Planning Commission Regular Meeting – October 19, 2023

The South San Francisco Planning Commission held a hybrid regular meeting on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Services Building Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM. Commissioners present: Alex Tzang (Chair), Norman Faria (Vice Chair), Michele Evans, Sam Shihadeh, Sarah Funes, John Baker. Commissioner Aysha Pamukcu was absent. The meeting included a consent calendar, two public hearings, and administrative business.

Consent Calendar

• The Commission unanimously approved the draft minutes from the September 21, 2023 Planning Commission meeting (motion passed 6-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made on any agenda item during the meeting. The City limited public comment to in-person attendance only.

Discussion Items

Item 2 – 573 Forbes Boulevard (8-Story Office/R&D Building)

• Staff Report (Stephanie Skangos, Associate Planner): Proposed demolition of an existing warehouse and construction of an 8-story office/R&D building (137 ft, rooftop elements to 171 ft) with a detached 8-story parking garage (85 ft, 470 stalls) on a 2.83-acre parcel at 573 Forbes Boulevard in the BTP-H Zoning District. The project seeks a 2.0 FAR, a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan achieving 40 points, and a CEQA determination that the project is within the scope of the 2040 General Plan EIR. The parking garage is designed with solar panels on the top level. The site includes a rails-to-trails connection.
• Applicant Presentation (Mike Sanford, Vigilant Holdings/Smart Labs; Niall Malcolmsen, DGA Architects; Gary Levis, DGA; Rich Sharp, Studio 5 Design): The project accommodates life science tenants, features balconies, a wind-protected courtyard, and ground-level amenity space. The parking garage is nestled into a 40-ft hill to minimize visibility. The design emphasizes a classic base-middle-top articulation, with curtain wall and metal panels. Landscape includes a “front porch,” central plaza, and connection to the rails-to-trails.
• Commission Questions: Addressed bike parking (24 short-term + 24 long-term), retractable bollards (flush for ADA/fire), fire access (26-ft drive aisle), excavation volume (off-haul planned), flood mitigation (site 9 ft above mean high tide), left-turn lane traffic study (condition of approval), and TDM monitoring (annual surveys).
• Commissioner Comments: Commissioner Shihadeh praised the design and circulation. Commissioner Evans liked the balcony features and the use of the odd-shaped site. Commissioner Baker expressed concern about four stories visible to the north and recommended outreach to the USDA neighbor; also noted the east side air pollution burden (95th percentile statewide) and supported less parking. No public testimony was heard.
• Votes: Two resolutions were adopted unanimously (6-0):
  • Resolution 2a: CEQA determination (project consistent with 2040 GP EIR).
  • Resolution 2b: Approval of Design Review and TDM Plan.

Item 3 – Vantage Healthpeak Life Sciences Campus (420-490 Forbes Boulevard)

• Staff Report (Christy Usher, Senior Planner): The applicant seeks entitlements for a master plan and precise plan to redevelop an existing 19-acre commercial site into a 1.65 million square foot life science research campus (six buildings, three parking garages) in the BTP-H Zoning District. The project includes previously approved Buildings A and B (under construction) and an amenity building. Phase two (precise plan) includes two new lab buildings and two parking structures. A conditional use permit is requested to exceed the maximum allowable parking (requesting 3,701 spaces vs. code maximum of 2,422 – a 1,279-space increase). Public benefits include dedication of a one-acre parcel for a potential future fire station, an estimated $25 million in community benefits, and circulation improvements. The project is subject to a TDM plan requiring a 50% reduction in single-occupancy vehicle trips and a trip cap.
• Applicant Presentation (Scott Bowen, Healthpeak; Philip Rom, Flad Architects; David Fletcher, Fletcher Studio Landscape Architecture): Healthpeak has owned and developed in South San Francisco for 30 years. The campus design creates a pedestrian-friendly street edge along Forbes Boulevard, with buildings rising from east to west (Building C at 12 stories). The amenity building (open to public) includes food and beverage, conference space, and an amphitheater. Landscape features a promenade, sunken garden, windscreens, and connections to the rails-to-trails. The parking structures are designed with facades that mimic the buildings to reduce visual impact.
• Commission Questions: Addressed parking justification (market demand, speculative building, TDM compliance), design articulation of buildings D, E, F (pedestrian-scaled base, upper terraces), parking structure massing (staggered, different facade treatments), and the interim use of the fire station parcel (construction staging, not a functioning parking lot).
• Commissioner Comments:
  • Commissioner Funes supported the project but noted the extra parking as a concern and requested EV parking proportionality.
  • Commissioner Evans praised the shuttle-to-ferry concept and the overall design.
  • Commissioner Shihadeh commended the applicant and supported the project.
  • Commissioner Baker strongly opposed the parking exception, citing environmental concerns (east side air pollution, emissions from extra spaces) and stated it would set a bad precedent.
  • Commissioner Zhang noted the parking exception is a negotiation for City Council and supported the project with a recommendation for EV parking proportionality.
• Votes: Two resolutions were adopted 4-2 (Commissioners Funes and Baker dissenting):
  • Resolution 3a: CEQA determination (project within scope of 2040 GP EIR).
  • Resolution 3b: Recommendation to City Council to approve the planning entitlements (Master Plan, Precise Plan, Design Review, Use Permit, Development Agreement, TDM Plan, Vesting Tentative Map).

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
• 573 Forbes Boulevard: Both resolutions approved 6-0; project moves forward with Design Review and TDM Plan.
• Vantage Healthpeak Campus: Both resolutions approved 4-2; recommendation will go to City Council. The Council will consider the conditional use permit for extra parking and the Development Agreement, including the fire station land dedication.
• Administrative Business: The Commission announced that future meetings will be held at 901 Civic Campus Drive (the new LPR building) starting November 2, 2023.