hard liquor on site, and that is more of a restaurant. if you include all of the restaurants and bars that have wine and beer licenses and all of the off- premises at liquor sales, we're talking 50 locations in 10 blocks radius. that is an average of 5 per block, where you could go and buy beer, wine, hard liquor. it is my understanding that in order to approve conditional use, one of two criteria need to be met. the project has to be necessary or desirable for the neighborhood. 50 places in 10 blocks, 21 of them serving hard liquor, it is hard to say this is a necessary establishment for this round of polk street. whether it is desirable or not, i don't think it is. that is a matter of opinion. but the middle polk neighborhood

association urges this commission not to approve this project. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> channeling one of my favorite organizers, i will say to you that i am not asking you to turn this down. i am telling you you must turn it down unanimously today, for the reasons you have heard. oversaturation in this area. this would make 31. it would be 66% oversaturation, and this would make it 72% in this location. this is the ncd. they could move anywhere in the city that does not have this kind of oversaturation. they're being paid by the hospital to move and have the whole thing set up.

these are not disadvantaged little business people. they moved their knowing they only had three years. it was probably an advantageous police. -- advantageous lease. in the neighborhood, we have a problem with liquor licenses, as discussed. here is something else about the polk village pub crawl. certain things were not included in the package, although received in time, about this particular business. john tried to send his material, then it was not included again. i don't know why. what i see in the package is the same thing that happened with cmmt live nation, which as you know has been thrown back to you by the courts. the staff had the objective in mind to approve it and the staff turned the planning code on its head.

this could not possibly meet the 303-c requirements, as you have already been told. right here are some of the protests. that is not easy to get protests when the project's sponsors do not mail the notice is required by abc, although they have certified they did so. president olague: thank you. i will call three more. chris, followed by john, then ron. >> hon. commissioners, crisp shulman, taking time off from my duties to speak on this. i live two blocks from the project location. i ask you to take comments that

ron makes and consideration that this is in the boundaries of the lpn. the previous location was drug- riddled and had a bad reputation and a clean it up. it is noteworthy that they had written letters of support from businesses and non-profit housing of the nearest corner, along with residents above. i considered additional factors before deciding to support this project. here is a summary. this will not add any additional bars to the neighborhood. this location is only a few blocks away. there are no other bars on this block and there is not an undue concentration in the immediate area. it is nearly identical in square footage and capacity as the correct location. it is significantly smaller than most other bars in the neighborhood and when not be a concentration of bar patrons in front of the bar. there will be additions on the

liquor license, including a digital security system and a door person. it does not have active morning and night time uses. it will encourage additional foot traffic both in the a.m. and p.m., which will likely result in reduced crime on the streets. i am pleased and command the project sponsors for including the coffee part as part of the product. i disagree with claims that bars and that life establishment encourage prostitution. rather, it is people driving around at night from outside of the area that come down the street, and regardless of the bars. i believe having bars and night life and people will discourage this. if you go to blocks down, you don't have this problem. i appreciate you taking this into consideration, and have a great afternoon. >> my name is john newman.

i am the patron of the current operation. they doing first-class job. i have the privilege as a lawyer and a committee representing restaurants and establishments with abc liquor licenses, and this ownership group really does a first-class job. they have somebody out in front of their door to provide security. they checked i.d.'s fastidiously, including young kids like myself when i come in late in the evening. i can assure you and i am proud to be here to testify on behalf of this really hard-working group of professionals there are already a member of the community, and they deserve the opportunity to continue their business, provide employment, in a truly secure, professionally run establishment in the community. thank you for your time. president olague: thank you.

>> commissioners, i am ron, the current chairman of the lower polk neighbors and a resident of polk street, just a few blocks from this bar. we highly support the move of this bar. they're currently in our area, and they have been a positive asset to the community. they have been an active asset for turning the community around, helping. they show up for street cleaning, unlike some of the opponents. they have also raised money to send kids to school. they collect toys for kids at christmas. and they are very active in the community itself, in our organization. i would like to point out, some of the opponents to it have gone outside our area, which this is in our arts area, to solicit support against the project.

it is a little irritating on our part. nobody has heard the issues. we have debated this in number of times. we voted overwhelmingly to support them with something like 22, 24 to 3. i am concerned with georgia's comets. she lives across the street. we will be watching the bar and we will make sure the neighbors across the street are heard and issues are dealt with. we are an organization that are merchants and residents. we believe that you have to work together, support each other, and this is a forum to come together when there are issues. we highly support this and i am here to speak on their behalf. i'd like to say one other comment. there has been a lot of missed truths about the organization, the applicants, the organization, and myself. that we have said things and done things that are not true. i just want to look at the

truth of what we're talking about today and what we're trying to bring. thank you. president olague: thank you. i have well over 30 speaker cards left. all of them are for the project. i want to ask members of the public if you want to speak, stand apart not to show your support. that may expedite the discussion. these are people in support of the project. thank you. is there anyone in this room or the other room who still wants to minutes to speak on this item? if he could stand on that side. -- if you could stand on that side. asking people to stand up as our way of trying to move things along. ok. >> good afternoon, president, commissioners. thank you for your time and consideration today.

