Committee forwards India Basin street‑vacation and conveyance after developer presentation and public support

The committee reviewed an implementing ordinance to vacate certain streets within the India Basin/700 Innis Avenue project site and to authorize conveyances in support of a development agreement approved in 2018.

Jonathan Cherry of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development summarized the proposal, which implements the 2018 development agreement. Cherry said the project includes nearly 1,600 new housing units (about 394, or 25%, below market rate) and 14 acres of publicly accessible parks and open space, including a "Big Green" shoreline park. The ordinance would vacate roughly 7.5 acres of right of way; about 3.7 acres within the future park would remain in city control while approximately 3.8 acres of vacated right of way would be conveyed to the developer at the time of a public trust exchange. City reserves would include non‑exclusive easements to ensure continued access and to avoid net loss of acreage.

A Bayview resident and business owner, Kristen Houck, spoke in support. Committee members discussed timing and coordination with the State Lands Commission; Cherry said the Commission was expected to act in late October and that the street vacation would be effective before the trust exchange. The committee voted to send the street vacation and conveyance ordinance to the full Board with recommendation (3 ayes).