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Board sides with Planning Department, upholds revocation request for Mission‑Street facade work
Summary
After hours of testimony and public comment on cultural importance, the Board of Appeals denied the appeal by the property owner and upheld Planning’s revocation request, finding the permit holder exceeded the scope of prior approvals for the former Cine Latino/Crown Theatre facade and directing other city departments to monitor related health and safety concerns.
The Board of Appeals on Feb. 6 denied an appeal by the owner of the former Cine Latino (Crown Theatre) at 2551 Mission Street and upheld Planning’s request to revoke a set of permits issued for work on the building.
Planning staff told the board the property owner exceeded the scope of prior authorizations and that the work included demolition of façade components tied to a survey‑identified historic resource; staff said that, because of the exceedance, the project needs new entitlements and possibly a conditional‑use authorization. Planning said they would work with DBI to avoid unnecessary duplication of inspections but that the change in scope requires public review.
Appellant counsel Mark Meyer argued the owner relied on permits, invested substantial sums and that revoking permits is an excessive remedy; he said the owner is willing to restore the façade as required. Dozens of community members and neighborhood organizations, including United to Save the Mission and the Mission Economic Development Agency, urged the board to uphold Planning’s revocation request and stressed the cultural and historic value of the theater façade. Speakers described the loss of historic fabric as community harm and called for restoration or stronger enforcement.
After deliberation the board concluded Planning’s revocation request was not an abuse of discretion because the permit holder exceeded the approved scope. The motion to deny the appeal and uphold the revocation carried with the commissioners present voting to affirm Planning’s action. The board asked Planning to notify other city departments about potential health and safety issues associated with the site and to prioritize remedial steps.
