too far with the magnificent units with the par units or whatever you category grizzly it. >> commissioner vice president richards. >> i'll ask staff when we have those cus to ask what the tenant profile is if someone that living there and try to make a decision with this i think the other thing that i've seen in my neighborhood i know that ms. swedish bring to our attention those have small units that marketed as small unit homes as whenogram comes we're not getting the clarification and we see this having this may or may not happen but that raise the equity question he move to continue the item to - let me get my

calendar here. >> jonas can you help me out april 27th. >> if you're looking looking for a date commissioner we're full on the dr calendar we've got 4 drs on every single one of your advanced calendars up to may 18th. >> so unless you want to impact another calendar. >> with a request that the feedback that the commission gave be reincorporated into the design. >> do i hear a second and yeah. second and commissioner moore. >> i was going to ask if you have very specific points please repeat them and mr. richards so

at the into the record as instruction. >> i think i heard commissioner president hillis having a come back to two full size unit more lived in by two families a real addition to the neighborhood and put it in about the fourth floor tuned down like a light house people are in the top you can see everyone from the light tone it down and my other inputs. >> commissioner moore. >> if i may i'd like to get a classification as to whether or not i want to support a guest suit on top of in an built in airbnb rental sporptsd to be a family-friendly oriented home we want to sees justification why it needs an additional stuff on

top i'm personally sensitive in living in back of a building that as a motion and a second open space that large windows in the back with bedrooms facing out the rear is difficult because if there are glazing the impacts that arises at night and say hey pull your curtains we need sensitivity to the people to the rear of the building. >> i'm okay with that, i

>> discretionary review. >> good evening commissioners. i'm david lindsay department staff. the project consists of a two-story article addition

>> the way we are going to do this is first we have a presentation by staff and then you out 5 min. if you are the dr requester and public comment and in the project sponsor so you're welcome to have a seat while the project staff explains. thank you. >> okay. >> commissioners the project consists of a two story vertical addition to the two stories single-family house that 471 hickory st. the proposed addition is within the existing footprint of the building and the partial top story will be set back 15 feet from the front façade and 5 feet from the east side property line. and will be minimally visible from the public right of way. the subject party is on the south side of hickory street which 35 weed st. connecting the canon and the good i'm bisecting the larger block between fallen over in the western addition neighborhood. the two-story

circa 1900 houses on the up slope in lot that measures 24.5 feet wide and approximately 53 what feet in-depth good apportionment existing building located within the lot required your therefore considered to be legally noncompliant. however no work is proposed above the noncompliant portion of the building. the zoning is rto. the houses considered a historical resource for the purposes of ceqa the project was issued a ceqa categorical categorical assumption. buildings on the subject in opposite block faces are generally two-three-story residential buildings during architectural styles as well as one-story garage structures. the immediately adjacent property to the west at 477 hickory is a three-story single-family house in the immediately adjacent property to the east is a good lot developed with a 12 unit apartment building that fronts on oak street and features an

open yard along the hickory street frontage. the immediately adjacent property to the reader are south of the subject property is a three-story two unit residential building owned by the dr requester. the department has received three letters of support for the project. one of which is from an adjacent neighbor and another of which is from a neighbor in the same block. since the packets were distributed last week the department has received four e-mails success in opposition to the project. i would like to note that in late january a complaint was made to the department of building inspection alleging construction without permit on the subject property. the dvi inspector visited and found no evidence of work without permit planning department staff visited the site yesterday and confirm this to be the case. the dr requester is mrs. dorothy cook the owner of 466 oak st. located immediately south into the rear of the subject property. mrs. cook's

concerns are as follows: that the project is to talk and conflicts with the block face and topography. that the proposed building is incompatible with the neighborhood landscape and surrounding buildings. the project reduces the available stock of affordable housing in the neighborhood and that the project replaces a structurally sound contributory resource. since it's a middle in 2015 the project has been significantly revised in response to direction from both preservation staff and the residential design team. the following seminal of the dr request the rdt review the project again taking into account the dr requester's concerns, and concluded that the project is consistent with the residential design guidelines and does not contain or create any exceptional or extraordinary circumstances. specifically the rdt found the project is a must vertical addition that's compatible with the block face in the block open space and the general character of the neighborhood.

the proposed front and side setbacks of the top story are sufficient to minimize visually impacts associated with the buildings proposed height. further the project was found via its ceqa review to be compatible with the hayes valley residential historic district to which the subject building is not a contributing structure. the planning department recommends that the condition not take dr and approve the project as proposed. >> thank you mr. lindsey. ms. cook, the dr requester you have 5 min. the other way. thank you. >> commissioner hillis and fellow commissioners, i read the planning guidelines and i believe that my [inaudible] meet the planning guidelines.

limit the height to two stories above the garage them at two stories will be compatible with the neighborhood particularly with the scale of the east-west alley. the door height being lower than its opposite neighbor which matches the topography of the block. no penthouse on the top of the historic carriage house because the lot is a half lot and it's really actually too close-yes, it's too close to my house and it invades my privacy. the house remains a single-family dwelling and the historic gabled roof is preserved. the façade of glands with the other victorian homes located along be alley. those are my request. a bit of background. 16 .5 years ago my parents purchased the victorian home for 66 oak st. which included 471 hickory. the

house was old it takes her upper no foundation get cracked plaster walls and decayed parapets and both homes and lots sold for $6000. we were the second black homeowners on the block in san francisco invisible judge raymond reynolds being the first. soon after that hayes valley became an african-american neighborhood filled with african-american homeowners and families. my family has been a part of hayes valley for five generations. we care about this neighborhood and cherish its history. the oldest black home on our block died recently at age 103. as soon as she took her last breath and construction workers were on site remodeling the house. most of the old-timers don't live here anymore unlike my family all their children moved mile away when he returned to san francisco for a visit to their old stomping grounds they cherish the landmarks. the

memorializes the history. it is important that homes like 471 hickory st. be preserved. at the time my parents were able to finance the necessary repairs [inaudible] construction company to do necessary renovations at this slightly modernized apartment house next-door set a precedent for the modernization of the front of my house. our house is on the west-our house on the east was next and 477 hickory st. in the alley was next. each group permit was singly issued by on a case-by-case basis with the issuance of each permit [inaudible] for the approval of the next permit just if this continues this commission will have no alternative but to approve other changes that will severely impact the history of this neighborhood because they will be following the guidelines. i read him

requesting that the planning commission used its power to help us sustain the beautiful historic features of hayes valley. once the aesthetics of this historic neighborhood is destroyed it will never be restored. he's in point is the historic homes and buildings in the western addition. a major part of that district was buildable bulldozed and because parts of hayes valley remained untouched its beauty preserved it has become the coveted place to live. we applaud the professionalism of the architect and the planners. however the project design further contributes to the destruction of the aesthetics of character and distinction of being a historic neighborhood. this carriage house is significant part of our history . that's worth saving. it's also in harmony with the planning department live in alley project. hayes valley -hayes valley has been declared a historic district in the

planning department and its marketing octavia study described the historic district as a collection of resources building sites or objects that [inaudible] historically architecturally and culturally significant. with the exception of 477 hickory, homes on the 400 block of hickory street is virtually untouched by modernization. according to the san francisco preservation bulletin number 11 the subject home for 71 hickory was built around 1885. it was not destroyed by the 1906 earthquake by the [inaudible] construction and the fact that it still inhabitable speaks to soundness of the structure and its character. ownership has changed a number of times. renovations of the inside has been done mostly by the homeowners themselves witnessed by me from my kitchen window to our city is growing by beats and downs. [inaudible] high-tech vocab moved in their [inaudible] certainly different from our generation. >> thank you very much. so we will open up to public

comment.. those that are in support of the dr request. or opposition to the project i will call a number of speakers. >>[calling public comment cards] >> good evening pres. hillis on commissioners. my name is carl williams. i am a property owner at 708 broadway street in san francisco where i have resided for 40 years. african-american property owners in san francisco are a endangered species. i am here in support of ms. cook and

those who are requesting that you revoke the permit that would allow this development to go forward. in addition to what ms. cook has said, i believe two other factors are important with respect to why you should revoke this permit. number one, ata four story high the building would be taller than any single-family home in the vicinity, including the grand mansions that anchor the neighborhood. secondly, the building would also be out of scale with this neighboring homes [inaudible] relation of the architect-architecture to

the city's unique topography. and there is another reason why i am here and speaking in opposition to this project. for the past year, almost, on behalf of the san francisco african-american historical and cultural society, i have been working with your city planning staff to develop the african-american historic statement. that context is statement is nearly finished and it will soon be sent to the appropriate channels for approval. i have no doubt that if that historic statement were

completed today, this development would be in manifest contravention of the african-american historic context statement. it would be in violation of any efforts that the city ought to be committed to in trying to maintain a hospitable environment for african-americans to live in this city. this development puts in peril african-american residing in the neighborhood where there is development. thank you. >> thank you mr. williams. next speaker, please. >> good evening. my name is

doris washington. i do up at 466 oak st. good i remember when the telephone number was klondike 20415 we played we played in the streets and [inaudible] came down the street. but my daughter who is was here earlier, she could-one of her voice to be heard, so she asked me to present this to you. it reads as follows. this is our family home and it has been held in the families possession for over 59 years. our family values dictate this home is not to be sold. therefore he must look after its condition now and in the future. the neighborhood

consists of traditional victorian homes situated in harmony and character with the other homes in its community. and this toppled at this time harmony and balance are clinical killers needed to sustain traditional family values. therefore, i am requesting revocation of the building permits as it doesn't align with the other homes in the community. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon commissioners. my name is jennifer reiko and i'm here in support of my good friend and next-door neighbor dorothy cook and her family. i was born and raised in the bay area and i loved the city since i was a young girl making monthly pilgrimages to chinatown. my parents both from immigrant

