Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay, good afternoon and welcome to the San Francisco Planning Commission hearing for Thursday, June 25th, 2026. When an item is called that you would like to submit testimony for, we ask that you line up on the screen side of the room or to your right. Each speaker will be allowed up to three minutes, and when you have 30 seconds remaining, you will hear a chime indicating your time is almost up. When your allotted time is reached, there is a second chime, and I will announce that your time is up and take the next person queued to speak. There is a very convenient timer on the podium where you can see how much time you have left and watch your time tick down. Please speak clearly and slowly, and if you care to, state your name for the record. I ask that we silence any mobile devices that may sound off during these proceedings. And finally, I will remind members of the public that the Commission does not tolerate any disruption or outbursts. of any kind. At this time, I'd like to take roll. Commission President Campbell? Here. Commission Vice President Moore? Here. Commissioner Braun? Here. Commissioner Williams? Here. Thank you. We expect Commissioner So to arrive shortly and for Commissioner McGarry to be absent today. First on your agenda, commissioners, is consideration of items proposed for continuance at the time of issuance. There were no items proposed for continuance. However, we do have a late request for a continuance under your discretionary review calendar for item 9, case number 2025-003983DRP-02 for the property at 871 De Jaro Street, discretionary review. proposed for continuance to July 30th 2026 I have no other items proposed for continuance so we should take public comment members of the public this is your opportunity to address the Commission on the one item proposed for continuance only on the matter of continuance you need to come forward Last call. Seeing none, public comment is closed, and your continuance calendar is now before you, commissioners.

Vice President Moore? Move to continue. Second.

Thank you, commissioners, on that motion to continue item 9 to July 30. Commissioner Williams.

Aye.

Commissioner Braun? Aye. Commissioner Moore? Aye. And Commissioner President Campbell? Aye. So moved, commissioners. That motion passes unanimously four to zero and will place us under your consent calendar for the one matter listed here under. It constitutes a consent calendar and is considered to be routine by the Planning Commission. It may be acted upon by a single roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of this item unless a member of the commission, the public, or staff so requests. In which event, the matter shall be removed from the consent calendar and considered as a separate item at this or a future hearing. Item 1, case number 2025-008594, CUA at 1601 Dolores Street, conditional use authorization. Members of the public, this is your opportunity to request that this item be pulled off of the consent calendar and heard as a separate item under the regular calendar today or at a future hearing. You need to come forward. Last call. Public comment is closed. And your consent calendar is now before you, Commissioners.

Commissioner Brown.

Move to approve Item 1.

Second. Thank you, Commissioners. On that motion to approve Item 1 on consent, Commissioner Williams.

Aye.

Commissioner Braun? Aye. Commissioner Moore?

Aye.

And Commissioner President Campbell? Aye. So moved, Commissioners. That motion passes unanimously, 4 to 0. Placing us under Commission Matters for Item 2, the Land Acknowledgement.

Thank you, Jonas. The commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramatushaloni, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramatushaloni have never ceded, lost, nor forgotten their responsibilities as caretakers of this place. as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland and wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the Ramatushaloni community and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples.

Thank you. Item three, Commission comments and questions.

Vice President Moore.

If this is the moment, I say goodbye to all of you. This will be my last day today, and it is a wonderful moment to thank all of you for being the aware and ever-present citizens of San Francisco who have shaped what this commission does and what this planning department does for decades. I've been sitting here for 20 years now. Today is my last day. And allow me a few minutes to reminisce. I hope you're not counting my time, Secretary. I don't have a reminder here anyway. People are asking me what comes to mind when you're looking back at two decades of serving on the planning commission. long hours, late nights, big files, thousands of people, things you agree and things you disagree with. That is kind of like the ebb and flow of what life does to all of us anyway. But what comes to mind when leaving and what has mattered most is the question. And I'd like to share with you what I actually said on Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors, which is obviously our respectful body of legislators. You have to be properly dressed and properly standing in front of that lectern. And what I said is, what has really shaped me in those 20 years are the voices of our citizens. And for you planning staff, commissioners, you have heard me say many times, the best planning in the city is done and propelled based on the public voice this city has developed and has been exemplary for decades, not only across the country, but across the world. Citizen participation is invented in this city. And I can say that very well, because I have taught and lectured across the world. And each time I speak about our public process, people are at awe. And many countries and many cities actually have learned from all of you. So coming to the point, it is a diverse and passionate voice of our neighborhoods that has had the most profound impact on me. These are the voices that I refer to as the voices of true urban dwellers, genuine neighbors, and people who care. All this has touched, moved, and inspired me, something I have said many times before. And what is it that I have learned? These are the voices of people who not only care about themselves or what is happening in their neighborhood, in their district. These are the voices of people who understand the city as an urban contract. These are people where the city matters at large. And over the years, I've become a better listener and a stronger, more informed voice for neighborhood concerns, which calls for a constant awareness of social, racial, and environmental equity, which informs how we move ahead. And in acknowledgement of your own work, I'm talking to the planning department, I'm talking to the director, you have accomplished what few departments, planning departments across the country have achieved. You have crafted a housing element that is anchored in equity and in the commitment to equity. And you are practicing that with every project that is in front of us. And I hope that you will stay sharp in sharpening your tools to stay the course. In this dialogue, listening to the voices of our neighborhoods is the most powerful tool for attainable solutions. And while we are streamlining and while we are making things more efficient, that particular voice has to remain at the forefront of what you will continue doing in the future. In closing, let me leave you with one thought. And what I'm saying is nothing new for some of them who have been around for a long time. You have heard me say this before. I strongly believe that the quality of urban life of our city depends on common values, efforts and visions that I call common ground. I call it common interest values, public interest values that create a cohesive city for all. I thank you all. I thank my fellow commissioners who have been wonderful to work with and all the predecessors, 45 of them. It has always been about team building. It has been about finding common ground in our differences. And it has meant to stay friends despite the fact that we sometimes or often disagree. Thank you to all of you. You'll be in my heart, and perhaps next year, I'll be sitting down there and raising my voice and raising some challenging questions. I will not stop doing what I do. Thank you.

Thank you, Vice President Moore. Commissioner Williams.

I want to lend my voice to... honoring or acknowledging the 20 years of service for Commissioner Moore. She's been here 10 times longer than I have. It feels like I've been here for 20 years. But Either way, I'm only now really beginning to understand Commissioner Moore's contribution to our city after two years on this commission. And I'm just, as someone who was born and raised here, I really appreciate Commissioner Moore and Theresa, who's in our audience, Commissioner Imperial, who recently left the commission. I want to acknowledge you both, but for Commissioner Moore right now, just the way she goes, the way she thinks about land use and urban planning, I think it's based in a humanity that I think sometimes gets lost. And I think right now, during this time, we really need to Grasp onto that. And so... Thank you, Commissioner Moore, for being someone that I could lean on during my time here on the commission. I've learned from all of the commissioners and everybody in this room. But thank you for being someone that I could reach out to And you always lent an ear or some encouragement to me. And I really do appreciate that. Thank you for your wisdom and everything else that you bring, not only to this commission, but who you are as a person, a human being. Teresa, I see you over there. I want to take this time to thank you as well. Both of you, we come from similar backgrounds as far as being really deeply rooted in community. And me and you have a lot of commonalities. I don't know how you did what you did being a commissioner and being an ED of Bill Sorrow Housing. You are just a remarkable group. a human being and someone I definitely look up to you. Thank you for being in my corner when I needed it, as a commissioner, when I had questions or anything that I had trouble understanding or whatever you were always someone that I knew I could call for a question. And it really was comforting to have both you and Commissioner Moore as commissioners on this commission. So thank you. I could go on. But I just want to know how grateful I am to both of you. I don't think I could have honestly navigated the commission without the two of you. It's not easy to sit up here and to deal with the real important issues around land use of our city. And I don't take them lightly. And I did my best as a commissioner. I studied the material. I weighed in with the values that I brought to this commission that I learned here in San Francisco from all of you. And I hope I did you proud. And thank you for the staff of the planning department. Thank you for all the staff for being there, for helping me through difficult items that were coming before us. Thank you for all the, I never got any pushback from any questions I had. The San Francisco planning staff is excellent. They're professionals and they're very, they've always been very respectful of me, even though I don't have a planning background. And sometimes maybe the questions seem kind of silly. But you never made me feel. any way, but you always handled yourself in a very professional manner. And I really appreciate that. Thank you. Jonas, thank you for being the commission secretary. You helped me out with a couple of jams. You were always there when I needed you. The city attorney, same thing. Thank you. Whenever I had a question, you guys were always there. And I appreciated that, being in this role as commissioner. to know that you guys are on my side. So thank you. And my fellow commissioners, thank you. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for being good colleagues. We don't agree all the time, but that doesn't mean we can't like each other. And it doesn't mean that we don't respect each other. And I really appreciate that about all of you as individuals. Director Phillips, thank you for putting up with me. Thank you. Thank you for all you do. I wish you luck, and I wish everybody on this commission luck. My hope is that someone on this commission will take up the affordable housing banner that I kind of assumed a lot of the time. I just think it's a very important issue and extremely important. And I hope that this commission will find it as important as I do and work towards an affordable San Francisco, which includes affordable housing. I don't know. There's not much else to say. This is my last meeting. But I really enjoyed my time here. Thank you for the public. Thank you for all the neighborhood groups that come out and take their time out of the day to address the commission with their concerns. I've listened. I've been heart broke listening to some of the realities that people are facing. I've been happy, I've been sad. It's an emotional roller coaster to be up here sometimes and really paying attention, because I do, because I actually care. And so I want to thank everybody who came up here and said something to this commission of their concerns, whatever it is, whatever it could be. And I really appreciate the participation. It's very important that we continue to listen to the public. That's what democracy is about. And so continue to come, to be present, to talk about what your needs are, to talk about things you like, you don't like. But continue to stand up. and be heard. Thank you.

Commissioner Braun.

i would like to start by thanking and appreciating commissioner moore i've had the opportunity to be with you in this commission for just a quarter of actually no i can't do math we're less than a quarter of the time that you're on the commission And it's an incredibly long tenure, and it shows your intense dedication and commitment to San Francisco, to its communities, and your overall sense of service. This commission can be a very large workload, especially in some of the earlier years of your time on the commission. And so again, I just want to thank you. I also am going to miss your memory about how things have evolved when it comes to planning in the city, how the city's urban form has evolved. And I am going to miss that context for some of those longer term considerations on this commission. commissioner williams uh i just want to thank you as well for the the passion that you brought to this commission at all times your as you said you're listening to speakers and your thoughtfulness really showed through and i'm going to miss our conversations about commission matters we've been i think neighbors most of this time at least as well as life in general and the surprising connections that we have outside of this commission as well. And then lastly, I also do want to address some comments to Commissioner Imperial. Hello. I got an opportunity to say a few things at your last hearing, but I do want to again acknowledge you and thank you for the focus on detail and the sharp questions that you always had about items. And like I said before, If you go first, you ask half my questions. And it was always great to hear those, as well as so many other questions that I hadn't thought of myself. And so I'm excited to see the work that you do after you graduate from your current program. And I wish you all the best. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Braun. Easy to surmise here that today is a really big day at the Commission for a body of seven members. Losing three members is significant. So I appreciate all of the kind words. I know we have many members of the public, some of whom couldn't come here today, that have shared notes of gratitude for our commissioners in advance. I know there are some members of the community here today that would like to also extend their thoughts. I think we will be using public comment for that, so hang tight. But I do want to echo the gratitude and sentiment that is being shared here today by my fellow commissioners. Teresa, we already miss your detailed commentary, as Commissioner Braun said. And I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. And hopefully we'll see you on the tail end of that, making even bigger changes in our community. Commissioner Williams, I will miss your heartfelt and deep compassion that you bring to your comments and to this commission and Vice President Moore, your insights and wisdom, as Commissioner Braun highlighted. The department has put together a proclamation. 20 years on the commission, is it a record? I'm not sure. Yes?

I am absolutely certain it is.

We would be remiss to not to do so, Vice President Moore. So I'm going to go ahead and read parts of this. This is quite long, so bear with me here. This is a proclamation in honor of Catherine Moore. Whereas Catherine Moore was appointed to the Planning Commission by Board President Peskin on June 6, 2006. We are almost to the day, 20 years. And was reappointed by Board Presidents Chu, Cohen, and Walton. Four cycles. Does that sound right?

Two times David Chu. Yeah, two times. OK. Two times, yeah.

Whereas Commission Vice President Moore is the longest tenured planning commissioner to ever hold office, spanning two decades over two centuries. And whereas Vice President Moore diligently presided over countless hearings in city hall chambers, spanning infinite hours, reviewing over 6,000 projects, both large and small, weighing the impacts with consideration to the public benefit, be it in the afternoon, evening, or early morning hours. And whereas Vice President Moore served on the city's Waterfront Design Advisory Committee and represented the Planning Commission on the Arts Commission. Thank you. And whereas Vice President Moore has mentored new commissioners, I count myself as one of them, as they grew into their roles. Whereas Vice President Moore conquered the hills of San Francisco and the peaks of Nepal, Vice President Moore was the consummate protector of parks from shadow. Whereas her colleagues around the city and friends at the planning department wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. There are many more. You can read them on your own.

More than appreciated.

It's hard to capture all of the moments and many, many of them. At some point, perhaps I make a documentary recounting the most memorable things we all have encountered together. Thank you to all of you calling out Director Phillips. Thank you. Calling out Jonas, big hug. Thank you. And calling out Austin Yang, our city attorney. Thank you. Thank you. And everybody else. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay, if there's nothing further, Commissioner Moore, I too would like to acknowledge your years of service and dedication to the city and county of San Francisco. I would equally like to acknowledge Commissioners Imperial and Williams' tenure with the Planning Commission. However, Commission Vice President Moore is the last remaining Commissioner that can recall experiencing the marathon hearings that were once held in these chambers on a regular basis that would and in the early mornings of the following day. The departure of all three board appointments leaves us in an unprecedented circumstance. So I hope the mayor and the board president act swiftly in their nominations. Otherwise, it threatens our ability to convene a quorum in September. With that, members of the public, I'm sure you would like to add. I will respectfully request that you hold off until we get to general public comment, as is our practice. That will place us under department matters for item four, director's announcements.

Good afternoon, Commissioners. I'll be brief so we can get to all of the commendations, but maybe to wrap up the gratitude, just thank you to our Commissioners, Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Williams, Commissioner Imperial. Commissioner Imperial, I think we already got you one of these, but I am excited to share a San Francisco planning bag with you upon your exit.

Oh, my God. Excellent for summer totes.

Mm-hmm. Thank you, too. Thank you. Oh, I wear that proudly.

Better than Trader Joe's.

It is.

On behalf of our entire staff, we extend you all so much gratitude, and we hope you carry them proudly into the future. Thank you very much. And just to close with a little bit of housekeeping, next week is July 4th. We will have a Historic Preservation Commission on July 1st. The department and the permit center, which we are housed with, will be closed on July 3. So I want to make sure everyone knows that. There will not be operations at the permit center in person. Online will always work, but in person on July 3. Also on July 1st of next week, we will complete the second phase of our integration with the Department of Building Inspection. Like in our first phase in March, we will be joining administration teams across the two departments. So we'll have a singular finance team, HR team, singular administrative officer overseeing those that will serve both planning and DBI. And that will be housed in planning for the time being. We'll also be gaining new colleagues in the communications, legislation, compliance, and disaster prevention space. So we're looking forward to that as phase two. And then just one final flag. On July 11th, our department and DBI, as well as other departments across the city, are really excited to be joining in First Lady Prado's Day of Service that we are hosting across the city. We'll be working specifically with the Tenderloin community, doing beautification projects with a community that we've served and worked with and planned for over several years. So we're excited about that. Thank you. Thank you.

If there is nothing further, we can move on to item five, review of past events at the Board of Supervisors, Board of Appeals, and the Historic Preservation Commission. The only report from the Board of Supervisors is the commendation of Commission Vice President Moore. I have no report from the Board of Appeals or the Historic Preservation Commission placing us under general public comment. At this time, members of the public may address the Commission on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the Commission will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting. When the number of speakers exceed the 15-minute limit, general public comment may be moved to the end of the agenda.

Hi. My name is Jim Warshall. I congratulate all three excellent commissioners and thank them for their service. And I'm going to really direct my comments to my dear friend, Catherine Moore. I've known her and experienced her wisdom through three lenses. First, I'm a preservationist, and I've worked with Victorian Alliance extensively over the past 23 years. What I've learned from Catherine is her respect for the valuable assets from the past and creating new buildings that really live up to them and create that whole so that they become appreciated in the future. Quality matters. I've also been involved heavily with Hays Valley Neighborhood Association as the freeway came down. We had massive redevelopment. And once again, Commissioner Moore was the voice for just because half of it was below market, it doesn't mean it can't be beautiful and wonderful in creating a really lasting boulevard there. She's always been respectful and open to hearing people, and that's what's really encouraged me to come here often. I knew that it wasn't just me venting something. It was somebody who really cared and listened, wanted to hear opinions and learn from it. welcomed you and had an open mind through it all. The third lens that I've experienced her in, for a few years I served on the DBI Commission. And at that point, it wasn't always the most collegial relationship between DBI and the Planning Commission. She was the exception to that. You always knew that she was working to have the two commissions work respectfully, cooperatively, and to achieve good ends. There was never any grandstanding or finger pointing. And it was always build support so that now as you go into closer relationships with DBI, all of her work on that will be part of your future success as you consolidate more together. So for all of these reasons, I thank her. And one of the great pleasures of living here for 30 years and for the last 23 being actively engaged was coming here and getting to know her and getting to call her my friend. So again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Last night's Victorian Alliance meeting had a rousing cheer for you. And we only wish you the best. So thank you again.

