Skip to Content
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Streetsblog San Francisco home
Log In

Will the Board of Supervisors Betray the Market/Octavia Plan on Tuesday?

marketoctaviacorner.jpgThe Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will hear an appeal against more parking in Market/Octavia area.

After nearly ten years of community planning and a rigorous review process that resulted in a model community plan encouraging transit-oriented development, density, and strategic parking limits, a developer in the Market and Octavia Neighborhood Plan (PDF) area has asked for a special exception to the parking limit so they can sell condos to mostly wealthy people. 

Sound ridiculous?  Not to the Planning Commission, which unanimously supported the developer's request for a conditional use (CU) variance at 299 Valencia Street in November of 2008.  In response, the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA), Livable City, the Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition, and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition have appealed the Planning Department's decision.

From the HVNA appeal (PDF):

Neither planning staff nor the project sponsor provided evidence thatthe CU is necessary, desirable, or compatible.  Instead, the projectsponsor explicitly stated at the Nov 6th 2008 Planning Commissionhearing that the request for a CU for increased parking was necessaryto market the new housing units to higher-end buyers. 

The Board of Supervisors will hear arguments for and against the CU tomorrow at 4pm in the Board of Supervisors auditorium at City Hall.  Readers are encouraged to attend the hearing and speak in favor of the appeal.

Photo: Planning Department

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog San Francisco

Streetsblog Honors Cesar Chavez Day

Streetsblog Los Angeles, Streetsblog San Francisco, and Streetsblog California are off today to recognize Cesar Chavez Day. We will return to normal publication tomorrow.

March 31, 2025

Two Marin News Items: One Bike Lane Saved, Another Needs Built

Saved at least for now. Two big stories from Marin (and Richmond!)

March 28, 2025

Commentary: It’s Nice Not to Worry About the Rising Costs of Cars

Don't you wish you didn't have to think so much about tariffs and what it's going to do to the cost of car ownership?

March 28, 2025
See all posts