Our negotiations with united to save the mission have been very productive and we have signed an m. O. U. And also been attending San Francisco equity Group Meetings weekly. Working alongside rudy, shawn, john, mitchell, kim, shelly and glen has been one of the ultimate blessings in education and awareness this project has received. This Equity Program was created to help those who are most negatively affected by the war on drugs. I understand and all of us at Union Station understand that we are very fortunate to have gotten this far in this process of permitting our equity project. We have a number of qualified equity applicants in this project and look forward to giving preference to those hiring those who are equity qualified. My staff and i previously operated a dispensary on valencia street and hope to serve the same demographic we served from 2005 to 2011. When designing and overseeing a cannabis business, security is very important. A top priority will be the safety of the customers, patients, vendors, employees, our neighbors and members of the local community as well as our relationship with law enforcement. There will be a zero tolerance policy for any consumption anywhere outside or any of the vicinity of the dispensary. And thats very important to us. Our proposed consumption lounge will be an asset to the neighborhood, providing a safe and discreet place to legally consume cannabis. The ventilation systems, our room will filter and remove all smoke and keep the upstairs neighbors from unnecessary odors. Many members of our team are proud Mission District natives and have experience with community work. Contributing to our community is whats driving us and motivating us. We aim to support and sponsor organizations that are protecting the Mission District and its rich culture. So as we build our business at Union Station, we also plan to further build our relationships within our community. Our team is honored to have a chance to become an Even Stronger asset to the city of San Francisco. We plan on having a Substance Abuse cannabis education as well as providing a class twice a month at Union Station. Since Legal Cannabis is what new, we want to help educate everyone who comes into Union Station about the benefits and safety and Public Health issues regarding cannabis use. This is truly a momentous opportunity for us. The opportunity to use this plant and industry to bring people together in peace and harmony is a great opportunity for this city. We led the medical Cannabis Movement over 20 years ago, so lets again set the standard in responsible cannabis use. Thank you, commissioners. And at this time i would like to introduce our art director and head of design at Union Station. If you have any questions for him about the physical design of the place. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, esteemed panel, commission, thank you. I appreciate everybody coming out and supporting. Once again, my name is luis. Cofounders of the art center in Mission District. And potentially i was brought in on the project, say, about a year or so ago as someone who could lead, given the space and where it is situated there in the mission as someone who can initiate and facilitate the decoration of the space with murals. Also i was took notice to i believe it was the ninth panel today, around facadism. Which was kind of interesting to kind of take note of, actually. I think it was a highlighted picture in that slide. And given the history of the building itself being union, i believe it was the Union Furniture store at one point. The facade, if you have ever taken notice of it, that it is in need of repair. And theres, being a mosaic artist, theres a glass mosaic in the front. Tiling that could use a little shoring up. Its basically just, given where, you know, here as equity stakeholders, it definitely takes sweat equity to channel or to essentially meet our goals. So a big part of just the overall upkeep and the look of the space from the facade itself to the inside and out, that will be kind of my one of my responsibilities, being a part of the group. And, yeah. Much appreciative of the opportunity to take this on. And, yeah. I mean, essentially make it a success, essentially. So, yeah. Partnering along with my other comrades and associates and as well as the architect working hand in hand with her, with rachael, i look forward to doing that. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. We have our architect here as well if theres any questions that can be forwarded to her and if you have any questions we would love to answer them at this time. We may have questions for you. Thank you. Okay. So with that, i will take up Public Comment on this item. I have several speaker cards. Rick hall, ryan webster, miguel royal, eric post, eva royal, alejandro lucas. Anyone else, please sign up at the left wall. And you get to provide Public Comment. Hello. Hick ric hall with cultural action network. I provided you a letter that it is for united to save the mission. The project sponsor has worked very, very closely with us throughout this process to come up with what we believe is a very, very strong memorandum of understanding. And has a few things that ive listed here like local hire, special discounts for seniors, design issues. Theyve worked with us on those. And their educational programs, et cetera. But much, much more detail and other issues too. And i have to say that i believe and after working closely with these people, and especially with joseph hunt, i believe theyre going to be a Real Community partner. I think the m. O. U. That weve worked together on, we have not had to drag them to any of the issues. We mentioned something about a community concern, and they recognize it. They work with us to alleviate it through some means and we reached an agreement. But it was a very, very cooperative process. And we look forward to having these people in our community. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Hall. Next speaker, please. Good evening, commissioners. My name is rudy. Im the e. D. Of a Violence Prevention Organization called united players that im real proud of the. For the last 25 years, weve been keeping the streets of San Francisco as safe as possible. Im born and native san franciscan. Im here to fully support this project to this dispensary. I truly believe in equity and what the gentleman who is behind this. Theyve been very supportive in a lot of our community projects. One in particular is the gun buybacks that we do. December 14 will be the seventh Year Anniversary of sandy hook. We originated over here with brendon with the gun buybacks who helped fund these gun buybacks. So we got not only citywide, its nationwide. Its not only in San Francisco, its in san mateo, baltimore, and it all started with equity money from dispensaries, and we are getting hundreds and thousands of guns off the streets that have been dismantled and destroyed so they wont hurt or kill anybody again. Im not against the Second Amendment but im against senseless violence. Im a survivor twice from gun violence. So i fully support this project because i believe it will bring equity and safety to the city of San Francisco. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon, commissioners. President melgar. My name is eva royal. And ive lived in San Francisco since 1971 when i came to San Francisco state. Ive been a Community Activist since then. Its almost 50 years. But anyway, i have been working in the community. My son is part of the team here. One of the entrepreneurs. I think its great we have our young people, second generation, et cetera, that are businessminded and are taking this on and willing to my son has worked in the industry for over ten years. He worked at one dispensary for eight until they lost their lease. So im very proud of my son and of the team for making this happen. Medicinal marijuana, cbd, just marijuana is good for everyone. And so its nice to have a safe place in the mission where people can go and not have to go on the street, smoke in their car, smoker as they are walking down the street. So there will be no alcohol sold. Thats all good. So i encourage you to support the project. And our young entrepreneurs. Thank you. Thank you, ms. Royal. Next speaker, please. Hi. I am ryan webster. Im a professional community organizer, event producer and business consultant. Also working in the california hemp industry these days. Ive been involved with the cannabis business and cannabis policy and issues for about 20 years now, since 2010. And i have been in front of this Commission Speaking both for and against cannabis dispensaries in San Francisco for about over ten years now. Im also a former Union Organizer for cannabis workers for the united food commercial workers union. So i know the people behind this project. I know ive been working with Many Community groups in the Mission District for many, many years. And just very pleased to see this project moving forward and looking forward to the opening its doors. Ive seen the project with their open houses. Its just going to be great jobs and great revenue for a lot of people. So i just think its a win win thing. And im very pleased to be here to urge your support. Thanks. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is roberto vargas. Im a Public Health professional, born and raised in San Francisco. I have been a caregiver to many patients needing cannabis as medicine. And ive also been someone who is worked in Community AroundPublic Safety for many, many years with folks who are also here in the room. I would not advocate to open every single dispensary, but i advocate that we do grant equity applicants with the opportunity to enter into this business. Weve got plenty of folks who have been grandfathered into this industry, and its time that we begin opening this market for equity applicants. We know that our communities, i was born and raised in the Mission District, lived half my life in hunters point. Our communities have been disproportionately burdened by the criminalization of cannabis, and its time for our communities to benefit. Im pleased to see folks i know working on this project, have engaged with community to talk about how to include Community Benefit beyond that extra step theyve taken, we know that by legalizing cannabis, we are allowing folks to understand where their medicine is coming from, to understand that its been checked by a lab, to rule out that there are contaminants and for folks to better know what dosages they are accessing. So i see tremendous benefit to this project. Im here to support it. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. I appreciate being here. Im a 30year San Francisco native and Mission District native. Im also a business owner, entertainment and marketing space as well as the Community Activist and advocate towards equity across all businesses, including cannabis. Ive known mr. Hunt for quite some time now, since his last business. And i want to come here and support 100 percent the business that hes bringing to the table and providing a quality space for the Mission District residents, especially on that particular block, a safe and comfortable use as well as just quality business to be pushed forward. So i dont want to take too much of everybodys time but i just want to completely 100 percent vouch for the character of mr. Hunt as well as the business being set forth. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good evening. My name is nina parks. I am born and raised in San Francisco native and i worked on the Equity Program from the very inception. Actually working on oaklands Equity Program first and then being able to see it come into fruition here in San Francisco. So these Equity Programs were created to ensure that we had a wedge in the door to potentially be able to stay in the city. The amount of gentrification that has been happening and the ability for us as natives to feel that we have the ability to see ourselves in this city and be included in the development of the city is super important and something we know how to do is canvas. Right . Like San Francisco. So seeing mr. Hunt and the people hes brought with him is definitely what we want to see. We want to see folks that went to high school here or working with people they went to high school with, create a space for not only them but the next generation to be able to have jobs, to see themselves reflected, especially on a major corridor like mission street. We were laughing at how the space used to be a martial arts store so we used to get ninja stars and now we are going to be able to buy weed which is wonderful if this gets approved. So hopefully you guys will see the value in us being able to continue to have this energy to bring joy to the space that we have grown up to continue to grow culture in our city. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good evening, commissioners. How you guys doing today . Let me just say im happy to be here. And i was very happy to stand before you as being the first equity applicant to be awarded a permit. Im shawn richard. My store will be opening up in a couple weeks up on hedge street. Im here to say im very proud to support Union Station. Im not going to just go out mr. Joe hunt because ive known him for many years. Im going to go for the whole team because it makes a whole team to make this happen. And you guys support that, correct . And so the fact that this is coming to a community that has not had the love and the support they should always have been given from the city, that this will bring opportunity and jobs and love and respect and financial gain in the Mission District. So i think we can all applaud that and be happy this is coming and we support this 100 percent. So with that being said, again, thank you, we appreciate you and approve this permit. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is monique. Im a friend of joseph hunt. Hes a very hard worker. And he cares deeply about his community and the people he loves. An example that resonates with me is when i was planning an engagement, when i was planning my proposal to my now wife, he was really ecstatic at the idea of having hands in on my surprise. Yeah. That really tugged me heartstrings with his excitement for such a big moment in my life so now im here to support a big moment in his. Speaking on how much he cares, i think that he is he has such a bright light to him, he has such a big heart for the people in his community that he doesnt know and the people that he does know. And whats opening his dispensary, i know hell give plenty of opportunity to people he does love and the people in his community to grow and succeed in whatever endeavors they have. I also think that opening up a smoke lounge is a great idea, not only do i think that his business would shed some light on the rough around the edges neighborhood that hes going to be placing his dispensary in, but also i think it gives people the option of getting off the streets and going into a place where they can sit down and enjoy the product that they just purchased. I think thats a big thing. I also think that in case theres any concern about how having a smoke lounge could affect the area, in my opinion, i do work as a bartender, and i know how people get when they drink. And that creates a really rowdy atmosphere, especially when people are clamoring out of the bars. When people smoke cannabis, its much different than that. People tend to be more mellow and relaxed. So i dont see it being an issue as, say, a bar would have as opposed to smoking cannabis in a lounge or drinking in a bar, i think its a lot more on the mellow scale. But just to reiterate, i think it holds a lot of value when it presents an option for people to get off the street and hang out somewhere safe. Yeah. Thank you for your time. Next speaker, please. Hello. Good evening, commissioners. My name is alejandro lucas, born and raised in the Mission District, all my life. Both my parents family when they first moved to america, got placed in the Mission District, so i have a long history there. I met joseph hunt in high school in ninth grade on the football field when we both tried out. And ever since then, weve been connected with the same positive mindset and goals. And a little history of me, in relation to the Mission District, i grew up playing music also my history with martial arts goes back to my father, teaching in the Mission District. So also history i have with safety and support thats going to be my position in Union Station, i worked five years for school for equity. I was chief of security there. I taught a martial arts class, self defense class there. I just want to say with complete confidence that i believe in our team. Ive known our team, my other colleagues, since we were kids growing up in the Mission District. I have complete confidence that everything that we do will include and really think before taking any action with the community first, first regards. I just want to say thank you so much for the opportunity for me and my family and the future for the rest of our community, because its going to be really positive inclusion to the neighborhood. And yeah, thank you very much. I appreciate this opportunity. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good evening, commissioners. My name is jaime, friend of mr. Hunt. The keyword today is community. And im here to give an example of how joseph hunt has positively influenced my life when he owned a gym, i was a student at sf state. I came in to learn the art of boxing, and joseph was kind enough to teach me. After a couple months i wasnt able to afford going to the gym anymore. He told me as long as i could teach, i would be able to come into the gym and work out, and that was a privilege for me. The confidence that boxing has given me has allowed me two months ago i stopping at the park station and next month i will be awarded the medal of courage from the San Francisco city [applause] and its really the martial arts and boxing thats allowed me to intervene. And joseph hunt being charismatic and allowing me to come into the gym without having to pay him goes to show something about him and im just in full support and thats an example of how joseph will positively impact the community. Thank you guys. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is miguel royal. And i am a Mission District native as well as a experienced cannabis industry of over 12 years inside San Franciscos dispensaries. So ive also watched the transition thats happened in the mission and in the cannabis dispensaries since this adult use has been in place, 2018. So theres been a big change, some has been positive, some has been negative. Ive known joseph hunt for a long time since his days back in his original dispensary and his martial arts over the years. So for Union Station, its going to be a good place that preserves both the mission culture. Its going to provide a safe space for folks to access and be in a safe place, which is much needed in the area. My role at Union Station is to assure compliance with all products and daily operations. So some of the rules and regulations have been a little tough to navigate with all the changes and with the changing constantly, but we plan to run a tight ship. So everything should be good there. Well try to have a live menu with affordable products, senior discounts, veteran discounts, type of thing, and well make point to hire locally and purchase products that are ecofriendly, womenowned companies and Equity Companies whenever possible. So i encourage you to approve this permit and allow a locallyowned dispensary to uplift and improve the neighborhood we come from. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Sorry. Anyway, thank you commissioners for the opportunity to voice my full support for this proposed cannabis dispensary. My name is eric, im going to speak primarily on the rationalization for why we should allow Cannabis Consumption lounges. They are some of the few legal spots where people can consume cannabis outside their homes. Those who consume cannabis will be disappointed if they lack the freedom to socialize over the consumption and we should destigmatize Cannabis Consumption. Preventing legal consumption lounges is not a situation that creates a welcoming environment so many users consume in public. State law requires cannabis to be used in private yet many consumers, including tourists and renters in smoke free buildings have no place to use cannabis products. And San Francisco is and always has been a trailblazer and trendsetter. The city is setting the bar for what Cannabis Consumption can be like, and other cities are hoping to follow in its footsteps. Please allow the people that live in and visit this city to have more places to go like the proposed consumption lounges. And thank you again for the time to discuss this very important matter. Lastly, my name is eric post, and ill be part of the Management Team on Union Station of my thank you for your time. Thank you. Any other Public Comment on this item . Okay. With that, Public Comment is closed. Commission koppel. Its a thrill to see city kids opening up businesses in the city. Supported by other city kids. [applause] theres no clapping. I know everybodys happy but [laughter] also incredibly impressed with the outreach the project sponsor did with united save the mission, hence them being here supporting. And also the conditions they did agree to, we really hold in high value. So i really appreciate the project sponsor working diligently with the community. I really respect that the sponsor has Prior Experience working in the neighborhood. Obviously very overwhelming neighborhood support, filling in a vacant storefront. The nearby businesses are going to get busier. Theres going to be more people. People are going to be happier. Im highly supportive. I would like to see what other commissioners say. Thank you. Commissioner richards. So i accompany commissioner koppel and a few of the folks in the room here too. The proposed site and really got a sense of the genuineness of the act of them wanting to integrate in the community. Rick hall gets up