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Home My WebLink AboutPC Meeting 08-21-16 (Reso 2791-2016) - 1440 San Mateo - CEQA RESOLUTION NO. 2791-2016 PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO STATE OF CALIFORNIA A RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP AND ZONING ORDINANCE TO REZONE THREE VACANT PARCELS (RZ15-0001, ZA15-0011) AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION MODIFYING THE EXISTING MINOR USE PERMIT (MUP15-0001) TO ALLOW AN EXPANDED VEHICLE RENTAL OPERATION AT 1440 SAN MATEO AVENUE SUBJECT TO THE DRAFT REVISED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL. WHEREAS, on June 19, 2015, the property identified as 1440 San Mateo Avenue received approval from the Zoning Administrator for a Minor Use Permit (MUP15-0001) to operate a vehicle rental facility on two vacant parcels (APNs 015-114-470 and 015-114-460) in the Mixed Industrial zoning district; and WHEREAS, since that time the applicant has requested that the City consider rezoning three adjoining parcels (APNs 015-114-420, 015-114-480, and 015-114-490) from the Freeway Commercial to the Mixed Industrial zoning district to permit the vehicle rental facility to expand (“Project”); and WHEREAS, all of the parcels associated with the approved vehicle rental facility and the proposed amendment to the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment” or “Amendment”) are under common ownership; and WHEREAS, City staff has evaluated the request and determined that the proposed Project and associated Amendment would be consistent with the surrounding land uses and operation; and WHEREAS, the City has prepared the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance Amendment to rezone the three adjoining parcels (APNs 015-114-420, 015-114-480, and 015-114-490) from the Freeway Commercial to the Mixed Industrial; and WHEREAS, the proposed Amendment is consistent with the General Plan, as certain industrial uses are permitted under the Community Commercial/Regional Commercial General Plan designation; and WHEREAS, cumulatively, the Amendment provides flexibility for the applicant and property owner to fully utilize the parcels, which are otherwise inaccessible to a separate user and are unlikely to redevelop with a use permitted under the Freeway Commercial zoning district, which prioritizes large format retail development; and WHEREAS, the City prepared an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (“IS/MND”) for the Project; and WHEREAS, on July 21, 2016 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 (ND16-0001), Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment (RZ15-0001, ZA15-0011), and modifications to Minor Use Permit (MUP15-0001); and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco, by separate resolution, recommended that the City Council for the City of South San Francisco approve the IS MND. 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, including all amendments and updates thereto; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the draft Zoning Map Amendment, the IS MND and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program prepared by Raney Planning & Management, Inc., and all appendices thereto; revised Conditions of Approval for Minor Use Permit MUP15-0001; Applicant statement letter and submitted plans, dated November 18, 2015; Zoning Administrator Staff Report dated June 19, 2015; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed July 21, 2016 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 I. 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 proposed draft Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment (Exhibit A), draft revised Conditions of Approval for Minor Use Permit (MUP15-0001) (Exhibit B), applicant letter and submitted plans (Exhibit C), and Zoning Administrator Staff Report dated November 18, 2015 (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 Planning Manager, Sailesh Mehra. 4. By separate Resolution, the Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, has found that an IS/MND was prepared for the Project in accordance with CEQA, which adequately discloses, analyzes and mitigates the proposed Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts; accordingly, the Planning Commission has recommended that the City Council adopt the IS/MND for the Project in accordance with CEQA. II. Zoning Map and Ordinance 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 and Ordinance, maintained by the Planning Division. The Zoning Map and Ordinance will be amended to revise the zoning district designation from the Freeway Commercial (FC) to the Mixed Industrial (MI) for Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 015-114-420, 015-114-480, and 015-114-490. 2. The proposed Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment meets the purposes of Chapter 20.550 of the Municipal Code and is consistent with the General Plan because the Amendment will reinforce many of the General Plan’s Community Commercial policies, which recommend regional serving commercial uses including service stations, automobile sales and repair services. This area of the City, identified as the Lindenville Planning Sub-area in the General Plan, is the only industrial area west of U.S. 101 and thus, provides important light industrial uses, such as vehicle rental, within proximity to the residents of the City. Further the change in zoning designation does not conflict with any specific plans, and will remain consistent with the surrounding land uses, which include industrial and commercial development, such as automobile services and long-term parking lot uses. 