tv Government Access Programming SFGTV October 13, 2019 11:00am-12:01pm PDT
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i am a parent of two very bright, creative, funny and kind girls. i have a sixth-grader and a third grader. our family has been part of the s.f.a. community for years. our daughter is a natural born extrovert. i might say could still improve upon. since day one, the school has thoughtfully created a space when grade level and cross grade level faculty, teachers, families have been able to organically embrace one another in community and friendship. it is really something special. my girls have grown leaps and bounds from the relationships built within the school. both are eager to come to school excited to learn, excited to share, not afraid to be
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themselves and actively participate in meaningful ways. they have learned how to be flexible thinkers, confident public speakers, inclusive and collaborative. in great part because of how diligently our teachers and faculty model these important qualities. given the size of the school it always impresses me to understand how they can make so much happened within our small footprint. our teachers and faculty and the important work that we do is to be wildly applauded. our students are in extra ordinary hands. i, like so many other parents, have benefited greatly while learning alongside our children. leaders and directors of diversity are at the forefront of the ongoing and intentional training and education of our teachers. as we know, diversity is ever evolving, but enriches everyone. students learn and practice understanding the complexities of topics and discussions around
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diversity, inclusivity, equity, what it looks like at our school what it looks like in our city. and the various neighborhoods we call home. children of s.f.a. are exposed to ideas that allow them to review the world through various lenses. and do so let them be proactive individuals. the passion in life's work that is educating our kids not just academically but how to be informed citizens, flex creative muscle, find power in their voice, think outside the box, be an advocate for themselves and others is paramount. allowing this expansion will support the schools' continued commitment to our children's educational and personal growth. [bell ringing] now and for the future, and for zip codes all over the speed of a city. i respectfully request your approval of this project today and appreciate your time and attention. >> thank you so much. thank you ladies are coming. thank you. next speaker, please.
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>> good afternoon. my name is lauren. this is my 21st year at san francisco day school. i am the dean of faculty and director my two sons are graduates of the school. in my roll i talk with faculty on a regular basis to get a taste of the stress that they deal with living in the city where the cost of living routinely outpaces their salaries. this is an especially difficult situation for our young faculty who are just beginning their professional lives. the high cost of living in san francisco significantly impacts our recruitment and retention of teachers and it also limits the diversity of who can teach and live here. our school would not be the place it is without error teachers. even though this is a small step forward, it is important that we do what we can to help provide solutions to housing, and demonstrate support our faculty.
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we aspire to be active and engaged member's of our neighborhood. i believe a school should be a community place and more space will allow us to host my events and move closer to our goal of being partners with our greater community. i respectfully submit that you approve of this plan. thank you for your time. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> thank you presidents, and commissioners. for the past 11 years i have served as executive director of break there san francisco. we are a teacher training programs that has made its home at san francisco day school since 1993. we are a prime example of the school's investment in the broader san francisco community. each year they served to own 50
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students during out of school time investment in each one. it applies to fourth-graders from public schools in san francisco. we look for young people who want to work hard, and who are underrepresented in higher education. 99% of our students are of color, 92% are potential first generation college graduates, and 89% are eligible for free or reduced priced lunch. grade five hike eight, break their students receive 300 hours of programming annually. they attend a six week summer program, take academic classes and enjoy a special opportunities like college day and career day period from october to april they attend our afterschool program two days a week for homework help and outreach classes. grade 912, our students attend. attend saturday workshops. the first class of students
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graduated from our newly expanded eight year program and last year a second class to join them. fifty-two of our graduates are enrolled in college, 80% of where your from san francisco state, howard, and mit. we are dramatically changing the odds for the students in our program. breakthrough is also a teacher training program. each summary 32 outstanding college students, from across the country, take part in our summer teacher residency. gaining the skills and -- to be successful in the classroom. two thirds are people of color. over the past decade roughly two thirds have gone on to pursue careers in education field. most of them with classic teachers and urban public schools. some of them right here in san francisco. all of this transformational work happens at s.f. day school. we share the resources, classrooms, technology, instructional supplies and more. that strong connection with the community was a division of the
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families that founded s.f. day in the late 70s and it remains true today. this project under consideration today, not only increases the learning opportunities for s.f. day students [bell ringing] it expands opportunities for the tune of 50 break your students that will make use of this new space in pursuit of their dreams of higher education. the dozens of inspired educators that will be launched with our careers. i know they will use it well. thank you so much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. my name is reed coley. this is my second year as board chair of the trustees at san francisco day. my family is a fear of the school. my wife and i have four children, to fourth-graders, noah the seventh grader olivia, and a son that graduated last year, jake. together they share a community at s.f. day.
