Board overturns Planning Commission and grants permit to merge units for family use, with condition to preserve reconversion potential

The board overturned a Planning Commission denial and granted a permit that would allow internal connections among three ninth-floor units at Hills Plaza (75 Folsom) so the owner can more easily house family, while directing conditions to preserve the option to reconvert the spaces in the future.

Scott Sanchez of the Planning Department told the board the application met only two of the five criteria the Planning Commission uses for dwelling-unit mergers and that permitting the merger would reduce the legal dwelling-unit count from 67 to 65 because it removes cooking facilities from one unit. “The numbers are not in favor of this project,” Sanchez said, citing the Planning Commission’s 5–2 denial.

Appellant representatives and family members described the proposal’s human dimension. Jonathan Olsen, the applicant’s grandson, said family members frequently sleep at his grandmother’s unit and that internal access would keep them from entering public hallways late at night. Appellant counsel argued that utilities could be retained so the configuration could be restored later.

Several commissioners said they were persuaded by the absence of displacement and by the family-housing argument, provided the board could preserve the ability to return the building to separate units later. Commissioners discussed retaining utilities or at least two kitchens so future reconversion would be feasible. President Garcia moved to overturn the Planning Commission’s denial and grant the permit; the board voted 3–0 and directed that findings and any revised plans be prepared for later adoption.