OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - April 25, 2024

Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee — Thursday, April 25, 2024
BodySan Francisco, California
SessionPublic Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee
DateThursday, April 25, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:11

This meeting will come to order.

0:12

Welcome to the April 25th, 2024 regular meeting of the public safety and neighborhood services committee.

0:19

I'm Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, Chair of the Committee.

0:21

To my right is Vice Chair Engardio, and to my left is Supervisor Dorsey.

0:26

The clerk is Miss Monique Creighton.

0:28

Also, I'd like to thank James Kawana at SFgov TV for staffing this meeting.

0:34

Madam Clerk, do we have any announcements?

0:36

Yes.

0:37

Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices.

0:40

Documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted to the clerk.

0:44

The clerk public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called.

0:51

Please line up to speak on your right.

0:52

Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways.

0:57

First, you may even email them to myself, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk at M O N I U E.

1:07

SFGov dot O R G.

1:10

Or you may send your written comments via U.S.

1:12

Postal Service to our office in City Hall.

1:14

One, Dr.

1:16

Carlton Be Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102.

1:22

If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file on which you are commenting.

1:29

Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of May 7th, 2024, unless otherwise stated.

1:38

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

1:39

Will you please call the first item?

1:41

Yes, item number one is a hearing to consider the issuance of a type 90 on-sale general music venue liquor license to NK in games in PROV LLC to do business as in games improv located at 2965 Mission Street.

1:56

Will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county of San Francisco.

2:01

Thank you.

2:01

And I believe we have a new officer.

2:03

Oh no, Officer Salmonson.

2:04

Okay, great.

2:05

From the SFPD ABC licensing unit.

2:09

Okay, Endgames MPROV LLC has applied for a type 90 license and if approved, this would allow them to operate an on-sale general music venue.

2:16

Uh there is one letter of protest, uh, zero letters of support.

2:19

They're in plot 461, which is considered high crime.

2:22

They're in census track 209, which is considered a high saturation area.

2:27

Uh mission station has no opposition, and ALU recommends approval with the following conditions.

2:32

One, as except uh provided in condition two below, no noise shall be audible beyond the area under the control of the licensee.

2:39

Uh also uh number three, actually, uh 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 prem as depicted on ABC 253 form.

2:54

Thank you so much.

2:55

And are there any uh representatives of the applicant present?

3:00

Great.

3:03

Um thank you.

3:03

My name is Max McCall.

3:05

I'm one of the founders and operators of Endgames Improv.

3:07

Uh we started the company in 2010.

3:10

Uh we have rented venues all over the city and performed comedy shows, music shows, all sorts of things of that nature.

3:17

Uh we required the building that we're in in 2018 and have been operating in that space since then.

3:24

Uh we have converted it to a theater by building raked seating and a stage.

3:29

Uh we have shows Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.

3:33

Um we, you know, operate as a business.

3:36

We are not a theater that operates on donations or funding from crowds.

3:41

We uh sell tickets, we teach classes, uh, we do corporate workshops as well.

3:46

Our our mission is sort of to create a permanent home for comedy in San Francisco, something that can stand the test of time.

3:52

We've seen a lot of comedy venues close down in the last few years because of COVID and because of dwindling crowd sizes.

3:59

An opportunity to get a type 90 and sell alcohol on our premise would help us broaden our audience, attract a new audience, and uh add an additional revenue stream to keep us operating even longer.

4:10

We feel that we operate as a place for people to gather and make friendships and lasting relationships through learning and performing, especially improv comedy.

4:20

Uh, we've been doing so for almost 14 years at this point, and uh, you know, hundreds of students have come from our program and moved on to do comedy in other venues, or even just to use those skills to improve their performance at work, their ability to do public speaking, their confidence.

4:35

Uh lastly, I think the biggest thing for us is helping people who want to be performers in this space learn the skills that are fundamental to that, and all of this would allow us to have a more stable business, a more uh long-term operation, and a uh even better place to gather and be a part of a community.

4:56

Thank you so much.

4:58

Seeing no names on the roster.

5:00

Madam Clerk, will you please open up public comment?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation Safety█████████████████████████████████████████████48%
Public Safety█████████████████████22%
Public Comment███████████12%
Liquor License Transfer█████████10%
Procedural███3%
Procurement██2%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Homelessness█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Meeting - April 25, 2024

The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee convened on April 25, 2024, at 6:15 PM. The committee, chaired by Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, considered six agenda items: three liquor license applications (items 1-3), an ordinance to set minimum qualifications for city firearms and ammunition suppliers (item 4), an ordinance to extend the Family Violence Council sunset date (item 5), and a hearing on traffic enforcement and safety in San Francisco (item 6). All items were advanced to the full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendations, except the traffic enforcement hearing which was continued to the call of the chair.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1 (Endgames Improv, Type 90 license at 2965 Mission Street): One letter of protest, zero letters of support. Located in high-crime plot 461 and high-saturation census tract 209. Mission Station had no opposition. ALU recommended approval with conditions on noise, loitering, and litter. The applicant, Max McCall, explained the theater has operated since 2010 and the license would help sustain comedy in San Francisco. The committee voted unanimously to send a resolution of public convenience/necessity to the full board.
  • Item 2 (Panamay SF, Type 90 license at 523 Broadway Street): Zero letters of protest or support. Located in high-crime plot 132 and high-saturation census tract 106. Central Station had no opposition. ALU recommended approval with conditions including two uniform security guards during live entertainment. No applicant representative appeared. The committee voted unanimously to send a resolution of public convenience/necessity to the full board.
  • Item 3 (Byrite Polk LLC, Type 21 off-sale license at 2134-2140 Polk Street): Zero letters of protest or support. Located in high-crime plot 528 and high-saturation census tract 109. Northern Station had no opposition. ALU recommended approval with conditions on loitering and litter. The applicant, Samuel Gannam, a second-generation owner of Byrite stores, stated the store will complete the product set for customers and that he has had no liquor license violations in 33 years. Supervisor Peskin’s chief of staff spoke in support, citing the store’s community programs. The committee voted unanimously to send a resolution of public convenience/necessity to the full board.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Item 1: Three members of the public spoke in support of Endgames Improv, describing it as a vital community hub for comedy and friendship.
  • Item 3: Sunny Ngulu (Supervisor Peskin’s chief of staff) supported the Byrite transfer, noting the store’s community programming and expansion into a former grocery space.
  • Item 4 (Firearms ordinance): Ruth Bornstein (Brady United Against Gun Violence) thanked Supervisor Stephanie and expressed hope the ordinance would incentivize dealers to follow the law. Alec Bash also thanked the supervisor.
  • Item 5 (Family Violence Council): Beverly Upton (SF Domestic Violence Consortium) and Jenny Perlman (Safe and Sound) spoke in strong support, noting that domestic violence deaths are down nearly 90% since the council began, and that the council coordinates services across child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic violence.
  • Item 6 (Traffic enforcement hearing): Multiple speakers addressed the hearing:
    • Luke Bornheimer urged shifting focus to automated enforcement and sustainable infrastructure, arguing armed traffic enforcement is not correlated with safety.
    • Fran Taylor criticized the city for not prioritizing traffic safety over other enforcement.
    • Richard Geman, whose son Andrew was killed by a speeding driver near an elementary school, described the lack of consequences for dangerous driving.
    • Heidi Peterson and Robin Levitt described personal close calls and widespread reckless driving, including speeding, running red lights, and sidewalk riding by motorized vehicles.
    • Alec Bash and Frank Hardigan (WAC SF) called for directed enforcement, noise cameras, and quicker implementation of Vision Zero improvements.
    • Jody Maziris (Walk San Francisco) supported the new speed enforcement plan but urged interagency coordination and transparency.

Discussion Items

  • Item 4: Ordinance to Set Minimum Qualifications for Firearms and Ammunition Suppliers
    • Supervisor Stephanie introduced the ordinance, citing a 2023 Brady United report that found over 90 California law enforcement agencies (including San Francisco) spent $20 million on firearms and ammunition from six dealers with documented violations of federal firearms laws (e.g., failure to report multiple sales, straw purchases). The ordinance requires that city funds for firearms procurement by SFPD, Sheriff’s Department, Adult Probation, and the DA’s office be allocated only to vendors who comply with state and federal law. It includes waiver provisions for emergencies. Supervisor Stephanie offered amendments to clarify that the purchaser (or designee) will issue guidance in consultation with the police department and other agencies. Diana Arroach (SFPD Policy Director) stated the department supports the spirit of the ordinance and appreciated the amendments. The committee voted unanimously to forward the measure as amended with a positive recommendation.
  • Item 5: Ordinance to Extend Sunset of the Family Violence Council to May 1, 2027
    • Supervisor Stephanie explained the council, established in 2007, coordinates services among domestic violence, elder abuse, and child abuse agencies; analyzes trends; and advises the Board, Mayor, and courts. The council was set to expire May 1, 2024. The ordinance extends it to 2027 and allows the mayor to designate a department for administrative support. Public speakers emphasized the council’s success in reducing domestic violence deaths by nearly 90%. The committee voted unanimously to send the ordinance to the full board with a positive recommendation.
  • Item 6: Hearing on the State of Traffic Enforcement and Safety in San Francisco
    • Supervisor Mandelman noted the decade-long decline in traffic enforcement and called for a renewed plan. Commander Nicole Jones presented SFPD’s 2024 Traffic Enforcement Plan, highlighting:
      • Citation issuance declined to a low of 4,006 in 2022, increased 27% to 5,080 in 2023, and in Q1 2024 reached 2,879 (on track to significantly exceed 2023).
      • 56.5% of 2023 citations were for “Focus on the Five” violations (speeding, red light, stop sign, failure to yield to pedestrian, left-turn/yield).
      • 29 traffic fatalities occurred in 2023; pedestrians were the most affected. Year-to-date 2024: 13 fatalities.
      • SFPD has 29 motorcycle officers in the traffic company (down from ~80–100 in past years).
      • The plan emphasizes speed enforcement, visibility, directed enforcement (wave model), collaboration with SFMTA, public education, technology (speed cameras, LIDAR, radar on motorcycles, drones, ALPR Flock system), and training. New staffing enhancements include a solo response team, speed enforcement team, and data analysis.
      • Performance metrics: increase citations, advisements, and vehicle seizures (57 in 2023, 25 in Q1 2024); decrease fatalities, serious injury crashes, and complaints.
    • Discussion covered staffing challenges, coordination with CHP, the impact of state data collection mandates on stop duration, and the need to prioritize enforcement at high-injury locations based on data rather than complaints. Supervisors expressed cautious optimism and requested a follow-up hearing in six months (October/November).
    • The committee voted to continue the hearing to the call of the chair.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 1: Motion to send resolution of public convenience/necessity for Endgames Improv to full board with positive recommendation. Passed 3-0 (Stephanie, Engardio, Dorsey).
  • Item 2: Motion to send resolution for Panamay SF to full board with positive recommendation. Passed 3-0.
  • Item 3: Motion to send resolution for Byrite Polk to full board with positive recommendation. Passed 3-0.
  • Item 4: Motion to adopt amendments and forward the firearms supplier ordinance to full board as amended with positive recommendation. Passed 3-0.
  • Item 5: Motion to forward the Family Violence Council extension ordinance to full board with positive recommendation. Passed 3-0.
  • Item 6: Motion to continue the traffic enforcement hearing to the call of the chair. Passed 3-0. Supervisor Mandelman expressed intent to schedule a mid-year check-in around October/November 2024.

Meeting Transcript

This meeting will come to order. Welcome to the April 25th, 2024 regular meeting of the public safety and neighborhood services committee. I'm Supervisor Catherine Stephanie, Chair of the Committee. To my right is Vice Chair Engardio, and to my left is Supervisor Dorsey. The clerk is Miss Monique Creighton. Also, I'd like to thank James Kawana at SFgov TV for staffing this meeting. Madam Clerk, do we have any announcements? Yes. Please make sure to silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Documents to be included as part of the file should be submitted to the clerk. The clerk public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda when your item of interest comes up and public comment is called. Please line up to speak on your right. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. First, you may even email them to myself, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee Clerk at M O N I U E. SFGov dot O R G. Or you may send your written comments via U.S. Postal Service to our office in City Hall. One, Dr. Carlton Be Goodlit Place, Room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. If you submit public comment in writing, it will be forwarded to the supervisors and also included as part of the official file on which you are commenting. Finally, items acted upon today are expected to appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda of May 7th, 2024, unless otherwise stated. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Will you please call the first item? Yes, item number one is a hearing to consider the issuance of a type 90 on-sale general music venue liquor license to NK in games in PROV LLC to do business as in games improv located at 2965 Mission Street. Will serve the public convenience or necessity of the city and county of San Francisco. Thank you. And I believe we have a new officer. Oh no, Officer Salmonson. Okay, great. From the SFPD ABC licensing unit. Okay, Endgames MPROV LLC has applied for a type 90 license and if approved, this would allow them to operate an on-sale general music venue. Uh there is one letter of protest, uh, zero letters of support. They're in plot 461, which is considered high crime. They're in census track 209, which is considered a high saturation area. Uh mission station has no opposition, and ALU recommends approval with the following conditions. One, as except uh provided in condition two below, no noise shall be audible beyond the area under the control of the licensee. Uh also uh number three, actually, uh 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 prem as depicted on ABC 253 form. Thank you so much. And are there any uh representatives of the applicant present? Great. Um thank you. My name is Max McCall. I'm one of the founders and operators of Endgames Improv. Uh we started the company in 2010. Uh we have rented venues all over the city and performed comedy shows, music shows, all sorts of things of that nature. Uh we required the building that we're in in 2018 and have been operating in that space since then. Uh we have converted it to a theater by building raked seating and a stage. Uh we have shows Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights. Um we, you know, operate as a business. We are not a theater that operates on donations or funding from crowds.

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