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Board approves 25 Lusk rooftop dining with sound mitigation and time limits
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Appeals granted finalization of rooftop dining at 25 Lusk on Sept. 27, 2017, conditioned on specified acoustic mitigation measures and restricted operating hours: Sunday–Thursday operations to end by 10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday by 11 p.m. DBI and planning will inspect and enforce compliance.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Sept. 27 approved the permit for a rooftop dining area at 25 Lusk, imposing sound‑mitigation measures and limits on operating hours after residents raised concerns about new types of noise from voices and music.
Alex Salter, representing neighbors who opposed the project, urged a curfew, saying the rooftop will introduce “voices…music…cackling” that could affect adjacent residences even if measured ambient levels remain roughly the same. Permit-holder counsel Tuya Catalano cited the Omni acoustical report and told the board mitigation reduces projected increases to roughly 1 decibel at property lines — far below the Police Code’s 8‑decibel allowance. Catalano said the project’s Exhibit B mitigation package includes a barrier wall, absorptive panels, a retractable canopy, speaker orientation limits and a limiter device.
Planning staff and the permit holder said the revised plans and added acoustic measures meet applicable code standards and the department’s preservation goals for limited visibility of rooftop structures. Business groups including the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and the South of Market Business Association urged the board to approve the permit, arguing the proposal is compatible with neighborhood commercial use and is necessary to sustain local restaurants.
After several amended motions over operating-hours language, the board approved a motion to grant the appeal and condition the permit on the acoustic mitigation listed in the permit-holder’s brief (Exhibit B) and revised plans (Exhibit C). The final conditions require that all operations end by 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The motion passed 4–0–1 with Commissioner Wilson absent.
DBI and Planning will review compliance at final inspection and may require additional corrections or issue enforcement actions if code violations are found. The board recorded the decision and closed the item.
