San Francisco has formally signed off on the redevelopment of the Marina Safeway, advancing one of the city’s most contentious housing projects even as opponents challenge its fast-tracked approval in court.
The plan would replace the decades-old waterfront grocery store at 15 Marina Blvd. with a large mixed-use complex with two towers reaching 22 and 18 stories, a new Safeway store and 848 homes.
The city’s approval, which records show was granted Friday on a timeline expedited by Assembly Bill 2011, marks a major milestone in the yearlong fight over whether the project qualifies for the California law. AB 2011 requires eligible housing projects on commercial land to receive streamlined approval without the public hearings that typically accompany major projects or environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA…