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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Meeting 01-19-12 (Reso 2715-2012) - Entitlements 418 Linden RESOLUTION NO. 2715-2012 PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO STATE OF CALIFORNIA A RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, ZONING MAP AMENDMENT, AND APPROVE A TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP, USE PERMIT AND DESIGN REVIEW FOR A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT AT 418 LINDEN AVENUE WHEREAS, the City of South San Francisco (“Owner”) and Brookwood Group (“Applicant”) have proposed construction of a four-story mixed-use residential and commercial development, consisting of 25 residential condominiums above approximately 6,200 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 27 below grade parking spaces (“Project”) on an approximately 14,000 square foot site, which is currently a temporary public parking lot, located at 418 Linden Avenue, between Lux Avenue and Linden Lane (“Project Site”) in the City of South San Francisco (“City”); and, WHEREAS, Applicant seeks approval of General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Tentative Subdivision Map, Use Permit, and Design Review 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 in accordance with CEQA, an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (“IS/MND”) was prepared, analyzing the Project; and, WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed and carefully considered the information in the IS/MND, and by separate resolution, recommends that the City Council adopt the IS/MND, as an objective and accurate document that reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City in the discussion of the Project’s environmental impacts; and, WHEREAS, on January 19, 2012, 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, the proposed General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Tentative Subdivision Map, Use Permit, and Design Review for 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 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 Mitigate Negative Declaration prepared for the Project; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Design Review Board meetings held on September 21, 2010 and September 20, 2011; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Parking Place Commission meeting held on August 9, 2011; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s meeting held on January 19, 2012; 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: I. General Findings A. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution. B. The Exhibits attached to this Resolution, including the proposed General Plan Amendment (Exhibit A), the proposed Zoning Map Amendment (Exhibit B), and the proposed Tentative Subdivision Map (Exhibit C) are each incorporated by reference as part of this Resolution, as if each were set forth fully herein. C. 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. D. The proposed Project, including General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Tentative Subdivision Map, Use Permit, and Design Review are consistent and compatible with all elements in the City of South San Francisco General Plan (as proposed for amendment). The General Plan includes policies and programs that are designed to encourage the development of the downtown as a pedestrian-friendly mixed use activity center with retail and visitor-oriented uses. Further, the land uses, development standards, densities and intensities, buildings and structures proposed are compatible with the goals, policies, and land use designations established in the General Plan (see Gov’t Code, § 65860), and none of the land uses, development standards, densities and intensities, buildings and structures will operate to conflict with or impede achievement of the any of the goals, policies, or land use designations established in the General Plan. E. The proposed Project is consistent with the standards and requirements of the City's Zoning Ordinance (as proposed for amendment) and with the provisions of the Downtown Core District. The parcelization and development of the Project Site would result in a 25 residential condominiums above approximately 6,200 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, and would meet minimum design standards. F. The site is physically suitable for the type of development and density proposed, as the mixed-use development will benefit from being located in the downtown area, and the size of the retail and the number of residential units is appropriate for the location and meets the City’s land use and zoning standards. II. General Plan Amendment A. The proposed Project is consistent with the South San Francisco Municipal Code, including specifically, Chapter 20.540 (“Amendments to the General Plan”) and its purposes, because as further documented in the Record, the Project has complied with the application and review procedures, has been considered at a noticed public hearing of the Planning Commission, and is proposed to be considered for action at a noticed public hearing of the City Council. B. The proposed Project, including General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Tentative Subdivision Map, Use Permit, and Design Review are consistent and compatible with all elements in the City of South San Francisco General Plan (as proposed for amendment) because the proposed project will further a number of Guiding and Implementing Policies in the General Plan. Specifically, by expanding the Downtown Commercial Land Use Designation boundary to include the Project Site, the proposed Project is consistent with Guiding Policy 3.1-G-2: “Encourage development of Downtown as a pedestrian-friendly mixed-use activity center with retail and visitor-oriented uses, business and personal services, government and professional offices, civic uses, and a variety of residential types and densities.” The proposed Project’s General Plan Amendment is also consistent Guiding Policy 3.1-G-3, which provides, “Promote infill development, intensification, and reuse of currently underutilized sites..” III. Zoning Map Amendment A. The proposed Zoning Map Amendment consists of by expanding the Downtown Core Zoning District boundary to include the Project Site. B. As required under State law, the South San Francisco General Plan, and the South San Francisco Municipal Code, in support of the requested Zoning Map Amendment, the Planning Commission finds as follows: (i) The proposed Zoning Amendment is consistent with the General Plan (as proposed for amendment) as set forth in Findings I.D and II.B, above. (ii) The proposed Zoning Map Amendment is internally consistent with the City’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed for amendment, since the amendment meets the requirements and standards of the Zoning Ordinance, and the procedural requirements