HomeMy WebLinkAboutNOP_101 Gull_211014 (002) NOTICE OF PREPARATION
OF AN EIR AND SCOPING MEETING
FOR THE PROPOSED 101 GULL DRIVE PROJECT
To: Agencies, Organizations, and Interested Parties
From: City of South San Francisco, Economic and Community Development Department
Subject: Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in Compliance with Title
14, Sections 15082(a), 15103, and 15375 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). Title 14, Chapter 3
of the CCR is described herein as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The City of South San
Francisco (City) is the Lead Agency under CEQA for the proposed project identified below, and will
prepare an EIR to analyze the project under CEQA.
Project Title: 101 Gull Drive. The project location and a summary of the project description are included
on the following page.
Current Environmental Review: An Initial Study has been prepared in accordance with CEQA Guidelines
Section 15063 to determine topic areas that have the potential to result in significant environmental
impacts.
The Initial Study determined that the project would not have significant impacts in the other CEQA topic
areas, consisting of Aesthetics, Agricultural and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources,
Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hydrology and Water Quality,
Land Use and Planning, Population and Housing, Mineral Resources, Noise, Public Services, Recreation,
Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities and Service Systems, and Wildfire.
The Initial Study determined that an Environmental Impact Report should be prepared to provide
detailed analysis in the topic areas of Hazards & Hazardous Materials and Transportation.
Where to View Documents: The Initial Study, its supporting documentation, and details relating to the
project are on-file and available for review online at:
www.ssf.net/CEQAdocuments under the “101 Gull Drive” project. If you are unable to view documents
online, please use the contact below to arrange access to an alternate digital copy or hard copy.
Agency/Public Comments: The City requests your comments regarding the analysis in the Initial Study
and the scope and content of the environmental review to be presented in the Environmental Impact
Report for the proposed project. Due to the time limits mandated by State law, your response must be
sent at the earliest possible date but not later than 30 days after receipt of this notice. The City will
accept written comments on this NOP from October 14, 2021 through 5pm on November 12, 2021.
Please send your comments by email to [email protected] or by mail to: City of South San
Francisco, Economic and Community Development Department, 315 Maple Avenue, South San
Francisco, CA 94083, Attention: Stephanie Skangos, Associate Planner. Verbal comments will also be
received at the Scoping Meeting indicated below.
Scoping Meeting: Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21083.9 and Sections 15206 and 15082 of
the CEQA Guidelines, the Lead Agency also hereby gives notice of a public scoping meeting on this
project to receive comments on the scope of the EIR. In accordance with current shelter-in-place
mandates related to COVID-19, the Lead Agency will conduct a virtual scoping meeting on Thursday,
November 4, 2021, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM, via webinar and telephone conference line. During the
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scoping meeting, agencies, organizations, and the public will have an opportunity to submit comments.
Please note that comments are limited to three minutes per speaker.
To access the scoping meeting webinar, please use this link from your computer, tablet or smartphone
(you may need to install the Zoom app on your device prior to the meeting):
https://ssf-net.zoom.us/j/81573605732?pwd=TDFLUWxxc25NRUYwYml3MUxPR3QzUT09
You can also dial in to the meeting using your phone (United States Toll Free):
833 548 0276, 833 548 0282, 877 853 5257, or 888 475 4499
Meeting ID: 815 7360 5732
Passcode: 285944
EIR Process: Following the close of the NOP comment period, a Draft EIR will be prepared that will
consider the environmental topic areas of Hazards & Hazardous Materials and Transportation and take
into consideration NOP comments. In accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15105(a), the Draft EIR
will be released for public review and comment for the required 45-day review period. Following the
close of the 45-day public review period, the City will prepare a Final EIR that will include responses to
all substantive comments received on the Draft EIR. The Draft EIR and Final EIR will be considered by the
Planning Commission and City Council in making the decision to certify the EIR and to approve or deny
the project.
Project Location: The project site is located at 101 Gull Drive (Assessor’s Parcel Number 015-082-250),
within the City of South San Francisco’s “East of 101” planning area. The 3.8-acre project site is currently
vacant. While the site is located along Gull Drive, it is largely separated from the roadway by a grade
change and steep slope. The project site is located behind businesses fronting Eccles Avenue and Oyster
Point Boulevard and existing access easements with nearby properties would provide mutual access to
driveways on those roadways along with the new driveway on Gull Drive proposed as a part of this
project. The location of the project is shown in Figure 1.
The site is impacted by contamination from historic and adjacent uses. During the 1950s, trash was
reportedly burned on a portion of the project site and/or burn ash dumped at the site. The trash
burning/ash dumping activities were not licensed. While the burn ash located at the project site is
assumed to be associated with activity at the now-closed Oyster Point Landfill across Gull Drive from the
site, the project site was not used for disposal of municipal solid waste. The residual burn ash material
consists of ash, brick, concrete, metal fragments, and glass, and select metals concentrations were
reported at concentrations above industrial or commercial environmental screening levels, requiring
further action. Additionally, migration of landfill gas from the Oyster Point Landfill had historically been
a concern. Hazards and Hazardous Materials will be discussed in detail in the Environmental Impact
Report.
Project Description: The Project Sponsor, Sanfo Group LLC, is proposing construction and operation of a
new 166,613-square-foot, 7-story, office / research and development (R&D) building and an attached
4.5-story 419-stall parking garage. Site improvements would also include open space, landscaping,
outdoor seating areas, pedestrian walkways, and vehicular circulation elements, including a connection
to Gull Drive for the mutual access easements in the vicinity. The project site plan is shown in Figure 2.
Construction is expected to span approximately 22.5 months. No substantial excavation or subsurface
floors / parking is proposed. Grading would involve 18,440 cubic yards of cut across the site. Some of
that would be balanced on site, with a net import of 1,780 cubic yards and export of 16,460 cubic yards.
Drilled piles are proposed for building support that would be drilled down to bedrock (approximately 15
to 60 feet). To address the stability of the slope along the south and east portions of the site, design-
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level geotechnical recommendations would include a combination of additional rows of piles, ground
improvement and/or tighter spacing of piles.
The proposed project is consistent with the existing General Plan designation and zoning at the site and
would require the following approvals from the City of South San Francisco: Conditional Use Permit
(Parking/Loading Reduction, Incentive-Based Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Bonus, Parking Garage Rooftop
Planting), Design Review, Transportation Demand Management Program.
Date: October 13, 2021
Stephanie Skangos, Associate Planner
Telephone: (650) 877-8535
Figure 1: Project Location
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Figure 2: Project Site Plan