Board grants appeal on Quint Street deck, conditions permit on 6-foot lattice screening

The San Francisco Board of Appeals voted Dec. 6 to grant an appeal of an alteration permit for a rear deck at 1968 Quint Street but conditioned the permit on the installation of a privacy lattice on the side facing the neighboring property.

Appellants Allen and Pei Yifeng, represented by John Chow and speaking through their son Patrick Fung, told the board the deck would intrude on their privacy and cast shadows onto their property. Patrick Fung said the family’s health and privacy had been harmed during the permit process and asked the board to either deny the permit or require changes “so both parties and both families can enjoy their properties and their homes.”

Respondent counsel Steve Williams and project representatives said the addition is a modest, code-compliant deck typical in the neighborhood and that the deck extends 6 feet, 6 inches on the side facing the appellants. Planning staff (Scott Sanchez) and the Department of Building Inspection (Inspector Joe Duffy) reported the project appeared compliant with the applicable codes; DBI noted the work that remained (plumbing/electrical) was not part of the appealed carpentry work and that enforcement had stopped active carpentry.

Commissioners pressed for compromise. Vice President Fung moved to grant the appeal but condition the permit on the provision of a lattice above the guardrail on the appellant-facing side, reaching a total height of 6 feet above the deck surface, to mitigate privacy concerns. The motion noted that the guardrail itself must comply with code (42 inches) and the lattice would extend above it. The board approved the motion by voice vote; the clerk recorded the motion as passing 4–0.

The board’s order resolves the appeal by issuing the permit with the screening condition; the permit holder may pursue required final approvals and must implement the lattice screening as a condition of the permit.