2004-05-27 · 17 comments · 6 / 11
Robert Meyers · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
City Planning Consultant - He read a letter from John Elberling who is opposed to this project.
- He also submitted a letter from Jim Meko and Mr. Garari who are also opposed to the project.
Terry Goggin · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - He lives on Folsom Street and has a very small garden that is very close to the project.
- This project will significantly change the nature of the experience of the residents of this street.
- There is nothing that will be achieved by this other than to give more profit to the developer.
- This project is not consistent with the neighborhood.
Regina Flanagan · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - She is trained to evaluate situations such as this.
- She implores the Commission to provide an alternative that is code compliant.
- There are too many exceptions to the building code.
- Removing the soils, which will interrupt the piles in the adjacent building, could be dangerous.
- The Shipley side of the building is the most adversely affected.
Gregg Lynn · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
- He lives in the Yerba Buena Lofts.
- He is concerned about this project.
- Setbacks are what make Shipley a beautiful street.
- He is distraught that there is a project on the drawing board that will destroy the beauty of his neighborhood.
Beau Simon · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - He lives in the Yerba Buena lofts.
- He loves the amount of light that comes into this unit.
- His developer has designed an alternative project that should be considered and approved.
- This is an incredibly narrow lot.
David Gadarian · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - He lives on Folsom Street.
- He chose to live here because of the environment. He is not against development.
- His conditions of approval would be: maximize the number of units, maintain and improve the pedestrian traffic, the project should not rise more than 40 feet, provide 20 percent lot depth [for open space], provide no less than 20 percent of the units as family units, the structures s… Yerba Buena Lofts - He lives on Folsom Street.
- He chose to live here because of the environment. He is not against development.
- His conditions of approval would be: maximize the number of units, maintain and improve the pedestrian traffic, the project should not rise more than 40 feet, provide 20 percent lot depth [for open space], provide no less than 20 percent of the units as family units, the structures should comply with California Building Code by widening the gaps.show more Ed Tansev · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - He submitted a copy of the lawsuit that has been filed.
- He would like to keep his neighborhood the way it is.
- If this project is approved there should be a revision to the number of units.
- A code conforming project by doing the setbacks is important.
Tim Tosta · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
Steefel, Levitt and Weiss - He displayed a map of the lots of Shipley Street.
- The block does not have just low-rise buildings.
- He would be happy to discuss a solution to the issues when it is appropriate.
Victor Vittlin · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
- He and his family own property that they will sell to the project sponsor.
- He is in support of this project.
- He does not understand the objection to this project.
- This is an appropriate development that will provide much needed housing.
Jim Salinas · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
Carpenter's Local Union - He supports this project because it will provide much needed housing.
- He is also excited about the jobs that will be created.
- This developer has chosen to work with union workers.
- If everyone works together, there will be a more positive future for young working people
Roger Hall · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
- The egress from the parking garage is right across the street from Silvercrest Residence with studio units for seniors.
- All of the traffic on Shipley is a considerable hazard for the seniors.
- He would rather have the egress on Folsom Street instead of Shipley Street.
Steve Atkinson · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
- The project is on a narrow and deep vacant lot.
- He displayed an aerial photo from Shipley Street.
- The project provides needed housing.
- The project also provides retail space on the street level.
- The setbacks should not be required because they confer little public benefit.
- The suggestion of a setback is based on the setbacks on adjacent buildings.
- If setbacks were designed, there would be a loss o… - The project is on a narrow and deep vacant lot.
- He displayed an aerial photo from Shipley Street.
- The project provides needed housing.
- The project also provides retail space on the street level.
- The setbacks should not be required because they confer little public benefit.
- The suggestion of a setback is based on the setbacks on adjacent buildings.
- If setbacks were designed, there would be a loss of units.
- He requested that the project be approved.show more Brian Fujikawa · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Yerba Buena Lofts - He lives on Folsom Street.
- He is concerned with the large excavation.
- The developers have not responded to the reports submitted regarding engineering and geology.
- There are a lot of questions that still need to be answered.
Roger Hall · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Clara Street Town Homes Homeowners Association - He urged the Commission to follow the policies, which apply to setbacks, etc.
- People take pride in their yards.
- The area will be very concentrated and an eye sore to the area.
Steve Atkinson · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
Steefel, Levitt and Weiss - As the staff report notes, the issues of the negative appeal are not environmental issues under CEQA.
- Regarding traffic or shadows, the appellant has not issued information on significant impacts.
- The only reason for this appeal is to delay the project.
- If the Commission follows the recommendation and upholds the negative declaration, then the major issue like the setbacks can be … Steefel, Levitt and Weiss - As the staff report notes, the issues of the negative appeal are not environmental issues under CEQA.
- Regarding traffic or shadows, the appellant has not issued information on significant impacts.
- The only reason for this appeal is to delay the project.
- If the Commission follows the recommendation and upholds the negative declaration, then the major issue like the setbacks can be addressed.
- He believes that through the submittals from the project sponsor, the public and this presentation, the Commission will have all the information it needs to make a decision on this project.show more Ed Tansev · spoken · 2004-05-27 · oppose
Appellant - Yerba Buena Lofts Homeowners Association - He is the developer of Yerba Buena Lofts.
- They have two objections to the Negative Declaration: 1) a two story underground garage cannot be justified at this location because it is too risky for his building; and 2) if excavation is done near the steel piles of his building, there is no way to support them properly.