here and tells us that they get an a plus and three gold stars for all the stuff theyve agreed to. That says a lot to me. One other thing, i walked by hybrid gym all the time and said i was going to join and its no longer there so if you put a hybrid gym in ill come and do cannabis and do some boxing. I move to approve. Second. Commissioner fung. Question for staff. What are the uses of the floors above this space . I believe two floors. The upper floors are occupied by arts activity uses. Its i believe a Community Space. Both floors are Community Space . Theres no residential uses above. Im saying both floors are Community Space . Thats my understanding, yes. Commissioner diamond. Staff recommendation to approve but without the lounge . Yes. So staffs initial recommendation was for approval with a condition of approval which is still in your packet which would prohibit onsite consumption. Our policy for where to allow onsite consumption is something we are still developing and learning over time, particularly in the Mission District, working with our community partners, we have learned a lot that although we do want to encourage a regional corridor that preserves the retail uses and discourages destination retail which might force out those types of uses, consumption lounge may be desirable in the sense because there are a lot of persons who live in the area who lack any legal place to otherwise consume cannabis, even for medicinal purpose, particularly residents of s. R. O. Hotels. So are you changing your recommendation . Sounds like it. I defer to the commission. Im sorry. Can you please be clearer . What is the motion written . What are you asking us . To change what you have written . Yes. For the draft motion from july contains that condition of approval. If the commission would like to allow onsite consumption and remove that, i would ask for approval motion which specifically removes condition number 11. Okay. So theres a motion thats been made already. Who made the motion . Okay. What do you say . As i said at the Cannabis Retail castro and market, the neighbors will be complaining if people go out in the plaza and start smoking. They wanted to have an in the place consumption. This is an enormous space. If we let people dont let people consume onsite, they are going to go into the plaza, the bart station, we are going to hear more complaints so i think it makes an incredible amount of sense to let people smoke in the building if they would like to. Okay. I could support the retail function but i cant support the onsite consumption. Commissioner richards, did you already okay. My motion is to strike number level from the conditions and you seconded it . Commissioner moore. We had to ask for guidance about the general attitude for onsite consumption, i can only listen to the Community Voice and the community itself takes responsibility of how this is handled. In this particular case, given the number of s. R. O. S and smaller units in which rental wouldnt allow onsite, this may be just a trial case to see how that works. Okay. Theres nothing further, theres a motion to approve this matter with conditions as have been amended eliminating condition 11. On that motion [roll call vote] that motion passes 51 with commissioner fung voting against. We still have a bunch of business. Sorry. So if we could be quiet. Commissioners that will place us on item 15 for case number 2016, a conditional use authorization. The project includes interior tenant improvements, store front changes on geary street as i approved under the minor permit author and street access to the third and fourth floors. The department recommend approval with conditions for the following reasons. The project is converting less than 50 gross square feet of the building to office use. It does not displace an existing tenant and rehabilitating a vacant building. The remaining retail use wills remain an active store front presence such as visible along geary street and maiden lane that will support commercial uses in a commercial neighborhood. On balance t project is consistent with the objectives and policies of the general plan. The Department Also finds the plan to be necessary, desirable and come patable with the surrounding and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. I am available for questions and the project sponsor is here to present their proposal and answer any questions. Thank you. Vice president melgar thank you very much. Do we have a project sponsor . I think with edo. So i see mr. Hapner here from supervisor peskins office. Do you want to speak . Thank you, commissioners. Pardon, i am privy to late coming information and ran up here. Wasnt expecting to speak on this today. Of course, it is our offices prerogative not to wade into the for or against on conditional use applications because they may be appealed to the board of supervisors. That said, there was an article that came to our attention a couple of hours ago, and about a disagreement in this part of the district where it appears that the proprietors of 146 geary who are here today and i was speaking with out front have requested d. R. Of a Retail Cannabis use on the ground floor next door. And further, there is apparently a desire on behalf of the Business Improvement district to craft the Luxury Retail zone, and we want to know what that is. We have never heard of that either. We were so proud of the c3r legislation premised in large part on representations from Property Owners that retail is not a viable use on the upper floors in union square, and that, frankly, even on the ground floor there have been store front vacancy issues throughout union square, and that has informed a lot of our thinking and policymaking around this. And its i think worthy of additional analysis by the planning staff in context of this application which is saying that retail is not viable here if the proprietor is simultaneously seeking to interfere in the activation of a neighboring store front. And i say that with very limited information and with all due respect to the project sponsor at 146 geary who collaborated with us in the creation of the c3r legislation which forms the basis of this application, but in light of that new information, i just do want to request a brief continuance to allow planning staff to analyze thats fa et of the issue. Thank you. When do you want to continue this to . How long would you need . I dont think it needs to be a lengthy continuance, but i pose that question to staff and staffs ability to analyze this issue. If its one week, that is fine. If its longer than that, and that is what it takes, that is fine. But i would defer to staff. Would a oneweek continuance be doable . No . So for the project sponsor, whenever a supervisor requests a continuance on a project, we always, you know, defer to them. So how long do you think we would need to study this issue . Given the holidays and with the current calendar, i think the second week in january, is that right, jonas . Well, i mean and at least in january certainly up to the commission to open up any of their hearings, but right now the first open hearing is the 16th. I think with the holidays and with the amount of work involved, it needs to be more than a week or two. Okay. This is a late request coming. Do we have to vote on the request . Because vote to continue. Commissioner fung. I think the two issues are separate. I am not supportive of a continuance. Commissioner moore . Request continuance. A we should continue taking Public Comment since we have called up the matter. Okay. Okay. Im sorry. And i think that we will take up the matter of continuance because we had already heard the staff start. Sure. Is that okay . To take up the matter of the continuance . Fk o of course, please. This wasnt introduced as a continuance matter b u the project was called out. Members of the public should be allowed to speak to it. Thank you. I think we can continue to hear it. And then we will take up the matter of the continuance thank you. Yes. If the project sponsor could great. Thank you. So it was exactly a year ago when this commission heard the First Union Square retail to Office Legislation that was proposed by supervisor peskin. Many of us worked very closely with supervisor peskin and we really appreciated the willingness to work with a lot of stakeholders to come up with controls that i a achieve a common goal. Much of the discussion a year ago focused on third floor uses and finding the right balance between retail and office uses. And coming up with controls that allow for an appropriate mix while still being supportive of the primary retail function. We do believe that this project satisfies the five factors and criteria that came out of that legislation. However, i am going to let the project sponsor mr. Steffen speak and address what just came up as well since i have a feeling we are heading towards a continuance. Mr. Steffen. Thank you. Good evening, i think it is. I am mark steffen with Realty Partners and before i talk about the presentation on this project, i would like to talk about the issue that lee brought up. Our concern initially was generated from other highend retailers that were concerned about what that might due to the street. But as weve listened to the presentation that was just ahead of us, we dont really have a problem, and if it we would be willing to pull our d. R. On the use next door. That is not an important issue to us. We think that it probably will help to activate the streets and quite frankly, that is the most important concern that i have about union square is activating streets and providing more security. And i think they would do that. So before stopping the presentation, i want to say that we would pull the d. R. On 152. So now i would like to talk about the presentation relative to the conditional use application. I have been involved in Retail Real Estate around union square for over 25 years, having invested and developed 10 buildings. I have also been involved in retail around the country. And i want to tell you that what were seeing right now is not a cycle change. Its a structural change, and i am sure you are aware and seen the retailers and the retailers are shrinking the footprint and it is not the Large Department stores but even tenants that used to be 5,000 feet are shrinking to 1,000 feet and trying to deal with how to market the goods online and cross market both aspects. It has had a very structural change and quite frankly t vacancy rate at union square is the lowest that i have seen in 25 excuse me t highest in 25 years of business in union square. This there is, as we all know, a lot of vacancies that are happening. Barneys is going to close, forever 21 is closing, Williams Sonoma and the multifloor retailers are going out of business and those are the only ones that can occupy the upper floors. They are just not there. We have been marketing 146 geary for four years and talking to tenants initially to take the entire building because that works the best for us. That is what was there. We said somebody take three floors, two floors, one