South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting - March 18, 2021
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South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting - March 18, 2021
The South San Francisco Planning Commission held a regular meeting via teleconference on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included a consent calendar approval, two public hearings, and administrative business items. Notable actions included granting an appeal to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a proposed five-story hotel at 840 El Camino Real and approving a use permit and design review for warehouse conversion at 88 South Linden Avenue. The meeting also featured a farewell to outgoing Commissioner Alan Wong.
Consent Calendar
- Master Sign Program and Design Review for 600-650 Gateway Blvd. – Approved unanimously. The item covered signage in the Gateway Specific Plan Zoning District.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Written comment read into record regarding Item 2 (840 El Camino Real hotel): A resident of 133A Street expressed strong opposition to the five-story hotel, citing concerns about loss of sunlight to their home and increased parking congestion on A Street. They urged the commission to address these impacts.
Discussion Items
- Item 2: Remand from City Council regarding appeal of Planning Commission decision on 840 El Camino Real hotel. The commission reviewed the remand and discussed the need for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to address community concerns about sunlight, parking, and neighborhood character. Commissioners acknowledged the Grand Boulevard Initiative and emphasized sensitivity to the long-standing neighborhood. A motion was made and seconded to grant the appeal solely for the purpose of preparing an EIR and to direct the project to return to the Planning Commission for future consideration of the EIR and previously requested entitlements. The motion passed unanimously (6-0).
- Item 3: Use Permit and Design Review for conversion of existing warehouse space at 88 South Linden Avenue. The project involved converting a 2,800-square-foot single-story warehouse into a new use in the Mixed Industrial (MI) Zoning District. Staff presented the project and noted it was categorically exempt from CEQA. Commissioners discussed proposed conditions, including trash enclosure improvements and signage. The commission approved the use permit and design review with conditions as recommended (vote results not explicitly stated in transcript, but approval was indicated by subsequent adjournment).
- Item 4: South San Francisco TDM Program Update – Project Overview and 2020 Program Design. Staff presented an update on the Transportation Demand Management program. No action was taken; the item was for information and discussion.
- Item 5: 2020 Housing Element and General Plan Annual Progress Report. Staff presented the annual report. No action was taken; the item was for information and discussion.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar (Item 1): Approved unanimously.
- Item 2 (840 El Camino Real hotel): Motion passed 6-0 to grant the appeal for preparation of an EIR and to return the project to the Planning Commission for further consideration.
- Item 3 (88 South Linden Avenue warehouse conversion): Approved with conditions (unanimous or majority approval assumed based on discussion and meeting flow).
- Administrative items (Items 4 and 5): Received and filed; no formal action taken.
- Farewell to Commissioner Alan Wong: Commissioners and staff expressed gratitude for his eight years of service and leadership, especially during 2020.
Meeting Transcript
Ready? And we are recording. Uh welcome to the Thursday, March 18, 2021, regular meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission. This meeting is being held in accordance with the Brown Act as currently in effect under the State Emergency Services Act, the Governor's Emergency Declaration related to COVID-19, and the governor's executive order in 2920 issued on March 17, 2020, that allows attendance by the members of the Planning Commission, city staff, and the public to participate and conduct the meeting by teleconference. Teleconference locations are not open to the public. To provide a comment during the meeting, please use the raise hand function indicating you would like to speak, and you will be unmuted in order during the times reserved for public comments. You will have three minutes to make your comments. And we will read into the record emails or message comments that you provide. Please note that all commission time limits and rules of decorum will apply to public comments. Will you please stand or sit in or and join us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republican. One nation under God. Here commissioner Murphy. Here. Here Chair Evans. Here. Okay. Are there any changes to the agenda? No changes to the agenda, Chair. Thank you. Okay. Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item that is not on the agenda tonight at this time? Please use the raise hand function to indicate you would like to provide a comment. I will ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide comments or if there are any missed comments received by email or voicemail. No, they're not. Okay. Hearing no specter, we'll move on. Next on the agenda is the disclosure of ex parte communications. If any commissioner has had any communication with the applicants, did any site or project visits, had any interactions with third parties, or has any conflicts regarding items on the agenda, you may disclose them at this time. If you would like to recuse yourself for an item, you may also do that at this time. Hearing none, we'll move on to the next item. Next on the agenda is the consent calendar. May we have a listing of the consent calendar items? Item number one is a master sign program and design review for signage at 600 through 650 Gateway Boulevard in the gateway specific plan zoning district in accordance with South San Francisco Municipal Code chapters 20.22020.360 20.460 and 20.490. Does any commissioner wish to pull this item from the consent calendar? Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item on the consent calendar at this time? Please use the raise hand feature to indicate that you would like to provide a comment. At this time, I'll ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who wish to make a comment or have we received any comments by email or voicemail. We have not okay. I'll make a motion we approve. Second. I'll second. Next on the agenda is item number two. Will the clerk please read? Sorry, Chair Evans. We need a roll call on the motion. Pardon me. We need a roll call on the motion. Oh, sorry. Right.
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