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Planning Commission approves horizontal repairs at Sutro Tower, opens environmental review on vertical cladding removal
Summary
The commission approved replacement of interior horizontal cladding at Sutro Tower and directed staff to expedite CEQA review of whether vertical cladding (tower legs) must be reinstalled; broadcasters urged an expedited decision because FCC reimbursement deadlines could leave some stations with millions in unreimbursed costs.
The San Francisco Planning Commission on Oct. 13 approved a mandatory discretionary review to replace interior horizontal cladding panels at Sutro Tower (levels 2–4) and directed staff to accelerate environmental review to resolve whether the tower’s vertical cladding must be reinstalled after that cladding was removed without full authorization.
Planning staff described the case history: the 2019 discretionary approval allowed temporary removal for specific structural work, but staff discovered in 2021 that additional vertical cladding below level four had been removed without the full CEQA and permitting steps. Staff recommended approval of the discrete horizontal‑panel replacement (to protect interior equipment) and an expedited environmental study to evaluate three primary options for the vertical cladding: permanent removal (no‑cladding), full replacement, or replacement in modified materials.
Kristen Saul Peters,…
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