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Board approves 1712 Castro roof‑deck permit with transparent glass‑railing condition
Summary
After neighbors appealed, the Board of Appeals approved a site permit for a 226‑square‑foot roof deck at 1712 Castro St., conditioning the approval on a transparent glass railing and design concessions intended to reduce light and privacy impacts; the vote was 4‑0.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals approved a site permit Jan. 18 for a 226‑square‑foot roof deck at 1712 Castro Street, granting final authorization with a condition that the deck use a transparent glass railing to reduce visual and light impacts on the adjacent property.
Appellants described privacy, noise and lighting concerns, and asserted some unpermitted work occurred during construction. Bill Whetstone, speaking for neighbors, said the proposed deck would look directly into their bedrooms and rear yards and questioned whether the permit notifications were properly received. Whetstone’s brief also alleges prior construction without permit and cited a notice of violation that had been issued.
Permit holders Vin Bhaskar and Nora Sheriff said they followed permitting procedures after discovering a misinterpretation of the process, reduced the deck’s footprint as a concession to neighbors, and proposed transparent glass railings and careful lighting to limit intrusion. Architect Andy Rogers said the deck accesses the roof through a spiral stair and hatch and that similar decks exist in the neighborhood.
Scott Sanchez of the Planning Department explained that the property is in an RH2 zoning district and detailed the permit history: the roof‑deck permit was submitted in 2014, reviewed and issued, and the department followed its 10‑day notice practice for noncompliant portions; Planning noted the permit is subject to de novo review. DBI Inspector Joe Duffy said the department did receive complaints in mid‑2016, issued a notice of violation and that the work was removed and the complaint closed.
After discussion that weighed privacy impacts, unpermitted work that had been corrected, and code compliance, the vice president moved to approve the permit and to condition it on a transparent glass railing to lessen light and visibility impacts. The motion to issue the permit with that condition carried unanimously, 4‑0.