families and i have worked very hard so that i can call one of the beautiful victorians i always dreamed about my own. by now you've certainly read dorothy's detailed application and are familiar with our concerns regarding conservation of historic resources in san francisco. you likely also read the e-mails from dozens of san franciscans opposing this project. you have wondered, if the proposed one is the proper size for the smaller lots that exist on hayes valley charming alleyways. then you will no doubt have considered whether it is appropriate to build a four story house for single young man in an alleyway landscape of modest family homes. or whether it is right that his should be the tallest single-family building in the neighborhood a full story taller than the mansion where the-mansion just blocks away. i come into, have wondered these things in my own answers are always, no. no, because this historic cottage has a seven

decade long history for dorothy and her whole family. these stand to lose something real and tangible if this project is built. no, because this project is out of context on its block and sets a new standard for height and massing in the single-family homes in our historic district and provides no extra density. no, because it approval of so many projects like the one proposed threatens to have a disastrous cumulative effect on the character of our neighborhood and landscape. also the diversity of our neighborhood. there are too many relevant references to conservation in both the city's general and market and i talk you land for me to list here. but here is one from the planning departments on the list of its eight priority policies that explain exactly why we should all say no to this project. policy number two states, that existing housing and neighborhood character should be conserved and protected in order to preserve the cultural and economic diversity of our neighborhood.

the big elephant in the room that the city a doors were making these seemingly small decisions is that they collectively have impacts that are severe and real for most of the families who live here. each time we replace an affordable family home in our city the luxury building for a tech millionaire there are ripple effects did not just because an accessible home is lost but because the resultant changes in our neighborhood businesses exacerbate the marginalization of our long-term low income senior and minority residents who wish to stay within their communities. we are in the midst of an affordability crisis which disproportionately affects families and seniors in the western addition and the rest of the market octavia plan. and we should be- >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> president hillis on commissioners, good evening. i

really appreciate the opportunity to speak to you this evening. i'm a friend of mrs. cook and i am here to support her petition. i wish i could be heard to be helped but i don't have the resources to provide the kind of help that she needs. as a matter of fact, none of her family have those resources. you are the only opportunity for help that she has. i am here to just speak about some of the things that happened in the past. i think that commissioner richards when he spoke of balance and equity touched a point that should be very important for all of us. mrs. cook lives on the edge of what used to be the fillmore district and she's in the western addition and about 50 years ago there was a redevelopment project in the

fillmore district that moved out probably 90% of the african-americans who lived in the city. although there were promises that they would be able to come back into the community and there were promises that their interests would be taken into consideration, all of you know that never happened. now we have a situation where not only has the cultural community of the fillmore been decimated, but now we have a person who is one of the survivors of that community who needs to have some sense of comfort and protection. there is a change in our community get there is a change in her neighborhood. when she tries to speak about it or do something about it,

the voices that she has to deal with our overwhelming. i am here to ask you-i can be her friend-but i cannot be her help. you can be her help and i am asking this evening that you be her friend as well. >> thank you very much. next speaker, please. >> my name is is esther marx and i've never met dorothy were friends before this evening but i am very appreciative of the struggle she has continued to try and protect her neighborhood and the african-american community in san francisco. and i am here to speak in opposition to the fourth floor on 471 hickory st. the fourth floor space is to be used as office space. i feel that there is another location in that house that could be used

for office space. you don't need that fourth floor space. i live in the upper market street area but i am familiar with the neighborhood because i worked on two of the three campaigns to remove the central freeway. i disagree with the staff conclusion that the vertical addition is quote compatible with block space midblock open space and general character of the neighborhood and quote. part of the charm of hayes valley are the residential alleyways. i have friends who live nearby hickory street on linden street and lily street. these are alleys that reflect the past generation and represents one of the treasures walking in san francisco. i want the-i went to the project site and i believe the fourth

floor setback 15 feet will still be visible from the street. it will have a negative impact on the clock face and scale. the house next door uphill which is 477 hickory, is three stories. however, and next door, adjacent is the garage and there's only one story above the garage. one shouldn't justify the scale and the lack of compatibility of the proposed project because of the apartment building on the corner which is out of place in that particular block. the proposed project does not respect the topography by following the downward slope of the alley. we must keep in context the homes across the street which represents the best of cottage homes architecturally well-maintained

and charming. the dr application-and i want to say it is beautiful and totally appropriate in this particular project be quote often individual components of a district lack individual distinction but as an ensemble they may manifest architectural historically architectural historically or cultural values that transcend their individual importance and quote. 471 hickory st. is part of the >> thank you ma'am, your time is up. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> marquise could get him against progress at the sons of others. my family has resided at or 66 oak st. for over six decades and in my four decades on this earth i have seen this

community go through many transitions. one of the worst being the crack epidemic but the gentrification of the western addition is like than nothing from the never ending story from nothing is the same as it was good i do my grandmother's kitchen window i watched the world change. so i oppose any renovation that width one the last original families on the block from the rest of the world. i moved away from san francisco i was born and raised your i moved to georgia for eight years and when i came back i felt like i went from the flintstones to the jensen's. it was a totally different world and i was totally unprepared for it because i do not keep up with the changes as they went and because of that was unable to find housing. the place where i stayed at before which was in daly city tripled in rent and a block away from my grandmother's house they told me yes we accept section 8 but for two bedroom it's