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tv   [untitled]    August 19, 2011 2:30pm-3:00pm PDT

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some of the project participants. steven is the project engineer. i do not see them in the room right now. a historic architect for that project, having worked substantially with the ir. and looking at the environmental document, there are many others. the army corps of engineers is here today. there are many others who have been involved in the project. thank you. >> good morning, president, members of the commission. i think that dan did an excellent overview on the project.
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it is a long coming project. we have had to get over a number of bumps in the road. it is very significant to be here, as the project itself was conceived of as being an open space that would be the lever -- delivered as part of the redevelopment of pier 32. as we reported, we ran into problems with that development. i would specifically like to recognize career in woods and michael sweet as being key people, from the very beginning, locking us through the long history. through the different partnerships with public agencies as well as the community at large, we were able to force iraq and get over the requirements up to this point. included within that was this
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full environmental impact report analysis. as part of the grant street pier project, part of the redevelopment of pier 30-32, you can see the water mark condominiums that we were talking about earlier. at that time, we thought we had a good understanding of what the historic resources had been. but it was not identified as a historic resources and was not analyzed in that fashion. subsequent to that, when we were actually doing the detailed analysis for the embarcadero historic district, that is when our historian at the time identified of the source, triggering the need for subsequent environmental review. it was only through the patience of the community of partners that we were able to pull together funding from alternate sources that ultimately led us to our partnership.
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producing this environmental impact report before you today. in coordination with the environmental national policy act document, the army corps needs to prepare to do their portion of the work for the demolition of pier 36. the combination of federal, local, and state approval, coalesced to be able for the project to move forward. in that context, this has been completed. the planning department was also a major partner in helping us without having to hire consultants on that. it has been finalized and certified by the planning commission. at this point, the commission, which i understand you have all received copies of that, the summary is written up in the findings that are attached to
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the proposed resolution that staff is recommending to approve today. summarizing the findings of that eir, acknowledging that the ballot -- demolition of a war of section will be effectively replaced and are significant in environmental impact in terms of demolition. as reflected in dance presentation, all of the work going into to deliver a public open space for south beach are bigger reasons to override the fact that even the we have significant environmental impact, the public open space benefits, the benefits to the day, the basis upon which you would be approving the findings. in association with that, there
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are a number of mitigation that the that are memorialized and attached to the staff report resolution, set with the dictates of which to be a part of the construction of the project and implementation of labor history and the more realization of some of the physical gateways to pier 36. so, with that, hopefully that will give you a good picture of the overall history. we recommend that you approve the attached resolution. thank you. >> moved. >> second. >> we do have public comment. maryland? >> good morning, everyone.
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i am a member of the south beachgac and have been involved in this project for several years. this is a great report. a good way to continue on from the ferry building, all of the way down through the bay bridge, all of the way to the ballpark. i definitely support this and look forward to having its completion in a couple of years. thank you. let's thank you. commissioner? -- >> thank-you. commissioner? >> good morning, commissioners. this is very exciting for us. i was the chair of the south beach cac redevelopment. i have been involved in this project since its inception.
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i am excited to see it before you. we hit some bumps in the road, but i would like to commend staff that worked so hard to bring this forward. i would like to thank staff for pushing this bond measure on to the ballot a couple of years ago. i feel like we are almost there. i would encourage you to adopt a resolution to do what is necessary to move this project forward. hopefully, we will be able to complete this project in time for the america's cup, with that the desired end needed green space and beautiful elements added to the south beach communities for a long time coming. it will be appreciated. it is looking great. i am excited that we are at this point now. thank you very much. >> are there any other public comments?
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commissioner? >> i support the resolution. i wanted to speak to staff about the next steps, since there were many comments about historical preservation. will there be challenges as we continue forward? what is the next step in the process? >> good question. i was remiss in not recommend -- recognizing the preservation community as well. at the time that the special policies were put in place, the preservation community was also a part of that process. at that time, there had been a survey of the historic peers. pier 36 was accepted as not being one of them. one of the reasons that this was identified as a good location to create a major open space. despite subsequent new information about historic status, there may be members
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within the community that still have some concerns and heartburn around the issue. by and large, they have been committed to trying to work with the overall community objectives. they have been very cooperative. the historic preservation commission commented as well. so, everyone has been fully appraised of this project moving forward. >> with our commission, with planning commission approval, what other approval is necessary? >> that is going to be the construction process that steve will be bringing forward to you at the next meeting. this is the port commission, basically saying that they approved to go ahead because the implication steps in the process would work that needs to be done with that the army to coordinate the demolition of pure 36 will be construction of
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the plaza itself. there is a lot of technical detail that needs to be coordinated between those efforts. it has been under way, but with action today we would be able to pull through and meet that schedule for delivering in time for next summer. thank you. >> it might be premature to ask about this. it might be something for the army corps, but i have a question about the existing tiles that are there. in terms of the reduction of the significant impacts, it seems that a lot of it relates to driving. are there any opportunities to preserve what exists, as much as what is being done at the exploreatorium? >> great question.
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during the detailed engineering design, we looked at several methods to incorporate into the new project that turned out to be more expensive. we went forward with removal and driving piles for construction, which worked. the actual files, the zone that overlaps with new construction, is fairly small. but we did consider that. >> thank you. any other questions? >> thank you. this is a very long awaited project. i would like to thank dan, the in, and all of the staff that work along with michael, karan, and all of the committee advisory groups that have been involved. we cannot wait until we have
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groundbreaking and construction. thank you all very much. let's all in favor? >> 1154 has been approved -- >> all in favor? >> 1154 has been approved. >> is there any public comment on new business? i would like to acknowledge the port delegates to the annual association of the annual meeting. >> ok. item #eight. public comment. >> is there any public comment? >> item #9, executive session. >> so moved. >> all in favor? executive session. >> conference with real council and real property negotiated.
