stairway. and second opposition letter was sent from a resident basically this letter concerns letters that involves enjoys waste debris in the neighborhood and further use of the commercial use within this neighborhood. if you wish to review those letters we can circumstance late them. so far as the department has received several letters from the legalization of the country club. and after refusing the

application and consulting with those two recommendations we would move for the principle of law of this. it is designed to help other people in the neighborhood. and it's not a (inaudible) restaurant. it would have the underground floor space into an active area for businesses use. and final it will create 8 to 10 job openings.

and again, the recollection for the country club it is a free place for people who are recovering from drug and alcohol use. although the leg decision of the country club - part of the cities housing places on the second floor - the second floor roof-deck has been sdientd to minimize enjoys. as you can see in the patience the rear deck has been sub

divided into two sections. the second portion it retired for the planning code for to serve as a unit space for businesses. and there are physical barriers that are designed between those two open spaces. and finally, castro country club the project site is well served by transportation and will have little impact in the neighborhood. and this will conclude my presentation if you have any questions, i'll be happy to answer them >> is there is presentation by

the planning commission. >> i'm the architect for the building owner and also the castro country club. it's a pleasure to be here. we've been working on this project for over a year. for us the story starts when my client started looking at the building and my client is successfully in business and restaurant business. when we look at the building we saw the potential the combrv. what we also stated was to keep the castro country club open and it has been there for thirty

years. we discovered there was no permit for this project. this also gives the castro club more time to add issues to their project. mike from the castro club are here to speak for the castro club. we've been met with respect for the whole project. for a second i'd like to talk about the actions and reacts. and these are the objections.

one was about odor. we're going to run a shaft up on the roof and take the process to get rid of the odor. and another one was the noise. if you all think there shouldn't be a setback in the rear of the building but we'd like to do a sound study and submit it to the planning department to maintain the sound level at whatever the staff or commission feels important. i think the aren't patrons are going to have to keep their

goods within the boundaries of the allowed space. and rear yard use and volume we'll address these issues. and staff has asked us to maintain a distance from the neighbors. and i know you were all paying attention to what tom said. and the area does not really effect the neighborhood and the rest of it is for the area above. the stairwell we're going taking

out is going to avoid loters. we'll have an center on street parking place and the castro country club is a significant part of the community. and also my client will gladly answer any questions that you have. thank you >> thank you. open it up for public comment. i have a couple of names please

line up on the side of the room here. when your names been called you can come up and speak >> good afternoon i'm a private citizen and one of the homeowners. as i decade long resident i support the health and good well of the neighborhood. but as already noted by the director in the meeting earlier. our neighborhood is about to increase go a project that will be increasing intribulation into

private space for residents of the neighborhood. our community is treelined by people in the neighborhood having noticed over a period of time that the valuable we hold dear are increasingly disappearing. the negative things that are happening here are not to be overlooked. on numerous days we've had trash and other things on our front steps. we've had to spend a lot of money to protect your neighborhoods and businesses.

i appreciate what the country club officers and i think it's a very important business but the increased negative effects of additional noise and other things that will further intrud into our private space. we basically will be having this second-story building that will be looking into my home. of -- also a concern is - i

support benefits by him against negative impact. i urge you to not approve the invoking features of this >> thank you commissioners i'm just here to talk about the castro of country club. >> could you you state your name. >> ohoh - i've been coming to the castro country club and i've watched it go through a lot of changes. i've watched a lot of people giving support and learn how to

work because the country club is staffed by volunteers. the impact of our community has saved the aids epidemic and i know last week i was working with one man who was looking forever o for a residential treatment plan and i'm for it >> i urge you to vote yes for this proposal. >> i'm mike shriver and i'm a volunteer and client of the country club. in 1993 the original renter

keith has said we've helped many people that are trying to get healthier. i've run the project for gay men and there's so little outreach for people who need any kind of help. the country club is a very important project. and to be sure the patio space is going to be very important to help people because people come together for help.

i want to express my support for this project. >> hi. i'm a residents of san francisco since 1975 and i live in the area. i want to voice my support for the country club. i find it a very valuable seat to the neighborhood. i'd like to thank the designer of this project. always draw your attention to the outside space see used a lot by the club. the clubs a great use for the area compared to other business.