- No one is going to take that risk at any… Appellant - Yerba Buena Lofts Homeowners Association - He is the developer of Yerba Buena Lofts.
- They have two objections to the Negative Declaration: 1) a two story underground garage cannot be justified at this location because it is too risky for his building; and 2) if excavation is done near the steel piles of his building, there is no way to support them properly.
- No one is going to take that risk at any price.
- If the number of units are cut, there would not be a need for a two story garage.
- This project needs to comply with the California Building Code. His property determined the property line first.
- If there is an earthquake, the two buildings would bang on each other.
- The environmental group is strictly concerned with the San Francisco Building Code but both codes apply.show more Judith Gatewood · spoken · 2004-05-27 · support
Carpenter's Local Union - This is attractive much needed housing for San Francisco.
- This project will revitalize lower SOMA.
- The project looks well with the adjacent buildings.
- This project will also provide union jobs.
2004-10-07 · 4 comments · 2 / 2
Roger Hall · spoken · 2004-10-07 · oppose
- He lives on Shipley Street.
- He appreciates the efforts of the Commission. They
have tried to have a satisfactory plan.
- They have next to them the Silvercrest Residents
run by the Salvation Army.
- He has lived in the area for 11 years.
- He is concerned with the safety of the Silvercrest
community.
- Having the egress from this project open onto Folsom
would be ideal.
- Retail space goes unused and vacant.
Jim Meko · spoken · 2004-10-07 · oppose
SOMA Leadership Council - There are some planning guidelines that should be
adhere to: like the zoning that governs the area; interim policies for
the Eastern Neighborhood policies. The future of South of Market is all
about the respect for the community.
Jim Salinas · spoken · 2004-10-07 · support
San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council
- He praised the project sponsor for his due diligence.
- He agrees with the continuance.
- It is good that the project sponsor and the community
have conversations and come to a decent compromise.
- The Commission should approve this project.
Steve Atkinson · spoken · 2004-10-07 · support
Representing Project Sponsor - He agrees with continuing this matter.
2004-10-21 · 14 comments · 14 / 0
Bill Kedem · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
- He lives near the Embarcadero.
- He is in favor of the project.
- The Variances requested are very reasonable.
- The project will be very pleasing to the eye.
- There are other buildings that are as tall or taller.
- It is not fair to subject the project sponsor to a new set of rules.
Anthony Faber · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
SOMA Leadership Council - Rezoning is being done in SOMA and it needs to be started in the alleys.
- If buildings are too high in alleys, they [the alleys] become a canyon.
- He hopes that the Commission will abide by the controls.
Jim Salinas · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
Building and Construction Trades Council - He is asking for the support of this project because it will be 100% union.
- This means that it will provide work for good workers.
- The Commission has a responsibility to do good for the City.
- This project sponsor has done due diligence in the neighborhood and the community.
Azalia Merrell · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
Carpenter's Union - This project will utilize high skilled union workers.
- It will provide a number of two bedroom units, which are very much needed.
- Affordable housing is scarce in the city.
- She is concerned that projects seem to start under a set of rules and then another set of rules is implemented.
- She submitted a petition with names of people who would have liked to come but instead signed the petition.
David Cadarian · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
- He is an architect and lives in the Yerba Buena Lofts.
- The project should respect the scale of the alley.
- He displayed a diagram comparing the current proposed height of the building with the height if the project followed the guidelines.
Jeremy Yun · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
- He lives on Folsom Street.
- He congratulated Commissioner Antonini on his reappointment.
- He is pro-development but it should conform to the guidelines that the Commission set forth.
- He does not understand why a development would be unfeasible if it is built under the Commission and Planning guidelines.
Paul Bard · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
YBL - This area is his home.
- Shipley Street is his back yard.
- He is concerned about the building in its present form because it will damage the feeling of neighborhood.
Jim Meko · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
- Everyone wants this project built.
- The SOMA leadership council voted to stand in solidarity with the YBL and other neighbors on the issues still being addressed.
- If this project is approved as presented today, they will support an appeal to the BOS.
- If the Commission does adhere to the policies, the BOS will.
Ann Marie Kuban · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
YBL - This project is denying the urban requirements.
- They want to be good neighbors and are excited about the project but they should abide by the same regulations and rules that the Planning Department requires for the rest of the city.
Hope Whitney · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
- The project sponsor does not meet the height requirements.
- This project seeks to reduce the amount of rear yard open space required.
Mary Murphy · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
Representing Yerba Buena Lofts - She was hoping that there would have been an agreement by now.
- The proposed project is located on a street that has well designed housing projects that required exceptions to open space, etc.
- The design requirements of the policies are perfectly tailored to the physical circumstances of the project.
- She urged the Commission to adopt policies and not controls.
- This project should conform to the policies imposed.
Steve Atkinson · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
Project Sponsor - He welcomed Commissioner Alexander.
- There was a proposal made.
They were not able to accept it because it would not be feasible for his client.
- The project presented today does include changes.
- The interim policies should not be imposed on projects that are still in the pipeline.
- The project provides nine affordable units.
Ed Tansev · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
YBL - He displayed a photograph of a project that was previously approved in the area and compared it to the current project that will be located right next to it.
- He displayed a diagram of the buildings located on the street where the project will be located.
Tim Tosta · spoken · 2004-10-21 · support
Steefel, Levitt and Weiss - He displayed an aerial photograph of the buildings in the area.
- This is a difficult site.
The project has gone through many changes.
- There is actually no solution.