conditions. what is interesting about this project is that since they are using an existing garage, and there are fewer residential in and out trips than visitor in and out trips, the conversion of these spaces to residential spaces actually reduces some of the conflicts that exist at this time related to that driveway. that issue of driveway related conflicts and other site-related pedestrian conflicts created are one that we pay very close attention to in our focus on pedestrian issues. we also in the case of this project while we did not find that the project would have significant impacts, we did identify in the eir a number of measures to improve the pedestrian environment in this area in terms of reducing some of the sidewalk clutter, you

know? providing some better crosswalks. so activities or actions that the project sponsor could take to improve the overall environment. >> i actually appreciate that. i don't know really if residential cars have less in and out versus commercial or visitors may. i don't know if you want to respond to this, because i want to get to public comment. on the weekend jessie square garage is fairly empty from my understanding of the data. so i think there is a ton of traffic congestion on 3rd street on saturdays and actually on sundays as well. i think just because of the number of visitors that are coming to an area. sometimes there is more traffic because of the tourists who use the major corridors whereas

residents know different streets and routes. one other qualitative assessment, do you look at the demographics of residents when you think of pedestrian safety impacts? >> we look at the mode split conclusions are based on the census track. in some cases the demographic of the neighborhood, but that is the level -- that is the level at which we have evidence to make a determination as to what modes people would be using. >> i suggest especially as we go into moscone expansion that we look at demographics of the neighborhood. i think there are a disproportionate number of senior citizens who live in the yerba buena area.

i even in market rate development we have older populations because of its proximity to downtown and access to multiple facilities. i think that actually has a different type of analysis of what we consider appropriate or adequate pedestrian upgrades to be in that neighborhood. okay. >> thank you, supervisor kim. i do have i guess one set of follow-ups to supervisor kim's comments and like her in addition, to the shadow concerns i have had concern around the impact on traffic and pedestrian. and i would say just as a global comment, i would say the analogy of a cup of water and how that plays out is one that puzzles many of us. where we considered the traffic

impact, and especially what we were told is because building an enormous hospital on van ness, that adding 28,000 car trips a day wasn't going to make it that much worse because it was already so bad. when i think about this area, particularly 3rd and mission streets. the traffic at many times during the day is horrendous and whether i read the analysis, it seemed to suggests that traffic congestion is bad and adding to that is not going to make things worse. from my perspective we're talking about near gridlock and talking about getting close to absolute gridlock. so i wanted to make that as a global comment. the residential owners association and their appellant renter suggested with regardion to the traffic and circulation impacts there were inaccurate assumptions, that the analysis

didn't account for vehicle delays resulting from an increased in pedestrian volumes. could you, and i read the planning department's response to that and essentially seems to indicate that these questions were raised before and essentially asked and answered, but could you address those points and why you don't think there are traffic and circulation impact issues that we should consider? >> so gregory, transportation planner. i really enjoy when i come to talk about the traffic analysis and critical movement. we have it all written up thoroughly in the response to comments in terms of how we did the analysis and the appellant's requested how we determined the critical movements and we feel strongly we did it correctly. so we stand behind that analysis. in terms of what exactly is los?

we make assumptions of how cars are going to get to the site and how they leave the site. especially in terms of the critical movements the appellant's concerns were the access to 706 mission off stevenson street and that also get backs to pedestrian safety, because we the planning department determine it was variance 6 and 7 that would have widened the exist curb cut on mission, would have been much worse for pedestrian safety and having better for cars to use existing alleys than to widen a driveway and make it a two-way driverway, especially with more pedestrians on mission street. and there is also issues with the bus stop, which is why we did not ultimately recommend those variances. >> on the issue of whether the increases would lead to more

