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Planning Commission approves reconfiguration at 104–106 Ninth Avenue to keep a family in the city
Summary
The Commission voted 4–2 not to take discretionary review and to approve a staff‑initiated reconfiguration at 104–106 Ninth Avenue, allowing the owners to combine and adapt units to house extended family while staff and commissioners noted merger-review criteria ambiguities.
The Planning Commission voted to approve a reconfiguration of 104–106 Ninth Avenue that will alter unit sizes and reconfigure the building to better accommodate a family whose members intend to live together. Staff had recommended discretionary review because the new unit size fell below a standard threshold used under the dwelling-unit merger criteria, but commissioners debated countervailing public-interest considerations.
Applicant Charisse Rathley and her husband described the project as enabling them to remain in San Francisco and provide accessible space for an elderly family member. Staff noted the project did not meet a majority of the five merger criteria and had initially recommended disapproval; several commissioners argued the reconfiguration would help keep families in the city and that the surrounding block’s predominant character favored single-family use. Commissioner Antonini and others urged staff to refine the merger-review guidelines for future cases.
By roll call the commission voted to not take discretionary review and to approve the reconfiguration, 4–2. Commissioners who supported the motion cited family-housing benefits and that the project would reduce vacancy and stabilize neighborhood occupancy; dissenting commissioners agreed the criteria merited stricter application. The commission asked staff to consider clarifying merger criteria and to bring recommendations in future guideline updates.
