Planning Commission certifies EIR and approves entitlements for 469 Stevenson, a 495‑unit transit‑oriented housing project

Planning Department staff presented the recirculated Final Environmental Impact Report for 469 Stevenson Street and concluded the document complies with CEQA and addresses issues raised in prior review (historic resources, geotechnical, and displacement). The project sponsor proposes to demolish a surface parking lot and construct a 27‑story mixed‑use building with approximately 495 dwelling units, 4,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail, about 30,000 square feet of private and common open space, 178 parking spaces, and 73 on‑site below‑market‑rate units achieved through a requested state density bonus. The project has been certified by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research as an SB 7 Environmental Leadership Development Project and the sponsor committed to union labor and greenhouse‑gas neutral construction.

After public testimony that included dozens of both in‑person and remote supporters and a handful of written oppositions focused on traffic and construction impacts, the commission voted to certify the Final EIR (6‑0). Commissioners then voted to adopt the CEQA findings and approve the Downtown Project Authorization and Conditional Use Authorization with conditions; that vote passed 4‑2, with two commissioners voting no. Staff read into the record clarifying language distinguishing required public benefits from voluntary community benefits provided by the sponsor. The commission’s approval does not itself begin construction; subsequent permitting and conditions in the approval must be satisfied and the project will continue into building permit and construction phases.