Board of Appeals denies rehearing request on 695 Rhode Island remodel; planning evidence deemed insufficient

The San Francisco Board of Appeals on June 18 denied a rehearing request for appeal No. 24-066 involving 695 Rhode Island Street, voting 4-0 to uphold the permit issued for a multi-level remodel and vertical addition. The rehearing request was filed after the board—s May 21 decision to deny an earlier appeal and uphold the permit.

The board—s action keeps in place permit No. 201912200232, described in the record as a remodel of an existing two-story, two-unit residence with a new rear horizontal extension on the first and second floors, a new third-floor vertical addition, and facade and driveway changes. Dan Feldman is listed in the record as the party requesting the rehearing; his side presented affidavits and additional documents they said were new evidence of residential use of a lower-level space.

Why it matters: the rehearing centered on whether the Planning Department—s zoning administrator (ZA) should treat a lower-level space as an unauthorized dwelling unit (UDU). A finding of a UDU can trigger legalization or removal processes and can change how a property is permitted and inspected.

Planning department standard and new evidence Corey Teague, zoning administrator for the Planning Department, told the board that the…