Date: September 5, 2018 To: Recreation and Park Commission Capital Committee Through: Philip A. Ginsburg, General Manager Toks Ajike, Director, Capital & Planning Division From: Brian Stokle, Planner, Capital & Planning Division Subject: 30 Otis Street, Evaluation of on Proposed 11th and Natoma Park Agenda Wording Discussion and possible action to adopt a resolution recommending to the Planning Commission regarding whether or not the new shadow cast by the proposed project at 30 Otis Street will have a significant adverse impact on the use of the future 11 th and Natoma Park, pursuant to Planning Code Section 295 (the Sunlight Ordinance). Strategic Plan The Recreation and Parks review of the shadow cast by this project supports the following objective in the Strategic Plan: Objective 1.2 - Strengthen the quality of existing parks and facilities. Background Planning Code Section 295 was adopted in 1985 in response to voter-approved Proposition K, which required Planning Commission disapproval of any structure greater than 40 feet in height that cast a shadow on property under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Department unless the Planning Commission found the shadow would not be significant. In 1989, the Recreation and Park Commission and Planning Commission jointly adopted a memorandum (the 1989 Memo ) which identified quantitative and qualitative criteria for determinations of significant shadows in parks under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Department. (Planning Commission Resolution No. 11595) See Attachment A for an overview on the quantitative and qualitative criteria. Project Description The proposed project is located at 30 Otis Street, on the northern side of Otis at the intersection of Twelfth Street, Otis Street, Mission Street, and South Van Ness Avenue in the South of Market neighborhood. See
Attachment B for a Project Location Map. The project site consists of Assessor s Block 3505, Lots 010, 012, 013, 016, and 018, currently occupied by five commercial buildings one to three stories tall. The 30 Otis Street Project would result in the construction of a 250-foot-tall building that would consist of a 27-story tower and an 86-foot-tall podium rising 10-stories. The proposed project would include 421 residential units with retail storefronts and space for the City Ballet School at ground level totaling approximately 477,000 square feet. The proposed tower portion of the project would be located at the corner of Otis and 12th Streets. The major portion of the tower would be occupied by residential units. The tower roof would include exterior mechanical equipment areas, surrounded by a 12-foot tall screening element. The proposed podium would have a recreational roof terrace with roof structures above the podium roof level for a maximum height of 114 feet. The 30 Otis Street Project is also in the Market-Octavia Plan Area and the Market Street Hub Plan Area (Hub). See Attachment C for Proposed Project Images. Planning Context The Project is located in an area where the City has encouraged additional density, as codified in the Market Octavia Plan and the developing Hub effort. The Market Octavia Area Plan, an adopted element of the General Plan, promotes a mixed-use urban neighborhood in which new and current residents enjoy a vibrant pedestrian realm and rich transit connections. The plan includes zoning for residential and commercial uses, prescribes streetscape and open space improvements, and places high-density land uses close to transit. The Area Plan encourages intensive commercial uses and residential towers clustered around the intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue. The Market Street Hub Project (the Hub) is a planning effort that seeks to reexamine and propose changes to the current zoning, land use policies and public realm/street designs for the area including the intersections of Van Ness Ave, Market St, South Van Ness Ave, Otis St and Mission Streets in the Market Octavia Area Plan. This planning effort would be informed by other city projects, such as the Better Market Street project and Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit. The Hub seeks to capitalize on current opportunities and analyze the potential for zoning and policy refinements that will better ensure that the area s growth supports the City s goal for housing, transportation, the public realm, and the arts. Surrounding Properties and Neighborhood The Project is located in a high-density, mixed-use area within the South of Market Neighborhood, comprised of a mix of commercial/retail and office uses and a growing number of residential uses with varying building heights. Most buildings in the immediate vicinity are currently 2-4 stories in height, intermingled with some higher 6-8 story buildings. However, with new construction in the Hub, the 1500 Mission St building across the street from 30 Otis Street will rise to 39-stories. Page 2 of 6
Parks Description and Use Proposed 11th and Natoma Park The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, consistent with Strategic Plan Objective 1.1,1 to develop more open space to address population growth in high-needs areas and emerging neighborhoods, has purchased the properties on 11th Street between Minna and Natoma Streets Assessor s Block 3510; Lots 035, 037, 039, 055 and 056. The proposed 11th and Natoma Park would be approximately 19,597 square feet. Each of the five parcels that will form the park are currently developed with commercial/industrial buildings. The design of the future park and the specific types of amenities it will include are not yet determined. The design will take into consideration park needs within the rapidly growing neighborhood, as well as other new open spaces being developed by public and private developers in the park area. Analysis of Project Impact on Surrounding Parks Proposed 11th and Natoma Park s current annual shadow load is 20.79% of theoretical annual available sunlight (TAAS), with existing shadows falling on the site throughout the day. The proposed project would result in 199,590 square foot hours (sfh) of net new shadows falling on the proposed 11th and Natoma Park, increasing shadow load by 0.27% above current levels, from 20.79% to 21.06% of TAAS. New shadows would fall on the majority of the park, occurring during late afternoon and evening hours in the Spring and Fall months. The shadows would last 31 minutes on average and would enter the park no earlier than 4pm. See Attachment D for FastCast s Analysis. Page 3 of 6
The Analysis concluded the following findings: Quantitative Summary of Findings: Park Size: 5.64 acres or 245,779 sf Square Foot Hours Percentage Theoretical Annual Available Sunlight (TAAS) 72,927,692 100% Existing 15,160,278 20.79% New 199,590 0.27% Total with Proposed Project 15,359,868 21.06% Qualitative Summary of Findings Time of Day Time of Year Evening, after 4:00 pm February 15 th March 29 th / September 13 th October 25 th (86 days annually) Maximum New from Project (March 8 th /October 4th at 5.47 pm) Duration of Range in Size of New Day and Time of Maximum New (in sf) Day of Maximum New Shading (in sfh) Size in sf Location of Activities in Location of Average daily duration: 30 min Maximum area daily duration: 9 min Zero to 11,984 sf October 4 th and March 8 th at 5:47pm September 27 th and March 15 th The maximum new project shadow size on September 27 th and March 15 th would be 11,984 sf, accounting for 61% of park area Majority of the site apart from northeast corner Proposed park, hence affected activities cannot be predicted. See Attachment E for a diagram of the maximum new shadow coverage from Project. Page 4 of 6
Cumulative Shading Analysis FastCast analyzed new shadows cast by other projects in the development pipeline and the foreseeable future. These projects were included in the analysis to determine the cumulative shadow impact on 11th and Natoma the impact that would result from these projects combined with the proposed Project. See Attachment F for a Cumulative Projects Map. Future projects in the pipeline include: 1500 Mission and 10 South Van Ness Avenue. 11th and Natoma Existing Load as Percent of TAAS 20.78% 30 Otis Street Only +0.274% Future Projects: 1500 Mission 10 South Van Ness +0.03% Proposed Project + Future Projects +0.277% Project Alternative To eliminate all project shadow on 11th and Natoma, the project s proposed 250 foot tower would need to be shortened by approximately 107 feet. As such, a 143 -foot height building would eliminate 12 stories, resulting in a likely loss of 114 residential units (27% of proposed residential units). Project-Related Public Good The Project Sponsor identified the following benefits related to the project: Provide 421 new residential dwelling units Long-term home and performance space for the City Ballet School, including a subsidized longterm lease. Creation of the proposed 12 th Street Plaza that the project will help fund through an In-Kind Agreement with the City. Create construction jobs and increase City tax revenue. Project Outreach The Project Sponsor has proactively engaged the City Ballet School, which is currently a tenant on the premises. In addition, the project sponsor has presented at or hosted more than 40 large, small and oneon- one meetings to review the project and streetscape design. Attachment G includes a letter from the sponsor, which provides additional information about the City Ballet School. Environmental Review The 30 Otis Street project is subject to environmental review and approval under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A Draft Environmental Impact Report was published on June 13, 2018 and a Public Hearing was held by the Planning Commission on July 19, 2018 to receive comments. Comment letters and the hearing transcripts are included as Attachment G. The Responses to Comments is expected to be released on the week of September 10, 2018, before the full commission meeting occurs. Page 5 of 6
Staff Recommendation Making a finding on a shadow impact on a park from a proposed development project is a policy decision for the Commission; as such, staff does not have a recommendation. Supported By: One letter received by the Planning Department. (see Attachment G) Opposed By: One letter expressing concern about the project were received by the Planning Department (see Attachment G), however neither of the letters expressed specific concerns about shadow on the proposed park. Attachments: A. Section 295 Background and 1989 Memo Overview B. Project Location Map C. Proposed Project Images D. FastCast Analysis E. Max New Coverage F. Cumulative Projects Map G. Letter from the Sponsor, Comment Letters and Public Hearing Transcript H. Draft Resolution Page 6 of 6