HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.07.00 Minutes
CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
MINUTES
MUNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING
33 ARROYO DRIVE
September 7, 2000
CALL TO ORDER / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL / CHAIR COMMENTS
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Commissioner Honan, Commissioner Romero, Commissioner Teglia, Vice
Chairperson Meloni and Chairperson Sim
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Commissioner Baldocchi * and Commissioner D'Angelo
Clerk Hernandez noted that Commissioner Baldocchi had notified the office that she would be 30 minutes late.
Commissioner Teglia noted that Commissioner D'Angelo was on vacation visiting the City's Sister City.
STAFF PRESENT:
Planning Division:
Thomas C. Sparks, Chief Planner
Susy Kalkin, Principal Planner
Mike Upston, Senior Planner
Kimberly Johnson
Richard Harmon
Sgt. Mike Massoni
Barry Mammini
City Attorney:
Engineering:
Police Dept.:
Bldg./Fire Prevo
AGENDA REVIEW
Chief Planner Sparks noted that there were no changes to the agenda.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Embassy SuiteslXM SatellitelLCC International, Inc.l Applicant
Felcor/CSS Holdings LP/Owner
250 Gateway Blvd.
UP-OO-061 and Categorical Exemption Section 15303 Class 3 New Construction or Conversion of
Small Structures.
Use Permit allowing a roof mounted antenna.
2. So. San Francisco Conference Center/City of So. San Francisco, Owner
Christopher CampbelllWW San Francisco No., Inc., Applicant
255 So. Airport Blvd.
UP-91-888/MODl
Use Permit Modification allowing long term airport parking and allowing a third hotel Travelodge Inn to
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc
Page 1 of 6
join the So. San Francisco Conference Center functional package. (Recommendation to continue off-
calendar)
3. Stephen Lamanet, Owner
Remi Barbier, Applicant
416 Browning Way
UP-00-054 and Negative Declaration ND-00-054
Use Permit to allow 100% office space in an existing 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse in an M-l zone.
Motion Meloni I Second Honan to approve the Consent Calendar. Approved by unanimous voice vote.
PUBLIC HEARING - AGENDA ITEMS
4. Peninsula Nephrology/Janet C. Anderson, Applicant
Lawrence J. Horn, Owner
205 Kenwood Way
UP-00-045 and Negative Declaration ND-00-045
Use Permit to allow a medical services facility within 200 feet of a residential district.
Commissioner Honan noted that she would be abstaining from the item.
Senior Planner Upston presented the staff report.
Jan Anderson, San Mateo Dialysis Center, noted that there are 50 clients in the City Of South San Francisco
that attend the San Mateo Dialysis.
Public Hearing opened.
Public Hearing closed.
Chairperson Sim asked about the BFI contract that the San Mateo office has. Ms. Anderson noted under the
terms of their contract BFI collects, transports and disposes of the medical waste. She added that they comply
with the regulations of the environmental protection agencies. She added that they would have SSF Scavengers
pickup the regular trash while BFI picks up the medical waste.
Chairperson Sim noted that the Design Review Board asked for a color board and the front yard articulation of
the store front elevation. Ms. Anderson noted that they did provide that to the City. She added that they worked
with the store front to tie both buildings together. Senior Planner Upston presented the illustration to the
Commission.
Chairperson Sim asked how many parking spaces of the 117 are available per store in the center. Chief Planner
Sparks noted that the parking is undesignated and there is not a count. He added that the use requires less
parking than the previous uses.
Motion Teglia / Second Romero to approve the item. Approved by majority voice vote with Commissioner
Honan abstaining.
5. Howard Johnson Express InnlKPR Properties, Owner
George A vanessianlPatel, Applicant
Associated Road (Vacant lot)
PUD-97-091, UP-97-091 and Negative Declaration ND-97-091
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc
Page 2 of 6
Planned Unit Development and Use Permit to allow construction of a hotel on a one-acre site in the P-C
Zone District.
Commissioner Baldocchi arrived at 7:45 p.m.
Public Hearing opened.
Chief Planner Sparks presented the staff report.
