already looks to be fairly well covered. you are looking to go west, north, and south, more or less. >> we do have a site on tunnel road, just for the record. commissioner sugaya: since there has already been approved development plans through the redevelopment agency for right across the bay shore boulevard, would at&t ever consider this to be an interim site pending new development across the way which might, to which you might locate this particular antenna facility? >> i think we could definitely look at that. we are in the process of

upgrading a lot of our facilities and we could definitely look at it if it becomes available if redevelopment would be able to least to us and it meets the radio frequency requirements in that area. >> i don't know when the development will start. given the economy, it will be a number of years away, i suspect. given that it is new development, there might be an opportunity and that might make the rest of the community happy. although i warn you that development is highly residential. maybe if it is there, you might have a different reaction. in any case, if you could keep that in mind. >> yes. commissioner antonini: i have a few questions and the translator might want to translate the answers for the benefit of the

public. i want to ask about recology. that would be a redundancy and would not work. >> i want to correct what i said. it is half a mile away and we already have a site. want to put it appear so you can see it. that is the top of a tunnel road. there is a sight there already. >> the important part is, maybe dead translator could -- the site is not close enough to cover the area that has the need. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> one of the things i think is worth translating is there will be no loss of parking. is that what we are hearing? commissioner antonini: i had some other comments that do not need to be translated. there is a huge gap, as we can see on the maps. as we have been hearing all along, with the huge increase in demand, we need more sites and we need sides closer to the area, say you have to take what you can get.

i guess there are no sites above preference 5 on what he you evaluated. i see no aesthetic impact, which is not one of the things that was brought up, but that is sometimes a consideration. just a couple of general comments here. some commentators came up and one gentleman made a comment about who owns the land, which is irrelevant to this discussion. there was also a comment about some of the commissioners are not being here. we are often here at 10 hours at a time and we do not have breaks for eating. we go out and watch it on the television in the back. those who were not here were hearing the discussion and in no way was meant to be disrespectful. we is have to eat like everyone else everyone's awhile. this may be worthy of translation. forever -- for whoever is in charge or perhaps each of these individuals came on their own,

we have federal laws we have to follow. in terms of rf transmission and in terms of non-discrimination. if the emissions are below the standards, it is allowed -- we cannot disapprove a project based upon the emissions and we cannot discriminate from one carrier to another. people have to understand this concept because it might keep us from having to go over it so many times. can you put that briefly in -- >> [speaking foreign-language]

commissioner antonini: my only final comments -- you have to analyze that might be necessary in an area like visitation valley to have a spanish- speaking translator. perhaps a vietnamese speaking translators. i am not saying you can always do that, but perhaps some kind of middle ground where you have someone who can at least direct the people to someone who could answer their questions or have printed materials in different language. that would be helpful. it is an idea that might help. >>president olague: many people

were raising health concerns. is itdph that does the readings after a day are installed? if someone could translate that for them, they might already be aware of that, but i don't know. >> we are required to test the site after we get it up and running and every two years thereafter. those reports go into the department of public health. we will test facilities of people are concerned they're getting our radio emissions at a higher level than what is on a report, just to know what the level was in their own unit. we can come out and do that as well. i do want to remind people the emissions that, off of a

cellular antenna, the least amount of emissions are going down to the ground, out to the horizon. if they are living below so it might be worth noting, maybe not. but we're offering to test anybody who would like to test. [speaking foreign language]

president olague: commissioner ãthe number of people who testified that said they had no problems with their cell phone coverage. [speaking foreign language] commissioner sugaya: one of the reason that various comes are building new antennas is not so much for voice, but for data. [interpreter speaking foreign language]

commissioner sugaya: and i think -- doesn't at&t have their -- what do you guys call that? not quite l.t.e., but hspa-plus? >> our high-speed internet? commissioner sugaya: yes. is it running in san francisco? >> we are moving forward with our plans to deploy that. yes, we are. commissioner sugaya: but l.t.e. is a little further away. >> that's right. different technology. commissioner sugaya: correct. but i'm just observing that the demand for at&t's interim high speed is going to go up even faster, because the new iphone 4-s will accommodate that frequency, but it will not

accommodate the verizon l.t.e. system, to there's a lull windfall here for at&t in the interim period. so you may want to build some more antennas, not here, but somewhere else. [laughter] my neighborhood. >> thank you. >> commissioners, there's a motion and a second to approve as proposed, with conditions. [roll taken] >> so moved, commissioners. that motion passes unanimously. we are now on item 15, case number 2008.1395 x at 15th street, request for large project authorization. president olague: just so the public knows, we will be hearing the broderick street

