exception of agenda items. agenda items may only be addressed at the time they reached on calendar. each member of theç public may address the commission for up to three minutes, keeping in mind that the entire category has a 15-minute time limit. >> katherine, linda, kim. >> the afternoon, commissioners. catherine, sf ocean edge. happy new year. [speaks foreign language] i want to comment on the clean connectors. i think this is a great idea to connect our open spaces, but i want to reiterate that if we continue to build one, develop, or activate our open spaces,

then these connectors may become our own equivalent of bridges to know where. please keep that in mind when we're talking about this important issue. i wanted to get additional information about the draft eir for the beach chalet soccer fields. át out over 7 acres at the western end of golden gate park and replace it with artificial turf. this is a gravel base of the plastic grass target and other artificial products. the audubon society has environmental equivalent of putting a seven-acre asphalt parking lot in golden gate park. i am going to read a letter today that he might not have seen yet. it was submitted in the comments in the dr yar. it is from a medical editor for theç british medical journal ad the world health organization.

in her letter on the draftç ei, she writes this -- of most concern to me is the lack of peer reviewed scientific and medicalç data on the health and environmental impacts of artificial turf that uses tire chrome infill. the data presented seems to be chosen collectively, rather than representative lee. there's no indication on why these studies were chosen instead of other more recent studies. no indication of the criteria used to select studies for inclusion, and no indication why literature searches were not done to update the references in ñrthe reports. these questions need thorough answers. i ask that, given the dearth of the purpose is scientifically valid and the current data presented in the eir, an unbiased, independent experts, someone without any interest in the project andq knowledge of the site to the

mets did conduct a thorough review and evaluation. [bell rings] this person months -- must declare all potential conflicts of interest before taking up this task. she further asked for peer review journals only to be used. i think this information is very important. i have harer full letter. we support the renovation of speech chalet fields with natural gas and no lights. we want the children to be able to play in golden gate park. commissioner antonini: thank you. >> thank you. >> and linda from knobç hill, d i want enforcement concerning those alcohol use is that we have a problem with. and will read you a little e- mail that came in to a group of people with whom commissioner miguelç mad, an ad hoc group of people from the area seeking enforcement by various city

agencies. we wanted the groupç to know oa radio ad heard in which a bus company invited folks to come on tour to the dive bars near polk street. nice to know we're looked at in such terms. what does that do to real-estate and values in our area? some of the people who came in here about the bar or really taken aback by insensitive comments that they heard from commissioners who they felt basically did not have a clue about what is happening in the neighborhood. i do not feel we have and carry commissioners, but i think we need to at theñr of -- to let yu know what is happening. it was very helpful when commissioner miguel came and met with the property owner whose building you were about from a tenant earlier and from his property manager, and the manager was there. the manager told me he is sending me something, because he does not know if he is going to

live. i think he told you he had had a heart attack and small strokes. he has older tenants in his building who have lived there for years. i brought you copies of this, t(even though it is manthey in case of his death -- even though it is mainly in the case of his death and in capacity. his purpose, he says, is with these withstints and susceptibility to strokes, i never know what direction my health may go in. in case i die, this is my notarize statement in absentia to any of the agencies responsible of invading the bar and street noise nuisance. i wrote a letter about a conditional use application that has come in to regularize one of these, whichç has been in violation for several years. i have not been able to get your enforcement people to do enforcement. i understand there is an

enforcement case against one of the other's right now. i have been told, well, you will have to do the research on the conditional use and of the past german history and all that, and i just not have time. [bell rings] yesterday,ç the gentleman went down and tried to do what he good, and i have tried to do what i can on the computer. he wrote a big file about where i had written about, asking the planner about an active case. he cannot cope with that, and i do not have time. but i will be coming in to talk with the more about enforcement. he is asking for a moratorium on new licenses. [bell rings] i am asking for enforcement. commissioner antonini: thank you. >> good afternoon,

commissioners. tim on behalf of the national housing coalition. i wanted to shareç with you soe data released by the mayor's office of housing on monday, and it is not good news. in fact, it should cause concern to all san franciscans. if i could get the overhead here -- çum, this graph shows the effects of the economic recession and the demise of the redevelopment agency. and it is in pretty stark terms. you can see the red line and in the middle is the redevelopment agency that next year converges on zero as it goes out of business. most sources, the bottom line, is converging on zero. and,ç not good news. this is what we have got coming

for housing. it is pretty stark. here is an even more startling one that shows the effects to the city's funds for affordable housing of the economic recession. if you look at the top one, you can see the affordable housing fund balance. but the one that is really quite unusual, if you look a the bottom one, there is brown, and it actually goes into negative fora couple ofxd years. they're giving fees back for projects that crater. and this is our future. you're probably aware that mayor lee is convening a technical advisory committee on inclusionary housing. they will be meeting at 2:30 at moe. and he has thrown his support behind housing trust fund that will possibly be going to the ballot in november. the housing coalition is strongly interested in turning

these curves around and get them pointing in a different direction. it intends to byrd is the data in these discussions another reason to be here is to remind you that these graphs starkly illustrate the idea of opportunityç costs, and you're going to be looking at the aid to washington project for a very long. and not counting the $10 million net present value that goes to the poor inok fees and payments and not counting the $25 million net present value that goes to the port and infrastructure financing -- [bell rings] it pays $10 million for affordable housing. this contrasts with an alternate version of public plan around with this project is centered which would preserve the parking lot on public land in order to ñrprevent any change to an adjacent private swimming and tennis club. this is a graphic illustration of what it means to have an

opportunity cost. thank you. commissioner antonini: thank you. >> good afternoon. tom, executive director of livable city. i was here last week and spoke about this big change[ to they we do ceqa and ceqa impacts. my emphasis was on the observed by the department of models the generation and they do not take into account the amount of parking or thingsç like a parkg structure. as i said last time, we hope you will go the rest of the way and say, all right, those uses to generate automobile trips and we need to account for that. so that the fees are paid, and that is a principle thatç was w3well-established. there is language in the planning code that is a follow- up to the impact fees in eastern neighborhoods and a better neighborhoods, and the department was instructed to follow up with the study to calculate, what would it look

like and how can the nexus reflect the amount of parking? into reducing vehicle trips have an impact, positively or negatively. we hopei] that will be part of . the other thing i wanted to talk about was the role of the community, community participation in prioritizing transportation improvement. one of the things i understand about this new fee is it would come to a large degree, replace the better neighborhoods impact fees. if they were $10 and the city- wide fee is $7, the!virst $7 would go towards the general pot, and only the additional $3 would go into the neighborhood pots. one of the big understandings that came out ofç eastern neighborhoods and a better neighborhoods is that as a lot of growth is happening in the neighborhood, we should be bringing in the infrastructure, the streetscape, bicycle, pedestrian, and a transit

improvements. and the community should, through advisory committees, have a say in prioritizing some of the projects that come out of that. i would be concerned that if we go to this system, where central residential with the transportation authority, who do not always do a brilliant committee outreach, and taking away a lot of community say about transportation improvements. with the redevelopment going away, and they had a whole other system with cac, and you have probably heard about that with visitation valley, and of the question of community board is a patient and a whioo runs thosei think it is important to understand in the context of this new feet and also an important conversation for the (@áy to have going forward with the demise of redevelopment. how do we keep citizens engaged at a neighborhood scale in

helping prioritize the things that the most important to the livability of these various neighborhoods? thank you. commissioner antonini: thank you. >> patricia -- [unintelligible] the man in this book about 8ç washington, one of the biggest problems we have is every time we get these buildings, they said they will put the money into housing. they do not do it. there are so many buildings that have been built in the last six years that none of the money has ended up in anyone's coffers. and no one has been enforcing it. i think that this is something that should really be looked at, starting with rincon to our. i think we should look at this closely. i think there's a lot oft out there that people do not realize, this has never been collected. i think the city should start doing some losses. that is not with the deal was put rebuild this, you put a certain amount in, and it is not happening. thank you. commissioner antonini: thank

you. >> sue hester, speaking for myself. procedures are breaking down in the planning department. there needs to be a publicly, readily identify, person to everyone can figure out who the person is that is really in charge of the records, really in charge forç complying with file requests, complying with public records act request, complying with e-mail requests. i have a hard time figuring it out, and as a pretty experienced in the planning department. the structure of the planning department, i guess i need to see if the map is buried somewhere on the website. it used to be readily found. i do not know, it might be there. but this is notñr a function tht is given high priority for staff. it should be. someone has to be in compliance. someone has to be in charge of e-mail policy. i have not found that person

yet. i know that the department has gone to electronic records and that if you ask for a case file, you'll get the part of it that is the top of the iceberg. the bottom of the iceberg is e- mails and attachment to e-mails, and they're not in the files. i have been bad in my head against the wall with the senior person in the department for eight months, trying to get a clear policy that's everyone who deals with the department is told, you do not have the record unless you have the e- mails, and you have to have a pass to get them. second issue -- i guess this is my third issue. staff people are extraordinarily uneven and i would say negligent for pulling old plans. every conditional use permit that is for a project has an exhibit be set of plans. those exhibit be set of plans are the project.

it is not just the text, it is the plans. what i have seen as the norm is someone is having an amendment of a case that has a cu on it, the number of people that pull the plans from whenever they call it these days, summer in the east bay, the number of people who pull the plans is maybe 10% to 20%. i know, because i go down to seal the files, and i said, where are the files,ç and they say that i ordered them. you pay money to order files these days. [bell rings] it isç not a decent staff repot unless they check off a box saying they pulled prior year plans. it would be a moment of truth that they had to check that. finally, cta does not do notices for environmental review to the planning list.

i find that to be really unforgivable, that you have not worked out with cta, which is the board of supervisors -- [bell rings] commissioner antonini: thank you. >> thank you. commissionerç antonini: is thee additional general public comment. general public comment is closed. >>ç thank you. you're now on your regular calendar. that begins with item number 14. case number 2010. 0613c, 2055 union street. >> goodç afternoon. elizabeth from the department staff. the project before you is a request for a conditional use authorization to allow the defect removal of the existing single screen movie theater at 2055 union street, known as the metro theater, and to allow the change of use to personal service, doing business as equinox gym, that will exceed

the size. it has been vacant since 2006 when united artist ceased operations at this site. although the project does not include any expansions, it includes extensive interior alterations to allow for the installation of the floors and some exterior alterations, including a new mechanical and elevator penthouse on the roof and some site alterations. it is designated as a city landmark, so the project is subject for review and approval by the historic preservation commission. the hbc granted a certificate on november 16, 2011. it is inc. in the draft before you. the department has received support from four neighborhood organizations, including union street association, cal hollow as a decision, and the marina hollow neighbors and merchants.

the department is not aware of any opposition to the project. the department has determined that the project before you is necessary and desirable and is on balance and consistent with the general plan. the department supports the project because it will enable the adaptive -- the reuse of the vacant landmark building. the project will provide additional benefits to the surrounding neighborhoods by including a community meeting room with in the renovated facility and by making available a 2000 square foot portion of the gym, which includes a permanent movie square. the projectç also meets the additional criteria established for the removal of single screen theaters, since the use was not economically viable. for these reasons under the additional findings in your package, the department recognized that you improve -- approve the project with conditions. this is my presentation. i am available for comment.

thank you. commissioner antonini: thank you. project sponsor. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i appreciate you being here to consider this conditional use application. i have very little took add -- y name is charles kahn, project architect. i have very little to add to the summary, except to say that she has done an outstanding job of communicating with us on critical details. very efficient and fast and in an average head of way. fantastic. double that -- in an authoritative way. fantastic. there is something i wanted to add which has to do with the çstructural character of the existing building. the material we presented is a structural analysis of the building that was performed.

