On April 23rd at 9:30 AM in Sacramento, State Senator Mark Leno presented his SB-635, a bill which would create a locally controlled path to a later last call received four votes and it needed six to live past the hearing.  Many professionals came from San Francisco and Los Angeles to speak to the positives of the proposal.  

While disappointing, this defeat creates the backdrop for a citizen lead ballot proposition.  Imagine in the presidential election of 2016 we put a last call proposition on the ballot.  Would you work to make it happen?  write This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your opinions.  

Senator Mark Leno introduced state wide legislation, SB635, that would create a path for cities and counties to offer later and flexible last call times up to 4 AM.  This empowerment of local communities to offer flexible ending times for beverage service is set to be heard in the Senate Governmental Organizational committee on Tuesday April 9th, so the call for action is now. OptionsCA.com is a new website offering up all the details on his proposal and a simple way for your voice to be heard.

Click on OptionsCA.com, tell your friends and make "the other 9 to 5" strong.

SB 635 allows local communities to take control of these important community decisions. SB 635 will elevate San Francisco in specific and California in general to a level equal to or surpassing the great entertainment areas of the nation and the world. Optional 4 am hours (which require a special permit from the NY State Liquor Authority) has certainly never hurt New York. San Francisco and California deserve no less.

SB 635 is state wide community empowerment; it’s not just about San Francisco. For example, the Gaslamp district of San Diego, portions of LA and entertainment areas in other major cities and resort communities in CA would be eligible to adopt community plans that address their local situation. There are many high density restaurant and club areas in the state where this option would be a useful tool. The “nanny state” theory of controlling local zoning and land use by state regulation because local communities can’t be trusted has no place in California when it comes to entertainment, food and nightlife.

In short, the City decides if and where extended hours would be allowed and the ABC decides who may hold extended hours permits and under what conditions extended hours permit applications would be allowed.

The other part of the bill requires that any venue (which could include late night restaurants that cater to “the other 9 to 5″) desiring to apply for extended hours to apply to the ABC for the extended hours permit. The existing ABC protocol that requires notice to neighbors and permits protests (by anyone) to applications for extended hours at any particular venue would apply to these permit. If the ABC upholds the protest based on interference with quiet enjoyment (or for other reasons) the application may be denied or further conditioned (which is what happens with new venues now).

The plan could authorize extended hours applications on one or two streets (like the Embarcadero in certain blocks, or the nightlife corridor in the new SOMA plan on 11th street) or be confined to existing areas of high density nightlife where the need for adjustable planning exists today. The community plan could require some clubs to close at 2, some at 3 and some at 4. This would be for the purpose of spreading out the closing time traffic. This would reduce the current burden on law enforcement to handle large crowds being forced out on the street, all at 2 am. The community could also place other conditions on the exercise of an extended hours permit, such as provisional status that could be revoked in the event that the venue did not act responsibly.

Local communities (in SF the BOS and the Planning Commission) decide if there will be extended hours at all and, if so, the exact location where those extended hours would be allowed. These decisions should be made at the local level, not by legislative fiat in Sacramento, which is currently the case.

For a map of POSSIBLE San Francisco zone districts where business activity is permitted visit HERE.

More at OptionsCA.com.

Polk Street moratorium legislation is heard at committee at 1:30 on Monday April 1, 2013 at the Land Use Committee of the Board of Supervisors.  City Hall, Board Chamber, on the second floor.  After months of hearings, meetings, community feed-back and re-writes Supervisor David Chiu's proposed legislation will be heard and the public can speak.  To read the latest draft version click here.  

CMAC and merchants on the street have been meeting and as of last week offered amendments that have been put in the draft legislation that will be heard at committee.  At the latest meeting, merchants, neighbors and CMAC met with the Supervisor and his Legislative Aide, Amy Chan, where important changes were discussed and proposed.  They include:

• Removal of the 12 AM restriction that was originally included on restaurants, but specify that these restaurants should be "bona fide eating places"
• Remove the proposed requirement that entertainment uses would require a Conditional Use Authorization approval before applying for the Place of Entertainment permit from the Entertainment Commission.
• Add a five year sunset to the legislation so that in five years the legislation will expire unless specifically re-authorized by a vote at the Board of Supervisors
• Extend the proposed temporary closure time limit from 180 days to 1 year and continue the exceptions for owner to owner transfer, renovation/repair permits already active in the system

These proposed modifications are huge and represent a the value of having an industry advocate like the California Music and Culture Association out fighting for fair and just treatment of those of us who operate in the "other 9 to 5" economy.   

The Supervisor has also agreed to start drafting good neighbor policies to supplement the legislation which would make all businesses operate to the same neighborly practices that entertainment venues already abide by.  This is a new policy that CMAC has been advocating for on Polk Street.  CMAC feels that if entertainment venues must live up to a high standard of good neighbor policies then so should everyone who is open into after midnight. 

Yes, you read it right, after almost a decade of work, the Western Soma Plan has been signed by Mayor Lee on Tuesday.  CMAC played a large role in making the plan more entertainment and hospitality friendly.  For the first time since the 1980s entertainment venues on 11th Street, like DNA, Slim's and Beat Box are (as of right) legal and no housing can be put on that block.  They have a more secure future, can expand, evolve and keep competitive thanks to CMAC leadership and huge community support.  Celebrate on Tuesday April 2, 2013 at DNA Pizza from 6 to 8 PM with Supervisor Kim and her staff along with the many neighbors and merchants who now have a up to date zoning plan.  No RSVP is necessary, Just come by.

We wrote about the progress a few weeks back, but the great new is that the plan is now law!  What does this mean for the neighborhood?  The most important thing for all who live, work or play in this part of town is that the plan is complete and projects and plans can move forward.  Watch the empty bus parking lot at the corner of Harrison Street and Eighth Streets, almost 2,000 new apartments and an entire micro community.  For entertainment, the plan is huge.  Not only are the venues on Eleventh Street (btw Folsom and Harrison) protected from housing popping up next door, but so are the old Caliente spot and now the property where currently BMW has a service garage.  

Remember the Raw Hide on Seventh Street at Folsom?  Well rumor has it that plans are in the works for a new mixed use building with housing facing Langton Street and a new performance space with a second floor restaurant PLUS roof dining facing Seventh Street.  Watch for the changes and support responsible social venues in West Soma.

If you just can't get enough of the plan, you can read it in its entirety at the Planning Department website or click here.