South San Francisco City Council Regular Meeting

December 13, 2023

The South San Francisco City Council held a regular meeting at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included proclamations honoring Dr. John Skerry, Krystina Ruiz, and the South San Francisco High School football team, as well as a certificate for outgoing Housing Authority Commissioner Steven Pitocchi. The council approved a consent calendar of routine items, conducted public hearings on the Orange Memorial Park Aquatic Center and the Vantage Healthpeak Life Sciences Campus (with a compromise on the Transportation Demand Management plan), and advanced funding for the Rotary Gardens affordable housing project. Several administrative items were also approved.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from November 8, November 21, and December 5, 2023 (Item 4).
• Accepted a report on the Community Development Block Grant program (Item 5).
• Renewed a purchasing agreement with Dell Marketing LP for Microsoft licenses for three years, not to exceed $752,215 (Item 6).
• Approved the Third Amendment to the 2023–2024 Wage and Salary Schedule, adjusting salaries and hourly rates per the Local Minimum Wage Ordinance, and budget amendment 24‑022 (Item 7).
• Accepted a $7,500 grant from Pacific Library Partnership for a computer‑building program series (Item 8).
• Accepted up to $15,000 from the Peninsula Library System for the 2024 Young Adult Novelists Convention (YANovCon 2024) (Item 9).
• Accepted a donation of computers from Genentech, Inc. valued at $7,600 for digital literacy classes (Item 10).
• Accepted a $10,000 grant from Genentech for the Tech Talks: Discover the Future of STEM project (Item 11).
• Approved a purchase agreement with L.N. Curtis & Sons for 58 Globe turnout coats and pants for the Fire Department, not to exceed $249,811.80 (Item 12).
• Accepted a $75,000 Urban Area Security Initiative grant for security upgrades at Fire Station 64 (Item 13).
• Authorized a Power Purchase Agreement with Peninsula Clean Energy Authority for a solar photovoltaic system at City facilities (Item 14).
• Approved the First Amendment to a consulting services agreement with ELS Architecture + Urban Design for the Orange Memorial Park Aquatic Center project, increasing the amount by $328,770 and extending the contract to December 31, 2025 (Item 15).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Norm Torello spoke about the Medical Equipment Loan Program (MELP), an all‑volunteer nonprofit that loans durable medical equipment at no cost. He announced a donation drive on January 20, 2024, in Belmont and encouraged support.
• Brian Shields, field representative for Carpenters Local 217, urged the adoption of labor standards (apprenticeship, healthcare, prevailing wage) on public and private projects, citing his own experience with union membership.
• Alison Harper (Bon Appetit Management Company) spoke in support of the Vantage campus, noting that over 50% of their employees are South San Francisco residents and that parking is needed for workers and restaurant patrons.
• Kyle Salolo (local resident and construction worker) spoke in support of the Vantage campus, highlighting local employment benefits.

Discussion Items

Orange Memorial Park Aquatic Center (Item 16)

• The council held a public hearing on the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (ND23‑0005) and Design Review permit for a new aquatic center at Orange Memorial Park. The project includes a seven‑lane indoor pool and a 10‑lane outdoor pool, activity rooms, locker rooms, a veteran’s memorial, and an all‑electric facility. Public review period ran September 8 to October 9, 2023, with only two general comments received. Mitigation measures address biology, cultural resources, geology, hazards, noise, and tribal cultural resources. The project will replace the existing orange pool; construction is expected to begin in early 2024. Council members expressed excitement and noted the long community engagement process. The public hearing was closed and both resolutions (16A for CEQA findings and 16B for design review) were adopted unanimously (5‑0).

Vantage Healthpeak Life Sciences Campus (Item 17)

• The council considered a master plan, precise plan, design review, use permit, development agreement, and vesting tentative map to redevelop a 19‑acre commercial site into a 1.65 million square foot life science R&D campus at Forbes Boulevard and Allerton Avenue. Phase I (buildings A and B and an amenity building) is under construction. Phase II (buildings C and D) totals about 700,000 square feet; Phase III is future. The project includes a conditional use permit to exceed maximum parking (3,701 spaces requested vs. a maximum of 2,422 under the new code). The project will dedicate one acre to the city for a potential fire station and includes a 15‑year development agreement. The Planning Commission recommended approval 4‑2, with both dissenting votes based on parking. Council discussion centered on the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) requirement (currently 50% reduction in single‑occupancy vehicle trips) and parking levels. Councilmember Nicolas expressed concern that the requested parking exceeds the new maximums. After negotiations, a compromise was reached: if only two of the three parking structures are built, the TDM remains at 50%; if all three are built, the TDM increases to 55%. The project is estimated to support up to 6,000 employees. Council voted on three items:
  • 17A (CEQA findings): Approved 5‑0.
  • 17B (entitlements including parking and TDM compromise): Approved 4‑1 (Councilmember Adiego dissenting).
  • 17C (Development Agreement ordinance): Approved 4‑1 (Councilmember Adiego dissenting).

