HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2019-09-23 @6:00MINUTES
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JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF
THE CITY COUNCIL AND
J O
PLANNING COMMISSION
LIFOCITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
Meeting held:
MUNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING
COUNCIL CHMAMBERS
33 ARROYO DRIVE,
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
6:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER. TIME: 6:01 p.m.
ROLL CALL.
PRESENT: Mayor Matsumoto, Vice Mayor Garbarino,
Councilmembers Addiego and Nicolas
PRESENT: Chair Murphy, Vice Chair Wong, Planning
Commissioners Faria, Evans, Shihadeh, Bernardo and
Tzang (arrived at 6:05 p.m.)
ABSENT: Councilmember Nagales
AGENDA REVIEW.
None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
None.
Matters for Consideration
Report on Study Session to introduce the proposed 2019 Genentech Master Plan Update.
(Tony Rozzi, Principal Planner)
Principal Planner Rozzi thanked the City Council and Planning Commission for their time and
availability tonight to discuss the next iteration of the Genentech Master Plan. He stated that master
planning for the Genentech campus started in 1995 and the document was updated in 2007. The 2007
plan still functioned as the guiding document for new development. Each plan had included specific
standards for Land Use, Urban Design, Transportation, and Infrastructure and implementation trigger
requirements as the campus developed. He added that the Planning Commission was the primary
hearing body for all Genentech development with minor campus changes reviewed and approved by
the Chief Planner. Principal Planner Rozzi advised that given City Council Members and Planning
Commissioners had only had the draft 2019 Genentech Master Plan for a handful of days, he
suggested that he introduce the document, summarize the key similarities and differences from the
current master plan, and consider some of the questions at the end of the staff report as guidance to
help staff finalize the 2019 Genentech Master Plan.
Sophie Martin, Urban Planning Manager with Genentech presented the update to the 2019
Genentech Master Plan. She saw the 2019 Genentech Master Plan Update as an opportunity for
Genentech to look into the future and envision on how Genentech could continue to grow and thrive
in South San Francisco.
Scott Gregory, Planning Consultant with Lamphier-Gregory stated working with Genentech for a
couple of years helping to build and develop the overall master plan for the Genentech campus. Mr.
Gregory gave an overview of the 2019 Genentech Master Plan Update.
Mayor Matsumoto inquired how Genentech planned to monitor the "Trip Cap" during peak hours.
Mr. Gregory advised they would monitor the expansion and ongoing continuation of the existing
gRide program. The Genentech gRide program included Genentech buses, ferries, shuttles, carpools
and subsidies for public transit use.
Mayor Matsumoto queried how Genentech's new fleet of large electric buses would be utilized. Ms.
Martin advised that the majority of the buses would be operating during peak commute hours to all
nine (9) counties. Ms. Martin also mentioned Genentech would soon be receiving a fleet of smaller
electric buses to shuttle employees around the Genentech campus.
Planning Commissioner Tzang asked a general design question regarding the strategy for the
Genentech's pedestrian path. Mr. Gregory advised the fundamental strategy was to build a core for
the center of the campus and making it the center point for the major pedestrian connections. There
would be a primary pedestrian pathway that would lead to the other campuses.
Chair Murphy queried which conditions changed between 2012 to now that had Genentech looking
into increasing the Floor -to -Area Ratio (FAR) back to one (1). Mr. Gregory stated that in 2012 there
was a progression of the 2007 master plan and there was an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that
was completed but it wasn't a new plan and it didn't increase the development.
Vice Chair Wong queried how Genentech was monitoring the 5,216 total AM peak -hour drive -alone
Trip Cap. Ms. Martin stated Genentech issued an annual report to the City of South San Francisco
that reported on the status of various aspects of implantation of the master plan which included a
section on parking monitoring. She stated Genentech hires a third party to conduct the study.
Mayor Matsumoto cited a section of the staff report indicating one final transportation element
introduced in the 2019 Master Plan Update was the closing of DNA Way within campus boundaries
during non -peak commute hours. She queried whether that statement was a given, proposed or
debatable. Principal Planner Rozzi advised nothing was a given pertaining to the draft master plan
and that was the reason staff was looking for insight and guidance on any aspect Council Members
and Planning Commissioners might have identified issues on.
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Mayor Matsumoto requested clarification on the staff report's question: "Are there any opportunities
for Open Space improvements that are publically accessible and that preserve Bay Frontage access?"
Principal Planner Rozzi stated that the master plan, in its draft form, envisioned rather than a strict
implementation structure for adding a bike lane on DNA Way or Oyster Point, staff had
implementation triggers so that as a building was developed on the Genentech campus, infrastructure
needed to be developed. He summarized that the questions in the staff report were some of the things
brought up in discussions with Genentech related to transportation, housing, open space and safety.
Mayor Matsumoto provided feedback for question #6 on the staff report: "Should term limits to the
Master Plan remain (10 years, for example) or should this be a long term vision (20+ years) similar
to a General Plan?" She stated that she wouldn't mind going 20+ years but would like check -ins.
Vice Mayor Garbarino advised 20 years would be advantageous for Genentech as it would make it
simpler to plan for 20 years rather than every 10 years to go through this process.
Mayor Matsumoto requested clarification on the graph on page 14 of the Genentech 2018 Annual
Report. Ms. Martin stated the graph showed Genentech's Transportation Demand Management
(TDM) rate over time. The graph showed from when Genentech implemented the gRide program in
2006 to today.
Planning Commissioner Shihadeh stated the TDM transportation plans looked great but at East of
101 the City currently had issues with gridlock especially during peak hours. He mentioned
discussion regarding an overpass or other alternative means on exiting the area and requested
Genentech to elaborate on that. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh also inquired whether Genentech
was looking into building housing units. Ms. Martin stated Genentech experienced the gridlock on
East of 101 every day and that motivated Genentech on further investing in their program. She stated
it was encouraging that it was such a high priority for the City and that the City was considering
pursuing formation of a Community Facilities District (CFD). Ms. Martin denied the rumors
regarding Genentech building housing for their employees but added that Genentech took the
housing issues seriously as housing was a high priority for Genentech's employees and for the City
of South San Francisco. She advised Genentech had committed on working with the City to find a
solution.
Councilmember Addiego inquired whether Ms. Martin had the data on how many people came to
work in South San Francisco, how many residents worked outside of South San Francisco and how
few actually worked and lived in South San Francisco. Ms. Martin stated South San Francisco was
an amazing employment hub with approximately 50,000 jobs in the City. There were 40,000+
employed residents in South San Francisco leaving South San Francisco every single day. Of those
50,000 jobs, a vast majority were coming from all over the Bay Area to work in South San Francisco.
The number of residents that work and live in South San Francisco were around 3,000 people.
Vice Mayor Garbarino queried what the revolving loan fund was and how it worked. Ms. Martin
advised the revolving loan fund was currently a concept but had been implemented in other places
with great success. She stated the idea was that housing dollars were precious and generally once
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spent, they are gone. Genentech was looking into models where they would make some of that
money work more than once.
Vice Mayor Garbarino inquired about Missing Middle Housing and questioned whether Genentech
would work with developers, the City or a combination of both. Ms. Martin replied it was a
combination of both as well as a nonprofit that had been active in San Mateo County.
Mayor Matsumoto shared that prior to being elected as a Council Member, she started out with the
Beautification Committee followed by the Cultural Arts Commission and she brought the public art
concept in the City. She advised that the Public Art Program applied to everyone, not just Genentech.
Mayor Matsumoto denied approving the two (2) public art structures referenced on the letter from
Genentech (Attachment 4) of the staff report and requested the public art structures be revisited
unless there was proof that she approved it.
Economic and Community Development Director Greenwood thanked Mayor Matsumoto for the
context and direction and apologized if the procedures where not followed and took full
responsibility. He advised staff included the letter to the staff report to help highlight the importance
of public art as a part of the project. Director Greenwood sought direction from Council for the
procedure Council would like staff to follow in the future to ensure the oversight does not happen
again.
Mayor Matsumoto stated the public art structures needed to be resolved before moving forward. City
Manager Futrell stated Council was referring to the implementation of the public art component of
the 2007 plan. He continued that the public art pieces that were included in part of the presentation
tonight were not necessarily public art because they were not available to the public due to the
location of the art pieces on the Genentech Campus. He stated he would visit with Genentech and
walk through the process that was followed for the 2007 plan and see where they could revise the
process and bring it back to how Council intended and report back to Council.
Mayor Matsumoto referenced page 83 of Campus Master Plan stating that San Mateo County Transit
District (SamTrans) provided bus and rail service (through Caltrain) in San Mateo County. No
SamTrans routes stopped East of Highway 101 in South San Francisco. She advised that SamTrans
does not generally stop anywhere East of Highway 101 but are now reconsidering. Mayor
Matsumoto stated that if Genentech could prove the need, Mayor Matsumoto could advocate to the
SamTrans Board for South San Francisco to have bus service East of Highway 101. Vice Mayor
Garbarino recommended Genentech as a community attend the SamTrans board meetings and state
their case as well.
Chair Murphy stated she shared Mayor Matsumoto's affection for the Bay Trail and was happy to see
that in the draft plan sea level rises addressed in the sustainability portion. She recommended the
City work in cooperation with the businesses East of Highway 101 to address the concerns of sea
level rise.
Planning Commissioner Bernardo requested clarification regarding community programs and
facilities and the new annual community fund referenced in Attachment 1 of the staff report. Ms.
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Martin responded that Genentech has had a number of successful programs with the City thus far and
most recently wrapped up Genentech Goes to Town Program where Genentech gave everyone $25
worth of Genentech money and partnered with the merchants throughout the City to encourage
everybody to go down and patronize local businesses. She stated Genentech would like to place a
fund that would allow for more activities of that nature and have money earmarked for that type of
program without being specific at the outset of what those programs were.
Mayor Matsumoto queried whether Genentech also offered to their employees the option to put those
$25 to a nonprofit of their choice. Ms. Martin believed it to be true but would have to double check
with Genentech's corporate relations to verify.
ADJOURNMENT
Being no further business, Mayor Matsumoto adjourned the meeting at 7:51 p.m.
Submitted by: Approved by:
Gabriel Ro Ka 1 Matsumoto
Deputy City Clerk Mayor
Approved by the City Council: /10 / a 3 /a?D / q
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