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his will that makes them feel safe, known and excited to learn. as board chair, safeguarding the financial health and well-being of the school is my main priority. as such, this expansion project provides an opportunities for our students in our teachers. the space and resources will enable our academic resources to flourish and give the kids the tools they need to continue driving. of course the aspect of safeguarding our schools will well-being is the security of our teachers. providing housing to some of our teachers as a meaningful step forward and demonstration of support for those made vulnerable by our city's high cost of living. this expansion will allow us to further our diversity equity inclusion initiatives through this increased tuition. at s.f. day we take our partnerships with our neighborhood we will work together to address any concerns to create a better neighborhood for all. i respectfully request your approval for this project. thank you for your time and your consideration. >> thank you. next speaker, please.
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>> good afternoon. i am the eighth-grader at s.f. day. i have three younger brothers and fifth, second in kindergarten who attend s.f. day as well. one of my favorite things about s.f. day's our creative aspect to every. in math we talked problems in different ways and are encouraged to show our work. in science we dive deep into the concepts we are learning and social studies, hands-on projects to understand what we are learning and have really deep and meaningful extractions. a favorite of the mall is probably english. we write and perform plays about weakness, perform shakespeare and read classics like animal farm and outsiders. it inspires me to learn new things every single day. i think this new campus will have my younger brother with this new experience. i request your approval with this project. thank you.
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>> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon, president and commissioners. my name is adam. i am 14 and i'm in eighth-grader at [bell ringing] s.f. day. have a sister in fifth grade. my family and i live one block from school, and i've lived in this neighborhood my entire life. i have always loved stem at the school. math has always been a passion to me whether researching independent projects are watching math videos to learn something new. i've always wanted to share this passion with others. there a short presentation or by working with younger students at school. last year my friend henry and i had the opportunity to meet with fourth-graders at our school. who shared our fascination with math. we talked with them about concepts like triangles and look at challenging problems together.
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i also enjoy the maker space which has allowed me to be creative and helps me to express my ideas in real life with the help of a 3d printer and laser cutters. i love of math goes hand-in-hand with my other passion, music. which is a special program in we have fall and winter assemblies were every grade performance along with the lower and upper school choirs and jazz band. music is not just a subject that we take. it is a way to bring our community together. we are introduced to the wonders of singing together and unique instruments like the xylophone and the glockenspiel. we each get an instrument. i played the piano for over six years and i also play the clarinet. i also get to participate in the annual concert fundraiser called concert for community. i play in the band and also perform a piano solo. i have always loved music. our school has a wonderful way
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of uniting the whole school through song. i respectfully request your approval of this project. thank you for your consideration. >> thank you for your comments. next speaker, please. >> hello, stephen boss. of course, i am in favor of this project. we should absolutely expand the school, bill teacher housing. it's a complete no-brainer. i am pleased to see so much support from the community. not to be a downer, but this highlights the absurdity of our process. none of us should be here. it is a school. of course we should do it. kids should not have to take a day off of school to come here and begged us for permission to add more classrooms or build homes for their teachers. this is broken, and we have to stop doing this. we have to change the process. of course, i know all of you will vote to in support because you are all reasonable people
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who are used two succeeding i want our teachers to have housing. this process should not exist. thanks. >> any other public comment on this item? okay, commissioner koppel? >> thank you all for bringing the kids out. it is always a treat for us to see different speakers at the microphone. you will get an a+ for public speaking today. really good job. we don't normally like to see on our agenda, that we will be losing a housing unit. in this case, i am in full support and willing to make the exception. i really appreciate the last sentence that was spoken by one of the higher ups, just relating students, parents, faculty and neighbors and then putting in the context, shows how those four groups to get to incorporate themselves within the whole city. very supportive today.
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>> commissioner johnson? >> it is really wonderful to hear about geocaching is still a thing. [laughter] the kids are still doing it. and also just to hear about the values of the day school through the staff, and the families, and through the educators. thank you all for sharing. one question that i did have her staff that i just wanted to clarify in the project description, it says that the addition would increase, or sorry -- if there was an illegal unit conversion to use for storage, can you just say a little bit about what happened there. >> perhaps the project sponsor would be better out it than i am. they've been using it for storage for a couple of decades. there hasn't been a unit occupied there since the
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1990s. >> of the school purchased the building in 2,001 and immediately started using it as storage. to 12001 there was no requirement in the planning code that somebody needed to go and ask for special permission that did not come until 2,008. unfortunately they did not file any building permit showing they were going to use something as storage, which i would argue is understandable considering i went to storage. fast-forward 18-19 years later, and staff made the determination that because there were no building permits the last legal use was technically a dwelling unit even though it had been used since the early 2,000's. thank you. >> i am fully supportive of this project as well. >> commissioner. >> for? >> question for staff. this property is not part of an
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imt. do they own other properties? >> i am not aware of any other properties that they own. just these three parcels right now. >> commissioner richards? >> i am in support of this project. just a comment, if this was a brown field and we were building a school, i doubt we would need to go through all these hoops. if you look at the actual case packet you see we are demolishing a unit which is something we need to approve as well as to amend planning code decisions as well as to make exceptions for dwelling unit exposure by simple parking all of which are livability issues. i just want the public to know we are not putting the school through some ridiculous process, it's how we get to this point to what we need to approve that's actually before us. i am absolutely fully supportive of the project and move to
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approve. >> thank you. i am also fully supportive of this project. i wanted to give kudos to the san francisco day school for providing housing for its teachers. i think it is hopefully the start of a trend. we don't require it, but, you know, it is really great that you are living your values by using some of your space to provide that option for people who need it. i wish others did it, too. thank you so much for doing that. i am fully supportive. >> seeing nothing further, commissioners. a motion that has been seconded to approve this matter with conditions. on that motion. [roll call] that motion passes unanimously 5-0. placing us on item 11, case number 2016-009538cua.
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905 folsom street. this is a conditional use authorization. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am at the planning department staff. this is a conditional use authorization for planning code sections 203.5 and 303, to allow the demolition of the automotive service station within a mixed used residential zoning district the project includes demolition of the existing building currently providing an automotive repair garage, doing business as shall pay to construct a new eight story 85-foot tall residential building measuring approximately 14,140 square feet with nine dwelling units including five two-bedroom units and the four
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one-bedroom units. providing approximately 1160 square feet for a ground floor commercial use street. nine class one bicycle parking state -- spaces. the project includes 18,035 square feet of usable open space via a second floor courtyard and a common deck. to date the department has not received any correspondence regarding the proposed project. since the publication of the report that the project sponsor has clarified that the usable open space square footage staff would like to read into the record for the final motion. private usable space measures 540 square feet and common usable open space measures 1295 square feet. measuring 1835 square feet. slightly less than what was published in the planning commission packet. the project is located on one lot, lot 146 block 3753 with the
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lot area of approximately and has approximately 25 feet of frontage and a lot depth of 90 feet containing the automotive repair garage and the storm. over the existing automotive service stations across two lots, lot 146-9001 and block 3753. the second continuous lot at 300 fifth street is not part of this project. the project is under review at the planning department. that is at 300 fifth street. the department recommends approval with conditions. the department finds the project is on balance consistent with the central soma plan. the objectives i'm findings and policies of the general plan. [reading notes]
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the project does provide a new ground for commercial units as well as seven stories of housing adding to the city's housing. the department finds that the project is necessary, desirable and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and does not find it to be detrimental to persons or adjacent properties in the city. this concludes staff's presentation and i'm happy to answer any questions. >> thank you very much. we have a project sponsor? >> allow me to set up the powerpoint. >> i can give you a quick summary of the design of the
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building. it is a slender building, eight stories tall, as you can see on the aerial that was taken, i guess by google, just pulled off a few days ago. you can see the neighbors are an eight story buildings, occupied space with the gardens. 25 feet wide, very slender 90 feet long. sorry, i'm trying to figure out how to make a go forward. this is a photo of the existing conditions. it is currently a shell station and a smog testing facility.