floor, and we havent found a single tenant that we can get to take that building. So were concerned, as i said before, about that space remaining vacant on the upper floors because we want to activate maiden lane and provide more shoppers for the existing retailers and more security and bodies on the street to encourage more customers to come to union square. I would answer any other questions you might have and appreciate your consideration. Okay. Thank you very much. We will take Public Comment on this item. Good evening, planning commissioners. I am karen flood, the executive director of the union square Business Improvement district and we are here to speak in favor of the project, 146 geary. The project sponsor did come before one of the Board Committees to present the project and it was received very favorably from that committee. As mark mentioned, retail is really changing and of course, union square is a shopping district, but peoples habits are changing and shopping online and the Big Shopping Centers are not coming to union center and there is less, less demand for retail. They are certainly not going to the upper floors. What we would like to see in union square is the spaces are filled whether its office that bring tenants and people that will come and shop in our shops and eat in our restaurants and frequent our businesses. That is what is really most important to us. And as a side note with regard to the chronicle article this morning, with regard to the luxury zone, it is something that the Business Improvement district came up with. It is not sanctioned by the city. We look at union square and within the 30 blocks, there is some different areas. Value retail on powell. More Luxury Retail on grant and geary. And we came up with the full cannabis policy about what are the criteria we evaluate with Cannabis Retailers at union square including security and how responsible the operator is including how much theyre going to sprord the b. I. D. And what we are trying to do down there and that support and whether or not they can contribute positively to the block and to the area and whether they are received by the stakeholders on the block. And if there are multiple residents that are opposed, were going to back those residents. With regard to this, we are strongly in support. We hope it will move forward and not be delayed. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker please. The value of sue hester. The value that is being create bid your motion is going to go to the land ward. And they have to have an obligation to light the streets. Planning Department Staff doesnt pay full attention to this issue, and the plans have to require they honor to maintain lighting permanently. Two speakers before me spoke about the high level of va can sis. Whenever there is a vacancy, the street gets dark because there is no lights coming onto the street from the retail establishment, which is why the obligation cant be put on the retailer establishment and has to be done permanently and looking at a quadrant leader to tell the planners you have to do this. You have to go over the plans for the building. You are creating value for the Building Owner. The Building Owner has to maintain lighting permanently on the street to make it safe, to make it more attractive to rent out the space. We are creating dead zones unintentionally on ground floors. We cant do that. Thats your job. That is a planning commissions job. You have the conditional use before you. You have to add a conditional use exhibit b requirement that there be adequate lighting on the street. And people need to Pay Attention to it at the planning staff level. Really. Im tired of trying to review plans to see what the level of lighting is. Its not good in downtown area. Thank you. Thank you very much, ms. Hester. Any other Public Comment on this item . Hello. Charmin spector, legacy business in downtown San Francisco, as previous owners of 146 geary, i would like to lend support to the the project to have office space on the upper floors. I feel that it would be more beneficial to have more people at least in the area and we have experienced a radical shift in the retail momentum and i do hope that it will swing back, but a lot of that has to do with having people as a Critical Force down there to try to encourage more businesses to come down to downtown and not be so stepped back from it. We really have created a vacuum in the last two years. Its been devastating. And there must be a way with the help of the bid and the help of the landlords to try to make it the Shopping Center and destination that it always has been and deserves to be for our lovely small city. Thank you. Thank you. Any other Public Comment on this item . Hello, commissioners. Richard lee from crushman wakefield. I am a stakeholder in union square. I am a member of the union square b. I. D. Whom you heard from ms. Flood. Mr. Steffen has a strong point and talks about upper floor vacancies and retail users. I actually oversee the property on post street where the former gumps is and i am the owner and gumps december 31, 2018 after filing bankruptcy. After 150 years on post street. That is a long time. So regardless, they vacated and left a large hole in the middle of post street. And that happens to be right next door to the new britex store, so if it were not for the top two floors of being an office building, that building would be completely dark. There is only lights on two floors. Thankfully for the upper floor tenants. Now, if you are walking down post street, you will