other projects and i'm critical about that. other issue which has been discussed many times and it was mentioned, the ground floor townhouses or ground floor dwelling units on woodward and stevenson are not set above grade in order to allow certain amount of privacy for the unit who are at the ground level. you want to give those people in those units the privacy. i'm concerned about the parking issue. 56 unit and four to six cars in this area seems very high. we might consider what we normally talk when we talk about -- when structure of units. that is a concern. the other thing is

unfortunately, the p.d.r. space as expressed by the mayor's office is not quite meeting the business plan that we would like to see supported in this part of the community. those are my concerns. they have made little more weary about the project from what i originally wanted to feel good about. >> commissioner johnson: i want to echo commissioner moore's comment. i'm all for density next of transit. i'm all for recognizing that we need more housing at all income levels. i really wanted to support it project. i feel disappointmen disappointg where you are and the building and the community has tried to come to the table to engage. there's a more robust plan for

how the space, the p.d.r. space is going to engage the local community. i'm ultimately the benefit to that community. we've seen many projects including a p.d.r. space project that came to us last year that not only have partnered with organizations that was training folks up and make spaces buts had a plan for the organization, surrounding organizations that would be students to make sure the benefits stayed within the community. recognizing where you are is an incredible you want opportunityo make she' those spaces with the people who are makers. also, a letter from oewd gave me

pause. if we're going to be supporting p.d.r. and spaces in the communities, we could have been done with responding to those concerns and working with communities to address the concerns from the department. you share this concern around parking. the whole point of density is there's a transit stop there and parking ratio seems off to me. those are my comments. >> president melgar: thank you. i also cannot support this project today. i think it's not fully cooked. echoing some of the comments of the commissioners who are already spoken, p.d.r. issue is really important to me. what was a year ago, we approved a change of the use in the armory to have more office

space. i voted for that despite some of my people not happy about that. it is a historic building. it is historic building that we want to preserve. my calculation was that in order to get enough funding for the architectural preservation, wie -- this is a brand new building here. we are putting in a p.d.r. use that does not meet the goals of the voters when we pass prop x. it does not meet the needs of the neighborhood or the missionary plan in wanting to serve folks in the neighborhood. $6 a square foot -- [indiscernible] i'm not happy about that. the geotechnical issues are also not addressed adequately.

i know from that neighborhood, we have severe flooding problems. you all know that every time it rains, raining water. climate change is accelerating. sure amount of water that comes down on 17th street on mission street between 17th and 19th on 14th street, all of these issues are real and they are getting more. we need it address the infrastructure problem. i think that's not adequately addressed here. to commissioner moore's comments, i think that this design could use a lot more work to fit into the neighborhood and how it interacts with the armory across the street. to me, also, the parking ratio a nonstarter. this is two blocks away from the bart station. just few steps away from the 14,

49. several transit lines. it is not acceptable to that ratio of parking to me. those are my comments. i'm not ready to support this today. i would strongly encourage the project sponsor to sit down with the neighbors and the community organizations and also with your local supervisor to try to get this project to be little more responsive to the neighbor's concerns. >> commissionr hillis: thank you. it's been on the calendar a couple of times. talk about the -- we heard lot about community engagement and what happened in that time frame.

>> commissioners, good afternoon. phil lesser also born and raised in the mission. 24-7 businesses in the mission. laundromat. as a result of my knowing quite a few folks, i was given the privilege, three or four years ago, to be the community liaison on this project. whenever you see a poster that's up with my name on it, preapplication meeting, my name on it. we did everything for notification plus we had it

served divide. we met with mr. hall. we have made ourselves available. we went to the entertainment commission. we-meetings with the people at 380, 14th street that's the white five-story building at the 14th and valencia.

armory people own 14th street. that's where you have the smoking. project sponsor removed the entrance to the woodward street side. egress for the automobiles moved to the stevenson street side. in terms of parking, how about if we reduce parking by 60 spaces? that's what happens here. you want reduction of parking you just got it. there's carers coming in and out all day long. we have been talking to everybody. everybody has their own issues. we got studies done to show what's going to happen during construction. we had an enormous amount of engagement here. >> commissionr hillis: all

right. you're saying that we're hearing on the other side folks from the community saying, there wasn't -- i know this got tied up with the 16th street project. project sponsor had both and there was a lack of engagement on this. i like that it's dense. i like that there's new p.d.r. space we don't see lot of new p.d.r. projects coming before us. i think it would benefit from some additional community engagement. one thing i didn't like particularly about this project was that the density bonuses is claimed and then no b.h.r. on the density unit. i rather have negotiated percentage of on site b.m.r. units for that additional density bonus units.

