HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-04MINUTES
September 4, 2008
CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION
CALL TO ORDER /PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 7:30 p. m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Commissioner Oborne, Commissioner Teglia, Commissioner Zemke, Vice Chairperson Giusti
and Chairperson Prouty
ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT:
Commissioner Moore and Commissioner Sim
Planning Division
City Attorney:
Engineering Division:
Police Department:
Fire Prevention:
City Manager:
Susy Kalkin, Chief Planner
Linda Ajello, Associate Planner
Bertha Aguilar, Admin, Asst. II
Sky Woodruff, Assistant City Attorney
Sam Bautista, Senior Civil Engineer
Sergeant Jon Kallas, Planning Liaison
Dennis Rosaia, Code Enforcement Officer
Marty Van Duyn, Assistant City Manager
CHAIR COMMENTS
Chief Planner Kalkin noted that Commissioner Moore was out of the country tending to a death in the family.
AGENDA REVIEW
Chief Planner Kalkin pointed out that staff will not provide an update on item #4, 648 Commercial, and will have
one in a Future meeting. She added that the clerk has requested that the Commission speak into the microphone
due to a new recording system
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Rita Fontana representing the owners of 652 Commercial noted she was speaking on 648 Commercial. Staff noted
that they would hear her comments when the item was called.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Approval of meeting minutes of December 6, 2007, February 7, 2008, April 19th and August 7,
2008.
Vice Chairperson Giusti noted that the December 6th minutes, specifically the adjournment section, needs to be
corrected since the Commissioners that made the motion and second are also shown as being absent on the
following sentence.
Clerk Aguilar clarified that the motion is correct but the Commissioners shown as being absent are incorrect and
will be corrected in the final set of minutes.
Motion Teglia /Second Prouty to approve the Consent Calendar with corrections to the minutes. Approved by
unanimous voice vote.
Commissioner Teglia asked that staff make every effort to bring all the minutes up to date
Planning Commission Meeting of September 4, 2008
PUBLIC HEARING
2. Downtown Sidewalk Seating Ordinance 8 Guidelines
The City of SSF/Applicant
Downtown Zone District
P08-0055: ZA08-0005
Amendment to SSFMC Chapters 20.06, 20.26 and 20.74 to provide for sidewalk seating in the
Downtown Commercial Zone District in conjunction with restaurants or other businesses selling food
and/or beverages, and related guidelines for sidewalk seating.
Public Hearing opened.
Associate Planner Ajello presented the staff report.
Commissioner Oborne questioned if the City would be held liable for personal injury cases on the encroachment
granted by the City. Assistant City Attorney Woodruff clarified that if the injury is caused by the restaurant's
encroachment on the right-of-way the liability would be incurred by the restaurant. He added that if there was
negligence on behalf of the City to maintain the sidewalk the City would then be liable. He informed the
Commission that the business seeking outdoor seating would have to indemnify the City and provide insurance to
cover the liability.
Public Hearing closed.
Vice Chairperson Teglia was pleased with the proposed change and noted his concern with enforcement and
liability. He was especially concerned with dining being allowed on the curb and suggested that all dining be
directly adjacent to the building allowing the right of way to remain clear. He pointed out that enforcement is an
issue on Grand Avenue and cited the Outdoor Produce Display guidelines as an example of the last zoning change
in the downtown area. He pointed out that there is only one outdoor produce Use Permit on Grand Avenue, which
is in violation and there is one use that has outdoor display without a Use Permit. He questioned if there were
resources available to enforce outdoor dining, outdoor display, sign issues and other downtown issues. He
requested a review of the resources to accompany the Commission's recommendation.
Commissioner Prouty noted that some of the areas in San Francisco where dining is allowed at the curb have a 2
foot setback and the sidewalk is about 15-20 feet wide. Commissioner Oborne added that parallel parking is not
allowed in the San Francisco locations. Commissioner Prouty noted that some South San Francisco businesses
have recessed store fronts and can accommodate outdoor dining but will have to be looked at on a case-by-case
basis. He felt that relying on code enforcement may not work because of the limited staff. He noted his
excitement for the proposed zoning text amendment. He stated that having a one year permit is ideal and if there
are violations the permit can also be revoked.
