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 s