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Commission approves office allocation for 660–680 Alabama Street under Eastern Neighborhoods legitimization
Summary
The Planning Commission approved an office allocation that would legalize existing office use at 660–680 Alabama Street under the Eastern Neighborhoods legitimization program and assessed a legitimization fee ($10.50/sq ft, estimated to raise >$400,000) to reflect conversion from PDR to office use.
The commission approved an office allocation request for 660–680 Alabama Street, allowing conversion of an existing, substantially altered building to legitimate office use under the Eastern Neighborhoods legitimization program.
Planning staff explained the zoning context (urban mixed‑use buffer between PDR and residential districts) and noted the building had been substantially altered and used by a computer animation company (WildBrain) as office. The Eastern Neighborhoods legitimization process provides a limited, time‑bound opportunity to legalize pre‑existing uses; the staff report recommended approval with conditions and described an impact fee of $10.50 per gross square foot (comprised of a $2 transit development impact fee and $8.50 jobs‑housing fee), which would yield roughly $420,000 in one‑time revenue.
Public comment raised concerns about completeness of the staff history documentation; staff clarified the immediate action before the commission was purely an office allocation (not the legitimization step) and that the legitimization itself had already been executed by the zoning administrator and was not appealed. The property owner’s representative explained the project meets criteria for an office allocation under Planning Code §3.21 and is consistent with Mission Area Plan objectives for mixed‑use employment.
Commissioners who questioned the package were satisfied with staff’s explanation; a motion to approve (not take discretionary review) passed unanimously.
