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Record of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting - May 15, 2025

Planning Commission — Thursday, May 15, 2025
BodySouth San Francisco, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, May 15, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
1:10

Hello everybody, welcome to the Thursday, May 15th regular meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission.

1:18

This meeting is being held in Helsinki at the Library Parks and Rec Building Council Chambers.

1:24

To provide a comment during the meeting, please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk.

1:36

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

1:41

Will you please stand and join in the Pledge of Allegiance?

2:02

May we please have a roll call.

2:06

Commissioner Baker.

2:08

Present.

2:08

Commissioner Evans.

2:10

Here.

2:11

Commissioner Faria.

2:12

Here.

2:13

Vice Chairperson Palma Coo.

2:15

Here.

2:17

Commissioner Faria.

2:19

I'm sorry, Commissioner Shahade and Commissioner Zhang and Chairperson Funes Ostrick are absent.

2:28

Are there any changes to the agenda?

2:31

We do not have any changes to the agenda.

2:34

Any items or announcements from staff?

2:36

Um the only announcement I'd like to make is that we would like to wish our city attorney well as she goes on leave shortly.

2:47

Oh my goodness.

2:48

Congratulations.

2:53

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

2:58

If so, please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk.

3:04

We do not have speaker cards uh for items not on the agenda.

3:08

We did receive three e-comments, which I have printed out and the commissioners all have a copy of, and we will also include them in the final uh packet for this meeting.

3:19

Great.

3:20

Thank you.

3:22

Next on the agenda is the disclosure of ex parte communications.

3:25

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

3:37

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

3:44

Okay.

3:45

Hearing none, we will move on to the next item.

3:48

Next up is the consent calendar.

3:54

We have one item which is consideration and approval of minutes from the May first, twenty twenty-five planning commission.

4:02

Madam Chair, I'll move those minutes.

4:12

Can we have a roll call, please?

4:14

Commissioner Baker.

4:16

Yes.

4:16

Commissioner Evans.

4:18

Yes.

4:19

Commissioner Faria.

4:20

Yes.

4:22

Vice Chairperson Pomiku.

4:24

Um, I believe I should abstain because I was absent at that meeting.

4:29

Commissioner Shahade, Commissioner Zhang, and Chairperson Funes Ostrick are absent.

4:40

That's all.

4:41

Okay.

4:41

And as we're sorry, Madam Chair.

4:43

Um since we only had three, does that mean that item fails?

4:48

That's correct.

4:49

So the item, yeah.

4:51

So the um at this point with only three votes, there's no quorum.

4:55

So the item would not pass if um we would like to move this item to later in the agenda.

5:01

Um then, Madam Chair, I'd like to maybe call it for a procedural redo.

5:06

It's my understanding that when you're voting for the minutes, you are voting that you believe they're accurate, you do not need to have personally witnessed them.

5:16

If that's the case, um let's let's retake the vote.

5:20

Then I again move the minutes.

5:23

Second.

5:25

Thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning███████████████████████████████31%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Affordable Housing██████████████14%
Public Safety████████8%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Transportation Safety█████5%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Workforce Development██2%
Disability Rights█1%
Summary of Proceedings

South San Francisco Planning Commission Regular Meeting - May 15, 2025

The Planning Commission convened on May 15, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. Commissioners present: Vice Chair Aysha Pamukcu (presiding), John Baker, Michele Evans, Norman Faria, Sam Shihadeh. Chair Sarah Funes-Ozturk and Commissioner Alex Tzang were absent. The meeting included four public hearings and a consent calendar item.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of minutes from May 1, 2025: Initially failed due to lack of quorum (3 votes) but after a procedural redo, the minutes were approved 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Non-agenda items: No oral public comments were made, but three e-comments were received and included in the record.
  • Item 2 (500 Railroad Avenue): Armando Murillo, field representative for Carpenters Local 217, spoke in support of the project but urged the commission to advocate for a responsible contractor that provides livable wages, apprenticeship programs, health care, and local hiring.

Discussion Items

  • Item 2: 500 Railroad Avenue – 70 single-family townhouses
    Staff presented the first rowhouse project in Lindenville. The site is a challenging 2-acre narrow parcel (former railroad right-of-way) between Linden Avenue and South Bruce Avenue. The project includes a Planned Development, Zoning Map Amendment (T4L to PD), Tentative Parcel Map, Design Review, and TDM.

