HomeMy WebLinkAbout0013_4_Attachment 4 - Resolution No. 2865-2020, as adopted by the Planning Commission on September 17, 2020RESOLUTION NO. 2865-2020
PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS AND ADOPTING THE INITIAL
STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND APPROVING
ENTITLEMENTS REQUEST (P17-0108, UP17-0021, DR17-0069, AND TDM17-0005)
CONSTRUCT A NEW FIVE-STORY HOTEL WITH 95 ROOMS AND TWO-LEVELS OF
BELOW-GRADE PARKING AT 840 EL CAMINO REAL
WHEREAS, the applicant has proposed to construct a five-story hotel with 95 rooms and two
levels of below-grade parking located at the 840 El Camino Real parcel (“Project”); and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources
Code, sections 21000, et seq. (“CEQA”), the City prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative
Declaration (“IS/MND”) for the Project with assistance from Rincon Consultants, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, the IS/MND was circulated for the required 30-day public comment period on April
14, 2020, which ended on May 14, 2020 at 5:00p.m.; and
WHEREAS, two comments were received during the comment period from a member of the public
and a law firm representing labor unions; the comments and responses prepared by City and Project
applicant to these comments are attached and incorporated herein as Exhibit B - B-2; and
WHEREAS, the IS/MND was updated with minor technical revisions and finalized in response to
comments received, the final version of which including a technical revision document and the
associated Mitigation and Monitoring Program (“MMRP”) is attached hereto and incorporated
herein as Exhibits A – A2; and
WHEREAS, the IS/MND concludes that the following resources could be impacted by the Project:
Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Geology and Soils, and Greenhouse Gas
Emissions, but that those potential impacts would all be reduced to a less than significant level
with mitigation, as included in the MMRP; and
WHEREAS, none of the public comments received and revisions to the final IS/MND would result
in the need to prepare an EIR, or the need to recirculate the IS/MND, as outlined under CEQA
Guidelines section 15073.5; and
WHEREAS, the Project also requires entitlement approval for a Conditional Use Permit, Design
Review, and Transportation Demand Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, on September 17, 2020, the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco
held a lawfully noticed public hearing to solicit public comment and consider the IS/MND, and
related entitlements (P17-0108, UP17-0021, DR17-0069, and TDM17-0005), take public
testimony, and make a determination on the Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based on the entirety of the record before it, which
Attachment 4 - Resolution No. 2865-2020, as adopted
by the Planning Commission on September 17, 2020
includes without limitation, the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code
§21000, et seq. (“CEQA”) and the CEQA Guidelines, 14 California Code of Regulations §15000,
et seq.; the South San Francisco General Plan and General Plan EIR, including all amendments
and updates thereto; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the IS/MND prepared by Rincon
Consultants, Inc., and all appendices thereto; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted
as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed September 17, 2020 meeting and any other
evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2), the Planning
Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby finds as follows:
SECTION 1 FINDINGS
General
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution.
2.The exhibits and attachments, including the IS/MND, associated Mitigation Monitoring
and Reporting Program (MMRP), and technical revision for the Project (attached as
Exhibits A – A2), IS/MND received comments and responses (attached as Exhibits B –
B4), draft Conditions of Approval (Exhibit C), Project Plans (Exhibit D), and
Transportation Demand Management Plan (Exhibit E) are incorporated by reference as part
of this Resolution, as if set forth fully herein.
3.The documents and other material constituting the record for these proceedings are located
at the Planning Division for the City of South San Francisco, 315 Maple Avenue, South
San Francisco, CA 94080, and in the custody of the Planning Manager, Sailesh Mehra.
CEQA/Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND)
1.The proposed Project is consistent with the City of South San Francisco General Plan
because the land use, development standards, densities and intensities, buildings and
structures proposed are compatible with the goals, policies, and land use designations
established in the General Plan (see Gov’t Code, § 65860), and none of the land uses,
development standards, densities and intensities, buildings and structures will operate to
conflict with or impede achievement of the any of the goals, policies, or land use
designations established in the General Plan.
2.Based on the whole record before it and on the Planning Commission’s independent
judgment and analysis, the Planning Commission finds that there is no substantial evidence
in the record supporting a fair argument that approval of the Project will result in a
significant environmental effect. The mitigation measures proposed in the IS/MND and
included in the MMRP, will operate to ensure the impacts of the proposed Project will not
exceed established CEQA thresholds of significance.