understand what i mean. Its not that robust. So mr. Steffen brings up a good point. I ament a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and if i can post this up somehow, i will do that. It is a monthly magazine and it talks about retail. I receive this every month. And i am not an expert in retail, but im in it every day. So with that in mind, this is a sample magazine and may not talk about transitions to offices to upper floors to office use, but it really talks about the changing shift of consumer habits. And that was mentioned earlier. And that is why i am here. I am on post street and im fairly active, so i will ask for your support on reconsidering this and you will hear from me for the next one, 220 post as well. Thank you. Thank you. Any other Public Comment on this item . With that, Public Comment is closed. Commissioner richards. Having heard the project sponsor say the cannabis dispensary is not an issue, Cannabis Retail is not an issue, is your office still requesting a continuance . Yes, and we dont mind if its a very brief continuance. I think that we would be fine if it was probably just a week. With all due respect to planning staff to analyze the issue, i did speak to supervisor peskin just outside who said that he was about the concept of a Luxury Retail zone. And that it might help all parties agree if we figure this out and just give it one week for that to take place. Thank you. Im sorry. Move to continue one week. U a second. Commissioner koppel . That was it. Okay. There is nothing further, commissioners. There is a motion to continue to december 12. On that motion, commissioner diamond . Commissioner fung . Aye. A commissioner moore . Aye. Commissioner richards. U a commissioner melgar . That motion passes unanimously 60. That places us on item 26 for 2017014849cua, 220 post street. Initial use authorization. Good evening, president melgar and planning commissioners. Jonathan vimmer, planning staff. The application is a request for a conditional use authorization for the property located at 220 post street. Which is developed with the fivestory over basement commercial building completed in 1907 that is historically been fully occupied by retail sales and service uses. As proposed t project would convert an approximate 18,525 square feet of retail space to floors three through five from retail to General Office use. The department recognizes the change in retail environment, particularly when it comes to Large Department stores and vertically oriented Shopping Centers. The staff fully supports conversion to floor four and five but not at the use of the third level. Such a conversion will result in the majority of the building located in the Downtown RetailZoning District being utilized for office space and set a precedent for like conversions of the numerous similarly scaled buildings within the area. Located downtown and more specifically a block from union square, the department further finds the categories of retail sales and service use remain that could occupy the third floor of the subject property and maintain the role as a retail site with the shopper retails and direct consumer services. The department has received three letters in support of the full proposal and in addition to those included in the sponsors packet or brief with the project sponsor yeah, having gathered additional signatures and letters in support in their submittal. This concludes my presentation. The project sponsor is in attendance and wishes to provide their own. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you. Thank you, jonathan. Hello. Could we kindly get 10 minutes to kind of go through a little bit . Thank you. Representing the project sponsor, so for 220 post, they are requesting conversion of the third, fourth, and fifth floors. Each floor is about 6,175 square feet. The building has a mid block, approximately 50 feet frontage on post. And then the secondary facade facing hampton place. And the building has now been vacant for over three year. We look at multistory buildings and its extremely difficult to find a retailer who is interested in taking a third floor or higher floor in addition to taking the first and second floor. The other option would be to look at leasing it to stand alone and therefore, to a third retailer, but that requires for the building to have excellent access and visibility especially from the pedestrian perspective, which in the case of smaller buildings is a tough ask. So what we dont want to do is we dont want to jeopardize the primary retail facade which in this case is post street, and thus t access to the upper floors has to be off campton place in this case. We are not proposing any changes to the primary street facade and when we look at the maiden street facade and if i could have it on the overhead, here you see the existing versus proposed. The existing is currently a rather solid, noninviting and nontransparent facade. It has been approved already for a more transparent pedestrian parenedly lobby that also provides lob lu that provides access to stair and elevator. However, you could easily convert this into a retail use if you ever were in a situation where the retail was viable again. What you dont see in the images, however s compton place with this block is essentially a narrow alley that is improved with back of house entries and no one is going to wonder off compton place in searchover stand alone upper floor retail. It doesnt have a lot of pedestrian foot traffic or the appeal, and on the overhead again, here are images that show the alley