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San FranciscoPlanning Department
MUSEUM
ASIAN ART
Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Report
97.750E
Draft SEIR Publication Date: July 18, 1998
Draft SEIR Public HearingDate: August 20, 1998
Draft SEIR Public Comment Period: July 18, 1998 -August 20, 1998
Final SEIRCertification Date: December 10, 1998
DOCUMENTS
^ DEPT.
FEB' 1 9 1999
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FileNo. 97.750E: Asian ArtMuseum,
Address: 200Larkin Street
Assessor's Block 353, Lot 1
SAN FRANCISCO
PLANNING COMMISSION
MOTION NO. 14749
ADOPTING FINDINGS RELATED TO THE CERTIFICATION OF A FINAL SUPPLEMENTAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR A PROPOSED NEW ASUN ART MUSEUM,
LOCATED AT200 LARKIN STREET, THE ENTIRE BLOCKBOUNDED BY LARKIN,FULTON,
HYDE AND MCALLISTER STREETS, IN THE CIVIC CENTER.
MOVED, That the San Francisco Planning Commission (hereinafter "Commission") hereby
CERTIFIES the Final Supplemental Environmental ImpactReport(hereinafter SEIR)identified as case file
No. 97.750E: Asian Art Museum, (hereinafter "Project") based upon the following findings:
1) The City and County of San Francisco, acting through the Planning Department (hereinafter
"Department") fulfilled all procedural requirements ofthe California Environmental Quality Act (Cal. Pub.
Res. Code Section 21000 etseg., hereinafter "CEQA"), the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Admin. Code Title
14, Section 15000 et. seq., (hereinafter "CEQA Guidelines") and Chapter 31 of the San Francisco
Administrative Code (hereinafter "Chapter 31").
a. On February 27, 1992, the Planning Commission certified a Final EIR, San Francisco Main
Library (Case No. 90.808E, also referred to as the Main Library/Asian ArtMuseum FEIR), forathree-part
project including construction ofanew Main Library; conversion ofthe old Main Library building foruse
by theAsian ArtMuseum; andconstruction ofapedestrian mall onFulton Streetbetween the two buildings.
b. The Planning Departmentprepared anEIRAddendum, datedMay 1, 1996, thatreviewed the
Asian ArtMuseum portion ofthe project in lightofchanges in circumstances subsequenttocertification of
the priorEIR.
c. The Departmentdetermined thataSupplementalEIRwas required. The SEIRsupplements
information and analysiscontainedinthepriorEIR andAddendum. Itcontains new descriptivematerial about
alterations to theold Main Hbrary building includingnew information thatwas notknown atthetime of FEIR
certification or publication ofthe EIR Addendum. The SEIR thus provides updated information about the
project design and evaluates associated impacts. The SEIR includes additional analysis of alternatives,
includingalternatives thatwouldreduceeffects on historicarchitecturalresources, anddiscusseseffects related
to urban design, shadow, transportation and airquality, in light ofthe moredetailed design information now
available. And,
SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING COMMISSION FileNo. 97.750E: Asian ArtMuseum
Address: 200 Larkin Street
Assessor's Block 353, Lot 1
Motion No. 14749
Page 2
d. On July 18, 1998, the DepartmentpublishedtheDraft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Report (hereinafter "DSEIR") and provided public notice in a newspaper of general circulation of the
availability of the DSEIR for public review and comment and of the date and time of the Planning
Commission public hearing on the DSEIR; this notice was mailed to the Department's list of persons
requesting such notice.
e. Notices of availability of the DSEIR and of the date and time of the public hearing were
posted at and near theproject site on July 29, 1998.
f. OnJuly 18, 1998 copiesoftheDSEIR,oranoticeofits availability weremailed orotherwise
delivered to a list of persons requesting it, to those noted on the distribution list in the DEER, to adjacent
property owners, and to government agencies, the latterboth directly and through theState Clearinghouse.
g. Notice of Completion was filed with the State Secretary of Resources via the State
Clearinghouse on July 17, 1998.
2) The Commission held aduly advertised public hearing on said Draft Supplemental Environmental
ImpactReporton August20, 1998 at which opportunity forpubhc comment was given, and public comment
was received on the DSEIR. The period for acceptance ofwritten comments ended on August 20, 1998.
3) The Department prepared responses to comments on environmental issues received at the public
hearing and in writing during the 33-day public review period for the DSEER, prepared revisions to the text
of the DSEIR in response to comments received or based on additional information that became available
duringthepublicreviewperiod, and corrected errors in the DSEIR. This material was presented in a "Draft
Summary ofComments andResponses," publishedonNovember30, 1998, wasdistributedtotheCommission
and to all parties who commented on the DSEIR for whom addresses were available, and was available to
othersupon requestatDepartment offices.