of Chapter 20.550 (“Amendment to Zoning Ordinance and Map”). IV. Tentative Subdivision Map A. The proposed tentative subdivision map, including the proposed designs and improvements, are consistent with the City’s General Plan (as proposed for amendment) as set forth in Findings I.D and II.B, above, and because the tentative subdivision map would facilitate the development of a mixed use retail and residential development that would not conflict with the Downtown Commercial Land Use designation. B. The proposed tentative subdivision map is consistent with the standards and requirements of the City's Zoning Ordinance (as proposed for amendment) and with the provisions of the Downtown Core Zoning District. C. The tentative subdivision map complies with 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. D. The Project site is physically suitable for the type of development and density proposed, as the mixed-use development will be located in the Downtown area, and the size of the retail and the number of residential units is appropriate for the location and meets the City’s land use and zoning standards (as proposed for amendment). E. 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 thresholds of significance. F. The design and improvements of the tentative subdivision map are not in conflict with any existing public easements. G. The property is located in a developed, urban setting, and is not subject to a Williamson Act contract, an 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. V. Use Permit A. The proposed Project, a commercial/residential mixed-use development is allowed within the Downtown Core (DC) zoning district, and reduced rear yard setbacks are allowed within the DC through the approval of a Use Permit. Additionally, the Project complies with all applicable provisions of Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code, and all other titles of the South San Francisco Municipal Code. Further, the proposed development is in general compliance with current City development standards, such as floor area ratio, lot coverage, setbacks, building height, and landscaping. The Applicant has obtained approval of a parking exception, consistent with the procedures set forth in the Zoning Ordinance. B. The Project, including the proposed depressed parking ramp is consistent with the General Plan for the reasons set forth in Findings I.D and II.B, above, and further, it will provide access to off-street, below grade parking for residential units as part of an infill development and high density, mixed-use project within the Downtown Core. C. 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 Project is consistent with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, as well as development standards for the zoning district in which it will be located, and the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and development standards are designed to avoid incompatibility of uses and protect and preserve the public health, safety, and general welfare. Further, the Project includes a depressed parking ramp that will be located below grade and provide access to off-street residential parking for a new high density, commercial/residential mixed-use project located in an existing commercial/residential neighborhood. D. The proposed use complies with the Downtown Core Zoning District, and the development standards established therein, because the Project would not violate minimum or maximum thresholds of development for the district. The architectural design, circulation pattern, and site layout will provide for a significant improvement over the existing and historic uses on-site. Further, the Design Review Board reviewed and recommended approval of the proposed project at the September 21, 2010 and September 20, 2011 meetings. E. The design, location, size, and operating characteristics of the proposed commercial/residential mixed-use project would be compatible with the existing and reasonably foreseeable future land uses in the vicinity because the project consists of the redevelopment of an existing surface parking lot with a commercial/residential mixed-use building which will be consistent with the existing commercial and residential development in the surrounding neighborhood in an area of the City that is planned for pedestrian and transit oriented mixed-use development. F. The Project site is physically suitable for the type, density, and intensity of use being proposed, including access, utilities, and the absence of physical constraints in that the proposed mixed-use development project will redevelop an underutilized Downtown site that was historically developed with a commercial use and is currently developed as a temporary surface parking lot. G. An Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for the project in accordance with CEQA. VI. Design Review A. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code for the reasons set forth in Finding V.A, above. B. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with the General Plan for the reasons set forth in Findings I.D and II.B, above. C. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with the design guidelines adopted by the City Council in that the proposed mixed use project is consistent with the Downtown Development Standards and Supplemental Regulations included in Sections 20.100.003 & 20.100.004. D. The Project, including Design Review, is consistent with the General Plan Amendment, the proposed tentative map and the Use Permit proposed for the Project, for the reasons set forth in Findings II.A through II.B, IV.A through IV.G, and V.A through V.G, above. E. The Project is consistent with the Design Review Criteria, because the Project was reviewed by the Design Review Board at two separate Design Review Board meetings, and the Applicant has revised site plans in order to incorporate the comments of the Design Review Board. 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 City Council (i) adopt an ordinance approving the Zoning Map Amendment; and (ii) adopt a resolution approving the General Plan Amendment, Tentative Subdivision Map, Use Permit, and Design Review for the Project. 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 the regular meeting held on the 19th day of January, 2012 by the following vote: AYES: Commissioner Giusti, Commissioner Martin, Commissioner Ochsenhirt, Commissioner Sim, Vice Chairperson Zemke and Chairperson Gupta ____________________________________________________________ NOES: ____________________________________________________________ ABSTENTIONS:_______________________________________________________ ABSENT: Commissioner Prouty ___________________________________________________________ ATTEST:__________________________________ Susy Kalkin Secretary to the Planning Commission Exhibit A General Plan Amendment Exhibit B Zoning Map Amendment Exhibit C Tentative Subdivision Map 1780078.1