item next, so we will be taking it out of order. we're hearing this one now, though. >> good afternoon, president olague and members of the commission. i'm kimberly from the planning department staff. you have before you a request for large project authorization with exceptions, pursuant to planning codes 329. the subject property is located on the southwest corner of south van ness avenue and 15th street in the urban mixed-use zoning district. and a height district. the proposed project would replace a vacant lot, formerly a gas station, with a mixed-use building consisting of 40 residential units, five ground-floor commercial units,

and would provide 39 off-street parking spaces at the basement level, with access to the garage on 15th street. pursuant to planning section 329, the planning request large project authorization with only two exceptions, one for rear yard and two for exposure. on january 27, 2011, the planning department issued a community plan exemption certificate, as the project is consistent with the adopted zoning controls in the eastern neighborhood area plan and was encompassed within the analysis contained in the eastern neighborhood's final e.i.r. previous history, it was before the planning commission in 2008 for a car wash at this location and was disapproved by the

planning commission at that time. . it was found to be inconsistent with the area mission plan and the commission recommended that due to the project site and close proximity to the 16th street bart station, a missioned-use project offering both commercial and residential uses would be strongly encouraged at this location. that is the project that is before you now is a mixed-use project. the historic preservation commgs reviewed the proposed project in january of 2010 and concluded that the project would not have a significant effect on the adjacent potential historic resource of 1531 15th street. this project was originally scheduled to be heard on july

14. commissioners received a draft motion, with findings from the 2004 residential element. since then the 2009 residential element is applicable, and i have some revised findings for you to replace that. on july 14, the project was continued to september 22, which was also subsequently continued to today. part of the reason the project was originally continued was so the project sponsor could continue to work with the department and the neighbors in terms of the design and other issues that we had regarding the location of the garage, etc. since then, the following

modifications have been made -- the revised drawings show an addition of a light well matching the property at 15th street to the west, beginning at the first floor of occupancy. windows were also added to the eastern facade. residential and garage entries were further defined on the north facade and closest to the residential building on 15th street was reduced through the introduction of a setback. issues and considerations are the project sponsor held two separate meetings, one on july 6, the other on august 24. a third meeting was held at the request of supervisor kim's office on september 28. planning department staff attended the latter two meetings. the main concerns expressed by the members of the public is

the location of the ingress and egress on 15th street due to the proximity to the marshall elementary school, which is located west at capp and 15th. they are seeking to have the garage entrance located on two south van ness avenue, citing concerns that automobiles crossing the sidewalk on a street that has been identified as a safe route to school street. the department would like to note that both van ness and 16th street are designated recommended walking routes and that traffic-calming bulb-outs have been constructed. further traffic-calming measures are proposed in the area with the m.t.a. there is a home zone project for the region.

m.t.a. has also recently i will plemented a 15-mile-per-hour school zone and they provide three crossing guards on dutey -- duty before and after school. therefore, the department is not recommending the change to the egress or ingress on south van ness because the general plan does not support curb cuts along major arterial streets, and south van ness is designated one. furthermore, the department recommends continuing commercial ground-floor uses along south van ness. therefore, the department recommends approval of the project, and the basis for this recommendation is that the project sponsor has amended the project to match the light well, to better relate the design to the adjacent property . traffic-calming measures are currently underway by m.t.a.

the site is underutilized currently and it is also close to transit to downtown. it is an opportunity site which currently, as a vacant automobile service station, significantly degrades the existing environment. and this development would be an improvement. this area was recently rezoned from c.m. to the urban mixed use, offering a higher ratio of family and affordable housing, which this project meets the goals. 60% of the units are two-bedroom units, which is 50% greater than the minimum required. 18% are affordable units. the ground floor character of the building is active and commercially oriented along

south van ness avenue. curb cuts are minimized to one parking access point for the entire project. and the project exceeds the minimum open-space requirement. thank you very much. that is my presentation. and i am available if you have questions. president olague: thank you. project sponsor? >> good afternoon, president olague and commissioners. dade silverman on behalf of the sponsor. -- david silverman on behalf of the sponsor. as kimberly mentioned we were before you on april 10, 2008, with a proposal to construct a car wash at this site. many of the current planning commissioners were in attendance for that 2008 hearing and may recall it. at that time the commission rejected the car wash and requested that the sponsor

