HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Meeting 12-04-03 (Reso 2630-2003) - FairfieldRESOLUTION NO. 2630-2003
PLANNING COMMISSION, CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN
FRANCISCO RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE P02-0088
AND MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION, MND02-0088 AND ADOPT
ASTATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS, TO ALLOW DEVELOPMENT
OF 8.48 ACRE MIXED-USE TRANSIT VILLAGE PROJECT ON A SITE LOCATED
AT THE INTERSECTION OF EL CAMINO REAL AND MCLELLAN DRIVE IN THE
TV TRANSIT VILLAGE ZONE DISTRICT, APPROVE A VESTING TENTATIVE
MAP, APPROVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AGREEMENT, ADOPT AN
ORDINANCE APPROVING A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, DA-02-0088, AND
MAKING FINDINGS RELATED THERETO
WHEREAS, the South San Francisco Planning Commission held duly noticed public
hearings on October 16, 2003, November 6, 2003 and November 20, 2003; and
WHEREAS, as required by the “Use Permit Procedure” (SSFMC Chapter 20.81), the
Planning Commission makes the following findings in support of the request to approve a
mixed-use transit village project, which includes a Mitigated Negative Declaration, Statement of
Overriding Considerations, Conditional Use Permit, Affordable Housing Agreement ,Vesting
Tentative Map, and Development Agreement, on a 8.38 acre site located at the intersection of El
Camino Real and McLellan Drive in the TV Transit Village Zone District (“Project”). These
findings are based on public testimony and the materials submitted to the City of South San
Francisco Planning Commission which include, but are not limited to: the site plans, floor plans,
elevations and color and materials boards, revised October 10, 2003, prepared by Kwan Hemni
Architecture/Planning; Preliminary Landscape Plans, revised October 10, 2003, prepared by Ima
Design, and Vesting Tentative Map, revised October 10, 2003, prepared by Charles Davidson
Company, Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, Fairfield Residential Mixed-Use Project
and Response to Comments; Planning Commission staff reports dated October 16, 2003,
November 6, 2003 and November 20, 2003; and testimony received at the October 16, 2003,
November 6, 2003, and November 20, 2003 Planning Commission meetings:
1. The subject site is physically suitable for the type and intensity of the land use
being proposed. The suitability of the site for development was analyzed
thoroughly in the South San Francisco General Plan Environmental Impact Report
and the environmental document prepared for the project. Additionally, a
Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for the Project that further analyzed
project specific topography and surrounding uses. Both the General Plan EIR and
the project Mitigated Negative Declaration conclude that the project site is
relatively flat and can accommodate the proposed development.
2. The Project, including the Tentative Map, is consistent with the General Plan,
which designates the property for mixed-use commercial/retail and high-density
residential uses. Mixed-use commercial and high-density residential uses are
considered an appropriate use under this designation. The following policies
specifically support the Project:
a. Guiding Policy 2-G3 – Provide land use designations that maximize
benefits of increased accessibility that will result from BART extension to
the city and adjacent locations.
b. Guiding Policy 2-G-7 – Encourage mixed-use residential, retail, and office
development in centers where they would support transit, in locations
where they would provide increased access to neighborhoods that
currently lack such facilities, and in corridors where such developments
can help to foster identity and vitality.
c. Implementing Policy 3.4-I-3 – In partnership with property owners, area
residents, and BART and other agencies, develop the approximately 8-
acre McLellan Boulevard Extension area as a pedestrian-oriented spine
fronted by active uses.
d. Implementing Policy 3.4-I-5 - Establish transit-supportive development
requirements for the approximately 8-acre station area that include:
• Designation of the area as a transit-overlay zone, with specific
development requirements established in the Zoning Ordinance;
• Transit-oriented design and development standards that address
pedestrian scale, comfort and safety, including maximum setbacks or
“build-to” lines, and building transparency requirements;
• Inclusion of child care facilities;
• Prohibition on auto-oriented and drive-through establishments; and
• Minimum density and development intensity requirements.
e. Policy 4.2-G-10 – Exempt development within the one-quarter mile of a
Caltrain or BART station or a City-designated ferry terminal from LOS
standards.
3. The Project meets or exceeds the City’s minimum standards and requirements,
established in Chapter 20.27, Transit Village Zoning District, which designates
the site as TV-C, Transit Village Commercial and TV-RH, Transit Village
Residential, High-Density as futher analyzed below:
a. The Project includes commercial and residential uses and, thus, meets the
City requirements for retail uses or eating and drinking establishments on
the ground floor with either commercial office and high density residential
uses on upper floors, established in Sections 20.47.020, Sub-districts and
20.47.030, Land Uses in the Transit Village Zoning District.
b. The Project will not exceed 50 residential units per acre and, thus, meets
the City’s maximum density requirement of 50 units per acre for a high-
density residential project, established in Section 20.47.040, Regulations
and Standards in the Transit Village Zoning District.
c. The Project will not exceed a height of 47 feet and, thus, meets the City’s
maximum height requirement of 55 feet for the site, established in Section
20.47.040, Regulations and Standards in the Transit Village Zoning
District.
d. The Project will provide a ratio of 1.5 parking spaces per residential units
and, thus, meets the City’s parking standards, established in Section
20.47.040, Regulations and Standards in the Transit Village Zoning
District and Chapter 20.74, Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations.
e. The Project complies with the City development and design standards for
street frontages, parking garage locations, building design, open space
areas, pedestrian-orientation and project amenities, established in Section
20.47.040, Regulations and Standards in the Transit Village Zoning
District.
f. The Project includes a mix of below market rate units consistent with the
requirement of South San Francisco Municipal Code Chapter20.125 and is
implemented by an Affordable Housing Agreement as required in the
Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance.
