Led by a prominent retired San Francisco politician and judge, a group of religious institutions and schools along Brotherhood Way near San Francisco State University are challenging a development project that would convert a de facto park into 182 units of housing.

Quentin L. Kopp — a former San Francisco supervisor and state senator who was a San Mateo County Superior Court judge until his 2004 retirement — has tried and failed to persuade city officials to halt Ron Zeff’s bid to convert open space at 800 Brotherhood Way near the Parkmerced development into housing. Now he said he will try again, citing technicalities in city zoning law.

At a Jan. 9 hearing, the Board of Appeals rejected Kopp’s appeal. Kopp also is challenging that hearing, claiming that the absence of the board’s president and the members’ refusal to say whether they read Kopp’s appeal mean a re-hearing is required.

Since the Brotherhood Way development was approved prior to the massive Parkmerced project’s approval — in which nearly 8,900 units of housing will be added to the area — the development also needs another environmental impact report, Kopp claims.

The Board of Appeals will decide Wednesday whether to hear Kopp’s appeal again.

croberts@sfexaminer.com