Planning Commission certifies EIR and approves 221-unit Sutter Street project with conditions

San Francisco  The Planning Commission on March 24 certified the final environmental impact report and approved entitlements for the proposed 14-story, 221-unit residential project at 1101
123 Sutter Street.

Planning staff said the project includes 44 very low-income units (50% AMI), approximately 8,200 sq ft of commercial/childcare space, 12,000 sq ft of open space and 55 vehicle parking spaces. Staff's EIR identified a significant and unavoidable impact to an historic resource (the 1123 Sutter Street structure) because the proposal would demolish that building; other impacts (tribal cultural resources, noise, vibration, air quality, biological resources) were identified as mitigable.

Project sponsor Martin Building Company and architect David Baker presented design changes, including modulation and retention of the historic 1101 Sutter façade to minimize neighborhood impacts. They highlighted on-site childcare, an all-electric design and a commitment to union construction jobs.

Commissioners asked technical questions about unit design (nested bedrooms), daylighting and safeguards for building code compliance. Commissioner Diamond pressed the team to confirm in-unit laundry or on-site communal laundry; staff read a proposed condition requiring either in-unit hookups, communal laundry facilities, or a combination. The project sponsor agreed.

The commission certified the EIR and approved the project and associated waivers and incentives under the State Density Bonus program, with unanimous votes. Conditions recorded in the motion include modifications to conditional-use findings, a requirement for laundry facilities (in-unit or communal), roof-deck setback adjustments to comply with commission policy, and monitoring/reporting related to project operations.

The sponsor said the design aims to maximize light and usable living space while retaining a proportionate street wall and that the nested-bedroom approach is code-compliant; staff confirmed building-code standards and offered to re-review nested-bedroom daylighting policies with DBI if commissioners wished.

The commission's approval clears the way for the project to pursue construction permits subject to the adopted conditions.

Attribution: quotes and facts in this article come from the March 24 Planning Commission hearing transcript and staff presentations.