Entertainment Commission approves permits for Schroeder's, Topsy's and Pier 70 with police conditions and outreach commitments

The San Francisco Entertainment Commission on a voice vote approved new entertainment permits for Schroeder's at 240 Front Street, Topsy's at 260 Kearny and Pier 70 at 420 Second Street, while continuing several other items for further police or planning review.

Commissioners voted to approve Schroeder's with police conditions after applicant Andy Chun described reopening the historic venue (founded 1893) and pledged neighborhood outreach and contracted security for large events. SFPD Central Station officer Steve Matthias asked the commission whether they had proposed police conditions and offered to discuss required language. The motion to approve Schroeder's passed with commissioners recorded as voting "Aye."

Topsy's, a small clown-themed lounge operated by Angelica Bizzesi and partner Steve Shevsky that reopened in March, was approved with conditions from SFPD Central Station. Applicants told commissioners they installed indoor and outdoor security cameras, will staff a manager on-site daily and will contract with the same security firm they used at a prior venue. Officer Matthias presented eight proposed conditions, including a requirement that contracted security prevent double parking that could create traffic hazards on Kearny Street. The commission approved the permit with the police conditions.

Pier 70 Partners, represented by Jordan Langer, secured approval for a large interim-event permit covering multiple buildings and adjacent parcels at Pier 70, with the licensed footprint described in the packet as roughly 230,000 square feet. Langer presented extensive neighborhood outreach and a written community-benefits program that requires large commercial clients to contract and deliver neighborhood-facing benefits (examples included chartered buses for youth visits, job fairs partnering with local trades and donations tied to programs for at-risk youth). Captain Rob O'Sullivan of Bayview Station told the commission Bayview officers had no conditions after monitoring prior events and found no sound complaints; commissioners approved the Pier 70 application.

Several items were continued or withdrawn earlier in the agenda after staff reported planning-department referral delays. EC-1248 (wix.com) was withdrawn from the consent calendar by motion and the remaining consent calendar items were approved. The Village (969 Market) was continued to the June 17 meeting to allow additional consultation with Southern Station and Supervisor Kim's office; Club OMG (43 Sixth Street) was continued while the applicant pursues a conditional-use permit for extended hours.

The commission recorded commitments from applicants to provide outreach documentation to staff (for example, Schroeder's agreed to submit emails and outreach lists) and confirmed that final sound testing and a signed police/inspector checklist would be required where specified in permit conditions. The meeting closed after a brief round of commissioner comments and scheduling items for the next meeting.

The Entertainment Commission's next regular meeting is scheduled for June 17; July 1 was announced as canceled.