i don't know if the parking associated with the p.d.r. use? >> it's mostly residential. >> this is an area that could has less parking. it could be the project. there are good things about it like p.d.r. and density. the design could use some work. just further engagement with the community. sounds like we've continued this but it hasn't been that. little more engagement and discussion about how those -- sound like you got a story to tell about the p.d.r. use. thank you. >> thank you. if i might just say, in terms of engagement since we have the

community here, would it be possible to let mr. mark roth, he only had 10 seconds, describe exactly what would happen in the p.d.r.? >> commissionr hillis: i are leave that to the chair. >> president melgar: i think it's well described in the project report. unless there's something that mr. roth did not include in the report. it's pretty thorough. we understand what you're proposing. >> commissioner richards: i spent three hours this morning hearing the government oversight and audit committee hearing sb50 mission folks. if sb50 passes this bigger willg will be bigger and taller. you're quarter of a mile from local transit lines muni lines.

you're 40-foot height limit on stevenson street will now become 55 and add your density bonus. i want you to get involved and really analyze what this does for the mission. i know you have density control here as result of that. you will get additional height and get additional concessions and waivers and incentives. question for staff, is there -- we did the resource survey.

is there a woodward street -- >> correct. there's a woodward district. we did look at the proposed building and paid attention to the woodward street frontage and deemed it appropriate. the property in question is not within the district. >> commissioner richards: other things. retail spaces are too large. 3000 square foot one and 1700 square foot roughly. those going to be hard to rent. i don't know if you saw yesterday, the whole issue of retail. i want to bring that back up to the chair and vp.

i think you need it break up that space into smaller retail so they're rentable to somebody. the placement of the b.m.r. units i agree with commissioner moore, they need to have a step up at least 3 feet. something mention -- somebody mentioned that we have the three bedroom penthouse unit which question i have, if there's a family there that needs b.m.r. unit, would be be open having that as one of the b.m.r. units. going down 14th street biking, walking, driving is a train wreck. it really is. i go down there all the time because the light at mission street and 14th street changes so fast you get about eight seconds to cross. all you need is one or two people to walk in the crosswalk

and traffic backs up. i know you reduced 60 spaces, that's great. we have new project well fresh eyes. 42 parking spaces is way too many. especially given the proximity of transit. the $6 square foot p.d.r., page 9 on the motion, considering approval of the project, it's influence by such facts whether the project sponsor as a commitment of establish p.d.r. tenants or demonstrate a relationship with the p.d.r. community. i think a conversation with the community is in order like my fellow commissioners. lastly, question on the environmental page 61, hydrology

and water quality. 14c. substantially all for the existing drainage pattern of the site or area including through alterations of the course of a stream or river. in a manner that will result in substantial erosion. it has no significant impact previously identified in the peir. is this a site you did hydrology studies? >> we did actually have some additional information provided by the geotechnical engineer. which discussed the ground water and some other factors for that. some of these issues, with are not engineers. at this point in time, the construction documents and all of those hook ups are not

available to us. the city has processes through the building department where those issues will be worked out. the geotechnical report will be reviewed with the construction documents for conform of recommendations. the building can require additional information and these issues will be addressed. there's potential for structural design pier review and other things like that. >> commissioner richards: theret something down and it's a big surprise. there's a conversation and remediation plan. i along with my fellow commissioners there need to be more dialogue the community. i don't think the project is to be approved. i move to continue.

>> second. >> president melgar: i will make one additional comment. woodward street is special. it's a special little community. i think woodward street not mission delores. it's a different district, different neighborhood, it's a different zip code and it's got different district supervisor. when you talk about community engagement, i want to encourage you to make it meaningful. it's not just firing the community, it's engaging and figuring out what the true needs of the community are and to make this project responsive to its needs. >> commissioner moore: i wanted to add couple of other things that i believe project be continued. i like it know little bit more materials. there's no discussion about materials on this particular project. there's no information about windows which are very important

element given what is surrounding the issue. i'm getting little bit impatient when there's only one or two prototypical unit plans. i like it see little bit more what the unit plans are. prototypical is not enough. >> commissioner richards: may see16th >> you may want to continue it out a week after. about judg june 6th. there's a motion that's been seconded to continue this matter to june 6th on that motion, [roll call] motion passes unanimously. 6-0.

