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Neighbors accuse developer of unpermitted demolition at 655 Alvarado; commission schedules hearing
Summary
Neighbors and preservation advocates told the commission the 2016 permit for 655 Alvarado resulted in demolition and excavation that damaged adjacent properties; President McCarthy requested a hearing for DBI to explain classifications and coordination with Planning.
Neighbors of 655 Alvarado urged the Building Inspection Commission to investigate what they say was an unpermitted demolition and adjacent excavation that damaged nearby foundations.
Mary Ferretti, who lives at 651 Alvarado, said the permit was issued in September 2016 and "the building was gone by December 2016," alleging Planning and DBI were misled and that excavations up to 20 feet adjacent to her home caused structural damage. Her brother, John Ferretti, and others described multiple over-the-counter permits and a lack of required advance notice for excavation (they cited code 3307) and urged serious consequences for the property owner.
Architects and engineers in public comment argued application of the building-code definitions for "demolition" and "principal portion" support the neighbors' claims that the work met the threshold for demolition without permit. Jerry Drantler said he filed a whistleblower complaint with the City Services Auditor about a misclassification at 655 Alvarado and asked BIC to have DBI explain the decisions and how similar misclassifications will be prevented.
President McCarthy said the matter merited a commission hearing that would examine DBI's role and coordination with Planning; commissioners also urged the public to attend the planned joint DBI-Planning meeting in April to raise related enforcement concerns.
Next steps: President McCarthy requested the director schedule a hearing for the commission to review the 655 Alvarado actions and to examine the department's processes for classifying demolition and coordinating with Planning. The commission did not adopt a sanction at this meeting; public commenters left photographs and documentation for staff review.