it is in his professional opinion and mind that this early 20th century concrete semi- reinforced building, notç only does not meet canterbury seismic codes, it is at risk of collapse unless substantial çseismic modifications are mad. your endorsement of this conditional use and the use as a fitness facility requires as by law to upgrade this building fully seismically, because of the change of use. the irony of this situation is were we not going forward with this, there wouldç not be an obligation, although it would be a moral responsibility. unfortunately, without the adaptive reuse, there would not be the financial means for making that change. so this gives us the ability -- the requirement and the

financial means for seeing that this historic landmark in the city is preserved throughout our lifetimes and into the future. the floors are provided as part of the program for equinox gym and serve to brace the outer walls which are currently unbraced and one of the weaker components of the building and a central part of this structure of retrofit. elizabeth mentioned some of the community amenities we provided. we worked closely with the community groups. i would like to add that theç c voted unanimously in support of the project at hearings just last fall. we will be revealing for the first time in 70 years some wonderful columns that have been concealed by a curtain from their original theater that are quite wonderful. we will be restoring those columns as part of the community

general-purpose room, which will be is for community meetings of 89 --ç 18 times a year. i want to thank john cline from equinox gym for being here. and also for giving 470 square feet of the building for a dedicated community meeting room, with access to the adjacentç alessa. that will be available 24/7 to the community. i am here, as is our project leader. if you have any questions of an architectural nature. and john klineç is here from equinox gym. thank you very much. commissioner antonini: thank you. a few cards on public comment. lesley, michael, felder. >> good afternoon, president

miguel, members of the commission, mr. avery. çthose with the executive director of the union street association. i am very excited thisç afternoon. i am really, really excited. this is at( wonderful adaptive reuse for the sixth -- for this historic building. we have had some economic difficulties in our neighborhood, but this is going to turn things around. we know it. the merchants are extremely excited we are thrilled to think this is going to happen. this is a gift to our neighborhood. the project's sponsors, the equinox gym people, there's so kind. this is just fabulous. on behalf of the merchants and the members of the association, i urge you to lodi and approval of the conditional use. and thank you very much. we're looking forward to having the groundbreaking soon, hopefully. thank you. commissioner antonini: thank

you. >> good afternoon. michael williams, a longtime cal hollow resident. i did the original consensus planning for the of reach on the metro. we presented to you a report showing 20 interviews with 200 merchants and business owners. we had hundreds of business others signing on for approval. we kept in touch wkt merchants along the way. and with all the changes, we have verbally done it. we still have universal support throughout the year ahead for this project. i think it shows the consensus development is a very important component in the additional use process. and it stands for a very long time. i urge you to approve this project on behalf of the

merchant community.>> thank you. >> good afternoon. i am from the san francisco neighborhood theater foundation. i am here to express that we have spent quite a bit of time on this project over the years, working with the project sponsor to develop a compromise, and we believe that there are times when compromise is important and in these kinds of situations. there is meaningfulç preservatn happening as part of this project, and we're certainly looking forward to an active use returning to the site and pleased that the historic use this, at some level, going to still be part of the plan for this building. beyond that, i do want to say that i think the conditional use process has been a useful one. i think there are important

preservation components to this project, and there is a diversity in terms of its program that probably would not have existed were not for the process. so i want to make note of that. qjust to express our interested in this active use being restored to the building. thank you. commissioner miguel:ç thank yo. >> good afternoon. i am a resident of cal hollow, have been for the past six years. i am speaking in favor this çproject, and as a resident of the committee. i am familiar with equinox gym because i lived in new york city for a couple of years in the early part of the last decade. they took over in a theater facility there and renovated it around the greenwich village area. the foot traffic and vibrancy and kick energy that that

building an organization brought to that neighborhood was phenomenal and fantastic. what we found out that equinox was trying to come into our neighborhood, we could not have been more thrilled. for thoseçó of the debtor not familiar with the way they are displayed in the committee, they held a site go for survival cancer marathon last weekend in their high industry facility, with which i participated in. ñrit was fantastic to be a partf that and see that happen in san francisco. please accept my enthusiastic support for this product, and i hope you will approve equinox coming to union street. çthank you. >> patricia, neighbors and the merchants. i cannot speak for golden gate valley because i have not heard

back. but every association, merchants and neighborhood associations, supported this project. particularly in the moving component, and it should stay in. we think elizabeth and david for putting it back in as a condition. we have been working with the people from ucla to rehab old movies. we have been working with independent people to eventually come in and make this a real neighborhood situation with equinox and the others. i'd like to invite mr. kline to çmeet with me and several othes on one of his trips here so we can make everything work. thank you. a vote in favor of it, please. the small businesses and desperately needed. commissioner miguel: is there any additional public comment on this item? public comment is closed. commissioner sugaya: