S.F. Hayes Valley off-ramp site set for housing

A onetime Hayes Valley freeway off-ramp turned parking lot/community garden can get yet another life as a new development with retail space and 182 rental units.

The Planning Commission gave its unanimous approval to the project's conditional use permit Thursday, clearing the way for the development. While the city still owns the property, a sales agreement has been reached with the developer.

The project is bounded by Oak Street, Laguna Street, Octavia Boulevard and Hickory Street, an unimproved right-of-way. Since the Central Freeway off-ramps were removed in 2003, plans have been in the works for adding housing on the property.

"This is an incredibly wonderful example of how to creatively reuse the freeway space," said Commissioner Kathrin Moore.

Plans call for 29 percent studios, 31 percent one-bedrooms and 40 percent two-bedroom units. Sixteen of the largest apartments will be two-story family-friendly town homes.

While community groups like the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association have endorsed the plan, some neighbors complained Thursday that the 91 parking spaces planned for the development weren't enough and would cause parking problems in the neighborhood. Others complained that the development was too dense for the neighborhood and didn't provide affordable housing.

But the city has been tightening parking requirements, especially in transit-rich spots like the Octavia-Hayes Valley area, and the project also includes parking spaces for 85 bicycles. The developer also agreed to pay $9.6 million to the city's affordable housing fund.

- John Wildermuth

Show us the money: The 49ers are going to court to collect some $30 million in redevelopment money the city of Santa Clara promised them for their new stadium.

Problem is, the city doesn't have that money after the state dissolved all local redevelopment agencies earlier this year. And the Santa Clara County agency now responsible for doling out any leftover redevelopment funds decided the community had more important uses for the cash than the planned $1.2 billion stadium.

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S.F. Hayes Valley off-ramp site set for housing