Vice Chairperson Teglia asked that Commissioner Prouty clarify if he is favor of dining on the curb or having it be
against the building. Commissioner Prouty replied that the permits should be looked at on a case-by-case basis
and if the sidewalk is wide enough for dining at the curb, it could be allowed, but if it seems that it may not work it
should not be allowed. He added that it makes more sense to have dining against the building but there are some
pockets along the Grand Avenue sidewalk that could allow for curb side eating.
Commissioner Oborne suggested that the Commission could require a minimum setback to control where on the
sidewalk the outdoor dining can be located.
Vice Chairperson Teglia also suggested allowing the Zoning Administrator to approve these types of uses as long as
they are located adjacent to the building but if the business wants to provide dining on the sidewalk near the curb,
a use permit would be triggered.
Commissioner Prouty noted he was in favor of Vice Chairperson Teglia's recommendation.
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Planning Commission Meeting of September 4, 2008
Commissioner Zemke agreed with the Commission's comments. He questioned if trash receptacles requirement
would apply to both table and self service eating establishments. He was concerned that a self service
establishment that would be using disposable serving materials would generate trash along Grand Avenue. He
suggested that the owner should be required to clean their tables and not rely on the customers to clean them.
Commissioner Oborne recalled seeing a requirement to have these items removed as soon as possible.
Commissioner Prouty, Commissioner Oborne and Commissioner Zemke discussed if the trash receptacles were
being provided by the City or if the business owner will have to provide them to which Chief Planner Kalkin replied
that this is an individual receptacle For the establishments and the eating establishment is responsible for
maintaining a clean site.
Commissioner Zemke noted that there is a lot of lunch traffic in the downtown area and the extra seating will be
useful. Vice Chairperson Teglia suggested that those businesses with outdoor seating have reasonable recyclable
plastics or use the same serving materials used inside the establishment outside to minimize the trash generated.
Commissioner Prouty suggested creating a fee, specifically targeting the businesses that generate trash, to have
funds to clean the streets.
Motion Teglia /Second Oborne to approve resolution 2675-2008 recommending that the City Council approve P08-
0055: ZA08-0005 with the following recommendations:
• That eating utensils and plates be the same for both the inside and outside dining
• That outdoor dining proposed to be located adjacent to the curb be subject to Planning Commission review.
On the question
Commissioner Prouty asked Vice Chairperson Teglia to clarify that the utensils and plates do not include fly away
trash. Vice Chairperson Teglia noted that the utensils could be regular plates or some sort of basket or reusable
material the establishment uses. Chief Planner Kalkin noted that her understanding is that the Commission's desire
is to use the same serving items inside and outside
Chairperson Giusti stated that the responsibility falls on the business owner to clean up the property.
Commissioner Oborne questioned if it was also the business owners responsibility to maintain the curb and the
area adjacent to the curb. Chief Planner Kalkin noted that there is an entire section dedicated to maintenance on
the ordinance. She read a portion of the ordinance that requires the owner or permittee to remove any stains from
the sidewalk to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director.
Ayes: Commissioner Oborne, Commissioner Zemke, Commissioner Prouty, Vice Chairperson Teglia and
Chairperson Giusti
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: Commissioner Sim, Commissioner Moore
Approved by roll call vote
3. Update on 160 Produce Avenue
P06-0088: PUD07-0003, UP06-0020 & DR06-0072
Chief Planner Kalkin gave a brief overview of the status on 160 Produce Avenue and noted that the applicant
appears to be moving forward, but if not staff will bring the item before the Commission in late October.
4. Update on 648 Commercial Avenue
Rita Fontana, representing the owners of 652 Commercial, noted that the issue of discrepancies between Mr.
Dominguez' and Mr. Arata's site survey came up at the previous meeting to which staff said that the City Engineer
would have to reconcile the discrepancies on the map and due to the lack of monuments in this area this may
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Planning Commission Meeting of September 4, 2008
prove to be difficult. She added that Mr. Arata double checked his work and added information to the map. She
noted that after delivering a new survey to Associate Planner Beaudin, she received an a-mail noting that after
staff reviewed the surveys, which do not appear to be in conflict, each survey reflected the boundary and building
location for the property it was prepared for and that both surveys used the same markers. She added that
Associate Planner Beaudin's a-mail noted that the fence location appears to be a neighbor issue and not a City
issue. Ms. Fontana stated that this was correct but the fence is 8-14 inches on her parents' property and the
surveys intent was to identify the location of the property line. She noted that in her conversations with Mr. Arata
it appears that City staff is interpreting the map under the assumption that the points shown are the same on both
maps but the points are not the same and the issue remains because the interpretation is not correct.
Commissioner Prouty asked Mrs. Fontana if the information she was presenting to the Commission was as of
yesterday to which Ms. Fontana replied affirmatively, and added that the revised map was delivered to Associate
Planner Beaudin the previous day with Mr. Arata's additional information. Ms. Fontana added that the property line
does not follow where the fence currently is because the fence veers off to the left.
Vice Chairperson Teglia recalled the side steps being removed because it had become an issue and asked if the
rest of the project at 648 Commercial Avenue was legal. Chief Planner Kalkin noted that the intention of the
survey is to determine if it is or not, and according to Ms. Fontana it may not be. She added that Mr. Arata's
survey only identifies property lines and the location of the Fontana's structure but not the location of Mr.
Valencia's building.
Vice Chairperson Teglia pointed out that any change to the PUD for this property would require a modification.
Chief Planner Kalkin confirmed that this was correct.
Ms. Fontana noted that the intent of the surveys were to determine where the property line is. Chief Planner
Kalkin explained that the maps would be referred to the Engineering Division.
5. 18 month review for Henry's Lounge
Henry & Victoria Concepcion/applicant
Westborough Sq Shopping Ctr/owner
2262 Westborough Blvd
P06-0133: UP06-0029
18 month review -Use Permit to allow live musical entertainment at an existing restaurant at 2262
Westborough Boulevard in the Retail Commercial (C-1) Zone District in accordance with SSFMC
Chapters 20.22 and 20.81
Chief Planner Kalkin presented the staff report.
Commissioner Prouty questioned if there were complaints on the establishment to which Police Sergeant Kallas
replied that there were no Police complaints.
Motion Prouty /Second Zemke to accept the review as fulfillment of the Conditions of Approval
ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
ITEMS FROM STAFF
ITEMS FROM
None
Vice Chairperson Teglia suggested cancelling the meeting of September 18~' since it looked like there may be only
one item on the agenda. Chief Planner Kalkin noted that 213/217 East Grand had already been noticed for this
meeting.
• E/Caminv Rea/ Taco Be//-A request was made to have the poles removed from a chain link fence that
was taken down at the EI Camino Real Taco Bell. (Vice Chairperson Teg/ia).
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Planning Commission Meeting of September 4, 2008
Vice Chairperson Teglia also requested having the trash can located on the turnout at Taco Bell be moved in
by 5 feet to allow customers to properly throw away the garbage to eliminate garbage on the ground.
• PARKSFO Temporary Banners-Staff was asked by Vice Chairperson Teglia to have Code Enforcement
look into having Park SFO remove their temporary banners since they have been up for an extended period.
• Cab/e company wires -Commissioner Prouty thanked Chief Planner Kalkin for having the cable issue
addressed. He was pleased to see how the Oyster Point Boulevard corridor was looking with all the projects
approved by the Commission.
• SSFScavengerlarge trash bins - A request was made by Commissioner Prouty that staff have the
Scavenger company move their large garbage bins out of sight and added that trucks are parking all over the
properly.
• Street trees-Vice Chairperson Teglia noted that the Veterans and Airport Boulevard trees are maturing
nicely. He stated that now that we know which species work in South San Francisco the Design Review Board
should ban trees that don't look good, such as the Evergreen Pear, and adopt a preferred species list.
ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC
ADJOURNMENT
.~ ~~
Susy Kalkin
Secretary to the Planning Commission
City of South San Francisco
SK/bla
None
8:22 P.M.
,~~
Mary Giusti, Chairperson
Planning Commission
City of South San Francisco
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