Planning Commission approves rezoning of two city parcels on Burnett Avenue

The San Francisco Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a zoning map amendment that rezones two city‑owned parcels adjacent to a landlocked private lot on Burnett Avenue North to RM‑1. Planning Department staff said the rezoning aligns the parcels with surrounding RM‑1 zoning and is ‘‘contextually appropriate’’ for the neighborhood.

The change affects two publicly owned parcels and a portion of a paper street that a landowner has sought to purchase as part of a settlement in an ongoing lawsuit. Audrey Buckus, a Planning Department presenter, told commissioners the primary practical effect of the rezoning is how many dwelling units could be developed on the combined lots under RM‑1 versus RH‑2: RM zoning could allow considerably more units, she said, while other standards such as height limits and yard setbacks vary only slightly between the two districts.

Commissioners pressed staff for more detail on likely development scenarios. Buckus walked through three illustrative options presented in the commission packet: building only on the existing landlocked parcel; merging the three parcels to create a single larger lot; and merging with subsequent lot‑line adjustments creating two or three smaller parcels. Buckus reported approximate buildable areas and unit estimates for the scenarios, including a combined‑parcel scenario that could yield roughly 15–18 dwelling units under RM zoning.

Commission President Rich Hillis and other commissioners stressed that a map amendment does not approve any specific project and that future proposals would be subject to separate review. The commission’s motion to approve the map amendment passed by a 7–0 vote.

What’s next: The rezoning clears the way for the sale and transfer contemplated in the settlement; any specific development on the parcels would require separate entitlements and applicable environmental review.