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>> i can keep that? we are reconvening be open section. with that we not disclose any of the items discussed in closed session. >> second. >> can i have a motion to adjourn? >> so moved. >> second. >> all in favor? >> aye. >> we are adjourned at 11:22 p.m.? >> a.m. [laughter] >> i was nodding, as to why it -- so i do not know what mike -- [no audio]
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>> i am one of the board members for the burning man project. welcome to the plaza and the launch. [applause] we are so thrilled to be here in the tenderloin. we're thrilled to create relationships, to work with other people, and make something crazy and magical happened here. we're also extremely happy to be working with the san francisco
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city itself, with the reinvigoration efforts happening. we have two esteemed people with us from the city. we have mayor ed leave with us. [applause] -- we also have mayor ed lee with us. and from the board of supervisors, david chu. please come and join us. [applause] >> thinks ank you. it may be premature, but welcome home fellow burners. it is great.
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there are invitations going on for that burning man. i am going to call our board president, david chu, to come up here and join us. he plays a mean violin already. i am also going to invite supervisor eric mar, who is the only one of us who has been to burning man. i will say this. the burning man project has been a wonderful contributor to our central market cultural district. working with our office of economic development and the wonderful staff, you are working
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with the arts commission trying to liven up and insight the arts community -- excite the arts community to look at where we have vacancies and put life into them through art. there is so much to do. art is about life, activity, and people. it is about creating relationships. i want to thank all of you for being here to share your wonderful friday with us. we have the music to keep the center. now we can go crazy again. i not only have an announcement the burning man launched tonight, but there are so many other wonderful things being attracted to this area. i want to thank hal for the
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camera work. you are around the corner. that is because you are working with will and maddie thatcher. they've come to work together to enliven the effort to create a place where the underserved youth can learn about camera works. this is been on my mind for a long time. do you know the old original joe's place? they have brought in a theater piano fight. that is a wonderful addition. it will be starting this fall.
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the dugan family will locate in north beach. i have been a patron of the original joe's for many years. i want to specifically thank the piano and fight -- piano fight theater. thank you for starting the wonderful theater. i know you will be asking for a grant. you have been a wonderful partner in looking out for the start-ups and helping them along, helping to identify where they can be and how they can get started.
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we both started the arts foundation at the corner of sixth and market. there are so many people to thank tonight. i wanted to begin with this list, the freshest efforts to start up. it is a signal to you that we want to thank you all for reinvigorating this central market with your arts activity, innovation, enthusiasm. there is not going to be a store front available in the next year. it will be filled with arts, people, and businesses, and residents who will come to celebrate this. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] >> it is friday. who is excited to be a san franciscan? it is wonderful to see everyone here.
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i want to acknowledge my colleague because he is the only member of the board of supervisors who has gone up to burning man. i know that will change. mayor lee and i were joking that we were thinking about going up there to resolve and worked out all of the issues with city council up in the desert. what do you think, mayor lee? whatever it takes, bringing people together to get it done. that is what we want to do with burning man. san francisco has been a beacon to the entire world for creativity and innovation. i want to thank you all for representing the very best of what that is all about. i also want to welcome you to this neighborhood. the tenderloin and mid market area is so grateful for all the changes we know will happen in the coming years.
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this year alone, we are bringing twitter to this area. we're bringing artists and theaters. we're bringing new hamburger joints and we are bringing burning man. i want to thank the burning and project for being on the edge of creative culture. you represent with the greatest partnerships are about, what happens when you bring the public and private sectors together. i know this project will be reaching out to children in the tenderloin. and want to thank you for doing that. i also want to thank burning man for one of the quality we like here in san francisco -- one other quality we like here in
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san francisco -- experimentation. a few blocks away from here, we have been experimenting with what it means to close market street, to take back parking spaces for parkland. i want to thank the transit advocates here. hats off to burning man because you are leading the way. without further ado, it is my honor to introduce one of the founders of the burning man project. where is larry harvey? come on up. [applause]
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>> i did not want to speak to the "post." i am not here as the founder of burning man. i am representing the burning man project, a new nonprofit. our offices are down the street at 995 market at 6th, right in the hearth of the mid-market district. there is no better place to commence this effort in san francisco, our home town. [applause] we know a thing or two about building a diversity and culture from the ground up.
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the key thing was expressed by the great jane jacobs. she said cities have the capability of providing something for everybody only because and only when they are created by everybody. care this is the principle that will guide the burning man project. working with the city of san francisco, we can do many things. you have noticed all of the vacant shop fronts along market street, i am sure. we can begin to change this. pardon me? anyway, we can change this by making it easier for artists to occupy.
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working with our sister organization, we can install public artworks. if you look behind you, you will see two of them freshly installed. we can also do what all of us are doing here today. it can mean celebrations. we certainly know how to do that. we can do more. everyone of you here can participate. let's broaden the scope and think about more than just market street. after all, cities have the capability of providing something for everybody when
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they are created by everybody. let's look beyond the central market corridor and the neighborhood, the community that already lives here. if you go down to the project office, you will see the gateway to the tenderloin. we do not mean to merely decorate our city's main street. that would be superficial. we want to help change lives. [applause] we want to do what we do best by inventing truly interactive art. we want to work with the residents of the district, creating art made by and for the people.
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we will need volunteers in order to accomplish this. burners know exactly what i am talking about. we want you to pay attention to our website, burningmanproject.org. the burning man private even may be sold out of tickets, but the project is destined to fill a much larger canvas. to participate in that, you will not need no stinking tickets. [applause] i already hear people referring to where we are as u.m. playa. [laughter] to repeat with the mayor has already said, welcome home