Thu, Sep 4, 2025·South San Francisco, California·Planning Commission

South San Francisco Planning Commission Considers Infinite 131 Project on September 4, 2025

Discussion Breakdown

Economic Development29%
Miscellaneous28%
Active Transportation14%
Environmental Protection6%
Historic Preservation6%
Procedural5%
Transportation Safety4%
Engineering And Infrastructure4%
Arts And Culture2%
Land Use Planning2%

Summary

South San Francisco Planning Commission Meeting - September 4, 2025

The September 4, 2025 meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission focused on the proposed Infinite 131 project, a major redevelopment of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal site into a life science campus. Staff and applicants presented project details, commissioners engaged in extensive discussion, and public comments were heard before the commission voted on recommendations to the city council.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimous approval of the minutes from the August 21, 2025 Planning Commission meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • One speaker raised concerns about audio issues during the meeting and alleged conflicts of interest regarding Commissioner Shahade's ties to the biotech industry, urging recusal.
  • Joe Carconi Jr., representing the Golden Gate Produce Terminal, expressed strong support for the project, shared personal history with the site, and assured that the produce terminal business would continue at new locations, maintaining service to the community.
  • Mina Richardson inquired about an unrelated development project (Safeway), but staff noted it was not relevant to this agenda item.

Discussion Items

  • Staff Presentation: Principal Planner Billy Gross outlined the Infinite 131 project, requesting entitlements including a General Plan amendment, zoning map amendment, design review, and a development agreement. The project involves 1.7 million square feet of office/R&D space on 17.67 acres, with adjacent parcel rezonings. Staff highlighted consistency with the Lindenville Specific Plan and recommended certification of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), which identified significant but unavoidable impacts on air quality, cultural resources, and transportation, with mitigation measures.
  • Applicant Presentation: Ben Yu and Mark Schwettman from the applicant team detailed design features, public amenities (e.g., restaurants, open spaces), sustainability goals (all-electric, LEED Gold), and traffic mitigations. They emphasized community benefits, including a $23 million equivalent in fees and off-site improvements like bike paths and intersection upgrades, totaling over $100 million in transportation enhancements.
  • Commissioner Questions: Commissioners raised concerns about traffic congestion, especially at the San Mateo/Airport Boulevard intersection and flooding issues under Caltrain tracks. They discussed public access to amenities, parking arrangements, pedestrian/bike connectivity to transit hubs, and cultural interpretation programs for the historic produce terminal site. Staff and applicants addressed these, noting ongoing coordination with external agencies and long-term vision for connectivity.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission unanimously voted (6-0, with Commissioner Zing absent) to adopt a resolution recommending that the city council certify the EIR, including a statement of overriding considerations and mitigation monitoring program.
  • The commission unanimously voted (6-0) to adopt a resolution recommending that the city council approve the Lindenville Specific Plan amendment, General Plan amendment, zoning map amendments, development agreement, and other planning entitlements for the Infinite 131 project.

Meeting Transcript

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the September 4th, 2025 Planning Commission meeting. I call this to order. This meeting of the South San Francisco Planning Commission is being held in person at the Library Parks and Recreation Building Council Chambers. To provide a comment during the meeting, please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk. You 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 at your me for the pledge of allegiance? To the Republic, which is standard one nation under God Liberty and Justice for all. Thank you. Maybe please have roll call. Commissioner Baker. Commissioner Evans. Commissioner Faria. Here. Commissioner Shahade. Here. Commissioner Zing. It's absent. Vice Chairperson Palmiku. Here. Chairperson Funes. Here. Are there any changes to the agenda? We do not have any changes to the agenda. Thank you. 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 fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk. At this time, I will ask the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide comments. We have no public comments. Thank you. Hearing no speakers, we will move on. Next on the agenda is the disclosure of ex parte communications. If any commissioners had any communications with applicants, did any site or project visits had any interactions with any third parties or has any conflicts regarding any items on the agenda? Can we disclose them at this time? If you would like to recuse yourself for an item, you can also do so at this time. Hearing none, let's move on to the next item. Next item on the agenda is the consent calendar. May we have a listing of the consent calendar items? We have one item on the consent calendar. Number one is consideration and approval of minutes from the August 21, 2025 planning commission meeting. Does any commissioner wish to pull any item from consent? I'd like to make a motion. Roll call, please. Commissioner Baker. Yes. Commissioner Evans. Yes. Commissioner Faria.