Planning Commission approves San Francisco Day School expansion with teacher housing

The Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use authorization for San Francisco Day School’s proposed expansion at 350 Masonic Avenue, authorizing a three‑story horizontal addition that will add classrooms, rooftop teaching space and faculty housing.

Planning staff (Chris May) told the commission the project would demolish a two‑story dwelling at 2130 Golden Gate Avenue, construct approximately 15,400 square feet of new instructional space and rehabilitate 2120–2122 Golden Gate Avenue to provide faculty housing. Staff reported 17 letters of support and concluded the project is on balance consistent with the general plan.

Project sponsor presentations from Studio Bondy Architecture and Head of School Mike Walker described design features—shiplap siding at an east stair, terracotta rain screen elements, a rooftop outdoor classroom and green roof—and emphasized the school’s affordability commitments: the expansion supports existing programs such as Breakthrough San Francisco and includes four units of teacher housing. Walker said the addition would increase classroom capacity to 34 rooms and increase enrollment from 400 to 480 students, and described neighborhood outreach and traffic mitigation measures including a Kittleson traffic study, increased dismissal staffing, parking arrangements at Baker Street and Lucky’s on Fulton, and voluntary pickup/drop‑off management and use of a carpool app registered by about 60 families.

A neighbor (Michael Barnacle) raised concerns about reduced on‑site parking (nine fewer spaces), pickup/drop‑off congestion, nighttime event noise and trash‑collection disturbances; he asked for clearer trash‑management plans. The sponsor acknowledged the concerns and described commitments to signage, off‑site parking use and increased staffing for dismissal.

Commission discussion focused on housing benefits for faculty and neighborhood impacts. Commissioner Richards moved to approve the project with conditions; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously 5–0.

The approval includes conditions reported in the staff packet addressing design, rear‑yard and bicycle parking modifications, and standard mitigation measures identified in the staff report. The project sponsor said the teacher housing will be offered to faculty and that the school will continue outreach with neighborhood organizations and local supervisors.

Next steps: subject to the conditions of approval, the sponsor may proceed with building permits and implementation actions required by the Planning Department and building‑permit reviewers.