Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - March 23, 2023
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - March 23, 2023
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 6:15 PM, chaired by Supervisor Joel Engardio (acting) with members Supervisor Dorsey and Supervisor Safai (substituting for Chair Stefani). The committee considered three agenda items: two liquor license applications and a resolution adopting the Japantown Cultural Heritage District's Cultural, History, Housing, and Economic Sustainability Strategy (CHESS) Report. All items received unanimous approval and were recommended to the full Board of Supervisors.
Consent Calendar
- No consent calendar items were on the agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 1 (Mainstay Markets): No public comments were offered in person or remotely.
- Item 2 (Brick and Mortar Music Hall): No public comments were offered in person or remotely. The applicant, Michael O'Connor (co-owner), spoke in support, noting the business's 12-year history and acceptance of proposed conditions. Supervisor Safai expressed support for nightlife venues and highlighted pending legislation to waive license fees and raise gross receipts thresholds for small businesses.
- Item 3 (Japantown CHESS Report): Multiple speakers provided testimony in strong support, including community leaders, cultural district representatives, and board members. Speakers highlighted the report's significance as a community-led roadmap to preserve Japantown—one of only three remaining Japantowns in the nation—after historical traumas of incarceration and urban renewal. Representatives from SOMA Pilipinas, Castro LGBTQ, Transgender, Leather & LGBTQ, and Sunset Chinese Cultural Districts also voiced support. No opposition was voiced.
Discussion Items
- Item 1 – 230082 Liquor License Transfer for Mainstay Markets (655 22nd Street): Officer Salmanson of SFPD ABC Liaison Unit reported zero letters of protest or support, low-crime area (Plot 315), high saturation area (Census Tract 226), and recommended approval with conditions to monitor loitering and limit entertainment noise. The applicant's representative, Rebecca Stamy White, confirmed the grocery store's aim to provide one-stop shopping. The committee unanimously voted to prepare a resolution of public convenience or necessity and to send it to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 2 – 230089 Liquor License Issuance for Brick and Mortar Music Hall (1710-1712 Mission Street): Officer Salmanson reported one letter of protest, zero support letters, high-crime area (Plot 404), low saturation area (Census Tract 2010). Mission Station had no opposition; Alcohol Liaison Unit recommended approval with three conditions: monitoring loitering, noise limits, and requiring a uniformed security guard during entertainment hours (1 PM–2 AM). The applicant accepted conditions. The committee unanimously voted to prepare a resolution of public convenience or necessity and to send it to the full board with a positive recommendation.
- Item 3 – 230264 Japantown Cultural Heritage District's CHESS Report: Kira Geithman (Associate Director of Policy, Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development) and Grace June Lee (Cultural Districts Program Manager) provided background on the Cultural Districts Program, established in 2018. Susie Kagami (Japantown Cultural District Manager) presented the CHESS report, which builds on 13 years of community engagement and 25 strategies across six focus areas: preservation, economic/workforce development, land use, housing, and community landownership. The report addresses the displacement of Japanese Americans and aims to secure Japantown's future. Supervisors Safai and Dorsey expressed strong support, with Safai noting Japantown as "one of the things that's going right with San Francisco" and Dorsey adding herself as a co-sponsor. The committee unanimously voted to adopt the resolution and recommend it to the full board.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Motion to prepare a resolution finding public convenience or necessity (passed unanimously). Motion to send to full board with positive recommendation (passed unanimously).
- Item 2: Motion to prepare a resolution finding public convenience or necessity (passed unanimously). Motion to send to full board with positive recommendation (passed unanimously).
- Item 3: Motion to adopt the resolution endorsing the Japantown Cultural Heritage District's CHESS Report (passed unanimously). Motion to send to full board with positive recommendation (passed unanimously). All items are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on April 4, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the March 23rd, 2023 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I'm Supervisor Joel Engardio, acting chair of the committee. To my right is Supervisor Dorsey, and to my left is Supervisor Safai, who is here as a substitute for Chair Stefani. The clerk is John Carroll. Also, I'd like to thank Jason Goldemer at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. The Board of Supervisors and its committees are 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 we will be taking public comment today as follows. First, public comment will be taken on each of the three items on today's agenda. Those attending the meeting in person will be allowed to speak first, and then we will hear from those who are waiting on the telephonic public comment call-in line. For those watching either cable channel 26, 28, 78, or 99, or watching through sfgovtv.org. The public comment call-in number is scrolling across the bottom of your screen right now. That phone number is 415 65501. Once you've dialed that number and you're connected, you will hear a prompt to enter the meeting ID for today's meeting. Today's meeting ID is 2497 6720. After you've entered the meeting ID, press the pound symbol twice and you will be connected to the meeting. You will hear the meeting discussions through your telephone, but your line 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 here in the board chamber, room 250, are invited to line up to speak along the west wall of the room, my left hand side. We will hear from each of those speakers in person, and then we will hear from folks who are connected to our meeting through the telephone line. If you are on the telephone and you wish to speak, you can indicate your desire to speak by pressing star three, and that will add you to the speaker line. If you're on your telephone, please remember to turn down your television and all listening devices that you may be using in order to ensure that we don't have issues with feedback through our microphones. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. You can email me, the Public Safety Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk, and my email address is J-O-H-N. Period. C-A-R-R-O-L-L at SFGOV.org. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Post to our office in City Hall. That's the clerk's office. Room 244 and City Hall's addresses one, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlit Place, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, I will forward it to the supervisors and I will include your comment as part of the official file on which you are commenting. Of course, all of this contact information that I've listed here can also be consulted on the front page of any committee agenda in case we've gone over it too quickly here. And finally, Mr. Vice Chair, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of April 4th, 2023, unless otherwise stated. I'd like to make a motion to excuse Supervisor Stephanie from this meeting. Is there a second? Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Thank you. On a motion to excuse offered by Vice Chair Engartio. Uh member Dorsey. Dorsey, I, Member Safai. Safai, I, Vice Chair Engardio. I Engardio, I. Mr.
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