Entertainment Commission

Entertainment Commission

Plans for entertainment in the West SoMa

The Turkey Lurkey a Thanksgiving Tradition!

http://youtu.be/auZc1s_nGrU

Entertainment and it's value in West SoMa

PLEASE FORWARD

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SoMa Leadership Council

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

6:00 PM in the community room of the Folsom/Dore Apartments

1346 Folsom Street (between 9th and 10th Streets)

"... to ensure that South of Market remains a

compassionate, diverse, vibrant and complete neighborhood."

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Revisiting entertainment: new nightclubs, okay ... new housing, not?

At this afternoon's Planning Commission presentation of the Western SoMa Community Plan, it was suggested during public comment that the light industrial zoning south of Harrison Street be extended into the 11th Street area because, under that new zoning category, entertainment would become a permitted use. The Task Force liberalized the zoning because new housing in the SALI (Service, Arts and Light Industrial) district would not be allowed.

That would be an interesting switcheroo. Housing, currently as-of-right, would suddenly find itself a non-permitted use and entertainment, grandfathered in as a legal, nonconforming use, would become a fully permitted use. The Planning Commissioners, often sympathetic to fun sounding notions -- particularly if they are not personally impacted -- might very well consider making the swap.

Why stop at 11th Street? South of Market already contains almost half the Place of Entertainment permits in the city. Does Folsom Street needs more too? What about other areas that have a high concentration of entertainment venues?

Of course, outlawing housing would be a pretty extreme step and the nonconforming status imposed on existing housing would wreak havoc with property values. The city might consider instead simply making new nightclubs a fully permitted use alongside the existing housing, although every application promises to be a pitched battle. That explains why there isn't a long line of applicants agitating to open new nightclubs in an area that's rapidly becoming much more residential.

Of course, if entertainment zoning is back on the table, stricter limits on the industry are also worth considering. Good planning is supposed to avoid creating any more conflict between incompatible uses. The SALI zoning introduces the concept of buffer zones to protect a few Residential Enclave Districts south of Harrison Street. In other areas, such as near senior housing, entertainment has proven to be completely inappropriate. The conflicts between housing and nighttime entertainment run deep in some parts of SoMa. Are you ready for another neighbor/nightclub war?

Many of you participated in the public process which helped to create the Western SoMa Community Plan. You attended many meetings of the Arts and Entertainment Focus Group, which met for more than a year. Others spoke up at the three town hall meetings we held at Bessie CarmichaelSchool. That's where the rough outlines of the current recommendations came from. You might have thought that this issue was settled.

Besides the three town halls, the Task Force listened and discussed this as an agenda item 41 times at various committee meetings and voted on changes to the existing controls at 22 meetings of the full Task Force. It's not as if we haven't given this lots of attention. The Task Force ultimately decided to recommend that we (1) leave entertainment as a legal, non-conforming use in the mixed-use neighborhoods north of Harrison Street, (2) change the zoning south of Harrison Street to make all forms of Place of Entertainment a fully permitted use, (3) allow the non-conforming status that every existing venue holds to remain with the property for a reasonable length of time following demolition of the building so that it could be built into new construction, and (4) create an accessory entertainment permit that would be allowed in the Folsom Street Neighborhood Commercial District. This seemed to be a reasonable compromise.

"Revisiting entertainment" will be the theme at next week's SoMa Leadership Council. If you care strongly about the subject, one way or another, don't miss this meeting.

Skate park under freeway undergoes environmental review

The long awaited skate park under the Central Freeway touch-down ramp is one step closer to reality. The Planning Department recently issued a “Notification of Project Receiving Environmental Review” for the proposal, which includes the skate park and a mini-park, with basketball courts, play areas, a dog run, lighting, plantings and a pedestrian walkway.

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Neighborhood notification required for “limited live performances”

You have the right to request notification of all applications for the new Limited Live Performance permit within your neighborhood. The stated purpose of the legislation is to allow principally permitted uses such as cafes and restaurants to supplement their current business model with accessory entertainment. Supervisor Mark Farrell amended the ordinance to require that the Entertainment Commission “provide a copy of all Limited Live Performance Permit applications and the corresponding public hearing notices within a specified geographic area to any Person who, in writing or by email, requests such and identifies the area.