return with a residential project for that site. the site has been vacant for more than seven years and is now under a new ownership. the project is 40 units and has been well received in the neighborhood. it offers numerous significant benefits for the city, including more than 50 construction jobs, over $900,000 in eastern neighborhood fees for the mayor's office of housing and m.t.a., and most importantly, 18% v.m.r.'s, which are all being provided on site. that's seven affordable units for the city. the project is focused on family units and will include 60% two-bedroom units, which is 24 two-bedroom units. the sponsors held a number of neighborhood outreach meetings, and you'll find included in your pact multiple letters of support as well as 63 supporters on petitions requesting your approval of

this project. just this morning i was -- excuse me -- i was happy to receive an additional endorsement from the housing action coalition, from tim, and we thank him for that. the project is in the u.m.u. district, urban mixed use, where residential is principally permitted and is encouraged. at a community meeting held on marshall elementary on capp street recently, a number of the p.t.a. members raised a concern about speeding traffic on 15th street. even though the school entrance is on capp street, they were concerned about children walking to school. some of them -- many of them suggested that the entrance and exit should be moved around the corner to south van ness. we want to be certain that the parents' concerns are addressed

and, therefore, support them in their request to move the entrance to south van ness. the residential units proposed to be built will contribute to more pedestrianses in the neighborhood and increase street light, which hopefully will contribute to making the neighborhood a safer place. i'd like to take this opportunity to thank the planning staff, the marshall elementary p.t.a., and in particular, demetri ya page and others who worked with us develop the project for the benefit of the neighborhoods and the school. i'd like to now turn it over to the project architect. thank you. >> i'm the architect, and

although the project has been pretty well described, i'd like to show some pictures, just to amplify some of the things that have been spoken about. does this one work? ok. basically you can see the site marked out on the corner of south van ness and 15th, and an aerial view of the location and a view of the site as it looks at present. the context of this project is one of great diversity of architectural styles. and i think the characteristic of this neighborhood is really a result of this diversity. and a range of eras and scales and types of building that really are representative of the fabric of this transitional part of the city.

in terms of the mapping strategy, because there isn't a prevalent rail yard situation adjacent to our building, we decided to think about the rail yard in a different type of way, where we allocated it around the building, instead of in a single block. and through that, we gain a series of benefits that i'll explain to you. but you see here the allocation of this rail yard throughout the project. this is the allowable mass that would be possible to build. president olague: we can go to the -- you could probably use another five. is that ok? >> that would be great. president olague: is that sufficient? >> i'll be as quick as possible. president olague: no, that's fine, we'll put another five minutes on the clock. >> there you see the insertion of these rear yards, which

start to then cut up the mass into a series of elements that are scaled to the existing fabric. and here you see the building in its context, and this repetition of these scaled elements and the sort of blending of the two scales at this moment of the intersection, where we've cut back in working with the department, the facade of that fragment of the building. and our strategy at the street level is to take the sort of existing girth that you see outlined in red, and to maximize it by making storefronts which continues into these courtyards, so we can increase the sort of active edge of this building in this pedestrians area to really add a whole new set of possibilities to the existing

sidewalks through these courtyards. so here you see the existing sidewalk, and then the condition -- and here you see an interest in also expanding the sidewalk in the other direction with this park lift, which also helps to calm the traffic on 15th, which is a condition that we need to talk a little more about. so this is the sort of interaction of these tsunami public courtyards, which will be fenced off and protected, but also open and part of the streetscape. the courtyards we intend to treat with landscapes, and these are some of the elements, grasscrete and green material so they become the tree line

sort of character of that street. at the residential scale, these courtyards are also beneficial tests, because considering the prominence of two-bedroom units and the attempt to give good light conditions to all of the bedrooms, we found that using this massing strategy makes it possible. so these courtyards allow light to go deep into the plan and actually give every bedroom its own protected win do in this recessed zone of the building. this is the lightwell, which responds to the adjacent building that kimberly mentioned, and our rooftop, which is basically our common area and a landscaped public space that will be open for all the residents of the building. so the main kind of issue that i wanted to describe are these two possibilities. option a, the entry to the

parking off south van ness, and option b, the entry to the parking off 15th street. and we've, plord both of them. and both of them work in terms of the broad sort of conditions of the project. but i think there's some issues at a neighborhood and city scale that we need help determining the right direction on. so in terms of the garage on south van ness, the result is basically that most of our commercial space then gets pushed around the corner on to 15th street. next to the garage we want to potentially have the lobby in, and those two things go together and consume a lot of the frontage on van ness -- on south van ness, and then most of our commercial is a