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Board denies appeal over tree removals at Mercy Housing site; fine and replacement plan upheld
Summary
The Board of Appeals denied an appeal of a public-works order for removal of street trees at Mercy Housing’s 1064 Mission project, upheld an $8,300 fine for one illegally removed Brisbane box tree and required replacement plantings (three 48-inch and three 36-inch box trees) with protections; board recommended mayoral engagement on additional nearby plantings.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Jan. 6 denied an appeal challenging a Public Works order that approved tree removals and replacement requirements for Mercy Housing’s 1064 Mission project.
Appellant Joshua Cliff described a history of advocacy and said a large Brisbane box tree on the Mission Street frontage was removed without a permit. He urged stronger enforcement of Article 16 of the Public Works Code and called for higher replacement ratios and protections for street trees.
Sharon Kristen, project manager for Mercy Housing California, described the project as 256 units of permanent supportive housing using factory-built modules and said the project team originally requested the removal of four trees in 2019; one tree had gone missing prior to site work, and one was found to be dead. Kristen said site access constraints—including long modular loads and required loading zones—limited alternatives for crane access and that the project will plant replacement street trees and interior courtyard plantings.
Chris Buck of the Bureau of Urban Forestry said the illegally removed Brisbane box tree on the Mission frontage had been appraised at $8,300 and that the department had vetted a replacement plan requiring three 48-inch-box trees on Mission and three 36-inch-box trees on Stevenson, with sidewalk work and protections. Buck also described vandalism to some Stevenson trees that predated the applicant’s involvement.
After deliberation the board voted to deny the appeal and to uphold the Public Works order requiring the stated replacements and conditions. The motion carried 5–0 and included a formal recommendation that the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development explore adding additional canopy in the immediate neighborhood in coordination with Mercy Housing and BUF.