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The SoMa Leadership Council meets on the third Wednesday of every month in the community room of the Folsom/Dore Apartments The public is always welcome. For more information, visit our web site at ...

www.somaleadership.org

Ginsburgh's "Howl" reading at the Cartoon Art Museum!

Time	Thursday, July 14 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Cartoon Art Museum 655 Mission Street San Francisco, CA
Created By	Anna Glendon Conda Hyde, Kegel Kater, Dam Matt Dyke CottrillShow all (7)
More Info	Join the Cartoon Art Museum for an unusual reading of Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl, hosted by Anna Conda featuring local celebrities Supervisor Eric Mar, Dana Morrigan, James Tracy, Sunny Angulo, Dean Disaster, Carol Stewart, Dam Dyke, David Elliot Lewis, Shanice Walcott, Kegel Kater, and Marc Solomon. This is not your average poetry reading though, prepare yourselves for an inspired presentation of excerpts from Allen Ginsberg’s ground-breaking poem. Local artists Justin Hall (Glamazonia, True Travel Tales) and Jon Macy (Teleny and Camille, Fearful Hunter) will attend this event courtesy of Northwest Press and Prism Comics. Plus the talents of Carl With Records singing to your hearts content his very own beat style song styling! PLUS Crafting with Some THINGS very own Haute Glue! Tickets to the event range from $5 to $100. $5 – General Admission $20 – Admission plus a copy of Howl: A Graphic Novel $35 – Admission plus an Individual level membership to the Cartoon Art Museum $55 – Admission, Individual level membership to the Cartoon Art Museum, a copy of Howl: A Graphic Novel $75 – Admission, Family level membership to the Cartoon Art Museum $100 – Admission, Family level membership to the Cartoon Art Museum, Howl: A Graphic Novel signed by Eric Drooker Tickets can be purchased online at: http://guestli.st/61995 Online ticket sales for the Cartoon Art Museum are sponsored by Guestlistapp.com <http://Guestlistapp.com/> About the exhibition: The Art of Howl May 14 – September 11, 2011 San Francisco, CA: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman's film, Howl, produced by Werc Werk Works, opened the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Featuring James Franco as the beat poet Allen Ginsberg, the film took an experimental approach to documenting the creation and performance of Ginsberg's revolutionary poem, "Howl"– as well as the obscenity trial that followed when, after undercover policemen purchased copies of Howl and Other Poems from City Lights Bookstore, the state tried to suppress its publication. The film blends glimpses of Ginsberg's personal life, recreations of the obscenity trial, and animated sequences that accompany Franco's performance of the poem, riffing on its ideas and images. The Art of Howl gives a revealing look behind the scenes at the creative process of turning poetry into animation. The film directors enlisted Eric Drooker to design the animation; Drooker, a graphic novelist and painter, was friends with Ginsberg and had collaborated with him on the book Illuminated Poems. John Hays, a San Francisco-based animation veteran, directed the sequences, which were animated by The Monk Studios in Thailand. Translating Ginsberg's incendiary, oracular, stream-of-consciousness language into moving images was a unique challenge. The animation, like the poem, conjures a world of outcasts, "deviants," outlaws, poets and prophets digging for scraps of connection and enlightenment under the shadow of "Moloch" – the overpowering industrial cityscape that demands submission, conformity, and ultimately annihilation. This multimedia exhibit includes character design drawings, animation keyframes & concept art, photos by Allen Ginsberg, storyboards, animatics, and images from Drooker's graphic novel version of the poem. The Cartoon Art Museum is pleased to present this animated interpretation of a piece of literary history – just a couple miles from City Lights Bookstore, the launching-pad for Ginsberg's poetic career, and through their victory at the "Howl" trial, a historic ground zero for freedom of expression. Curated by Andrew Farago, Eric Drooker and Chris Lanier

