notice of preparation of an environmental impact report...

www.sfplanning.org Revised 10/5/12

Notic e of P reparation of an E nvironmental Impac t R eport /

E nvironmental Impac t S tatement and P ublic S c oping Meetings Date: December 19, 2012 Case No.: 2010.0305E Project Title: Sunnydale-Velasco HOPE SF Master Plan Zoning: RM-1 (Low Density) 40-X Height and Bulk District Block/Lot: 6310/1, 6311/1, 6312/1, 6313/1, 6314/1, 6315/1 Lot Size: 2,127,187 square feet (48.8 acres) of lots and 209,088 square feet(4.8 acres) of public streets Project Sponsor Ramie Dare, Sunnydale Development Co., LLC (415) 355-7118 Lead Agency: San Francisco Planning Department Staff Contact: Nannie Turrell – (415) 575-9047 [email protected]

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The San Francisco HOPE SF Program, a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Housing and the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA), proposes to redevelop the Sunnydale and Velasco Public Housing Developments as a part of its program to revitalize distressed public housing developments in San Francisco. The program—which also includes the Hunters View, Potrero Terrace and Potrero Annex, Westside Courts, and Alice Griffith public housing developments—proposes to rebuild every housing unit, provide homes for current residents, and add new housing at different income levels. HOPE SF plans to redesign these communities with new buildings, streets, parks, and landscaping. Sunnydale Development Co., LLC, comprising co-developers Mercy Housing California and The Related Companies of California, is the developer and project applicant.

Constructed in 1941 and 1963, respectively, the Sunnydale and Velasco Public Housing Developments together comprise the largest public housing community in the City of San Francisco. The current housing at the project site consists of 785 dwelling units in 94 buildings. The 785 replacement units would remain affordable housing, subsidized by the San Francisco Housing Authority but under management by and the ownership of the project sponsor or related entities. An additional 915 units would comprise 24 percent affordable housing and 76 percent market-rate housing. The project would be built in three major phases.

Project Si te The project site is located in the Visitacion Valley area of San Francisco (see Figure 1). The project site, bounded by Hahn Street on the east, Velasco Avenue on the south, and McLaren Park to the north and

http://www.sfplanning.org/�

Velasco Ave

Blythdale Ave

Geneva Ave

Hahn

St

Sant

os S

t Saw

yer S

tAr

gona

ut A

ve

Sunnydale Ave

Mansell St

Sunnydale Ave

Bays

hore

Blvd

Tunnel Ave

Visitacion AveBrookdale Ave

GLENEAGLESINTERNATIONALGOLF COURSE

McLAREN PARK

San FranciscoSan Mateo County

0016315

0016314

0016313 001

6312

0016311

002

McLARENEARLY

EDUCATIONSCHOOL

McLARENPARK

McLAREN PARK/GLENEAGLES

GOLF COURSE

HERZPLAYGROUND

6316 0016310

0026220

Sant

os S

t

Brookdale Ave

Blythdale Ave

Velasco Ave

Hahn

St

Sunnydale Ave

2010.0305E: Sunnydale-Velasco HOPE SF Redevelopment Project . 210039Figure 1

Project LocationSOURCE: ESA

0 500

Feet

0 1000

Feet

Project Site

Lot Number

Assessor’s Block

001

6310

P a c i f i c

O c e a n

S a n F r a n c i s c o B

ay

101

101

280

80

1

S a nF r a n c i s c o

Project Site

Notice of Preparation of an EIR December 19, 2012

Revised 10/5/12

3

Case No. 2010.0305E Sunnydale-Velasco HOPE SF Master Plan

west, includes Assessor’s Blocks 6310-Lot 1, Block 6311-Lot 1, Block 6312-Lot 1, Block 6313-Lot 1, Block 6314-Lot 1, and Block 6315-Lot 1. The site is within the RM-1 Residential, Mixed District, Low Density (one unit per 800 square feet of lot area principally permitted), and 40-X height and bulk district (40-foot-high maximum height, no bulk limits). The 2,127,187-square-foot (approximately 50-acre) project site slopes down from west (Brookdale Avenue) to east (Hahn Street), at slopes ranging from 15.5 percent at its highest and steepest point to a 2-percent slope at the lower elevations. The average grade change is 9 percent. Elevations range from 250 feet at the western edge of the site to 75 feet at the southeastern corner. The topography allows for sweeping views to the south and to the east toward the San Francisco Bay.

Project Setting The surrounding neighborhood to the south and east is primarily zoned RH-1 (Residential House, one dwelling unit per lot), with one block (6320) zoned RH-2 (Residential House, two dwellings per lot) and several parcels zoned NC-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) to the east on Hahn Street. McLaren Park, to the north and west of the project site, is zoned P (Public Use).

The project site is adjacent to Gleneagles International Golf Course on the north. The golf course is a part of John McLaren Park, which occupies 317 acres and includes Herz Playground, Coffman Pool, and an assortment of playgrounds, athletic fields, tennis and basketball courts, as well as an outdoor amphitheatre, trails, open meadows, a lake and a reservoir.1 Another open space near the project site is Crocker Amazon Playground, which is to the west of the project site and includes play areas as well as athletic fields, tennis and basketball courts, a skateboard park, community garden and recreation center.2

The Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard Phase II Development Plan Project, located about two miles to the east of the project site, is approved for a mix of residential and commercial uses.

The project site is adjacent to residential neighborhoods to the south and east.

The Visitacion Valley Redevelopment Program area includes 46 acres extending on both sides of Bayshore Boulevard roughly between Sunnydale Avenue and Blanken Avenue in the center of the Visitacion Valley neighborhood approximately one mile to the east of the project site. This project includes the reuse of the vacant Schlage Lock property along the east side of Bayshore Boulevard and revitalization of the Leland Avenue commercial corridor.3

The Executive Park Special Use District (SUD) is planned for the approximately 70-acre area between Candlestick Point and Highway 101 to the east of the project site. This new SUD would accommodate a

The Visitacion Valley Redevelopment Program envisions a mix of residential and commercial uses in the project area.

1 Welcome to McLaren Park. Features of McLaren Park, http://www.jennalex.com/projects/fomp/homepage/index.html, accessed

July 18, 2010. 2 San Francisco Neighborhood Parks Council. Crocker Amazon Park History, http://www.sfnpc.org/crockeramazonpghistory,

accessed July 18, 2010. 3 San Francisco Planning Department. Visitacion Valley Redevelopment Program Draft Environmental Impact Report, June 3,

2008, available online at http://sf-planning.org/ftp/files/mea/2006.1308E_VisValley_DEIR_Pt1.pdf

http://www.jennalex.com/projects/fomp/homepage/index.html�

http://www.sfnpc.org/crockeramazonpghistory�


Revised 10/5/12

4


transition from predominantly office use to mixed use/predominantly residential use with an overall goal to create a vibrant, urban, pedestrian oriented neighborhood characterized by publicly accessible streets.4

Project Characteristics

The project sponsor proposes to demolish the existing buildings, including 785 family and senior dwelling units, at the Sunnydale and Velasco public housing complexes in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood, and to build replacement and new housing, new infrastructure, open space and community amenities. Highlights of the plan include:

• Up to 1,700 units of housing, including one-for-one public housing replacement units, affordable rental units and market rate and affordable for-sale units;

• Up to 72,500 square feet of community service, recreational and educational facilities; • 11.5 acres of new parks and open spaces, including a community garden, a farmer’s market

pavilion and secure outdoor courtyards within residential buildings; • 12.2 acres of a new and reconfigured street network potentially including “green” features

including bioswales and landscaping; and • Up to 16,200 square feet of neighborhood-serving retail.

The project sponsor intends to construct the project to LEED®

Figures 2 through 5 illustrate the proposed project plan. The project sponsor proposes to demolish and replace the existing 94 two-story residential buildings within the Sunnydale and Velasco public housing development with approximately 34 new two- to six-story buildings. The completed project would occupy approximately 2,184,560 square feet of floor area for a net increase of 1,419,668 square feet. The height of the new buildings would range from 40 to 60 feet above ground level with 18 buildings at 40 feet or less in height and 15 buildings at 50 feet in height, and one building at 60 feet in height. Thirty-three of the buildings would contain family dwelling units; the single building at 60 feet in height would contain senior housing and would have some retail and community services on the ground floor. The buildings would be a mix of the following:

(Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) ND (Neighborhood Development) standards.

• Townhouse/Rowhouse—Attached, multistory, single-family homes (15 to 30 units per acre);

• Stacked Flats—One-story apartments arranged one over the other (25 to 40 units per acre);

• Podium Building—A building with a parking garage below and residences or other uses above (40 to 50 units per acre);

• Corridor Building—An apartment building with units accessed from a central corridor (40 to 60 units per acre);

• Mixed Use—Retail or public use on ground floor with senior housing above (50 to 80 units per acre); and

4 San Francisco Planning Department. Executive Park: General Plan, Planning Code Text, and Map Amendments and Adoption

of Design Guidelines—Executive Summary, Case No. 2006.0422EMTUZ, April 21, 2011.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA | FEBRUARY 17, 2011 | MERCY HOUSING, THE RELATED COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIAA NEW SUNNYDALE |

980 u80 sp

21072 u62 sp

1172u62 sp

1262 u62 sp

1341 u30 sp

2171 u71 sp

1968 u48 sp

1774 u74 sp

1554 u48 sp

1475 u75 sp

58 u8 sp

1

20 12 u 12 sp

26 12 u 12 sp

16 12 u 12 sp

4

769 u56 sp

6 166u 150sp

8A 28u 28sp 8B 20u 20sp

28 12 u 12 sp

18 12 u 12 sp

23 14 u 14 sp

2469 u48 sp29

69 u48 sp

22B32 u21 sp

27 58 u 58 sp

3150 u50 sp

36 26 u 20 sp3534 u24 sp

3434 u24 sp

3344 u44 sp

3250 u50 sp

3150 u65 sp

22A50 u40 sp

25

30

BUILDING TYPE PLAN

PHASE UNITS 1. 521 2. 625 3. 554 Total: 1700

PARKING1437 O�-Street Parking Spaces 525 On-Street Spaces1962 Total

STACKEDFLATS

TOWNHOUSES OVER FLAT

TOWNHOUSESWITH TUCK-UNDERPARKING

LOBBY/COMMONSPACE

PARKS

1

3

2

UNIT CALCS

HOUSINGLEGEND

COMMUNITY CENTER

PAVILION

COMM. BLDG.

SENIOR BUILDINGAND RETAIL

SUNNYDALE AVE.

BLYTHEDALE AVE.

SANT

OS S

T.

BROO

KDAL

E AVE

.

U= UNITSSP= OFF STREET PARKING SPACES PER BUILDING

'D' S

TREE

T

'C' S

TREE

T

'B' S

TREE

T

'A' S

TREE

T

CENTRAL ST.

CENTRAL ST.

Sunnydale-Velasco HOPE SF Redevelopment Project . 210039Figure 2

Proposed Project -Building Type Plan

SOURCE: Van Meter Williams Pollack

0 100

Feet

SAN FRANCISCO, CA | MARCH 4, 2011 | MERCY HOUSING, THE RELATED COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIA

A NEW SUNNYDALE |

60 feet

BUILDING HEIGHTS

40 feet

50 feet

HEIGHT DIAGRAM

4 STORIES

3 STORIES 4 STORIES 3/4 STORIES

3/4 STORIES

3/4 STORIES3/4 STORIES

3 STORIES4 STORIES3 STORIES4STORIES

2 STORIES

3 STORIES

3 STORIES3 STORIES3 STORIES

4 STORIES

3 STORIES

4STORIES

3 STORIES3 STORIES3 STORIES3 STORIES3/4 STORIES

3 STORIES

2 STORIES

3 STORIES

3 STORIES

3/4 STORIES

0 100

Feet


Proposed Project -Height Diagram


SAN FRANCISCO, CA | FEBRUARY 11, 2011 | MERCY HOUSING, THE RELATED COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIAA NEW SUNNYDALE |

155

160165

145

150 130135140 110115120125

105

100

95

90

8085

9095100

95

90 85

110

110120115

110

105

100

135

130

125

120 115 115

145 140 135 130 125120165

160

155

150 145 140

160 155 150

75

95

90

85

80

100

95

90

85

80

75

75

8085

120

115

110

105

100

180 175

170

165

160

155

150

145

140135

130

125

215220

220

210

205 212 195 190 185

170175180185190195

210

200

135145150

155

160

165 90

100

96

100

101105110115120125130

75

80

90

85

150

145 140

135

130

125

120

110

224

205

200

195

190

185

180 175

170

165

160

145150155160

155

150

164170175

190

180185195

197

205

140135

130

125

120

115

110

90

95

100

105

105

120

115

110

105

160

155150

145

140

135

130

125

240235

230

225220

215

210

205

200

195190

185

210205

190

175170

165

250245

145155

160

170

165

150165

235 230 225

115120125130135100105110

SUNNYDALE AVE. SUNNYDALE AVE.SUNNYDALE AVE.

BROOKDALE AVE.

BROOKDALE AVE.

BROOKDALE AVE.

SANTOS ST.

SANTOS

ST.

BLYTHDALE AVE.

BLYTHDALE AVE.

VELASCO AVE.

SANTOS

ST.

BROOKD

ALE A

VE.

BLYTHDALE AVE.

SANTOS ST.

HAHN S

T.HAH

N ST.

HAHN S

T.

VELASCO AVE.

SUNRISE WAY

EXISTING STREETS

RECONFIGUREDEXISTING STREETS

NEW STREET

NEW OPEN SPACE

GREENWAY ALTERNATE

LEGEND

NEW AND RECONFIGURED STREETS DIAGRAM + PRELIMINARY PARCEL MAP

BLOCK#13

BLOCK#12

BLOCK#11

BLOCK#10

BLOCK#9

BLOCK#2

BLOCK#1

BLOCK#21

BLOCK#19

BLOCK#17

BLOCK#15

BLOCK#14

BLOCK#4

BLOCK#3

BLOCK#30

BLOCK#20

BLOCK#18

BLOCK#16

BLOCK#28

BLOCK#25

BLOCK#23

BLOCK#31

BLOCK#29

BLOCK#24

BLOCK#22A

BLOCK#7

BLOCK#6

BLOCK#27

BLOCK#36

BLOCK#35

BLOCK#34

BLOCK#33

BLOCK#32

BLOCK#8B

BLOCK#8A

BLOCK#5

BLOCK#26

BLOCK#22B

BROO

KDAL

E AVE

.

D ST

.

SUNNYDALE AVE.

B ST.

BLYTHDALE AVE.

A ST.

C ST.

SANT

OS ST

.

CENTRAL STREET

CENTRAL STREET


Proposed Project -New and Reconfigured Streets and Preliminary Parcel Map


0 100

Feet

SAN FRANCISCO, CA | APRIL 17, 2010; MERCY HOUSING, THE RELATED COMPANIES OF CALIFORNIAA NEW SUNNYDALE |

100'50'0

SANTOS

BROOKDALE

SUNNYDALEBLYTHDALE

SANTOS

BROOKDALE100'

165'± HEIGHT OF BROOKDALE AT SECTION

± HEIGHT OF SANTOS AT SECTION

107.5'

198.5'± HEIGHT OF BROOKDALE AT SECTION

± HEIGHT OF SANTOS AT SECTION

135'

168'± HEIGHT OF BLYTHDALE AT SECTION

± HEIGHT OF SUNNYDALE AT SECTION

98,233.5 sq ft

SITE SECTIONS

SECTION C

SECTION B

SECTION A

A A

B B

C

C

20

±HEIGHT OF BROOKDALE AT SECTION 165’

±HEIGHT OF SANTOSAT SECTION 100’

±HEIGHT OF BROOKDALE AT SECTION 198.5’

±HEIGHT OF SANTOSAT SECTION 107.5’

±HEIGHT OFBLYTHDALE

AT SECTION 168’

±HEIGHT OFSUNNYDALE

AT SECTION 135’


Proposed Project -Elevation Drawing



Revised 10/5/12

9


• Also proposed is up to 72,500 square feet of community-serving space in several locations, including a separate two-story community center, which would house recreational facilities for use by project residents and residents of the neighborhood, with youth and early childhood education programs.

The project sponsor proposes realigning Sunnydale, Brookdale and Blythedale Avenues and Santos Street and adding new cross streets to create a street grid that would improve connectivity and access within the development and to Hahn Street. Brookdale Avenue would be realigned to connect with Sunnydale Avenue; new cross streets would connect Blythedale Avenue to Sunnydale Avenue at three different locations; Blythedale Avenue would be realigned at Hahn Street to connect with Sunrise Way; and a pair of new streets would link Blythedale Avenue and Hahn Street one block north of Sunrise Way (see Figure 2).

The proposed project would increase the number of dwelling units on the site from 785 to approximately 1,700, an increase of some 915 units. Of the new units, 785 would be replacement public housing dwelling units, on a one-for-one basis, that would remain affordable housing, subsidized by the San Francisco Housing Authority but under management by and the ownership of the developers or related entities. Of the additional approximately 915 units, 24 percent (approximately 221 units including 150 senior housing units) would be affordable housing while 76 percent (approximately 694 units) would be market rate housing. In total, 60 percent of the proposed project would be affordable housing while the remaining 40 percent would be set aside as market-rate housing.

The project site currently contains 430 off-street surface parking spaces (0.55 spaces per dwelling unit) and 452 on-street parking spaces. The proposed project would provide approximately 1,437 off-street parking spaces (0.85 spaces per dwelling unit) in underground and at-grade parking garages in mixed-use and residential buildings, and 525 on-street parking spaces.

Table 1 is a summary of existing and proposed development.

The proposed project would include a stormwater management system that would meet the City’s Stormwater Management Ordinance requirements for stormwater management. The proposed project would collect, detain and potentially retain some stormwater within the project site such that the rate and amount of stormwater run off from the site does not negatively impact the capacity of the City’s treatment facilities. The following features could be included: seasonal waterways and rain gardens (planted depressions that allow rainwater runoff from walkways, parking lots, and roofs, to be absorbed into the ground); bioswales for stormwater retention in the public right of way where grades allow and on private lots; porous concrete pavements used in sidewalks and parking areas of the public right-of-way where grades allow; flexible space for community gatherings and performances; space for a farmer’s market; community growing gardens; residential courtyards; playgrounds; and community parks. The project sponsor anticipates that the proposed project would be built to LEED® ND standards and would be designed to include energy saving and sustainability features.


Revised 10/5/12

10


TABLE 1 EXISTING AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Existing Uses

(to be demolished) New Construction

(Approximate)

Residential 764,892 square feet 2,185,000 square feet

Retail 0 16,000 square feet

Parking Surface 570,000 structured

Other 29,276 square feet of daycare youth programs and maintenance

72,500 square feet of recreation building, pavilion, and community services

Total Gross Square Footage (GSF) 794,168 GSF 2,843,500 GSF

Dwelling units 785 1,700

Parking spaces 430 off street 452 on street

1,437 off street 525 on street

Number of buildings 94 37

Height of buildings 20-35 feet 40-60 feet

Number of stories 2 2-4

At project buildout, the project site would be configured as follows:

Use No. of Acres

New and Configured Streets 12.2

Residential and Community Facilities Development Sites 30.0

New Parks 5.6

Sunnydale Avenue Linear Open Space 1.0

Total Site Area 48.8

The project would be built in three major phases. The current residents would be moved to available residences on the project site as each phase is constructed, or they would be given housing vouchers by the Housing Authority for relocation elsewhere during the construction period. The new dwellings would be populated as each phase is completed.

Approvals Required The project sponsor proposes to apply for a rezoning that would create a Special Use District (SUD) to allow certain non-residential uses such as community services, retail, and recreational and educational facilities that would otherwise not be permitted or require conditional use authorization. The SUD could also memorialize the ability to distribute the allowed density unevenly across the project site (i.e., certain


Revised 10/5/12

11


blocks could develop at higher densities than would be otherwise allowed as long as the density of the entire site is not exceeded) and enable modifications from the strict quantitative requirements of the Planning Code to allow for more flexibility in placement of rear yards, setbacks, location and number of parking and loading spaces, among other standards. The rezoning would also include changes to the Planning Code height and bulk map for portions of the site to allow buildings up to 60 feet in height.

The project sponsor may also seek approval of a Development Agreement by the Board of Supervisors under Chapter 56 of the Administrative Code.

The proposed new street grid would be subject to approval by the San Francisco Fire Department, San Francisco Department of Public Works, and the Sustainable Streets and MUNI Planning Divisions of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

The project would require a General Plan Referral (Section 2A.53 of the Administrative Code) from the Planning Department or Planning Commission.

The project would also require building and demolition permits, which would require review and approval by the Planning Department and Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

The proposed site stormwater management system would require approval from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to meet the Stormwater Design Guidelines.

FINDING This project may have a significant effect on the environment and an Environmental Impact Report is required. This determination is based upon the criteria of the State CEQA Guidelines, Sections 15063 (Initial Study), 15064 (Determining Significant Effect), and 15065 (Mandatory Findings of Significance). The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared as part of a combined Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement (EIR / EIS). The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to satisfy the requirements of federal environmental statutes. HUD has provided for assumption of its NEPA authority and NEPA lead agency responsibility to the City and County of San Francisco. HUD has given notice that the City and County of San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH), as the Responsible Entity, will prepare a joint EIR / EIS with the San Francisco Planning Department. PUBLIC SCOPING PROCESS Pursuant to the State of California Public Resources Code Section 21083.9 and California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15206, public scoping meetings will be held to receive oral comments concerning the scope of the EIR.

Notice of Preparation of an EIR

Case No. 2010.0305E December 19, 2012

Sunnydale-Velasco HOPE SF Master Plan

� The first meeting will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Visitacion Valley

Library, 201 Leland Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134.

� The second meeting will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Sunnydale

Community Room, 1652 Sunnydale Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134.

Written comments will also be accepted at these meetings and until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 18, 2013.

Written comments should be sent to Bill Wycko, San Francisco Planning Department, 1650 Mission Street,

Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94103.

If you work for a responsible State agency, we need to know the views of your agency regarding the scope and content of the environmental information that is germane to your agency’s statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed project. Your agency may need to use the EIR when considering a permit or other approval for this project. Please include the name of a contact person in your agency.

Date Bill Wycko

Environmental Review Officer

SAN FRANCISCO 12 PLANNING DEP*TMNT

Revised 10/5/12

notice of preparation of an environmental impact report...

Documents