George A vanessian, representing the applicant, made a brief presentation on the project. He mentioned that
the project has been at the staff level for three years. He added that they were asked to perform studies and his
client spent thousands of dollars on these studies. He noted that they are not short on parking like the staff report
shows but have more than what is required by the City. He expressed his concern with the procedure and after
resubmitting plans a number of times his client was upset with the recommendation of denial. He added that this
was unfair to the developers because of the long slow process they went through..
Commissioner Teglia noted that many hours have gone into the project and finds it very easy to recommend
denial. He added that the City is under an obligation to process all applications and going through the process
does not guarantee approvals. He added that there have not been any substantial comments of why the project
should be approved. Mr. Avanessian noted that the applicant is concerned with why he was asked to do so many
studies and pay thousands of dollars if the project was incompatible.
Chairperson Sim noted that the General Plan was going through at the time and the area would be designated
business commercial, which caused some of the delay, because the use for the area was industrial pIior to the
approval of the General Plan. Mr. A valllessian noted that Howard Johnson threatened to cancel its contract with
the applicant and that needed to be renegotiated, which took time.
The Commission asked why there was a shortage in parking. Chief Planner Sparks noted that it was a typo on
the staff report. He added that that parking is not a dominant issue; technical details could be worked out. This is
a matter of incompatible land use issues. He mentioned that an issue is the handling of toxics in the area and is
one of the reasons why staff thinks there is land use incompatibility. He noted that the members of the public
who would stay at the hotel would not have a say about how toxics are handled in that industrial area. He added
that the studies are conducted to make sure that staff has all the information necessary to consider an application
for the Commission's decision. He mentioned that it was made clear to the applicant that staff would not support
the application.
Commissioner Honan asked if the applicant was planning on having a manager's unit in the hotel. Mr.
A vanes sian indicated that they would. Commissioner Honan noted that it is not permitted in that area. Mr.
Avanessian noted that all hotels have the manager's units and they intend to have the manager's units. Chief
Planner Sparks noted that the standard conditions of approval noted that hotels in the East of 101 area not have
permanent residential units pursuant to the City's agreement with SFIA.
C.E. Mitchell, noted that he has been in contact with the owners in the area, some of which are in the audience,
and they are all against the project. He added that an easement would be needed to use the sidewalks and they
will not be granted by Mr. Baker.
Debbie Petrini, 100 East Grand A venue, noted that her comments have been submitted to staff. She mentioned
that the use is not the highest for the area. She mentioned that a hotel does not fit in an industrial area with no
sidewalks, traffic and easement issues. She added that access, health and public safety are their main concern and
liabilities.
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc
Page 3 of 6
Public Hearing closed.
Peter Patel, applicant, noted that he spoke to several tenants in the neighborhood and they told him that they
would not oppose the project. He asked that the Commission give him a legal reason why the City was
recommending denial and asked what would be a good use to put into the area.
Assistant City Attorney Johnson noted that the Commission needs to make certain findings to approve the item,
and one being that the use will not be adverse to the public health, safety and welfare. She added that staff has
addressed in the staff report that the uses that presently exist in the area pose a significant threat to the health and
welfare of the customers and employees of the hotel.
Chairperson Sim noted that there were certain misunderstandings during the process, but with regard to the use it
is not appropriate for the site. Commissioner Romero asked if the zoning allows the use in the area. Chief
Planner Sparks noted that it does allow the use with a Use Permit. He added that the new businesses are non-
conforming under the new General Plan.
Commissioner Romero noted that the word "approved" needed to be changed to "denied" in the first paragraph
of the Findings of Denial.
Motion Teglia ! Second Honan to deny the item with a correction to the Findings of Denial stated by
Commissioner Romero. Approved by roll call vote.
Ayes:
Commissioner Baldocchi, Commissioner Honan, Commissioner Romero, Commissioner Teglia,
Vice Chairperson Meloni, and Chairperson Sim
None
Commissioner D'Angelo
None
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
Recess taken 8:30 p.m.
Recalled to order at 8:40 p.m.
