South San Francisco City Council Meeting Summary - October 23, 2024

The South San Francisco City Council held a regular meeting on October 23, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the Library Parks & Recreation Building Council Chambers. The meeting included routine consent calendar approvals, several administrative business items, presentations on financial results and infrastructure plans, and closed session discussions. Notable actions included authorizing the purchase of an ambulance, acquiring a below-market-rate housing unit, and preserving a public trail. The meeting was attended by Mayor James Coleman, Vice Mayor Eddie Flores, Councilmembers Mark Addiego, Mark Nagales, and Buenaflor Nicolas, along with city staff and members of the public.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of October 9, 2024.
• Accepted a FY 2024 Port Security Grant of $29,867.10 for fire boat upgrades, with a $9,955.70 match from Public Safety Impact Fees, and authorized a purchase agreement with North River Boats for $39,822.80 (Budget Amendment 25.023).
• Approved ordinance adding Chapter 8.78 to Title 8 (wage theft withholding) on second reading.
• Approved a license agreement with SYNOOR LLC for tieback installation within the Noor Avenue Right-of-Way (Budget Amendment 25.020).
• Accepted $283,858.56 per year for three years from the After School Education and Safety Program (total $851,575.68) to amend Parks and Recreation and Library budgets (Budget Amendment 25.005).

All consent calendar items were approved unanimously by roll call vote (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michael Harris expressed support for District 1 cleanup efforts and advocated for converting South San Francisco to a Charter City, as well as dividing the city into nine districts to increase citizen involvement.
• Edith Arias shared a personal story of surviving domestic violence, urging the city to raise awareness and support survivors during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
• Denny Harp criticized the city's financial management, stating that Measure W funds have not delivered promised services and there are budget shortfalls; he urged the council to cut overpaid administrators and require biotech companies to build housing.
• Corey David voiced strong opposition to city leadership, alleging disrespect, lack of transparency, and violations of the Brown Act, particularly regarding closed-session property sales and ballot language.
• Cynthia Markopoulos urged voters to reject Measure W renewals and demanded an independent forensic audit, citing a $5 million deficit and concerns about closed-door negotiations with Genentech.
• Dolores Piper read a statement from resident Olga Perez, alleging that the city withheld information about toxic soil at the Linden Avenue Park site and discriminated against Spanish-speaking immigrants; she demanded a halt to the project.
• Fionola Vila Mayhauer criticized the council for presenting rhetoric without empirical evidence on topics like crime and equity.
• Mary Prem (Chamber of Commerce) thanked the city for supporting local businesses and listed award recipients, including the Sustainability and Green Business Award to Waymo.
• Cesar Dominguez expressed love for the community and advocated for continued support of Grand Avenue businesses, especially restaurants.
• Vivian Ramos provided financial clarification, commending the finance department but noting an underlying $8 million deficit for FY 2024-25, even after budget cuts and deferred hires.

Additional public comments were made during agenda item discussions, including resident support for park features, concerns about traffic and soil safety, and advocacy for improved police staffing.

Discussion Items

• Linden Avenue Park Project Update (Item 7): Staff presented a comprehensive update on the proposed park at 616 and 700 Linden Avenue. Environmental scientist Aubrey Cool (Nino and Moore) reported that soil testing confirmed the site is safe for park use, with no additional remediation required beyond voluntarily removing lead-impacted soil from a buried concrete structure. Community engagement consultant Jan Eastlin (MIG) highlighted that over 400 people participated in outreach, with two design concepts receiving high ratings (Concept B favored 47% to 44% for Concept A). Public comment included concerns about soil safety, traffic, and the need for a restroom. Fire Chief Matt Sampson and traffic consultant Trisha Doudala affirmed that the proposed options would not significantly impact emergency response or traffic flow.
• Financial Update (Item 8): Finance Director Karen Chang presented preliminary FY 2023-24 year-end results showing a $14.2 million general fund surplus, attributed to stronger property tax revenues, higher investment earnings, deferred spending, and savings from department vacancies. She also outlined FY 2024-25 first-quarter results and proposed allocating the surplus, including $8 million to a budget stabilization fund and $3 million to replenish Measure W reserves. Councilmembers expressed support for these allocations but deferred formal action to mid-year budget discussions.
• Intersection Daylighting Plan (Item 9): Associate Civil Engineer John Wilson presented a plan to enhance parking restrictions under Assembly Bill 413, which prohibits parking within 20 feet of crosswalks. Options included no action, targeted enhancements in high-injury areas, or citywide implementation. Police Chief Scott Campbell noted 32 pedestrian collisions in 2023 and 23 in 2024, with many occurring at intersections. Councilmembers leaned toward a phased approach, prioritizing high-risk areas like downtown and schools, with ongoing public education.
• BMR Unit Acquisition (Item 10): Staff recommended purchasing a below-market-rate unit at 2230 Gellert Boulevard, Unit 3209, to preserve its affordability. The unit, priced at $676,781, failed to sell due to affordability restrictions. The city will use $676,781 from the Commercial Linkage Fee Fund (Fund 823) and later resell the unit to an income-qualified buyer. Motion approved unanimously.
• Ambulance Purchase (Item 11): The council approved purchasing an advanced life support ambulance from Braun Northwest for $423,403.18, plus $55,000 for tools and equipment, totaling $478,403.18 from Vehicle Replacement Funds. The delivery is expected in early 2026. Motion approved unanimously.
• Spruce Avenue Trail Acquisition (Item 12): The council approved a $600,000 appropriation from the Park Land Acquisition Fee Fund to acquire a portion of 701 Spruce Avenue to preserve a public access trail to Sign Hill Park. Despite dueling appraisals ($250,000 city appraisal vs. $820,000 seller appraisal), the council approved the purchase to secure public access. Motion approved unanimously.
• Delegate for National League of Cities (Item 13): Council designated Vice Mayor Flores as voting delegate for the National League of Cities Annual Business Meeting on November 16, 2024, in Tampa, FL, with Councilmember Nicolas as alternate.

Key Outcomes

• Approved all consent calendar items (5-0).
• Approved BMR unit acquisition (Item 10) (5-0).
• Approved ambulance purchase (Item 11) (5-0).
• Approved Spruce Avenue trail acquisition (Item 12) (5-0).
• Designated Vice Mayor Flores as NLC delegate and Councilmember Nicolas as alternate (unanimous).
• Council directed staff to explore incorporating a restroom into the Linden Park design, to prioritize high-injury areas for daylighting enhancements, and to return with more detailed financial allocation proposals at mid-year.

Closed Session

• The council held closed sessions to discuss anticipated litigation (two matters) and real property negotiations for properties including DNA Way, Point San Bruno Blvd, part of Cabot Road, and 400 Miller Avenue. No reportable actions were taken.