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 (designated parcels) is suitable for the uses permitted in the Mixed Industrial zoning 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 because the introduction of the Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment will activate three (3) otherwise vacant parcels and allow the Mixed Industrial zoning district designation across all five (5) properties under common ownership and operated by Payless Vehicle Rental. Although specific parcels would be affected as part of the Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment , the impact would be beneficial since property owners would have a wider range of uses to improve or develop upon their property and the uses permitted under the Mixed Industrial zoning district would not preclude surrounding development on the adjacent Freeway Commercial (FC) zoning district. The Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment are consistent with General Plan policies, specifically those policies related to regional serving uses. 4. The proposed Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment is not detrimental to the use of land in any adjacent zone because the Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment would support the existing development, land use, and performance standards defined by the Mixed Industrial zoning district, which already govern the adjacent properties. Finally, the proposed Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest, convenience, or welfare of the City or land within the City; instead, the Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment will bolster the public interest by utilizing vacant parcels for a permitted and regulated land use (vehicle rental), which is a regional serving use, consistent with surrounding uses, and recommended by the General Plan’s land use element and Lindenville planning sub-area. III. Minor Use Permit Modification Findings 1. The proposed Project to expand automobile/vehicle rental use is allowed within the Mixed Industrial (MI) zoning district, as proposed for rezoning from the current Freeway Commercial (FC) zoning district, with approval of a Minor Use Permit, and complies with all other applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance and all other titles of the South San Francisco Municipal Code. 2. The proposed use, with approval of the Zoning Map and Ordinance Amendment to rezone to MI from the current FC Zoning District, is consistent with the General Plan in that the Project site would be designated Community Commercial, which allows for a wide range of uses, including service commercial uses. Further, the proposed use is well suited to the vacant parcels, which have adequate storage area for rental vehicles. The proposed use would complement the previously approved vehicle rental operation, and would not preclude the site from other conforming uses in the future. Further, the proposed use does not conflict with any specific plans. 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, because the proposal involves reuse of vacant parcels for a vehicle rental use. The site is surrounded by other similar vehicle rental uses and based on staff analysis and the IS/MND, the use would not produce any adverse effects on the surrounding area. 5. The proposed use complies with design or development standards applicable to the zoning district, as proposed for rezoning to MI from the current FC zoning district, and the existing parking configuration meets applicable standards. 6. 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 because the proposed use will support a previously approved vehicle rental use; and the parcels will not be altered in a way as to preclude future compatible uses. 7. The site is physically suitable for the type, density, and intensity of use being proposed, including access, utilities, and the absence of physical constraints. 8. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, has found that an IS MND was prepared for the Project, which adequately discloses, analyzes and mitigates the proposed Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts; accordingly, the Planning Commission has recommended that the City Council approve the IS MND for the project in accordance with CEQA. SECTION 2 RECOMMENDATION 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 recommends that the South San Francisco City Council take the following actions: 1. Adopt an Ordinance amending the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance to rezone three vacant parcels (APN 015-114-420, APN 015-114-480, and APN 015-114- 490) from the Freeway Commercial (FC) zoning district to the Mixed Industrial (MI) zoning district, attached as Exhibit A; and 2. Adopt a resolution modifying the existing Minor Use Permit (MUP15-0001) to allow an expanded vehicle rental operation subject to the draft Revised Conditions of Approval for the Minor Use Permit attached as Exhibit B. 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 the regular meeting held on the 21st day of August, 2016 by the following vote: AYES: Chairperson Khalfin, Vice Chairperson Faria, Commissioner Martin, Commissioner Nagales, Commissioner Ruiz, and Commissioner Wong, Commissioner Yip. NOES: _________________________ ABSTENTIONS:_______________________________________________________________ ABSENT:____________________________________________________ Attest_/s/Sailesh Mehra__________ Secretary to the Planning Commission Exhibit A Exhibit B CEQA Findings Including Statement of Overriding Considerations Exhibit C Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program