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Planning Commission finds ODC expansion’s new shadow would not be adverse to nearby park
Summary
The commission adopted findings that the proposed vertical addition at 3175 17th Street would cast minimal new shadow on the adjacent park and would not be adverse to its use, based on a shadow study and Recreation and Parks Commission recommendation.
On Sept. 18, 2025, the San Francisco Planning Commission voted to adopt shadow findings for a proposed expansion of ODC’s theater campus at 3153 and 3175 17th Street, concluding the project’s net new shadow would not be adverse to nearby Incheon Cajal Park (formerly Seventeenth and Folsom Street Park).
Planning staff presented a shadow study showing the project’s 5,684-square-foot vertical addition would add 139,455 square-foot hours of new shading to the park — an increase of 0.12% that would raise the park’s shadow load from 5.2% to approximately 5.3% of theoretical annual available sunlight. Staff described the impact as “subtle,” noting new shadow would primarily occur late in the afternoon on dates from Oct. 12 through Feb. 28 and would affect portions of the southwest corner and central lawn; the affected area would average about 2,000 square feet, roughly 7% of the park.
The project sponsor, Garth Grimble, chief of staff at ODC, and Peter Pfau, the project architect, described the campus expansion as creating studio spaces, interior connections between buildings and a new top-floor performance space they call the Sky Studio. Planning staff told the commission that the Recreation and Park Commission held a public hearing and adopted a resolution recommending a finding that the shadows would not be adverse to park use.
Commissioners who spoke noted the shadow would fall primarily on circulation and would occur at times that are less crucial for park use. Vice President Moore said she had “full support” for the finding and described the impact as limited. After discussion, the commission adopted the shadow findings by unanimous roll-call vote.
Action: motion to adopt findings that net new shadow would not be adverse to Incheon Cajal Park — passed unanimously.
