The City Council voted to continue consideration of a staff-recommended condition allowing the Dorsey Marketplace project to be built in phases over a seven-year period (with possible two 12-month extensions) to a noticed, time-certain meeting on Dec. 9 so the developer could answer questions about remediation, phasing deliverables and timelines.

Staff reviewed the project background: initial approvals and EIR certification occurred in 2020 (subsequent EIR certified Sept. 2024) for a mixed-use proposal on roughly 26.8 acres that originally included up to 172 apartments and more than 100,000 square feet of commercial space. The applicant requested a phasing plan to allow construction over seven years and minor phasing modifications to be approved by the planning director; staff said remediation of contaminated soils and coordination with the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), plus tenant lease negotiations, are reasons the applicant cited for the phased timeline.

Public commenters, including Ralph Silverstein of the CEA Foundation, argued the project’s prior approval expired Sept. 10 under the development code and that the proposed phasing plan lists limited measurable on-site work for the first three years, effectively extending inaction; Silverstein urged denial or limiting any phasing plan to 3–4 years with specific deliverables.

An online commenter (Matthew Coulter) raised public-safety and traffic concerns related to long-term vacancy and encampments on the site. Several council members said they want the developer present to explain the remediation schedule, tenant-leasing assumptions, and to confirm that the project is current; with that in mind the council voted to continue the item to Dec. 9.