Rotary Gardens Affordable Housing (Item 18)

• The council considered a request from Rotary Plaza, Inc. for $1,633,172 in funding for a two‑phase affordable housing project at 500 and 522 Linden Avenue (former Liberty Bank site). Phase I would provide 83 senior units; Phase II, 65 family units. The city’s commitment includes $1,076,383 from Low/Mod‑Income Housing Asset Funds and $556,789 from Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds. The funding will support pre‑development costs. Council members praised Rotary’s work but expressed concerns about concentrating affordable housing in District 5 (Old Town) and impacts on local businesses and parking. Staff noted that the two phases could be built sequentially to minimize disruption. The funding resolutions (18A and 18B) were approved unanimously (5‑0).

Hotel Development at 367 Marina Boulevard (Item 19)

• The council authorized a second amendment to the purchase and sale agreement with Ensemble Investments, LLC, extending the timeline for a hotel development on city‑owned property. The market for hotels has been slow due to the pandemic, high interest rates, and construction costs. The amendment allows additional time for market recovery; the city may revisit if conditions do not improve. Councilmember Flores expressed willingness to pause but emphasized the need for a decision by 2025. The resolution was approved 5‑0.

HSIP Curb Ramp Replacement Project (Item 20)

• The council awarded a construction contract to RK Engineering, Inc. for the Highway Safety Improvement Program curb ramp replacement at five unsignalized intersections in the Old Town neighborhood. The contract is not to exceed $676,580, with a total project budget of $811,896 funded by grant and other sources (no General Fund). Staff noted competitive bids due to the rainy season. Councilmember Nicholas requested careful traffic management and notification to residents. Approved 5‑0.

Animal Licensing and Control Ordinance Update (Item 21)

• The council conducted a first reading and introduced an ordinance repealing and replacing Chapter 9.04 of the Municipal Code to align with the county’s updated animal control ordinance. Notable changes include lowering the rabies vaccination age to match state law, raising the threshold for declaring an animal vicious, and allowing owners to apply for removal of a “dangerous” designation after three years of safe maintenance. Approved 5‑0.

Bat Country Public Art Sculpture (Item 22)

• The council considered acceptance of a donated sculpture titled “Bat Country” by artists Gwen Fisher and Paul Brown, made from baseball bats and softballs. The piece was originally designed for Burning Man as a climbable structure but has been modified to sit atop an 11‑foot pole, making it non‑climbable. Initial concerns about location and safety were addressed by moving it to a less prominent site near Coloma Creek in Orange Memorial Park, though some council members preferred the original location near the sports fields. Councilmember Adiego expressed reservations about the artwork itself and abstained. The resolution to accept the donation was approved 4‑0‑1 (Councilmember Adiego abstaining).

Key Outcomes

• All consent calendar items (4‑15) approved unanimously.
• Aquatic Center CEQA and Design Review (Items 16A/16B): Approved 5‑0.
• Vantage Campus entitlements (Item 17B) and Development Agreement (Item 17C): Approved 4‑1 (Councilmember Adiego dissenting); CEQA finding (17A) approved 5‑0. TDM compromise: 50% for two parking structures; 55% if third parking structure built.
• Rotary Gardens funding (Items 18A/18B): Approved 5‑0.
• Hotel agreement extension (Item 19): Approved 5‑0.
• Curb ramp contract (Item 20): Approved 5‑0.
• Animal control ordinance (Item 21): First reading approved 5‑0.
• Bat Country sculpture donation (Item 22): Approved 4‑0‑1 (Adiego abstained).
• Council appointments: Mayor Coleman will represent the city at Council of Cities; Councilmember Nicolas was nominated as alternate for the Domestic Violence Council for a three‑year term starting January 1, 2024.
• Closed session: Conference with real property negotiators regarding properties at 226‑246 Grand Avenue; no reportable action.