Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 9, 2020
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - July 9, 2020
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee, chaired by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, held a remote meeting on July 9, 2020, via video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee considered four items: a liquor license for a new wine bar, a resolution condemning racial profiling and discriminatory harassment, an ordinance to strengthen illegal dumping enforcement, and an ordinance to update health standards for adult sex venues. All items were forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 4 (Adult Sex Venue Health Standards): Two members of the public testified in support.
- Paul Aguilar, a fifth-generation native San Franciscan and member of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s HIV Advocacy Network, stated that the closure of bathhouses was based on fear, shame, stigma, and homophobia, and that public health policy should be based on scientific facts, especially given the availability of PrEP for HIV prevention.
- Race Bannon, a longtime LGBTQ writer, activist, and organizer and San Francisco resident since 1994, expressed support, arguing that allowing privacy and personal agency leads to better sexual health and that such venues can deliver important sexual health information.
Discussion Items
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Liquor License – 620 Post Street (The Nobody Inn)
- The Alcohol Licensing Unit (ALU) recommended approval with conditions (monitoring adjacent property and noise control). The applicant, Nicola Archiero, described the business as a low-key, unpretentious wine bar focusing on small-production local beer, wine, and cheese. Supervisor Mandelman noted Supervisor Peskin’s support. No public comments were received. The committee adopted a resolution finding public convenience or necessity and forwarded it to the full board with a positive recommendation.
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Resolution Condemning Racial Profiling and Discrimination Harassment
- Supervisor Shamann Walton introduced the resolution, highlighting numerous incidents of racial profiling in San Francisco and nationwide, including his own experience. He noted the introduction of the “Cairn Act” to stop false racist 911 calls and reported over 2,0120 (as stated) firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 172 incidents in San Francisco. Supervisor Mandelman and Supervisor Stefani added their names as co-sponsors. The committee voted unanimously to forward the resolution to the full board with a positive recommendation.
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Illegal Dumping Enforcement Ordinance
- Supervisor Walton presented the ordinance, noting over 91,000 service requests for illegal dumping last year in San Francisco, costing the city $10 million annually. Districts 9 and 10 have the highest rates. The ordinance expands the definition of illegal dumping, allows Department of Public Works employees to issue citations (previously only SFPD could), and includes amendments from the District Attorney’s office to preserve other enforcement actions. Supervisor Stefani and Chair Mandelman added as co-sponsors. The committee accepted minor amendments and forwarded the ordinance as amended to the full board.
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Adult Sex Venue Health and Safety Standards
- Supervisor Mandelman introduced the ordinance to require the Department of Public Health to adopt updated health standards for commercial adult sex venues, removing requirements for monitoring patron sexual activities and for unlocked doors. He emphasized that the closure of bathhouses during the AIDS epidemic had no remaining public health rationale given PrEP and new HIV diagnoses falling below 200 for the first time since the 1980s. The ordinance would not allow reopening before it is safe under COVID-19 orders. An amendment pushed the adoption deadline to January 1, 2021. The committee accepted the amendment and forwarded the ordinance as amended to the full board.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimous (3-0) vote to forward the resolution of public convenience and necessity for the liquor license to the full board.
- Item 2: Unanimous (3-0) vote to forward the resolution condemning racial profiling to the full board.
- Item 3: Unanimous (3-0) votes to accept amendments and forward the illegal dumping ordinance as amended to the full board.
- Item 4: Unanimous (3-0) votes to accept the amendment (deadline extension) and forward the adult sex venue ordinance as amended to the full board.
All items will appear on the Board of Supervisors meeting agenda on July 21, 2020.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the July 9th, 2020 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I am Supervisor Raphael Mandelman. I chair this committee, joined by our vice chair, Captain Stephanie and Supervisor Shaman Walton. Our clerk is John Carroll. I want to thank the great folks at SFGTV for staffing this meeting as well as our amazing Board of Supervisors Operations and IT folks for lending their support for today's meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Chair. In order to protect board members, city employees, and the public during the COVID-19 health emergency, the Board of Supervisors Legislative Chamber and Committee Room are closed. This precaution is taken pursuant to all various local, state, and federal orders, declarations, and directives. Committee members will attend the meeting through video conference and participate in the meeting to the same extent as if they were physically present. Public comment will be available for each item on this agenda. Both San Francisco Cable Channel 26 and sfgovtv.org are streaming a public comment number across the screen. Your opportunity to speak and provide comments during public comment period are available via phone by calling 4084189388. Once connected and prompted enter the meeting ID, today's meeting ID is 1467418902. Then press pound and press pound again a second time to be connected to the meeting. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you'll be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up, dial star, followed by three to be added to the speaker line. Best practices are to call from a quiet location, speak clearly and slowly and turn down your television, your radio, or your streaming device. Everyone must account for time delays and speaking discrepancies that may occur between the live coverage and streaming. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in either of the following ways. You may email me. My name is John Carroll. I'm the clerk of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. My email address is J-O-H-N period C A R R O L L at S F G O V dot O R G. If you submit public comment via email, I will add your comments to the file. And your written comments may also be sent to our office at City Hall. Our address at City Hall is one Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. That's it, Mr. Chair. All right. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Can you please call the first item? Yes. Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the issuance of a type 42 on sale beer and wine public premises liquor license to the nobody in LLC doing business as the nobody in. Located at 620 Post will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this hearing should call the public comment number. That number is 408-4189388. Enter the meeting ID of 146-741-8902. Press the pound symbol twice to connect to the meeting and then press the star key, followed by the number three to enter the queue to speak. And Mr. Chair, I noticed that I forgot to mention that all items on today's agenda will appear on the regular Board of Supervisors meeting agenda of. Sorry for the delay, July 21st. Great. Thank you. So first we will hear from the ALU, Officer Mackie.
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