A
4) Final Supplemental Environmental ImpactReporthasbeen preparedby theDepartment, consisting
oftheDraftSupplemental Environmental Impact Report, and the Summary ofComments and Responses all
as requiredby law.
5) Project Supplemental Environmental ImpactReportfiles havebeen madeavailable forreview by the
Commission and the public. These files are available for public review at the Department offices at 1660
Mission Street, and are part ofthe record before the Commission.
6) On December 10, 1998, the Commission reviewed and considered the Final Supplemental
EnvironmentalImpactReportand found thatthecontents ofsaid report andtheprocedures through which the
Final Supplemental Environmental ImpactReport was prepared, pubUcized and reviewed comply with the
provisions ofCEQA, the CEQA Guidelines and Chapter31.
7) The Planning Commission hereby does find that the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact
Report concerning File No. 97.750E: reflects the independent judgment of the City and County of San
Francisco, is adequate, accurate and objective, and that the Summary ofComments and Responses contains
SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING COMMISSION File No. 97.750E: Asian ArtMuseum
Address: 200 Larkin Street
Assessor's Block 353, Lot 1
Motion No. 14749
Page 3
no significantrevisions to the Draft Supplemental Environmental ImpactReport, andhereby does CERTIFY
THE COMPLETION of said Final Supplemental Environmental ImpactReportin compliance v^ith CEQA
and the CEQA Guidelines.
8) The Commission, in certifying the completion ofsaid Final Supplemental Environmental ImpactReport,
hereby does find that the project described in the Supplemental Environmental ImpactReport:
a. Will have aproject-specific significanteffecton Historic Architectural Resources. The Asian Art
Museum would retain and adaptively reuse the old Main Library building. However, theplan would result
in demolition or alteration of much ofthe interior ofthe old Main Library building, including a numberof
spaces designated as Exceptionally Significant InteriorSpaces in thePlanningCode (Appendix J ofArticle
10 (Sec.10)). Therefore, theproject would result in asignificantunavoidableeffect on Historic Architectural
Resources.
b. Could potentiallyhaveaproject-specific significanteffecton Shadow, in thatitwould add shadow
to Civic CenterPlaza; this parkis underthejurisdiction ofthe Recreafion and Park Department and subject
to the requirements ofthe sunlight ordinance (Planning Code Section 295). The project would cause an
increase of0.1 16 percent above the Absolute CumulativeLimit ofone percentforCivic CenterPlaza. The
one percent has already been absorbed by other recentdevelopment; total shadow with recentdevelopment
plus the project, therefore, would be 1.116 percent compared to the baseline when the Absolute Cumulative
Limit was established.
Theadditional shadow dueto the project would notbeexpected to interfere with use ofthePlaza, norwould
itconflict with qualitativecriteriaadopted by the Planning and Recreation andPark Commissions, which call
for afternoon sun. The mechanical penthouse on the proposed Asian ArtMuseum would add new shadow
to theplazafrom March through Septemberin early morninghoursbefore9 a.m., when the sun is low on the
horizon. After these hours, the sun would be high enough that the penthouse would cause no new shadow.
From October through February the sun is too far south for the old Main Library building including the
proposed new mechanical penthousetocast new shadow on theplaza. New project shadow would represent
about0.116 percent (aboutone-ninth ofonepercent)ofthetotal yearround square-foot-hours ofsunlighton
this plaza when the Section 295 criteria were established.
In view ofthe above, new project shadow would not be substantial. However, new project shadow would
exceed the Absolute Cumulative Limit for Civic Center Plaza, and would require either that the two
commissions find thenew shadow tobede minimis, orthat they increase theAbsolute Cumulative Limitfor
theplaza. Until eitheraction occurs, new project shadow is consideredpotentially significant. And,
c. Will have a significant cumulative impact, in that cumulative development in the Greater
Downtown andVicinity in San Francisco (which includes theprojectsite) would have asignificant effecton
the environment in that it would contribute to cumulative traffic increases as well as cumulative passenger
loadingson MUNI, BART and otherregional transitcarriers. These cumulativetransportation impacts could
cause violations of air quality standards. The proposed project would contribute incrementally to these
cumulative effects.
2 43733 SFPLiECONO JRS
207 SFPL 12/10/99 29
SAN FRANCISCOPLANNING COMMISSION File No. 97.750E: Asian ArtMuseum
Address: 200 Larkin Street
Assessor's Block 353, Lot 1
Motion No. 14749
Page 4
Ihereby certify thattheforegoingMotionwasADOPTEDby the PlanningCommission atitsregular
meeting ofDecember 10, 1998.
Jonas lonin
Commission Secretary
AYES: Commissioners Chinchilla, Mills, Hills, Antenore, Theoharis, Joe and Martin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ADOPTED: December 10, 1998
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