vehicle deliveries. >> the increase in pedestrian comes is accounted for in the traffic analysis. you input the pedestrian comes in the crosswalk and it does delay the cars. so that is accounted for. >> okay. so the appellants say it's not accounted for, but your assertion it's built into the model. okay. i guess a final question, your professional perspective, if this project is built, you do not expect to see additional congestion at these intersections? >> no. in my professional opinion, no. it's an interesting case in the eir. when we do an eir, we are overly conservative, and this case we have an existing parking garage that will be repurposed and to be overly conservative we say all the cars that are going there will

keep going there and all the new cars associated with the residential units will show up as well. whereas in reality there would not be more traffic going into or ought of the garage and, in fact, there would probably be less, because residential uses typically you have one trip in and out per day. whereas a public parking garage would have 7-8 and expect conditions to marginal improve. i am definitely not going to say that congestion will go away on 3rd street, but imperceptable. >> any other questions, colleagues? if not, let's go to the project sponsor who has up to 20 minutes to make a

presentation. who is speaking for the project sponsor? >> good evening i think given the testimony and hour, we stand behind staff's report and would be happy to answer any questions that the board may have. >> colleagues any questions for the project sponsor? >> with that, my guess is that

there might be questions after public testimony. why don't we hear from the members who wish to speak on behalf of the project sponsor and each speaker has up to 2 minutes >> good evening, president chiu and supervisors. my name is norma wagner and very proud to be vice-chair of the board of trustees of the mexican museum and i am here to speak to the support of the agenda, the mexican museum and the residential tower project. we have been working extremely hard for over a decade to complete the vision of yerba buena garden to truly represent

the project. the report is before you today for your attention. however, as we all are aware there are a group of individuals that have filed appeals to the processes and findings of the eir, all of which are without merit. first an institution created by the community for the benefit of the community. we have a collection of over 14,000 art works, which are community and public at-large have been waiting to view and learn from. we're the first organization of its kind in the city to become an affiliateof the smithsonian

institution and ask for your support to complete the yerba buena district. thank you very much. >> thank you, next speaker. david del torre. with me today are many of our members and cultural organizations and committed supporters of the mexican the

yerba buena arts district to fulfill our mission as first voice. we know the appellants have made claims regarding the completeness of our project and environmental impact report and we know those claims are not accurate and do not acknowledge the social benefit of our museum to the yerba buena arts district and the city as a whole. the mexican museum has worked long and hard with our partners the city and county of san francisco and millennium

partners. san francisco should be proud that in this community, we have the largest and most comprehensive collection of mexican chicano and latino art in the united states. the community is watching here and the state and across the nation and internationally as the fate of our 14,000-piece cultural significance and artifacts of the americas are in your hands. >> thank you, next speaker >> good afternoon, president chiu and supervisors, my name is emily pimental and i am a proud member of the mexican museum, as well as other cultural institutions in the city. today i am here before you as a

resident and someone who works in the city, actually just a few blocks away from the proposed project. i am here to support the agenda item 20 to affirm the final environmental impact report. to certify the 706 street residential tower project and the mexican museum. as a member and representative of the latino community in san francisco, we all believe that we need to build a permanent home for the mexican museum. this is a long held dream for generations of latinos who live in the community or make san francisco a destination. this is an opportunity to create a permanent home to allow us to strengthen and retain our heritage as we grow to become leaders. today you have heard from individuals who do not know or understand the cultural value

of this institution and what it represents for past, future and future. they have expressed and certified the final eir on behalf of the residents i ask you to affirm the certification. thank you. >> thank you, next speaker. >> good evening, president chiu and board. (please standby for change of captioner)

