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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting - April 20, 2023

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 20, 2023

BodySouth San Francisco, California

SessionPlanning Commission

DateThursday, April 20, 2023

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:50:19

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

0:37

Okay, looks like we're gonna start.

0:40

Recording in progress.

0:44

Welcome to the Thursday, April 20th regular meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission.

0:50

This meeting is being held in person at the municipal services building, but online participation is available to the public to provide a comment during the meeting.

1:00

Please fill out a speaker card if you are in the meeting chambers, or use the raise hand function if you are online.

1:07

You will have three minutes to make your comments.

1:10

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

1:18

This meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission is hereby called to order.

1:24

Will you please stand and join in the pledge of allegiance?

1:28

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

1:36

One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all may we have a roll call, please.

1:49

You may.

1:52

Vice Chair Faria here.

1:55

Commissioner Xiade.

1:56

Here.

1:57

Commissioner Funes Ostrick.

1:59

Here.

1:59

Commissioner Baker?

2:01

Here.

2:01

And if I say correctly.

2:05

Commissioner, how do I say your last name?

2:08

Pomaco.

2:09

Here.

2:09

Excellent.

2:11

Commissioner Evans is excused tonight.

2:14

Thank you.

2:15

Are there any changes to the agenda?

2:18

No proposed changes, Chair.

2:20

Thank you.

2:22

Oral communications.

2:24

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

2:31

If you are attending in person, please fill out a speaker card.

2:34

If you are attending online, please use the raise hand feature.

2:45

At this moment, there's no raised hands and no public cards.

2:49

Thank you.

2:49

Hearing no speaker, we will move on.

2:54

Disclosure of ex parte communication.

2:58

If any commissioner has had any communication with the applicants, did any site or project visits, had interactions with third parties, or has any conflicts regarding any item on the agenda, you may disclose them at this time.

3:13

If you would like to recuse yourself for an item, you can also do that at this time.

3:21

Hearing none, we're gonna move on to the next item.

3:24

The consent calendar.

3:31

Yes, Chair.

3:32

Consent calendar item one, consideration of draft minutes from the April 6th, 2023 Planning Commission.

3:41

Thank you.

3:43

Does any commissioner wish to pull an item from the consent?

3:49

Hearing none, does any member of the public wish to address the commission on this item of consent calendar?

3:55

If you're attending in person, please fill out a speaker card, and if you are online, please use the raise hand function.

4:05

Once again, there are no raised hands, no public cards.

4:09

Thank you.

4:10

Hearing no speakers, I will entertain a motion on the consent calendar.

4:17

Okay.

4:18

I'll second.

4:20

Thank you.

4:22

Roll call, please.

4:24

Commissioner Funes Ostrick.

4:26

Yes.

4:27

Commissioner Shiade.

4:29

Yes.

4:30

Chair Zing?

4:31

Yes.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural███████████████████████23%

Affordable Housing█████████████████████21%

Land Use Planning█████████████████17%

Transportation Safety████████8%

Environmental Protection███████7%

Community Engagement██████6%

Public Comment████4%

Planning Commission████4%

Engineering And Infrastructure███3%

Summary of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting - April 20, 2023

The South San Francisco Planning Commission held a regular hybrid meeting on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Services Building. The commission considered and approved two major development projects: a 262-unit residential project at 1477 Huntington Avenue and a 9-story office/R&D building at 101 Gull Drive. The commission also discussed a proposal to change the meeting start time from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

The minutes from the April 6, 2023 Planning Commission meeting were approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

Louis Murante (Vice President of Public Policy, Bay Area Council, representing ~330 large employers) spoke in support of the 1477 Huntington project, praising it as a model for meeting regional housing needs. He also encouraged South San Francisco to apply for the state's Pro Housing designation (staff later noted an application is under review).
Silesh Mara (representing Robert Pelaski, owner of adjacent property at 1487 Huntington) expressed support for the 1477 Huntington project, stating it is a "higher and better use" and will create a new neighborhood.
No public comments were made regarding the 101 Gull Drive project.

