Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Meeting 12-20-18 (Reso 2833-2018) - Oakmont Meadows #2 RESOLUTION NO. 2833-2018 PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP (RZ18-0005) TO REZONE ONE VACANT PARCEL AS A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PD15-0001, TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP PM15-0001, AND DESIGN REVIEW DR15-0041, TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF 22 SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED TOWNHOUSE UNITS AT THE CORNER OF WESTBOROUGH BLVD AND OAKMONT DR IN A NEW PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT. WHEREAS, Warmington Residential (“Applicant”) has proposed construction of 22 single-family attached townhouse units and 3.41 acres of open space on the vacant 4.91acre site at the southwest corner of Westborough Boulevard and Oakmont Drive, APN 091-151-040 (collectively referred to as “Project”); and, WHEREAS, the proposed Project is located within the Low Density Residential (RL-8) Zoning District; and, WHEREAS, Applicant seeks approval of an amendment to the South San Francisco Zoning Map (RZ18-0005), Planned Development (PD15-0001), Tentative Parcel Map (PM15-0001), Affordable Housing Agreement (AHA18-0004) and Design Review (DR15-0041), for the Project; and, WHEREAS, approval of the applicant’s proposal is considered a “project” for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act, Pub. Resources Code §21000, et seq. (“CEQA”); and, WHEREAS, on December 20, 2018 the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco held a lawfully noticed public hearing to solicit public comment and consider the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (“IS/MND”) and the proposed entitlements, take public testimony, and make a recommendation to the City Council on the Project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based on the entirety of the record before it, which 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; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the Project applications; the Project plans, as prepared by KTGY Group, Inc., Carlson, Barbee & Gibson, Inc. and BFS Landscape Architects, dated June 25, 2018; the Recirculated Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Revised Oakmont Meadows Residential Development Project, including all attachments thereto; all site plans, and all reports, minutes and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed December 20, 2018 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 A. General Findings 1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution. 2. The Exhibits attached to this Resolution, including the Draft Zoning Map Amendment (Exhibit A), Draft Conditions of Approval (Exhibit B), the Oakmont Meadows Planning Application Project Plans (Exhibit C), and the Oakmont Meadows Tentative Parcel Map Plans (Exhibit D) are each incorporated by reference and made a 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. 4. By Resolution No. ________, the Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, has recommended that the City Council find that an IS/MND was prepared for the Project in accordance with CEQA, which IS/MND adequately discloses and analyzes the proposed Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts. For those impacts that could potentially exceed CEQA thresholds of significance, the City has identified and imposed mitigation measures that avoid or reduce the impact to a level of less-than-significant. B. Zoning Map Amendment Findings 1. As described in more detail in Exhibit A, approval of the proposed Project will include adoption of an amendment to the South San Francisco Zoning Map, maintained by the Planning Division. The Zoning Map will be amended to revise the zoning district designation from Low Density Residential (RL-8) to a Planned Development (PD-1) for Assessor’s Parcel Number 091-151-040. 2. The proposed Zoning Map Amendment meets the purposes of Chapter 20.550 of the Municipal Code and is consistent with the General Plan because the General Plan land use designation of Low Density Residential allows for single-family residential development with densities up to 8 units per acre. This classification is mainly intended for detached single-family dwellings, but attached single-family units may be permitted, provided each unit has ground-floor living area and private outdoor open space. The Planned Development project is proposing attached single-family units that provide both ground- floor living space and private outdoor open space, is within the allowable density over the entire property, and that is in keeping with the single-family residential uses in close proximity to the site. Further, the change in zoning designation does not conflict with any specific plans, and will remain consistent with the surrounding land uses, which include single-family residential to the south and east, and will serve as a transitional use for the commercial and high-density residential uses to the north and west. The proposed amendment will not conflict with or impede achievement of any of the goals, policies, or land use designations established in the General Plan. 3. The subject property is suitable for the uses proposed in the Planned Development district in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses, and other considerations deemed relevant by the Planning Commission and City Council. The Project proposes single-family attached residential units and open space areas in the Low Density Residential land use designation, which is intended for this type of use, and would be developing a vacant underutilized parcel that is adjacent to Westborough Boulevard, with site access provided off of Oakmont Drive. The General Plan has analyzed this type of use and concluded that such uses are suitable to the surrounding area. The proposed parcels are smaller than typical due to the limitations created by the required setbacks to the fault traces and the fact that sloped portions of the site are not being built on, but the overall density and access is in keeping with surrounding development in the area. The Zoning Map Amendment is consistent with General Plan policies, specifically those related to low