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as esmeralda noted, the larger property that has the gas station, the pumps on the tanks is not our property. ours is the slender portion that has the convenience store and the smog testing. those items we have gone througl evaluation and have identified duplicates within a close range. we chose to show you a couple of pictures here, the before and after with the current and the projected. right now, it looks like a very tall building. it matches many of the buildings in the neighborhood. we anticipate the neighbor will be even higher. i know you have been looking at that project as well.
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so, as you can see on the top, there is the existing service station support building that will be demolished. this demolition would not be taking out fuel tanks or anything like that. the lower image shows the site plan, we do the traditional enhancement of the sidewalks. the second floor in the back is the rear deck. and we lost our image. >> the first floor you can see has some commercial trade we are not anticipating a commercial kitchen or anything like that. it is long and narrow. we have to provide both stairs and elevators, one elevator to the residence above. the above image is the second
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floor where you can see the rear deck that qualifies as the rear yard. the third and fourth floor represent the two of floor plans the third floor is to one-bedroom units, and on the fourth floor it is one two-bedroom unit. i slow down, because it is ones and twos back-and-forth. that goes up to the eighth floor, and then on the eighth floor we do the roof deck. a 5-foot radius of landscaping wrapping around which is, the planning bart department is asking everybody to do now so everybody doesn't get close to the edge. the deck itself is in the center. the planning code does allow you to count the landscape plans for area as open space.
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even if you did not do that, we still meet the requirements for common open space. this image shows elevation on folsom. as you can see it is very narrow and tall, 6-1 ratio. it is very modern. there are balconies. let me back up. there are bay windows on alternate floors. the alternate floor, there would be small roof decks. this would be the east elevation. [bell ringing] this will be covered by the new project coming in adjacent.
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if that project -- >> okay. >> approved, this will be the like. >> think you so much. we will now take public comment on this item. anyone who wishes to provide public comment please do so now. okay. public comment is closed. commissioner koppel? >> housing replacing a gas station. i am supportive. >> okay. i did have some questions. you mentioned that the station itself isn't in the process of entitlement. can you tell us a little bit about that?
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>> sure, yeah. the continuous parcel is 300 fifth street. that project has submitted an application for the department, currently electing the bonus project as well as the housing sustainability district. it was created as part of the central selma project. what is being created next-door is a 16 story residential building. >> i see. that was my question, because the three buildings, dividing the parcel, right next to it they are all eight stories. then you have a 16 story building right next to it. do we have any worries in terms of the design, or some of the windows. >> part of what the housing sustainability district wanted to allow was buildings up to 16e project meets certain findings shows the zoning district
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allowing for 85 feet if it elects to pursue the agency program and provide certain benefits than it would be allowed to build up to that height. >> i think, in general, this sounds like a big height difference. is the adjacent site at a corner? i think on those corners it can handle the height,. [inaudible] >> what is the building across the street? >> there is a big building across the street. >> it is another housing complex. >> that is also like really tall, right? >> yeah, it is 85 feet. >> i can set it up on the screen. >> you talked a little bit about the lot line there. what is going to happen to it if
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the parcel gets developed, which i think it most likely will. can you go back to that slide? >> we have an elevation developed that has a pattern of colors. it is a concrete frame building. we wanted to create some patterning and regularity to the rhythms. because it is on a property line you cannot do a whole lot. the best we came up with was the pattern that we presented. >> thank you. commissioner richardson? >> i agree with commissioner koppel, no-brainer. i sat in a meeting probably 2008 and 70 from a neighborhood association said what is going to happen to all of the gas stations? and i laughed. we have hundreds of gas stations
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in the city. i know we mentioned this before. i cannot wait until the end of fossil fuels as well. there was a big article in the chronicle commercial charging stations, as well. i think the city should get ahead of that, as fossil fuels or wind down and take flight. we have a plan for where we put those charging stations. i know people would have them in their buildings if they are here. but if they are visiting in their electric car, where in god's name where they pulled this big honking thing to plug it in somewhere? if we keep getting rid of land we need to look at the street or something. i think it is an action item list for this commission to take after the director director leaves. [laughter] action item list. >> you said after the director leaves. >> commissioner koppel? >> i would like to move to approve. >> second. >> on that motion to approve
