Planning Commission Hearing March 2nd 2023 !
Project requested continuance at the previous September, November, December, and January Planning Commission hearings in order to "meet with the community" - aka try to sell the property, that didn't happen.
March 2nd will be the hearing. Please plan on attending in person or via phone.
If you previously contacted Planning regarding 1458 San Bruno you should have received an email or mailed notice regarding the March 2nd hearing, if you did not, complain to ella.samonsky@sfgov.org and rich.hillis@sfgov.org
updates:
+The project has now added back 54 off street parking spaces.
-Developer has made no concessions to its negative effects on Potrero del Sol garden or park. Shadow impact remains 4 times the Prop K allowed increase in shadow on Potrero del Sol community garden, rendering most current crops unplantable. The building has actually increased in massing from 94,691 to 95,258 in the new plans.
-Project continues to request a now unneeded off-street loading zone waiver, resulting in removal of 20 public parking spaces in front of Potrero del Sol Park on San Bruno Ave.
-Planning department requested the project to install an interpretive display documenting the artistic history of the parcel - The Farm, Survival Research Labs, Tiny Telephone. Developer is refusing.
-Planning department requested the project include sufficient onsite laundry facilities or hookups. Developer is refusing.
Please review the updated plans posted on PIM under 2019-022404PRJ Project Profile
https://sfplanninggis.org/pim/?tab=Planning+Applications&search=4277015
direct link:
Hearing Date: THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023
Time: Not before 1:00 PM
Location: City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Room 400 and Remote -
https://sfplanning.org/event/planning-commission-200
Our public parks are limited resources that deserve protecting.
2019-022404ENXCUASHD: 1458 SAN BRUNO AVENUE
Please send objections of the project to the planning commissioners.
You do need to send them again even if you sent comments in the past:
theresa.imperial@sfgov.org
kathrin.moore@sfgov.org
gabriella.ruiz@sfgov.org
joel.koppel@sfgov.org
sue.diamond@sfgov.org
rachael.tanner@sfgov.org
derek.braun@sfgov.org
commissions.secretary@sfgov.org
and the assigned planner:
ella.samonsky@sfgov.org
2019-022404ENXCUASHD: 1458 SAN BRUNO AVENUE– West side of San Bruno Avenue south of 25th Street; Lot 015 and 006a in Assessor’s Block 4277 (District 9) - Request for Large Project Authorization and Conditional Use Authorization pursuant to Planning Code Section 303, 317, and 329, to demolish three light industrial buildings that contained an unauthorized dwelling unit and construct a seven-story residential building, with a maximum height of approximately 73-feet, containing in total 232 dwelling units (2 three- bedroom, 91 two-bedroom, 2 one-bedroom, and 137 studios) and 134 Class One bicycle parking spaces, under the Individually Requested State Density Bonus Program pursuant to Planning Code Section 206.6 and California Government Code Section 65915. The project seeks waivers from development standards, including Rear Yard (Section 134), Dwelling Unit Exposure (Section 140), Off-Street Loading (section 151.1), and Height Limit (Section 260) requirements of the Planning Code, and concessions from the Open Space (Section 135) and Permitted Obstructions (Section 136), pursuant to State Density Bonus Law. Per Planning Code Section 295, the Planning Commission must also adopt findings for shadow impacts on the Potrero del Sol Park and James Rolph Playground. The subject property is located within the MUR (Mixed–Use Residential) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. A Planning Commission approval at the public hearing would constitute the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Section 31.04(h). For further information, call Ella Samonsky at 628-652-7417 or email at Ella.Samonsky@sfgov.org and ask about Record No. 2019-022404ENXCUASHD.
Park Commission hearing August 18th voted 4-1 to recommend the project shadow would not have a significant negative effect on the park, only commissioner Jupiter-Jones defended the park.
Planning department issued a CEQA exemption on August 10th Community Plan Link, Exemption Link , Mitigation Link
The results of the First Hearing with the Parks Capital Committee on August 3rd.
