Hearing

Cancelled - Zoning Variance Hearing

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Time
9:30am
Location
Neighborhood

The August 26, 2020 Remote Variance Hearing was unfortunately cancelled due to technical difficulties. A new hearing will be scheduled for September 16, 2020 to hear all cases from the August 26 meeting.


Please be advised that the notices provided below may not represent a complete list of items scheduled to be considered at a public hearing. For a complete list of items scheduled to be considered at a particular public hearing, please refer to the posted agenda.


Notice is hereby given to the general public that applications involving the properties/and or issues described below have been filed with the Planning Department for review as set forth in the City Planning Code.  The Zoning Administrator will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on these items and on other matters on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Please be advised that due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Zoning Administrator will conduct this hearing remotely using videoconferencing technology. Additional information may be found on the Department's website.

2019-002916VAR (ALEX WESTHOFF) 144 BONVIEW STREET, Lot 014 in Assessor's Block 5619 in a Residential House - One Family (RH-1) Zoning District, Bernal Heights SUD, and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.  REAR YARD, MASS REDUCTION SOUGHT: The project proposes a vertical and horizontal addition to an existing three-story, 1,564-square-foot, single-family structure that would result in a four-story, 3,248-square-foot, single-family structure. New rear decks are proposed for the second and fourth floor.  PLANNING CODE SECTION 242(e)(2) requires the property to maintain a rear yard equal to 35 percent of the total lot depth, which is 24.5 feet for the subject lot. The proposed structure will obstruct into the required rear yard. Therefore, a variance is required. PLANNING CODE SECTION 242(e)(3) requires a total of 650 square feet of usable floor area to be deleted from the exterior of the building, causing a reduction in square footage as well as building volume. Only 216 square feet of usable floor area is proposed be deleted from the exterior of the building. Therefore, a variance is required.

2018-016618VAR (LAURA AJELLO) 3049 CLEMENT STREET, Lot 044 in Assessor's Block 1463 in a NC-1 (Neighborhood Commercial - Cluster) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. REAR YARD SOUGHT:  The project proposes to legalize an 8.5-foot by 17.75-foot one-story rear addition as part of a new ground floor dwelling unit located behind the existing commercial space. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a rear yard of 25% (25 feet). The rear addition to be legalized is 15 feet 7 inches from the rear property line. Therefore, the project requires a variance.

2019-021376VAR (LAURA AJELLO) 2019 WEBSTER STREET, Lot 003 in Assessor's Block 636 in a RM-1 (Residential, Mixed, Low Density) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. REAR YARD SOUGHT: The project proposes to: 1) Infill an area at the basement level beneath an existing deck; 2) Expand the third floor on the south side; 3) Replace the side deck in the same location with no change in size; and 4) Replace in-kind the existing noncomplying portion of the building located in the rear yard.  PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires a rear yard equal to 45% of the lot depth, or the average of adjacent buildings up to a maximum 25% of the lot depth. The existing noncomplying building extends to within 3 feet 9 inches of the rear property line. Therefore, a variance is required.

2018-016436VAR (MICHELLE TAYLOR) 3600 LYON STREET, Lot 004 in Assessor’s Block 0909 in a RH-1 (Residential, House, One-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.  REAR YARD SOUGHT: The project proposes to demolish a 3-story single-family structure and construct a new 3-story single-family structure with a roof deck. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a rear yard of 25% (15 feet). The new building will fully encroach into the rear yard.  Therefore, the project requires a variance.

2017-013051VAR (MONICA GIACOMUCCI) 1033 TEXAS STREET, Lot 036 in Assessor's Block 4224 in an RH-3 Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.  REAR YARD SOUGHT:  The project proposes to raise and move forward the existing three-story, two-family structure approximately 8 feet to allow for an additional story and to better relate the building to its topographic setting. The project would also remove an existing rear addition and replace it with a new rear addition in roughly the same foot print. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the property to maintain a rear yard equal to 25% of the lot depth. However, the proposal will obstruct approximately 10 feet into the required 25% rear yard. Therefore, a variance is required.

