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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1998-05-06 Mayor Eugene R. Mullin Council: James L. Datzman Joseph A. Fernekes '--'Karyl Matsumoto Iohn R. Penna MINUTES City Council Municipal Services Building Community Room May 6, 1998 SPECIAL M __E__E ! I N G CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO MAY 6, 1998 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 54956 of the Government Code of the State of California, that the City Council of the City of South San Francisco will hold a Special Meeting on Wednesday, the 6th day of May 1998, at 5:30 p.m. in the Municipal Services Building, Community Room, 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, California. Purpose of the meeting: 1. 200 Block Airport Boulevard. _6-tg~gc] 2. Telecommunications policy. ity Clerk City of South San Francisco Dated: April 29, 1998 CALL TO ORDER: ROLL CALL: AGENDA (Cassette No. 1) 1. 200 Block Airport Boulevard. ACTION TAKEN 5:40 p.m. Mayor Mullin presiding. Council Present: Council Absent: Datzman, Fernekes, Matsumoto and Mullin. Penna. City Clerk Battaya stated Councilman Penna called her Office to relate he would not be present at tonight's meeting. Director of Economic & Community Development Van Duyn related: during discussions in March 1998 on the Charrette and downtown development issues, staff included an introduction of the relocation of the CalTrain Station and pedestrian access with redevelopment activity; the location involves the CalTrain Station and CalTrans mainte- nance yard at the corner of Airport and Grand, 5/6/98 Page 1 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 5/6/98 Page 2 and the properties southerly to Baden Avenue on the easterly side of Airport Blvd.; staff had several discussions with the Joint Powers Board staff con- cerning the relocation of the station; the Board continues to evaluate the initial concepts for the Station relocation from City staff based on the pre- liminary study prepared by Byett Bhatia; a schedule and work program for the next steps will be pre- pared in the next 30 to 60 days; part of the overall plan would be the acquisition of the CalTrans main- tenance yard and that is the intent for a pedestrian access to the CalTrain station for the user; there is an opportunity for new development for the parcels from Baden to Grand Avenue and staff believes that any new development should include combining all the parcels for the purpose of achieving a unified development. Mayor Mullin stated the Joint Powers Board oper- ates Caltrain and asked who is in the membership. City Manager Wilson stated two members are from Santa Clara, a member from San Mateo and San Francisco and two from the Board of Supervisors who have control over decisions. Director of Economic & Community Development Van Duyn continued: there are two property own- ers who own the parcels in question, other than CalTrans, with the Borba family owning several parcels and Mr. Arvin Desai owning the parcel directly at the end of Baden Avenue; each property owner has indicated interest in developing his own parcel with a project which could also include the other parcels in question, including a portion of the CalTrans property; Mr. Desai has a plan to develop approximately 50 rooms on his parcel, after the urg- ing of staff he presented a plan for a 150 room hotel which would include consolidating the private par- cels and CalTrans parcel; Mr. Borba and his son are interested in keeping the trophy business in the general area, and the manufacturing facility could be located somewhere else, but it is preferable if locat- ed near the retail facility; Mr. Borba has indicated the family's interest in rebuilding their facilities and possibly creating a small retail center encompassing all of the parcels discussed, which would include other retail uses, however, no plans have yet been developed for this concept; the acquisition will allow a new platform to be constructed and the station moved; Mr. Desai owns the property that joins Pan AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1.__~. 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 5/6/98 Page 3 Ready Foods and the Hotbrau that has been changed to a taco place, and adjacent to that is the former gasoline station where Mr. Desai intends to build a 50 room hotel; staff talked to Mr. Desai and sug- gested a 150 room full service hotel, with a design that links up the pedestrian access and open space, with access to the train station, for either of the two concepts for development would work; Mr. Borba has not had time to explore it and has only recently been presented to him and staff wants Council response on the two concepts to move in the right direction and begin to solidify with the Board; part of the critical path is to get the CalTrans prop- erty to be sold to us, so we can control the timing of the entire project; the Board is looking at the Harbor Blvd. site, and then abandon this site for they cannot do that until they have a facility to move to; staff is not suggesting to move the station, but it is to move the loading and unloading platform. Discussion followed: Councilman Fernekes asked if that was what Council envisioned or is this some- thing different, for he did not recall this as what was presented; the Board shelved the moving of the station, but to extend it behind Borba's property and using Roccucci's property; that was an early concept and the Board did not feel it would work out; there is no additional parking for the station, just addition- al access; how is someone going to drive in there and drop off someone; staff has to try to interface this with Samtrans services; the original plan includ- ed an intermodel station and bus and car parking; Mr. Bhatia found the area was too small to take the buses, so staff lost the bus idea, they thought to relocate the tracks and get a linkage for the shuttle service; so they sort of backed off from taking all this property; the Charrette idea is staff's next step and tonight, they are just introducing the concept and there is analysis to be done to show how it will interface, plus the cost of acquiring property and the form of land acquisition in order to make a develop- ment go on the site; there is going to be a sizeable financial commitment from the new hotel; what is the criteria for the Board to participate financially if the City moves the platform; we are trying to gener- ate a greater ridership and get the cars off the streets and have them be picked up by SamTrans or CalTrain; staff made a case to the Board, and staff thinks it is a good concept, it is mostly if they are willing to put money in, and if the track relocation is done the Director thinks we have a chance; City AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1.