Post #436200 by alohacurrent on Tue, Feb 24, 2009 6:12 PM

A couple of things.
In the laughing squid article http://laughingsquid.com/will-the-tonga-room-be-a-casualty-of-the-fairmont-condo-plans/ the writer indicates that the "official period" for comments regarding the environemental impact review ends February 20.

If you haven't sent any comments but would still like to by all means send them in. A time period is always given for CEQA and discretionary projects that require entitlements but those dates aren't necessarily hard. That is, just because a comment comes in a couple of days later doesn't mean they won't read and consider your comments. In fact, the lead agency can easily extend a period for comments and the simple justification is that comments continue to come in and people did not get notice right away. The Planning Department of lead agency can be petitioned to extend deadlines for comments for NOP's and EIR's. Also, just because you don't live within 500' feet of the project doesn't mean your comments aren't welcome. A solid Planning Department will review all comments even if you travel to SF twice a year and stay at the Fairmont, go to the Tonga Room. They understand Fairmont is international in quality and character. Plus the sheer hugeness of this proposal means the Planning Department should realistically expect comments to come in for weeks as people learn of the project. This isn't a Walgreen's after all! ok.

Secondly these comments are specific to what you would like to see given consideration in the document so that they don't overlook something. The actual environmental impact report for something of this scale will probably be large and take many months to complete. Once the document is out (estimating several months from now but who really knows) then you can pick it apart if they fail to give serious consideration to the Tonga or other cultural, architectural resources etc. The Fairmont and Tonga Room have certain inimitable architectural and historical qualities in addition to being remarkable in other ways, culturally or otherwise.

per CEQA:

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) defines cultural resources as historical and unique archaeological resources that meet significance criteria of the California Register of Historical Resources. The eligibility criteria of the California Register include the following:

Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage;

Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past;

Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or

Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. (Public Resources Code SS5024.1, Title 14 CCR, Section 4852).
Under CEQA, lead agencies must consider the effects of their projects on cultural resources.

Use these key words in your narrative about saving the Tonga Room and/or Fairmont when you write in to the Planning Department or to the Planning Commissioner's, or the City Council which I would think a project of this scale would ultimately go for final approval although I'm not sure how they do it in S.F.

Also an historical property is significant under California law if it is eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources (Public Resources Code § 5024.1). A property is eligible for listing, either individually, or as a contributing element in a historic district, if it meets one or more of the criteria (outlined above) set forth in the Public Resources Code and the California Code of Regulations (CCR Title 14, chapter 11.5, § 4850 et seq).

whether it is or isn't listed in the Cal Register of Historical resources, is it eligible to be listed pursuant to the rules for eligibility? If it is a potential candidate well that sounds like a significant impact to me and the environmental document should consider that impact.

In addition to meeting one or more of these criteria, the property must also retain its integrity. Integrity has been defined by the National Park Service as consisting of seven elements: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Lead agencies have the authority to evaluate the significance of an historical resource under Public Resource Code § 21084.1 and the CEQA Guidelines §15064.5 (D)(4), even if that resource is not listed in the California Register or other registers of historical resources. Again use the PRC laws and CEQA guidelines to maximum effect. The structure appears to have high integrity of location, design, and materials. Also, according to Fairmont Manager Thomas Klein in an article written by sanfrancisco.lovetoknow.com, a once Tonga Room bartender (association) created the Mai Tai- the greatest drink ever invented :wink:

http://sanfrancisco.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Fairmont_Hotel_San_Francisco sixth paragraph

Finally, the Public Resources Code § 21084.1 states: "A project that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an historical resource is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment." PRC § 5021.1(q) defines substantial adverse change as "demolition, destruction, relocation or alteration such that the significance of an historical resource is impaired." Is Tonga a historical resource? Certainly the Fairmont is. We're the most creative people I know. Even if these impacts relate to the Tonga Room indirectly, it's more ammo and things the document preparer's must consider. Make them write a 500 page document detailing impact after impact.

In the meantime circle the wagons. When the Planning Commission hearing is set some time in the future I say we swarm the place. Start thinking about what you want to say- everyone should get a chance to speak.