Ordinance No. 0241-20
Ord. No. 0241-20
in effectFILE NO. 201033
ORDINANCE NO.
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Page 1
[Planning Code - Landmark Designation - “History of Medicine in California” Frescoes -
Toland Hall Auditorium in UC Hall, 533 Parnassus Avenue]
Ordinance amending the Planning Code to designate the “History of Medicine in
California” frescoes in Toland Hall auditorium in UC Hall, 533 Parnassus Avenue
(“History of Medicine in California” frescoes), Assessor’s Parcel Block No. 2634A, Lot
No. 011, as a Landmark consistent with the standards set forth in Article 10 of the
Planning Code; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California
Environmental Quality Act; and making public necessity, convenience, and welfare
findings under Planning Code, Section 302, and findings of consistency with the
General Plan, and the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1.
NOTE:
Unchanged Code text and uncodified text are in plain Arial font.
Additions to Codes are in single-underline italics Times New Roman font.
Deletions to Codes are in strikethrough italics Times New Roman font.
Board amendment additions are in double-underlined Arial font.
Board amendment deletions are in strikethrough Arial font.
Asterisks (* * * *) indicate the omission of unchanged Code
subsections or parts of tables.
Be it ordained by the People of the City and County of San Francisco:
Section 1. Findings.
(a) CEQA and Land Use Findings.
(1) The Planning Department has determined that the Planning Code
amendment proposed in this ordinance is subject to a Categorical Exemption from the
California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code Sections 21000 et
seq., "CEQA") pursuant to Section 15308 of California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections
15000 et seq., the Guidelines for implementation of the statute for actions by regulatory
agencies for protection of the environment (in this case, landmark designation). Said
determination is on file with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in File No. 201033
241-20
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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and is incorporated herein by reference. The Board of Supervisors affirms this determination.
(2) Pursuant to Planning Code Section 302, the Board of Supervisors finds that
the proposed landmark designation of “History of Medicine in California” mural cycle in Toland
Hall auditorium in UC Hall, 533 Parnassus Avenue (“History of Medicine in California”
frescoes or murals), Assessor’s Block No. 2634A, Lot No. 011, will serve the public necessity,
convenience, and welfare for the reasons set forth in Historic Preservation Commission
Resolution No. 1134, recommending approval of the proposed designation, which is
incorporated herein by reference.
(3) The Board of Supervisors finds that the proposed landmark designation of
the “History of Medicine in California” frescoes is consistent with the General Plan and with
Planning Code Section 101.1(b) for the reasons set forth in Historic Preservation Commission
Resolution No. 1134.
(b) General Findings.
(1) Pursuant to Charter Section 4.135, the Historic Preservation Commission
has authority "to recommend approval, disapproval, or modification of landmark designations
and historic district designations under the Planning Code to the Board of Supervisors."
(2) The Landmark Designation Fact Sheet was prepared by Planning
Department Preservation staff. All preparers meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional
Qualification Standards for historic preservation program staff, as set forth in Code of Federal
Regulations Title 36, Part 61, Appendix A. The report was reviewed for accuracy and
conformance with the purposes and standards of Article 10 of the Planning Code.
(3) The Historic Preservation Commission, at its regular meeting of August 19,
2020, reviewed Planning Department staff’s analysis of the historical significance of “History
of Medicine in California” frescoes set forth in the Landmark Designation Fact Sheet dated
August 8, 2020.
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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(4) On July 28, 2020, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 355-20,
initiating landmark designation of the “History of Medicine in California” frescoes as a San
Francisco Landmark pursuant to Section 1004.1 of the Planning Code. On July 31, 2020, the
Mayor approved the resolution. Said resolution is on file with the Clerk of the Board of
Supervisors in File No. 200677.
(5) On August 19, 2020, after holding a public hearing on the proposed
designation and having considered the specialized analyses prepared by Planning
Department staff and the Landmark Designation Fact Sheet, the Historic Preservation
Commission recommended designation of “History of Medicine in California” frescoes as a
landmark consistent with the standards set forth in Section 1004 of the Planning Code by
Resolution No. 1134. Said resolution is on file with the Clerk of the Board in File No. 201033.
(6) The Board of Supervisors hereby finds that the “History of Medicine in
California” frescoes have a special character and special historical, architectural, and
aesthetic interest and value, and that their designation as a Landmark will further the
purposes of and conform to the standards set forth in Article 10 of the Planning Code. In
doing so, the Board hereby incorporates by reference the findings of the Landmark
Designation Fact Sheet.