__: 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 5/6/98 Page 4 Wilson stated the JPB had monies set aside, and at the same time they are doing capital improvements to the transit schedule and they are talking about station upgrades; our station is a receiving station and we are not a high priority, but we are suggest- ing, by being a participant and coming forward with a plan and a concept, that it makes us higher in priority; staff talked about a new Burlingame station on the Borba property and there is a high cost with moving the tracks and the train is being used from the west side or one runs across the tracks; this will allow both sides of the tracks to be used at grade and the shuttles will be relocated on the east side; how many stories will the hotel have; four stories and 150 rooms; Vice Mayor Datzman had a problem with tying back the concept to the Charrette; that is one of the reasons staff wanted to bring it forward, the hotel and obviously the analysis of the hotel tax and they think they need 150 rooms to do a full service hotel which pumps up the site to offset the cost of putting in the restaurant and bars; Vice Mayor Datzman stated the other plan may or may not be associated with relocation; the economic impacts of both concepts need to be determined as well as the size of a retail development on the site; staff expects to identify the costs of acquiring and improving the Caltrans property on Airport Blvd., as well as the costs of assisting either Mr. Desai or Mr. Borba; Vice Mayor Datzman stated he is more concerned with the aesthetics, for we talked about vehicular turn arounds and access and we said that they can drop off passengers and connect with the buses, and he envisioned a passenger friendly station to get out of the elements and wait in some comfort that maybe involves retail which cannot happen if the station stays the same for all we are doing is elongating the platform which is not passenger friendly, for you cannot pickup a newspaper or buy a ticket; Council also talked about a farmers market or something for an alternate use; Vice Mayor Datzman stated, had he developed pictures in his mind as to what it would look like based on conver- sations with BART and Caltrans, and talking about developing further south and saying that all of this was possible to marry a downtown area, a main stay and looking to the future for a more modernistic plan, but this is not what he is seeing; the Director stated, if you look at the stations they are putting in restaurans for a commercial use and only dealing with stops along the line; are there plans for evening parking, because the parking lot is just as foreboding AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 5/6/98 Page 5 today as it will be in the year 2000; putting in park- ing lots will not give the City a return on the use, according to staff; staff will explore turn arounds, but when they came to the Council it was for an overview of what will be a major investment in the west side and staff wants to interface the station to the east side and the track for a cost of $1 million tbr it is not cheap land to acquire; is it Caltrain's intention that the station will not be staffed; they did an analysis of it structurally, and it is not cost effec- tive to convert to offices or anything and it is possi- ble they may put in a modular building; City Man- ager Wilson stated there is another thought to ex- plore, some of the land further east that the Board is securing and we may be able to get a daycare cen- ter, if we do, there is an example of this in San Jose for they have a daycare facility and you can buy coffee and a newspaper; staff is saying, how do we get the best bang for our bucks, and with the help of the Board maybe we can create something; Mayor Mullin is pleased with the idea of a daycare center; Councilman Fernekes really likes the idea of a tran- sit daycare facility, a turn around on the east side and more shuttle service; he has difficulty with the large hotel on this side and would like to see that site transit oriented, as well as with Mr. Borba's there and the ability to try to get some business on this side with parking, even though that is asking a lot; everyone knows how many hotels we have coming into S.S.F. at Oyster Point and he agrees with the Charrette and would not support this; Vice Mayor Datzman wants to see what is there now explored, the daycare concept and doing things on the other side; Mayor Mullin stated he is not as disenamored as his counterparts, for we can put in some sort of a shelter and do something to make it more passenger friendly. Mr. Borba II, stated his family has been in discus- sions with several departments over the past year about relocation in concert with the concept, and there have been many trends since the Charrette. He thought, in viewing it originally, that the family would be involved because of the location of the business. It concerns his family very much, for they have been a part of the business community for 50 years and want to continue the tradition. In meeting with members of planning they discussed scenarios - keeping our properties as they are right now and that is the worse case for the staff and the family to be relocated and going with the hotel. Then there were AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1._.~ 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 5/6/98 Page 6 discussions of a retail concept and he mentioned maybe they could be a party to that. He stated he left the meeting, talked to his mother and family and that potential concept excited his family and they want to be a part of it. He stated the manufacturing could be relocated because it is wholesale. He stated they, as a family group, envision an Italian concept for that is the feeling generally given by the Charrette and his family's heritage. He suggested CIearlite Trophy be there and an Italian coffee house to service the commuters, as well as other uses. He feels this concept will benefit the City, as well as his family by redevelopment funds for Grand Avenue, for all the businessmen feel something has to be done with the area. He sees this as the beginning of this, making the statement and opening it up to the rest of Grand Avenue with a business that has been in business 50 years and is willing to reinvest. Councilman Fernekes