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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 05/17/2001 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO REGULAlt PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MlNICIPAL SERVICES BUILDING 33 ARROYO DRIVE May 17,2001 CALL TO ORDER / PLEDGE 017' ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order at 7. 30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Co lissioner D'Angelo, Commissioner Honan, Commissioner Ochsenhirt, Commissioner Sim, Commissioner Teglia, and Vice Chairperson Romero MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairperson Meloni STAFF PRESENT: Planning Division: Thomas C. Sparks, Chief Planner Steve Carlson, Senior Planner Mike Lappen, Senior Planner Kimberly Johnson Richard Harmon Sgt. Mike Newell Barry Mammini City Attorney: Engineering: Police Dept.: Bldg./Fire Prev. AGENDA REVIEW Prior to starting the meeting Vice Chairman Romero asked for a moment of silence for recently deceased members of the community, Victor Feudale, Mike Nichols and Mary Melqni, mother of our commission Chairperson Mike Meloni. Chief Planner Sparks had no changes to the agenda. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chief Planner Sparks mentioned that this was going to be Bertha's last meeting for 7 months. She will be back the 1 st of the year 2002. Chief Planner Sparks asked the commission if they wished to cancel the meeting of July 5th. The consensus of the commission was to cancel. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of April 5, 2001. Motion Honan / Second D' An2elo to approve the Consent Calendar. Approved unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING-AGENDA ITEMS 2. OCULAR SCIENCES MSW PartnerslMichael Halper-owner/applicant 475 Eccles Ave. UP 94-9801M0D 2 and Categorical Exemption Class 32 Section 15332 In Fill Development Project S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 1 01'9 Modification of Use Permit 94-980 allowing the addition of a 5,600 square foot mezzanine increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) above 0.5, situated at 475 Eccles Avenue in the Planned Industrial Zoning District, in accordance with SSFMC Chapter 20.32. Senior Planner Carlson presented the staff report. The building is over floor ratio for the land use designation and requires a TDM program, so applicant has put together a TDM program. It targets 35 % alternative mode use. Commissioner D'Angelo TDM looks like a boiler plate and is not creative. For example, there is mention of existing bike paths, CalTrans, Bart, bus and shuttle but no incentive to use them. He works for a public agency and they are given a $50.00 incentive for using CalTrans. Nothing like that is mentioned. It just says they'll provide ridesharing and ticket sales, but nothing to supplement or encourage the supplemental use of public transportation. Senior Planner Carlson TDM is designed to accommodate employee needs. There is an annual review and if 35% is not met it will be analyzed. If it doesn't work out, they will work with Ocular Sciences to make it work. Commissioner D'Angelo Does the City suggest augmenting the fares to encourage use of public transportation. Chief Planner Sparks Yes. We hope to work toward where our TDM programs are boilerplate to become part of corporate culture. Need to be tailored to individual applications. Our emphasis is on reducing trips above our .5 FAR baseline. If an applicant wants to go above that they will have to include a TDM program. This one is not the most aggressive. Commissioner Honan The TDM will be reviewed once a year. Who will review it? Senior Planner Carlson The applicant is going to review that and then the City to see if it needs to be modified. City is also involved. Vice Chairperson Romero The change in the employee count is from 240, moving 55 off site and 5 shifts of 50 employees per shift. There will be a staggering of the employee count throughout the day. Chris Petit Five shifts is the current schedule-3 shifts in distribution around the clock and 2 in package area. 55 employee reduction has already occurred. Vice Chairperson Romero What's the purpose of the expansion in the building? Chris Petit For storage and packing of contact lenses. Vice Chairperson Romero Did exceeding.6 in the FAR kick in the TDM? Senior Planner Carlson Yes. Anytime they are above the FAR they are required to have a TDM program. Commissioner Ochsenhirt Does this mean that this company did not have a TDM program before? Senior Planner Carlson Yes. Commissioner D'Angelo Regarding the FAR in the general plan which has a 0.5 FAR based on commercial. Can a commercial establishment exceed the FAR and a residential cannot? Chief Planner Sparks They are both 0.5. It is useful because it gives an idea of what magnitude of development we are looking at. Less clear for residential that it's an appropriate way to go. Creates unnecessary issues and will be resolving that with the rewrite of the zoning code and some upcoming General Plan clean up amendments. Commissioner D'Angelo Commercial establishments do exceed it but residential are held to it. Chief Planner Sparks TDM is the tool to reduce the impact of exceeding for commercial establishment. Impacts are different for residential. Senior Planner Carlson There are ultimate limits even for commercial. S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 201'9 Motion Honan / Second Sim to approve by unanimous voice vote. 3. East of 101 City of South