Okay, good afternoon, everyone.

This meeting will come to order.

Welcome to the January 23rd, 2023 regular meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

I am Supervisor Mriana Melgar, chair of the committee, joined by Vice Chair, Supervisor Dean Preston, and Board President Aaron Paskin, who is joining us remotely.

The committee clerk today is Erica Major, and I would also like to acknowledge Michael Balthasar and Jaime Echevery at SFCup TV for staffing this meeting.

Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements?

Yes, the Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone.

The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential and will be taking public comment as follows.

First public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda.

Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will move on to a remote call in line.

For those watching on Channel 26, 28, 7899 or SFGov TV, you can see the number streaming across the screen.

The number is 415-655-0001.

Again, that number is 415 65501.

And then you enter the meeting ID 2484-534-2047, then press pound and pound again.

When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and listening mode only.

When your item of interest comes up and your um and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak to to your right, and those on the telephone line should press star three to be added to the queue.

If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your television and radio and all listening devices you may be using.

As already indicated, we will be taking public comment from those attending in person first, and then we will go to our public call in line.

Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing to myself, the land use and transportation clerk, and my email address is ERICA dot MAJOR at SFGOV.org.

And if you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisor and also made part of the official file.

You may also send your written comments via U.S.

Postal Service to our office at City Hall.

The address is one Dr.

Callton B.

Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102.

Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors' agenda of January 2031st unless otherwise stated.

Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk.

Uh, please call item number one.

Item number one is an ordinance amending the planning code to allow nighttime entertainment as a principally permitted use in the Folsom Street neighborhood commercial transit district and Western Soma Mixed Use General District, removing certain restrictions and affirming appropriate findings.

Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on item number one should call the number on the screen.

The number is 415-655-0001.

The meeting ID today is 2484, 534-2047, then press pound and pound again.

And if you have not done so and you would like to speak, you just need to press star three.

You'll hear the system indicate that you have raised your hand.

Madam Chair.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk.

Uh so we welcome Supervisor Dorsey to uh the committee.

Uh I understand we have Aaron Starr here to make a presentation, but before we bring him up, uh Supervisor Dorsey, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair Melgar and Supervisor Preston and colleagues for having me here today at the land use committee.

To talk to you about something I'm very excited to see moving forward.

Um the legislation I'm here to move forward today is a much needed planning code update to support nighttime entertainment in Western Soma, which is home to one of our city's core nightlife corridors and home to the Leather and LGBTQ cultural district.

Um prior to the 1960s, a handful of bars and queer night life establishments popped up throughout the city.

In 1962, the first leather bar in Soma opened.

And in the years following, more queer nightlife and retail establishment opened in the South Market neighborhood, the tenderloin and the castro.

Um Folsom Street in my district became the anchor for a burgeoning queer community, even with more growth coming in the 1970s.

Um the two decades of growth would be followed by decades of struggle.

Uh one local magazine declared it the uh the death of leather, and this declaration was premature, but foreshadowed some of the struggles to come that have um played a large outsider's role in our city's history with the convergence of the AIDS crisis and the dot-com era, leading to business closures and competition for land.

In 2013, the adoption of the Western Soma neighborhood plan included buffers that prohibited entertainment within 200 feet of residential districts.

Uh with SOMA's many residential allies, uh alleys, uh these buffers are a de facto moratorium on new entertainment.

Uh one may be surprised to learn that in a neighborhood that has a history of bars and entertainment, new establishments are not permitted, and existing establishments are not able to get entertainment permits.

Um a more optimistic note, in 2018, the leather and LGBTQ cultural district was created by unanimous vote of the Board of Supervisors with the vision of preserving, enhancing and advocating for the continuity and vitality of the queer and kink communities.

While these zoning and buffer restrictions are prohibitive for much nightlife, uh we must also be cognizant of the fact that South of Market has transformed into a residential neighborhood too.

Uh one that is enriched by children, adults, and seniors.

And while the Leather district would like to expand their boundaries and expand the footprint of bars and nighttime entertainment, there is also a desire from the overlapping Solma Filipinos, Filipino cultural district to make sure that Soma is uh friendly to seniors and children as well.

So there are some larger conversations that still need to be had about these occasionally competing desires and what that means for the future of downtown.

But I'm proud to say that these two groups are in support of this proposal.

This ordinance will permit nighttime entertainment for properties uh fronting Folsom Street between 7th Street and Division Street, and properties fronting 11th Street between Howard and Division Streets, areas with existing nighttime entertainment.

It also exempts this area from the aforementioned buffers.

Um as Aaron Starr will share, uh the commission recommended some clear some substantive amendments.