Board accepts late appeal after appellant says notice went to wrong address

The Building Standards Appeals Board voted to accept a late appeal from Marie Shelly Porter, who told the panel the notice was delivered to an incorrect address and that work travel kept her from filing within the 15-day deadline.

Porter, who identified herself as a Fresno resident and a registered nurse working in San Francisco, said she received and submitted the appeal after returning to town on Jan. 28, 2026, after a business trip and because the mailed notice had initially been routed to the wrong address. "I am appealing for good cause," Porter said, explaining the delay.

City staff and the board confined this portion of the meeting to whether good cause existed to accept the late filing rather than adjudicating the underlying violations. Assistant City Attorney Christina Roberson clarified the hearing’s narrow scope, saying this session was only to determine whether to accept the late appeal; a separate hearing on the merits would follow if the appeal is accepted.

Board members said the evidence Porter offered — the misdelivered notice and her travel for work — adequately supported a finding of good cause. After discussion, a motion to accept the late appeal was made and approved by the board; the chair asked Porter to coordinate with city staff to resolve outstanding questions in advance of any follow-up hearing.

The board did not make findings on the underlying code violations during this vote. Next steps include coordinating with staff to set the scope and timing for the substantive hearing on the underlying citation.