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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2022-03-16 @6:00�vTH SA�yF U O cgLIFOI:��P CALL TO ORDER MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022 6:00 p.m. Hybrid In-PersonNirtual via Zoom Municipal Services Building 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco The City Council may meet by teleconference, consistent with the Brown Act as amended by AB 361 (2021. Under the amended rules, the City will not provide a physical location for members of the public to participate in the teleconference meeting. Mayor Nagales called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. ROLL CALL Councilmember Addiego, present in Council Chambers Councilmember Coleman, present in Council Chambers Councilmember Flores, present in Council Chambers Vice Mayor Nicolas, present in Council Chambers Mayor Nagales, present in Council Chambers AGENDA REVIEW No changes. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Comments are limited to items on the Special Meeting Agenda. None. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS 1. Report regarding a study session on a potential planning and design study to replace the City Hall Annex. (Jacob Gilchrist, Director of Capital Projects) Director of Capital Projects Gilchrist presented the report and indicated that the City Hall Annex was dedicated to the South San Francisco Police Station in 1949. The building has outlived its useful life and currently houses the offices of the Building, Engineering, and Planning divisions. The Annex has significant safety and code compliance deficiencies. The assessment does not recommend demolishing the building. Still, it suggests it may be challenging to modernize due to its construction methods and age-old construction methods that make it nearly impossible to renovate. There is evidence of failing structural reinforcement of a wall adjacent to the Annex storage room. HVAC controls, windows, and electrical services were rated as "poor," with 0-10 years remaining useful life. The building presents major issues regarding compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Currently, it is not possible to walk from City Hall to the Library or the Annex via an accessible path of travel without using the sidewalk. Disabled community members must navigate significantly longer distances to travel from one building to another. As a staff space, the Annex is cramped and uncomfortable. The building is planning to convert two storage closets into office spaces. Already, staff turned one small conference area into a workspace. This study will include reviewing the needs of the divisions housed in the Annex. An initial budget of $3-$4 million would allow staff to proceed with the initial steps. If directed to proceed, staff would use the initial funding to complete the following tasks: Hire Design Team, Analyze and Assess Site, Develop Design Vision, Establish Building and Landscape Program. Staff would then present findings to the Council for further consideration and direction. The vision is to replace the 8,800-sf building with roughly 15,000 sf of space to accommodate the following departments: Engineering, Finance, Commerce, and Information Technology (potentially), and Planning. The vision is tentative, pending a review of existing conditions and historic preservation requirements. Director of Capital Projects Gilchrist stated that a preschool at this location could potentially accommodate 80-120 children. He indicated that staff targeted an overall project budget of $30-40 million. A study will seek to clarify the pedestrian circulation of the City Hall block, creating a beautiful and functional experience for residents and staff alike. Councilmember Addiego expressed his desire to have the future Annex building brought closer to Maple Avenue and accessible from Miller Avenue. He encouraged staff to be creative when redesigning the site. Director of Capital Projects Gilchrist provided an overview of the proposed integration of the Grand Avenue Library and City Hall. Vice Mayor Nicolas noted that the safety of staff and the public is crucial and suggested that staff address ADA compliance of the building. She expressed support for the project to make it more accessible and safer for the community. Councilmember Coleman inquired about staff relocation during construction and encouraged staff to be creative but match the existing architecture of City Hall and the Grand Avenue Library. In addition, he suggested including office space for nonprofit organizations. City Manager Futrell indicated staff would relocate to the downtown area. Councilmember Flores expressed his desire for the site to be more accessible to the community, especially regarding ADA compliance. He noted the importance of preserving the architecture of the building and encouraged staff to be creative with the office space. Mayor Nagales expressed his concern with the building's accessibility and possible use as a childcare site due to the traffic impacts and size. Director of Capital Projects Gilchrist provided an overview of the proposed daycare site. He acknowledged that ADA requirements exist and indicated that staff continues to address those challenges. City Manager Futrell highlighted the importance of the project but noted the limited staff bandwidth and funding. He indicated that the project could be prioritized if needed, given the Council's direction, and emphasized the project cost of $30-$40 million. Given the Council's recommendation, City Manager Futrell will continue to work with staff and bring the item back for the Council's consideration in the near future. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 16, 2022 MINUTES PAGE 2 2. Report regarding the status of the Child Care Master Plan and draft recommendations. (Kathleen White, Child Care Master Plan Consultant, Greg Mediati — Director of Parks and Recreation) Consultant Kathleen White presented the report and noted that the information would apprise the Council of the Parks and Recreation Department's Child Care Master Plan progress. The purpose of the Master Plan is to focus on improving and expanding the reach, quality, and impact of early childhood education programs, childcare, and youth services to guide operations and developments of child care centers and programs over the next ten years. Consultant White provided an overview of the Parent/Family survey responses and noted that affordability is a challenge, especially with the high cost of living. She discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all childcare programs. Children who receive high-quality early care and education experiences are more likely to have advanced language, academic, and social skills. Out- of-school programs also have positive outcomes, including improved academic performance and work habits. Staff will incorporate the Council's input into the Child Care Master Plan. Mayor Nagales expressed concern with the parent survey results showing that the number one cause of parents missing work was lack of childcare. He noted that South San Francisco is the only city that collects Childcare Impact Fees to serve the community and address childcare needs. He suggested reviewing the City of Redwood City's ordinance that expands the number of childcare facilities with zoning amendments expanding location and permitting the development of large childcare homes by -right. Currently, the city allows small childcare centers that serve no more than eight children to operate by -right in any dwelling. It would align with legislation prohibiting cities from requiring use permits for large family childcare homes. Vice Mayor Nicolas noted the importance of providing childcare for working families and pointed out that the lack of childcare typically affects women. Consultant White provided an overview of the workforce development programs highlighting a program that would support parents seeking employment to obtain college courses and prerequisites needed to fill current teacher vacancies. Councilmember Flores thanked the staff for the report and inquired about several plan components. He requested information on the current funding of the Child Care Impact Fee and suggested using the Main Library as a potential childcare site once the Civic Campus is complete. Consultant White responded to inquiries and noted that the survey targeted parents of elementary students. The South San Francisco Unified School District distributed the survey to families via School Loop in English and Spanish. City Manager Futrell indicated that there is approximately $11.7 million of funding. Councilmember Flores noted the importance of partnering with the school district for future apprenticeship programs, such as the district's former workforce development program. He expressed support for forming a subcommittee to continue to discuss childcare needs concerns with the school district. Councilmember Coleman requested clarification on the daycare demand numbers and expressed support for a workforce development program that includes high school students due to the shortage of teachers nationwide. He inquired as to the average teacher salary in our district. Consultant White clarified the calculations and indicated that it had an allocation for commuters. She provided an overview of the salary calculations used and recognized the need for improvement. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 16, 2022 MINUTES PAGE 3 Mayor Nagales expressed support to continue to explore the future use of the Main Library, maximizing the space to ensure community needs are met. Councilmember Addiego suggested that staff pursue conversations with the district to begin work. City Manager Futrell indicated that staff would add the topic to the next liaison meeting. ADJOURNMENT Being no further business Mayor Nagales adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. Submitted by: 4 L osa Govea Acosta, MMC, CPMC City Clerk Approved by: Mark Nagal s Mayor Approved by the City Council: D /3 / / a 00.:2 -AA SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 16, 2022 MINUTES PAGE 4