i apologize i have some additional letters i didn't get dropped off. i'd like to hand them off here >> good afternoon commiserations my name is terry i've served at the club for foy years. previously i was a volunteer at the club. i've been a resident here for over 4 years >> the club has served as a beacon of help. and keith has told you is what it's been like week after week

your friends with disappear one after another. one week you'd see them at an aa meeting and the next week you'd be going to their funerals. we know and honor this history of this club and thankfully the work is behind us but now my friends are passing away. and untold thousands never recovery taxing and burr denying

communities. for more than years the club has had more than their fill of taking care of sick folks. alcohol is every few feet in this area. some are able to drink in moderation and we applaud them but the country club serves as an alternative to bars and others ways of life. currently fiscally we're entirely strafd by our own volunteers. we want to keep the club open 3 hundred and 65 days a year.

the second level flat club has a small meeting room and every scooter is very important. for many years we have could existed with our neighbors. we have over 25 step meetings every week and thank you, sir and if you could only is one more thing. i can tell you about the hopeless individuals i see on the sidewalks of people everyday indeed i was one of them >> at the next speaker please.

good afternoon vice president wu and members of the commission my name is is christopher i'm the treasurer of the castro club. castro country club is a community space open to all people. we have over 35 recovery meetings a week we have several people that volunteer every week. we are a fullly self-funded space. it's important to us to keep this open and it's important that this business plan for the building including little plans

of majoring he are important. iless want to add i'm a homeowner i live one block away from the castro club. this space was given a permit it expand its outdoor space? 2006. myself and fell friends having had some concerns and we worked with the owner to mitigate all problems and we now live in harmony. and i've been in the neighborhood for 15 years. we can see this as a model for the castro country club. as i an employee of the commission i'm excited that it

includes a number of water projects so this will be a lot greener. i urge you to propose is plan >> good afternoon commissioners i'm a volunteer and a client of the castro country club. i'd like to show my support for the ca electro country club it's been an very important part of my live and the community. it allows a sober space for the san francisco city. i've been attempting to get rover in other areas but this is a place for gays to come to.

people that don't - no longer want to drink there's no other place for us to get together but the castro country club. so far as the backyard it allows everybody to get away from the social goes on on inside the club so we can meet with our sponsors or have a quiet space to work our steps. there's no loud noise that goes on in the back area. so, please vote to pass all the plans. thank you.

>> thank you. >> hello commissioners i am a 10 year plus resident of san francisco and i'm a volunteer and member of the castro country club. the castro country club when i came to san francisco was a lifeline, a lifeline in the way of connecting socially in an environment where drugs and alcohol was not readily available. it was the only place i could go and feel safe. i work with an non-profit with

people who are impacted by hiv and as involved in a recovery process. the castro country club including it's back patio has been a good resource for bringing our guys together in a safe and convivial environment where we could interact and where we could better improve our life. so i as an individual and my agency support the application for the castro country club >> thank you. i have a couple more speakers

>> good afternoon commissioners my name is it gray todd i'm a skukt teacher and i own the apartment immediately to the east of the building in question. i've been living there since 1987 i was previous friends with the previous owner. i fully support the castro country club and i'll back everybody. most of the destruction has been about the castro country club and not about the neighborhoods of the proposed restaurant to go on the ground level. if you've ever been in the castro at night it's a routey

place. and our back beyond a reasonable doubt is like a giant enjoys chamber. we've had to put up with the sounds from the castro club. the bedrooms of my unit and my unit are in the back of the building and they're the only quiet rooms in our units. we are concerned that the noise in the parking lot and restaurant. the noise in the restaurant at night has already been seen from

the restaurant there and we're concerned with another restaurant being opposed at our front door. i have been informed that there is not going to be strike enforcement of the enjoys issue. by passing this variance we don't know what's going to happen next. i wonder in anyone sees the restaurant with a liquor license for this building i want you - urge i to reject this

conversion. it's the restaurant use that the objectionable. at the >> thank you. >> i'm feeling next door and i also sport the castro club. i bought my place a little over 4 years ago. i understand that this restaurant i was concerned about. what if the castro club moves so i understand that the castro club