San Francisco-owner/applicant GPA-99-061/MOD2, ZA-01-021and DSEIR 99-061/MOD1 East of 101 Transportation Improvement Plan and Traffic Impact Fee, Draft SEIR, General Plan Amendment and Zoning Amendment to establish a citywide Transportation Demand Management Plan -Public Hearing to take comments on the DSEIR during review period. Chief Planner Sparks introduced discussion on the plan. Purpose of meeting to accept comments from the public on DSEIR. Senior Planner Lappen gave presentation. Commissioner D'Angelo asked the staff to go back to the slide on the alternatives. Very impressed. Mentioned that there is no consideration of costs associated with any of the alternatives. Chief Planner Sparks There are costs but not related to DSEIR. The environmently superior alternative is not the most expensive. Senior Planner Lappen The presentation was to focus on the EIR Draft nexus study needs to be done to justify the project. TDM consultant is advising as to the cost of the project. Information will be given to commission. Commissioner D'Angelo noticed that Railroad Avenue extension was a very hot issue during the General Plan and is in every alternative. Why? Chief Planner Sparks The desire to have other connections across the freeway between east and west is strong. Anytime we can come up with a possibility we throw it into whatever program. Won't stay in this one because it is too expensive. Commissioner Teglia mentioned the no build option included the Railroad extension maybe that alternative should have been deleted. It would have then impacted some of the early traffic analysis. Chief Planner Sparks doesn't show a large impact and very expensive and very convenient for other things but not so clearly useful in terms of improving traffic flow in an area of intense development. Senior Planner Lappen One of the reasons why the information in the General Plan was not to look at it in context with the East of 101 area, but serving downtown. The east-west extension that would get traffic from eastside of the freeway to the Lindenville area. Truck traffic going through downtown going directly to the freeway. Nexus study to leave out Railroad. Commissioner Sim Practically implementing these potential alternatives it takes phases and master plan strategies. Do we have any strategies in mind? Will they be shared at next presentation? Senior Planner Lappen stated that the consultant's scope of work is to provide implementations. Vice Chairperson Romero comment on Airport Blvd./Grand Ave. area. East of Grand Ave. intersection and overpass section Categories 12, 13 and 14 in Table 3.1 is a real problem area. Would like the consultant to revisit that area to see if there was something to be done to improve the level of service for the people who need to get in and out of the East of 101 area and to get to the Grand Ave area during lunchtime. To provide the businesses of that area more ease of access. Intersection is difficult to traverse before and after work and lunchtime. Leaning toward Category D because of the improvements to the intersections indicated. Chief Planner Sparks We have parts of the proposal that would significantly improve the Grandi Airport intersection. Will be going through all in considerable detail when the project is bought forward intersection by intersection. Commissioner Ochsenhirt commented that the at Dubuque intersection a semi tried to make a right- S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.docr Page 3 01'9 hand turn on Dubuque and got caught up on the island. Vice Chairperson Romero stated that being no other comments, the review period continues until June 6th and if anyone from the public wanted to comment they should pick up the document and do so. Recess called @ 8:33p.m. Resumed @ 8:40 p.m. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS 4. Items from Staff a. Study Session SandHill Property Co., 345 East Grand, LP-owner/appl. Dowler-Gruman Architects 345 East Grand Ave. UP-01-034 and Negative Declaration-01-034 Use permit allowing a new 210,560 square foot research and development facility with a multi- story parking garage for 600 vehicles, an outdoor service yard, operating 24 hours per day and generating in excess of 100 vehicle trips situated at 345 East Grand Avenue in the Planned Industrial zoning district (P-I) in accordance with SSFMC sections 20.32.060 , 30.32.070 (a) and 20.32.070 (b). Senior Planner Carlson presented staff report. Commissioner Teglia Does staff have pre-concept drawings or color renderings? Senior Planner Carlson We have. John Zai, SandHill Property Co. Have been working with staff and understanding what the City is looking forwarding. City wants to upgrade type of use and they also want to do that. Last month went to DRB. DRB felt parking structure is big, massive. Since that meeting worked with Steve and Tom, terraced the parking structure and opened up to make it blend with the R&D. Terracing the front and back of structure to make it not look like a parking structure. Long term holders of real estate so we take pride in what we build. Commissioner Teglia DRB thinks that it sticks out like a sore thumb unlike Genentech, because Genentech's are in the same context. It works for that area. Problem is that this is a very low building being dwarfed by a parking structure. Species selection is very important. Pine trees do very well in the area. Need to bring the parking structure in context with the building next door. R& D has low parking requirements. Asked about the properties next door. Zai: This site is on 3 sides up against slopes. Neighboring property is about 150 feet above them. Have not considered acquiring the neighboring property. Do what they can to make the parking structure acceptable. Commissioner Sim Need to give the commission more contectural information not just about the site but let the commission see it in model form so they can architecturally see how it fits into site. Parking structure is a big structure. There are different ways of breaking the mass. Different ways of resolving that issue with diversity of materials. Commissioner Honan Has to be some additional ways to blend the parking lot into the building. S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 4 01'9 Commissioner Ochsenhirt Would like to see a physical connection. Looks like an alleyway or roadway or passageway between the two. Would like to see examples of garages to match what is already out there. Vice Chairperson Romero Project is very large for site working with. Would like to see a footprint, the street, sidewalk, setback, the landscape strip showing a little of landscaping. Need to see detail in advance. Parking structure exceeds others in the City. This an important site because it's an entrance way to East of 101. Commissioner Sim Children's Hospital in Oakland is an example of an award-winning design for a parking structure. Commissioner Teglia More blending to incorporate this building with the other building. With trying to make footprint, adding a lot of floor space on the inside. Taking a level off the parking structure would go along way to bring this into context. Maybe something beneficial can be done in that building, such as eliminating some second floor floor space which will allow parking to scale back. Commissioner Sim Suggestion to put the parking structure in the rear. Commissioner D'Angelo Show perspective. Challenge not just to make the front look good or the back area. Not just to make it look aesthetically pleasing from the front but from above. Zai talked with staff about what to do about hiding the equipment and screen. Maybe housing rather superficial but still covering and not just making an ugly silver roof top. Commissioner Sim Gap between the two buildings. Make a better positive relationship between the two by a walkway or arcade to tie together. Zai There are some fire/building code issues. Commissioner Honan How wide is the gap? Zai About 20 feet. Need to maintain a firelane. Senior Planner Carlson The reason staff is concerned about Monterey Pine is because limbs start falling off as tree matures and the litter from the tree is so acidic and there is not much that can be done with ground cover. Ask that they take a look more carefully to see if there is another variety that will achieve similar effect. Commissioner Teglia There are some other species that are very similar. There are some very tall shrubs that work well. The whole theme toward Forbes is the pine tree. Try to keep the same type of species. Something hearty that would grow tall. Still consider another species even on the corners. Instead of straight line of trees maybe stagger like a little forest going back. Tying everything together the most important thing. Zai Can do some inner planting between the existing trees. Commissioner Teglia To minimize the size for visual impact. Zai Asked to go directly to Planning Commission after revisions rather than going to DRB first. Commissioner Teglia DRB makes recommendations to the Planning Commission. No reason they couldn't have a joint meeting or study session. Commissioner Honan How are you planning to connect the parking to the structure. With a bridge or walkway? Still thinking of the bridge? Zai Yes. Thinking that element was like an arch between the garage and the building. Introduce a pedestrian way into the garage. Commissioner Honan Archway seems so plain. No thought to attach these two buildings. Vice Chairperson Romero The site is rounded and putting this building there is like putting a square peg into a round hole. Need to soften and be more creative. Commissioner Teglia The step back is to make it look less opposing heightwise. Vice Chairperson Romero This should remain at the Planning Commission level because it has already gone through Design Review Board. S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 501'9 Commissioner Sim Need more detail. Zai Suggestions have been precise and can easily work with that. b. Grosvenor Hotel-owner Michael Heckmann Architect/applicant 380 South Airport Blvd. UP-01-008 and Categorical Exemption Class 32 Section 15332 In Fill Development Project Review of color scheme and landscaping. (Continuedfrom May 3, 2001) Senior Planner Carlson presented staff report. Michael Heckman Site plan brought formally a boxy configuration of the building and parking areas now curve- linear theme into the parking as well and has freed up planting areas and added spacious feel to the building itself and more opportunity to do landscaping. Building maintained in the beige on beige with a blue facia. Scheme is not to fight the existing structure. Sketches indicate a little more tan warmer coloration to the building. Deeper aesthetics to the building. Horizontal elements to give visual interest to the building. Landscaping is detailed and is now integrated into the project. Commissioner Honan Will the Best Western seal stay the blue color? Heckman Committed with the franchise agreement to leave signage. Commissioner