Info
Stories, questions, and updates.
Everything you need to stay close to The Baylands — answers to the questions we hear most, press from the community, conversations from the podcast, and the latest project documents.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Quick answers to what residents, neighbors, and visitors most often ask about The Baylands.
- The Baylands is a 700-acre zero-carbon community spanning San Francisco and San Mateo counties. It includes 5,400 homes and 8.5 million feet of commercial space across eight distinct neighborhoods.
- Because The Baylands includes property in both San Francisco and Brisbane, unique regulations and planning processes apply to the sections of the property in each jurisdiction.
- Learn more about Brisbane: https://www.brisbaneca.gov/235/About-the-Baylands
- Learn more about San Francisco: https://sfplanning.org/visitacion-valleyschlage-lock-plan
- The timing for large projects like this is influenced by several factors including market conditions, local regulations, and infrastructure planning. The majority of The Baylands property is in Brisbane, California, and is currently undergoing final review. Brisbane City Council deliberations are expected in early Fall 2026 and if the project is approved, remediation and site grading could begin as early as 2027 with vertical construction following 1-2 years later.
- The development and planning of The Baylands has been a long process with different stages, interests and participants. Sunquest Properties, Inc. is the majority owner of the site and the applicant for the Specific Plan. Baylands Development Inc. is the property and development project manager for The Baylands. This development is expected to occur over a period of years, and regional experts in the development of housing, office, retail, and hotel spaces, will join the Baylands team.
- Developing former industrial sites is extremely expensive due to the unique site preparation needs. Not only does the land require environmental clean-up, but it also requires entirely new roads, utilities, and new infrastructure. This is why large developments typically rely on a combination of public and private funding tools. As outlined in Chapter 8 of the Baylands Specific Plan, these include special financing districts, tax increment financing, grants, and private investment. At The Baylands, tools like Infrastructure Financing Districts and Community Facilities Districts could fund environmental clean-up, recreational facilities, new service costs, and major infrastructure such as stormwater systems. Most importantly, these tools ensure there are no new taxes on existing Brisbane residents, and the project will be revenue-positive for the City of Brisbane, as required by Measure JJ.
- The legacy industrial uses on the property require careful environmental planning before the land can be reused. Our top priority is making sure the Baylands is absolutely safe for future residents and visitors. That’s why agencies like the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the San Mateo County Environmental Health Department, have approved the project’s cleanup plans and are overseeing the remediation process to ensure the site is cleaned up and safe for residential use. These plans identify the types and locations of contaminants onsite and establish the methods required for remediation and stabilization. The plans are public documents and can be found in the appendix of the 2026 Final Baylands Environmental Impact Report.
- Every building on the Baylands will be designed and built to meet the state building code requirements and will be built on either stabilized ground or supported on deep foundation systems. The Brisbane Baylands Specific Plan was informed by geotechnical reports that were conducted for both the former railyard side of the property and the landfill side of the property. Additional geotechnical studies will be performed on a site-specific basis as each new building is developed.
- The Bayland’s transit-oriented mixed-use design creates less traffic than traditionally designed developments. The project will also incorporate many industry-standard best practices to reduce traffic. This includes a comprehensive Transportation Demand Management plan to reduce reliance on cars and incentivize other modes of travel, a robust bicycle and pedestrian network, a shuttle system, and mobility hubs that will support first and last mile transportation needs. Infrastructure improvements such as the extension of Geneva Avenue to the US 101 freeway and the reconfiguration of the US 101 Candlestick interchange, will also support better traffic flow.
- Water supply for the Baylands is proposed to be provided by the California Water Service Company (Cal Water). A water recycling facility will also be constructed onsite and recycled water will be used for irrigation of open space areas and designated indoor “purple pipe” sanitary system uses.
- Yes, The Baylands will be powered by renewable energy, much of which will be generated through onsite solar panels on buildings and parking lots, as well as a 55-acre solar farm. Any additional electricity needed will come from 100% renewable power through Peninsula Clean Energy. The project also includes a utility-scale battery that will store renewable energy during the day and deliver it back to the grid in the evening.
- An accessible interconnected open space system is the foundation of The Baylands. The development will include more than 140 acres of parks and open spaces with both active and passive uses. From protected wetlands to community ballfields, The Baylands is designed to support both people and wildlife.
- The Baylands was once open water and tidal mudflats, but decades of filling for the railroad and municipal landfill disrupted natural habitats and left most of the site without native soils. To address this, The Baylands Specific Plan outlines strategies to protect the remaining native habitats (such as Icehouse Hill), restore impacted areas, and enhance the landscape to support ecological functions. Additional steps to protect local flora and fauna include landscaping with native plants, bird-safe building designs, light pollution reduction measures, and wildlife connectors.
- For the most up-to-date information about public hearings, environmental documents, and timelines, please visit the City of Brisbane’s website: https://www.brisbaneca.gov/235/About-the-Baylands
- Learn more about the former Schlage Lock property, where the San Francisco portion of The Baylands will be developed, on the SF Planning website: https://sfplanning.org/visitacion-valleyschlage-lock-plan
- Since opening the refurbished Schlage Lock office building, the Baylands team has welcomed a wide range of local organizations to host events and programming in the ground-floor community space. If you’d like to host an event in the space, please send us an email at info@thebaylands.com
- You can send questions or subscribe to our update list by emailing info@thebaylands.com
- Transforming the Baylands into a thriving, sustainable community is an ambitious, multi-phase effort that will take time. In the meantime, we activate the property with interim uses that support the future development while contributing to the local economy. Beyond the Baylands, we provide well-located, high-quality workspace including offices at Executive Park in San Francisco and warehouses on Industrial Way in Brisbane.
- For more information about leasing opportunities, please contact our leasing team at skhodja@thebaylands.com. Leasing details will be added to our website soon.
Press
Conversations and coverage about The Baylands and the broader community we're shaping.
The Baylands Podcast
Conversations about the global and local strategies — from development to transportation — that make zero-carbon living achievable.
LATEST EPISODE · EP. Episode 4
View episode →
Greg Vilkin: The Baylands—A Visionary Model For Sustainable Living
Our guest is Greg Vilkin, former Team Leader of Baylands Development Inc., which is in the process of developing 700 acres for the zero-carbon community The Baylands. The property straddles San Francisco and San Mateo counties and will offer more than 5000 homes and 8-½ million square feet of commercial space. In this episode, Greg […]
Project Updates
Latest plans, progress reports, and official documents — updated as the project evolves.
2026 Final Environmental Impact Report
The Baylands Specific Plan Final EIR consists of the following components: The Draft EIR published on April 3, 2025; Written comments received on the Draft EIR during the public comment period, which closed on September 2, 2025; A list of parties who commented on the Draft EIR; Responses to all written comments received on the Draft EIR; Revisions to the Draft EIR based on written comments; and Mitigation monitoring and reporting program.
May 2026
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