my name is richard, and i am an employee of koko cocktails. i am privileged to attest to the fact is a very responsible and valuable neighborhood establishment. as regular neighbors to like each other and like to visit with each other under safe, pleasant circumstances, and it is a secure place to take a breather from the rigors of the day. on a personal note, i need this job. i value the good working environment that my employers have created and their social and environmental irresponsible roles that have provided us. they pay their taxes, they meet the city's regulations, they abide by the laws and practices of the community. they're trustworthy citizens and dependable, conscientious business owners. they have integrity. koko cocktails, in my opinion, it is to the city of san francisco all to be seeking as a small business.

i believe that koko cocktails' makes the neighborhood a nicer place, a beautiful day in the neighborhood. mr. rodgers knew what he was talking about when he said, will you be my neighbor? i urge you, president olague and commissioners, let them be reborn and be your neighbor. thank you. president olague: thank you. next speaker? >> good afternoon, president and commissioners. i have lived in the neighborhood for 50 years. i have seen the bar before koko. i know what it was, and they have turned it around. they will do the same thing at the new address. they are the mavericks for part ownership. please pass them. thank you. president olague: thank you.

>> hello. my name is harry, the owner of polk street produce. i will be about three-quarters of a block from their new location. the block they are proposing to move into, there is currently no other bar, and they have basically listen to the concerns of the citizens. to get to crustaceans, there on the third floor. when these people like talking about additional bar or the licenses, this liquor establishment has already been here. we merchants, myself, we don't have time to come down here and show our support for lorri and her establishment, but i want to show my support. we are not adding, we're just relocating. thank you for your time. president olague: thank you. the next speaker? >> good afternoon.

i'm the resident within a block and a half. i received one of the notifications from the abc and the city. i also have a business on polk street, about a block away, and i am in support of her relocating to this site. president olague: thank you. >> my name is michelle, and i absolutely support hi-lo blanch moving to the block. having lived in that san francisco and having done a majority of my business on polk street, going to walgreens and the hardware store, there are a lot of people there. they are not hookers. there are people from halfway houses and the people who live in the residence hotel. a lot of people go into the area under the crustacean building, and it is a very big hang out for a lot of

questionable people. i feel that having koko cocktails move to polk street would be making a safer. i appreciate having them there to support me and protect me, because i know they would protect me. thank you. >> commissioners, my name is jennifer. i am here on behalf of the polk district merchants association. we have met numerous times with glory and have received the project and it has are unanimous support. we look forward to having koko cocktails in their new location. president olague: just please come up to the mic. >> hi, my name is heather, and i

live two blocks from the proposed business. i am in support of the move. bars have a rich history of being a community meeting places that goes back to the days of the roman empire. it has always been where people come together. the bar that they currently run, koko cocktails, continues this tradition, been the cornerstone of the committee. they have post-it weddings, work mixers, literary readings, and a myriad of community events that have enriched the lives of countless people who live and work in the neighborhood. when i needed to publish my own book, the bar owners did not hesitate to host a fund-raiser and were essential to the success of my project. in addition to serving as a committee meeting place, they have made the 38 bus stop at van ness noticeably safer. before the current owners, i would never let that stop by myself. now i can wait for the bus

without feeling ill at ease. with the bar open, i know there are friendly people just a few feet away and i experience less harassment. i feel having this thriving business move into the empty business will help the neighborhood and help the struggling merchants nearby. they provide much needed employment at a time when so many people are out of work. the staff is friendly and hard- working and contribute to the debt could be more pleasant. i think it would be a tragedy for these employees to be permanently displaced through no fault of their own of the business is not allowed to reopen at the -- as the hi-lo. i urge you to let them continue to run a safe, import, and responsible business that will serve as a committee meeting place an employer for years to come. thank you for your time. >> hi, my name is josh.

i am just around the block from where they were on one side and were there had it too. it is not an actual club. the activities they have, there is nothing i going on. the have cleaned up the block. i am a homeless outreach worker, so i know what they have done. they just completely altered where they were. the whole idea that there will be problems on the block because of them does not make any sense at all. there are no residents of their building for more than half a block of the the direction. it is not as if people are walking out from their bar and walking in any direction that will be making any noise for many residents. the coffee service they're talking about is high-end. i went to their open house. i believe a family member will run it.

the other thing is the businesses that have tried to go win have not been able to make it. i think having the bar actually support the cafe will mean they're there for a long time, so i am not worried about them going out. thank you very much. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon, planning commissioners. my name is renee and i have lived in san francisco for 20 years. since koko's inception, they have been improving the neighborhood. they cleaned the streets in front of them, they cleaned the overflowing trash receptacles. a sweep the sidewalks and they paint over the graffiti. that happens a lot. in the evening, they have somebody at their door who makes us feel protected. i don't know if any of you have taken the 38 bus, but it can be scary. having that presence there makes

everybody feel safer. i have no the owners for 3.5 years. i have known lorri for 10. she is probably one of the best people i have ever met. i know you are thinking you were just saying that, you are her friend, but let me just say that my friend shippe does not influence her to take care of the elderly people who live in that building. it does not influence her raising money for the underprivileged children to go to camp. this is a 49-person occupancy space. and they have no violations with sfpd or abc. they employ nine people. in this economy, we cannot afford to lose any more jobs. if the store front continues to be effective, we will continue to breed homeless encampments there. these business owners foster a sense of community and an area

that is blighted. it is what polk street desperately needs. through their charitable endeavors, this business is a positive, favorable profit that will benefit the neighborhood. thank you so much for your time. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am not only employed by these wonderful, wonderful people, i am also their neighbor. i have got to see firsthand the entire transformation of the bar itself and the area around it. before, it was amazingly sketchy. i would not walked out there at night. when they took over, it changed tremendously. they have been able to bring in a crowd that is great. they are all pretty much neighbors of ours.

i know this because i live next to them. i understand the concerns of others that live on the block, and those concerns are partly because of an outside task force that comes into tpolk street. our bar is almost exclusively in neighborhood spot. it is amazing to return business we have. i was born and raised in this business. i have seen countless others, operators of businesses. these guys have an amazing and meticulous way of doing business. at their ethics are of the highest standards. i have never seen anybody themselves as seriously as they do it and it makes people full of pride. i want to tell you that i thank you for your time, and i hope that we see each other soon at the establishment. president olague: thank you. thank you. is there additional public

comment on this matter? >> good afternoon, commissioners, i live on the 1400 block of larkin street, which is just a block away from the location. i would like to say that i have lived at that location for years, and when i moved there, the bar itself was across the street from my location. before i had moved there, and similar concerns of the residents who lived across from this location, which is noise and the other stuff. but what i have realized quickly is it was really the owners that made the difference in the type of business and what the block would be like. once i got to know the owners and had discussions with them and patronized their location, i i would like to sayot an issue.

critics are, this is my first time ever. i am a little nervous. having been a pretty regular customer at koko's, they really have gotten me more involved in my community. i have met a lot of locals i would not have met otherwise. they introduced me to other businesses and other locals, and they have me here today taking part in my own community, and this is something i would not have otherwise thought i would never do. i want to vouch more for the people than anything else, and i fully support their move. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon> >olague and commissioners. i like to start by saying

something i find remarkable, and i have worked with children for years, preschool, danny. -- preschools ,nan, nany. i have never felt more involved than i have with these guys. it extends to our patrons, neighbors, friends. they have managed to take this sketchy bark and turn it into a living room where everybody feels safe to get together and hang out. it extends even further than that. these guys are extreme advocates for their community. they sell brownies to send kids to camp, pick up trash in their free time, and these guys to a huge chance on me. i did not have any experience, and they patiently taught me a skill. they patiently taught me how to do this job that i was

completely not qualified for, and i think that is pretty incredible, and thank you. they took a chance on me and i would like to take a chance on us. you will be disappointed. thank you. -- you will not be disappointed. thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. my name is matthew. i am an employee of koko's. i think it is both a great place to visit and work. they were kind enough to give me a job when i needed it the most. without this job, i would not have the ability to pay for my schooling, rent, or bills. currently this is my only source of income. the public to say that this team is some of the nicest people i've ever worked with. we care about each other, our guests, and the neighborhood. we provide a clean and safe environment for people who want to work, which for the bus, or just socialize. in the short time i have been

working at koko's i have not seen any loud or disturbing behavior. the team is a very responsible business, and they provide a respectable establishment. in my opinion, it would be unfortunate to miss out on this group of people and it but they provide for the neighborhood. thank you for your time. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. my name is donald, and i would like to speak in support of the request for conditional use authorization of relocation of the existing bar to 1423 polk street. it is an important part of the committee, and i owned and operated by an outstanding group of voters. i'm a regular customer of the current location and respect and

support the committee of the current bar. they took a dilapidated facility and rejuvenated it into a strong community institution. i patronize the old business before the current owners and i am impressed with the changeover. this would represent an upgrade to the existing bars in the area. this would be one of the better ones. i have no the current owner since the bar opened and consider them my friends. i ask the commission to approve the request for continuation of this community business. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. my name is ron. i am an owner of thai massage, on polk street. i have been in this neighborhood

almost six years. i agree with many of the speakers here that we need good, responsible businesses to help improve the area. the correct location is an empty storefront. the whole block is dark and quiet after sundown, and it can be dangerous sometimes. i believe they will do a good job. they will go out of their way to be responsible and improve the condition in that area. i would like to be here to please ask you to give them a chance. i believe they will contribute positively to our area. please take that under consideration. president olague: thank you. we are asking people to line up over here. >> my name is lisa.

i'm a registered nurse. i'm here in support of the relocation. i would like to speak on behalf of the issue of increased traffic. i am an avid cyclist and many of the people, including the owners, cycle to work. i would also like to speak about the time where koko cocktails allowed me to hold a coat drive to provide coats to the committee during the cold winter. thank you. president olague: thank you. >> i am reading comments for the record from melanie grossman. as head of the political advocacy committee of o.w.l., i strongly oppose the licensing of a new bar on polk