Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the March 17th, 2025 Rules Committee meeting.

I am your Chair, Supervisor Shimon Walton, joined by Vice Chair, Supervisor Cheryl, and President Mandelman.

Our clerk today is Victor Young, and I would like to thank Jaime Eshevery from SFGov TV for broadcasting this meeting and making sure this information gets out to the public.

Mr.

Clerk, do you have any announcements for us?

Uh yes.

Public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda.

When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, please let him speak on your right.

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

Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR.yo N G at SFgov.org.

If you submit public comment by email, it will be included as part of the file.

Please make sure to silence your cell phones and other electronic devices.

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

Items acted upon today should appear on the Board of Supervisors agenda on March the 25th.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Would you please call item number one?

Item number one is an ordinance of any of the administrative code to create the Castro Upper Market Entertainment Zone located on 18th Street between Diamond and Sanchez Street.

Castro Street between 19th and State Street, Market Street between Collingwood and Church Street, Church Street between 14th and 15th Street, 14th Street between Belcher and Launder Street, and No East Street between Bever and Market Street, to clarify the boundaries of the existing area entertainment zone and affirming the planning department's determination of California Environmental Quality Act.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Supervisor Mandelman.

Thank you, Chair Walton.

This item uh is an ordinance to establish uh the Castro upper market entertainment zone.

This is going to be the fourth entertainment zone in San Francisco after uh Front Street, Thrive City, and uh Coal Valley.

Um we saw during the pandemic that folks were interested in coming outside.

Um and so I think the city has been improving its outdoor game.

Um unfortunately, too often uh those that move to the outdoors is not as beneficial to neighborhood businesses as it could be in part because the restaurants and bars in those neighborhoods without the establishment of an entertainment zone aren't actually able to sell the alcohol that may be getting consumed, or there or there uh may not be alcohol at all.

Um we're hoping to stimulate uh businesses in in the Castro.

Um this has been uh a long-term effort over many months by um by business owners in the Castro who wanted to see um our night markets and street fairs uh and other activities be even better than they are now and provide more benefit to the restaurants and bars in the neighborhood.

Um I believe we have circulated uh to the clerk and my colleagues, I hope, an amendment.

Um we did receive it via email.

Fantastic.

Um so uh after public comment, I'm gonna be asking that we make this one small amendment, which basically brings in an additional half a block.

There's basically one business on 16th Street that uh is not currently part of the map and should be part of the map.

Um, but uh I would appreciate uh an a positive vote to forward this to the full board deposit recommendation after we hear from the public.

Thank you so much, Supervisor Mandelman.

I don't see anyone else on the roster, so we will go to public comment.

Yes, members of the public who wish to speak on this item should let him speak at this time.

Each speaker will be allowed two minutes.

Okay, hello.

Um I'm just personally not a fan of these entertainment zones or state-sanctioned fund.

While on the same streets, we have a bunch of people who are homeless and suffering and starving and cold, including a lot of kids as well.

So I just wish I saw the same sense of urgency that's being given towards businesses and profits, also towards people and their health and their care.

Thank you.

Next speaker, please.

Hello, my name is Chris Hastings.

Um I run a business called the Lookout in the Castro.

I've been working in the neighborhood for 25 years, and I've started and thrown a ton of outdoor events.

Um started the Scannuskippies run, I ran the Art Mart on Noe Street during the pandemic, a bunch of other street closures there.

I've been working with the night market now.

Um it's never been harder to operate a business in the neighborhood than it is now in the 18 years I've been running the lookout.

This is the hardest it's ever been.

Um I think the Castro represents kind of on a national and global scale what a Gabriel Hood or queer neighborhood could be like, and I don't think we live up to those ideals.

And I think things like this could really help bring some vibrancy back to the neighborhood, um, both from an economic standpoint uh but also from a cultural standpoint.

I think that's something that's really significantly important to the city right now.

So I'm here to support the bill.

Thank you.

Good morning, supervisors.

I'm Andrea Aiello.