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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09-21 SpecialSPECIAL MEETING PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES September 21, 2006 CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION 1. CALL TO ORDER 6:00 p.m. TAPE 1 2. ROLL CALL: Planning Commissioners Commissioner Giusti, Commissioner Prouty, Commissioner Sim, Present: Commissioner Romero, Commissioner Teglia*, Vice Chairperson Honan and Chairperson Zemke Planning Commissioners None Absent: Staff Present: Acting Chief Planner Kalkin, Senior Planner Lappen, Admin. Asst. II Aguilar, Planning Liaison -Sergeant Normandy, Senior Civil Engineer Bautista and Assistant City Manager Van Duyn 3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS- comments are limited to items on the Special Meeting Agenda 4. Study Session on the Genentech Master Plan P05-0141: MP05-0001, DA05-0003, RZ05-0003, ZA05-0001 Senior Planner Lappen gave a PowerPoint presentation. Lisa Sullivan, Director of Strategic Facilities Planning, began by noting changes in the signs and parking for the Bay Trail and added that they will be providing a public amenities building with restrooms. Bay Trail comments Commissioner Prouty noted the importance of properly identifying the Bay Trail parking to avoid confusion and security will now that those individuals are allowed to be there. Ms. Sullivan noted that they will be properly identified. Commissioner Teglia arrived at 6:31 p.m. Commissioner Prouty asked where the signs would begin to direct the public to the bay trail access points and parking. Ms. Sullivan noted that bay trail users would access the area via the public streets through the campus and see the signs for Bay Trail access. Commissioner Prouty suggested that the signs be consistent from the freeway to the Genentech site. Acting Chief Planner Kalkin noted that there are standard Bay Trail signs that BCDC uses and they can conform to those. Commissioner Teglia noted that at the fishing point on Forbes the road curves and goes up the street towards a parking lot, and pointed out that the entrance to the Bay Trail at that point need to be more inviting because it appears to be a Genentech Parking lot. He suggested increasing the park amenities because currently only the Wind Harp and the Bay Trail are the only public areas on the Genentech campus. He noted that one of the parking lots could be converted to a park. Ms. Sullivan replied by Planning Commission Meeting of September 21, 2006 pointing out the amenities building that will be included as part of the Master Plan. Commissioner Teglia was concerned with site lines for Wind Harp Park and suggested that Genentech be sensitive to maintaining views around the Wind Harp by minimizing the height of the buildings surrounding it. Shuttle stop comments Ms. Sullivan stated that at Grandview and East Grand they have the opportunity of including a more inviting campus entry with a combination of hardscape, landscape and a water feature. She noted that at the end of Forbes, adjacent to the Bay Trail, they have the opportunity to define a plaza and have a plan for a Genentech History Hall. She noted that they propose to rework Grandview to allow a three lane street; one would be dedicated to the shuttle and on the other side of the street where there is another shuttle stop the curb would be recessed to allow the shuttle to get off the road. They also propose to enhance Forbes by creating a bicycle lane. Commissioner Teglia noted that the bike lanes are a good idea, but will require working with the medians on Forbes. He pointed out that the wide lanes are needed because large vehicles travel on Forbes. He stated that the extra lane in the direction of the shuttle is a good idea but does not want it used as a parking lane. He noted that curb cutouts are encouraged for the shuttles to pull off the road. Commissioner Romero stated that the drop-offs should be retained as close to the buildings as possible rather than on the street to make it more convenient for their employees. He pointed out that the circulation needs to be improved within the site including shuttles. Ms. Sullivan noted that the shuttle stops shown are only the on street stops. Landscanin_g comments Commissioner Sim suggested creating a buffer of trees on the edge of the sidewalk with a curb cut for the shuttle stop. He questioned if there was a plan to create parking structures as Genentech continues to grow. Commissioner Romero encouraged elevating or pushing back the buildings to maintain the open space on their campus particularly along the bayfront. Commissioner Teglia noted that he was envisioning a bolder green space where the amenities building will be going and a large green impact for the entryway of the campus. Circulation comments Commissioner Prouty noted that most of the employee traffic goes through Gull Road which is very busy. He suggested that a flyover could take the traffic off of Oyster Point Boulevard. Acting Chief Planner Kalkin noted that this will be looked at with the East of 101 area plan with the rest of the mitigations in the area. Commissioner Prouty was concerned with traffic increasing due to Genentech's employee numbers doubling. Banner comments Ms. Sullivan noted that Genentech has banners in key areas of the campuses as a motivational program for their employees. Genentech and proposes grandfathering the existing banners and allowing planning staff to administratively approve any new banner locations with a limit of 3 for each of the 4 neighborhoods. Acting Chief Planner Kalkin noted that staff does not have issue with the content of the banners but is concerned with having them directed towards the public right-of way and would prefer them to be appropriately located on interior areas of the campus. Commissioner Prouty noted that the motivational messages are not an issue for him but is concerned with the banners facing onto the public street and agreed with staff by having them put inside the campus. Commissioner Teglia also agreed with staff and noted that the approvals could be on a case by case basis. He pointed out that the banners should be changed out every four to five months. Acting Chief Planner Kalkin noted that another concern is that some can be seen from Oyster Point Marina, so any siting criteria needs to minimize the impact on the view corridors. Commissioner Romero noted that the size is too large and suggested that Genentech find a better alternative without impacting the public view corridor. Jim Harnish, Genentech Consultant, suggested smaller signs for the public right- s:\MCwutes\~%wAl%zed MCwutes\2oo6\09-21-06 specCAl pc.doc page 2 of s Planning Commission Meeting of September 21, 2006 of-way. Commissioner Romero noted that it would mitigate this a little but believed there is a better way to make it work for Genentech and the City. Commissioner Sim questioned if there was a way of continuing the integrity of Genentech's message on a case by case basis by showing the Commission the buildings they are proposing to put the banners on. He suggested making the banners an artistic endeavor rather than a sheet of paper on the skin of the building. Commissioner Romero noted that he would like to see internal and external drop-offs for the bus routes. He also suggested that an inter-campus drop off can have a shelter with a motivational sign incorporated into the structure. Commissioner Teglia noted that the stops on the public street should be elegant looking and pointed out that the bus stop on South San Francisco Drive and Hillside as an example. Commissioner Sim noted that the motivational sign could be designed behind the building skin and still allow for light to go into the building. LED sign comments Ms. Sullivan noted that the purpose of the LED signs was to notify their employees of when the parking structure is full to prevent anyone from going into an already full garage. Commissioner Teglia noted that there is an LED sign on Forbes which is out of place. Senior Planner Lappen stated that the ordinance and design guidelines will have specific locations designated for the LED sign and added that the Forbes sign is not acceptable to City standards. Senior Planner Lappen noted that although the discussion on architectural, primary and secondary pedestrian details is still pending, the Commission has covered land use, open space, pedestrian details, and streetscapes. Engineering will cover the feasibility of the shuttle stops on the street, as well as the street lighting system. He added that the TDM plan will be discussed in detail at a future study session. Mr. Harnish noted that the connectivity issues were not addressed at the meeting and encouraged the Commission to review the handout that was given to them that shows the Commission's concerns. There being no further comments, the discussion was concluded. 5. Adjournment Consensus of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 7:16 p.m. Susy Kalkin Acting Secretary to the Planning Commission City of South San Francisco SK/bla William Zemke, Chairperson Planning Commission City of South San Francisco s:\M%wutes\~~walLzed n~Cwutes\zoo6\oy-2s-o6 specCa~ Pc.doc Page s of s