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Union Street owners told to pick up approved permit; board cuts fees and gives 60 days to finish work
Summary
For 284 Union St., the board reduced assessed fees by half, required work to be completed within 60 days and urged the property owners to pick up an approved permit that staff said would cure the violation once the work is finished and signed off.
The Abatement Appeals Board on May 21 voted unanimously to uphold an order of abatement for 284 Union Street, reduce the assessment of fees by 50% and give the owners 60 days to complete the work needed to cure Notices of Violation.
Staff reported that guardrails had been removed without a permit and that an order of abatement had been issued the previous year. Department staff told the board a permit application (approved May 6) was available at the Central Permit Bureau but had not yet been picked up; staff said issuance and sign-off of the permit would seal the violation once the work is completed.
Appellant Clinton Choi and representatives said they had been engaged in a two‑year permitting process complicated by landmark-area rules and repeated desk-level misinformation about whether a certificate of appropriateness was required. "We were told that the permit was approved, finally," Choi said, and asked the board to waive assessment fees levied while the permitting was pending.
Neighbors urged careful review, alleged prior illegal demolition and raised concerns about building height and an unpermitted penthouse stair. A neighbor described multiple complaints and said the project had generated substantial planning‑department fees for neighbors who had contested the work.
Commissioners acknowledged the difficult permitting history but focused on the fact that a permit had been approved. Commissioner Walker moved to uphold the order, gave 60 days to complete the work and reduced fees by 50%; the motion passed unanimously. Staff encouraged the owners to pick up the approved permit and proceed promptly to avoid further penalties.
