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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Meeting 03-06-14 (Reso 2741-2014) - CEQA - 195 N. AccessRESOLUTION NO. 2741-2014 PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO STATE OF CALIFORNIA AN RESOLUTION ADOPTING A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR AN EXPANSION OF AN EXISTING SEVEN-LEVEL PARKING STRUCTURE, ADDING APPROXIMATELY 501,000 SQUARE FEET (1,531 SPACES), TO THE SFO PARKING FACILITY AT 195 NORTH ACCESS ROAD WHEREAS, Robert Simms, R.E.S.T Investments (“Applicant”) seeks approval of a Use Permit Modification, Design Review and request for a Waiver and Modification related to garage rooftop landscaping for an expansion of an existing seven-level parking structure, adding approximately 501,000 square feet (1,531 spaces), to the SFO Parking Facility at 195 North Access Road (“Project”); and, WHEREAS, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Resources Code, §§ 21000, et seq. [“CEQA”]) and the CEQA Guidelines, the City prepared and circulated for public review, and Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (“IS/MND”), which analyzed the environmental impacts of the Project, and concluded that any potential impacts from the proposed Project could be mitigated to have a less than significant effect on the environment, as more fully described and set forth therein; and, 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 1999 General Plan and General Plan Environmental Impact Report, including the 2001 updates to the General Plan and 2001 Supplemental Environmental Impact Report; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the Park SFO expansion, including all written comments received; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission's duly noticed public hearing on March 6, 2014; 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 does hereby find as follows: I. General Findings A. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution. B. The IS/MND attached to this Resolution as Exhibit A is hereby incorporated by reference as part of this Resolution. C. The Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, hereby finds that the IS/MND as an objective and accurate document that reflects the independent judgment of the City in the identification, discussion and analysis of the Project’s environmental impacts. D. 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 Chief Planner, Susy Kalkin. II. CEQA Findings A. AESTHETICS: The Project would not have an impact on the aesthetics or scenic quality on the site or in the area. There would be no individual or cumulative impacts with respect to aesthetic, visual quality or light and glare associated with the Project with implementation of Biology Mitigations 2 and 3. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. B. AGRICULTURAL AND TIMBER RESOURCES: Prior to 2001, the 1.25 acre Project site supported industrial land uses, ship repair, warehouse and freight forwarding, and from 2001-2003 was used as a composting area for the City’s Water Quality Control Plant. The Project site has been paved and used for surface parking as part of the Park SFO facility since 2007. The Project would not adversely affect any existing agricultural operations as none exist on the site. The Project would not impact agricultural resources individually or cumulatively and is not in any Farmland, Unique Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), or in Williamson Act Contract. The site is not zoned for timberland production or in use as such, and would not cause rezoning of forest land (as defined in the Public Resources Code section 12220(g)), timberland (as defined by Public Resources Code section 4526) or timberland zoned Timberland Production (as defined by Government Code section51104(g)). No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. C. AIR QUALITY/HAZARD RISKS: The Project would not result in a significant impact to air quality and would not result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of criteria nonattainment pollutants (ozone precursors, PM10, and PM2.5). The annual PM2.5 concentration due to implementation of the Project would be 0.02 µg/m3 below the BAAQMD threshold of 0.3 µg/m3, and hence is considered less than significant. The City’s building permit procedure captures the BAAQMD permitting regulations, as well as BAAQMD’s recommended emission control measures. The Project would be below the daily and annual operational criteria pollutant thresholds and would not result in significant or cumulative impacts. Odor impacts associated with construction and operation of the Project would be less than significant. The Project would be below the thresholds of significance for health risks. The chronic HI would be 0.01 well below the BAAQMD threshold of 1 and the impact of the Project would therefore be less than significant. The acute HI would be 0.01. The acute HI would be below the BAAQMD threshold of 1 and the impact of the Project would therefore be less than significant. The cumulative impacts are below the BAAQMD significance thresholds. Given that the Project would not result in increased health impacts exceeding the Project-level thresholds, the Project would also not result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to localized health risk and hazard impacts, resulting in a less than significant cumulative air quality impact. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. D. GREENHOUSE GAS: The Project would not result in an impact or contribute to a cumulative impact with respect to GHG emissions. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. E. BIOLOGY: The Project would expand the existing parking structure over an existing surface parking lot that does not serve as an important movement corridor for native wildlife. The new structure is not expected to interfere substantially with native wildlife corridors or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites. Species common in the vicinity would continue to forage in the open water habitat of the former drydocks and the basin area of San Bruno Canal. No approved Habitat Conservation Plan or Natural Community Conservation Plan encompasses, governs or regulates the site. Therefore the Project would not conflict with any approved Habitat Conservation Plans and as such would have no impact. Implementation of the Biology Mitigation 1 would reduce potential Project impacts to nesting birds to less-than- significant. The Project would have no impact on any sensitive natural communities or jurisdictional wetlands as it would be completely located in uplands, and would not directly affect any sensitive natural communities, jurisdictional wetlands or open waters of the former drydocks and the basin area of San Bruno Canal. Implementation of Biology Mitigation 2 would reduce Project impacts to less-than-significant with respect to habitat quality and policy compliance. Implementation of Biology Mitigation 3 would reduce the lighting impact to less- than-significant. Implementation of Biology Mitigation 4 would reduce the permitting and policy impact to less-than-significant. The Project would have a less-than-significant impact with implementation of Biology Mitigations 1-4. 1997 Mitigation 10 is not applicable to the 2013 Project and has been redefined and replaced by Biology Mitigations 1 and 3. F. CULTURAL RESOURCES: Prior to 2001, the 1.25 acre Project site supported industrial land uses, ship repair, warehouse and freight forwarding, and from 2001-2003 was used as a composting area for the City’s Water Quality Control Plant. There is no evidence of archaeological or paleontological resources on the site as witnessed during previous grading and construction activities in 1999 and 2007 and in the boring logs. In light of Title 14 California Code of Regulations, Public Resources Code Section 4852.1, there are no historic resources on the entirety of the Project site. The Project would have no impact on cultural resources. Mitigation measure 15 from the 1997 IS/MND is not carried forward to the 2013 Project as it is unnecessary. G. GEOLOGY AND SOILS: There are no active faults underlying the site and the nearest one is the San Andreas Fault, located about three miles northeast. The hazard from fault rupturing on the site is considered to be low (Furgo West, 2003). Therefore, the Project would have a less than significant impact on exposing people or structures to danger from surface rupture of a known earthquake fault. Conformance with the latest CBC would ensure that the impact of seismic ground-shaking is reduced to a level of less than significant. The Geotechnical Report concludes that the liquefaction potential necessary for liquefaction of materials under the Project site is low. The Project would have a less than significant impact with respect to liquefaction of subsurface materials. There is no threat of landslides on the Project site; therefore the Project would have no impact with respect to landslides. Erosion control measures are required as a matter of law and as a result this impact is considered to be less than significant. The Project would have no impact on soils due to septic systems as the project is connected to the City’s sanitary system. The Project would have a less than significant impact with respect to expansive soils because it would be located on soils with a low potential of expansion (PI 16). The Project would have less than significant impacts with respect to a geologic unit becoming unstable with implementation of Geology and Soils Mitigation Measure 1. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. H. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: The Project would have no impact from the emission or handling of hazardous materials or wastes on schools or from any environmental contamination posed by the sites listed on the Cortese List. The impact of the Project with regards to hazardous materials would be less than significant with respect to operational activities. The Project would have a less than significant impact on the potential to emit hazardous materials during construction with implementation of Hazards Mitigation 1. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. There are no existing or proposed schools or day care centers or facilities within a quarter mile of the Project site. The maximum height of the Project, including the light poles on the roof level would be 100 feet. The building itself would be 80 to 90 feet in height including the stairwells and elevator. The Project would not encroach in the 150 -175 foot zone. There are no emergency response or evacuation plans in effect in the Project vicinity. Therefore the Project would have no impact on the implementation of any adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan. The South San Francisco Fire Department is in the process of initiating a study to identify offensive capabilities in the Project area. The Project would be required through conditions of approval to provide a fair share financial contribution to the department’s study and improvements. There is no wildland in the vicinity of the Project site or area. The Project would have no impact with respect to wildland fires. I. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY: The City’s standard conditions of approval which implement state, federal and local regulations are required by law and are adequate to address any potential water quality impacts as a result of Project construction or occupation. The site is not within a flood zone or an area subject to seiche or tsunami inundation or run-up zones. No mitigation measures, above those required by the City as a matter of law, are identified in this initial study. The Project would not result in an impact or contribute to a cumulative impact to hydrology or water quality resources. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. J. LAND USE AND PLANNING: The Project would not physically divide an established community. The site is planned for light industrial uses and the Project is consistent with the planned uses. There are no conservation or natural community conservation plans that govern the Project site or area. The Project would not result in any individually or cumulatively considerable impacts. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. K. MINERAL RESOURCES: The Project site does not contain any local or regionally significant mineral resources. The Project would not result in an impact or contribute to a cumulative impact to mineral resources. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. L. NOISE: Demolition and construction related noise impacts would be considered a less than significant with implementation of the Noise Mitigation Measures 1-3. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. The Project would not individually increase noise levels in the area related to traffic nor would the Project contribute to a cumulative impact with respect to noise and as such noise impacts associated with the Project would result in no impact. The site is located the 65 dB contour interval and is an airport related use which is long-term parking. The Project would have no impact with respect to excessive aircraft noise exposure as it is an airport-related use consisting of long term parking and contains no sensitive receptors or land uses. M. POPULATION AND HOUSING: The Project is consistent with the development and growth assumptions contained in the South San Francisco General Plan in that it would be an expansion of the existing airport-related facility, and not a significant contributor to the job market. The Project site does not include housing and would not displace housing units or residents. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. N. PUBLIC SERVICES: The Project would not exceed the development and growth assumptions contained in the South San Francisco General Plan. Redevelopment of the Project site would not increase the demand for public services individually or cumulatively. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. O. RECREATION: Parks and recreational needs within the City are derived from the development assumptions contained in the South San Francisco General Plan. The Project is consistent with planning projections and needs assessments based upon the projections contained in the South San Francisco General Plan and is not a population or employment generator. The Project would not result in an individual or cumulatively considerable impact on parks and recreation. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. P. TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION: The 2013 Project would not result in a significant impact to the three intersections closest to the Project. The Project would not degrade an intersection identified in a Congestion Management Plan. The Project would not result in a project-or cumulative-level impact to the closest intersections to the site and as such would not impact intersections further from the site. The analysis accounted for a doubling of traffic volumes measured at the existing Park SFO facility (2001 and 2007 Projects) and represents a conservative worst case analysis accounting for daily and seasonal variations. The Project would not alter any air traffic patterns that are already in place and the Project would have no impact with respect to air traffic hazards. The Project would have no impact on alternative transportation use and provides shuttle bus service an alternative to privately owned vehicle single-occupancy travel. The Project would keep the existing site access patterns, has been reviewed by South San Francisco Police and Fire Departments and with the required conditions of approval would have a less than significant impact on emergency access. The 2013 Project would result in a less than significant impact at the access driveway intersection and roadways. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. Q. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS: The City’s wastewater treatment plant was upgraded in 2000-01. The Project as a matter of law would be required to pay wastewater improvement fees. The wastewater treatment plant has capacity to treat Project and cumulative projected wastewater. The UWMP, adopted in 2006, shows adequate water is available for the Project and projected cumulative development. There is adequate capacity at Ox Mountain landfill for Project and cumulative solid waste and the City is meeting its 50 percent solid waste diversion mandate. Demolition, construction and operation of the Project would be required to incorporated LIDs and BMPs for stormwater treatment; an improvement over existing conditions. Stormwater is required to be treated on-site. The Project would not contribute individually or cumulatively to water, wastewater, solid waste, stormwater, or utility impacts. No mitigations from the 1997 IS/MND carry over to the 2013 Project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission hereby adopts the IS/MND based on the findings set forth in the IS/MND. 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 6th day of March, 2014 by the following vote: AYES: Chairperson Martin, Vice Chairperson Wong, Commissioner Giusti, Commissioner Khalfin and Commissioner Ochsenhirt NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Commissioner Sim and Commissioner Zemke Attest:_____________________________ Susy Kalkin Secretary to the Planning Commission Exhibit A Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, 195 N. Access Road Prepared by Allison Knap Consulting September 9, 2013 Document may be viewed electronically using the following link: http://weblink.ssf.net/Weblink8/DocView.aspx?id=163699&dbid=0 2191985.1