stated he totally agreed with Mr. Borba and for their business still being able to be part of it. Mr. Phillip Copeland, Architect, stated he represent- ed Mr. Desai and had helped put together the con- cept for the project. They reviewed some of the things in the Charrete and recognized the City's attempt to use this element as the entrance of the City. He stated, what is happening down there right now is probably a blight, to put it mildly, to up- grade where something is happening is the correct thing to do. He thinks whatever is done is going to depend on the economics of the project. He knows that a hotel generates revenue that could eventually offset the City's expenditure and his client is trying to create a pedestrian friendly entrance. He stated he does not know how it got into this, between Grand Avenue and the access to the other side, for this whole Grand Avenue is looked at as between a rock and a hard place and it becomes evident that you have a serious problem. There is enormous traffic and it is a question of introducing an area on this side for train traffic - that is questionable. He thinks the idea of handling the pedestrian use on the east side making more sense, for there needs to be a shuttle service. He feels the trucks should be routed to the other side of Grand Avenue for linkage to Airport Blvd. He AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. Councilmember Matsumoto Left the Meeting: 5/6/98 Page 7 sees the hotel developed at that corner of Grand, that will be a real contributor to a tax base and would allow the City to amortize the debt. He stated there are opportunities for combined uses, as he heard about the parking for the train station, for this site could be developed for two levels of park- ing which is an idea that has not been tapped yet. He asked Council to keep an open mind for he thinks there is a potential for developing a real aesthetic entrance to the City and that is having a viable economic element. He seriously doubts that a retail system would do that, but would tend to main- tain the same kind of development that exists right now and he does not think that is what the Council is after. Councilmember Matsumoto stated, going back to Mr. Copeland's statement for the hotel as an entry- way to the City, she agrees that is not a 3 and 4 star hotel as are those going in east of 101. She sup- ports a daycare center, she thinks a retail or com- bined retail with an Italian flair with coffee house or a book store, but a nicely done retail combination will lend itself to the Charrette. She agrees with the transportation aspect, her vision was to cut off some of the transportation and have that as a walking place, but a hotel is not what we want to do with the downtown as an entrance to the City. Councilmember Matsumoto left the meeting at 6:40 p.m. Mayor Mullin stated the hotel and restaurant is very conceptual, but he does not want to lose that element and wants to keep it on the board. Maybe it could be designed for the revenue, but this could be a landmark building and provide an entrance and a place for people to stay in the downtown. Perhaps down the road the Council will start looking at higher density housing in the areas, like Cypress, and residents go across and get on a shuttle which is the direction from other Agencies to put people close to transit. Vice Mayor Datzman stated he does not know if this may be the 30 story building, the idea of combining parking and retail, a show room and having people stay there and the hotel use, so he does not want to dismiss the idea. Mayor Mullin asked staff to continue with all the AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. 200 Block Airport Boulevard - Continued. 2. Telecommunications policy. 5/6/98 Page 8 options, keep working with the JPB, in case some- thing is going to happen there. Councilmember Fernekes stated the options are the daycare center and turn around, but he is opposed to 150 room hotel. City Manager Wilson stated there is a conflict on this issue and it needs three votes down the road, for if staff is to develop a presence there are costs asso- ciated. He sees a two to two vote and is reluctant to advise outside people. Vice Mayor Datzman questioned, haven't we been in these situations and staff comes back with sepa- rate options after painting a picture of the options and allows Council to pick whatever option. Hasn't the Council done similar things and achieved general guidelines. City Manager stated yes, one option could be a hotel and staff will run numbers, but he was concerned that one or both of the owners may want to spend money now. Vice Mayor Datzman stated he walked in here to- night and heard a situation, maybe have a hotel and maybe a show room and a parking lot - he does not know if that is possible and does not want to say no before staff comes back. Director of Economic & Community Development Van Duyn suggested coming back with at least five options and alternatives, and with some professional assistance, come back with numbers for land acqui- sition in 60 days. Mayor Mullin stated, that makes sense, for whatever we do it will impact the community for a long time and it is difficult to close options. Assistant City Attorney Wellman stated this con- cerns the City Council's use of the equipment pro- vided by the City, the computer with the e-mail and internet. She stated there is nothing in the policy that is a surprise, it is of primary use for City relat- ed business, and it may be used for personal use but not to exceed 33% or less time. There is a provi- sion that the Council does not store any personal business on the hard drive, but on disk. She pointed out that any e-mail would be subject to the Brown AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 2__..: Telecommunications policy - Continued. ADJOURNMENT: Act and disclosure, and asked the Council to adopt the policy. City Clerk Battaya stated this is not an action item on the agenda. Mayor Mullin asked that it be put on the next agen- da for action. M/S Datzman/Fernekes - To adjourn the meeting. Carried by unanimous voice vote. Time of adjournment was 7:00 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, k arbara A. attaya, City~ ~ City of South San Francisco APPROVED. City of South San Francisco lne entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose of an item. Oral communica- tions, arguments and comments are recorded on tape. The tape and documents related to the items are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are available for inspection, review and copying. 5/6/98 Page 9