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Board upholds shoring permit at 3751–3753 Twentieth Street, denies neighbor delay request
Summary
The Board of Appeals denied an appeal by a rear‑yard neighbor seeking a 4–5 month delay for shoring work at 3751–3753 Twentieth Street, finding DBI and special inspections will provide monitoring and that the shoring plan meets department standards.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on May 8 denied an appeal by Ingrid Eggers seeking a multi‑month delay of shoring work at 3751–3753 Twentieth Street, ruling that the Department of Building Inspection’s permit and the shoring plan had been appropriately vetted and that standard monitoring and special inspection requirements provide safety protections.
Eggers, who lives in a rear yard cottage adjacent to the project, told commissioners she feared severe disruption to her home, potential structural damage, health effects from lengthy construction, and loss of Airbnb income. She asked for four to five months to recruit an independent engineer to review the shoring plans.
Permit holder Justin McBain said the shoring plan was designed by Ben Lai, a shoring engineer with decades of experience, to provide conservative lateral support and that experienced contractors (Ken Block, At A Garage) with Cal‑OSHA permits would perform the work. DBI Inspector Joe Duffy described the special‑inspection regime, including third‑party soils‑engineer observation of hand‑dug piers and on‑site inspection sequences that must be followed.
Commissioners questioned the expected timeline and monitoring procedures. Staff said monitoring is required and that inspector and special‑inspection reports are standard and critical for deep excavations. After discussion Commissioner Daryl Honda moved to deny the appeal and uphold the shoring permit; the board approved the motion 4‑0.
DBI emphasized that neighbors may hire private consultants if they wish but that the department’s plan, sequencing and on‑site inspections are typical protections for the work described.
