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tv   [untitled]    September 30, 2011 11:00pm-11:30pm PDT

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i think it is great. i really like it. i like the rezoning and a lowering of heights. it all seems very well thought out and appropriate and i like where it is. >> thank you for your feedback, commissioners. just a quick point on the creek, which has caused -- particularly with neighbors who live along this right of way. we are not forcing a creek daylight into that area. the plan recognizes there's a convergence of a pathway opportunity here that exists in formally now. hydrilla -- hydrological, there's a creek running underneath that. we don't know whether daylighting even makes sense or not, but the plan does say as a matter of policy that we see there's an opportunity to look at this area, and let's investigated. if those problems exist, we
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don't want to proceed with a litter and bug festival out there. the idea is to keep it on the table because we don't want to lose the opportunity for longer- term policy decisions. we will that those issues out at that time. -- we will vet those issues out at another time. >> commissioners, you are now on item 12, amendments to the planning code to regulate alcoholic beverages in bowling alleys in the mission alcoholic beverage special use the district. >> good afternoon president and members of the commission. i'm from planning staff and i have a brief presentation to make. the legislative aide that introduced the organizers -- that introduced the ordinance is here. i will let her speak first. >> good afternoon, commissioners.
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i am a legislative aide for supervisor kim. we have introduced for your consideration that has been co- sponsored by supervisor wiener that would change the existing alcohol special use district of clarify and update an allowance for bowling alleys to serve alcohol along side with a full- service restaurant. one of the other items we are looking forward to in terms of amending the legislation and we would ask you to consider as well that did not make it into the case report would be to make an exception for non-profit theaters that are single screen theaters. both of these cases, the bowling alley and single screen movie theater ads to the overall recreation of offerings in this area for the city, particularly in the neighborhood, and serving alcohol is a secondary use to these primary recreation
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activities. in bringing this change to the mission alcohol's vessel used district, it has contributed discussions that want to bring to light and be sensitive about. one of those is the mission alcohol specialties district. there has been discussions about the need to possibly change or make changes to the sud. we want to be sensitive to that this came at a community process during a time there was a lot of concern about alcohol usage and its impact to the local community and public health. we want to undertake a discussion like that with the full committee process and betting. this is a case where there was an active project that is consideration for this site in the special use district. we wanted to be able to support a recreational use in the area.
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in speaking with some of the project sponsors about their project, and i believe the proprietors of the business are here today, we emphasize the need to reach out to the community in terms of being able to address -- there is a lack of basis for use in the community and reaching out to the community how this potential bowling alley, which i spent a lot of time in a bowling alley myself could be possible for the use, so they might describe in their public comments some of the outreach they have done to the local community. some of the other things triggered in working with this business than the local community is the need to have a comprehensive discussion about jobs and economic development and local economic development and, echoing some of the concerns you heard last week, around the businesses on the
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valencia streets, we want to undertake a fuller discussion about how to promote small businesses and help small businesses that is definitely beyond the supervisor's office and would take the assistance and help of the planning department, the office of economic and work-force development, the office of small business development, which i believe supports our legislation, but we want to make sure that fuller discussion is on the screen and that is basically my introductory comments. i would like to thank the staff for preparing the report and being open to working with us to create this legislation. president olague: are you going to be here for a bit? i have some questions for you. i would like to recognize supervisor kim. i have been hearing from members of the community.
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>> the proposed ordinance would allow them to serve alcoholic beverages along with a full- service restaurant, fast-food restaurant or self-service restaurant integrated with the bowling alley. the mission alcoholic sud was established in 1986 and is one of the first in the planning code. this spread its new establishment -- a sublicense from selling or serving alcohol. this -- establishments like liquor stores and bars, prior to the establishment of sud may continue to operate. the planning code provides to exceptions from the prohibition -- bonafide restaurants and theaters with non-actors that sell or serve alcohol.
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the department believes the proposed amendment to the mission alcohol sud will facilitate businesses that provide recreation entertainment consistent with the neighborhood and will my contribute to -- the mission alcohol one was the most restrictive of the six established once and is the only alcohol sud that provides no means of transferring one to another or conditions of approval to existing establishments. the department would encourage an expanded effort in the future to consider a more broader view of the control to more effectively monitor the condition of existing businesses within the district. while the proposed ordinance is minor in scope, the department would encourage further out reach and broader changes in the future. the department's proposed
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modification is monitor -- is a modest and technical in nature. after the proposed ordinance was introduced by supervisor kim, the planning code section which used to define the mission alcohols pessaries district was moved from article 7 to article 2 of the planning code so our proposed modification is to refer to what is now the mission alcohol special use district. by way of public comment, staff did receive a level -- did receive a letter from an attorney representing the roxie movie theater requesting the additional amendment to add an additional exception for a single screen movie theaters to sell alcohol within the district. that letter -- i got it so late we did not attempt to consider it for a case report, but i did include a copy of the letter in your packet. this city small-business commission considered the same ordinance at an august 8th, 2011
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meeting and unanimously passed the proposed amendment. i am here to answer any questions. president olague: let's open it up for public comment. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i'm the small business owner currently building out a six lane bowling alley and restaurant in the mission district. we are very excited to bring a business to this part of the city and will create jobs and a place for community building. we are taking a blighted, dark, empty warehouse that has been vacant for over three years and creating a well lit, safe and fun resources for the community. thank you very much for your consideration of this and i would be happy to answer any questions. president olague: thank you.
