Fire department secures option to lease-to-purchase Carroll Avenue site for training facility; Port parcel and CEQA remain

The San Francisco Fire Department reported that the Board of Supervisors passed an option-to-purchase, lease-to-purchase agreement for a training facility site on Carroll Avenue, but department leaders said the acquisition remains conditional on securing an adjacent Port parcel and approval from the State Lands Commission.

Chief of Department Janine Nicholson told the Fire Commission that the department selected a lease-to-purchase approach so it can “walk away from this lease agreement” if the Port parcel is not added, and that the full site under discussion would be “approximately 7 acres.” She said the project must clear the California Environmental Quality Act and be added to a legislative omnibus bill, steps that could take as long as a year.

Nicholson said the department is expediting the process and working with the Port, the State Lands Commission and other state authorities. She acknowledged the timeline is constrained by state approvals but expressed confidence in the team working on the transactions and permitting.

Vice President Tony Rodriguez flagged a typographical inconsistency in the draft resolution’s payment dates and asked staff to correct it before final documents are circulated. Several commissioners offered to assist with procedural or interagency coordination if needed.

The department tentatively planned a ribbon-cutting and other small ceremonies tied to the facility schedule but warned dates could change as permitting and legislative work proceed. Nicholson said she will keep commissioners updated as the parcel assembly and CEQA process progress.

Next steps: staff will pursue State Lands Commission and legislative approvals and continue CEQA work; no construction or final property transfer will proceed until those approvals are secured.