density residential uses. 4. The proposed Zoning Map Amendment is not detrimental to the use of land in any adjacent zone because the Planned Development District will provide low-density residential development within the Low Density Residential land use classification. The Project will provide a transition between the existing single family residential neighborhoods south of the site to multi-family residential and commercial neighborhoods to the north and west. C. Planned Development 1. The proposed Project is consistent with the General Plan, including the density and intensity limitations that apply, because the General Plan land use designation of Low Density Residential allowed for single-family residential development with densities up to 8 units per acre. This classification is mainly intended for detached single-family dwellings, but attached single-family units may be permitted, provided each unit has ground-floor living area and private outdoor open space. The project is proposing attached single-family units that provide both ground-floor living space and private outdoor open space, and is within the allowable density over the entire property. 2. The subject site is physically suitable for the type and intensity of the single-family land use being proposed, because the proposed use is consistent with the approved uses in both the General Plan and the density of the proposed project is consistent with densities approved in the adjacent Low Density Residential zoning district and the nearby Medium Density Residential zoning district. The Project proposes single-family attached residential units and open space areas in the Low Density Residential zoning district, which is intended for this type of use, and would be developing a vacant underutilized parcel that is adjacent to Westborough Boulevard. The General Plan has analyzed this type of use and concluded that such uses are suitable to the surrounding area. Further, the project applicant has prepared environmental studies, including a geotechnical report, which confirms residential structures can be supported with standard post tension slab foundations, and that underlying soils are suitable for installation of roads and utilities. 3. Adequate transportation facilities and public services exist or will be provided in accord with the conditions of development plan approval, to serve the proposed development, and the approval of the proposed development will not result in a reduction of traffic levels of service or public services so as to be a detriment to public health, safety or welfare because the Project is bounded by Westborough Boulevard to the northwest, which provides access to a regional highway just to the west of the project site and to the remainder of South San Francisco to the northeast, and by Oakmont Drive to the east, from which direct access to the Project Site will occur. The Transportation Assessment prepared for the Project concludes that upon the addition of the project trips, the study intersections would continue operating at acceptable levels of service as set forth by the General Plan. All public services are in existence in the surrounding neighborhoods, and will be provided in the Project Site per the conditions of development plan approval. 4. The proposed development will not have a substantial adverse effect on surrounding land uses and will be compatible with the existing and planned land use character of the surrounding area, because the Project proposes single-family attached residential uses in the Low Density Residential land use classification, which specifically allows for such uses subject to specific standards related to living area on the ground floor and private open space, which the Project meets. The overall Project site, which is comprised of 4.91 acres, will only have development on 21-percent of the site, while the remainder of the site will remain undeveloped or will be comprised of common open space, pathways and roads. 5. The Project generally complies with the applicable design guidelines adopted by the City Council in that the proposed Project is consistent with the Residential District Standards included in Chapter 20.080, except as requested to be amended by the Planned Development request, and is also consistent with the applicable design review criteria in Section 20.480.006 (“Design Review Criteria”) because the project has been evaluated by the Design Review Board on May 15, 2018 and found to be consistent with each of the eight design review criteria. 6. The Project is demonstratively superior to the development that could occur under the standards applicable to the underlying base district, and will achieve superior community design, environmental preservation and/or substantial public benefit, due to the following factors: a. The Project is appropriate at the proposed location because it is a low-density residential development within the Low Density Residential land use classification. The Project will provide a transition between the existing single family residential south of the site to multi-family residential to the north and west. b. The mix of uses, housing types, and housing price levels includes 22 single-family attached residences that will all have either three- or four-bedrooms. Nineteen of the residences will be sold at market rate, while the remaining three residences will be affordable to low and moderate income households. c. The provision of units affordable to persons and families of low and moderate income or to lower income households. The proposed development is obligated to provide fifteen percent of the proposed dwellings as affordable to low and moderate income households, and therefore the applicant is required to restrict a minimum of three units to fulfill the affordable housing obligation. d. Provision of infrastructure improvements. The Project will include new water, sanitary sewer, storm drains, gas, electric, communications, streets, sidewalks and landscaping throughout the site. e. Provision of open space, because the Project will provide each home with a minimum of 150 square feet of private outdoor open space, and an additional 2.75 acres of common landscaped open space. The majority of the central open space area