Commission grants conditional use authorization and variance for 121 Yukon project despite neighbor concerns

The San Francisco Planning Commission on March 27 approved a conditional use authorization and a variance to permit demolition of an existing three‑unit residential building at 121 Yukon Street and construction of a three‑unit building over garage.

Planning staff told commissioners the property is in an RH‑1S district and the new proposal would replace the vacant, aging 3‑unit building (vacant since 2020) with three modern two‑bedroom flats. Michelle Taylor, the department planner, said the project uses the Planning Code’s fourplex exception (Section 207) to enable additional units beyond a standard RH‑1 lot; after review the applicant proposed a three‑unit scheme that meets required open‑space and design guidelines. The project includes two off‑street parking stalls and three Class I (long‑term) bicycle parking spaces.

The project team described site constraints arising from an irregular, trapezoidal lot with a significant slope and an existing building that already encroaches into the required rear yard; the new design reduces some previous encroachments but requests a variance for a remaining minor rear‑yard encroachment. Architect Jim Zack said the design orients living spaces toward Kite Hill Park and places circulation and a stair on the side facing the neighboring property to reduce impacts on neighbors.

The immediate neighbor submitted a letter noting the project plans did not initially depict certain skylights and windows on the adjoining property; the applicant provided updated drawings during the hearing to show those openings and explained the representations were prepared from external observations and photographs because the applicant does not have access to the neighbor’s interior. Commissioners discussed the late submission and the legibility of the paper materials; staff and the architect said they had provided fuller sets for on‑site review and that the applicant had shared drawings directly with neighbors during pre‑application outreach.

Commission deliberations recognized the site’s unusual geometry and staff concluded the project met the conditional‑use and variance criteria. The commission voted 5–1 to approve the conditional use authorization and grant the variance for the rear‑yard encroachment; one commissioner voted against the approvals. The zoning administrator indicated he would grant the variance with standard conditions.