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Appeal over 2650–2652 High Street continued to allow site visits after neighbors raise safety, historic and serial‑permitting concerns
Summary
Neighbors and an architect alleged inaccurate plans, unpermitted demolition, and potential unsafe excavation at 2650–2652 High Street; DBI and Planning staff said the contested foundation revision underwent review and the garage application is on hold. The board continued the matter to May 13 to permit site visits and further review.
Neighbors and property‑owners opposing work at 2650–2652 High Street urged the Board of Appeals to revoke a permit and force the owner to consolidate multiple permit applications into a single, accurate filing that protects a historic Victorian building and a street tree.
Edgar Brinkett, an adjacent neighbor, and other appellants said the owners submitted inaccurate plans, demolished parts of the façade without a permit and excavated a basement area beyond the scope of what neighbors expected. Architect Joe Butler, representing the appellants, told the board the project drawings showed inconsistencies and that some field work appeared to have occurred without adequate plan review. "This is a registered historic, Victorian building built in 1902," Butler said, urging the board to insist on a single accurate permit and an engineer of record.
The property representative, Mr. Pollard, and owner representatives told the board the current permit is a structural upgrade to the foundation and that other applications (including a garage) are separate and under planning review. DBI senior inspector Joe Duffy and Planning staff Scott Sanchez said the revision under appeal had been reviewed by plan check and by a structural reviewer; Planning staff said the garage application is on hold pending additional materials and would include the street tree and historic‑resource review.
Given the factual disagreement between neighbors and departments over what exists on site and whether excavation is underway, Commissioner Kendall Goh moved for a short continuance to allow individual site visits and additional fact‑finding. The board agreed to continue the matter to May 13 to allow site visits and further review; the motion passed 4–0. The board noted that many of the appellant concerns (rear stairs, tree, garage) will be addressed in separate planning and variance reviews for the garage application.