>> commissioner moore: i wanted to support the department's rejection of the additional rooftop structures. i would like that to be addressed when when it project comes back. we did not talk about it. the department has a very strong argument why that should not be supported. >> item 14. [agenda item read]

>> good afternoon commissioners. mary woods department staff. 1001 van ness is asking for a planned use development. [please stand by]

>> it was published in february 2019. department staff also prepared a revised mitigation monitoring

and reporting program for the current project, which is also to be incorporated as part of the project as conditions of approval. the department finds that the project on balance is consistent with the van ness avenue area plan, the general plan, the priority and recommendations of the city's healthcare services master plan. the project is necessary and desirable, therefore the department's recommendation is to approve with conditions. this concludes my summary of the project. i'm happy to answer any questions. thank you. >> thank you. we will now hear from the project sponsor. >> thank you. good afternoon, commissioners. i am one of the cofounders of the partners, the project sponsor. my colleague as a cosponsor and also available to answer

questions. you may remember that -- can we pull up the screen? there we go. you may remember we were here here two years ago for the approval as mary woods mentioned of the original proposed condominium project at this location. i will highlight some of the changes, but the primary reason we are here is that the proposed assisted living facility is considered an institutional use under the code and that requires conditional use. the facility that we are proposing will provide a variety of on-site mac services to residents of the proposed units, ranging from personalized assistance with activities of daily living, meals, social activities, transportation management, up to things like medication management, and for some of the residents, care for issues related to alzheimer's and dementia. memory care. i will highlight a couple of things. you are probably familiar with

the site. >> please speak into the microphone. >> sorry. you can use the other microphone , too. >> this is an aerial of the rendering. i wanted to highlight some of the changes from the previous proposal. we've kept the project at the same height and overall same design intent as the previously approved project. the massing has been slightly reduced. we will walk through some of those design changes, but primarily, it has been by eliminating a floor and a half of the below grade parking, as well as some slight slimming of the tower of the building. we have reduced the parking by about 150 stalls, and we have increased the amount of retail by adding retail that is accessible off of pharrell, and from myrtle.

in terms of project timeline, i want to highlight a couple of things. we spent considerable time after the original original approvals pursuing the residential project , but due to primarily at significant cost increases, the project was not feasible. we partnered with a company last year to pursue the proposed project. our intention is, if approved, we are moving forward with demolition by the end of the year, with an intended delivery of 2021. i also wanted to highlight that as with the previous project, we have a new price in the packet, a significant amount of community and neighborhood support. there are members in the audience who have supported the project's his route, and they have been very responsive to the new project. the van ness neighborhood judge at neighborhood council has supported the project, as well as residents from a number of the immediate buildings, residents of the myrtle street

flats, resident of 1,000 venice across the street. i want to highlight that we practically reached out to open house last year, because we wanted to go into an agreement to contribute towards their expansion campaign for the low income senior, lgbt cute facility that is currently being completed at 75 laguna. we are completing that expansion capital campaign. >> could you repeat the address, please. >> seventy-five laguna. >> thank you. >> i am personally very excited about this commitment. we see this as the beginning of a long-term relationship with open house, and when i'm excited to be very involved with. finally, i wanted to highlight that from a policy perspective, san francisco has a policy of increasing a facility around the city. it is extremely difficult to

find sights that make this work. you have to have a site of size to allow for the number of units , and make it feasible, as well as the services that are provided. it has been over 15 years since most of the projects in the assisted-living space have been delivered, and there are few sites that lend themselves to 1,000 van venice to having the transit options for employees, visitors, residents to visit the facility and live at the facility. finally, as is shown on the screen, there is a wide range of services that are provided to residents, ranging from basic activities, all the way through memory care. with that, i want to hand it over to glen. >> good afternoon, commissioners it is pretty excited to be here with this project because it is so different from all the other types of projects that we do, which are residential apartment buildings or condominiums. this is a senior living facility it allowed us to rethink the building, and we took the