2020-000428VAR (STEPHANIE CISNEROS) 230 LAIDLEY STREET, Lot 007 in Assessor's Block 6683 in a RH-1 Zoning District and a 40-X Height & Bulk District. FRONT SETBACK SOUGHT: The proposal is to reconstruct an existing front egress stair and portion of an existing garage structure, and to add new railings and front gate. PLANNING CODE SECTION 132 requires the subject property to maintain a front setback of approximately 8 feet. The current stair configuration encroaches entirely into the front setback. The reconstructed stair would be replaced within the same footprint. Therefore, the project requires a variance.

2020-000682VAR (SYLVIA JIMENEZ) 128 4TH AVENUE, Lot 033 in Assessor's Block 1363 in a RH-2 (Residential House Two Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District. REAR YARD SOUGHT:  The project proposes to construct a rear deck that is approximately 8 feet inches deep by 15 feet wide. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a rear yard of approximately 54 feet. The rear deck completely encroaches into the required rear yard. Therefore, the project requires a rear yard variance. 

2018-017328VAR (XINYU LIANG) 1120 VALENCIA STREET, Lot 004 in Assessor's Block 3635 in a Valencia NCT (Valencia Street Neighborhood Commercial Transit) Zoning District and a 55-X Height and Bulk District. REAR YARD SOUGHT: The proposal is to construct a five-story, 55-foot-tall mixed-use building on an existing surface parking lot with ground floor Retail/Restaurant use along Valencia Street and 18 residential units above.  PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a rear yard equal to 25 percent of the lot depth at the lowest story containing a dwelling unit, and at each succeeding level or story of the building, which is between 18 feet 6 inches and 20 feet 6 inches given the irregular lot shape. The proposed new building will cover the entire lot. Therefore, the project requires a rear yard modification.

2019-016290VAR (MICHELLE TAYLOR) 2720 PIERCE STREET, Lot 021 in Assessor’s Block 0559 in a RH-1 (Residential, House, One-Family) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.  REAR YARD SOUGHT: The project proposes a horizontal rear expansion at the second floor, a deck at the third floor, and a stair structure from that deck, for the existing single family structure. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a rear yard of 30% (27 feet). The proposed addition will obstruct approximately 4 feet into the required rear yard. Therefore, a variance is required. 

2020-004966VAR (XINYU LIANG) 320 RITCH STREET, Lot 036 in Assessor's Block 3787 in a CMUO (Central SOMA Mixed Use Office) Zoning District, Central SoMa SUD, and a 65-X Height and Bulk District. ACTIVE USE SOUGHT: The project proposes to change 3,439 square feet of PDR use to Office use on the ground floor. There are no physical changes proposed as a part of this project. PLANNING CODE SECTIONS 145.1 and 249.78 require the ground floor space on Ritch Street to contain Active Uses within the first 10 feet of building depth. Office use is not considered an Active Use in the Central SoMa SUD. Therefore, a variance is required.

2019-021198VAR (CLAIRE FEENEY) 2607 FOLSOM STREET, Lot 12D in Assessor's Block 3639 in a RH-3 Zoning District, the Calle 24 SUD, and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.  REAR YARD SOUGHT:  The project proposes to legalize an exterior rear staircase replacement. The previous wooden staircase connected the third-floor deck to ground level, straight back into the yard. During regular maintenance (Building Permit 201804176567), dry rot damage required the decks and stairs to be completely rebuilt. The scope of work includes replacing the second and third floor decks in-kind and building a new rear staircase and building a new rear staircase which occupies a new footprint. PLANNING CODE SECTION 134 requires the subject property to maintain a 30% rear yard of approximately 36 feet 9 inches. There is no documentation of the structure or dimensions of the previous stairs, however the newly constructed stairs encroach approximately 10 feet into the rear yard and result in a 25-foot 6-inch yard. Therefore, the project requires a variance to legalize modifications to the noncomplying portions of the building.

It is strongly recommended that persons submit their comments in writing in advance of the hearing. Written comments may be submitted via email directly to the case planner.

To view the official Variance Hearing Agenda which includes the link to the site plans and elevations of the proposed projects, please visit the website: https://sfplanning.org/hearings-zoning-variance. Persons who are unable to attend the scheduled hearing may submit written comments regarding these cases to the individuals listed for each case above via email or at the Planning Department, 49 South Van Ness Avenue, Suite 1400, San Francisco, CA 94103.

Corey A. Teague
Zoning Administrator

08/05/2020