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this matter with conditions. [roll call] so moved by that motion passes unanimously 5-0. that will place us on item 12 for case number 2018-016600cua, 2241 chestnut street. conditional use authorization. >> good afternoon, commissioners. katie roberson, department staff. 2241 chestnut street is requesting conditional use authorization to establish an outdoor activity area in the rear yard of an existing three-story structure to service the existing bar at the ground story. it is worth noting that in december of 2018 the department received a complaint regarding uncommitted uses and construction of the subject property. however, based on planning department records and staff observations it appears the subject property is compliant with the planning code. to date, the department has not
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received any public comments on the outdoor activity area. the department finds that the project is on balance, consistent with the goals and objectives of the general plan, the proposed outdoor activity area revise open space to an existing neighborhood service business with limited hours of operation so as not to disrupt nearby residential uses. the project is necessary and desirable and therefore the department's recommendation is to approve this concludes staff summary of the project and i am available to answer any questions. >> thank you. is there a project sponsor? >> good afternoon, commissioners, and commission staff. my name is noel. i am the proprietor of campus on chestnut street. my business partners and i have experience operating seven venues in san francisco for collectively 20 years now.
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we are good neighbors and operate business and a very professional manner. we are in good standing with the california abc and sf pd. our backyard is surrounded with bars and restaurants were similar outdoor spaces already. there is no adjacent residential units to the space. we have done extensive neighborhood outreach and circulated a petition with almost 900 signatures. members of the marina community in favor of approving the campus backyard please stand. there are very few outdoor venues in san francisco. this is a great opportunity to provide safe outdoor activity area for the neighborhood. thank you for your time. 1020 thank you. i would like to now open this up for public comment. anyone like to public we comment on this item? seeing then. public comment is closed.
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>> questions for staff? the project sponsor has made a statement that there is no residential uses adjacent to this outdoor space. what about upstairs? >> you are right, there are two units in the main structure, one on each subsequent level of a three-story building, there's also a third dwelling units on a smaller structure it is also at the second and third story. maybe they meant adjacent to the ground story. >> what about the other lots around it that is a continuous this rear yard. >> the zoning district is peppered with residential units with the second and third stories. it is very common to have a ground story commercial and residential. there are residents in the area it is why recommends limited hours of operation until 10:30 p.m.
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>> the project sponsor also mentioned, in your earlier report you indicated that there were conditions to mitigate the noise what conditions are you talking about. about? >> those are limited hours of operation. pulling all of the outdoor activity area, shutting the down by 10:30 p.m. >> commissioner johnson? >> i also have a question for staff. >> received a complaint for a a permitted uses and removal of the dwelling unit upon staff investigation there was a site visit that was conducted in june and the dwelling unit is there and appears to be occupied. it was just mislabeled on the plants. >> thank you. >> commissioner richardson? >> project sponsor, i have a
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question. the one who spoke. great, thank you. can you please let us know the other six bars that you are involved in? >> yes, we've got owl tree, downtown nob hill area. there was eddie's that just closed recently. we are currently moving it. there is chief sullivans, in north beach. house rules is on poached street. harry's bar and bruno's in the mission. >> thank you. i feel comfortable, because there is no neighbor opposition and these are bars that have not had any situations or bad things with them. i move to approve with the limited hours. >> i'm not supportive of this as
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a potential noise factor for the residents in the area. >> commissioner richards? >> staff, please. i'm sorry. on this block we have campus bar at this address. what is next door in the backyard? can you give us the lay of the land? the impression i got is a most everyone of these, a commercial business have some kind of outdoor activity area. >> i wouldn't say all of the outdoor activity areas are permitted. there may be some operating as such without permits from staff analysis. there is only one permitted outdoor activity area within one quarter mile radius. they also had the limited hours of operation. that is where we got our standard in at 10:30 p.m. to the rear of the property along lombard street which is a different zoning district.
