comment is closed. supervisor chiu? supervisor chiu: a couple quick comments. i want to thank the members of the public who commented on this. we have been reaching out to different departments. the more we do that, it can only be helpful. i had a conversation with the head of the rba dimension there were concerns about whether we were impacting the rain water retention mandate, and i want to make clear impacts all programs differently about the subject of water recycling. i think it points to the fact that continued education is a good thing. colleagues, i would ask that we move this item out of committee with recommendation, but move it to the first meeting in september, just in case there are any questions or concerns so

we can continue to get feedback. i would like to include a very technical amendment to one of the purposes and findings to state what we were doing is helping to establish a regulatory structure that will provide a streamlined project approval process for developers who want to design and operate and maintain water source systems. colleagues, with a technical amendment, if we could pass that out until the first week of september. i would appreciate that. supervisor mar: colleagues, can i -- can we move up for were without objection? i would like to be added as a co-sponsored. what great legislation. thank you, supervisor chiu. please call items three and four together. >> item 3 -- ordinance amending

the san francisco plant code and zoning map to reflect the chinese hospitals special use district. item four -- or this amending the san francisco general palin -- general plan policy. supervisor mar: my understanding is that supervisor olague could not be hshe is not feeling well. so, on items three and four, supervisor chiu? supervisor chiu: colleagues, as i think you know, the chinese hospital was first built in my district in chinatown and 899. then in 1925 -- in 1899. been since 1925, it has provided quality health care to the residents of chinatown. this is a hospital bed as a

community-owned non-profit. -- this is a hospital that is a community owned non-profit. given the needed to mature at the health care of our future patients, the chinese hospital is planning to build an eight- story hospital that would help the quality and safety for patience while creating a safe and accessible work environment for staff. this effort will help ensure the continued contributions and viability of the system. there is the addition of a 22- bed skilled nursing facility to transfer patients from acute- care settings to their home. improved medical care services. and of course, future employment opportunities. with that, i would like to invite the planning department to make a brief presentation and

move forward from there. >> good afternoon, supervisors. i would like to thank supervisor chiu for his introduction. the proposed general plan amendment will amend the general -- the china hospital plan regarding the height and bulk of the new hospital. also before you, a plan to create the special used district. the new special use district will make amendments to the planning code to accommodate the bulk of the new building. it also bring the outpatient center closer into compliance with the planning code. almost all hospital buildings

require some special consideration for bulk. the proposed zoning amendments will allow hospital medical center use in excess of 35 feet tall. the general plan and planning code amendments are recommended unanimously. i would be happy to answer any questions. supervisor chiu: let me ask if the leadership of chinese hospital -- if anyone would like to speak on behalf of the hospital. >> thank you.

>> i am the chief operating officer at chinese hospital. i also have documents for you as

well. good afternoon, supervisors. i would like to thank the planning department staff in particular. as supervisor chiu mentioned, chinese hospital is a community- owned nonprofit organization that has provided this service for the community for 100 years. was started in 1899. members of the community were denied access to other san francisco hospitals and health care services at the time. chinese hospital is the last

intended a hospital in san francisco. chinese hospital is truly a community hospital. approximately 45% of our patients come from chinatown. 97% are of the asian ancestry, and most are linguistically isolated and we provide the services we can provide with our bilingual staff. over 90% of our patients are fluent in cantonese. over 90% of our patients are 60 years old or older. the chinatown community also takes full advantage of the area inside and outside of our building as a community gathering place or just arrest but for the wall up the hill -- just a respite for the walk up

the hill. during the loma prieta earthquake, many residents saw safety in the hospital just because they felt safe there. maundered standards -- modern standards of care. you can see from this image. our current three-bed room meets the current requirements and standards for a single patient room. the seismic reading of the building is such that it may not be able to withstand an earthquake such as that that northridge experienced in 1994. it will be a state of the art

hospital that will provide the standard for modern health care practices. it maintains our current 54 acute-care beds, which will be predominantly private and fully handicapped accessible. it provides space for new and evolving procedures and equipment. it means the highest category for seismic safety, allowing it to function during a major earthquake. is a modern hospital that preserves our history and commu. it also includes the 22 new skilled nursing bed facility to provide the transition for our elderly patients. we have received numerous letters of support from agencies in san francisco, as well as over 2000 cards signed by our community. i was tempted to ask all of them to come here today and speak in

support of our project. instead, i have asked them to step forward and plan on our behalf. i hope you can agree -- and i respectfully ask for your recommendations to the general plan -- i will be happy to answer any questions. no? ok. supervisor mar: thank you. so, seeing no other questions, let's open this up for public comment. i see a few cards. we are again limiting it to two minutes per person. supervisor chiu: i only have two cards. if anyone else would like to speak in public comment, you can line up on the left and that would be great. >> good afternoon. supervisor chiu: if you could

speak into the microphone? perfect. >> good afternoon, supervisors. i am the director of human resources at chinese hospital. i have worked a chinese hospital for over 40 years in a variety of positions. chinese hospital is like my family. it is important to us as employees. the dedication to chinese hospital and the community as a whole stands up -- stands out. i have brought my family here to chinese hospital. not only my children were born in chinese hospital. my son practices in chinese hospital as a physician. provide health care services for our community. i ask for your support and approval of our project. thank you. supervisor chiu: thank you.