Thank you.

Hello. Hello, everyone. I'm here to say, first of all, thank you. First, thank you to Commissioner Moore, especially when I was becoming a commissioner at my early years, and your guidance really helped me to propel in the commission. What I learned most of all in the commission when we're looking into projects is how people move and how people live. and the surroundings of people around it. It's all about the people when we talk about the development, when you talk about the development as well. And so that is something that I know in the community background, I thought of it, but to hear that in the planning perspective is really thrilling for me and give you a lot of respect for that. I also want to thank everyone in the commission Commissioner Williams, I always consider you as a soul. You have the soul of the city. You're born and raised. You know what it's like living here. And you know the struggle. And it brings out during our hearings. When we talk about technicalities, pragmatism, you bring out the soul. I also want to thank Commissioner Braun. Commissioner Braun, I always listen to you, and I always listen to the kind of questions you're asking. I always also look into your facial expression. And just because I think we tend to have... way of thinking in going into the details. And I really appreciate the questions that you ask and the perspective that you take in as well as you look into the bigger picture, not just in San Francisco, but also bigger in that. So I always appreciate your comments and I always listen to you. Commissioner Campbell, I also listened to you in terms of architecture, in terms of that how it's placed in the building in itself, since I don't have a background in architecture. And I also want to give it to Mr. Winslow here during our discretionary review. And I also appreciate as well for Mr. Winslow in giving all of his perspectives when we are going through discretionary review and how he go through that. Again, and also Commissioner, Director Dennis Phillips, I appreciate you taking on here, and I know it came from the rough spot as we, when you started, especially when you get appointed, but I just want to let you know that I really appreciate you as being a director in the planning. And also, lastly, I want to also say thank you to the public, as the public has really shaped me in the way I am right now. And I just also want to give a shout out to the former director, John Rame, who's also my current professor right now, too. And so thank you.

Calvin Mulch. I come to praise the two current commissioners and the former commissioner. What can one say about Commissioner Moore? She is that all too rare person who comes from a skilled and knowledgeable position in the development process. and was willing to provide that skill and ability to the interests of the general public of San Francisco. All too rarely is that done by development professionals. It was done every week. every Thursday for 20 years by Commissioner Moore. That is an extraordinary benefit that we all gain from. And I want to thank you, Commissioner Moore. for sharing the experience, the skill, the knowledge with the rest of your fellow San Franciscans in your attempt to make this a better, more equitable place to live. Thank you. Commissioner Imperial exercised, as she did throughout her career on the commission, her own sensibilities and left this commission on her own terms. She has become what, in my belief, is the highest honor that can be bestowed on any San Franciscan, which is a respected San Francisco community advocate. That was Teresa's Heritage. That's what she did on the planning Commission, and that's what she's doing now. And I'm happy to have her join us back in the community and add her strong and vibrant voice to the battle that never ends. Finally, Commissioner Williams. The planning code. planning documents, and studies recognize all manners of professionals, from bakers to dog walkers. But not recognized are people who work and labor every day for a wage. Commissioner Williams brings the sentiment and sentimentality of working class San Franciscans, and he never, ever varied from supporting their interests. Thank you, Commissioner Williams.

Good afternoon, commissioners. George Wooding. It's always hard to follow Calvin Welsh. He has always been great. I remember attending one meeting where the commissioners actually asked him for help on a problem. That's how much he knows. Why I'm here today, I wanted to recognize Gilbert Williams and Teresa Imperial. But first and foremost, I wanted to talk about Catherine Moore. I started going to the planning commission probably 2007, right in there, there was Catherine Moore. I kept going. I ran all these neighborhood groups. She was the friendliest neighborhood advocate. She is the one person people could turn to in the city. and get real answers, real help, and a perspective that was very favorable to the neighbors and what the neighbors thought. During her 20-year tenure, Commissioner Moore has provided invaluable service to the Planning Commission and our city. She consistently has demonstrated extensive knowledge, integrity, fairness, perspective, and commitment, and the planning department, the city, and our family, residents have all benefited from her participation. I would have certainly liked to go to her party last night, but there was no way to get up and down the stairs. So I still honor you. On that note, thank you so much, all three. but especially Catherine. So good luck to you in your future. Thank you. Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Reyna Tello, and I am a community organizer with Poder. But I am here today in my personal capacity to thank all three commissioners. Commissioner Moore, my favorite memory of you was learning about nested units and the lighting that comes into the nested units And the reason that stuck in my head was because your focus was on the quality of the units that people were going to be living in, not necessarily the amount of units in a building, not necessarily anything else, but just what did the quality of life look like for the people who were going to inhabit those units. And I've really admired you. I want to say that everything that you've voted on has been with integrity. And I want you to know that it has not gone unnoticed. I know there will be people behind me who will be more eloquent about it, but I just wanted to give you a heartfelt thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Imperial, what an honor to have someone from community be at the diocese and have us at front and center when it comes to the heart and the mind.

Thank you.

That was not easy. Thank you for being an example for the rest of us, and thank you for inspiring me.

I appreciate you.

Commissioner Williams, I am proud to call you my friend. I am proud to be your comrade. I know that sitting up there and fighting a losing battle is not easy. Thank you. Thank you for taking the courage in a moment where This commission has been watered down to be a rubber stamp for things that do not benefit working class people of color. Thank you for staying strong and not deviating from that. Thank all three of you for not falling for the shiny penny that the state dangles in front of the city. Thank you for really valuing the real value of San Francisco, which is the people, the people who work here, the people who go to school here, and the people that fight to stay here, people like me. Thank you so, so much. I really cannot express what a tremendous loss this is to San Franciscans like me who want to remain here. Born and raised San Franciscans who fight every single day, who get two to three jobs, four jobs if necessary, to be able to afford the rents here. Thank you so much for prioritizing the affordable housing that is the only key for us to stay here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot thank you enough. And all I can say is that I hope that people look at you and want to step up and fight with us too. Because what we need right now is courage for the rest of you on the commission. I implore you to muster up some courage to push back against the state. We are not victims to any bills. They can be undone. Laws can be updated. And we really need champions right now. And I'm looking at all of you, because now that we don't have voices at the diocese, we will have to turn out in truckloads to be able to express to you what these three commissioners have always understood. Without us, the people of San Francisco, we are nothing. You can import people who can afford larger rents, but just know that the vibrancy lives within us. Thank you so much for serving here, and I really hope that you push back against the state. Thank you.

ROBERTO ALFARO, Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. My name is Roberto Alfaro. I'm the executive director of Homies Organizing the Mission to Empower Youth, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization, a mission that serves families. I wanted to come up here to really express my gratitude TO ALL THREE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE LEAVING. IN PARTICULAR TO COMMISSIONER MOORE FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE. I AM ALSO PART OF THE COALITION. AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON 16TH AND MISSION HAS BEEN BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF COMMISSIONERS ON THIS BODY. AND WE ARE SEEING NOW HOMES GO UP AND FAMILIES BEING HOUSED BECAUSE OF THAT WORK. And I want to express my gratitude to you, to Commissioner Williams, to Commissioner Emporia for all the work that you have done and countless hours that you've put in at home and reading all the documentation and going to meetings on the side with community and talking to everyone to do all the work that it takes to make things happen in our city. You know, Reyna Tell said it. We are working class in San Francisco. I was born and raised in San Francisco. And it is getting increasingly more difficult to stay and live in this city. And I am sad to see that you are going, but I am also thankful that you have been here for the amount of time that you have. And so I want to express my gratitude on behalf of the 2,000 families that we represent and that we work with every day and give my heartfelt thanks to you. And I am sorry I missed the party yesterday. So thank you very much. Have a good afternoon.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. Commissioner Moore, my name is Bruce Bowen. I'm from Dolores Heights. I'd like to provide a couple of brief and heartfelt comments thanking you for your years of service, your knowledge, your keen insight, the careful attention to detail you provided, your open-mindedness and commitment to listening, and above all, your deep love of the city and its inhabitants. President Mandelman, you may not be watching, but if you are, or if you're thinking about how to fill the seats that you have the opportunity to fill, think no further, look no further than looking at the role model provided by Catherine Moore. I'd like to also thank Commissioner Williams and Commissioner Imperial. I didn't know you as well, but a deep thank you for your years of service to the city also. All the best to you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon. I'm Georgia Shudish. I'm going to read my 150 words for the minutes, and then I hope to hand it in. Thank you, Vice President Moore and Commissioner Williams and Commissioner Imperial.

So glad to see you.

As appointees by the President of the Board of Supervisors, Vice President Moore, Commissioner Williams, and Commissioner Imperial created the blueprint for how to be a member of the Planning Commission. And with her especially long tenure, Vice President Moore was obviously the keystone. I sent the email for today's hearing with some of the comments by Vice President Moore and Commissioner Williams from the September 11, 2025 approval hearing for the rezoning, because it is important that people read them if they haven't. Given it was such a long hearing and so much was said, I didn't want their words for this monumental undertaking to be overlooked. Their comments on the rezoning and on the housing element prove that Commissioner Williams' tenure on the commission was incredibly timely. and that Vice President Moore's tenure on the commission was incredibly timeless. Thank you both very much, and good luck to you both. I miss you. Take care.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Gabby Ruiz, and I work at Chinatown Community Development Center. And I just want to take this moment to recognize the three departing commissioners and really thank them for their service. In a city where land use decisions can have profound impacts on residents and neighborhoods and future generations, I've really appreciated their commitment to centering community voices, equity, and the needs of those who are often underrepresented in the planning processes. And as someone who works closely on affordable housing and community development issues, I've seen firsthand how important it is to have commissioners who thoughtfully consider not only what gets built, but who benefits from those decisions. Their leadership has helped advance conversations about affordable housing displacement in creating a more inclusive San Francisco. I feel like public service is often challenging and frequently underappreciated, and so I just want to express my deep gratitude for the time, care, and dedication they have brought to this commission. Thank you so much for your service, and I wish you the best in your next chapter.

Good afternoon, Planning Commission. Thank you for allowing time to give the flowers, all the flowers, to the outgoing commissioners. My name is Jantel Labarento. And though I'm an organizer and advocate in different capacities, I show up here today as someone born and raised in San Francisco, someone who has grown up in a low-income, working-class immigrant family, and who knows firsthand what housing insecurity looks like and feels like, and how devastating it is to see your friends, family, and community pushed out of the city. The items and issues discussed in these chambers can often be so technical, and it can get so easy to get bogged down in the weeds when we're talking about zoning, codes, and the interaction between local and state laws, et cetera. But what's really critical is getting down to the root of those items and understanding the actual impacts that decisions and recommendations made in this room will have on communities, on people. Commissioners Moore, Imperial, and Williams have done such an extraordinary job in bringing their technical expertise and wisdom and connecting that expertise and wisdom to the lived experiences of those most marginalized. They've truly taken the time to meaningfully listen to and respond to community concerns and solutions and to truly consider the forces at work that continue to gentrify and displace and price out our communities. I want to express my gratitude for their service to the city and for them taking their roles as public servants seriously and with communities and principles of equity in mind. Thank you three for your thoughtfulness, your dedication, and commitment to our communities. With the tremendous loss of the three commissioners, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. I still hope that there continues to be representation on this commission that focuses on affordable housing, advancing the needs of working class immigrant and marginalized communities, and prioritizing community solutions and expertise. Thank you three again for your service.

President Campbell, commissioners, and Director Dennis Phillips. My name is Laura Yamauchi. I'm a retired city and campus planner and a board member of the Japantown Task Force, a community organization dedicated to the preservation and planning of Japantown and its economic and cultural vitality. I'm here today to express my deep appreciation and hearty congratulations to Commissioner Moore for her 20 years of service on this esteemed body. I also wish to express my appreciation to Commissioners Imperial and Williams for their service. Commissioner Moore has been a calm and steady presence, as this Commission has navigated countless planning and development projects and policies. She has brought her expertise and experience to the matters that have come before this Commission, for which I, as a 45-year resident of this city, am grateful. A few years before Commissioner Moore began her tenure, Japantown, which suffered mightily during the World War II incarceration, was emerging from decades under the Redevelopment Agency. Under Commissioner Moore's tenure, Japantown Neighborhood Commercial District, Japantown Special Use District, and the Japantown Special Area Design Guidelines were approved. Also, when the latest housing element was proposed and reviewed, Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Imperial, and their colleagues listened to and supported Japantown's request to be excluded from the citywide rezoning so that the community could develop its own plans to accommodate more housing while preserving its unique cultural character. For this, we are deeply grateful. Having served as Planning Commission Secretary for over 35 years ago, I have deep respect for this body and your work in addressing the complex planning issues which come before you. Thank you, Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Imperial, and Commissioner Williams for serving this commission with such distinction and excellence. And congratulations on your retirement.

Thank you.

Hi, commissioners, Katherine Howard. I want to thank the three commissioners who are retiring for all of your time and hard work. I've known Commissioner Moore the longest, so I'll address my comments to her. You always read all those documents that crowded every agenda. You spoke to each point made by the public. We knew you were listening to us. You did not mince words as you spoke your truth. You will be greatly missed. My own words seem inadequate, but I happen to have a letter from Courtney Graham-Kroger, who couldn't make it today, which I would like to read and then turn in. Commission members, I write in gratitude for Catherine Moore's longtime service. Commissioner Moore's unparalleled experience in urban design and planning benefited projects from the singular to the complex. Her determination to do well by the city and its residents was evidenced not only by her vision but also by her independence on the commission, taking unpopular positions when necessary and holding applicants and staff to account. Commissioner Moore's dedication to the betterment of San Francisco is borne out in the beauty of our city and the active role of its citizens in safeguarding that character. The public is losing access to development decisions that impact their lives and the health of their cities. The 20th century history of planning as a discipline in the U.S. came from a need for public safety, coordinated development, and public access to the workings of its government. Today, those fundamental principles are at great risk. Commissioners Moore-Williams and Imperial stood up time and time again for the public realm and the voices of the public. You will be missed. My deepest appreciation to each. Courtney Dan Kroger, and I will turn in the letters for the record. Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. Peter Stevens, president of the Telegraph Hill Dwellers. And I'd just like to say on behalf of the dwellers, thank you very much to Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Williams, and Commissioner Pirial. You've always been a steady community voice. You guys represent the soul of San Francisco, which is what you've been fighting for, the working people that uplift this city and make it work. We have so much respect for all three of you, and we cannot wait to get in the fight. Join us on this side of the dais, and let's have some fun, all right?

Good afternoon, commissioners. You're going to get two for the price of one here. We're going to be efficient. I'm Dan Hudap with the Port of San Francisco, and this is Mark Pius, also with the Port of San Francisco. We are here to give great thanks to Catherine Moore. I have had the pleasure of serving on the waterfront design, the city's waterfront design advisory committee with Catherine for something around 20 years. But I don't want to focus on the time she served or the number of meetings she attended, although I could rattle that off, as I would rather commend her for the quality she brought to the committee and to the waterfront. And she contributed to the Piers 1 and 1 half 5 project, the Pier 27 cruise terminal, Exploratorium, Mission Rock development, Pier 70 waterfront site, downtown ferry terminal expansion, Bayfront Park, Brandon Street Wharf, and many others, just to rattle a few off there. Catherine moved the needle on many projects. She brought forward topics that others missed. She carefully listened and responded to the public. And she always expressed her extraordinary design expertise. For all of this, I, the Port, and many people in this great city are thankful. Thank you, Catherine, for your significant contribution to shaping the waterfront.

And a small token of our appreciation, the Port would like to present you with this commemorative gift.

Thank you, Jonas.

Thank you. Thank you. It has been wonderful to serve with you. And the border front work wouldn't be what it is without the two who spoke. Dan Holdup and Mr. Weiss.

I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE LEAVING THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND SERVICE TO THE CITY. SERVING ON A COMMISSION WITH WEEKLY MEETINGS AND AGENDA ITEMS WHERE THE FILES CAN EXCEED HUNDREDS OF PAGES IS HARD WORK. WHEN I'VE ATTENDED THE COMMISSION MEETINGS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE CARE THE THREE COMMISSIONERS EXERCISE IN EVALUATING DECISIONS THEY'RE ASKED TO MAKE. I'd like to single out Commissioner Moore, an architect and city planner for commission leadership over 20 years, and her unique citizen-focused contribution to the commission. Thank you, all departing commissioners, for your service.

Good afternoon, Planning Commission. I'm Anna-Christina Arana with the Race and Equity in All Planning Coalition, RepSF. The Race and Equity in All Planning Coalition wants to show our deep appreciation for commissioners Theresa Imperial, Catherine Moore, and Gilbert Williams. Each of you have used your positions on this planning commission to raise really important questions about equity and to be really clear about the values of community planning and the critical issues that impact our communities across the city. We thank you all for your exceptional work and service on this planning commission. And as other community members have said, it takes a lot of courage, time, and thoughtfulness to meaningfully engage with our communities and to elevate our concerns and solutions to this commission and to the city as a whole. And I could never thank each of you enough for your dedication to preserving the soul of San Francisco by lifting up our community expertise and solutions. You will all be deeply missed, and we hope that others on this commission and in City Hall follow your lead. Thank you again, and I wish you all the best.

Eileen Bogan, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, speaking on my own behalf. A heartfelt thank you to departing Commissioners Williams and Moore, as well as former Commissioner Imperial. For Commissioner Williams, thank you for sharing the lived experience of your parents losing their home in the Great Recession and how it affected your work on the Commission. For Commission Vice President Moore, thank you for caring about the coastal zone, historic preservation, as well as the city's neighborhoods, and for bringing in-depth knowledge to Commission in numerous areas. For former Commissioner Imperial, thank you for being a community-based advocate on the commission. Thank you to each of you for working from the heart and understanding that deliberations at the Planning Commission aren't just abstractions, but have real impacts on people's lives. You will be missed.

Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is Paul Wormer. There's not a whole lot I can say on top of what's already been said about the service of the three Commissioners who have left or are leaving. I realized only yesterday that Commissioner Moore must have joined the Commission just before I started showing up as a representative of the Pacific Heights Residents Association. Not knowing much about planning, but being concerned about what I saw happening in the neighborhood. It's amazing how much I learned from listening to her comments and questions on presentations and how her framing of things really helped me think more deeply about a number of issues that still are affecting my comments today. What I would also note with real appreciation for the three commissioners is the sense that they actually listened to what was said. And you could hear that in their questions and in their comments at hearings. That's incredibly valuable, and I really appreciate it. Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. I'm Catherine Petrin. And on behalf of San Francisco Heritage, our CEO and President Woody Labonte, and the full board, I want to express our deepest gratitude to commissioners Gilbert Williams, Theresa Imperial, and today, most especially to you, Vice President Catherine Moore, for your 20 years of service on the Planning Commission. Your unparalleled experience in urban design and planning Determination to do well by the city and residents has been evidenced both by your vision, your independence, and your leadership. Countless times I have heard many of your fellow commissioners thank you and acknowledge you for what you have shared and taught to them. They have acknowledged you as a mentor, as have many of us in the community. Commissioner Moore has inspired the citizens of San Francisco in safeguarding the vibrant and unique character of San Francisco. We want to thank you all for standing up consistently for the public realm, the voices of the public, and we can't thank you enough.

Hello, Commissioners. Marlene Morgan Van Ness, Corridor Neighborhoods Council. I want to thank all of the commissioners today that are leaving us for your service and your contributions, and also have special comments here for Commissioner Moore, who I've known for 20 years. So I met Commissioner Moore in 2006 when the institutional master plan for CPMC was submitted to the Planning Commission. This submission of this document was actually in a crate, like a huge wooden crate. It was dealing with the closure or rebuilding closure of four hospitals, dozens of clinics, actually restructuring a Vanness BRT. It was a massive project. And for a completely unskilled, educated neighbor, it was like, where do we start? So Commissioner Moore basically walked our eventual coalition of 25 different neighborhood associations, affordable housing groups, labor groups, environmental groups, through all of the different changes that resulted in the kind of hospitals we have today. Instead of closing St. Luke Hospital, it was reopened. having a 600-bed hospital on Van Ness. It's a 300-bed hospital. We have a much better health care system in place because of all the work that went in through planning. And this project was actually in and out before the Planning Commission from 2005 to 2012, before it was finally approved. After that, I got a little bit more knowledgeable about planning and worked on quite a few other projects with Commissioner Moore over the years, including the Hub, including Buddhist Temple on Venice, including other major projects along the Venice Corridor. And I really want to thank you, Catherine, so much for your expertise, your commitment, and all of the contributions you've made to neighbors and to the city of San Francisco. So thank you. Thank you.

Sue Hester, this is my first time at the Planning Commission for a long time. I want to really thank, you have had over 20 speakers already. You couldn't get 20 people to come here unless they were really motivated. because there is nothing whipping people to attend the planning commission today except thank you. And the thanks are real. They're really real. The mayor and the head of the board of supervisors really figure out what they're doing to fill these seats. Teresa Imperial, Katherine, and Gilbert, and Lydia So and Eric all have terms expiring at the end of the month. And we haven't had any announcements of who they're going to appoint or reappoint. Reappointment is something that's really, Catherine is a model of the reappointment, because she served for 20 years. 20 years is a long time on the planning commission. And I've been listening to people talking about things that I sat through over the past 20 years. the housing, the hotel, hospitals on Van Ness Avenue. Parker said all of those have been at the Planning Commission for a long time. Some of you, Lydia and Gilbert and Derek, also participated. Catherine participated in every one of them. And I'm really grateful to have planning commissioners to talk to. Even when I'm disabled and not here, I called in a couple times. Or I can send letters. But it's really important that the Planning Commission understand that they are the voice of the people, the people, the regular citizens of San Francisco, whether or not they understand how much impact they should have to the Planning Commission. Thank you very much. Thank you, Teresa. Thank you, Gilbert. Really thank you, Catherine. And the planning department staff, I want to acknowledge as well. People like me have a reputation as being a bitch. That's one of the nicer words. But thank you very much for trying to make the city a better place. Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, I also want to thank three commissioners, Williams, Imperiel, and most of all, Catherine Moore. The tenure of your participation on the board exceeds all mortal expectations. It's simply phenomenal. Before I joined the department 15 years ago, a veteran on projects that I brought before the commission. And I just want to say your dedication, depth, particularly on issues with respect to design, which matters to me the most, although land use and community and equity are very important components of that. were emboldening, empowering, and refreshing. So I wanted to give you my most heartfelt thanks. I guess as a public citizen, I'm taking my lunch hour, not as a city employee. Thank you. Thank you.

OK, last call for general public comment for items not on today's agenda. Seeing none, general public comment is closed. And we can move on to your regular calendar, commissioners, for item 6, case number 2024-005922ENV for the Pier 92 Modernization and Plant Replacement Project at 480 Amador Street. This is a draft environmental impact report for your review and comment.

LISA GIBSON- Thank you. Can you hear me OK? Yes, excuse me.

President Campbell? LISA GIBSON- Yes. I'm Lisa Gibson. I'm environmental review officer. And if you'd allow me a moment to express some further gratitude for service. to our next speaker. But first, I do want to extend my gratitude to our departing Vice President Moore and Commissioners Williams and Imperial. I want to thank you for, to add to what has been said, but I want to thank you for your professionalism and level of discourse with staff and the respect that you have afforded to in the Q&A and the materials that were presented to you. It means a lot. And now I would like to acknowledge Jen McKellar, who will be making her last presentation before the Planning Commission. She is leaving as of next week. She was hired in 2016 as a Planner 2 and promoted to Planner 3 in 2020. She recently reached her 10-year milestone. Jen managed environmental review for a wide range of public and private projects, including the Potrero Yard Modernization Project EIR and 550 O'Farrell Street EIR, among many others. For four years, she served as our MTA projects coordinator, leading environmental review for over 100 MTA projects throughout the city. Jen is an air quality and transportation specialist whose technical expertise has helped shape department tools and policies, including updates to the air pollutant exposure zone map and the 2023 greenhouse gas reduction strategy and the department's first vehicle miles traveled screening maps. Jen has lived in four different countries and outside of work enjoys spending time with family, volunteering at an animal shelter, and exploring creative outlets like 3D modeling. We'll miss her keen eye for detail and eagerness to tackle challenges big and small, and we wish her all the best in her next chapter of life.

Thank you. Unexpected. Thank you very much, though. Appreciate it.

Thank you.

I'm back to business. Good afternoon, President Campbell and planning commissioners, Jennifer McKellar, planning department staff, and environmental coordinator. for the Pier 92 Modernization and Plant Replacement Project, or the proposed project. Joining me today are my colleagues from planning and the Port of San Francisco. Members of the project sponsor team are also present. The item before you is the public hearing on the Pier 92 Modernization and Plant Replacement Project Draft Environmental Impact Report, or Draft EIR. The purpose of today's hearing is to take public comments on the adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the Draft EIR pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, and San Francisco's local procedures for implementing CEQA. No approval action on this document is requested at this time. The draft EIR was published on May 20, 2026. The public review period began on that day and will continue until 5 PM on July 6, 2026. I will now provide a brief overview of the existing project site. The project site is approximately 4.4 acres in size and located at 480 Amador Street in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood. The site is bounded by Islayas Creek Channel to the north, the Pier 94 wetlands to the east, Pier 94 and 96 to the south, and Amador Street to the west. The site is within an M2 heavy industrial use district and 40X height and bulk district. It is also located within the southern waterfront area of the Port of San Francisco's waterfront plan. The existing site is currently developed with a sand processing facility that has been operating since 1982. The facility consists of a series of uncovered conveyors and radial stackers, sand washing and screening equipment, three sand storage piles, and a few front-end loaders that transfer sand within the site. The project site also includes two office trailers, shipping containers, an above-ground diesel storage tank, and parking for at least 10 employees or visitors. Facility operations consist of offloading marine sand delivered by barge via Islayas Creek Channel, washing and screening the marine sand, and loading the finished product sand onto customer trucks for delivery offsite. Approximately 65% of the finished product sand is transported to two adjacent ready-mix concrete facilities. The rest is generally used within the city with a small volume transported south of the city as far as Redwood City. Sand is a key component in concrete and asphalt and is used for development, infrastructure, and restoration projects, including beach and shoreline restoration projects. Now I will provide an overview of the proposed project as analyzed in the draft EIR. The proposed project would install and operate a new sand processing system with new equipment, enhanced environmental controls, and other site upgrades. A key element of the project modernization is the installation of enhanced dust control measures to reduce particulate matter emissions and fugitive dust from the transfer and storage of sand. This would be achieved by retrofitting two existing conveyors and replacing four existing conveyors with covers and constructing a 63-foot-tall warehouse structure to cover the finished product stockpile and the customer truck loading area. The portions of the site over which mobile equipment travel would also be paved. A modern stormwater management system would also be installed, with the proposed drainage pattern remaining similar to the existing pattern. The facility is also proposing an increase in the size of its footprint from approximately 4.4 to 5.2 acres under a new lease with the Port of San Francisco. Martin Marietta, the project sponsor and owner of the existing facility, has also applied for an authority to construct and a permit to operate from the Air District to receive and process up to 800,000 tons of sand during any consecutive 12-month period. However, like existing conditions, facility operations would continue to be driven by market demand. Project construction would last up to seven months and occur within one calendar year. Sand offloading and processing operations would continue at the site during construction to the extent that construction activities allow. Now I will summarize the draft EIR findings. The draft EIR concludes that the proposed project would not result in any significant and unavoidable environmental impacts. The proposed project would have less than significant environmental impacts on archaeological resources human remains, and tribal cultural resources after mitigation. The draft EIR analyzed two feasible alternatives to the proposed project pursuant to CEQA. These are the no project alternative and a partial modernization alternative, which would eliminate construction of the storage warehouse. These alternatives represent a reasonable range of alternatives for the EIR analysis and would avoid or reduce, prior to mitigation, the significant impacts of the proposed project on archaeological resources, human remains, and tribal cultural resources. We are currently in the 47-day comment period on the draft EIR. As part of the process, we are conducting this public hearing for members of the public and the Commission to share their comments on the adequacy and accuracy of the draft EIR. For members of the public who wish to speak, please state your name for the record. We have a court reporter joining remotely today to record your comments. When it is your turn, please state your name and spelling, and we ask that you speak slowly and clearly so that the court reporter can make an accurate transcript of today's proceedings. If you'd like to receive the responses to comments document, please provide your email or mailing address to me. Staff is not here to answer comments today. Comments will be transcribed and responded to in writing in the responses to comments document. That document will respond to all relevant verbal comments received today and any written comments received during the public comment period, as well as include revisions to the draft EIR as appropriate. Written comments may be submitted by mail or email to Jennifer McKellar, EIR Coordinator, at 49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1400, San Francisco, 94103, or cpc.peer92eir at sfgov.org by 5 p.m. on July 6, 2026. We anticipate publication of the responses to comments document in fall 2026, followed shortly by the EIR certification hearing before this commission. I would like to acknowledge that earlier today, prior to the hearing, we received a request from Bradley Angel for a continuance of this hearing and also an extension of the comment period. After consulting with the environmental review officer, it was determined there was no basis for this continuance or an extension, but I felt I should acknowledge it to you. Unless the commissioners have CEQA process questions, I respectfully suggest that the public hearing on this item be opened. Thank you.

Okay. If that concludes staff presentation. Yes. Okay. We should take public comment. Members of the public, this is your opportunity to address the commission on the draft environmental impact report. Please come forward.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Glenn Phillips. It's G-L-E-N-N-P-H-I-L-L-I-P-S. I am the executive director of the Golden Gate Bird Alliance. We are a nonprofit organization with over 7,000 members and supporters in the Bay Area. Our mission is to inspire people to protect Bay Area birds and our shared natural environment. For over 100 years, we have been a leader in bird conservation and habitat protection here in San Francisco. For several decades, Golden Gate Bird Alliance has managed and enhanced the Pier 94 wetland restoration site in partnership with the Port of San Francisco, immediately adjacent to the Pier 92 Martin Marietta lease area. Martin Marietta and its predecessors have been exceptional neighbors and contributors to the success of the wetland restoration project. Their donated time, equipment, materials, and other help has exemplified their commitment to ecological restoration and the environment at the Pier 94 wetland restoration site. Golden Gate Bird Alliance agrees with the draft EIR's claim that the project will enhance dust control measures to reduce particulate emissions and fugitive dust from the ongoing operations. The upgraded conveyors and their covers in particular will result in less particulate matter and dust entering the ecologically sensitive wetland area. We look forward to this enhancement for overall environmental health and the health of the wetland. Thank you.

Okay, last call for public comment. Seeing none, public comment is closed. And commissioners, this is your opportunity to comment. OK. Commissioner Williams.

I'd just like to lend my voice to the study on the environmental impact report and how important these reports are. I understand that the Bayview-Hunters Point area has suffered a lot of toxic materials. And so these environmental impact reports lay out the realities on the ground solutions to curb the impacts. But most of all, they protect the people of that community. And so I hope that The community responds. I'm glad to know that This project is actually addressing some of the impacts the existing impacts and are Want to make it better which is always appreciated as someone that breathes the air And and walks down there From time to time and so Thank you And good luck.

Thank you, Commissioner Braun.

I reviewed the draft EIR, and I currently don't see any issues with the analysis or findings, especially given that this project is focused on addressing air quality impacts. However, as always, I look forward to reviewing and considering any other comments that we receive on the draft EIR. Separately, I also wish to thank Ms. McKellar for your service to the city. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner So.

I found this like a very thorough report, and I really appreciate planning staff, the environmental team, all your due diligence to do this work under the leadership of Mrs. Gibson. And I wanted to say thank you for your service, Jen. It's a tenure. It's a long time. Thank you for your dedication to serve the planning department with your many roles and also collaborating with SFMTA. This part of the city is much needed, some championship to really look into the future of San Francisco and how do we adapt with sea level rising and air quality, and with your report, I think this will help our community and our city carry on forward for the next many generations to come. So thank you for your work. I just genuinely appreciate the immense amount of report that you have, your team had provide, so thank you. I think this is a testament of San Francisco Planning Department environmental team. So, but don't poach our staff, okay? So I wish you all the best for your future endeavor, Jen. And I hope we'll see you again soon. Thank you, Vice President Moore.

Thank you for the draft EIR. I consider it comprehensive and very, very informative. It's a subject matter which we mostly don't really meet every day, so I think doing EIR about a subject matter that is a little bit more further away from normal procedures is quite interesting. I found it thorough and informative. I'm particularly interested in your response to Islas Creek, which is on many levels a very important open space resource in that part of town, and I don't have any comments. I will be interested to see how this particular group is moving forward as sand is being more and more replaced in concrete creation with plastic and other means, sand as a non-renewable resource. But thank you for the report, and all the best to you. Thank you.

Okay, Commissioner, seeing no additional requests to speak, that will conclude this matter, and we can move on to the next. Item 7, case number 2018-012648ENV-02 for the St. Ignatius Field Lighting Project at 2001 37th Avenue, also a draft environmental impact report for your review and comment.

