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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting – April 15, 2021

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 15, 2021

BodySouth San Francisco, California

SessionPlanning Commission

DateThursday, April 15, 2021

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 56:58

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:10

Let's just give it two more minutes, sir.

2:36

Are we ready?

2:40

Okay.

2:44

I'd like to welcome you to the uh to the Thursday, April fifteenth, two thousand twenty-one regular meeting of the San Francisco South San Francisco Planning Commission.

2:55

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 nineteen, and the governor's executive order in twenty-nine twenty issued March seventeenth, two thousand twenty, that allows attendance by members of the planning commission, city staff, and the public to participate and conduct the meeting by teleconference.

3:27

Teleconference locations are not open to the public.

3:42

During the times reserved for public comment.

4:08

Please note that all commission time limits and rules of decorum will apply to public comments.

4:37

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

5:00

Commissioner Faria?

5:01

Here.

5:03

Commissioner Zhang.

5:05

Here.

5:06

Commissioner DePaz Fernandez.

5:08

Here.

5:12

Vice Chair Shihade?

5:14

Here.

5:15

Chair Evans?

5:16

Here.

5:17

And Commissioner Funes is trying to log in right now.

5:20

So we're working with her.

5:23

Okay.

5:23

Great.

5:25

Are there any changes to the agenda, Steph?

5:30

Thank you, Chair.

5:32

No changes to the agenda.

5:33

I do want to give the commissioners a chance to introduce themselves.

5:36

Um, but perhaps maybe we hold that to uh the end of the meeting when we potentially have both commissioners with us.

5:43

So for now, I just want to let you know we do have two new commissioners, Commissioner Serf Fionez and Commissioner Luis De Paz Fernandez, and uh we're thrilled to have them.

5:55

Welcome, both of you.

5:58

Uh we were all new at one time, so remember that Luis.

6:03

We were all new.

6:05

Exactly.

6:07

Um does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item that is not on the agenda tonight at this time.

6:16

Please use the raise hand feature to indicate you would like to provide comment.

6:22

I will ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide comments, or if any pop comments have been received by email or phone message.

6:34

No, we have not next on the agenda is the disclosure of ex parte communications.

6:45

If any commissioner has had any communication with applicants, did any site or project visits or had interactions with third parties or has any complex regarding any items on the agenda?

7:00

You may disclose them at this time.

7:03

If you would like to recuse yourself from any item, you may also do it at this time, you're muted, Commissioner Chiada.

7:18

Mr.

7:20

I guess you're still muted, Sam.

7:30

You're muted, Michelle.

7:42

You should be able to unmute him.

7:45

Go ahead, Commissioner Shah.

7:47

Can you hear me now?

7:50

I'd like to disclose that I didn't meet with somebody from Alexandria real estate recently.

7:57

Not for that property, a different property far away from there.

8:02

Okay.

8:04

Any other commissioner wish to make a comment?

8:07

Okay.

8:09

So next on the agenda is the consent calendar.

8:12

May we have a listing of the consent calendar items?

8:23

Master sign program for signage at the Alexandria Vista Point project in the business and technology park zoning district in accordance with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code and determination that the project is categorically exempt from the California Quality Act.

8:45

Does any commissioner wish to pull this item from the consent calendar?

8:52

Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item on the consent calendar at this time?

8:59

Please use the raise hand item feature to indicate you would like to provide comment.

9:05

I will also ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide comments or if there are any comments received by email or voicemail.

9:17

No comments received hearing no speakers.

9:27

I make the motion we approve the consent calendar.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Land Use Planning███████████████████████████████████████39%

Procedural█████████████████████████25%

Housing█████████9%

Affordable Housing██████6%

Community Engagement█████5%

Ex Parte Communication████4%

Transportation Safety████4%

Zoning███3%

Public Comment███3%

Summary of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting – April 15, 2021

The South San Francisco Planning Commission held a regular meeting on April 15, 2021, at 7:00 PM via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting covered a consent calendar item and a public hearing on a comprehensive zoning text amendment. Commissioners present included Chair Michele Evans, Vice Chair Sam Shihadeh, Commissioners Norm Faria, JulieAnn Murphy, Alex Tzang (who recused from the vote on item 2), and new Commissioners Sarah Funes and Luis De Paz Fernandez.

