Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - January 11, 2024
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - January 11, 2024
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on January 11, 2024, at 6:15 PM. Vice Chair Joel Engardio presided, joined by Supervisor Dorsey. Chair Stephanie was excused. The committee considered five items: two liquor license applications, a health code amendment, a resolution supporting the SoMa Pilipinas Gateway cultural marker, and a hearing on working conditions for women in the SFPD.
Item 1: Liquor License Transfer - RM212 (690 Sacramento Street)
- Presentation: Officer Stephen Jonas from SFPD ABC Liaison unit reported that the application for a Type 48 on-sale general public premises license from Chan Enterprises (doing business as RM212) had no letters of protest or support. The location is in a high crime area (plot 150) and high saturation census tract (611.01). Recommended conditions include noise control and loitering prevention.
- Applicant Statement: Ricky Chan, representing the AAPI-owned business, described the restaurant's struggle since COVID-19 and the hope that a Type 48 license would revitalize the business.
- Public Comment: David Villalobos expressed support, noting the application aligns with the city's downtown recovery plan and the applicants are hardworking.
- Key Outcome: The committee voted unanimously (2-0) to prepare a resolution finding that the license transfer would serve the public convenience or necessity and send it to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.
Item 2: Liquor License Issuance - The Record Bar (177 Eddy Street)
- Presentation: Officer Jonas reported on the Type 90 on-sale general music venue license application by SR Visions LLC. No letters of protest or support were received. The location is in a high crime area (plot 176) and high saturation census tract (125.03). Recommended conditions mirror those of Item 1.
- Representative Statement: Mark Rennie, representing the applicant, explained that the venue is losing money and plans to sell its current Type 47 license (with a price spread of approximately $165,000–$185,000) to fund renovations. He described the venue's popularity and expressed optimism about San Francisco's nightlife recovery.
- Supervisor Dorsey expressed support for nightlife and the cultural value of the venue.
- Public Comment: None.
- Key Outcome: The committee voted unanimously (2-0) to prepare a resolution finding that the license issuance would serve the public convenience or necessity and send it to the full board with a positive recommendation.
Item 3: Health Code Amendment - Regulating Medical Specimen Test Collection Sites
- Presentation: Melissa Hernandez, legislative aide to Supervisor Preston (sponsor), presented an amended ordinance that builds on a previously passed version. The new amendments prohibit paying individuals to take medical tests and make violations a misdemeanor, expanding enforcement tools.
- Supervisor Dorsey thanked Supervisor Preston and co-sponsor Supervisor Ronen, noting the importance of regulating pop-up COVID testing sites to protect vulnerable residents.
- Public Comment: None.
- Key Outcome: The committee voted unanimously (2-0) to recommend the amended ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors.
Item 4: Support for SoMa Pilipinas Gateway Cultural Marker
- Presentation: Supervisor Dorsey (sponsor) introduced the resolution, noting it now has unanimous co-sponsorship from all 11 supervisors. He read a series of amendments into the record.
- Community Presentation: Raquel Redondias, director of SoMa Pilipinas, presented the gateway design by artist Francesca Gamez. The design features an arch with shadow play and bronze narrative elements, located at Folsom and Russ Streets. Hundreds of community members provided input over two years.
- City Agency Support: Planning Director Rich Hillis and Arts Commission Director of Cultural Affairs Ralph Remington expressed strong support and committed to partnering on funding and implementation.
- Public Comment: Patricia Zamora (Community Arts Stabilization Trust) spoke in support, praising the community-driven process.
- Key Outcome: The committee first adopted the amendments unanimously (2-0), then voted to recommend the amended resolution to the full board (2-0).
Item 5: Hearing - Working Conditions for Women in the SFPD
- Sponsor Supervisor Melgar requested to continue the hearing to a later date.
- Public Comment: None.
- Key Outcome: The committee unanimously (2-0) continued the hearing to the call of the Chair.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the January 11th 2024 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I am Supervisor Joel Engardio, Vice Chair of the Committee. I am joined by my colleague, Supervisor Dorsey. The clerk is Mr. John Carroll. Also, I'd like to thank Matthew Egnow at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you. Please ensure to silence your cell phones and other electronic devices you may have brought with you into the chamber today. If you have any documents to include as part of the file, you should submit them to me by just dropping them at the front rail, and I'll come and pick them up. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda when your item of interest comes up on the agenda and public comment is called. Please line up to speak along the right hand side of this room. I'm pointing it out right now with my left hand. Alternatively, you may submit public comment and writing in either of the following ways. You may email your comment to me. I'm the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk. My email address is J-O-H-N, period C A R R O L L at SFGO V dot ORG. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That is the clerk's office, room 244 and City Hall's addresses. One, Dr. Carlton B. Goodlick Place, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the members of this committee and also included as part of the official file upon which you are commenting. And finally, Mr. Vice Chair, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors Agenda of January 23rd, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Thank you. Before we begin today's meeting, I'd like to make a motion to execute uh to excuse Chair Stephanie. A motion offered by Vice Chair and Guardia to excuse Chair Stephanie from the meeting today on that motion, Vice Chair Member Dorsey. Dorsey, I, Vice Chair and Guardio. Aye. And Guardio I. Mr. Vice Chair, there is no opposition. Uh Mr. Clerk, we please call the first item. Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the person-to-person premise-to-premise transfer of a type 48 on-sale general public premises liquor license to Triple Chan Enterprises to do businesses. RM212, located at 690 Sacramento, will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Uh, we welcome Officer Stephen Jonas from the San Francisco Police Department, ABC Liaison unit. Good morning, Supervisors. Uh so you have before you a PCN report for Chan Enterprises uh operating as RM 212. They've applied for a type 48 license, and if approved, this would allow them to operate an on-sale general public premise. Uh there are no letters of protest, no letters of support. They are located in plot 150, which is considered a high crime area. And they are in Census Tract 611.01, which is considered a high saturation area. Number one, petitioners shall actively monitor the area under their control in an effort to prevent the loitering of persons on any property adjacent to the licensed premise as depicted on the ABC 253 form.
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