Planning Commission approves a string of conditional-use applications across San Francisco neighborhoods

At its Sept. 4 meeting the Planning Commission approved several conditional-use requests across neighborhood commercial districts.

In West Portal the Commission approved a request to allow a 960-square-foot full-service frozen-yogurt restaurant (2 d Melon) to operate with dine-in seating and reusable glassware; staff noted no exterior changes were proposed and recommended conditions and outreach to the neighborhood after questions about future morphing of services. "We will be looking at them closely to make sure that they continue" to operate as a full-service restaurant, a staff attorney said when commissioners discussed takeout versus sit-down operations.

In SoMa, a conversion of an existing large fast-food formula-retail location to a Subway at 804 Bryant Street was approved with conditions and with letters of support from nearby institutional employers; the Planning Department found the conversion consistent with Service Light Industrial district intentions and recommended approval.

In North Beach, the Commission approved a ground-floor real-estate office at 805 Columbus Avenue after staff concluded the long-vacant space and unique lot configuration made a real-estate use appropriate; staff and neighbors discussed activation and the difficulty of parkable storefronts along that triangular block. The sponsor documented outreach and market attempts for other tenants.

Votes on each item were recorded by roll call; each project will proceed to permit review with the conditions noted in staff reports.