Public Safety Committee Meeting - February 22, 2024
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Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Regular Meeting - February 22, 2024
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on February 22, 2024, at 6:15 PM. Vice Chair Joel Engardio presided, with Supervisor Dorsey present. Chair Stephanie was excused by motion. The sole agenda item was a hearing on the transfer of a Type 21 off-sale liquor license to Trader Joe’s Company for its new store at 555 Fulton Street, Suite C. The committee voted unanimously to recommend approval to the full Board of Supervisors.
Discussion Items
- Liquor License Transfer – 555 Fulton Street (Trader Joe’s)
- SFPD ABC Liaison Officer Samelson reported zero letters of protest or support. The premises are in a low-crime area (plot 551) but in a high-saturation census tract (162). Northern Station had no opposition, and the Alcoholic Beverage Control unit (ALU) recommended approval with a condition that the petitioner actively monitor the area to prevent loitering on adjacent property.
- A representative of Trader Joe’s stated the store is scheduled to open in early May 2024, similar in format to other San Francisco Trader Joe’s. It will carry fresh produce, meats, fish, wellness products, and specialty items. Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, spirits) will occupy less than 10% of display space. The applicant argued that a full liquor license would provide one-stop shopping convenience, especially given the impending closure of the Safeway on Webster and the scarcity of full-service grocery stores in the area.
- No public comments were offered during the open comment period.
Key Outcomes
- Motion and Vote: Vice Chair Engardio moved to direct the clerk to prepare a resolution finding that the license transfer would serve public convenience or necessity, and to send that resolution to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation from the committee. The motion passed unanimously (2 ayes: Dorsey and Engardio; Chair Stephanie excused).
- Next Step: The item is expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on March 5, 2024.
Meeting Transcript
The meeting will come to order. Welcome to the February 22nd, 2024 regular meeting of the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee. I'm Supervisor Joel Langardio, Vice Chair of the Committee. And to my left is Supervisor Dorsey. The clerk is Mr. John Carroll. Also, I'd like to thank Corwin Cooley at SFGov TV for staffing this meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. Please ensure that you silenced 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 on today's agenda, you should bring it to the front rail and I will meet you there. We'll add it to the file. Public comment will be taken on each item on today's agenda. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please line up to speak along the western wall of this room. I'm pointing it out with my left hand. Alternatively, you may submit public comment and writing in either of the following ways. You may email your written comments to me at 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. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. That's the clerk's office, room 244. City Hall 1, Dr. Carlton B. Goodley Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit your public comment in writing, I will forward your comment to the members of this panel and also include your comments as a part of the official record 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 March 5th, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Right. Before we begin today's meeting, I'd like to make a motion to excuse Supervisor Catherine Catherine Stephanie. On the motion offered by Vice Chair Engardio to excuse Chair Stephanie from today's meeting, Member Dorsey. Dorsey, I chair Vice Chair And Guardio. I. Guardio I. Mr. Chair, there are two ayes and no opposition. Mr. Clerk, please call the first item. Agenda item number one is a hearing to consider that the person to person premises to premise transfer of a type 21 off sale general beer, wine, and distilled spirits liquor license to the Trader Joe's company. Doing business as Trader Joe's store 226, located at 555 Fulton Street, Suite C, will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Welcome, Officer Samelson from the SFPD ABC Liaison unit. Good morning. So Trader Joe's companies apply for a type 21 license. If uh approved, this would allow them to operate an off-sale general uh general premises. I have zero letters of protest, zero letters of support. They're located in plot 551, which is considered a low crime area. They are in census tract 162, which is considered a high saturation area. Northern Station has no opposition, and ALU recommends approval with the following condition that the petitioner actively monitor the area under their control in an effort to prevent the loitering of persons on any property adjacent to the license premise as depicted on ABC 253 form.
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