This Week At The Planning Commission: New Construction On 27th St

A look at Noe Valley projects in front of the Planning Commission this week. Information is provided by the Planning Commission, and taken from its published agenda. All hearings are on Thursday at 1:30pm, Room 400 in City Hall.

May 22, 2014

456 27TH STREET – on the north side of 27th Street between Noe and Sanchez streets; Lot 018 in Assessor’s Block 6580 - Mandatory Discretionary Review, pursuant to Planning Code Section 317(d), of Demolition Permit Application No. 2013.03.11.1908, proposing to demolish a one-story, single-family dwelling in a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District. This action constitutes the Approval Action for the project for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to Section 31.04(h) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.

And:

...to construct a three-story, two-family dwelling in a RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) Zoning District and 40-X Height and Bulk District.

Staff Analysis: Full Discretionary Review
Preliminary Recommendation: Do Not Take Discretionary Review and Approve

Purchased in 2012 and occupied by the Project Sponsor since, 456 27th St is a 958sf one bedroom single family home without parking. Appraised at $1.31M in February, the building qualifies for demolition in part because it is not considered affordable housing. The proposed project will include two units - a ground floor 923sf 2BD/1BA and two-car tandem garage, and a 2623sf 3BD/2.5BA unit above.

The Project Sponsor met many times with neighbors and made changes to gain their support.

Primary opposition to the project is from Lorna Murdock, who also represents fellow tenants and owner of the 6 unit apartment building next door. She writes:

I live in 462 27th Street, Apartment 6, San Francisco, 94131. The new building as currently drawn would obstruct my only source of natural light in my living room, which is the southeastern exposure I get from sunrise to sunset through the window off of my building’s courtyard/garage. All other units in 462 27" Street would suffer similarly from the lack of natural light.

Planning Staff have concluded that the existing units will still receive sufficient light. They will lose their views, however.

Update (5/27): The project was approved 6-0 by the Planning Commission as "sensible and sensitive" infill and "well within the Residential Design Guidlines. Video of the hearing here.

[SF Planning: 456 27th St (PDF)]
[Photo: SF Planning]

Sold: 1266-1270 Dolores St

Another sign that Noe Valley real estate is hot hot hot: we learned today via Downing & Co that the condos at 1266, 1268 and 1270 Dolores St sold in September. Over asking, and in spite of a lengthy battle between the neighbors, developers and the City.

1266 Dolores: 2br/2ba, asking $899,000, sold for $950,000  (+6.7%)
1268 Dolores: 2br/2ba, asking $929,000, sold for $1,055,000  (+13%)
1270 Dolores: 3br/3ba, asking $1,249,000, sold for $1,510,000  (+21%)

[NVSF: For Sale: 1260-1270 Dolores & More Than A Few Headaches]
[NVSF: 1260-1270 Dolores St: Under Fire]
[NVSF: 1266 Dolores St.]

The Lux Condos Come To Life

Now that the scaffolding is down, here are a few more details via Eileen Bermingham about The Lux apartments at 1596 Church St. From the blueprints (PDF):

• 13-car parking (including five with a "rotating parking lift") and a Church Street facing commercial space at street level. However, the 1527 sq/ft commercial space is specified as "office use only." Maybe a title company/bank/dentist will set up shop, but don't hope for a cool cafe/bar/gym.
• The second floor has three 2BD/2BA units and a outdoor courtyard (with "outdoor kitchen"). 
• The third/fourth floors have three two-level units that are 3BD/3BA with internal staircases. 

The information provided to us last November from agent Keely Ferguson says they'll be "high-end modern homes." Per Eileen, the 2nd floor units are priced at about $900k, the upper units are $1.3M-$1.6M. Expect an official opening in January 2012.