Honan The type as well as the color? Heckman The color is standard. Bischoff Subtle that you cannot see. Commissioner Sim concerned with the mudiness. Commissioner Teglia looks good. Suggest with all the roof treatment to try and keep the antennas from sticking out. Commissioner D'Angelo liked the model rendering and the color schemes are interesting and will enhance the building. Might be some other compromise on that sign to look at. To the staff does any of the sign ordinances cover that type of situation on the building. Senior Planner Carlson As part of the review, downsize the number of signs whole area decreased. Heckman Have decreased the amount of signage 12 to 13 percent from total square footage. The facia is much simpler and cleaner and classier looking. Commissioner Sim Really liked the landscape plan. Vice Chairperson Romero Excellent job with the color and landscaping. Heckman Will work with the owners regarding the signs. MotionlTeglia Second/D' Angelo Unanimously approved. c. Capital Improvement Program City of South San Francisco-owner/applicant A Resolution of the Planning Commission determining that the proposed 2001-2002 Capital Improvement Program is consistent with the City's General Plan. Chief Planner Sparks This item is an annual statutory obligation of the Planning Commission to make a finding of consistency, called a 65401 finding after the section in the State Planning Law that the Capital Improvement Plan is consistent with the General Plan. The acting City Engineer is responsible for preparation of this document and is available to answer any questions. This is not the opportunity to bring up new proposals, but we'd be happy to convey to the powers that be suggestions for inclusion in S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 6 01'9 next year's plan or modification of this one. Dennis Chuck explained how the CIP is divided into 8 sections and noted that a new library and citywide software acquisitions do not show in the CIP. Vice Chairperson Romero This is an opportune time to make suggestions for the next document as well as for the document in front of them. Commissioner Teglia Reiteration of last years comments. Would like to know the City's thinking on the Central Fire Station. Feels it is being neglected and what plans are there to repair it especially since it is so close to Downtown. Dennis Chuck In the Public Facilities portion, there is 3 million dollars to replace Central Fire Station and on the second one there is $50,000.00 for building maintenance and upgrade of City facilities. Painting and regular replacement of glass look to Maintenance department. Commissioner Teglia The only thing happening to Chestnut is a turn lane at El Camino Real. Part of our finding here is that this document isn't in keeping with the General Plan considering the extensive residential growth and the explosion of traffic that has been generated on Chestnut all the way to Hillside. Previous plans for improvements on Chestnut received a great deal of resistance because the plan wasn't very good. An overall improvement on Chestnut some widening up to Hillside and some aesthetic landscaping going up and down is an important addition to this document considering the amount of traffic on that roadway. Dennis Chuck Held a public meeting with the residents on Chestnut when proposed the widening 4 lanes from El Camino Real to Hillside. Great deal of resistance to that idea so it is on hold. The CIP plan to resurface Chestnut from El Camino Real to Hillside Blvd. A fund for green spots to do landscaping. Commissioner Teglia This document is inadequate if it is to be consistent with the General Plan. One main resistance to the original proposal was the elimination of parking in front of people's homes. That was an unreasonable request. Need to respect that people be able to park in front of their homes. Some improvement is possible. 4 lanes may not be possible 3 may be. All projects in town are required to have landscaping. South San Francisco is not raising standards as compared with streetscapes in Millbrae and San MateolHillsdale. Since Chestnut has become such a major thoroughfare, more attention to aesthetics is needed. Traffic flow especially at Baden and Chestnut can back up all the way to Grand A venue, so turns at certain times of the day are not feasible. This should be addressed. Dennis Chuck We can look at these items in the future CIP. Commissioner Teglia Brought these points up last year. Chestnut is a very important roadway. Chestnut not being in the CIP is a big dent as to whether it complies with the General Plan. Commissioner D'Angelo What is the City's vision on the McLellan Drive extension. Dennis Chuck Environmental document calls for 2 lane road from Hillside to Mission Road. It won't be lit. The sidewalks will be on the far side not the side where residents are. The EIR did not call for soundwalls. Will probably put landscaping or some berming. Will request storm drainage and signals on either end. Vice Chairperson Romero Is the sidewalk on the side where the cemetary is and not on the side where the school is. Dennis Chuck Generally the students will be walking down Evergreen versus coming down the extension. The sidewalks were put on the opposite so in the evenings pedestrians would be walking on the opposite side of the street and not along people's back fences. There is no access from McLellan to the school. Drop-offs are on Evergreen or Mission Road. Trying to work with BART to