Good afternoon, President Campbell, planning commissioners. I'm Don Lewis, planning department staff and environmental coordinator for the St. Ignatius Field Lighting Project. Joining me today are colleagues from planning and members of the sponsor team. The item before you is the public hearing on the draft environmental impact report or draft EIR. The purpose of today's hearing is to receive public comments on the adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the draft EIR pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, and San Francisco's local procedures for implementing CEQA. No approval action on this document is requested at this time. The draft EIR was published on May 27, 2026. The public review period began on that date and will continue until 5 PM on July 13, 2026. Before describing the project and the draft EIR findings, I would like to provide a brief background. This project has previously been before the Planning Commission and has a prior approval and litigation history relevant to the environmental review before you today. In 2018, St. Ignatius applied for approval to install and operate field lighting at J.B. Murphy Field. In 2020, the Planning Department determined the project was categorically exempt from CEQA, and the Planning Commission approved the project through a conditional use authorization. The exemption and approval were both appealed by the St. Ignatius Neighborhood Association. The Board of Supervisors upheld the CEQA exemption and reapproved the conditional use authorization with modifications. The exemption was then challenged in court. In 2021, the Superior Court upheld the City's exemption determination. Following that decision, the school constructed the field lighting and related improvements, and the lights began operating during the 2022-2023 school year. In November 2022, the California Court of Appeal determined that the project did not qualify for the categorical exemptions relied upon by the city and reversed the Superior Court's decision. In September 2023, the Superior Court issued a final judgment consistent with that ruling, which avoided the project approvals. That judgment also incorporated an agreement allowing limited operation of the field lighting while environmental review is completed. In response to the court's ruling, the Planning Department prepared the draft EIR before you today. The St. Ignatius School is located at 2001 37th Avenue in the Outer Sunset. The project site includes JB Murphy Field and adjacent upper practice field on the southern portion of the campus. The project proposes continued operation of the existing field lighting for up to 150 evenings during the school year and expanded evening use of the upper practice field consistent with that schedule. The lighting system at J.B. Murphy Field consists of four 90-foot tall light standards. The project includes continued operation of the amplified sound and public address system and an existing wireless telecommunications facility. Under the project, field lights would operate until 9.30 p.m. on 135 evenings, with egress lights off by 10 p.m. On up to 15 evenings, lights would operate until 10 p.m., with egress lighting off by 10.45 p.m. The draft EIR concludes that the project would not result in any significant and unavoidable impacts. All impacts would determine to be less than significant or result in no impact. Therefore, no mitigation measures are required. Although no significant impacts were identified, the draft EIR evaluates alternatives to further reduce potential light, glare, and operational noise effects. Consistent with CEQA requirements, four feasible alternatives were analyzed. The no project alternative, the reduced evening athletic events alternative, the superior court order reduced lighting hours alternative, and the Board of Supervisors reduced lighting hours alternative. These alternatives provide a reasonable range of options for comparison with the proposed project. Today, the department is seeking comments on the adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the draft EIR. Staff is not here to respond to comments at this hearing. All comments will be transcribed and addressed in a written responses to comments document, which will respond to all relevant comments received during the public review period and identify any revisions to the draft EIR as appropriate. For members of the public who wish to provide verbal comments, please state your name for the record and speak slowly and clearly so the court reporter can prepare an accurate transcript of today's proceedings. Written comments may be submitted by mail or email until 5 p.m. on July 13, 2026. Comments should be directed to Don Lewis, EIR Coordinator at 49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1400, San Francisco, or cpc.stignasiuslightningeir at sfgov.org. We anticipate publication of the responses to comments document in fall 2026, followed shortly by the EIR certification hearing before this commission. This concludes my presentation unless the commissioners have secret process questions I respectfully suggest the public hearing on this item be open.

Thank you Thank you with that we should take public comment members of the public this is your opportunity to address the Commission on this matter

Good afternoon. I'm Deborah Brown. Excuse me. I represent the St. Ignatius Neighborhood Association. Been here before. Talked to you before. These stadium lights have been up and in use since 2021. Again, they're 90 feet tall, and it's professional lighting for professional sports levels. The neighbors have been around us. I have been faced with extremely bright lights, event noise, PA blaring, excess traffic, blocked driveways. And our neighborhood association welcomes and simply wants some adjustments or changes that could mitigate their usage and make our neighborhood livable once again for 150 nights a year. That's half the year. In 2022, as you heard, we appealed to the State Appellate Court, who ruled that, yes, this should have had an EIR study done. Two and a half years later, we finally have the draft EIR, and we find it solely defective. We have incorporated a lighting expert, a noise expert, and these comments will be submitted in the next couple of weeks. To summarize, the lighting study has faults in both its concepts and its methodology. It draws conclusions that are not based on evidence. The draft EIR even shows significant glare threshold excesses. I had to memorize that. But the study dismisses them as only incremental and occasional. The noise study also contains errors in emissions. It incorrectly interprets the city noise ordinance. It used the noisier daytime ambient noise levels to compare to evening noise levels. And while the study concludes that noise impacts are less than insignificant, the data shows they exceed the appropriate threshold. The initial study on traffic and circulation is not supported by any evidence and does not include any on the ground data collection. As Kathy Howard will state after me, the wildlife impacts have barely been studied. The draft EIR dismisses all impacts as temporary because they would only occur for a few hours at a time. But these impacts are permanent for us. They occur repeatedly. We have a known schedule, significantly greater frequency, and the level of attendance than there ever would be under any baseline. Lastly, the study contains errors and inconsistencies and untrue statements. Our written comments will provide further insights. Thank you.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Helmut Schmidt, H-E-L-M-U-T-S-C-H-M-I-D-T. My family and I live across the street from the St. Ignatius football field on 39th Avenue. We have lived there for almost 20 years. When St. Ignatius turns on their football field lights, they shine into our bedrooms. Even with blackout shades, our windows glow at night. When St. Ignatius turns on their sound systems, it can clearly be heard inside our homes, even with the doors and windows closed. The homes along 39th Avenue and Rivera Street are disproportionately affected by St. Ignatius' proposal to have their lights on at night. If approved, these lights will shine into our homes for decades. St. Ignatius is not a neighborhood school. It is a school in our neighborhood. Most students do not live in San Francisco proper, and only a handful live in the sunset. The neighborhood is being forced to shoulder a burden that does not give anything back to our neighborhood. Our blocks, are being forced to give up 135 nights each year, year after year, in perpetuity. What may be good for St. Ignatius is not necessarily good for the neighbors of the sunset. Thank you.

Hi again, commissioners. Katherine Howard, K-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E-H-O-W-A-R-D. There are many errors and omissions in the biological resources section of this DIR. I will just speak to a few of them. There are nesting and roosting trees for raptors, hawks, and bats located in the immediate vicinity of the project, but there is no evidence of any in-depth evaluation was conducted. The report must do a study of the habitat and the areas surrounding the project. The information on bird migration states that migration takes place from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. However, a 2023 study published by the Smithsonian Institute contradicts this statement. For long flight migrations, quote, almost regardless of species, 90% of the birds in the study begin their first migratory flight within a 69-minute window following dusk at various points during the four- to six-week departure seasons. Quote, we argue this consistent departure time is about maximizing nighttime flight. Taking to the wing just after dusks ensures birds can pack in the most mileage under the cover of darkness, unquote. My last point is the lack of serious consideration of the cumulative impacts of this project. Environmentally damaging artificial night lighting is increasing at an alarming rate all over San Francisco. The number of nighttime concerts in Golden Gate Park is increasing. These concerts also include security lighting that is on for days ahead of time. At the nearby Beach Chalet soccer fields, 150,000 watts of lighting are on until 10 o'clock every night, even when no one is on the fields. There is a proposal for more lighting, along with a loss of over 100 trees and replacements of acres of natural grass with artificial turf at Crocker Amazon Playground. To learn more about this destructive project, people can go to the Keep Crocker Real website. I expect that many of you have written letters protesting damage to the environment caused by our new federal policies. But we are doing the same thing here in San Francisco. Bit by bit, we are chipping away at the viability of all species in the name of making life more convenient or entertaining. It is up to all of us to look at how we can stop this. Revising this EIR is the first step. Thank you.

Last call for public comment. Seeing none, public comment is closed. And this is now for your review and comment, commissioners.

Vice President Moore.

Many of the concerns expressed by those people who spoke, some would echo mine. They were very precise and informed about how they formulated their concerns, and I echo them as part of my own. I like to ask, and it may not be CEQA, it may not be environmental impact, something that has actually occurred since we established writing EIRs, and that is the health effect of LED light on people. That is not at this moment an EIR issue, but it is well documented. And I would like it to be given a consideration, even if it is quoting sources and even if it is basically relying on information that is already being circulated. We know the positive effects of LED lighting in terms of energy savings, in terms of not using hours of warming up lights to be bright. We know about the possible way of tuning down light levels as expressed by both the alternative of the Superior Court as well as what the Board of Supervisors is asking for. I believe that this requires more study and slightly more digging in some of the subtlety issues which I think are absolutely important because The cumulative effect of adding LED lighting to other playing fields across the city, I think, needs to be taken into consideration, together with the fact that the lengths of days throughout the year, this is almost half of the year that this is happening every night, seems to be excessive. Those are my comments.

