Planning commission certifies final EIR and approves entitlements for 8 Washington project in 4–2 votes

The San Francisco Planning Commission voted on March 22 to certify the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the 8 Washington Street waterfront project and approve a package of entitlements for the proposal, including a planned unit development, zoning and general‑plan amendments and conditional‑use authorization. The actions passed on several 4–2 votes after a joint hearing with the Recreation and Park Commission that lasted most of the day.

Staff described the certification as an action on the EIR only, not a project approval. Paul Malcher of the Planning Department told commissioners the EIR is “an informational document” intended to disclose potential impacts and mitigation options and that recirculation would be required only if the EIR identified new or substantially more severe impacts. Lisa Beyer of the Recreation and Park Department presented a numerical analysis of shadow impacts on Sue Bierman Park and recommended establishing an absolute cumulative shadow limit of 4,425 square‑foot hours (about 0.00067 percent of the park's theoretical annual sunlight) and allocating that limit to the project.

Supporters and opponents filled the hearing room for hours of public comment. Opponents — including longtime Golden Gateway residents and the neighborhood group Friends of Golden Gateway — said the EIR understates impacts to recreation and neighborhood character, and warned the…