Did we just hear a "booya" from developer Mark Brennan? The man had previously lost a little faith in the success of 690 Stanyan, his hunk of Whole Foods love. Both the project and its EIR got unanimous aye's from the Planning Commission last night, after more than four hours of impassioned to-ing and fro-ing. Before we get into all that though, some refresher deets on the Haight/Stanyan project:
· 26 studios, 20 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and one three-bedroom unit
· Three-level underground garage, including 67 bike spaces and three CityCarShare spaces
· A mezzanine cafe on Haight, as lumped onto the plan by the Planning Department
· Oh yeah, and about 25,000 square feet of Whole Foods or whatever
It seems Haight residents heard Brennan's exasperation loud and clear, and they showed in force to "beg" him to build. Though the Haight-Ashbury Neighborhood Council was present to air their very grave reservations about the project, they weren't quite as visible as WF supporters, whose hordes were identified by bright stickers. (Note to HANC: stickers are persuasive.)
Arguments against the project were few but simple: no one, they said, was against a new grocery store. But HANC was exceedingly concerned about 1) traffic, particularly caused by two loading docks located at the "graffiti wall" on Stanyan, and 2) the attendant carbon emissions ("Please think of the children!" a mother pleaded).
Rebuttals? "I only have one comment about traffic," a woman in favor of the project retorted. " I am concerned about the drug trafficking." Cheeky! And secondly (paraphrasing here), "We want a gro-sto, damnit!" Some boosters of 690 Stanyan pointed out that the denser development would cut total pollution, while others preferred to stress that other issue: "There's a cloud over Haight Street on the weekends, and it's not CO2."
As numerous soccer dads and grocery lovers sold it, the decision was an easy one. But in case no one was getting it, a couple speakers helped with an analogy: "It's time for change ... and the opposition just wants more of the same." Said another: "I'd like to see a lot more of Joe the Shopper, and a lot less of Joe the Meth Dealer."
Apparently Joe the Planning Commissioner agreed, and a couple hours later, Haight Street went home to dream of sustainable California rolls and fresh arugula.
· Whole Foods Dramarama: More Deets Dropped on 690 Stanyan [Curbed SF]
· Curbed Exclusive: Whole Foods Condo Rendering Reveal [Curbed SF]
· Whole Foods Developer: Go On, Beg Us to Build It [Curbed SF]
· 690 Stanyan: Survey Says ... Negative [Curbed SF]
· Whole Foods Does Real Estate: 690 Stanyan [Curbed SF]For more stories from Curbed SF, go to sf.curbed.com.