next speaker. >> good afternoon, honorable supervisors. thank you for the opportunity to address you. i am cardiologists. i was born at chinese hospital. i have been professionally affiliated with the hospital since 1971. my father was on the professional fund-raising committee in the 1920's. he later became one of the members of the first board and serve many other terms on at the hospital board. my brother succeeded him as the president of the association. my own son is a physician specializing in internal medicine and oncology practices.

chinese hospital is a family to all of us. we have many families who have pledged their total support to this new building project. we respectfully ask for your endorsement of the eminence to the general plan that you create the chinese hospital special use district. thank you. >> are there any other members of the public who wish to speak? seeing none, public comment is closed. colleagues, i just want to say i really appreciated the staff walking me through the hospital. not only the old building, but the new work building. a building that is a couple

blocks away. i see it as a tremendous community institution, and it really helped out to sea and on many generations of family have been born there. the children and grandchildren continue to support the community institution. i did not realize that 97% of the population are asian-pacific islander. it is not just any asian-pacific islander. it is the most -- is the most vulnerable better on metical -- medical. i know some are saying the building has historic significance. is there anything that could acknowledge what a community institution it has been, like a plaque or some kind of panel in

the building? >> i would be happy to address this. as part of our mitigation measures, we are in the process of documenting the building. in the new building, there will be an entire area on the wall that is dedicated to displaying all those historic pictures and also pictures of the building as well. >> my understanding is there are a number of other community benefits, including the areas that you enter, the place where people sit on the bench. could you talk a little bit about that? >> sure. part of the landscape design has created spots as you walk of jackson street. we oftentimes see our seniors sitting in the open areas in

front of the buildings right now or coming into our lobby and rusting. the new hospital design provides that seems -- the same sort, it actually enlarges the area. there's plenty of space for people to stop and rest. it is a gathering space for the community. supervisor mar: thank you. so, any closing remarks? did we already close public comment? >supervisor chiu: just a couple quick comments. i want to thank all of the members of the public who came to speak. the ceo of chinese hospital. all your supporters. i know this has been a labor of love for many folks. i want to express my gratitude to the community that has come together to rebuild this

hospital. i also want to thank folks for not bringing the 2000 speakers today. this has a lot of community consensus around a. colleagues, if i could be listed as a sponsor, we can do that, and colleagues, if we can move this item with the recommendation possibly before the board, that would be appreciated. >> thank you. -- supervisor mar: thank you. colleagues, can we move this forward with a positive recommendation without exec -- without objection? can you call item no. 5? >> item #5, or is amending the san francisco planning code. >> if i understand correctly,

supervisor olague and myself -- >> supervisor, we need a roll call vote. supervisor mar: is there any member of the public who would like to comment? colleagues, can we continue this until september 10 without objection? thank you. please call the last item. >> item #6, resolution approving associate membership in the california rural home mortgage finance authority and authorizing the director of the department of the environment to execute a joint powers agreement. supervisor mar: thank you for being here from the department of the environment. the resolution seeks approval for the membership in the california rural home mortgage finance authority. by joining this authority, at no cost to the city, san francisco residents will have access to a

low interest loan program, as well as alternatives to tax liens, performing home energy improvements. the supervisors board approved the plan before tax liens and for san francisco business -- building owners to create infrastructure improvements. it was created for homeowners by a federal agency in 2010 and lost the implementation of the program here and in other areas. guillermo rodriguez is here from the department planning to answer any questions. it provides an additional financing tool that helps property owners bridge the up- front capital cost barrier and it can help keep a new industry going after the expiration of the stimulus funds and the

energy efficiency block grant program they are currently using to incentivize property owners to conduct energy efficiency of prince. i was going to ask guillermo or calvin -- >> thank you for your consideration of this measure. if you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. i was thinking of bringing a bunch of cowboy hats. supervisor mar: next time. any questions, colleagues? is there anyone would like to speak from the public? seeing none, public comment is closed. colleagues, can we move this forward with a positive recommendation? thank you. ms. miller, is there any other business before us? >> no. supervisor mar: thank you, everyone. meeting adjourned.