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San Francisco residents urge board to enforce repairs after restaurant smoke sickens neighbors
Summary
A resident told the Board of Appeals that smoke and odor from a nearby restaurant have made dozens of units uninhabitable; he said required permit work and equipment have not been completed months after a formal enforcement decision and asked the city to hold the business accountable.
Rudy Petricki, a resident at 55 Page Street and member of his building’s homeowners association, told the San Francisco Board of Appeals on Oct. 16 that smoke and odor from Espotus Steakhouse have repeatedly invaded his building, causing residents to lose access to fresh air and, in some cases, to move out.
"Our eyes are burning from just sitting in our living room," Petricki said during the public-comment portion of the hearing, estimating that 40 to 50 units in his 128-unit building are affected. He said the restaurant has been on formal notice of violation since March 2018 and that, despite a board decision requiring improvements and a 12-week timeline tied to penalties, the permit was not issued and work has not begun more than five months later.
Petricki asked the board and staff what steps would compel the restaurant and property owner to comply and said neighbors believe the permit applicant and building owner are "slow-rolling" responses to permitting requests. He said permit applications were incomplete and that the incentive structure — fines that begin 12 weeks after permit issuance — is being used to delay compliance.
Julie Rosenberg, the board’s executive director, and Scott Sanchez of the Planning Department were mentioned during public comment as staff who had been responsive to neighbors’ inquiries. The meeting record shows no formal motion from the board at the Oct. 16 session to reopen enforcement on the Espotus matter.
The complaint joins longstanding disputes over smoke and emissions in dense residential neighborhoods, where residents and property owners often disagree about the pace and scope of required remediation. Petricki asked the Board of Appeals to revisit the prior enforcement outcome and urged city departments to use existing enforcement tools to prevent further health impacts on tenants.
The board did not take formal action on the Espotus complaint at the Oct. 16 meeting; staff noted the appropriate channels for follow-up and the public was advised to contact 311 or board staff for case assistance.