[Inside SF RE: Wraps Off: Noe’s “Luxe” Condos Closer to Market]
[NVSF: Announced: The Lux Condos On Outer Church]

1260-1270 Dolores St: Under Fire

All of the windows at 1266 Dolores have 2-3 bullet holes in them. Random street gang target practice or have neighbors taken their disagreements to a new level? Besides taking sniper fire, there's been some more activity according to a neighbor's blog:

In November the builder began working on the second building again laying down the floors and breaking up and laying down the sidewalk, and cleaning up and putting in a yard which all look nice but if you really look closely there are bubbles in the wood and the first building has been exposed to the elements for so long that the wood is rotting and peeling away from the building. You can see it from the back side of the buildings.
...
Is this the kind of builder we want in San Francisco? Would you want to buy a new home from these guys?

There have also been 5 new complaints at the Planning Department:

12/29/08: Unsafe bldg.
01/23/09: Installed gas fireplace w/o permit; Installed fire sprinkler w/o permit; Installed 3 gas fireplace without permit; Installed fire sprinkler w/o permit.

All previous violations are still outstanding.

[NVSF: For Sale: 1260-1270 Dolores & More Than A Few Headaches]
[NVSF: 1266 Dolores St.]
[NoeValleyNeighbors]

For Sale: 1260-1270 Dolores & More Than A Few Headaches

The website declares:

Located on this highly desirable palm tree lined street, you'll find the perfect homecoming for elegant and contemporary living with magnificent bay and hillside views. Perfectly located Noe Valley condominium units with walk-out balconies and landscaped areas.

But the MLS listing (May 9, 2007) says:

Contstruction site - owner/builder must be present at showings ... Do not enter construction site without an appointment and authorization!

Nothing has changed there. Check out what we've found since we last looked at this property:

August 29, 2007 - Board of Appeals

Appealing a Notice of Violation dated June 1, 2007, addressed to Dolores Street Holdings LLC, regarding the unauthorized demolition of a previously existing (non-complying) one-story rear addition at the subject property.

September 12, 2007 - Board of Appeals

Appealing a Notice of Violation dated June 1, 2007...

October 24, 2007 - Planning Dept - Appeal for Zoning Variance

2007.1102V: 1266B DOLORES STREET on the west side of Dolores Street, between Clipper and 26th Streets; Lot 051 in Assessor’s Block 3557 in an RM-2 (Residential, Mixed, Moderate Density) Zoning District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.

REAR YARD VARIANCE: The proposal would reconstruct a nonconforming two-story rear portion of the building demolished during remodeling. The demolished rear portion of the building extended into the legally required rear yard and was originally intended to remain but was inadvertently demolished.

Section 134 of the Planning Code requires a rear yard of 22 feet where a rear yard of 3.5 feet is proposed.

January 30, 2008 - Board of Appeals

Appealing the denial on Nov. 9, 2007, of Rear Yard Variance (reconstruct a non-conforming two-story rear portion of the building which was demolished during remodeling).

February 20, 2008 - Board of Appeals

REHEARING REQUEST: Subject property at 1266B Dolores Street. Letter from Lu Blazej, agent for Dolores Street Holdings LLC, appellant, requesting rehearing of Appeal No. V07-214, decided Jan. 30, 2008. At that time, upon motion by Commissioner Knox, the Board voted 5-0 to uphold the denial of the subject variance.

February 21, 2008 - Planning Commission

Board of Appeals report: Rehearing request for 1266b. Dolores Street. The Board found that there was no new information.

Minutes aren't available for the Board of Appeals from August 1, 2007 and April 16, 2008, but it's clear from all the appeals that the developer wasn't getting the answer he wanted. But what happened then? There's no other record, and the Notice of Violation is still active.

Which? Sucks for them. At least one of the buildings is still open to the rain, but they have (finally!) repaired the sidewalk and cleaned up the curb.