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that allows for later hours of operation and generally has a more highly impacted commercial activity. in 20 thank you. commissioners, if there is nothing further, there is a motion that has been seconded to approve this matter with conditions. on that motion,. [roll call] that motion passes 4-1 with commissioner fung voting against. >> that places us on item 13 for case number 2018-016040cua. 3419 sacramento street. conditional use authorization. >> good afternoon, members of the planning commission. the item before you is a request for a use authorization at 3419 sacramento street. legalizing the change of use and
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approximately 2,000 square-foot commercial retail space to a design professional office use. doing business as kendall design on the ground and main floors of the commercial and residential building. there are no permit improvements for extension of the existing building has proposed. the project will be applied enforcement case to legalize the proposed change of use. the existing business has been in operation at the subject commercial space approximately 15 years. as far as issues and considerations, the pre- application mitty -- meeting is not required for the post- project. the sponsors have and submitted letters to the planning department from local merchants in support of the project. the planning department received correspondence and approximately 12 people in support of the project. indicating you know, but this has been a good neighbor, strong supporter, and should be a
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continued presence which the retail expenses within this portion of sacramento street. the planning department's recommendation for the project is approved with conditions. this concludes my presentation. i am available for any questions. >> thank you. do we have a project sponsor? >> do we have ten minutes, or is it five? >> five is fine. >> thank you. >> good afternoon, commissioners. i am here on behalf of the project sponsor, kendall wilkinson. kendall is here and will speak as well. first i want to thank staff are working with us on this application as young indicated, we are here as a result of a complaint filed.
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she has been operating here 415 years. retail has been a big part of her business, from the beginning, and continues to be. there were issues with the glass on the front façade, which she has now addressed. she has made those changes for design reasons which will change that back and make it more visible. under the planning code, you need to not only find for conditional use, if this is necessary and desirable. but also the design professional service serves as the general public and that is absolutely the case. the retail component brings in the general public as a significant part of kendall's operations. the design services serve the general public. there is a great deal of foot traffic in and out of the space. we have submitted evidence of that. we have members of the public and neighbors here to testify
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today to that. the staff report also reiterates that the general public serving component needs -- meets the code requirements. with that i will turn into kendall and that we have some speakers from the public for you today. we ask that you support the conditional use application and we are available for any questions you may have. thank you. >> good afternoon. i am kendall wilkinson. i have been on sacramento state now for almost 20 years. this is my third store there. i actually started in 2,002, the merchant association on sacramento street. at the time it was called the sacramento street association. it was an effort to really make sacramento street really cohesive and very supportive of
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each other and make it more of a community. we really succeeded at that, during my time there. we created the sacramento street store, we brought in tons of people from all over the bay area to holiday struggles. we currently have the hollowing stroll which is coming up. i have been a huge supporter of the street for a very long time. i've also been in the neighborhood for 20 years. currently i have a design business on the retail business. the two go hand-in-hand and support each other. we also bring in clients from all over the bay area who come and shop on the street, they eat on the street, they use the services provided on the street. i also bring in close to 20000-$30,000 for sales tax to the merchants on the street and the sales of my own merchandise that we sell, plus the fabric line that i sell. currently the space is now
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roughly 30% to retail, we have two full-time staff who actually man the retail. the two definitely go hand-in-hand. the design community is a huge part of what makes sacramento street fluid. you know, my employees are shopping on the street for themselves. they are dining on the street. they are also using the services. i feel like we generate -- it is truly a community. i think everyone on sacramento street would say so. we have a diverse group of stores and restaurants, services , and professional services. i continue to be very supportive of everyone there and will continue to do so. i would like you to please consider passing this. thank you.
