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Massive public turnout challenges adequacy of 8 Washington draft EIR on parking, traffic, recreation and sea-level risk
Summary
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the draft EIR for the 8 Washington Seawall Lot 351 project; hundreds of speakers debated adequacy of analyses on transportation, parking, recreation (Golden Gateway club), and sea-level-rise risks; staff noted the DEIR finds significant unavoidable transportation and sea-level impacts.
The Planning Commission opened a full public hearing July 21 to take testimony on the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) for the 8 Washington Seawall Lot 351 project. Staff stated the DEIR addresses a mixed-use redevelopment proposing residential buildings (ranging to 136 feet), underground parking and replacement athletic facilities and that the DEIR found significant unavoidable impacts for cumulative transportation conditions (2035) and for sea-level rise and air quality.
More than 100 individuals and organizational representatives addressed the adequacy, accuracy and completeness of the DEIR. Concerns raised repeatedly included:
- Transportation and pedestrian safety: Speakers including Bob Planthold and others said the DEIR undercounts pedestrian exposure at garage entrances and does not reliably analyze pedestrian-vehicle conflicts at the proposed garage ramps. Multiple commenters said the traffic analysis used limited snapshot data and omitted peak-weekend and event traffic patterns.
- Parking and Port/Ferry Building impacts: Ferry Building representatives and operators said the DEIR understates parking impacts and omits obligations in the existing parking agreement that affect replacement-parking requirements for Ferry Building users.
- Recreation loss and Golden Gateway Tennis & Swim Club: Many speakers, including organized neighborhood groups and users of the Golden Gateway facility, argued the DEIR understates the significance of reducing nine tennis courts to four and the closure and reduced access during construction; speakers said the club provides critical recreational and community programs for seniors and youth.
- Sea-level rise, hydrology and excavation risks: Commenters flagged the project's deep excavation (hundreds of thousands of cubic yards) on a filled waterfront site with a high water table and urged better analysis of groundwater, buoyancy and flood risk mitigation.
Supporters including labor and housing advocates said the DEIR is adequate and the proposed development would open access to the waterfront, provide public open space and generate housing, including inclusionary-fee commitments. Planning staff did not take any approval action at the hearing; the record will remain open for written comments through the stated deadline and staff will prepare responses and revisions as appropriate.