Neighbors of the construction have a two-post blog last updated a year ago that's worth a read. This project seems to have run into more than just NIMBY-ism:

I think many of us are frustrated with the developer's seemingly good luck in getting everything he has wanted so far. He has bullied, verbally abused, ignored city regulations and Notices of Violation and then to hear his lawyer state that any stop work orders have caused an undue hardship on the developer insinuating that the city and neighbor's are causing him to lose money when in reality it is his own doing. When you cut corners and get caught... who's fault is that - perhaps not cutting corner's in building these two monstrosities in the first place would have been prudent.

And you gotta love this great quote from the same blog:

This is about ethics, breaking the law and as both the developer and project manager have said "We can do what ever the "bleep" we want to and there is nothing you can do about it."

Should be an interesting disclosure packet. Again, from the above blog post:

Buyer Beware. The workmanship is low-end, the price per apartment is high and and the developer is shortcutting to get his way.

We've tried contacting the seller but haven't heard back. Perhaps he'll comment here.


[NVSF: 1266 Dolores St.]
[NoeValleyNeighbors: Version 1, Version 2]
[Official Site: 1260-1270 Dolores St]

1266 Dolores St.

Most development in Noe Valley seems to begin and finish very quickly. But for almost a year, construction at 1266 Dolores St (actually two buildings) has been halted. We're trying to figure out what's going on. Here's what we've found at the DBI's website:

Permit #200508261391 issued on 3/3/06 to "ERECT ONE 4-STORY, TYPE 5, 3 FAMILY DWELLING UNITS, RESIDENTIAL BUILDING. Cost: $825,000.00"

Various complaints since then:

May 23, 2006: "Filthy job site, dust and dirt everywhere. 2 inch thick, over 40ft long. Needs to be cleaned." Status: abated.

May 24, 2006: "Deep excavation less than 5 ft. going on and the excavation company doing the work has no license. There is a ccident happen plywood blew out into sidewalk and the old lady was seriously injured. Please check ASAP." Status: abated.

August 2, 2006: "Demolition not remodeling, and a bar can hit someone if it'll be to windy." Status: abated.

November 22, 2006: "Work w/out a permit; unsafe bldg." Status: First Notice of Violation Sent (NOV) 11/22.

March 9, 2007: "THE WORK AT 1266-B DOLORES STREET HAS EXCEEDED THE SCOPE OF DEMOLITION AT REAR 25' FT." Status: open.

March 27, 2007: "NEW CONSTRUCTION HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY AT 1272 DOLORES ST." Status: open.

April 24, 2007: "TWO BUILDINGS ARE POSSIBLY TRANSGRESSING THE HEIGHT LIMITS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD - PA #200508261391." Status: Referred to Senior Building Inspector.

October 3, 2007: "Additional complaint from Larry Badiner (City Planning) and Mr. Fallman neighbor - Mr. Mather [Ed - Inspector] is preforming complaint investigate re-additional work to rear building." Status: NOV issued.

October 16, 2007: "Additional complaint from Larry Badiner, City Planning and Mr. Fallman neighbor - Mr. Mather is prefoming complaint investigate re-additional work to rear building." Status: followed up, no work performed, abated.

All that to say that the project has been stopped for 13 months. The back of the light-colored building on the right has been open to the elements the whole time, no work has been performed. Oh - and the market may have crashed. The developer can't be happy about any of this.

Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of this project? Is there other information we can't find? Is this a case of an angry neighbor, a "rogue" developer, a planning snafu or a combination of any of these factors?

This Week at the Planning Commission

A weekly look at Noe Valley projects in front of the Planning Commission. Information is provided by the Planning Commission, and taken from its published agenda. All hearings begin at 1:30pm, Room 400 in City Hall.

September 18, 2008

Empty lot at 497 Valley St

497 VALLEY STREET - on the southeast corner of Valley and Castro Streets;Lot 030 in Assessor’s Block 6621 - Requests for Discretionary Review of Building Permit Application No. 2007.01.10.1441, proposing to construct a new three-story over basement, single-family dwelling in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.

Preliminary Recommendation: Take Discretionary Review and approve the project with modifications.