6. Bay West Cove Specific Plan Amendment
Slough Estates and Hines, Owners! Applicants
SP-97-027/MODl and EIR-97-027/MODl
Public comments on Bay West Cove Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report.
Principal Planner Kalkin presented the staff report.
Mike Aronson, CCS, gave a presentation on the traffic study.
Wendy Hoyt presented the TDM program.
Public Hearing opened.
Vice Chairperson Meloni asked if SamTrans was pending service to the Bay West Cove area. Ms. Hoyt noted
that they have a number of express buses along the 101 corridor and there will be a shuttle program to the train
station. Mr. Aronson noted that SamTrans runs along Airport Boulevard, which is a 15 minute walk from the
project, but does not run east of 101. He added that currently 7 or 8% of the employees in the Gateway are using
the shuttle service, which is quite high.
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc
Page 4 of 6
Principal Planner Kalkin noted that the Commission is welcome to comment on the environmental document
and that the public is also invited to do so. She added that written comments will be accepted up to Friday,
September 15, 2000.
Public Hearing closed.
Vice Chairperson Meloni asked if the TDM program does not work what will the City do. Ms. Hoyt noted that
the goal is to have a 35% mode shift. She added that there is an annual monitOling component done by a survey
of the employees to determine how people are getting to work. She noted that if they fall short of the 35%, they
have to do additional measure to get back up to the 35%. She noted that the transit subsidy can be increased to
$25.00 per month to a greater amount, etc.
Commissioner Teglia noted that at the study session with Council there was a big issue with the clean up of the
toxic waste. He noted that the water area has not been cleaned up and the Commission and Council had asked for
an update on that issue. Chief Planner Sparks noted that U.S. Steel has put forth a clean up plan that is being
reviewed by the appropriate agencies. Staff will provide an update on this progress.
ADMINISTRA TIVE BUSINESS
7. Items from Staff
· Chief Planner Sparks noted that at the Study Session of September 14th the Commission will have new
information on Terrabay and Gellert Duc Housing will have a presentation on their application for the
Commission to review.
8. Items from Commission
· Commissioner Teglia asked if the study session could be taped because he and Commissioner D'Angelo
would be absent on September 14th. Commissioner Baldocchi noted that having the video tape
available will allow those Commissioners who will not be present an opportunity to review the
information given at the study session.
Chairperson Sim noted that he may be absent on September 21 st for the Terrabay public hearing.
Commissioner Teglia noted that there will be several Commissioners absent to decide one of the most
important projects for the City.
After discussing the Commission's schedule for the next month, it was decided that the Tenabay public
hearing would not be scheduled for September 21 st due to various Commissioners being absent. The
Commission decided to tentatively schedule the public hearing for October 5, 2000.
· Commissioner Romero announced that the EI Camino High School band will be playing for the kick off
of Genentech Goes to Town on Monday September 11th.
· Commissioner Romero noted that he read in an editorial that a property owner of a portion in Sign Hill
filed suit against the City for not allowing them to build a project consisting of 154 townhomes on half of
the 26 acre site. He added that they apparently prevailed in court. He noted that he had not seen a
proposal, as a Commissioner, go before the Commission and it went straight to litigation. Assistant City
Attorney Johnson noted that she would prepare a report and send it to the Commission.
Chief Planner Sparks noted that there may be factual issues with the editorial that could be based on one
side of the court proceedings, which may not be shared by the other side.
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc
Page 5 of 6
· Commissioner Teglia noted that Chestnut A venue was approved for a widening improvement but it had
been delayed. He noted that there is a major traffic impact on that street, especially the turn from
Chestnut onto Baden, and asked that this be researched. Chief Planner Sparks noted that it would be
researched by the Engineering Division.
9. Items from the Public - None
10. Adjournment
Motion Meloni / Second Honan to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m.
homas C. Sparks
Secretary to the Plannin Commission
City of South San Francisco
NEXT MEETING: Study Session September 14, 2000, Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive, South
San Francisco, CA.
NOTE: Staff Reports can now be accessed on the web site. www.ci.ssf.ca.us (Economic &
Community DcvelopmentIPlanning webpages).
S:\Minutes\090700 RPC.doc Page 6 of 6