San Francisco Public Safety Committee Approves Three Liquor Licenses and Hears Park Safety Report on June 9, 2022
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San Francisco Public Safety Committee Approves Three Liquor Licenses and Hears Park Safety Report on June 9, 2022
On June 9, 2022, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met to consider four agenda items. Chair Gordon Maher (District 4) presided, joined by Vice Chair Catherine Stefani (District 2) and Supervisor Myrna Melgar (District 7). The committee unanimously approved three liquor license transfers and a hearing on public safety at parks, all to be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 2 (The Lost Church): Multiple callers expressed strong support for the liquor license. Speakers described the venue as a vital, intimate nonprofit space for artists and the community, noting that it is not a bar and that no over-serving issues had occurred. Speakers included Amy Campbell, Blair Helsing, a caller identified as 'the mayor', Mark Tobias, Pete Lee, and Christopher Saveris.
- Items 1, 3, and 4: No public comment was offered.
Discussion Items
- Item 1: Liquor License Transfer – Soda Popinski’s (1548 California St.) – The applicant, Ben Bleiman, proposed converting a small portion of the existing bar into a type 21 off-sale license to sell local craft beverages and support virtual cocktail classes. The ALU report noted zero protests, zero support letters, and high crime/saturation in the area, but recommended approval with two conditions (monitoring loitering and posting no-open-container signs). The applicant agreed to the conditions. Supervisor Stefani praised Bleiman’s community contributions. The committee voted to send a positive recommendation to the full board.
- Item 2: Liquor License – The Lost Church (665 Chestnut St.) – Brett Klein, executive director, described the nonprofit theater as a small, intimate venue serving the local arts community. The ALU recommended approval with conditions (no off-sale, noise control, monitoring). Public comment was overwhelmingly supportive. The committee voted to send a positive recommendation.
- Item 3: Liquor License Transfer – North Beach Food Mart (900 Columbus Ave.) – Owner Zaid Samir Batchon sought an upgrade from a type 20 (beer/wine) to a type 21 (including spirits) license to sustain the family-run business after 24 years. The ALU recommended no additional conditions. Batchon highlighted the store’s community garden and zero problems over 24 years. The committee voted to send a positive recommendation.
- Item 4: Hearing on Public Safety at Parks – The hearing was called to explore non-police safety resources such as park rangers, lighting, and cameras. No substantive discussion or public comment occurred. The chair made a motion to forward the item to the full board, which passed 3-0. (The transcript contains no details on the hearing’s content.)
Key Outcomes
- Approval of all three liquor license items: Motions directing the clerk to prepare resolutions determining that each license will serve the public convenience and necessity, and forwarding to the full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendation. All votes were 3-0.
- The park safety hearing was forwarded to the full board without discussion (vote 3-0).
- All items are expected to appear on the June 28, 2022 Board of Supervisors agenda.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the Thursday, June 9th, 2022 meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. Supervisor Gordon Maher, the chair of this committee, and I'm joined by Vice Vice Chair Catherine Stephanie and Supervisor Mirna Malgar. Thank you to Elisa Samara. And I might also thank like to thank SFGUB TB 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 take those who are reading on the telephone line. For those watching either channel 267899 or sfgovtv.org, the public call number is streaming across your screen. The number is 415-655-0001. Once connected, enter the meeting ID of 24862704569, then pound and pound again. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussions, but you will be muted and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak, and those on the telephone line should should dial star three to be added to the speaker line. If you are on the telephone, please remember to turn down your t your TV and all listening devices you may be using. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to the public safety and neighborhood services committee clerk at elixir.samara dot at SFGov.org. That's A L I S A dot S O M E R A at SFGO V dot O R G. If you submit public comment via email, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included be included as part of the official file. You may also send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall 1, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. Items acted upon today are expected to appear on June the June 28th, 2022 Board of Supervisors Agenda, unless otherwise stated Thank you, Madam Clerk. Can you please call item number one? Yes, item number one on the today's agenda is the hearing to consider that the premise to premise transfer of type 21 off-sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits like liquor license to Bitter Badger Inc. Doing business as Soda Pop Papinski's local located at 1548 California Street in in District 3 will serve will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and California or city and county of San Francisco. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment on this hearing may line up to speak, or if you are joining us remotely, please call the public comment number 415-655-0001. Enter the meeting ID 2486-2704569, then pound twice. Once connected the meeting to the meeting, you will press star three to enter the speaking line. A system prompt will indicate that you have raised your hand. Please wait until the public comment till we take public comment on this item. And then when the speaker indicates in the system indicates you have been unmuted, that will be your cue to begin your comments. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Um so first we're going to hear from Officer Salmondson from the SFPD ABC Liaison unit to present on the ALU report. Officer Salmanson. Good morning, members of the board. Let's see. Bitter Badger Inc. operating as Soda Popinski's has applied for a type 21 license, and if approved, this would allow them to operate an off-sale general premise. I have zero letters of protest, zero letters of support. They're located in plot 535, which is considered high crime. They're in census tract 111 uh 00, which is uh considered high saturation. Northern station has no opposition. And ALU uh recommends approval with the following conditions.
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