The parks and recreations city council buildings city council chambers to provide a comment during the meeting.

Please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk.

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 and join a meeting in the clause of allegiance.

I applied allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic from which it stands.

One nation under Liberty and Dr.

What you questioned.

Thank you so much.

May we have roll call, please.

Yes.

Chairperson Funes.

Yes.

Here.

Uh Commissioner Zhang.

Here.

Commissioner Shahade.

Here.

Commissioner Faria.

Here.

Commissioner Baker.

Commissioner Evans and Vice Chairperson Palmiku are absent.

Thank you.

Are there any changes to the agenda?

No changes to the agenda.

Are there any an items or announcements from staff?

I have two items or announcements.

One is that there is a planning commission training on October 29th.

I will send you an email about it if you are all interested in signing up.

And the topic is climate resiliency.

And the second is that I'm sure a lot of the commissioners and members of the public have probably seen a lot of news about a new state bill called SB 79, which is about increasing densities around traffic transportation nodes.

It just passed, I think Friday, the governor sent signed it into law.

So we staff is working on learning about it and learning if and how it will affect our city.

And we will provide a report and updates to the commission as we know more.

Thank you so much.

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

Please fill out a speaker card and give it to the clerk.

We don't have any comments.

Hearing none at this time, I will ask the clerk if there are any members of the public.

We said no.

Um, so hearing no speakers, we will move on.

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's visits and interactions with third parties or has any conflicts regarding any item on the agenda, you may disclose them at any time.

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

Hearing none, we will 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, please?

Yes, we have one item on the consent calendar, which is consideration and approval of minutes from the September 4th, 2025 Planning Commission.

I make a motion to accept the consent calendar.

I'll second.

Roll call, please.

Commissioner Baker.

Yes.

Commissioner Faria.

Yes.

Commissioner Shahade.

Yes.

Commissioner Zhang.

Yes.

Chairperson Funas.

Yes.

Commissioner Evans and Vice Chairperson Pamaku are absent.

Okay.

Motion passes.

Does any member of the public wish to address the commission on an item on the consent calendar 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 two members.

Okay.

Who would like to provide comments?

Excellent.

Thank you.

Oh, are Cynthia, those um, are those on item number two?

Okay.

So they're on item two.

Okay.

So we'll we'll do that during the reason.

We got a little out of order.

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

Are we already the thought?

Three.

And then next on the agenda is item number one.

Will the clerk please read the item?

Sure.

Administrative business.

Um the item is a report regarding consideration of an application for design review to construct four residential buildings consisting of four units at 616 Maple Avenue in downtown Residential Medium Zoning District, in accordance with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code and determination that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act per Class 32, Section 15332.

And Victoria Kim, Senior Planner is going to give the staff report.

Good evening, Chair and Planning Commissioners, Victoria Kim.

Project planner for six-town home unit at 616 Maple Avenue.

As you can see on the screen, the dashed box with the red is a project site, and then the nearest intersection to the project is Pine Avenue and Maple Avenue.

And the project is very close to the South San Francisco City Hall.

I mark with the city logo at the left bottom corner.

The project is within the transit station area and less than a half mile to the transit corridor.

You can see it's a point three seven miles to the Caltrain station and also the nearest bus route location average of about 0.16 miles.

The project site is a zone as a downtown residential medium, DRM, and there is a currently existing one single family residence on the site with the existing density, four dwelling units per acre.

And the sixth um unit residential development will increase the minimum density to 25 dwelling units per acre.

And this development will infill the underutilized site by increasing unit and make the project property more compliance.

And according to the general plan, the land use designation is medium density residential, which is intended for single family housing, multiple dwelling units, townhouses, and condominiums.

Here is a better view of the existing structure facing along the Maple Avenue view.

Avenue, and then you will see the uh the back of the property along Hawthorne Place.

Mostly it's covered with trees, grass, and vegetation.

The applicant Richard Lee submitted design review application for a six-unit townhouse at Maple Avenue with open garage parking space.

And this is the facade along Maple side, and each building has one townhouse unit.

And this is the Hawthorne place, the back of the property, and it will have another access to the property site, and each building has two units.

So total there will be six units.

The architect is here to discuss more about the design and color and material layer after the step presentation.

So the site plan shows the four structure.

So again, Maple Avenue access from the left, and then Hawthorne Place from the left.

And two buildings along Maple Avenue will have two units, and the four units can be accessed from Hawthorne Place from the right.

I earlier mentioned that the project is within the half mile to the transit station corridor.