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>> i'm the executive and director at the roxy theater. we are here under the advisement of the planning department and supervisor camp. the roxy has served the mission districtwe've read about theates closing in san francisco every day. we were granted non-profit status two years ago to keep our doors open and keep our doors -- to keep our doors open and provide an opportunity for a diverse local community to gather. we host different film festivals like the latino film festival and we are starting to provide family matinees at the theater. even though the nonprofit status has helped us, it has not solved all our problems.
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we feel being able to serve beer at the theater will help bring in some money and new attendants to our theater. is a business model that has proven successful in other cities. we understand the concern about bringing more alcohol to 16th street. crime there is something we deal with on a daily basis. but our demographic as well as the demographic we hope to attract by in the inner ear sales is not interested in abusing alcohol or creating and nuisance. we tried to verse and educated crowd and our patients -- our patrons are supportive of local business. they recognize we do this and we have letters of support from all of our neighbors. besides showing films, we see ourselves as a community center and resources and continually partner with local businesses and nonprofits to bring issues to light. we partner with the habeas
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project, the aclu, the partnership to end domestic violence, the vietnamese youth center and others. we help them with fund-raisers and just to have a public venue for their issues. we feel what we do creates an opportunity for gathering for the diverts local community of the mission. thank you very much for your time. >> i was the old executive director of the roxy theater and i transitioned it into a non- profit and wanted to add -- i'm not going to undo anything he said. when i was transitioning, one thing i heard from our patrons all the time to standing around was can you guys sell beer?
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as chris said, we have a very art-ford, very respectful and averse crowd of people who want to come to our theaters. let's face it, it's getting increasingly difficult to get people out of their homes. people want to see a film, but they also want to make a night of it. they want an experience so that we can complete -- we can compete with netflix and video on demand. we have vouchers and we have put on events like this in the past. we have never had a problem or complaint. we have never had a problem. thank you very much for your time.
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>> i am also working with summer on the six-lane bowling alley and restaurant. we are also, together with non profits and other local businesses trying to build support and offer a resource to this community. we are working on -- larkin street as well as the mission graduates providing opportunity for their young people to be a part of the business we're offering.
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>> i'm the attorney for the roxy theater. i believe this man is within the purpose -- -- this amendment is within the purpose. the roxy is the only single screen theater in the mission. it's open to families and has huge community support and is 100 years old. given the economic changes happening to the movie theater business, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make it a viable business. we want to be responsive to the younger audience, the foot traffic around a 16th street, and the rivers -- and be responsive to the amenities they're asking for. they get numerous day permits from abc and have never once had a complaint. people are there to see a movie and maybe have a drink.
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it definitely fits within the diverse activities and opportunities within the mission that this is something people who live in the mission could go see a movie, all ages, all groups, and it fits within the purpose of the sud, and i hope you pass this amendment. president olague: is there additional public comment? public, disclosed. commissioner borden: before i talk about the specifics, i agree with staff about their desire to look at the alcohol beverage sud's because it makes a lot of sense. i think it would be great because -- to let the crime and other issues to see how we're doing. when you're talking about expanding it or making new exceptions, the big issue is
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making sure you are not creating a nuisance. with more restaurants, etc., all that's not just impacting mission the adjacent areas. i am actually supportive of this legislation for a couple of different reasons. i have seen the bowling alley, we have lost a number of bowling alleys and another has been threatened with whatever the plans -- i used to go to that bowling alley a lot and they serve alcohol. that's one of the reasons it's always packed. you go on the weekend that you have to wait for a lane if you don't have a reservation. they can be great places for kids. i remember going on saturday mornings at 9:00 and the project sponsors are working with ways that use would be able to use
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the bowling alleys. making sure kids can access the bowling alley and they can also sell alcohol as well. it is a much-needed amenity in general. that kind of entertainment, clean entertainment, a fun thing people can do, going outside their house, it's a great opportunity because -- not that there will be food, but there are a lot of restaurants mostly and for kids, having a bowling alley, having something more aerobic to do in the evenings is really nice. i'm really supportive of that because we don't have enough bowling alleys and this is an opportunity to have a new bowling alley and working with the right partners it will make a lot of sense. in terms of movie theaters, i'm a huge supporter of adding them to the legislation. when i worked at the board of supervisors in the late nineties, this was an issue we worked on -- single screen theaters. i remember working with a bill
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banning with the roxy then, howard year -- working with how we could make a single screen theaters a viable. they ran second run movies and served your and wine. they were enormously popular. people love going to says. the reality we learned about movie theaters was licensing is expensive and can't afford to do first-run movies. you can do some of the more independent films, but even then, the recovery from licensing and what you get in concessions, it's hard to make ends meet. our city would be worse off without single screen theaters. there are not a lot of other theaters in the area that would meet that qualification. i don't feel like opening up the pandora's box and i'm having a hard time thinking of other movie theaters besides the roxy