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attorney thank you so much. we will now open up this item for public comment. if you wish to comment, please do so now. if you are all here to comment, i would ask you to line up on my left. that way you are not blocking the door. thank you. >> i am michael anderson. i'm here in support of kendall wilkinson design. i am the landlord of the building that she has, my brothers and i do. we have active members of the sacramento neighborhood since 1906. my great-grandfather founded a new laundry in those buildings. he built those buildings and they have been in our family ever since. kendall came to us in 2004, to rent the space. she's been a fantastic ten and neighbor. it is important that she is a part of the community, that is for sure. she's been a strong supporter of everything that has gone on in the neighborhood.
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not only her business, but the neighboring businesses. as a landlord, and longtime neighborhood participants, i am particularly aware of changes that happen over time in the retail world. there was a one-time grocery stores, butcher shops, and even horse barns in the neighborhood. those are gone as times have changed. the idea that kendall now represents what retail is becoming. it is a combination of goods and services that she provides. there is a huge amount of traffic that goes to her building. everybody is encouraged, her clients, and her employees to go visit other places. the neighborhood would be missing a very valuable tenant, participant in the neighborhood, if we were to lose kendall. the vibrancy of the neighborhood depends on the option.
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having a closed spot is not a good idea for any of us. please accept my plea for support of kendall wilkinson design. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> i am the founder and owner of hudson grace on sacramento street, sacramento street. i've been a retail 20 years and we open this sort seven years ago. out of all of our locations, this little 700-foot square -- 700 square-foot store is our best door. sacramento street is a destination. it's not a mall, it's not fillmore street. you've got to find the retailers and the designers on the services there. kendall has been a customer of ours since we open the store. i remember when she came in. she has been a strong supporter of the neighborhood and his businesses. her clients and the staff contribute to the pedestrian retail experience on sacramento street. we do welcome her business and
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the customers that it brings in. for us we welcome designers on the street. we welcome all of the services, because we do want to traffic. it only adds to the cachet of this unique street in the shopping experience. i truly hope, urge, and begged the commission to approve kendall's application has proposed. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> hello. my name is eleanor bigelow. i've known kendall for ten years plus. i am a friend and a client. i know half a dozen of kendall's clients personally. on behalf of her clients i want to say that we love the fact that she is on sacramento street. her office has been located on the north side of the city and it's an important part of the whole street experience. i have stopped by her shot multiple times over the years to see her and her staff, and to look at inventory. in fact, just last week i was in there buying new candles.
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i live on baker street which crosses sacramento. i am in the neighborhood and i walked by there often. just last year was trying to decide if i was going to change out a light in my own home and i casually mentioned this to kendall, and she took time out of her day to walk over to my house, on her lunch hour, and gave me suggestions. she did this a free of charge, because she is very generous with her talent and time. kendall really cares about san francisco, and the community of sacramento street, and about her neighbors. one little antidote personally. my daughter told kendall she was interested in being a designer someday. kendall invited her to the office on bring your daughter to work day and she let her sit in on a staff design meeting. my daughter was beyond thrilled, and i was super appreciative of kendall's generosity and kindness.
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there are a lot of designers and architects in the neighborhood and they all add character to the neighborhood. san francisco and sacramento street need more businesses like candles. please allow her to stay and continue to bring beauty and excellent service to the community. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> hello. my name is maja smith. i am a founder at found by maja which is an interior design and retail store at 3484, the same block of kendall wilkinson design. i have been a designer for over 20 years and about 15 years ago became in contact with kendall wilkinson design. i have bought numerous things from her beautiful retail space. she also served as an example and really the reason i came to sacramento street. i wanted to open a store on sacramento street because of her and what she created.
