Homeowner tells commission he’s been stuck in a 'permit limbo' for nearly three years

During general public comment, Kevin O'Connor described a prolonged permitting dispute over a remodel at 147 Marietta Drive and appealed to the Building Inspection Commission for help. "Back in December of 2017, we applied for a permit to remodel... Today, after nearly 3 years, we find ourselves further from issuance than we were back in 2017," he said, asserting that each approval from a reviewer (named in the transcript as Cyril Yoo) was followed by new requirements and that an apparent 'no work' order remained in place even though other permits (electrical, excavation, material and exterior) were valid.

O'Connor said an adjacent property, 159 Marietta, received an identical permit in about two weeks and asked why his application had been delayed. He also said an SFDBI administrator (referenced in the transcript as Willie Yao) had indicated he could not adjudicate the matter within a reasonable timeframe.

Commissioner Clinch noted on the record that O'Connor had contacted him and reiterated that commissioners acting individually cannot adjudicate permitting decisions, and that public comment is the proper channel for presenting the case to the commission. Later in the meeting President McCarthy asked staff for a status update on 147 Marietta Drive; the interim director agreed to prepare a report for the commission and follow up with commissioners offline.

No formal decision or vote on the permit was made at the meeting. The commission directed staff to prepare a report and provide follow‑up.