South San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting - November 22, 2024

Note: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting was held on Thursday, November 21, 2024. The user-provided date of November 22, 2024 is used per instruction, but the actual meeting date is November 21, 2024.

The Planning Commission of South San Francisco convened on November 22, 2024 (per instruction) at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at 901 Civic Campus Way. The only substantive action was the appointment of a new member to the Design Review Board (DRB) for a four-year term, following an interview with the sole applicant.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from the November 7, 2024, Planning Commission meeting. The vote was 6-0 (Commissioner Tzang recused himself from the later DRB item but voted on the consent calendar).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No speakers came forward for public comment on any agenda item. One written public comment was submitted via the online portal and forwarded to the Commission but was not read aloud.

Discussion Items

• Design Review Board Appointment (Item 2): Staff reported on the recruitment process for a four-year DRB term, noting that the board requires at least two architects and two members in landscape professions. The sole applicant, James Walsinski, a Civil Engineer and long-time South San Francisco resident (since 1991), was interviewed by the Commission. Commissioner Tzang recused himself due to his firm’s potential appearances before the DRB. During the interview, Walsinski discussed his 35 years of construction experience (bridges, buildings, transportation), his familiarity with the DRB process as an owner’s representative, and his views on neighborhood transitions, green space, native plants, traffic, and conflict resolution. Commissioners asked about his design philosophy, ability to handle dissent, and key issues facing South City. Walsinski expressed willingness to voice independent opinions and explained his approach to balancing applicant desires with community impacts. Commissioner Evans reminded him that DRB members must follow municipal code and state laws even when personally disagreeing.

Key Outcomes

• Appointment: The Commission voted 6-0 (with Commissioner Tzang recused) to appoint James Walsinski to the Design Review Board for a four-year term. The motion was made by Commissioner Baker and seconded by Commissioner Evans.
• Administrative Note: Commissioner Tzang requested that future DRB applications be provided in a format that does not cut off applicant responses (the fillable PDF truncated Walsinski’s answers). Staff acknowledged the issue and will investigate alternatives.