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incredible synergy. we rely upon designers on the street for me as a store, not only am i an interior designer but i have a retail space. the designers are probably our biggest supporters and buyers. they come in and take numerous pieces out a memo. kendall being one of the first designers that have shopped our store i want to my most wonderful supporters. there is a synergy, as mentioned, on the street of designers, and all of the spaces supporting each other. we shop it, we eat on the street, we do events on the street. there is a hollowing shop, a holiday store. redoing a designer not coming up. it is important to what creates in that sense of unity and community on the street. we live designers, we all support each other and i encourage you to approve the application as it stands. we hope not to lose kendall wilkinson design. >> thank you. next speaker, please. i am
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margaret ash, margaret ash design and homes. i live in the neighborhood. i gave birth to my son in the neighborhood. my brother lives in the neighborhood with his family and kids, as my in-laws. when i moved from new york to san francisco and wanted to pursue design. i went to architectural digest. i went to house beautiful to see what areas in san francisco were known for design. that is where you will see the sacramento street stroll and everything that makes the uniqueness of sacramento street being the design retail mecca that it is in the city. people can go to soma for design center if you are an interior designer. the public cannot shop there. sacramento street is where the public shops. if you want chairs, a pillow, outdoor textiles. kendall has her own outdoor textile line. i actually was with the client
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and we went to sound by maja, we went to hudson grace and we got kitchenware. we went to candles to get the outdoor fabric for their terrace. all on one street. that is unheard of. even with the rising rent rates and all of that, it is now vacant. why that is important to me is because kendall wilkinson was the first celebrity. honestly she is known nationally. her name is why i picked sacramento street in that neighborhood you live in. i am the newest tenant on sacramento street. my fear, as the newest retail, on the streets, if you take kendall, the original, the celebrities that bring tourists to the streets. that bring her clients on her designers to want to shop at my
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store. , i have no chance of surviving. it is a big deal. i'm nervous about it, you know? it's really important. these women who just talked on her behalf have been there for 5-7 years. i told them about my story and they've already started organizing a stroll, with their e-mail list, to bring their current clientele to the street so that i can also get exposure. that is november 1. i hope we are ready by then. they said, let's make it work. that is what is so great about the streets and the other designers on the home store. it is a community. it is rotating between boutiques , franchises same as chestnut street. that is the things i was looking at. i made it my business to be the best in the community where
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design is focused. [bell ringing] >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> my name is jeff. everyone is inspiring me today with their stories and their tails. i want to focus on the foot traffic that i think candles shop does. i am here to support her because i believe, just like they do that the clients are coming through they come to eat at different restaurants, and you know, we also just lost to the hospital from that location. even stores are having a hard time with restaurants that a closing. it's really important to have this commonality in common flow of people and personnel coming through stores like candles. also, maybe this has not been highlighted but a firm like candles is doing it with retails
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and clients where they really do sell a lot of product. they collect a lot of tax. you guys might not know this, but all of the designers time leading up to presentations and even sales of products, that is also taxed. it is an important function of the city. it's also part of the business. everyone has had to really focus on evolving. i applaud kendall. thank you very much for your consideration. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> my name is bill moffat. i'm a retired general we did a lot of work for bridge housing. my company built the housing at the old polytech high school site. we live on washington street, two blocks from sacramento where i walk 5-6 times per week.
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mainly down to the jewish community center. section 303.1, may 5 of the san francisco planning code that indicates san francisco is one of the very few major cities, in the state, and which housing, shops, workplaces, schools, and civic facilities intimately coexist to create a strong neighborhood. that is what we have on sacramento street. in this six block district, i counted 46 typical retail establishments, seven stores that are frequently closed, must be marginal, and nine stores that are vacant. there shouldn't seem to be a need for more retail space.
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nine interior decorators or architect offices including kendall wilkinson's on the street. she has been there 15 years. isn't it more realistic for these businesses, who mostly serve homeowners, to be located near the residential districts and not be clogging downtown streets? over the years i have seen kendall wilkinson signs on neighborhood remodels. there were other businesses on sacramento street that are not retail oriented, but are valuable neighborhood resources. including the huge don's auto body shop, two exercise studios, a movie theater, a high school, a pit storage kennel, children's nursery and five laundry facilities. my wife and i might want to use kendall wilkinson's services and would not venture downtown to do so. also it would be inconvenient
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for them to have have to venture into our area. thank you very much. >> thank you. next speaker, please. >> good afternoon. i am christie and i am reading on behalf of of janelle leven r, owner of ant and. [reading notes] -- owner of and some home. [reading notes] kendall, her team and her clients are frequently shopping and dining at local businesses contributing to their sales and success. spent over $65,000 with anthem in the last three years, and has always gone above and beyond referring people up and down the street to shop with local vendors like ours. kendall has my support and it is my hope to see their continued presence on patronage on my street. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please.
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