Board upholds Planning Department exemption for Octavia Street project after lengthy hearing

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on April 20 to uphold the Planning Department's issuance of a Class 1 categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for a renovation and rear addition at 2651–2653 Octavia Street, rejecting an appeal filed on behalf of neighbors and library supporters.

Appellants had urged the board to reverse what they called a second "inappropriately issued exemption" and require a full CEQA study before the project proceeds. "We request that the board overturned the second inappropriately issued exemption and require that the planning department not bypass CEQA but analyze the evidence in 1 document for public review," appellant Maureen Holt told the board during the hearing.

The board's decision followed presentations from the appeal supporters, the Planning Department, the San Francisco Public Library, and the project sponsor. Planning Department staff said they re-examined the board's prior direction, had an independent daylight study prepared, and found "the project would not substantially reduce the library's indoor illumination levels as compared to the existing conditions." Planning staff also told the board that, after reviewing historical reports and landmark work, "indoor light level or indoor quality inside the library's main reading room is not a character-defining feature of the library." (Kei…