Commissioner Braun.

I just want to encourage the planning department to perform its usual robust consideration of the comments that are received to ensure that this is an airtight EIR document, especially relative to any potential standards and thresholds of significance for lighting and glare. Thank you.

Commissioner Williams.

I, too, want to lend my concerns to the lighting. 90 feet tall towers seem to be a little excessive. And the neighbors have genuine concerns about that. Interestingly enough, One of the commenters mentioned Crocker Amazon, which is also right now being reviewed by the planning staff. And what they're proposing there is very concerning. And a lot of these issues that come up around lighting, around artificial turf, around bird migrations and stuff like that are real. I mean, we have, you know, I walk through the park, I walk through these streets, and there's living, there's birds, there's squirrels, there's life. We need to pay attention to that. And we need to honor some of that stuff and maybe even make some considerations to our neighbors. And so I would just say that there's been a lot of discussion. There's been a lot of folks weighing in on this issue. And again, I would just point out that people that live there have major concerns. The school obviously has. things that is important to them. But there has to be some kind of a compromise here. Hopefully SI will try to find a compromise with your neighbors. I think it's important to honor your neighbors that share space with you. I know SI is my neighbor. Brother-in-laws both have graduated from SI. It's a very prominent school. But your neighbors are important as well. So those are my comments.

Very good commissioners if there's nothing further we can move on to the last item on your agenda today. Number 8 for case number 2026-004085 PPS for the property at 5154 3rd Street. This is an SB 423 informational presentation. project sponsor, you'll have five minutes.

Okay. Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Ashton Richards. I'm the architect of record for this project. And as you were told, the main objective of the presentation is to introduce a three-unit mixed-use, below-density limit apartment building that complies with the San Francisco objective zoning standards. with the intent of being granted a streamlined approval under Senate Bill 423. The project is located in the Bayview neighborhood, and it is within District 10. The site context is a vacant lot, and you can see it with the red dot. And to the left-hand side, or south side, there are three addresses in the adjacent building and a commercial space at the ground floor. And to the north side, or the right adjacent side, there are two addresses with another commercial space at the ground floor. The site is two blocks from Linda Brooks Library, and it is approximately two blocks from the train platform. The zoning district is Bayview neighborhood commercial, and the area of the lot is 1,559 square feet. The density limit is 600 square feet. A little bit of math, and we have three proposed residential units. We are planning a commercial space. at the ground floor facing the street at 434 square feet and a studio at the back of the lot, I mean back of the building facing the rear yard at 293 square feet. The units above, the two units above, are two bedrooms. There are no one bedrooms. And the rear yard is 25% of the lot depth. In this case, it's It's going to be about 15 feet, 10 and 1 half inches. We're going to have 300 square feet of common outdoor space in the rear yard and a street tree in the front of the building. According to the zoning, the height limit is 40 feet and our proposed building is three stories reaching a height of 31 feet from the curb to the top of the center line of the parapet at the front facade and 37 feet from the center of the property and curb to the top of the penthouse set back from the front facade above the central stairway. Let me show, see if I can... Okay.

All right.

OK. So on the right, you can see the empty lot. And then you can see where our building's going to infill. At the very back of the lot, we're planning a retaining wall to keep that hill in place. And once again, you can see the adjacent buildings. Okay, so we have a hardware store to the left and a vacant storefront to the right. And let's see if I can get this a little larger. OK, so as far as the architectural design, the design intent of the ground floor facing the street is to provide a commercial storefront at a moderate scale to provide an opportunity within economic reach and acceptable risk for a new business owner. So it's an opportunity for someone to try something. And if it's successful, they can expand. And if it's not, it's not the end of the world. And we also intend to create an active commercial space to connect with the existing commercial network within that Third Street corridor. The design of the front facade is modern.

Thank you, but that is your time. The commissioners may have clarifying questions for you and call you back up. Sure, sure, please. OK. With that, we should open up public comment. Members of the public, this is your opportunity to address the commission on this informational presentation. You need to come forward.

You can have a seat.

Go ahead.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Demetrius Williams. I'm actually the owner of 5154 3rd Street.

What Ashton is actually speaking of is... Mr. Williams, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but as part of the project sponsor team, your time would have been included within that five-minute presentation. But again, the commissioners may have clarifying questions and may call you up to speak. Okay. Last call for public comment. Seeing none, public comment is closed. This matter is now before you, commissioners.

Vice President Moore.

This is an SB 423 project. I think we are only commenting on this project. We are not having any kind of discussion about changing what's in front of us. Basically, as this project moves forward, the department will establish a background and the kind of criteria by which this project will be examined in the future. So for us, we are making comments. I found the presentation very detailed, and I'm very happy that you gave us the time to better understand the project. Often, SB 423 projects are minimally explaining what needs to be done, but you went into all depths explaining the project in context to describing what you're intending with the units, et cetera, et cetera. I'm very, very comfortable with your description. Wish you good luck on your ongoing journey as this project goes through the planning department's review. and I'm in full support of what is happening here, including the fact that staff informed us yesterday that the applicant who originally intended to build affordable units is switching to market rate because he needs the financing with his attendants as the neighborhood matures to find basically affordable tenancy for the building. I'm very supportive of that idea, and I understand the constraints that the applicant is encountering with his lending. So all positive comments, and I wish you good luck as this project moves through approval. Thank you.

Thank you. Commissioner Braun?

This appears to be a pretty modest infill project. It's going to go a long way towards activating this vacant lot. I think it's scaled very well to the location. My only comments to consider as the design is refined and moves forward is keeping in mind how to sort of accommodate the building to the north that does have a light well in place. It was sort of indicated in the drawings. This is a pretty small lot, and I understand it might be challenging to reciprocate that light well. But at minimum, I would think that some lighter paint on the side of the new building or something along those lines could be helpful for ensuring that light well in the building to the north continues to be useful to the folks who are in that building. And then there are lot line windows in the property to the south. I understand those are not protected. And so I think it's reasonable that those may go away. The front facade position, I think the rendering currently shows this building is sitting in front of the neighboring buildings. However, I see in the site plan.

It's not. It's flush.

Perfect. Okay, the site plan does show that. And so just want to double check on that. But otherwise, those are those are my comments. And I hope this project can move forward quickly.

Thank you, Commissioner. So Thank you for coming here today and thank you for representing the project and also the property owners here as well. I tour Third Street up and down and I really wish that more people like you come forward and fill out these empty lots and when we have an activated corridor in this very vibrant community and neighborhood, that's where we can actually restore a lot of economic resiliency and also generate a lot more people coming in to use I remember there's like a cookie store is really delicious. Yvonne's cookie is always there all these years. And I just wish that you went through in our staff level of the process of approving this project, because I think that you probably have to meet certain criteria here, but I understand your intent is there, so I appreciate that. I think I'd like to take the moment of maybe just ask the property owner a few questions. I wonder if you wanted to share with some of us or in the public It's how you wanted to see your property in the future, in the near future.

Yeah, thank you. Again, my name is Demetrius Williams. I am the owner of 5154 3rd Street. I also own some other properties on 3rd Street. Also, my dad owned the Club Long Island on 3rd Street, and we were remodeling that. We're trying to bring back affordable, at the same time bring back the foot traffic back to 3rd Street, the corridor, to try to get people encouraged to start coming outside and start being encouraged to come out and see some of the new stuff that's coming along. And not only encourage them, but to get people excited to come to the Bayview. So seeing this happening probably get people excited to start building more and start bringing techs and start bringing more opportunities to build the Bayview. That's what, you know, my intentions is to try to just show that we can build and we can build our community. I am a resident of Bayview. I've been in Bayview 55 years, all my life. And I expect to die there in the Bayview. But I want to see it thrive in the Bayview, though.

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Williams.

Yeah, I just want to lend my support, like my other commissioners. I think this project, it fits. well within the neighborhood. I appreciate your concern for the corridor. As someone who's grown up there, you want to contribute positively to your neighborhood, and I respect that. Thank you for your presentation, Mr. Richards, for your professionalism. I wish you luck. And I hope this is the beginning of many more in the future. So good luck to you. And that's about all I have to say. Thank you.

I'll just wrap it up here, echoing my fellow commissioner sentiment. It's a great little infill project. I just want to also especially commend what you're doing on the ground floor. I don't think you're obligated to put retail. I think you could have used that real estate to accommodate a car. And so I just want to extra appreciate the activation on the ground floor with the retail opportunity. So good luck.

Thank you. Even the retail is going to be affordable.

All right. I think that's it. OK. Well, thank you all for coming. And that's a wrap. This meeting's adjourned. Thank you.