Planning & Transportation Commission - August 12, 2026

Forest Commons moves to architectural review on 4-2 vote

The Planning and Transportation Commission voted 4-2 to send the Planned Home Zone application for Forest Commons at 332 Forest Avenue to the Architectural Review Board for development-plan review. The referral was not project approval. The proposal would replace a two-story, 16-unit building with 82 rental apartments in an eight-story, 85-foot building.

Commissioners Allen Akin, Bart Hechtman, Todd James and Cari Templeton supported forwarding the application. Hechtman opposed delaying the review process, while James saw architectural review as an opportunity to find design solutions and Templeton supported adding housing while calling for tree protections and engagement with neighbors. Akin said he would not support the project when it returns if its design and affordable-housing benefit remain materially unchanged.

Vice Chair Kevin Ji and Chair Bryna Chang voted no. Ji said unresolved lot-line and below-market-rate housing questions could materially change the building and favored bringing the proposal back to the commission before architectural review. Chang cited concerns about displacement, affordability, daylight and privacy, garage exhaust, historic resources and trees. Most public speakers also sought further analysis before the project advanced, although several supported adding housing at the site in principle.

One unresolved issue is a lot-line adjustment that would increase the project site from about 25,000 to 31,398 square feet by adding roughly 6,500 square feet. Staff had not completed its calculations or legal analysis of whether that change would create or worsen nonconformance at the adjacent Casa Real property.

Questions also remain about the proposal to rehabilitate or convert existing off-site units for below-market-rate housing rather than provide new affordable units on the project site. Staff said the inclusionary ordinance allows that alternative under certain conditions, including an investment equal to at least 25% of the property's post-rehabilitation value, but whether this proposal qualifies remained unresolved.

Residents of the 16 existing units requested a clearer redevelopment schedule so they could plan for potential displacement. Current rents, unit configurations and notice information were not provided during the meeting. Staff said relocation assistance would be $9,000 for one-bedroom units and $13,000 for two-bedroom units.

Up to three Architectural Review Board hearings are anticipated. Staff and the applicant are expected to address the lot-line analysis, historic-resource review, arborist peer review, environmental review, daylight-plane impacts, tenant information and affordable-housing details before the application returns to the commission for a recommendation. City Council would take final action.

Staff reports $633,000 for signal and bicycle projects

City transportation staff reported about $633,000 in grants, including $500,000 from a VTA vehicle-registration-fee program for traffic-signal modernization along Embarcadero Road. Approximately $50,000 from the Transportation Fund for Clean Air is designated for citywide bicycle racks, with another approximately $83,000 for bicycle lanes along East Bayshore Road.

Staff also reported that City Council advanced the Crescent Park traffic-calming project to final design, with direction to minimize the size of a bulbout that had drawn particular attention.

Separately, Commissioner Bart Hechtman raised concerns about narrow, low-visibility pinch points at the Embarcadero crossing over US 101 and asked staff to consider safety improvements before additional nearby housing is occupied. Staff said crossing improvements and Bayside connections are included in the adopted bicycle and pedestrian plan and remain under consideration. The commission took no formal action on the request.

Commission sends revised work plan to City Council

The commission voted 5-0 to submit its revised 2026-27 work plan to City Council for approval. The revisions broaden a process-improvement goal to include technology and communication with the council, other boards, staff and the public, and call for correcting the document to reflect the commission's current membership.

Staff expects special recruitment for commission vacancy

Staff said it expects to conduct a special recruitment after Commissioner Forest Olaf Peterson resigned earlier in the week, but no schedule has been set. The commission acknowledged Peterson's approximately one year of service.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet