Planning commission certifies EIR and approves mixed‑use Whole Foods project at 690 Stanyan with conditions

The San Francisco Planning Commission on Oct. 23 certified the final environmental impact report and approved a conditional‑use authorization for a planned unit development at 690 Stanyan Street that would replace a long‑vacant grocery site with a 34,400‑square‑foot retail space (the project sponsor has proposed Whole Foods as the tenant) and 62 residential units above.

The commission voted unanimously to certify the EIR after extended public comment and, later in the evening, approved the project with conditions aimed at limiting truck staging on neighborhood streets, narrowing hours for heavy deliveries, requiring a mitigation‑monitoring program and directing staff to review refined architectural and landscape details in a publicly noticed informational hearing. The motions follow a months‑long environmental review process and intensive neighborhood outreach by the developer.

Why it matters: The proposal would return a full‑service market to a part of the city that has lacked a neighborhood grocery since Cala Foods closed, and adds 62 dwelling units on a transit‑served corner near Golden Gate Park. Supporters said the project will shorten vehicle trips for many residents…