>> listened to communities concerns and listened to the community concerns. the following procedures

villaraigosa the final environmental report which is before you today for our stoemgs but some folks with different interests have filed reports all which are without merit they have mentioned other issues like traffic. >> in he remembers of the quality of life and the history of planning. >> urban assigned. we have a parliament importance on behalf of myself and my communities members i urge you so that we as a community can move forward and enjoy the benefits of this >> thank you. president chiu and a

supervisors. i'm president of the board of the festival i'm one the beneficiaries of the businesses that feed into this fund which allows us to handle thanks for patrons. i'm here for the high-rise mexican tower i know that when i moved to san francisco i wasn't moving to mayberry but we're talking to citizens who bought so what the urban experience and a find out it's not as great as we thought. i say get out and use the sidewalks and live in the urban

corridor walking and using transportation are important informing those citizens who don't have the resources the plaintiffs do we live in a technical environment that allows us to do most of our activities on line. but we don't try to do some things i knew i wasn't moving to kangaroo. but thought 55 million hispanics 167 million in california if we don't build a museum in san francisco we're missing the boat for a significant driver especially, as the world comes to the west and latin america an opportunity to drive the

economic growth >> thank you thank you. next speaker. >> the board can you hear me. i worked professional art's for the last 20 years. i'll be brief. i'm not an environmental expert. in my opinion the mexican museums it speaks to a boarder significant environmental certain and that is really articulating in their presence what i would call an executive art in the culture that b will provide an opportunity for a range of people in the articulation of america art and culture. for that reason alone i think it

is taking its rightful place among other institution that are here. thank you very much >> thank you. next speaker >> good evening members of the board i live in district 8. we're all concerned about pedestrian traffic and seniors well-being, however, the mexican folks in san francisco an opportunity please regret the appeal for the final appeal >> i'm not totally familiar with this project but if you're

in the center arts and some people want to put in a mexican museum based on the history of this country. there is the supervisor that represents that district in which i live has written up an important point about traffic congestion. and but in the very densely populated area where the traffic is not moving it becomes incredibly efficient how do you move things around. you have to do it in a fluid way. so moscone is important to san francisco so if you're down

playing the city's potential because that's a math magnet in bringing people to the city and staying in the hotels that bring in enormous revenues so you want moscone very, very busy so a lot of people you accommodate them. use public transit and use it very efficiently with high frequencies and with people walking. such. thank you. next speaker >> good afternoon. i'm a temporarily displaced analyst san franciscan. i have worked as a property manager for a company and only temporarilyly. i stay actively resolved in san

francisco and community based activities i want to request you approve the final eir and regret the appeal. we need to look at quite is number of issues there's the pedestrian safety issue and mitigation can address some of those but some of those so you would a lot border issue i don't know if that's the safety pedestrian task force or around the sunset ordinance but specifically this project is a very important culture project to the latino community. not just in san francisco and most people spoke they were pro the project. it's a precedent setting project in a world-class city with all the changes in south beach and

mission way by especially around the arts district. we need to look at this project interest thank you for your time >> next speaker. >> good evening i'm a union iron worker i'm speaking in favor of the 706 mission project. here's some benefits the mexican museum it would be no cost to the organization or the city and that's made $22 million. the hard earners have made a $5 million endenouncement would be given to the museum and affordable housing they've agreed to pay the $28 million.

historic preservation the eligible building would be restored and rehabilitated the proximately would replace with mixed use of cultural use in a cultural area and improve human. assess and pay anti bond and parking for the project would be accommodating in the existing garbage and on behalf of the brothers and sisters approximately, one hundred construction jobs would be created and the mexican museum if it's opened thank you for your time >> thank you. next speaker.

>> good evening members of the board i'm benny. i'm a resident of the bay view districts owned a home there for 20 years. i want to say speak to the eir on the proposed project is states there would be on observe increase in traffic in the vicinity the side is very near the corn of third and mission there's muni assessable and also caltrans has muni lines that come right down third street which is a one-way street. so we have to prepare for once that world-class traffic lane is

built so, please regret the proposals so little mexican museum can go forward >> good evening i'm virginia i'm with the buena aligns i'm here to speak no support of this project. we're asking you to reject is appeal we'll be talking about mitigating the safety and traffic issues. we believe this project will add to the district and be a great addition adding a lot of vibrancy that he ask for your