opportunity, i believe, to better the building in a lot of aspects. i will walk you through some -- >> i'm sorry, your time is up. you have five minutes. >> we have ten minutes. >> why don't you go ahead and finish the presentation, because i'm sure you will have have a lot of design questions. if we can keep it -- thank you. >> okay. the first thing that we did was because they are senior living facility apartments, they are smaller. they are 20% smaller then a typical apartments. we are able to slip up the building, and what we did is we basically reduced the massing on myrtle street, making the building thinner and providing more light in that side of the street, which i think is an advantage for the myrtle street alley. the second, as jc pointed out, we reduce the parking 247 stalls

we don't need to go so deep. so we have rearranged the parking. we have one level below grade and we still have the retail that fronts onto van ness, and turns a corner onto o'farrell and myrtle street which is a highlight. on the second floor, we have reorganized the vehicular entrance. it used to be two separate entrance -- entrances, one that went deep into the below grade and went into great below feral. >> we have also taken advantage of creating a drop-off within the building. obviously for seniors, this is an ideal situation to be on a level surface, rather then a 10% slope, which is o'farrill or myrtle street.

the other important thing about the building is the second floor and the third floor which you will see our active uses. so now on van ness, o'farrill, and myrtle, it has found a lot of active uses. it is much more appealing. this is a third floor. this is basically where the majority of the residents will congregate. it's a library, eating facility, so that had the whole second and third floor will be activated along o'farrill street, as well as turning onto myrtle street. the other change to the overall plan is we may recall we have six townhomes. they were vertical units and now we have 11 flats. we still have residents on myrtle street, but they are more flats than they are townhomes with steps. we have create -- increased the

density there. we have kept the rhythm of the townhouse appearance, but they are flats. here is a typical floorplan. you can see the units -- we have laid out all the units, but the majority of them are in this configuration as it sets up the building. here is a view of myrtle street. one of the things we have also done is improved the pedestrian experience around myrtle street. we have opened up the entryway and the main plaza. this is one of the main pause entryways. we can see if this is one of the vehicular entrance is that go into the share. you can see the scale of the myrtle street flats. we have also -- overall we have change the pallet. he used to be a more black and white building, and now we have gone to a softer white zone with some brownish brick to really warm up the experience of those units. this is a view looking down

myrtle street. as you can see, although they are not townhomes, they are flats. they have a rhythm jet that mimics the myrtle street townhomes across the street. we have always discussed this in the past. along o'farrill, again, we have increased the amount of retail or experience or active use that comes up off of o'farrill. you can see right above the entryway that the third floor is all active so we are trying to put as much active use on these first floor -- first three floors as possible, and the entryway for the drop-off. overall, i think the architecture of the building has simplified. we were very heavy. we had a lot going on on the first iteration. this gave us an opportunity to clean it up and make it simplified, but also the pallet change has been a real advantage to us. i think it is more in keeping with the venice corridor and

some of the historic buildings along the corridor. this is a few vote -- from o'farrill and van ness. here you have the last few right at the corner of myrtle and van ness. with that, i conclude the architectural presentation. if there's any questions, feel free. thank you. >> thank you very much. we will now open up this item for public comment. do we have public comment? we have several speaker cards. if you can come up and line up on this side, in no particular order, please come up.

okay, come on up. don't be shy. >> hello, good afternoon. thank you for having me. i am the executive director of open house. i am pleased to be here today to voice my support for that supposed -- the senior living community. the mission of open house, i hope as many of you know, will be to enable lgbt cute seniors the opportunity to overcome unique challenges they face at the age by providing housing services and community programs. we are also leading the community and san francisco to ensuring that we build a san francisco that supports lgbt cute seniors, so we believe are the heroes of the vanguard of the lgbt cute movement, not just here in san francisco, but all across the country. in 2015, open house opened lgbt

cute welcoming affordable housing at 55 laguna and the bob ross lgbt cute senior centre a 65 laguna, currently we are building our second building a 75 and 95 laguna. those two outbuildings together will provide 119 units of lgbt cute welcoming affordable senior housing, our first in san francisco, and over 10,000 square feet of program and office space. the open house community center being billed as 75 laguna will include many centers and art studios, activity centers, and will enable us to continue doing what we do which is provide services for seniors all across san francisco. our partners reached out out to open house in mid-2018 and worked with our leadership team to create a partnership that will benefit the seniors, not just a 75 laguna and 1,001 van ness, but seniors throughout san