Consent Calendar

Approved the Master Sign Program for the Alexandria Vista Point project in the Business and Technology Park Zoning District, with a determination of categorical exemption from CEQA. The motion passed unanimously (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were received on any agenda item, either live or via email/voicemail.

Discussion Items

Zoning Text Amendment (Item 2): Staff presented three bundled amendments:
1. Prohibition of Research & Development (R&D) uses along the El Camino Real corridor to address traffic and compatibility concerns with surrounding single-family neighborhoods. The amendment includes a 180-day grace period for a pre-application at 180 El Camino Real.
2. Modification of freight truck/warehouse definitions and introduction of a Parcel Hub use to regulate last-mile delivery facilities. These uses would be permitted only in Mixed Industrial districts and require a Minor Use Permit. During discussion, several commissioners expressed concern that a Minor Use Permit (handled by the Zoning Administrator) may be insufficient for large-scale distribution centers, and requested that the recommendation be changed to require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow Planning Commission review.
3. Updates to Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) performance standards to comply with new state law (effective January 1, 2021), including allowing both a JADU and any type of ADU on single-family lots, and clarifying that short-term rentals are prohibited for both ADUs and JADUs (as corrected via an errata sheet).
Commissioners asked questions about the scope of the minor use permit process, the treatment of Lindenville area, and potential tenant displacement from ADU conversions. Staff clarified that parcel hub uses are limited to non-residential industrial zones, and that the ADU deed restrictions help prevent displacement but do not address owner move-in evictions.
New Commissioner Introductions: Commissioners Sarah Funes and Luis De Paz Fernandez introduced themselves, sharing their backgrounds and motivations for serving on the commission.
Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Alternate: Commissioner Murphy noted the need for an alternate from the Planning Commission to the General Plan Community Advisory Committee. Both new commissioners expressed interest. The item was deferred to the next meeting for formal appointment.

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (7-0).
Zoning Text Amendment Resolution: Approved with the errata included and a direction to staff to revise the recommendation from a Minor Use Permit to a Conditional Use Permit for freight forwarding and parcel hub uses. The vote was 6-0 (Commissioner Tzang recused himself). The resolution will be forwarded to the City Council with this modification.
Next Steps: The CAC alternate appointment will be agendized for the next Planning Commission meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Let's just give it two more minutes, sir. Are we ready? Okay. I'd like to welcome you to the uh to the Thursday, April fifteenth, two thousand twenty-one regular meeting of the San Francisco 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 nineteen, and the governor's executive order in twenty-nine twenty issued March seventeenth, two thousand twenty, that allows attendance by 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. During the times reserved for public comment. Please note that all commission time limits and rules of decorum will apply to public comments. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Commissioner Faria? Here. Commissioner Zhang. Here. Commissioner DePaz Fernandez. Here. Vice Chair Shihade? Here. Chair Evans? Here. And Commissioner Funes is trying to log in right now. So we're working with her. Okay. Great. Are there any changes to the agenda, Steph? Thank you, Chair. No changes to the agenda. I do want to give the commissioners a chance to introduce themselves. Um, but perhaps maybe we hold that to uh the end of the meeting when we potentially have both commissioners with us. So for now, I just want to let you know we do have two new commissioners, Commissioner Serf Fionez and Commissioner Luis De Paz Fernandez, and uh we're thrilled to have them. Welcome, both of you. Uh we were all new at one time, so remember that Luis. We were all new. Exactly. Um 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 feature to indicate you would like to provide comment. I will ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide comments, or if any pop comments have been received by email or phone message. No, we have not next on the agenda is the disclosure of ex parte communications. If any commissioner has had any communication with applicants, did any site or project visits or had interactions with third parties or has any complex regarding any items on the agenda? You may disclose them at this time. If you would like to recuse yourself from any item, you may also do it at this time, you're muted, Commissioner Chiada. Mr. I guess you're still muted, Sam. You're muted, Michelle. You should be able to unmute him. Go ahead, Commissioner Shah. Can you hear me now? I'd like to disclose that I didn't meet with somebody from Alexandria real estate recently. Not for that property, a different property far away from there. Okay. Any other commissioner wish to make a comment?

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