July 7 Help Anna Conda @ Rules Committee hearing for Entertainment Commission

The time has come to testify on my behalf at the Rules Committee hearing in City Hall on July 7th at 1:30. I applied to this seat to be a community representative. There has been much push back sighting the fact that I have worked in clubs and there for can not be a community leader. I think this is an example of what happens when you are a Drag Queen quite frankly. People look at you and believe that you can not be taken seriously or that perhaps I will not be able to make decisions that will be fair. I will really need your help on the 7th to testify to the Rules Committee that I am.... 1. Community Oriented and that clubs are often the place that queers find their voice and become leaders. As a person who escaped to NY I had one way to make a living and serve my community. Drag. Drag was my only job in NY. In San Francisco however I became a hairdresser and made my living as such. I did drag as a way to continue my storytelling and art. I have continued to work for the community around planning issues that I later was Sainted by the Sisters for. I have worked around Prop 8 and other anti queer legislation. But it is not just "I" who have done it but we have together. Out of the bars and into the streets as Harvey Milk said. 2. Last year I ran for Supervisor of District 6 and came in 6th out of 15. I struggled to gain recognition in a crowded field and to make my platform heard. A platform based on community solutions for some of our toughest problems. I continue to work around Safe Use Sights and Homeless issues while using my drag to fundraise for many grass roots and not for profit organizations. I have also done an exemplary job with the Harvey Milk Club as their Outreach Co-Ordinator and even won the Simeon White Volunteer of the Year award this year. 3. I have to try three times as hard as anyone else. When people see you as a drag queen it is very hard to be taken seriously. I know that and proudly bring my culture with me anyway. I find the strength to do this because of the support my community offers. I have not quit but continued to work harder so as to not stop the forward momentum we have experienced together. We must continue to maintain that voice together. We do have a vested interest in community building and creating opportunities for the community to grow as a whole. (Or to steal Pippi Lovestocking's line "I like to serve the community as a whole") 4. Since my run for Supervisor I have be recruited by many not for profits to sit on their governing boards. I have chosen The United Playaz and the Shi Yu-Lang YMCA because they deal with Youth. I have started learning land use this month by joining the Western SOMA Citizens Task Force because I understand the importance of Planning in our city and creating vibrant communities that work. 5. I have volunteered or fundraised for hundreds of organizations. I participate in the Castro and Folsom fairs because I find it an honor to be a part of our rich cultural heritage. I do it with my friends because we believe in giving back to our city and our community. I want neighborhood parties not to overwhelm the community. Our city needs to help organize around large events like Street Fairs and Pride to maximize local talent and handle the crowds by offering an array of events throughout the city. I care deeply about San Francisco and our communities so much so that I will proudly face the disparaging remarks made by others so that we continue to find a voice and representation in City Hall. Please join me in this fight. Please come out and help me represent on July 7th. Without you talking about my community efforts I will not get this seat. Thanks Anna Conda/ Glendon Hyde PLEASE EMAIL Jane.Kim@sfgov.org Sean Elsbernd@sfgov.org Mark.Farrell@sfgov.org Your emails are greatly appreciated and a needed part of this process so please email and talk about how you see me as a Community Organizer and Leader.

Help Get Limited Live Performance in SOMA

Yesterday I went to a meeting about getting Conditional Use Permits for Entertainment. This would allow live music and other forms of entertainment in businesses like art galleries and restaurants till 10 pm with the ability to extend them to 12 if all goes well. This DOES NOT include DJ's sighting that "DJ's tend to have incidents of violence attached to them." It is my belief that if it is only till 10 pm and not a CLUB that violence will not be a problem. Please send your supervisor a note to tell them YES we want these special permits to be offered city wide and SOMA should be included. If you live in D6 please contact Jane Kim's office and let them know you support this legislation. If you think DJ's should be permitted up till 10 pm please tell Ross Mirkarimi and your supervisor that as well. Be well and Happy pride month

PS SOMA is being with held from this new Live Limited Performance so if you are a SOMA resident please contact Jane Kim's Office! They are very open to helping the businesses in SOMA thrive and hoping to hear from you if these permits seem like a good idea.

Thanks, Anna

Discussion of the Limited Live Performance Ordinance

Monday, June 20th from 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Hosted by Rancho Parnassus - 132 Sixth Street

SOty1BAinvites you to join us for a discussion on the Limited Live Performance Ordinance. The

pending legislation will expand opportunities for businesses in many neighborhoods to obtain

permits for live performance art. The Limited Live Performance Ordinance currentlyexcludes most

of the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood. SoMa's absence from the current legislation will

Iprohibit neighborhood businesses from benefiting from the new permits.

Come discuss the possible expansion of the legislation to create cultural and economic

opportunities in SoMa. Bring your thoughts and questions for presenter Regina Dick-Endrizzi,

Executive Director, Office of Small Business, and guests Robert Selna, Legislative Assistant to

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi (sponsor of the legislation), Viva Mogi, Legislative Aide to District 6

Supervisor Jane Kim, and Jocelyn Kane, Executive Director of San Francisco Entertainment

Commission.

What if loosing the Eagle was an inside job!

So this is just a made up story or is it?

You own two bars in SOMA and you are a heavy drinker and poor business person. One bar called the Hole in the Wall is your baby and it just cost you a great deal of money to relocate it in the SOMA neighborhood. You want this bar to continue and can't afford the second bar called the Eagle. You decide to sell the Eagle but during that time there is rampant problems created by this owner like inventory problems, rent not being paid for months and you decide it would be better to sell to a straight owner to cut down on competition for your bar the Hole in the Wall. In fact you have willingly made a deal to sell to the owners of the Skylark bar.

Well what would happen then if some drag queen and a young faerie hold a "Save the Eagle" rally and garner national attention around the closing of this institution and due to public pressure ruin the sale before it goes through?

Well one you would stand in front of these people and say there is no hope of saving the Eagle. You would say in the media there is no five year lease. You probably would not mention that there have been problems in your paying rent and thats why the owner of the land wants you out. You probably would not say that you received an eviction notice or two along the way and ignored them so that when the notice to appear in court around said eviction it comes as a shock to the people who are trying to save the Eagle. You would probably yell at your manager that this is his fault. Finally you would hold the liquor license hostage from potential buyers like say the owner of the Dallas Eagle; who has a great reputation as a community and AIDS activist. You might also go into the Eagle and start removing art work and memorabilia and stop liquor deliveries. Yep if your names were John and Joe and you currently just want out at any cost you would do this.... and to your own community.

While talking to a lawyer for the property owner all this might come out and become knowledge for the community. This lawyer would tell you things like, "Of corse we want a 30 year business to stay in the property that is just good business sense." Or "If it were not for all the problems with the current lease holder the entire process would have been easier," Or even "Keep it the Eagle but we can't get you the liquor license because John and Joe own that and they don't want to sell it."

It sounds like fiction but actually it's just about as true as can be. Hoodwinked by members of our own community.

Thanks a lot John and Joe. That was real nice to find out yesterday as you dismantled a place so many called home. Hope the Hole in the Wall serves you well but I will say that I will never step foot into one of your establishments again. I am very saddened to find all this out and would never ever give you another cent of queer monies after what you have put us through this last month. Utterly disturbing!

Save the Eagle Tavern- Truth be told

Ok so, I never said that there was a 5 year lease. I was told and had discussions with many about a five year lease being held by Joe and John the Eagle bar owners. I am not a lawyer or a real estate person so I am just finding ways to help with the Eagles non-closure. This was a conversation that was presented to me as a way to save or bargain to save the Eagle Tavern. So I would like to say that I never said... "They have a five year lease and they are 1 year into it." I was told that and asked if it were true and would that have bearing on this situation? However from the discussions I have had with people throughout the community this may still be true as well but Joe from the Eagle says it is not so there you have all I know. John and Joe Eagle owners and Joe the land owner were incommunicado and they were anti this action because they would rather this all just went away.

The bar owners wanted to sell. People wanted to buy the Eagle and during the sale Joe in Santa Rosa inherited the land in a trust. Negotiations broke down and a new buyer was found. The Skylark due to public pressure backed out. Negotiations broke down and an eviction hearing notice was issued. In the mean while several Supervisors (Kim, Wiener, Compos) former Supervisor Dufty and Senator Leno were interested in helping us save this historic queer space; that has raised over 3 million for charities in its 30 years and was a first responder to the AIDS epidemic of the 80's and 90's.

However yesterday in Scott Wiener's office I was told that the Eagle owners, Joe P the land owner, and the owner of the Dallas Eagle are in talks as of yesterday.

