Entertainment Commission votes on attacking SoMa community on Tuesday

The Western SoMa Community Plan represents the first time a community plan was created by "Citizen Planners" who actually live in the neighborhood under study by the Planning Department.  The approach is now being replicated by the Japantown neighborhood, and other neighborhoods are inquiring from around the Bay Area about how to set up a similar community-driven process. Isn't it about time the people who will have to live with the successes and failures of their community plan are the ones involved in authoring it?

There were 7,000 meeting notices mailed each time for three separate large community meetings, contacting every registered resident within the geographical boundaries of the Western SoMa Community, to make sure that anyone and everyone who wanted to become a Citizen Planner and help shape the next 20 years of land use and zoning consensus in their neighborhood as a part of the Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force could do so. Hundreds of smaller meetings occurred. The community meetings that began in 2006 embraced a truly democratic process and respect for the need to balance all interests in the community.

The Plan was finished in 2008, representing the consensus of all stakeholders, both the 20 Board of Supervisors-appointed Task Force members representing various constituencies and anybody else who attended the meetings, and providing a map for the next 20 years of Western SoMa land uses.

The Plan sat in the deep freeze once it was finished in 2008, receiving a lower prioritization than other planning projects to begin the Environmental Impact Report process. The Western SoMa Community Plan was dusted off in 2011 and finally began its long-awaited EIR process.  Over time, several members of the Western SoMa Citizens Task Force have moved on ... the gentleman representing the interests of senior citizens in Western SoMa has passed away. Now the entertainment lobbyists are aiming to disrespect the residents of Western SoMa and attempt to impose their own vision on the residents of South of Market whether we like it or not and with no consideration whatsoever to the other stakeholders' opinions and past 66 discussions on entertainment in the area.

This Tuesday (January 24, 2012), the San Francisco Entertainment Commission Agenda lists as item number one "Discussion and Possible Action to send Recommendations to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors regarding Entertainment in the Western SOMA Community Plan. [Action item]." 

The Entertainment Commission has discussed the Western SoMa Community Plan only one time.  The Entertainment Commission has nothing to do with setting the Planning Code because they are the ENTERTAINMENT Commission and know nothing about the interaction of different types of land uses without further training and learning (and discussions with other stakeholders). There was a single meeting at the 11th Street night club Beatbox in December that did not involve neighbors in the discussion - there certainly was no mailing of 7,000 postcards to all affected residents.

We'll have to wait to learn what changes the Entertainment Commission wants to take precedence over the consenus reached by the years of community meetings that focused on entertainment and nightlife no less than 66 times between 2006 and 2011.  However, an e-mail from the South of Market Business Association gives us a possible preview (pasted below).  Stay tuned on Tuesday to see if the Entertainment Commission follows through with disrepecting and blatantly attacking the South of Market community by passing their  resolution.

Subject: Message from Entertainment Comissioner Hyde

Greetings,

Following is an email I received from Entertainment Commissioner Hyde regarding 11th Street.

Please send any comments or suggestions to Commissioner Hyde directly - glendonhyde@yahoo.com.

Also we would like to have speakers for the meeting on Tuesday, 24 January. I will follow up with w reminder email.

My asks for West SoMa. Please feel free to add or adjust any wording. This is a rough draft and would like to finalize these asks asap for the meeting on the 24th

In regards to the West SoMa Redevelopment Plan and it's plans for Entertainment the Entertainment Commission would like the following to be considered as amendments to the current plan.

1. Eleventh Street between Folsom and Harrison is populated by many Entertainment Venues that have in recent years had to struggle to remain in business with many complaints from neighbors around noise. The current plan suggests that this street continue to accept more housing. The Entertainment Commission feels that to increase housing in this area would create a disservice to new residents and to existing small businesses. To circumvent any new problems in this already sensitive area and to protect future tenants from undue stress we suggest extending the SALI area to include this block of Eleventh Street.

2. Folsom Street is home to many Entertainment Venues and is scheduled to be the "High Street" or main Commercial Corridor. We feel that with proper management and outreach that new Entertainment permits should be allowed along Folsom. We ask that Entertainment be a permitted use in the new plan along Folsom.

If not all of Folsom we feel that the part of Folsom from 11th Street to 8th Street be added to the forth coming LGBT Historical District and allow new Entertainment Permits be allowed on these blocks to continue to help the remaining Queer Small Businesses in this area. Western SoMa has a rich history of Queer Nightlife, hosts several Queer and Leather Street Fairs, and is an internationally known tourist destination for Queer travelers. To help the city maintain it's queer history and culture that is quickly disappearing we ask that part of Folsom be included; if not all of Folsom; in being granted New Entertainment Permits.

3. The Entertainment Commission has witnessed many Entertainment Permits disappear and still many more are in danger of disappearing. venue owners have expressed concern that 2 years is not long enough to buy, renovate, and open a new venue in that amount of time. To continue to preserve the Entertainment Culture we suggest that Entertainment Permits remain viable for 5 years.

4. Limited Live Entertainment Permits should be granted in the Western Soma Redevelopment area along all Commercial Corridors so that all small businesses in this area have the same ability to prosper as other businesses in this area. The Entertainment Commission would like all commercial corridors to be given the opportunity for these Limited Live Permits.

Henry Karnilowicz

President SomBa