Executive Summary Conditional Use authorization HEARING DATE: JULY 29, 2021 Record No.: 2016-010671CUA Project Address: 809 SACRAMENTO STREET Zoning: CVR (Chinatown Visitor Retail) Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District 50-N Height and Bulk District Chinatown Area Plan Block/Lot: 0242 / 029 Project Sponsor: Florence Fang 809 Sacramento Street San Francisco, CA 94108 Property Owner: Chinese Daily Post 809 Sacramento Street San Francisco, CA 94108 Staff Contact: Nicholas Foster, AICP, LEED GA – (628) 652-7330 [email protected] Recommendation: Approval with Conditions Project Description The proposed project (“Project”) would construct a new, two-story vertical addition on top of the existing two- story-over-basement commercial building containing a museum (Institutional Use) at the ground and second floors, adding one (1) three-bedroom dwelling unit. The height of the existing building is approximately 28 feet tall. With the proposed vertical addition, the new height of the building would be 50 feet tall to the finished roof. Required Commission Action While the Project otherwise conforms to the prescribed height limits of the underlying height and bulk district, the Planning Commission must grant Conditional Use Authorization to permit a structure above 35 feet in height within the Chinatown Visitor Retail Neighborhood Commercial District, pursuant to Planning Code Sections 254 and 303. Executive Summary RECORD NO. 2016-010671CUA July 29, 2021 809 Sacramento Street Issues and Other Considerations • Public Comment & Outreach. To date, the Department has not received any correspondence related to the proposed Project. • Dwelling Unit Density. The Project proposes adding one (1) three-bedroom dwelling unit on a Site that would otherwise permit a maximum of 11 dwelling units. While the Planning Department generally supports projects that maximize residential density, in order to achieve maximum residential density on the Site, the existing structure would most likely require significant alterations, including possible demolition in order to provide the maximum allowable development envelope. Given the historic resource status of the existing structure, the Planning Department supports the Project as proposed as it would preserve the existing, historic structure while adding one additional, family-sized, three-bedroom unit. • Residential Uses Near Places of Entertainment. The Project Site is located within 300 feet of entertainment uses. In accordance with the Entertainment Commission's approved recommended noise attenuation conditions Entertainment Commission staff determined on July 9, 2021, that a hearing on this project was not required under Section 116.7(b) of the Administrative Code. The Entertainment Commission recommends that the Planning Department and/or Department of Building Inspection impose standard conditions on the development permit(s) reflected in Exhibit A of the Conditional Use Authorization Motion for Case No. 2016- 010671CUA. Environmental Review The Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) as a Class 1 categorical exemption. Basis for Recommendation The Department finds that the Project is, on balance, consistent with the Objectives and Policies of the General Plan. The Project would add one (1) family-sized, three-bedroom unit to an underdeveloped site, on top of an existing two-story-over-basement structure that is developed to a height of approximately one-half of the permitted allowance for the underlying height and bulk district. The proposed vertical addition would be appropriate for the location and conforms with the underlying height and bulk controls for the Site. The proposed vertical addition is set back from the street and from the rear of the property by 15 feet, allowing the new addition to function as a subordinate addition to the existing structure. The Department finds the project to be necessary, desirable, and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and not to be detrimental to persons or adjacent properties in the vicinity. Attachments: Draft Motion – Conditional Use Authorization; Exhibit A: Conditions of Approval Exhibit B – Plans & Renderings Exhibit C – Environmental Determination & Historic Resource Evaluation Response Exhibit D – Land Use Data Exhibit E – Maps and Context Photos Exhibit F – Project Sponsor Brief 2 Draft Motion RECORD NO. 2016-010671CUA July 29, 2021 809 Sacramento Street DRAFT MOTION: Conditional Use Authorization and Exhibit A: Conditions of Approval Planning Commission Draft Motion HEARING DATE: JULY 29, 2021 Record No.: 2016-010671CUA Project Address: 809 SACRAMENTO STREET Zoning: CVR (Chinatown Visitor Retail) Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District 50-N Height and Bulk District Chinatown Area Plan Block/Lot: 0242 / 029 Project Sponsor: Florence Fang 809 Sacramento Street San Francisco, CA 94108 Property Owner: Chinese Daily Post 809 Sacramento Street San Francisco, CA 94108 Staff Contact: Nicholas Foster, AICP, LEED GA – (628) 652-7330 [email protected] ADOPTING FINDINGS TO APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE AUTHORIZATION PURSUANT TO PLANNING CODE SECTIONS 254 AND 303 TO PERMIT A STRUCTURE OVER 35 FEET IN HEIGHT WITHIN A CHINATOWN MIXED- USE DISTRICT FOR A PROJECT THAT WOULD CONSTRUCT A NEW, TWO-STORY VERTICAL ADDITION TO THE EXISTING TWO-STORY-OVER-BASEMENT COMMERCIAL BUILDING CONTAINING AN INSTITUTIONAL USE AT THE BASEMET, GROUND AND SECOND FLOORS, ADDING ONE (1) 3-BEDROOM DWELLING UNIT, LOCATED AT 809 SACRAMENTO STREET, LOT 029 IN ASSESSOR’S BLOCK 0242, WITHIN THE CVR (CHINATOWN VISITOR RETAIL) NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND 50-N HEIGHT AND BULK DISTRICT, AND ADOPTING FINDINGS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. Draft Motion RECORD NO. 2016-010671CUA July 29, 2021 809 Sacramento Street PREAMBLE On February 16, 2017, Florence Fang (hereinafter “Project Sponsor”) filed an Environmental Evaluation Application (hereinafter “Application”) with the Planning Department (hereinafter “Department”) related to the proposed project (“Project”) to construct a new, two-story vertical addition to the existing two-story-over-basement commercial building containing an institutional use at the ground and second floors, adding one (1) 3-bedroom dwelling unit. The application packet was deemed accepted on May 5, 2017 and assigned Case Number 2016- 010671ENV. On February 16, 2017, the Project Sponsor filed Conditional Use Authorization Application with the Department. The application packet was deemed accepted on May 5, 2017 and assigned Case Number 2016-010671CUA. On February 27, 2019 the Project Sponsor filed an Shadow Analysis Supplemental Application with the Department. The application packet was deemed accepted on March 20, 2019 and assigned Case Number 2016- 010671SHD. The Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) as a Class 1 categorical exemption. On July 29, 2021, the San Francisco Planning Commission (hereinafter “Commission”) conducted a duly noticed public hearing at a regularly scheduled meeting on Conditional Use Application No. 2016-010671CUA. The Planning Department Commission Secretary is the custodian of records; the File for Record No. 2016- 010671CUA is located at 49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1400, San Francisco, California. The Commission has heard and considered the testimony presented to it at the public hearing and has further considered written materials and oral testimony presented on behalf of the applicant, Department staff, and other interested parties. MOVED, that the Commission hereby authorizes the Conditional Use Authorization as requested in Application No. 2016-010671CUA, subject to the conditions contained in “EXHIBIT A” of this motion, based on the following findings: 2 Draft Motion RECORD NO. 2016-010671CUA July 29, 2021 809 Sacramento Street FINDINGS Having reviewed the materials identified in the preamble above, and having heard all testimony and arguments, this Commission finds, concludes, and determines as follows: 1. The above recitals are accurate and constitute findings of this Commission. 2. Project Description. The proposed project (“Project”) would construct a new, two-story vertical addition on top of the existing two-story-over-basement commercial building containing a museum (Institutional Use) at the basement, ground and second floors, adding one (1) three-bedroom dwelling unit. The height of the existing building is approximately 28 feet tall. With the proposed vertical addition, the new height of the building would be 50 feet tall to the finished roof. 3. Site Description and Present Use. The Project Site (“Site”) is located on Lot 029 of Assessor’s Block 0242, a 2,238 square-foot mid-block lot fronting the south side of Sacramento Street, between Grant Avenue and Stockton Streets. The Site is developed as a two-story-over-basement building that is built out to its lot lines on all sides except at the rear, where there is a small lightwell benefitting the subject property. The subject building contains a museum (Institutional Use) at the ground and second floors (d.b.a. the “WWII Pacific War Museum”). The museum replaced the previous office use (d.b.a. “Asian Week” and “China Daily Post”) in 2015 through a change of use that was subject to Conditional Use Authorization (approved through Motion No. 19388 for Case No. 2014-000914CUA). The subject building is known as the Chinese Nationalist Daily/Chinese Daily Post (Kuo Min Yat Po) Building. The subject property has been identified as a contributing building in the Chinatown