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Commission backs West Portal zoning change to allow a 5,000 sq ft ophthalmology clinic
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended approval for an ordinance to permit health service uses and exempt a single West Portal parcel from a 4,000 sq ft cap so an ophthalmology clinic can consolidate two units into one ~5,000 sq ft space; staff recommended targeted modifications and the commission approved the supervisor's proposal.
The San Francisco Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of planning-code amendments enabling health service uses in West Portal and to allow a size exception for a specific parcel where an ophthalmology clinic seeks to combine two units into a single ~5,000-square-foot space.
Aaron Star, manager of legislative affairs, explained that the ordinance, introduced by Supervisor Melgar, would amend the West Portal Neighborhood Commercial District to principally permit health service uses and would exempt one parcel from the district’s current 4,000-square-foot cap on nonresidential uses — enabling the clinic’s consolidation. The department recommended approval with modifications, including removing the cap citywide in the NCD or carving an exception for the parcel while retaining conditional use authorization processes for larger medical uses.
Dr. Lilly Mosadde, the physician who would operate services at the proposed expanded clinic, told commissioners she has served the West Portal neighborhood for more than 26 years and that delays in relocating would force her practice to close, worsening access for local seniors who rely on neighborhood care. "Any delays in getting our new space ready would mean that the office will be closed," she said.
Commissioners discussed whether to treat this as a narrow exception or to pursue broader policy changes across multiple NCDs. Several commissioners supported a targeted exception for the applicant now while directing staff to return with analysis on how use‑size caps operate across other neighborhood commercial districts. The motion to adopt the supervisor-sponsored recommendation passed unanimously, 6-0.