francisco. i've been incredibly impressed by the partners and senior living in their forward thinking an outspoken support for lgbt q. seniors. only do they have clear statements of equality and nondiscrimination for all of their communities across the country, which we know is not happening all across the country , they have village and king as their national well-being coach. that told me a lot right from the beginning. we are thrilled for the support and belief in our mission. in fact, the commitment of partners and their development team, and the generous donation they have given us will help complete the capital campaign for our new open house community center at 75 laguna. we don't see this as a short-term relationship, but we are thinking about it as an expanded long-term relationship with partners to improve care for lgbt q. seniors in san francisco and beyond, and we believe that they are committed to our community here in san francisco. i strongly encourage all of you to vote in favor of the new

senior assisted living residences. i believe any quality -- in the quality of care that they can provide to a diverse group of seniors to call san francisco their home, and i believe they will work with us to support the city of san francisco in this effort. thank you. >> commissioners, my name is steve larson. my wife and i own property across the street on myrtle street from where this construction will take place. we have really suffered over the last decade with the building that is there and it is in the way. it has been unbelievable. i don't know how it got through the planning commission when that building was built, it was a long time ago, but it did. and we have been following very closely what has been going on here. there are only eight units that are right across the street on myrtle street, and we are one of them. we really support what this is all about. both in terms of policy and

building something we think is really needed in the city, at the same time, we think they have really reached out, they have tried to talk to everyone in the neighborhood, and i think they have done a great job. the design looks like it is something it -- that takes account the fact that we live across the street. we urge you to approve this project. we think it is very worthwhile. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good evening, commissioners. i live across the street. my wife and i reside have resided there for about three and a half years. i wanted to voice my support for the proposed project. to reiterate what steve larson before me just said, it is definitely a blighted building. i think my original comments to the planning commission several years ago where, you know, peeling paint, and used as public facilities, as it were.

that has not changed. it has taken the efforts of the eight people in the units to keep the street as clean as possible, and the building really is a single use building, and it probably just needs to be torn down, given that the truck -- televising brought -- television broadcast industry will never be what it used to be they have been a fantastic -- they have just been fantastic to us. they have been -- they have included us in every step of the way in terms of reviewing plans, hearing our feedback, communicating with us, and keeping us involved. even when they didn't have to. as someone who lives there, the prospect of more people living on myrtle, as they up to the flats count and the better pedestrian environment, is something we are strongly in favor of. thank you.

>> thank you. next speaker, please. >> commissioners, and the president of cathedral home home neighbors and cofounder of the van ness neighborhood corridor council. the corridor it has nine different neighborhood neighborhood associations from lombard street to south of van ness. we are very concerned about sustainable development on van ness avenue. i thank you have been reading some articles about the new hospital and things that are not happening in the area that we were hoping to. if this is -- this is now the 30 th year anniversary of the plan. a project of mayor dianne feinstein which prioritized housing over retail in van ness. the first plan, i think of a high density housing on a major transit corridor. we haven't really lived up to that. we haven't produced housing. in a 30 year period, we have

only produced 2,000 units of housing. that is only 65 units a year, which is not acceptable. we need housing. we need good quality housing. this is a good quality project. it is also in a very key corner on van ness avenue, it is a major transit hub. the other three buildings on the corridor are all historically landmarked buildings that will not generate a lot of activity. we need people to be using the building, have people on the streets, have a safe, clean, healthy environment in that street, make it a more robust target, so we urge all of you to support this project. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> hello. my name is marie. i live up to -- 246 myrtle and i'm the president of the murrell flats community association.

i strongly support this project. they reached out to us from for years ago and have kept us abreast of everything that has salmon from the beginning to where we are right now, and they have been excellent communicators with us, and despite the fact that they have done an amazing job of hiring security and janitorial services , myrtle street, they have become an avenue of badness that nobody should have to live around. between the prostitution of the drug dealing, and the open air toilets, and needles, we are desperate for new neighbors, and i think they would be amazing neighbors. i hope you approve the project. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon, commissioners my name is teresa wong and i am the administrator of avenue assisted living. that is the building right next to the proposed project.

