Board declines to overturn 95 Nordoff tree permit after developer offers to move tree

The San Francisco Board of Appeals on Aug. 17 considered an appeal by Judith Tick and Stephen Gans challenging a Feb. 22, 2016, tree‑removal permit for the property at 95 Nordoff Street.

During the hearing the permit holder said the original permit had allowed cutting the tree but that, after public concerns, the permit holder pursued alternatives to preserve the tree. Jim Keith for Nordoff LLC told the board they had “interviewed numerous tree movers until we found what we believe to be the preeminent tree mover in the country” and offered to relocate the tree to several nearby addresses or to the street realm on Nordoff if the board provided direction.

Appellants reiterated they had not engaged in substantive discussions with the permit holder during the months since the matter was first heard. One appellant representative told the board there had been “absolutely no communication or no effort to talk about this alternative plan” and stressed concerns that permitting a move could set a precedent affecting the protection of significant public trees.

In deliberations Commissioner Rick Swig moved to grant the appeal and deny the permit, arguing the tree relocation “would significantly change the character of the neighborhood.” The motion failed after the board recorded two votes in favor and three against or unwilling to support the motion. With no further motions, the permit was upheld by default.

The board did not record additional conditions or directed staff follow‑up on this permit during the meeting; the parties had discussed alternative locations earlier in the hearing and the department staff indicated any relocation plan would require additional review and appropriate approvals from planning and building departments.

What happens next: the board did not adopt alternate terms or remand the permit at the hearing, so the permit stands as issued unless further procedural steps are filed outside this meeting.