    • Key points: 70 townhomes, no on-site affordable units (in-lieu fee of ~$4.7 million), 21 TDM points (exceeds 20 required), CEQA compliance via 15183 checklist.
    • Commission questions: Parking impact on existing neighbors, accessibility (universal design limitations due to site constraints), green space location (moved from Maple/Railroad to Linden Avenue for safety and synergy), fire access, tree preservation, and in-lieu fee discussion.
    • Public comment: Armando Murillo (Carpenters Union) supported the project but urged responsible contracting.
    • Outcome: CEQA resolution and entitlement resolution both approved 5-0.

  • Item 3: Conditional Use Permit for Elite Sports Centers at 415 E. Grand Avenue
    Indoor volleyball and basketball facility in BTP-H zone. No exterior changes; 4 courts, maximum 56 occupants; hours M-F 3-10pm, weekends 8am-8pm. Parking agreement with adjacent lots. Staff recommended approval under CEQA Class 1 exemption.

    • Commission questions: Staffing (one paid staff plus coaches), defibrillator, rental model (clubs, schools, private).
    • Public comment: None.
    • Outcome: CEQA exemption and CUP approved 5-0.

  • Item 4: Genentech Master Plan Amendment and Street Vacation
    Request to vacate public rights-of-way (DNA Way, Point San Bruno Blvd, Cabot Road) and rezone three recently acquired parcels into the Genentech Master Plan District. No change to overall development cap (9 million sq ft). Genentech to pay $25 million ($20M for developable portion, $5M for remaining roads).

    • Key points: 97-98% of trips on DNA Way are Genentech-related; traffic study found no significant impacts; public access to Wind Harp Park and Bay Trail maintained via perpetual easement; no immediate physical changes; future closures require separate entitlements.
    • Commission concerns: Precedent, governance, public access, tax implications, weekend traffic. Genentech committed to open campus and improved signage.
    • Public comment: None.
    • Outcome: CEQA resolution and entitlement resolution both approved 5-0.

  • Item 5: Development Agreement for 800 Dubuque Avenue
    Proposed 10-year extension of entitlements for an office/R&D campus in exchange for prepayment of community benefit fees. The commission voted 5-0 to move this item to a future meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar: Minutes approved 5-0.
  • 500 Railroad Avenue (Gateway Townhomes): CEQA determination and entitlements recommended to City Council (both 5-0).
  • Elite Sports Centers: CEQA exemption and conditional use permit approved (5-0).
  • Genentech Campus Amendments: CEQA determination and general plan conformance/entitlements recommended to City Council (5-0).
  • 800 Dubuque Avenue Development Agreement: Continued to a future meeting (5-0).

The meeting adjourned after item 5. Commissioners present: Vice Chair Pamukcu, Baker, Evans, Faria, Shihadeh. Chair Funes-Ozturk and Commissioner Tzang absent.

Meeting Transcript

Hello everybody, welcome to the Thursday, May 15th regular meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission. This meeting is being held in Helsinki at the Library Parks and Rec Building Council Chambers. To provide a comment during the meeting, please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk. 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? May we please have a roll call. Commissioner Baker. Present. Commissioner Evans. Here. Commissioner Faria. Here. Vice Chairperson Palma Coo. Here. Commissioner Faria. I'm sorry, Commissioner Shahade and Commissioner Zhang and Chairperson Funes Ostrick are absent. Are there any changes to the agenda? We do not have any changes to the agenda. Any items or announcements from staff? Um the only announcement I'd like to make is that we would like to wish our city attorney well as she goes on leave shortly. Oh my goodness. Congratulations. Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item that is not on the agenda at this time? If so, please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk. We do not have speaker cards uh for items not on the agenda. We did receive three e-comments, which I have printed out and the commissioners all have a copy of, and we will also include them in the final uh packet for this meeting. Great. Thank you. 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 visit, had interactions with third parties, or has any conflicts regarding any items on the agenda, you may disclose them at this time. If you'd like to recuse yourself for an item, you can also do that at this time. Okay. Hearing none, we will move on to the next item. Next up is the consent calendar. We have one item which is consideration and approval of minutes from the May first, twenty twenty-five planning commission. Madam Chair, I'll move those minutes. Can we have a roll call, please? Commissioner Baker. Yes. Commissioner Evans. Yes. Commissioner Faria. Yes. Vice Chairperson Pomiku. Um, I believe I should abstain because I was absent at that meeting. Commissioner Shahade, Commissioner Zhang, and Chairperson Funes Ostrick are absent. That's all. Okay. And as we're sorry, Madam Chair. Um since we only had three, does that mean that item fails?

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