Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Board grants Chai Cart a six‑month conditional permit after debate over 'like foods' and sidewalk congestion
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Appeals overturned a DPW denial and issued a six‑month conditional permit for a 7x5-foot Chai Cart at 79 New Montgomery, finding the cart’s product and a temporary trial period justify review of congestion impacts. The vote was 4‑0.
The San Francisco Board of Appeals on April 10 granted a six‑month conditional mobile‑food permit to the operator of the Chai Cart at 79 New Montgomery Street, overturning a Department of Public Works denial that had cited nearby “like foods” and sidewalk congestion.
Pavan Kothari, the cart owner, told the board his operation serves a single item — an Indian chai prepared “from scratch” using a black tea and fresh spices — and that each sale takes only seconds. “We only sell chai; we prepare it at a commissary and pour it out in a cup and hand it to the customer,” Kothari said, arguing his product is not the same as a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