will consist of a wild-grass area, which will be ringed by a sidewalk along the southern boundary, with a decomposed granite path meandering through the eastern and northern portions of the open space area. The central portion of the open space area will contain more formal areas, including a trellis-covered seating and barbecue area, a bocce ball court, and area with a fire pit and chairs, and a large lawn area. The formal open space areas will be surrounded by Orchard Trees, while the remainder of the open space area throughout the site will include a mixture of trees, shrubs/perennials and groundcovers. f. Compatibility with uses within the development area because it will create a residential community in an area designated as Low Density Residential in the General Plan, and will provide a transition between the existing single family residential south of the site to multi-family residential to the north and west. g. Quality of design and adequacy of light and air to the interior spaces of the buildings, because the design has been reviewed by the Design Review Board and found to be consistent with applicable design review criteria. The units will all have ample glazing to allow in natural light, with many of the units having a second story deck with sliding glass doors that provide additional light and air. h. Overall contribution to the enhancement of neighborhood character and the environment of South San Francisco in the long term, because the Project will develop one of the last vacant properties in the area with a residential development that is of suitable density to the neighborhood, serving as a transition between the existing single family residential south of the site to multi-family residential to the north and west. The Project will also provide larger units and affordable housing, which will allow more families to reside in South San Francisco. i. Creativity in design and use of land, because the Project efficiently uses the smaller amount of buildable area on the property to construct a small residential community. The fault setbacks do not allow for residential development within the setback areas, so the non-residential detached garages were able to be placed within these otherwise unusable areas. The balance of the unbuildable area is committed to open space, trails and amenities. C. Design Review 1. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code because the Project has been designed as a low-density residential development which will provide a residential environment with extensive landscaping and sustainability elements incorporated. 2. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with the General Plan for the reasons stated in Findings B.2, C.1 and C.2 above. 3. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with the applicable design guidelines adopted by the City Council for the reasons stated in Finding C.3 above. 4. The Project is consistent with the applicable design review criteria in South San Francisco Municipal Code Section 20.480.006 (“Design Review Criteria”) because the project has been evaluated by the Design Review Board on April 18, 2017 and July 18, 2017, and found to be consistent with each of the eight design review criteria included in the “Design Review Criteria” section of the Ordinance, and the Design Review Board. D. Tentative Parcel Map 1. The proposed tentative subdivision map, including the proposed designs and improvements, are consistent with the City’s General Plan as set forth in Findings B.2 and C.2 above, and because the tentative subdivision map would facilitate the development of a low density residential development that would not conflict with the Low Density Residential Land Use designation. 2. The proposed tentative subdivision map is consistent with the standards and requirements of the City’s Zoning Ordinance and with the provisions of the Planned Development Zoning District. 3. The tentative subdivision map complies and meets all of the requirements of Title 19 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code (“Subdivisions”), and with the requirements of the State Subdivision Map Act. 4. The Project site is physically suitable for the type of development and density proposed, as the low-density residential development will be located in a new Planned Development adjacent to the Low Density Residential zoning district, and subject to the adoption of the Planned Development the size and number of residential units is appropriate for the location and meets the City’s land use and zoning standards. 5. The Project, including the proposed designs and improvements, are not likely to cause substantial environmental damage, or serious public health problems, since such impacts have been thoroughly evaluated as part of the CEQA process and determined not to exceed any stated thresholds of significance. 6. The design and improvements of the tentative subdivision map are not in conflict with any existing public easements. 7. The property is located in a developed, urban setting, and is not subject to a Williamson Act contract, on open space easement, a conservation easement, or an agricultural conservation easement. The surrounding land uses and resulting parcels would not support agricultural uses; the resulting parcels would result in residential development not incidental to commercial agricultural use of the land. SECTION 2 DETERMINATION NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings made in this Resolution, and recommends that the South San Francisco City Council take the following actions: 1. Adopt an Ordinance amending the Zoning Map to rezone one vacant parcel as a Planned Development, attached as Exhibit A; and, 2. Adopt a resolution approving the Planned Development, Tentative Parcel Map, and Design Review, subject to the draft Conditions of Approval attached as Exhibit B. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this 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 20th day of December, 2018 by the following vote: AYES: Vice Chairperson Murphy, Commissioner Wong, Commissioner Faria, Commissioner Shihadeh NOES: ABSTENTIONS:_ _ ABSENT: Commissioner Tzang, Commissioner Evans Attest_/s/Sailesh Mehra__________ Secretary to the Planning Commission