Also in case you hear that our protests with Skylark were violent and heated offering threatening language that is categorically false. They were very peaceful and more out reach than violent protests. Any language used that was threatening on the internet is not my personal responsibility and certainly not the way I would have acted. It's easy to mouth off anonymously on the internet. What we did was called direct action around a situation that gathered almost 300 on a monday night at the Eagle Tavern. We created a coalition or community around the destruction of what many consider sacred Queer ground. We did not react in violent or threatening manners and those who used the internet to bully have only themselves to answer to and those they hurt with their childish behavior. The Skylark surely got some hate mail and that in no way was what Save the Eagle was about. It was about drawing a line in the sand around the loss of Queer space and the easy destruction of Queer culture as irrelevant.

People fight for things all the time. I stand by our actions and am proud of the work we did as a community. Even though sand is not the most permanent place to draw a line it feels good as a city, nation and international community to have come together around something that we as a culture hold dear. Argentina, Amsterdam, Canada, Mexico, France, England and all across the US from Seattle and Portland to NY and Massachusetts we have heard from people hoping this institution would continue.

Maybe to some its just a bar or even a place that they dislike, but for many around the world its a destination and for those of us in SF a home where everyone is invited to the table.

Long live the Eagle and the spirit that it instills.

Stop Killing San Francisco Nightlife!

http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2011/03/jamoeblog/slim-s-sf-shut-down-temporarily-by-abc-due-to-complaining-neighbor.html

Problems ate the DCCC

As many of you know by now the DCCC is the steering committee for the Democratic party here in SF. They produce the slate cards that litter every corner of the city during elections, produce the robo calls for the party and find ways to promote the Democratic message here in San Francisco. They are the group that decides what tactics are used to win elections.

The Alice B. Toklas Democratic club had an issue with the fact that the DCCC used monies donated by Democrats to run other Democrats down in the last election. On the other hand a Republican Developer who dumped 200 Thousand into District elections and also tried to destroy rent control in the state of California backing Weiner, Sparks and others in the election.

I agree that negative campaigning is a bad way for the DCCC to spend their monies but I also think it is fair to call people who accepted these IE (Independant Expenditures) should be called out. Why was a Republican spending all that money to elect a Supervisor in San Francisco's Districts 2, 6, 8, and 10?

I am dubious at best about the current DCCC and as a newly elected Harvey Milk Club Board Member feel like there are some things that should be said.

1. Alice I do not believe your club was acting out of generosity for the good of Democrats every where but do agree that smear tactic campaigning should not be payed for by this body. I think your behavior is similar to that of the DCCC who put out the emails and the mailing in question. It is exactly the same bad sportsmanship that you have called out and your letter was inflammatory just like the ones you hope to rail against.

2. DCCC your tactics are in need of review as you all agreed upon last night. Democratic monies should not be spent berating other Democrats and wording is essential to keep this from happening again. I know that emotions run high in a race but you are the governing Democratic body and I am glad you will look into how this money was spent and how future races will be handled. Just because no out right lies were told in the mailing the language was the problem and it did offend many voters and I truly believe it is why Scott Weiner won district 8. It made the other campaign look dishonest and desperate and the DCCC should own that responsibility.

Having said this I would like to highlight just how this behavior could happen. Just last night the newly elected President of the Young Democrats was stopped mid sentence by Carol Migdin as she complained that "I came all the way down here for Sacramento and I have to go back can we just get on with the meeting and hear public comment after the other issues so I can get home at a decent hour?" Um Hello Carol what were you thinking. You are sitting in a meeting that is discussing unbecoming Democratic behavior and how to unify the Democratic message and you shoot your mouth off at a newly elected President of a Democratic Club? Ok but I think that it just points out the very position that was being discussed. It was not a move that was unifying for the party and I was offended to see this young man treated so horribly by a senior Democrat.

Blame and bickering are a part of politics and life yet we must learn to be cautious as to how we word our opposition to others. Also to say that Sparks and Weiner and other beneficiaries of Mr. Coats had their hands tied and could only sit back and let Coats dump monies into their campaigns and could do nothing about it is a bold faced lie. If the politicians are not able to tell a greedy developer with destruction of rent control and an agenda on his plate; "No please do not send any money twords my campaign I am pro rent control and your behaviors are not in keeping with my platform but Thank You very much"; who can?

