t. has meant to people. >> good morning, i'm a native san franciscan and native to the district. some of minimum earliest memories were back around 1962, 1963 whether i attended the center not necessarily as a participant but i got dragged along by my father who was coaching basketball there. he spent a lot of his own volunteer time coaching basketball there. it was a very important part of my youth growing up in the western addition and this project would only make that a richer environment for the residents of the district and the neighborhood now. i wanted to point out one that -- thing. it's been described as a project for african-american youth. that's true, but many of the new residents of the neighborhood, including people of middle eastern descent, people of mix -- mexican and russian and chinese descent, are now also participants in that project -- project or in

that center so it's a very, very important center not only just to that area but to the life blood of san francisco. thank you very much. plooks thank you. we still have time? you have a total of 10 minutes left. so you still have time. >> my name is steve perry. oh, i'm sorry. i thought that -- excuse me. commissioners, good afternoon. i'm jack gardner, president of the john stewart company, co-developer with the booker t. washington community center of the affordable housing component of the probably before you this afternoon. the john stewart company is a statewide developer and manager of mixed income and affordable housing. we've been in business 33 years and currently manage over 33,000 units of mixed income

housing throughout california. we will serve as the management agent for the affordable housing units upon their completion. as the largest manager of affordable housing in california, j.s. company is dedicated to the creation and preservation of affordable housing. every day we see the enormous need for safe, affordable housing for vulnerable populations such as transition aged youth. j.s. has managed several such properties around the state including weldon place in san francisco's tenderloin district, that includes 27 units for young adults aging out of foster care. in addition dour doctor during our 33 years of operation we have developed over 3,000 units of affordable housing through construction, rehabilitation and adaptive use efforts 79 this experience has helped us

to taylor -- tailor the project to the needs of the population, to manage the finished property as a welcoming project for its residents and a welcome addition to the surrounding community. there is a desire to reduce the size, but there is tremendous need for housing for transitional age use and we believe the needs justify its skate. in addition, tell -- developing more units increases our economies of scale and makes for a far more cost effective development in terms of operating costs. we have site control, a great team and a great project buff today. they all add up to an opportunity to develop greatly needed sup isortive and affordable housing for a disadvantaged population. we should seize this opportunity to maximize the benefits of the project rather than minimize them.

thank you for your consideration today. president olague: and one partner that i neglected to mention earlier was first place for youth. >> first place for youth is the agency that will provide the on-site services for the emancipated youth. alice made me sit down the [laughter] >> my name is steve perry. the architect on the -- on the project, once again. i would like to go through the -- the changes we've made regarding concerns from the community and the commission and show you what we've worked with, the planning department with. so if i could please have on the screen -- so to begin i