Commissioner Mark Buell did not show up
Commissioner Annie Jupiter-Jones and Laurence Griffin voted to send the 1458 San Bruno Shadow on Potrero del Sol to the full commission WITHOUT recommendation.
Commissioners can elect to send with recommendation (meaning they support the development), without recommendation, or not at all.
It was a long shot they would continue the hearing, they always send the agenda item to commission, so the outcome is about as good as can be expected.
Commissioner Griffin did not seem to understand what a shadow study was, and asked for more explanation from park staff next time.
Commissioner Jupiter-Jones commented that she lived in the area and enjoys the park, she also reminded everyone the parks commission only has jurisdiction on the project's shadow effect on the park and has no say on San Francisco's general housing problems.
Thank you to everyone who called in.
First Hearing:
Documents the parks department posted regarding 1458 san bruno are here: (navigate to August, then Supporting Docs)
https://sfrecpark.org/DocumentCenter/Index/2622
CAPITAL COMMITTEE WEDENSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022 2:00 P.M.
PUBLIC COMMENT CALL-IN: (415) 655-0001 | Access Code: 2482 356 4126
5. 1458 SAN BRUNO AVENUE – SHADOW ON POTRERO DEL SOL PARK AND JAMES ROLPH JR.
PLAYGROUND
1458 San Bruno Ave- Discussion and possible action to adopt a resolution recommending to the Planning
Commission regarding whether or not the net new shadow cast by the proposed 1458 San Bruno Avenue
project will have a significant adverse impact on the use of Potrero Del Sol Park and James Rolph Jr.
Playground, pursuant to Planning Code Section 295 (the Sunlight Ordinance). (ACTION ITEM)
Staff: Chris Townes – (628) 652-6612
The park commission is concerned with 2 items.
1. Does the Construction cause shadow on the park, and if so is the increase above the allowed limit.
- Prop K and the 1989 memo potentially allows an increase of 1% maximum for this size park and current shadow load.
- The project causes an increase of over 4%, 4 times the allowed limit
- The project will cause a "significant negative impact" on the park and community garden.
2. Does "community good" of the project outweigh any negative effects on the park?
- Good: The project is creating housing
-Bad: The housing is created by evicting artists and removing artist studio space
-Bad: The project is providing no parking to maximize profits and is removing public street parking, both of which is detrimental to the park and neighborhood that already does not have enough parking for existing residents and visitors to the park, schools, and hospital.
-Bad: The construction site has documented environmental hazards, posing health risk to the park patrons and possible contamination of the community garden.
The shadow study document that has been published contains mathematical errors that Park staff has noted and the Planning department has not corrected in the published document.
The Planning Department was required to publish the CEQA decision document before this Aug 3rd hearing. This document has not been published, the hearing is based on a draft document.
Holding a hearing based on a shadow study with known errors and an unofficial draft document is unethical and in violation of the park commission charter.
When calling in, we would suggest you point out:
The shadow caused is significant and over the allowed limit
The good of creating housing is negated by displacing artists and not including parking
Community outreach from the developer is poor and no design changes have been implemented
Try to remain positive, Request the item be continued to a later date to allow the project sponsor to again meet with the neighborhood AND modify the project to address concerns, and for the shadow study to be corrected and the CEQA document to be filed.
If you have time, we suggest neighbors look at the Park Commission's handling of the development adjacent to Gene Friend rec center
Initially that development project had significant negative impacts on park property, such as in this case.
The park commission continued the item to allow neighbors to work with the developer.
The building design was changed significantly to lessen impact and numerous concessions were made to help the neighborhood.
Here are SFGOV TV park hearings on Gene friend rec center, you can scan through to get the general idea how the Park Commission hearing works:
Gene Friend Rec Center - second hearing, building mass changed, concessions made to the neighborhood:
https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/28924?view_id=91&meta_id=579063&redirect=true
Gene Friend Rec Center - first hearing, continuance requested:
https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/27902?view_id=91&meta_id=558011&redirect=true
When the community speaks out about bad development, it is possible to hold developers accountable and effect change for the common good.