South San Francisco Planning Commission Approves Clinic Parking Reduction and Easements on July 18, 2019

The South San Francisco Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive. All seven commissioners were present. The commission approved the consent calendar, two administrative General Plan conformity determinations for easements, and a use permit for a new clinic and medical services building at 225 Spruce Avenue, including an approved parking reduction and conditions. No public comments were made during Oral Communications, and no speaker cards were submitted for the public hearing.

Consent Calendar

• The commission unanimously approved the special meeting minutes of May 30, 2019, and the regular meeting minutes of June 20, 2019. The motion was made by Vice Chair Wong, seconded by Commissioner Evans, and passed by a 7-0 roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke on non-agenda items during Oral Communications.
• No speaker cards were submitted for the public hearing on the 225 Spruce Avenue project.

Administrative Business

• Genentech Bus Routing Project Public Access Easement (Item 3): Bianca Liu, Associate Engineer, reported that Genentech is enhancing its transportation demand management program with commuter bus service to its South Campus. The proposed improvements at Forbes Boulevard and DNA Way include a new roundabout, a bus turnout, and a meandering sidewalk with a landscape buffer. The roadway will be widened to accommodate 40-foot tractor trailers, and Genentech will grant the city a public access easement for the relocated sidewalk and roadway. Staff concluded the easement is consistent with the General Plan and the East of 101 Area Plan. The commission unanimously adopted a resolution of conformity under Government Code section 65402 with a 7-0 vote.
• PG&E Electric Vehicle Charge Network Program Easements (Item 4): Bianca Liu reported on the EV Charge Network (EVCN) program, under which PG&E will design and construct electric vehicle charging infrastructure at two city sites. The city plans to install 44 EV chargers total: 34 at the Corporation Yard and 10 at the Miller Avenue Parking Garage. Commissioner Shahade confirmed that the 10 Miller Garage chargers would be in addition to four existing chargers, and that the Corporation Yard chargers would primarily serve city employees while the Miller Garage chargers would be public and employee accessible. The city must grant PG&E two utility easements. Staff concluded the easements conform to the General Plan. The commission unanimously approved the determination by a 7-0 vote.

Discussion Items

• Use Permit for 225 Spruce Avenue – Northeast Medical Services (NEMS) Clinic: The applicant, Northeast Medical Services (NEMS), represented by architect Frank Fung and CFO Johnson Wong, requested a use permit for a new clinic and medical services building, a parking reduction, design review, a sign permit, and a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan. The project was determined to be categorically exempt from CEQA under Class 32, Section 15332.
• NEMS stated that 86% of the population served is under the federal poverty level, 66% are on Medi-Cal, and 8% are on Medicare. The proposed operations would include a pharmacy, 10 medical rooms, and 8 dental operatories. In year one, the clinic would have 9 staff, serve about 5 patients per hour, and assume 2 of those patients use public transportation. By year five, staffing would grow to 21, with 15 patients per hour and 7 assumed to use public transit.
• The baseline code parking requirement was 36 spaces. The project site initially proposed 9 spaces; after reconfiguration, the site plan provided 10 spaces (the transcript references both 9 and 10). The applicant stated they had entered into an agreement to purchase property at 436 North Canal, about five blocks away, which would provide 15 dedicated parking spaces plus access to an additional 50 common parking spaces. This property was intended for employee parking, with the 10 on-site spaces reserved for patients. The applicant also noted that attempts to lease spaces from nearby garages and churches were unsuccessful.
• Commissioner Evans expressed concern that the city streets could become the parking provider for a private development and questioned whether the reduction set a problematic precedent. Commissioner Faria said he would support the project only if a condition required control of the off-site lot and monitoring. Commissioner Shahade also supported adding a condition, citing the significant reduction and scarce downtown parking. Commissioner Evans questioned the relevance of drive-rate data from other NEMS locations, noting the Terravel location had zero public transit use despite being more urban; the applicant explained that the Terravel site is small and subject to San Francisco's no-minimum-parking rules.
• On circulation, several commissioners preferred the site plan with ingress and egress on Spruce Avenue, while the applicant preferred entering from Third Street. The commission included the revised July 18, 2019 parking layout as part of the final conditions.

Key Outcomes

• The commission approved the 225 Spruce Avenue entitlements with modified conditions by a unanimous 7-0 vote. The conditions, read into the record, included:
  • Annual submittal of the final TDM and parking configuration report to the Planning Commission, beginning one year after the certificate of occupancy and continuing for no fewer than six years.
  • The applicant shall provide off-site employee parking of not fewer than 15 spaces at 436 North Canal through the purchase and construction of parking spaces under an independent agreement, and the 10 on-site spaces shall be reserved for patient parking only, with clear signage and permission for short-term delivery parking.
  • Construction drawings shall conform to the Planning Commission-approved plans, including the revised parking layout presented on July 18, 2019.
• The commission unanimously approved the Genentech easement conformity determination (7-0).
• The commission unanimously approved the PG&E easement conformity determination (7-0).
• The consent calendar minutes were approved unanimously.

Adjournment

• There were no items from staff, no items from the public, and no commissioner comments. Chair Murphy adjourned the meeting.