Board upholds Planning Departmentcategorical exemption for 590 Leland project after hour-long appeal

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously upheld the Planning Department's categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for a proposed project at 590 Leland Avenue, affirming the Planning Commission's earlier approval and allowing the demolition of an existing church and construction of five single-family homes to proceed.

The decision, made on a motion by Supervisor Cohen and seconded by Supervisor Tang, came after an appeal by the Visitation Valley Planning Alliance that argued the project would block views from public parkland, harm biological resources and reduce accessible open space near McLaren Park. "This project is a threat to open space and the Greenway," appellant Fran Martin told the board during the appeal hearing.

The Planning Department, represented by senior environmental planner Josh Pollock, told supervisors that the project was classified as an infill development eligible for a Class 32 exemption and that agency field surveys did not find the San Francisco spineflower or California croton on the project parcel. "The categorical exemption for the project was appropriately issued," Pollock said, summarizing the department's written response…