Board upholds Zoning Administrator’s variance for addition at 2825 Lake Street after heated public hearing

The San Francisco Board of Appeals on March 25 upheld the Zoning Administrator’s decision to grant a rear‑yard variance for an addition and third‑floor work at 2825 Lake Street after hearing extensive public comment from neighbors opposed and supporters in favor.

Neighbors argued the Zoning Administrator erred and that the applicants had not demonstrated hardship not self‑imposed, asserting the variance would materially injure adjacent properties and alter mid‑block open space. "There exist no severe restrictions or alternate expansions ... No alternative approach ... has ever been explored," appellant Jim Kessler told the board. Opponents also questioned whether the property truly qualifies as a historic resource and said a frontal expansion was not fully explored.

Project attorneys and architects argued the building is sited toward the rear of an irregular lot and that preservation constraints and the property’s configuration constrained frontal expansion, leaving rear encroachment as the viable option. Planning staff (Scott Sanchez) told the board that preservation staff identified the property as a contributor to a potential Seacliff historic district and that the sponsor reduced second‑ and third‑story encroachments in revised plans; staff found the reduced proposal supportable.

Commissioner Fung moved to overrule the Zoning Administrator on the basis that findings 1–3 were not met; that motion failed on a 1‑to‑2 vote. With the motion to overturn defeated, the board thereby upheld the ZA’s grant of the variance. Commissioners Lazarus and Honda voted to uphold the ZA; Commissioner Fung voted to overturn.