have a drop- off/kiss and ride and have the students walk across. Vice Chairperson Romero Hasn't the county been receptive to have a drop-off off of McLellan to get it away from the residential side on Evergreen? S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 7 01'9 Dennis Chuck No, it's more the City and School District and that is still up for discussion. Chief Planner Sparks McLellan is envisioned primarily as a traffic reliever and it is not designed with any access between Mission and Hillside. Vice Chairperson Romero Good idea to consider a turnout on McLellan if something could be worked out with the school district to drop-off children rather than cross Mission and take some of the traffic off Evergreen. Commissioner D'Angelo What is envisioned on Oak? Is the money for study or construction? Dennis Chuck Just for study in the 1st year. Commissioner Ochsenhirt Concerned with Mission Road with regards to being a mini EI Camino Real on Mission Road with all the additions being added. From last year to this year Chestnut has improved but agrees that the traffic issue between Grand to Baden to Commercial has not improved. Need a widening or a better flow of traffic. But needs to give the City engineers kudos for the improvements of the intersection as well as for the green spot. Vice Chairperson Romero Good idea to consider a right hand turn lane onto Juniperro Serra from Westborough especially with BART coming in. Difficult to make this turn during peak hours. Bottle- neck occurs between Junipero Serra and Gellert that is not enabling people to get to W estborough. Very long delay and major problem. Dennis Chuck That section going up Westborough to Juniper Serra is County jurisdiction. Can call to let them know. As far as traffic moving through, timing studies have been done and are working with our maintanence people to adjust timing to see how much traffic can be getting through. Commissioner D'Angelo Thought there used to be a right-turn lane from Junipero Serra onto Westborough now it is removed. Causing excess back ups in the evening from the off-ramp. Seems like making an illegal turn because of the need to cross a solid white line to make a righthand turn. Commissioner Ochsenhirt It disappeared when it was resurfaced. Commissioner D'Angelo It was only resurfaced and painted if that was the reconstruction. Dennis Chuck That was a reconstruction project about 2 years ago, but will check into it. Commissioner Sim What's the status on the library project. . Dennis Chuck Not sure if the bond issue is going to go through, but will add it as a placeholder for future project. Up to City Manager to see when to proceed with funding. Commissioner Sim Has there been a feasibility study done? Dennis Chuck Maybe a needs assessment but that is it. MotionJTe~!lia Second/D- An2elo Unanimously approved. 5. Items from Commission Commissioner Teglia would like some feedback on a few items. Raising our standards with previous approvals of use permits and maintaining requirements; specific example the corner of Westborough and El Camino Chevron Station where certain trees have been removed and not replaced. Sure it is part of the original landscaping. Would like to see a review of the original approvals what they were required and maybe if someone mentioned to them that they need to replace a tree when one is removed. Spruce between Canal and Commercial -The office buildings, especially where the Public Storage ones are, had long cheap wood signs and now added to those mini billboards along the grass berm. Starting to get out of hand. Don't think the original signs were legal and sure the existing ones now are way out of line. Also some of the real estate leasing companies have put up almost permanent billboards advertising when we have temporary allowances for that. Would like Code Enforcement to enlighten these property owners to our sign ordinances and would like to hear what their responses are in a timely S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 8 01'9 fashion. Commissioner Ochsenhirt announced the 7 a.m. opening of the Farmers Market at Orange Park on Saturday, also the 11 a.m. dedication of the new picnic area at Orange Park and from 10-4 the Cultural Arts "Youth Art Day". Vice Chairperson Romero Clay A venue Park was renovated about a year ago and improved, but a problem with the red stripe painted on the curb in front of the residents nearest to the park and in front of the park. It has taken away the parking away from the residents on a 24 hour basis in the area. Understand the need for accessibility to the park for maintenance, but should be some other alternative rather than take away parking. Could staff try to work out something so that parking can be returned to the residents and a certain amount of time allocated for access to the park by maintanence ? Would like the public street returned to the residents. Chief Planner Sparks See what can be done, but no guarantees. Commissioner Honan Thanked Richard Harmon and the rest of City staff for being able to see and read the meeting. 6. Items from the Public 7. Adjourn Motion/Honan Second/D' Angelo The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. ~ Thomas C. arks Secretary to the Planning Commission City of South San Francisco ~~\J-' Michael Meloru, Chairperson Planning Commission City of South San Francisco NEXT MEETING: Regular Meeting June 7,2001, Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco, CA. TCS/bh S:\Minutes\051701 RPC.doc Page 9 01'9