building standards. it is also very much a part of what that are -- what our public realm is looking at. it is also what our community is concerned about. because the neighborhood is really a stage in itself. it is where the community expresses itself. we have performances. we have people gathering to meet, saying hello to one another, and we have huge festivals like the cherry blossom festival. it is really our face to the world. so as we work with the planning staff, we're very pleased to have the sensitivity and a broad range of resources. one major component that is coming along that is somewhat out of our control is the transportation plan. because we're tied to the geary brt, and a kind of move at their own pace.

we're trying to keep an active voice and our transportation subcommittee is working with them on making sure that landscaping and other development is sensitive to the neighborhood. so at this point, i would like to turn over the podium to bob to discuss our cultural heritage and economic development work. >> thank you. commissioners and director, good afternoon. i am a member of the organizing committee and co-chair of the committee of economic development in the japan center subcommittee. i am here to brief you on a couple of elements, the cultural heritage and community ownership aspects. but first, a couple of general comments. first, i want to recognize the other committee chairs that have

worked on it on the other chapters. in the transportation public realm area, greg johnson, diane onizuka, paul, and rose. in the land use build forum, you already met karen, and her sidekick is not here today, could not make it. the committee heritage, paul, in, and brian, who is filling in for paul, who is on medical leave. number two, paul mentioned it earlier, but i want to echo this. thank you to the friends of city planning for the grant. the reviews and ratings by the

attendees clearly show that it was a very beneficial, particularly well-received and productive. also, you know, we know that japantown is a very desirable and active real-estate market. we know there will be change. and we know that this plan is important to the community that wants to continue to have a voice in that change. i am confident we can synthesize the community's views and unite the community to get this done. over the last four years, -- two years, although the draft plan has been substantially revised -- it feels like four years, excuse me. the original four overarching goal setter in your memo did get confirmed, and there was a unifying theme that the goal of the planning effort is to ensure japantown remains a vital, and prosperous, livable community that authentically reflects and

embodies in continues our cultural heritage and history into the future. the culture heritage of the community is at the heart of all of these goals. it was said early on that this was not about saving buildings, but it was about what happened in those buildings. it was also said that our goal is not to create a disneyland. it was clear from the beginning that the cultural heritage theme runs through every aspect of this plan. be it economic development, built form, and/or transportation public realm. our cultural heritage subcommittee, with consultants including sf heritage and donna, have completed an inventory of social heritage resources that may japantown what it is and how to sustain its cultural character. the inventory includes activities like festivals and exhibits, culturally relevant

businesses, and historic sites. the recommendation is to expand the boundaries of the plan as it relates to this particular inventory. the inventory is a living document that will be continually enhance and added to. it is intended to be the tool for protecting and demoralizing the resources in japantown. the said committee reached a consensus to explore the planning code changes that would trigger a special review for certain projects that threaten cultural heritage resources in japantown. the proposed code changes could take the form of amendments to the existing special use districts or a new cultural heritage special use district. protected resources under the proposed code changes would include buildings uses and events listed on the inventory. the inventory list will eventually include current and past resources. the committee identified

potential conflicts with other land use committee recommendations, specifically the potential replacement of the existing sud with a new ncd and discuss ways to cross reference any new ncd with an amended or new special use district. the sud founder does not necessarily correlate with the location of resources listed on the inventory, so there for a change in the boundary as it relates to this inventory will be needed. finally, the subcommittee discussed the idea of a proposed community board, which would be an advisory to the planning commission. this subcommittee will continue to refine its inventory and resources and work with staff to integrate these social heritage district concept. guidance is needed from the staff on the best way to implement these as soon as possible, even if it means amending the existing sud until i social heritage district can be formed.

as to ownership, the draft plan included a recommendation -- paul mention this, it included a recommendation that the committee consider community land trust to own property in the area. as a part of our recent outrage, we asked the community how they felt about the idea of community ownership, and it was very clear that the committee felt very strongly that the ownership was important to sustain the cultural character of the neighborhood. as mentioned, we received funding from the ford foundation, and funding it spearheaded by supervisor mirkarimi that provided the ability to have consultants educate as in the formation of a community land trust. the draft plan did not look at the option of renovating the malls without closing the

garage. the closing at the garage is clearly problematic, not only from the standpoint of the revenues and replacing the current -- and is placing of the current tenants, but also how would threaten the existing businesses throughout japantown. obviously, you close the garages, that is a problem. the consultants engaged in looking at options that would enhance the malls for the closing the malls a or garage malls clt committee was formed that included mall tenants, stakeholders, property owners, and subject matter experts to study this concept. over seven months, and concluded that the committee should move forward to form a clt. a mall developer volunteered to do a walk through an neda enhancement recommendations. the priority target properties included the mall, another buchanan mall properties, and other cultural and historic

properties. the concept is leading edge, as was mentioned. owning commercial property presents challenges that will have to be addressed. among those are, number one, there has never been a clt established for owning commercial property. they have only been used for building affordable housing, which has a charitable and educational purpose. to make this concept financially feasible, the entity will need to qualify and protect exempt status. such status is critical to attracting large corporate donations and public financing. number two, through the investment, the current owners of the mall say their properties are not for sale and did not participate in the study. number 3, raising estimated equity of $5 million to $7 million in the community whose organizations are already financially stressed and financing of a commercial condominium on their ownership

over a city-owned garage is difficult alone in good times, let alone in the present fragile economy. needless to say, we have our challenges, but that is all right. so what is next? we did not intend this model to be only used for buying a mall property. we see that it may be a value in smaller properties, like those on post street or buchanan mall, or acquiring or refurbishing historic properties and enhancing utilization and community activities in business. therefore, we intend to continue forward to obtain a legal opinion as to the 501cr status, a tax-exempt status, and continue with the recommendation. in conclusion, on behalf of the entire japantown community, i want to extend my appreciation for your continued support and guidance, and we look forward to working with you to completing

this planning process as soon as possible. i will now turn it back to paul, who will kind of give you the next steps. >> the next steps -- it is very clear that the plan needs to be significantly redone. i am is suggesting, and after conversations with the director and commissioner sugaya yesterday, some of these ideas we have discussed with you today and some of the things that karen mentioned that she thought were in your packet are not in your packet, so do not go looking for them. they could be at a later point in time, and i have copies of them here if we want to talk about that. but we need to sort of

repackaged this into a new plan document. japantown has worked very, very hard since 2006, and i believe that the community deserves our best policy effort, as well as our best implementation of recommendation. ones that are in accord with their goals, city-wide goals, as well. i think that to do that, it will take continued work by the organizing committee. it is very clear that they have identified a very broad brush and outline of what they want, and i have used this terminology recently with you, but now we really have to get into the nuts and bolts of how we accomplish what it is that they want. so i believe that a recall -- a repackaged plan -- we're also the beneficiaries again this year $25,000 of add-back

funding. we have to read engage stifel consulting again to do some major things that would provide some of the legal opinions that were referred to as it relates to the clt. also to draft a thorough background document that would build on their original context statement and other historical resources to justify the creation of a social heritage district. so i am working on that scope of work and that contract currently, and i hope to have that done in fairly short order and maybe even begin work on those elements before the end of the year. we recently had a group of planners from vancouver come in, and they shared with me there japantown planning ideas. the first document they pull that was exactly the document that i am is seeking, which identifies the resources, i did was the justification for why

these resources need some element of protection or incentives to protect them in their district. it was fabulous to sort of see that was not totally thinking outside the box, that other planners elsewhere in north america were thinking along the same lines. so we need to keep working on the design standards. we need to keep working on the ncd modifications so we get those as right as we possibly can. we need to continue working with the city family working group on this ownership idea. then we need to pull this all together into a brand new document. we will have to go through an environmental review process for that document, as we do with all of our documents. we're not quite sure what level of environmental analysis that this will take, but according to the timeline that i have put into your packet, the possibility of creating this document that would be the basis for project description for the environmental evaluation could conceivably be done before the

end of this fiscal year, and we could begin the environmental review with next year's budgetary cycle and possibly be back to you before the end of calendar year 2012 with the document and environmental documentation. at that time, i am certain that we would have these various implementing pieces that i have talked about, design standards and social heritage districts, very good shape and possibly ready for legislative action. with that being said, i also want to extend my thanks to director ram who has been very helpful. and jose campos has been enthusiastically supporting what we're doing, and both have been helpful in securing necessary amounts of staff support to for this effort. with that, i would like to conclude my remarks. and if you would like any

further detail, i am certainly here for questions, and i would imagine public comment will be next. >> thank you. public comment. >> good afternoon. i am a japanese-american religious federation representative to the committee. it is not too often that i could come here and support something that planning is doing. but today, i am here to support their efforts. i would like to thank the commission for allowing us to review this, and also to the director for his cooperation and support. and also for assigning paul lord

as a planner. use a good fit. preside -- surprisingly, i agree with him on half the things. [laughs] maybe 75%. he has been an asset and a good source person. with that, i will thank all of you peter i am co-chair of the japan center and economic development committee. and i'd volunteer for that. because i felt the center was crucial for the future of japantown. as you know, san francisco is only one of three in the whole country. if the center in the garage were closed for any length of time, like three to five years, then san francisco's japantown would just be a shadow of itself and would probably become like the seattle international town. the original plan, i believe you

saw, the japan center as an opportunity site. unfortunately for us, it was far from being an opportunity site for development. at least there is the opportunity to strengthen japantown for the future generations. one thing to add, coming to the planning commission and going to other meetings, i want to thank you, because the infrastructure financed district popped up, and perhaps that is something you can also consider. thank you very much. >> if you heard your name, come up to the microphone. >> good afternoon, commissioners. as you briefly heard earlier from pual lor -- paul lord, i

have been interning. it has been a very rewarding experience working experiencepaul japantown and with community. i am representing japantown on behalf of a progressive group of young leaders. our group focuses on japantown- related issues, such as youth and young adult development. organizing local events and promotingcommunity. we have also been involved in a better neighborhood process, with an 18-page, simplified version of the plan. the organizing committee has been kind enough to let us understand their changes to the plan. and let us bring our own voices into the process. here are some ideas that we would like to see integrated in the future development.

we'll let a new, clean, modern look. many of the buildings are old and in need of being fixed. the preservation of authentic local business and the cultural identity of the neighborhood. to provide authentic service, we recommend the involvement of local business and those from japan. if the current local businesses are unable or unwilling to sustain their activity, we encourage the recruitment of japanese nationals to maintain the authenticity of the neighborhood. and number three is a multi- purpose facility. a small library with japanese

writing and an internet cafe and a performing arts center. and the ninja-warrior style gymnasium. in regards to the potential high-rise development and increased density, we would like to keep japan town defended against gentrification. we know that there may be gentrification but if this becomes the case would like to have adequate and affordable housing available to the residence. thank you. >> and you said you had a 18- page report somewhere? >> i will get this to you in a little bit. >> i would like to see that, thank you. >> commissioners, i am -- i was

wanting to say a few words, since i where several hats representing japan town. i am the co-chair of the cultural heritage committee, and part of the citizens planning effort. if so a business person who has a business located on buchanan mall, and an active member of the japanese-american historical society, with a mission to restore the community. i have experienced as a neighbor the platter, and worked as an urban design consultant, in the bay area for many years. in planning for japan town, it

is important to keep the main focus on sustaining the social heritage legacy. this was a point of the ford foundation grant for sustaining one of the oldest urban ethnic neighborhoods. this is undergoing the stress of physical and social transformation. with the strategic plan for this challenge is a difficult and daunting task. over a hundred years of neighborhood history has many layers of real and symbolic meaning that has been transposed over four generations of participating community members. before i put down the word, committee members, for many years the people living in japan

town were not allowed to be citizens. and it is a serious effort of preservation that requires this partnership that we have spoken about this morning. identifying with great sensitivity, the social significance and to memorialize and monitor the activities -- >> you have at least 30 seconds. >> to monitor the activity and it will be difficult and not an easy path to sort out these techniques, to sustain and investigate the future economic developments.

>> diane is up. and robert. >> respected members of the planning commission, thank you for this time. i am part of the japanese community and and i have lived in san francisco although i currently do not live here. if so the co-chair of the transportation organizing community, but an active member of the fillmore neighborhood. i have been coming to san francisco japan town ever since my father brought me here years ago, driving from the central valley. and i also brought my son

during weekly visits during his formative years. there is no other location that provides quite the services that sustain this community, that have such far reaching extensions of community. i cannot thank him enough for bringing the community to this level of understanding of the planning efforts and some of the complexities and the understandings of the terms. there is still some major work for us to do, and i appreciate this time that we have been given, to further sustain itself, as we embrace the major goals of the city, in a balanced way. i ask that you review the location for the overall picture and the uniqueness of

san francisco and what this neighborhood can offer in regards to tourism, and other features, in san francisco. one major contribution that the community can make, as was mentioned previously, is the environmental sustainability element within the public realm. we are further defining the japanese public realm area, in particular, the vision, and i am confident that you'll be pleased with the outcome. one area we will need more assistance and is for deeper community involvement and awareness. the japanese community is known to be very passive. and although the traditional efforts of our reach -- more

labour-intensive work is needed and we do not want this planning effort to be just a few who have been actively involved. thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am a member of the japan town organizing committee and one of the active members of the land use committee. as you have heard from everyone who has spoken so far, the planning for the future of japan town is a very challenging task, challenging communities throughout the nation where we are facing the homogenization pressures of the time and this is uniquely challenging for san francisco, because of our

history. this largely consists of government action, at the state and local level in the last century. the denial of citizenship to the east bay immigrants, which denied them a political place. an alien land law, presenting -- preventing them from owning property and the interment of the entire japanese community and communities up and down the west coast and the redevelopment where entire blocks of a thriving community were bulldozed from the japan town and fell more communities. this current planning effort -- is this city a unique responsibility