Board overturns Planning Commission, disapproves conditional-use authorization for 2785 San Bruno Ave.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Sept. 20 voted to disapprove a Planning Commission conditional-use authorization that had allowed demolition of a single-family dwelling with an alleged accessory unit at 2785 San Bruno Avenue and construction of a new four-story mixed-use building.

Supervisor David Campos, who moved to disapprove the conditional use authorization, told the board he believed the record supported retaining existing tenant housing and that questions about whether rent-control protections applied had not been resolved. "I believe that there is enough evidence in the record here that actually confirms what the planning commission said, which is there's a second unit here," Campos said at the hearing, then moved to disapprove the conditional-use authorization. The motion to disapprove and to prepare related findings was adopted on a roll-call vote of 11-0.

The appeal centered on whether an unauthorized accessory unit existed in the rear structure and, if so, whether removal would eliminate rent-protected housing. Appellants' counsel Steven Williams argued the rear space had functioned as a separate unit for years and presented photographs, a former tenant's letter and other materials that he said showed a full kitchen had existed and that the space had independent access and sleeping quarters. "If you allow these flimsy excuses to sway your decision, then you're supporting an exception which will completely swallow the policy," Williams told the board.

Planning Department staff and the Planning Commission had treated the rear structure as an unauthorized unit…