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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.29.2019 SP & PC Minutes @3:00MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING OF THE " HOUSING STANDING COMMITTEE OF v 'o THE CITY COUNCIL AND c'ILI.Pr0 PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO P.O. Box 711 (City Hall, 400 Grand Avenue) South San Francisco, California 94083 Meeting will be held at: CITY MANAGER CONFERENCE ROOM 400 GRAND AVENUE SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 3:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER 3:04 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Matsumoto, Councilmember Addiego, Planning Commissioners Faria, Shihadeh and Evans AGENDA REVIEW None. PUBLIC COMMENTS None. MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION Report regarding Housing Standing Subcommittee study session of the proposed mixed-use development at 200 Airport in the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP). (Sailesh Mehra, Planning Manager) Planning Manager Mehra provided a brief overview of the project site and proposed development. Principal Planner Rozzi discussed the location, units, and parking. He requested Subcommittee feedback on the overall design, layout and community benefits package. He listed the proposed benefits of 10% of 94 units as affordable, 3600 square feet of commercial, ongoing maintenance of Caltrain plaza and design to interact with the plaza, participation in CFD, and public art. Trevor Boucher, Fairfield Development, introduced the project team. He stated they were also the owners and developers of 150 Airport, which would be absorbed and managed in conjunction with that project. Claudia Scala, Carrier Johnson Architects, discussed the firms experience and practices. She discussed the prominence of the site and summarized the entry, bicycle facility, retail, typical floor plans, design, architecture, public art DNA wall. Councilmember Addiego confirmed that there were no units along the DNA wall side ofthe project. He complemented the developer on the vision for the wall. Mr. Boucher presented the existing Caltrain plaza design and proposed layout including social dining, central green space, pedestrian pathway and landscape buffer. He presented the potential design schemes. Councilmember Addiego asked about the proposal to take care of maintenance for the plaza. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh queried whether there were potential tenants. Mr. Boucher stated they had reached out to urban grocers. Planning Commissioner Evans inquired whether there would be one or multiple tenants. Brendan Hayes, Fairfield Development, stated the option showed multiple tenant options. Planning Commissioner Evans asked for the maximum number of tenants. Mr. Hayes stated three would be the maximum. He advised an urban grocer would be the first pursuit but it would be designed to accommodate other facilities. He explained the process of design and procuring a tenant. Planning Commissioner Evans expressed concern about access for the retail. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh stated parking and accessibility would be needed for the retail component. Mr. Hayes discussed efforts to retain flexibility in the design. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh noted parking would limit the tenant. Mr. Hayes anticipated train traffic would utilize the space. Councilmember Addiego expressed concern with activity in the area for the commercial business. Mr. Boucher summarized the proposed community benefits. Mayor Matsumoto stated the proposal was not her idea for the plaza. She advised it was the City's one opportunity and she had hoped for an arcade to allow for shelter and all day utilization. She stated she was not enamored with food trucks. She discussed the need for parking. Principal Planner Rozzi explained that food trucks were an effort to activate without spending a lot of money. Mayor Matsumoto expressed concern about the use of white due to the location near the highway and suggested use of brick. Councilmember Addiego concurred with the use of brick. He requested the developer review parking uses. Mr. Hayes discussed parking counts in other developments and stated parking demand had dropped. Councilmember Addiego asked if there would be an additional charge for parking. Mr. Hayes intended to charge for parking. JOINT HOUSING STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 29, 2019 MINUTES PAGE 2 Mayor Matsumoto suggested additional articulations and curves. She expressed concern about the Area Median Income (AMI). Economic and Community Development Deputy Director Selander explained that the affordable units would be about $1,000 less than market rate units. Principal Planner Rozzi stated there would be no preclusion from asking for other community benefits. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh requested the developer repave the entire street. He expressed concern about the impact on traffic of deliverers and construction traffic. Mr. Boucher discussed the City's construction coordination committee to review traffic impacts. Ed McCoy, Fairfield Development, discussed the requirement to maintain a through lane. Councilmember Addiego discussed traffic impacts from construction projects. Councilmember Addiego was pleased with the direction and agreed with the need for a cover. Mayor Matsumoto explained her concept of arcade. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh expressed concern regarding vacant retail. Mayor Matsumoto discussed the use of public transportation. Principal Planner Rozzi advised the developer was looking to make the corner successful. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh discussed the potential need to subsidize the tenant. Mr. Hayes discussed efforts to build the appropriate produce for success. Councilmember Addiego discussed the unique merchants in the Downtown. He queried whether more space could be available for existing, independent merchants. Mr. Hayes discussed his positive experience working with independent merchants. Economic and Community Development Director Greenwood discussed the challenges and benefits with a retail tenant. He discussed successful arcades in other areas but suggested considering canopies or other shelter. He stated the value of the retail component was to activate the plaza. Mayor Matsumoto stated she was not enamored with the DNA wall. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh inquired about trash shoots. Mr. Hayes explained that residents' trash would go to the higher garage level and then go through the shoot. Mayor Matsumoto and Councilmember Addiego discussed salaries of moderate income. ECD Director Greenwood explained the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) income levels. He discussed the procedures in the Downtown Area Plan and third party analysis. City Manager Futrell requested additional input on community benefits, architecture and whether the project was ready to go to the Planning Commission. Mayor Matsumoto stated there were still concerns that would be raised before the Planning Commission and Council. She advised she would be willing to give up a benefit to lower the AMI. Councilmember Addiego stated there would be a benefit in the nine AMI units. Planning Commissioner Evans stated the City had to consider what the developer could do and still meet return on investments. JOINT HOUSING STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 29, 2019 MINUTES PAGE 3 Councilmember Addiego stated he would prefer nine units at moderate than five at low. Planning Commissioner Shihadeh agreed with Councilmember Addiego. ECD Deputy Director Selander explained the purpose of making the unit eligible at 120 AMI priced at 110 AMI. Mr. Hayes explained 110 AMI rent rates and pricing prior to the affordable housing regulations. He stated they felt they had offered a fair amount and it was at the limit to make the project financially feasible. Planning Commissioner Evans commended the developer for voluntarily offering moderate level units. Planning Commissioner Evans agreed that the level of benefits being proposed was at or near the financial maximum that could be sustained by the project. Darin Smith, Economic & Planning Systems, explained the tradeoffs between the base density versus what was proposed for the density bonus. He discussed the proposed community benefits. He explained their analysis and determination that based on prevailing construction costs and rents in the market place, that the higher density project that offers community benefits performs slightly less well than base density. Councilmember Addiego queried whether the developer or staff wanted additional specifics. City Manager Futrell requested additional input on architecture. Ed McCoy, Fairfield Development, reiterated the need to consider the color pallet, type of brick and overhead protection. Councilmember Addiego inquired whether additional customer parking could be added. Mr. McCoy stated the Code required four additional spaces. He anticipated nearby residents would walk. Planning Commissioner Faria expressed concern about lack of commitment to retail. He requested more detail including square footage. Mr. McCoy stated they could provide a list of possible users and required square footage. Planning Commissioner Faria concurred with the proposed affordable units. Principal Planner Rozzi advised the Planning Commission generally deferred the community benefits package to the City Council. ECD Director Greenwood confirmed that there was consensus of the committee to forward to Planning Commission and then City Council with the community benefits as proposed. ADJOURNMENT Being no further business the meeting was adiourned at 4:44 nm_ Submitted Ciabrtel Rod z, Deputy City Clerk City of South SmY Francisco City of South San Francisco JOINT HOUSING STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 29, 2019 MINUTES PAGE 4