Discussion Items

1477 Huntington Avenue Residential Project: Staff presented a proposal for a 7-story, 85-foot-tall building with 262 for-rent residential units, 288 parking spaces (1.1 per unit), and 39 affordable units (15%: 26 lower-income, 13 very low-income). The project is in the T5 Corridor (T5C) Zoning District, near the San Bruno BART station and El Camino Real. The applicant requested minor waivers from development standards (setback, height articulation, window recess). Staff supported the waivers, noting the project meets parking requirements and includes a TDM plan (tier 1, 20 points). The applicant (Will McPhee, Overton Moore Properties) described amenities, bike storage, and public access to the Centennial Way Trail. Commissioner questions addressed bike parking security, affordable unit mix, financing, and storage. Public comments were supportive. The commission voted unanimously to adopt the CEQA resolution (2A) and the entitlement resolution (2B).
101 Gull Drive Office/R&D Project: Staff presented a modification to a previously approved project (April 2022). The revised project includes a 9-story office/R&D building with 281,600 square feet (up from 166,600), and a parking garage with 574 spaces (within the new maximum of 591). The site is in the BTP-High Zoning District, and the project requires a CEQA addendum. The applicant (Mike Sandford, representing ownership) highlighted design improvements, including enhanced articulation and landscaping. Commissioner questions addressed ADA accessibility, site entry/egress, and landscaping. No public comments were made. The commission voted unanimously to adopt the CEQA addendum resolution (3A) and the design review/TDM resolution (3B).
Administrative Business – Meeting Start Time: Staff (Adena Friedman, Principal Planner) presented a proposal to change the Planning Commission meeting start time from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM to align with other city meetings. Commissioners expressed mixed preferences: some supported 6:00 PM (Commissioners Faria, Shihadeh, and partially Baker), while others preferred keeping 7:00 PM due to work/commute constraints (Commissioners Evans, Funes, and Pamukcu). Chair Tzang and Vice Chair Faria were flexible. Staff concluded they would keep the 7:00 PM start time for now, but noted the possibility of scheduling special meetings at 6:00 PM for anticipated long agendas. No formal vote was taken.

Key Outcomes

1477 Huntington Avenue: Adopted Resolution 2A (CEQA determination) and Resolution 2B (Minor Use Permit, Design Review, TDM Plan, and Density Bonus) unanimously (6-0, Commissioner Evans excused).
101 Gull Drive: Adopted Resolution 3A (CEQA addendum) and Resolution 3B (Design Review and TDM Plan) unanimously (6-0).
Meeting Start Time: Decision deferred; status quo (7:00 PM start) retained. Staff may consider scheduling special meetings at 6:00 PM for heavy agendas.
Next Meeting: Cancelled (May 4, 2023).

Meeting Transcript

Okay, looks like we're gonna start. Recording in progress. Welcome to the Thursday, April 20th regular meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission. This meeting is being held in person at the municipal services building, but online participation is available to the public to provide a comment during the meeting. Please fill out a speaker card if you are in the meeting chambers, or use the raise hand function if you are online. You will have three minutes to make your comments. Please note that all commission time limits and rules of decorum will apply to public comments. This meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission is hereby called to order. Will you please stand and join in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all may we have a roll call, please. You may. Vice Chair Faria here. Commissioner Xiade. Here. Commissioner Funes Ostrick. Here. Commissioner Baker? Here. And if I say correctly. Commissioner, how do I say your last name? Pomaco. Here. Excellent. Commissioner Evans is excused tonight. Thank you. Are there any changes to the agenda? No proposed changes, Chair. Thank you. Oral communications. Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item that is not on the agenda tonight at this time? If you are attending in person, please fill out a speaker card. If you are attending online, please use the raise hand feature. At this moment, there's no raised hands and no public cards. Thank you. Hearing no speaker, we will move on. Disclosure of ex parte communication. If any commissioner has had any communication with the applicants, did any site or project visits, had interactions with third parties, or has any conflicts regarding any item on the agenda, you may disclose them at this time. If you would like to recuse yourself for an item, you can also do that at this time. Hearing none, we're gonna move on to the next item. The consent calendar. Yes, Chair. Consent calendar item one, consideration of draft minutes from the April 6th, 2023 Planning Commission. Thank you. Does any commissioner wish to pull an item from the consent? Hearing none, does any member of the public wish to address the commission on this item of consent calendar? If you're attending in person, please fill out a speaker card, and if you are online, please use the raise hand function. Once again, there are no raised hands, no public cards. Thank you. Hearing no speakers, I will entertain a motion on the consent calendar.

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