So the according to the city ordinance and then California Assembly Bill AB 2097 said that multi-unit residential development will do not require the parking within the transit station area.

However, this project provided 10 parking spaces, including two enclosed parking stalls, and all these um parking areas on located on the ground floor level.

And also two long-term bicycle parking will be located on the ground level, and each um bicycle parking uh area will have a two feet wide and six feet length.

Here's a cross section showing the entire project site.

Um again, six uh uh you will see uh eight and plus two, but you cannot really see entire um parking spaces, but mostly first floor will be utilized for parking, and the second and third floor will be um habitable space area for the project.

And here's some landscape plan with the proposed shrubs, trees, and plants.

The project is in a developed property and also surrounded by existing residential buildings, and also there won't be more than six dwelling units in urbanized area.

That this project is categorically exempt under infield development project category, uh sequel section 15332, and also 15303.

And again, this is rendering of the Maple Avenue side.

And here's a Hawthorne Place facades, so the project complies with the general plan goal and policies, and also the development um meet the DRM zoning uh development standards and increase the unit will more compliance to the minimum density requirements that staff recommends the planning commission make a determination that the project is categorically exempt and also approve the design review according to findings and conditions of approval.

And uh this concludes the staff presentation and followed by the applicant presentation.

Thank you so much.

If the applicant is present, would you like to make a presentation?

Hi, hello everyone.

Um I am the architect of the project.

Um my name is Winnie, Winnie Tam.

Um, giving a very good presentation.

So actually that covers most of what I already have, but I'll just go through it uh once again.

Um I just have a brief um a overall description of the project.

Um the I have small icons to try to um defensuate like the above is what is along Maple Street, the townhouses or two and a half um actually three story at the back, while the front we try to align it with the neighbor with two-story to make it run into the street wheel.

So that is the top two is the townhouses of three bedrooms and two-story, two and a half story.

And then below is um from the Hawthorn place, while those two small buildings, detached buildings, but each building would have two condo units is like the ground floor is at the back is parking.

Um the front is like an entry lobby, and with stairs to go to second floor, it's unit A, a condo unit, and then going up to third floor, it's another unit.

So it's two units in the small building.

So altogether we have six units for the whole project.

And actually, so let's see.

Oh is it the arrow?

Oh, okay.

Yes, and that uh just briefly say this is uh uh downtown medium density residential um zoning, and then existing, we only on our 10,005 square foot lot.

We only have a small building at the corner right now.

Uh and actually that existing building, it's uh non-conforming because per planning coke is too close to the puffy line and stuff.

So we're gonna remove that.

Uh yes, this is the area of the site, and the existing single building at the corner, and then the left, the left neighbor, the white neighbor, they are all two-story.

So our proposal is you can see the footprint is four small buildings.

Maple side, two building, and then Hawthorn Place, two building.

The maple side, we have two townhouses.

Each building is of one unit, while at the back at Hawthorne Place, we would have a stack of A B units inside a small building.

The front elevation along uh Maple.

Uh two-story front trying to brand in with the neighbors, roof height.

And then also they share a central, one curk cut driveway, while the parking is at the back of the building, so it won't have the street doesn't have a direct view into the garage and the parking.

Rendering of the two townhouse units, and then this is uh the back along Hawthorn Place with the two detached buildings.

Each one is second floor and third floor, it's of a unit, while ground floor is a shared parking.

Um, also central driveway, one curd cut, two-story front to keep consistency of the design style, wandering of the Hawthorn Place, and then this is the site plan, um, where Hawthorn Place on the ground floor it's all parking, six parking, and then we have the uh trust recycle and the and the bicycle parking.

Um for the front is just two parking for the whole townhouses each.

And this is the section.

Um because we have to do a cut and feel to resolve the fire cook access issue, uh, which um the uh fire engine could only uh access to roads that have 26 feet wide.

So maple street is okay, but the Hawthorn Street, we only have 20 feet.

So in order to have uh fire access only on Maple, we have to do some cut and feel to have a level platform.

So the fire engine and fire assets would all come from Maple side with a level um terrace that could reach all the way to the end of the Hawthorn small buildings for the fire access.

So that is that is the main thing that we have to do in order to uh to answer to the new updated fire code uh because uh quite some years back we have some proposal that doesn't have that requirement.

So this time we work with thank you for uh fire muscle earn that uh understand our situation and if it's a solution to do the cut and feel to uh cover to make sure that fire access works on this on this project.

This is the side elevation of the two buildings, and then you can see the level terrace that go all the way to reach two to the edge buildings.

And um actually all the addresses have to be on maple side.

