South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting – December 19, 2019

The Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Services Building, Council Chambers. The meeting began with an administrative update on the Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, followed by public hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Genentech Master Plan Update and a design review application for four townhomes at 423 Commercial Avenue. The meeting adjourned after a unanimous vote to approve the townhome project.

Administrative Business – Active South City Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Update

• Otto Malara of Alta Planning and Design presented an update on the multi-year plan to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
• The draft plan proposes a 67‑mile bikeway network (a 36% increase from the current network), with 66% of recommendations classified as low‑stress facilities (e.g., separated bike lanes, buffered bike lanes, bicycle boulevards, and shared‑use paths).
• Pedestrian improvements include 108 crossing enhancements, 52 site‑specific recommendations, and six toolkits for citywide application.
• The plan also includes programmatic recommendations such as wayfinding signage, Safe Routes to School programs, and school site assessments.
• Commissioners discussed challenges: connectivity barriers (Highway 280, El Camino, Caltrain, Highway 101), safety concerns (collision history along El Camino and downtown), and the need for both infrastructure and education campaigns for bicyclists and motorists.
• The plan is expected to guide development over a 20‑year horizon. Public comments are being accepted online at active southcity.com, with a final plan to be presented to the City Council.

Public Hearing – Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Genentech Master Plan Update

• Scott Gregory of Lanfair Gregory presented the Draft EIR for the Genentech Master Plan Update, covering ~207 acres.
• The plan seeks to remove a temporary 6 million square foot cap and allow up to 9 million square feet of building space (FAR of 1.0) under existing zoning.
• The EIR identifies 7 significant and unavoidable environmental impacts, including criteria air pollutant emissions, construction noise, and level‑of‑service exceedances at intersections and freeway segments.
• The public comment period runs from November 8 to December 23, 2019. The Commission received three comment letters and one oral comment.
• Oral comment: Tony Allen (CERT member) expressed full support for Genentech’s expansion, citing their emergency preparedness and good citizenship.
• The Commission took no vote; the hearing was to receive comments. A final EIR will be prepared and brought back for certification.

Public Hearing – Design Review for Four Townhomes at 423 Commercial Avenue

• Staff presented a proposal to demolish an existing single‑family home and construct four multigenerational townhomes (three parking spaces per unit) on a site zoned Downtown Residential High (DRH).
• The project met all development standards and had received Design Review Board (DRB) recommendation for approval on September 9, 2019, after addressing massing and design comments.
• The applicant (a family of four siblings) stated the project would allow them to raise their children together, addressing overcrowding in their current home.
• Public comment: Lucille Hernandez (neighbor on Railroad Avenue) expressed concern about additional parking demand on First Lane and asked that garages be used for cars rather than storage.
• Commissioners discussed the building massing and color scheme, with Vice Chair Wong suggesting colors that better blend with the neighborhood. The applicant indicated willingness to adjust door colors.
• Staff noted the project will require a pre‑construction meeting and coordination with the city’s construction coordination committee to minimize disruption.

Key Outcomes

• Active South City Plan Update: No vote taken; the update was informational. Next steps: finalize public input, draft the plan, and present to City Council.
• Genentech Master Plan EIR: No decision; public comment period remains open until December 23, 2019. Responses to comments will be included in the Final EIR.
• 423 Commercial Avenue Townhomes: Unanimously approved (7‑0). Motion: Commissioner Faria, seconded by Commissioner Tzang. The Commission determined the project is categorically exempt from CEQA and approved Design Review DR‑18‑0027 based on attached draft findings and conditions.

Other Business

• The Commission reorganized its chair and vice chair at the January 16, 2020 meeting (noted).
• Staff inquired about iPad functionality; several commissioners reported issues, and staff will address technology upgrades.
• The meeting was adjourned in honor of the late Richard Holt, longtime Parks and Recreation Commission member.