i am here today not as a competitor for this project, but as a neighbor, because i was one of -- one of your former commissioners approached us and came to my facility to lobby for this project, and he said even though it is assisted living, it will not be my competitor, but that would be a mutual benefit. so i believe that, and that is why i am here, but i do want to make two comments. this project, the design to -- it is very stunning, actually. myrtle street is so bad in this area. i really want to see something come back and be grand and beautiful and support the neighbors.

my partner was very close and supportive for mr. wallace that he helped mr. wallace to go through the planning and design the whole project. that was originally as a condo, 200 or something condos. myself was so looking forward to that project. i am looking forward for a condo for myself, so close to the place i work. all of a sudden, they changed the plan to turn it into assisted-living. so i do want to give you some personal experience. i have experience, about 20 years in this business, and our current project on 1035 van ness called avenue assisted living, there was a vacant lot for the last 40 years. before we started to develop, we

got to the land, we designed specifics for assisted-living purposes, and then we completed it and took a long time. a lot of hardship. there are two comments i want to make. when the former commissioners approached me, they said theresa , according to my survey, it is a two-year waiting list. at that is not true. and he said that, i am here, i'm neutral. i'm not opposed to this project. the owner of this project was more open and will work with me. i actually talked to them a year ago about the project and they never got back to me. i want to offer that with a project of this side, -- size, 247 units, there is financial responsibility. we have a problem to fill our project even though we only have 124 units. >> your time is up. >> okay. , thank you.

>> is there any other public comment on this item? okay, with that, public comment is closed. commissioner moore? >> it doesn't happen very often when a project is here for a long time and came back and it is better. it doesn't happen very often. we will see if something gets lost along the way. i am very impressed with how this project has come about. hit all of our housing discussions, we only ever talk about senior housing. i think the project in its location and its general architectural expression speaks to the new van ness image. i think it is a really good addition. i like the attitude towards myrtle, which even in the previous version, i liked it very much. i prefer flats over townhouses because it allows more

flexibility in terms of the types of people who live there. i am impressed, i'm very supportive, and i hope you will start soon. >> thank you. commissioner johnson? >> thank you. i pass this corridor every day on the 38 bus and always think that, or wish, or hope that something would be developed on this site, and i think to get to actually feel a deep city need around senior housing, two, have it be on a rich transit corridor , and with thoughtful attention to mobility issues, not just for the folks were living there, the folks who will be walking in and around that area. design that activates that streetscape on the residential side and on the commercial corridor, and to icing on the cake, a partnership with open house, which really, i think, just speaks to the diversity of

seniors, and the fact that seniors at all income levels and life experiences, just like everyone in the city, deserve a place to call home. for me, it makes me really happy to support this project. i moved to approve. >> second. >> very good, commissioners. if there is nothing further, there's a motion that has been seconded to approve this matter on conditions. [roll call] >> that motion passes unanimously 6-0. that will place us on -- oh,. did you want to take up the matter? the matter of continuance? >> okay. >> wait. >> i am hearing some request for a break.

we have been at this for a while and it is 6:00 p.m. the commission will take a 15 minute break, and then when we come back, we will take up the matter. can i announce that right now? there has been a request from supervisor walton to continue item number 18. we will >> i will remind members of the public to silence or mobile devices that may sound off during these proceedings. commissioners, we left off on your regular calendar and we'll be taking up item 18 out of order. the conditional use authorization. we just received a request from the supervisor's office to

continue this matter to allow for more community outreach. i would say that maybe one month continuance. very good, commissioners. it one month continuance would put us into may 9th. do i hear a motion, or it should be take public comment? i apologize. >> do we need to make the motion before we take public comment? >> we should take public comment >> let's take public comment on this item. is there public comment on this item? okay. public comment is now closed. commissioner richards? >> move to continue to may 9th very good. thank you, commissioners. on that motion to continue this matter... [roll call]