Section 2. Designation.
Pursuant to Section 1004 of the Planning Code, the “History of Medicine in California”
frescoes, Assessor’s Block No. 2634A, Lot No. 011, are hereby designated as a San
Francisco Landmark consistent with the standards set forth in Section 1004. Appendix A to
Article 10 of the Planning Code is hereby amended to include this property.
Section 3. Required Data.
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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(a) The description, location, and boundary of the Landmark site consists of that
portion of the wall structures and surfaces that contain the 12 fresco panels (10 decorative
panels, 2 descriptive panels) of the “History of Medicine in California” frescoes within Toland
Hall auditorium in UC Hall of the City parcel located at 533 Parnassus Avenue, Assessor’s
Block No. 2634A, Lot No. 011, in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset neighborhood.
(b) The characteristics of the Landmark that justify its designation are described and
shown in the Landmark Designation Fact Sheet and other supporting materials contained in
Planning Department Record Docket No. 2020-006641DES. In brief, the “History of Medicine
in California” frescoes are eligible for local designation as they are associated with events that
have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of San Francisco history and they
embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction and work of
master artist Bernard Zakheim. Specifically, designation of the “History of Medicine in
California” frescoes is proper given their association with the history of the Works Project
Administration’s Federal Art Project. Designation of the “History of Medicine in California”
frescoes is also proper given their significance as a significant example of the work of master
artist and muralist Bernard Zakheim that displays distinctive characteristics of New Deal-era
progressive mural artwork.
(c) The particular features that should be preserved, or replaced in-kind as determined
necessary, are those generally shown in photographs and described in the Landmark
Designation Fact Sheet, which can be found in Planning Department Record Docket No.
2020-006641DES, and which are incorporated in this designation by reference as though fully
set forth. Specifically, the following features should be preserved or replaced in-kind:
(1) All those physical features associated with structural support, construction,
and visual depiction of the 12 mural panels (10 decorative panels and 2 descriptive panels),
identified as:
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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(2) All metal and other furring channels that support the mural panels;
(3) All metal lathe and plaster, including the scratch, brown, and other plaster
coats that underlie the fresco buono artwork of each panel;
(4) The combination of pigments and plaster that forms each fresco buono
panel;
(5) Size, shape, form, and materials of each mural panel; and,
(6) Arrangement and order of the mural panels as they currently exist and as
per the artist’s written description, as follows, numbered and identified below for purposes of
this ordinance:
(A) On curved wall, from east to west:
(i) Fresco 1: Dedication Scroll;
(ii) Fresco 2: Doctors of Gold Rush Period/Early San Francisco
Doctors;
(iii) Fresco 3: Anza Expedition, 1775/Spanish Surgeon General
Soler, 1798/Trapper Peg-Leg Smith;
(iv) Fresco 4: English Explorers of the 16th Century/Native
California Herbs;
(v) Fresco 5: Native Indians and their Healing Methods;
(vi) Fresco 6: Mission Indians/Portola Expedition, San Diego,
1789/Trapper J.O. Pattie, 1828;
(vii) Fresco 7: Pioneer Doctors of Southern California/Doctors of
Old Los Angeles; and
(viii) Fresco 8: Description Scroll
(B) On flat wall, from west to east:
(i) Fresco 9: University of California Medical School;
Supervisors Peskin; Safai, Mandelman, Mar, Walton, Stefani, Yee, Preston, Fewer
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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(ii) Fresco 10: Tribute to Hooper Foundation for Medical
Research;
(iii) Fresco 11: Science – Past, Present, Future; and
(iv) Fresco 12: San Francisco Medical History
Section 4. Effective Date.
This ordinance shall become effective 30 days after enactment. Enactment occurs
when the Mayor signs the ordinance, the Mayor returns the ordinance unsigned or does not
sign the ordinance within ten days of receiving it, or the Board of Supervisors overrides the
Mayor’s veto of the ordinance.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DENNIS J. HERRERA, City Attorney
By:
/s/
VICTORIA WONG
Deputy City Attorney
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References
amendsSec. 1015
Source: sf_ordinance_pdfURL: https://sfbos.archive.sf.gov/sites/default/files/o0241-20.pdfFetched: 7/4/2026