Lets face it everyone is a bit wrong here and blame and bickering is best left to the children on the playground and not for adults who are meant to lead us. It's the "You without sin cast the first stone" idea .

Secondly the voters who elect official to the DCCC should look deeper than name recognition in the future. The fact that the same person who insulted me in my pitch at the DCCC in the fall could go on a tirade and insult members of this governing board last night makes me wonder why anyone would vote to keep Mr Goldstein on the DCCC. Whenever I ask about Michael people always say "Oh thats just Michael." Well guess what he is not helping the situation and his erratic and condescending behavior is part of the problem.

So I say lets get it together or even create an official Liberal party and break from the moderate Democratic movement that is trying to please everyone all the time and get down to the business of housing, the environment, jobs, budget and all the things we need to focus on asap. To say that NO ONE can be elected in San Francisco unless they are a democratic choice is just stroking your own egos. I have Matt Gonzales as an example!

So in closing I would like to add that I am very glad that you as the DCCC are working on a unifying strategy that will stop the use of DCCC funds from being used in smear like campaigns against other Democrats and that you have decided to fight to keep the Recycling center open in the Haight. Both worthy causes. Well except Scott Weiner who voted against the recycling center remaining open. That I am still reeling from. Really Scott? Then if that is how you will vote I expect that perhaps you will take a different route and use all recycled materials and soy ink in your next campaign as should all Candidates from now on. Greening the earth surely is something we can all agree on no matter what side of the fence we sit.

With 19 Days to go

I think it would be very hard not to say that no matter what we have won. The team has always said the idea is to win but our goal is to fight, and we have fought as hard as any little lady could. We have taken on Big Time politics and risen to the top of the heap and garnered respect and stayed dignified in the process. It is with undying gratitude to Jessica Berardi, Tyler Hosack, John Ferreria, Jason Smart and Adam Britt who have stayed with me since a year ago today on one of the toughest experiences that we could have together. Dean Disaster, Matt Contrill, Joe Kowalke, Jeff Javits, and Alic Shook who got us off to a flying start and have contributed as much as they could over the year and helped keep the campaign going even as they found jobs and struggled to pay rents in this economy. I am forever grateful to Orlon, Steven, Gene and David Lewis for going above and beyond the call of duty and really taking to the streets for the cause. Also the many many many of you that spared anywhere from 5 to 500 dollars to support our campaign because to have raised 20K (including in kind donations) is a great accomplishment and has allowed us to be a contender for this Nov 2 election. Also to my club friends and new friends that I have met along the way your efforts at out reach in the TL and fundraising efforts at your parties help solidify our chances and prove that there is a voice to be heard that is not in a condo or part of the main stream but still a voice that demands being heard!

We are proud that all our materials are from recycled stock and are printed with soy based ink and will not harm the environment. We can also be proud that our message did not cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to get out there. Instead our foot work and out reach has all been community based. We feel that it is time to really look at what elections are and how we abuse and confuse the voters into believing that it is necessary to buy elections or spend ungodly amounts of money to influence your vote.

We started this campaign to prove that YOU can make a difference in politicks and we have. To be the drag queen candidate, who came out of no where and ended up being endorsed by some of the leading media, organizations, and voter groups has proven that we can make a difference and that we should take the time to do so.

As exhausting as this has been I have never felt better or more alive. It has truly connected myself and my team to what is going on at a level that none of us expected. The fight is not over an we can always use your help in the last days for out reach and especially on Nov 2! Mostly though I want to share my gratitude to YOU, the people who created a force to be reckoned with against all odds. My friends we are the voice of change against the over gentrification and selling out of our city. Our fight is not over but thats alright! We know now that we can do it and on November 2nd we are going to see some very surprised faces when they see just what we have achieved together.

Finally to those who wrote us off and to my parents who told me being gay and female identified would lead to a life of misery and rejection.... You were wrong. As a survivor and a fighter I am very proud to say that. Instead of a statistic we have become innovators. Thanks for not giving up because we have already enacted change and will continue to do so in the years ahead.

Thanks for the support and continued effort till the votes are counted. Never give up because as Queen said in our team theme song this year "We are the Champions my friends, and we'll keep on fighting till the end."

Humbly,

Anna Conda