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and little rock see. i can think of any others and i can see there being an issue in the immediate area with a single screen theater being added. i will support that am of my other commissioners talk and europe have to say. -- talk and listen to what they have to say. commissioner antonini: i don't know if bowling alleys are aerobic but there quintessentially american in nature. i hope we get another bowling alley because they are at risk. bowling is one of those sports that lends itself to having a beer or a cocktail and much like bocce ball or other sports, it will make it more feasible to be successful if we allow them to be alcoholic beverages served. a few weeks ago, there was a rock and ball that was very successful and there was a bar
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that was right next to the bowling alley. that was a great place to go, especially with the music. they have the same kind of thing. you will go to a movie and you feel like having a drink when you're watching. with the competition with netflix and on demand, you will have something to eat or drink while you're watching a movie. sometimes that is a factor on your decision whether to go out or stay at home. i would be fine with adding that. >commissioner moore: the idea is a great idea. i love commissioner borden's input. i would like to ask supervisor kim one question. i do not see your legislation
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including the theater. since it is coming to my attention, is this of the new had discussed already for some time or is this something sprung on in the last minute? supervisor kim: we did not have a report planned for today. our legislation was part of the impetus for this. they had been talking about this for a while. previous legislation coming forward but they have not been in discussion. there is confusion because they are nonprofit and there is an exception for that in the alcohol use district. film is not included as one of the exceptions for nonprofit theater. >> i want to make sure that it does not come across to the public -- this is something that was part of my fluency. it does not look like some
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discussion can piggyback on something else because we did not have anybody come and address the bowling alley. even the owner had 3 sentences and then everything switched into discussing the theater. i want to mention that. you are giving us the background and that makes it a more valid discussion. thank you. supervisor campos: thank you. -- supervisor kim: thank you. vice president miguel: the concept is a good one for san francisco. the idea of finally having a new bowling alley in san francisco, -- is there anyone on the ground for yet?
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a dentist's office. as far as the theaters are concerned, having alcohol beverage service in a movie theater is not at all uncommon in europe and asia. much more common than in the united states. i always worry about how something is to find -- defined, how you define a single screen theater. it could be a monitor sitting someplace, whether it is by number of seats or area, however, i cautioned the definition. bowling alley is easier to define. i think a single screen theater
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all the sudden brings in my mind, maybe i am too devious about it. the fact that someone will try to game the system. in general, i am all for it. commissioner sugaya: i think that comment should be taken into consideration by staff. i think we all know what about -- a bowling alley is although there is some amusement park bowling establishments that were not quite a bowling alley. there was some concern expressed about increasing alcohol. given the exception we are talking about witches for bowling alley and a single screen theater, i do not think the possibility of many additional similar establishments is likely.
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i am happy to support both uses. i think that i see that opportunity for a date coming up with commissioner borden. as a youth, i was in a police athletic bowling league in redwood city and we did a lot of polling on saturday mornings as well. when the new bowling alley opens in the mission, we will make sure we're there together. commissioner fong: i am a supporter of good old-fashioned fun and i do not see an objection to these uses. there was a theater last night where alcohol was served -- we were at a theater last night where alcohol was served. if it is possible to separate out or desirable or not.
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president olague: if you can come up so we can capture it on the mike. >we do not have an ability to separate it. we would have certain screenings that are 21 and over to stop any further mingling of underage drinking. >> "toy story 2," it might shut down the bar. >> i would be happy to make a motion to approve the amendment, as written, with the addition nonprofit single screen theater with some definition about what a movie house is. >> there is one other single screen movie theater within the district, the victoria theatre,
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it is not nonprofit. we can continue to work with the supervisor's office to see whether or not we should fit this additional amendment within the category of nonprofit theaters or if we should extend it to be on nonprofit theaters. >> i will second. >> i wanted to comment on -- the comprehensive planning piece. that was something that came up last week when we were reviewing an application for restaurant. that was requesting a liquor license in this area, the conditional use wanted to extend serving alcohol -- i think it was 1:00 and we shorten that to 11:00 p.m. there might be some thought given later on. the project is not before us now. we might want to look at how we
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might restrict hours when it comes to the service of alcohol when it comes to even whether it is the bowling alley or what not. i think the thing that is interesting is in the mission, there is a lot of changes and we have been improving a lot of projects. sometimes it is project by project approval. there has been his gradual transformation of certain parts of the mission for more neighborhood serving businesses and retail to more of a destination site for certain types of restaurants and the sort of thing. i guess -- it would be good at this time if we could start comprehensively, to really look at how are these changes, these approvals transforming the neighborhood. what areeo