>> so moved. that motion passes unanimously 6 -0. that will place us on item 15. this is a conditional use authorization. >> good afternoon, commissioners planning department staff. the project before you is a conditional use authorization for the legalization of a change of use from a retail service to a general entertainment use, during business -- of doing businesses the academy. it is located within the boundaries of the upper market street neighborhood commercial transit zoning district which requires a conditional use authorization for any project which proposes they change the used a general entertainment at the ground floor and for the creation of an outdoor activity space at the rear of the property. the conditional use authorization will update to case 2018-01132 and. the project sponsor, the academy

, is a social club which has occupied the space since march of 2017. the club his membership based, and offers many services including art shows, limited live entertainment performances, discussion groups, game nights, receptions and catered winetasting. we also offer barber services that what you're open to the public. i thought it would be beneficial to show a photo of the space. can i get the overhead, please? so it goes up to that retaining

wall and beyond that is just extra space back there. the outdoor activity area is constructed entirely within the buildable envelope, in the area would be a use for entertainment during daytime and nighttime hours. they would be restricted to 10:00 p.m. nightly. the subject property is located in the existing two story over basement building. the tenant spaces occupied by the project sponsor, the academy the previous use was a retail sales and service use, most recently occupied by it watches and clocks. the tenant spaces approximately 2,462 square feet in size, and the after activity areas approximately 500 square feet. to date, the department has received nine letters of support for the project, in which members of the public expressed support for the proposed tenant, and revitalization of a vacant storefront, and the fact that it would be a beneficial service to the community.

six of those letters were received after the packet was published, and they are here for you. should i keep going? okay. one of the letters of support came from the homeowner association. the department received one letter of opposition to the project which described how the services unaffordable unaffordable to residents -- residents. staff recommends approval of this conditional use authorization request as noted in the executive summary. the project proposes a new active use to an existing vacant storefront. the project meets all applicable requirements for the planning code, and the project is consistent with the intent of the upper market neighborhood commercial transit zoning district, edge the market and octavia area plan. this concludes our presentation. i'm available to answer questions in the project sponsor is also here. thank you. >> thank you. we will hear from the project sponsor now.

>> hi, my name is paul miller. i am a san francisco native and i grew up coming to this area a lot, and one of the things that i always found challenging was that if you had already eaten and you don't want to get drunk, there are not that many opportunities to do something outside of your home, and so when the opportunity came, and i saw this space, i said this is perfect. it is a way for people to come and enjoy the neighborhood, but not have the only option spee bars, outside of that, one of the things we wanted to focus on is gay and lesbian history and culture. it is not necessarily one of the most interesting things when you come up to go to the city. what you find us bars and nightclubs, and that is apparent you tell people there so much more to the gay community, and

often the answer is, where do i go to find that? might -- we wanted to be that place that is easy and accessible to people when they say oh, you are interested in, you know, meeting people in a new community, interested in doing other activities, this would be a place for you to go and find that. what we do is we set up all sorts of different things. some are discussion groups, some of book clubs. we also will organize trips to do activities such as go to the symphony, or at most recently, the ballet, and then provide that to our members so that what we are actually providing is activities and things to do. >> hello, my name is nate. i'm the other owner of the academy, along with paul. i am a bay area native and lived in san francisco for ten years. to add to what paul was saying, as part of this process, we have

had to the great opportunity to connect with our immediate neighbors. bridget mentioned to the neighbors that wrote a letter of support have also spoken with the land-use committees and the executive boards of -- boards of many areas, and all are supportive, and i believe at least want to of those groups have written letters. it has been a very interesting and engaging, informative process for us to do this. we are really excited and we feel we are offering something that is unique to the neighborhood, and we have over 300 members right now that are excited for what we've built and to continue growing it. we ask for your support. >> okay. thank you very much. we will now take public comment on this item. anyone who wants to comment, please come on up.

>> good evening, the commissioners. my name is steve adams. i am a member, i'm supposed to disclose this, of the san francisco small-business commission, however, i am speaking on my own, and my own opinion. i totally support the 2166 market street project. you had a vacant space here for two years, and these gentlemen came in and activated that space , and what i have seen in the year that they have done that, they bring people into the neighborhood, they have a lot of members in the neighborhood, but a lot of members out of the neighborhood. they come into the neighborhood and paul and nate promote the castro, and they bring businesses from the castro to come in and talk to members. these members, after they come there and do their socializing, they go to the book club, then they're going to dinner in the neighborhood and shopping in the neighborhood, and using the services in the neighborhood. we have a lot of vacancies