4. The Project is consistent with the goals and objectives of the El Camino Real
Corridor Redevelopment Project Area, and specifically with the following:
a. To create and develop high-density residential development adjacent to
the South San Francisco BART Station.
b. To replan, redesign and develop areas which are stagnant or improperly
used.
c. Provides below market rate units affordable to persons earning less than
80% of the median income for wage earners in San Mateo County.
5. An Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for the project
in accordance with the provisions of CEQA. Mitigation measures have been
incorporated into the project, which will reduce all the identified impacts to a less
than significant level.
Analysis: The environmental impacts of the proposed development have been
analyzed in two prior environmental documents prepared by the City under CEQA. The
City of South San Francisco certified an Environmental Impact Report for its 1999
General Plan which analyzed the Project site as a mixed-use residential/commercial high
density project. In 2001, the City adopted a Negative Declaration which analyzed the
impacts of South San Francisco BART Transit Village Plan (“Transit Village Plan”)
which implemented the General Plan policies and development standards for a mix of
uses of sufficient density on the site to create a vibrant pedestrian-oriented center. The
Transit Village Plan included zoning standards, design guidelines and implementation
measures for the Project site. The Transit Village Plan permits a density of 50 units per
acre (with an additional density bonus for affordable units) and up to 30,000 square feet
of commercial at a FAR of 2.0. The Negative Declaration for the Transit Village Plan
concluded that development under the Plan would result in no significant environmental
impacts. The Project is consistent with the Transit Village Plan as analyzed under the
Negative Declaration.
The environmental impacts of development of project site and surrounding area
also have been analyzed in several recent EIRs: the BART Station Plan EIR; the Hickey
(McLellan) Boulevard Extension Plan EIR; the El Camino Corridor Redevelopment Plan
EIR and the Costco Project EIR.
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15093, the City Council of the City of
South San Francisco adopted a Statement of Overriding Considerations for those impacts
identified in the General Plan EIR as significant and unavoidable. (Resolution 135-99.)
In accordance with CEQA standards for streamlining and tiering environmental review,
these prior environmental documents may be used and relied on in evaluating the
environmental impacts of the Project. Based on such documents, the Statement of
Overriding Considerations is attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit D.
6. The Project will not be adverse to the public health, safety, or general welfare of
the community, nor unreasonably detrimental to surrounding properties or
improvements. The Project includes pedestrian walkways, public infrastructure
improvements, affordable housing consistent with the City of South San
Francisco’s Inclusionary Ordinance and provides 23,000 square feet of
commercial/retail development that will assist in off-setting the costs of public
services to the Project. Additionally, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of
South San Francisco will realize tax increment funds from the redevelopment of
the Property. Based on these and other factors in the record, the Project will not
be adverse to the public health, safety or general welfare and will likely increase
the value of surrounding properties by redeveloping blighted, vacant property.
7. The Owner and City have negotiated a Development Agreement pursuant to
Government Code section 65864 et.seq. The Development Agreement, attached
hereto as Exhibit B, sets forth the duration, property, project criteria and other
required information identified in Government Code section 65865.2.
Additionally, the Agreement requires the Owner to support the City’s efforts to
locate a childcare facility near the South San Francisco BART Station. Owner
will pay for street and sidewalk improvements on McLellan Drive and El Camino
Real and include public art on the project site. The owner will also pay its fair
share of infrastructure improvements, including traffic mitigation. Based on the
findings in support of the Use Permit, the Commission finds that the Development
Agreement, vesting a project for a mixed-use transit village project, is consistent
with the General Plan and the applicable zoning regulations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Planning Commission hereby
recommends that the South San Francisco City Council approve P02-0088, Mitigated Negative
Declaration MND-08-0088, as contained in Exhibit B, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting
Program as contained in Exhibit C, Conditional Use Permit UP-02-0088, subject to Conditions
of Approval as contained in Exhibit A Vesting Tentative Map PM-02-0088, subject to the
Conditions of Approval as contained in Exhibit A, and Affordable Housing Agreement and
Development Agreement DA-02-0088 as contained in Exhibit F.
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 4th day of December, 2003 by the
following vote:
AYES: Commissioner Giusti, Commissioner Honan, Commissioner Sim, Commissioner
Teglia, Vice Chairperson Ochsenhirt and Chairperson Romero
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: Commissioner Zemke
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
Commission Secretary
Thomas C. Sparks