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Commission forwards noise recommendations after developer presents mixed‑use project at California and Polk
Summary
A developer presented a proposed 100‑unit mixed‑use project at California and Polk Streets and a consultant recommended STC window ratings (up to 37) to mitigate entertainment noise; the commission moved to adopt standard Chapter 1.16 conditions and forward written comments to planning.
The commission on May 8 heard a presentation about a proposed mixed‑use residential project at California and Polk Streets and voted to forward staff-written comments on noise to the Planning Department and Department of Building Inspection.
Michael Lee, identifying himself as a representative of Southern Land and the project sponsor, said the project would be a mixed‑use development of about 100 units over retail, roughly eight stories (described as "7 over 1"), with approximately 18 percent of units proposed as affordable. He said the team had reached out to nearby places of entertainment, including Encore (across the street) and Playland, and described plans to integrate mitigation informed by the noise study. "There will be about a 100 units, over retail," Lee said.
Jordan Roberts of Salter presented the firm’s noise analysis, describing two long‑term unattended measurements and attended measurements near place-of-entertainment (POE) entrances. Roberts said the consultants recommended STC (sound transmission class) ratings up to 37 for the street-facing windows, with lower STC values (28–31) in other locations, and explained those ratings were calculated relative to ambient noise levels captured in 10‑minute intervals. "We recommended STC ratings up to 37," Roberts said.
Commissioners pressed the team on how the mitigation would handle intermittent, instantaneous noise from patrons leaving venues late at night; consultants said the long‑term ambient-based analysis accounts for traffic and pedestrian activity but that very loud, intermittent events would present a different challenge. Commissioners discussed adding conditions to account for future entertainment uses on the ground floor and recommended the project adopt the study’s STC recommendations or consider slightly higher values if ground-floor uses included entertainment.
A motion to adopt the standard Chapter 1.16 recommendations and forward written comments and recommendations to Planning and DBI carried on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Thomas, Vice President Camino, President (unattributed), and Commissioner Lee recorded as voting aye. Staff will forward the commission’s written comments to the Planning Commission as part of the project review.