Conditional Use Permit
1. The proposed use is allowed within the El Camino Real Mixed-Use (ECRMX) District
subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit and complies with all other
applicable provisions of this Ordinance and all other titles of the South San Francisco
Municipal Code.
2. The proposed use is consistent with the General Plan, as the site is designated as El
Camino Real Mixed Use (ECRMU), which is intended to accommodate high-intensity
active uses and mixed use development in the South El Camino Real area, and the
proposed hotel use is consistent with the City’s general vision for orderly development
and is appropriately sited.
3. The proposed use will not be adverse to the public health, safety, or general welfare of
the community, nor detrimental to surrounding properties or improvements as the Project
proposes to be self-parked consistent with other airport-oriented hotels.
4. The proposed use complies with any design or development standards applicable to the
zoning district or the use in question and has been vetted and recommended for approval
by the City’s Design Review Board.
5. The design, location, size, and operating characteristics of the proposed activity would be
compatible with the existing and reasonably foreseeable future land uses in the vicinity.
6. The site is physically suitable for the type, density, and intensity of use being proposed,
including access, utilities, and the absence of physical constraints, all of which were
vetted and reviewed by staff and consultants through both a site plan analysis and specific
environmental review of the potential impacts to the site.
7. An environmental determination has been prepared in accordance with the California
Environmental Quality Act and approved by resolution of the Planning Commission.
Findings Required in addition to the Conditional Use Permit Findings (SSFMC 20.330.006):
1. Based on the nature of the proposed operation; proximity to frequent transit service;
transportation characteristics of persons residing, working, or visiting the site; and
because the applicant has undertaken a transportation demand management program,
parking demand will be reduced at the site and parking demand for the proposed use
should not exceed the provided parking on-site.
2. The use will adequately be served by the proposed on-site parking since the applicant
would offer adequate shuttle service and has a proven occupancy rate and performance
record that suggests that an approximately 0.75 parking ratio for rooms will not result in
spillover parking issues.
3.Parking demand generated by the Project will not exceed the capacity of or have a
detrimental impact on the supply of on-street parking in the surrounding area, since
surrounding parking lots are monitored by their respective property owners.
Design Review
1.The Project is consistent with the applicable standards and requirements of the Zoning
Ordinance because as submitted and modified through the Design Review Process, this
Project meets or complies with the applicable standards included in the Commercial, Office
and Mixed-Use Districts (Chapter 20.090);
2.The site is currently designated El Camino Real Mixed Use. The Project is consistent with
the General Plan because the proposed hotel is consistent with the policies and design
direction provided in the South San Francisco General Plan for the El Camino Real Mixed
Use land use designation.
3.The Project is consistent with the design guidelines adopted by the City Council in that the
proposed use is consistent with the Commercial, Office and Mixed-Use Districts
Regulations and Standards included in Section 20.090.004.
4.The proposed Project is subject to approval of a Conditional Use Permit, and those findings
have been made in the above section.
5.The Project is consistent with the applicable design review criteria in Section 20.480.006
(“Design Review Criteria”) because the Project has been evaluated against, and found to
be consistent with, each of the eight design review criteria included in the “Design Review
Criteria” section of the Zoning Ordinance.
Transportation Demand Management Program
1. The proposed trip reduction measures are feasible and appropriate for the Project,
considering the proposed use and the Project’s location, size, employee roster, and hours
of operation based on a review of the preliminary Transportation Demand Management
Plan.
2.The proposed performance guarantees will ensure that the target alternative mode use
established for the Project by this chapter will be achieved and maintained as this will be
monitored on a yearly basis as part of the annual reporting requirements.
SECTION 2 DETERMINATION
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City
of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution and (1) adopts the
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration and associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program, attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibits A – A2, and (2) approves the related
entitlements request for 840 El Camino Real (P17-0108, UP17-0021, DR17-0069, and TDM17-
0005), subject to the attached Conditions of Approval attached hereto and incorporated herein as
Exhibit C.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the resolution shall become effective immediately upon its
passage and adoption.
* * * * * * *
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Planning Commission of the City
of South San Francisco at a regular meeting held on the 17th day of September, 2020 by the
following vote:
AYES: Chair Wong, Vice-Chair Evans, Commissioner Faria, Commissioner Shihadeh,
Commissioner Murphy, Commissioner Bernardo, Commissioner Tzang
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
RECUSE: Attest_/s/Sailesh Mehra__________
Secretary to the Planning Commission