So uh we have on the front.

Um that means two uh to the front of Maple on the side, we would have the two gate, uh labeling the um address of the weird building, which also would be uh Maple A and B that from the top that walked down to the Hall Fond price.

But of course, for regular uh SS, the Hawthorn paced buildings have their own parkings and assets, lobbies and stuff on all price, and especially to answer to uh the fire, the new fire cook requirement.

So um this is about what we're cut to try to make sure this could go for again with all the current okay.

Um, if anyone have any question or uh you can direct it to me, I'll try to answer.

Okay, and uh make sure make sure because I'm deaf on one year.

So I try to make sure I can pick up exactly what you're asking.

Sure, no worries.

So at this time I'd like to see if we can get the speakers up just so we can hear their thoughts first.

Is that okay?

One of the public speakers?

Yes, please.

Okay.

Um so there's two public speakers.

Uh first person I have is Dave Rodriguez.

So Ms.

Comedy Street.

Thank you.

Good evening, Commissioners.

My name is Dave Rodriguez.

I live at 617 Maple Avenue directly across the street from the development you're looking at right now.

Uh, I'm a retired police officer.

I was a police officer for 30 years and currently the head of safety and security for a major IT firm in the Bay uh San Francisco area.

Um my concerns are such that uh we have two children.

My wife and I, my wife Brendan and I have two children directly across the street.

There are four children in that house directly north of the property are you looking at there as well, and two people, two adults, and we just talked briefly about taking the building out that's currently there.

Uh the people that reside there are neighbors, Erica and her husband, and their two children, one of which is a young uh special needs child.

Uh they're both immigrants uh to this country.

We worked really hard to make sure they got the proper documentation to live here because they're amazing people.

They're a wonderful family.

We love that there are neighbors.

This would displace them, and they would have to leave the area unless provided a property, which you know is neither here nor there.

We don't know if it's gonna happen or not.

Additionally, as it stands right now, we use when we park our cars on Maple Avenue because of the high traffic and the speed of the vehicles that travel the area.

We all, Eric, Era and I and the neighbors back to back our cars in to our driveways so that we pull out we can see the traffic coming so that you know the cars aren't hit.

Um before I left, I counted 18 cars on our street right now as it is with two empty spaces.

This could potentially bring in excess of 10 vehicles just on the property alone and any vehicles that are parked on the outside uh and 16 to 20 additional residents just in that one little area, as it is, which could severely impact the neighborhood.

So our concerns are that this is well, a beautiful looking building and a beautiful looking development, it's just too much for the neighborhood and too much for one block, uh, especially since uh given the area already is single family dwellings.

It's an established neighborhood.

We've lived there for uh we actually used to live in the house uh that isn't that picture.

Uh until we moved across the street.

We've lived here for almost 10 years uh and lived in the barrier for the last 20 years.

Uh so that is what we are concerned.

Uh I would like to see this not happen.

Um, while I believe it is a nice development and looks beautiful, the impact that it's going to cause the neighborhood is far outweighs the benefit that it's going to bring to the neighborhood.

So I thank you for your time and uh wish you all the best.

Thank you.

Next speaker is Brenda Rodriguez.

Hi, good evening.

Um, pretty much following up with my husband said, is um, you know, we live across the street and there are neighbors.

Um, understand one of the lots is empty, um, but they do live in that home next to it.

And if it's destroyed, where do they go?

There's no guarantee, the landlords can say that they would help them, but there's no guarantee they don't have to.

Um, and they have two small children, and they live there as long as we have to be displaced out of their neighborhood that the little two kids have known, um, just feels so wrong.

Like, what do we do as a city of San, you know, in South San Francisco to help those who get displaced, who get pushed out because the landlords want to build, which I get there is an empty lot, um, but it's just too big and it's just too much, and it displaces the family.

Um, and that's my biggest concern.

I can talk about the construction and how annoying that'll be, or the amount of trash cans that will be there.

But my main concern is the family that already lives there and the two little children that grown up there.

What do we do as a city to help those that get displaced?

We just really needly like okay, approve it, but what do we do?

And that's my main concern.

So I just hope that you consider that when you whether whatever decision comes of it, what do we do?

The family that already lives there.

It's so hard to find anything outside of here.

We know that rent is hard.

Getting into someplace that fits our income is really hard, especially two working families, you know, two working, you know, parents.

Um, so I hope you just consider that.

Somebody's gonna be displaced.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Thank you.

At this time, I'd like to ask my fellow commissioners if they have any comments.

Questions for sure.

Or questions, sorry.

Through the chair, can I also I just wanted to mention that you have um the comments that were the e-comments that were received printed out?

Um, and for the record, we received um eight comments, and um two of them I did want to note were submitted by the same person.

Um so just for the record, um, all will be attached to the final agenda packet as well.

Okay, thank you so much.

Commissioner Zing?

Yeah, 30 chairs.

Uh I'm just asking questions.

Uh for condos, uh, do they have uh open space requirement or that kind of like I I don't think I see that uh probably you can explain?

And second, I think I was gonna ask like uh not six garbage cans and recycling.

Like, is there any plan for that or how this city addressed that too?

Because I don't think yeah, anyway.

Thank you.

Um, yes, uh so to answer your first first questions.

So the city ordinance requires 100 uh square feet open space per unit, and then project will provide 912 square feet unit for common and private open space, and you will see the um calculation of open space from the step report table two, and then the open space are proportionally distributed from the ground to the third levels.

And the second question you have is um I don't know, I can switch over to the slide.

There is a site plan.

Um, can we have the um staff presentation up, please?

There we go.

Thank you.

There's a site plan showing the um recycling bean.

Oh, here we go.

Oh, perfect.

Um, I know there are a lot of information, but uh you'll uh you see those um three uh box-shaped looking recycled beans next to the uh cars, like um for the Maple Avenue side.

Uh the second from the left on top, the middle kind of area with um cloud.

I don't know, you can say I wish there is like a pointer.

That's the uh proposed the recycling bin area and the uh Hawthorne Place uh units, it's next to the bicycle parking.

There are like um 12 recycling beans for four units, and during the uh pickup day, the recycling bin will be pulled over to the um front landscape area uh right next to the driveway, and then there are also another location for Hawthorne Place uh along the um driveway, which indicate as cloud.

Um I don't know, you can see it.

Yeah, thank you.

Sorry, one more question.

I apologize.

Um, so looking at this plan, so it looks like that's the hammerhead uh turnaround for fire trucks, so they come in there, do the T and boom and boom.

So that's why it like there's a T that is largely remain open, ret zone, no one can park there, that kind of thing.

That's correct.

Yeah.

Thanks.

Actually, fire, uh, you can also have questions in regards to the fire part because they did mention about the Hawthorne back and coverage from the front to the back.

So I was along the same lines of how they plan to cover not all of that, but homes on the other side of Hawthorne, they're behind it, so we have the coverage of because it is a narrow lane.

I know they plan to put a fire lane in there, which would, but that's another but seven, eight cars that'd be going out to the streets.

So uh commissioners, I'm Farm Marshal Ian Hardage.

Thank you for uh having us here today.

So there is actually no on-site vehicle fire department access for this project.

We cannot pull into the garage, it's not tall enough for us.

It would only push the building further up, nor do we want to drive into buildings.

All the fire department access for vehicle purposes is on Hawthorne and Maple.

Hawthorne does meet, you know, all the lanes in the city have met very minimal fire department access, even to the point that we ordered specific engines with outlets on the back of the engine, so we didn't have to pull hose off the side specifically to our eight or nine uh lanes within the city.

So this is why parking is only allowed on one side of the of the lanes, leaving a minimal access for fire department.

Um with the buildings, with construction going on, not just specific to this project, but also projects with the sprinklers being installed in the homes as required by minimum requirements of the state.

We feel this provides you know the minimum reasonable degree of fire life safety and access, not only to the new developments, but maintaining access to the existing developments.

The work that we did on site is all ladder and personnel access to the buildings and to the rescue openings.

So everything is served by the ladders, which the architect and design team had to make adjustments to meet our requirements for this project.

Um and that's what you that's what you see here today.

Is that answer your question?

Any other questions while I'm up here?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other commissioners have any questions?

No.

No questions, I do have one in regards to when I'm looking at the plans here.

It looks like the Hawthorne section, there will evolve a lot of uneven ground, some construction, some taking some movement of dirt to dig down lower for the parking.

Um I'm concerned if this ever got approved just the process of working between those two streets, as materials are coming in, the excavation.

If there's a set plan to be work, if this should get approved to cover the minimize the impacts, which there'll be impacts any kind of construction, but to minimize them if this project should get approved.

I try to make sure I my main question, like on the Hawthorne section, from looking at the plans, looks like you have to dig down some maybe look at the plan, maybe eight, nine, ten feet.

Oh, no.

Actually, the section, I try to show that that site, it's a slope site.

It's a natural slope side.

Uh maple side is eight to ten feet higher than uh whole phone place.

So actually, right now this uh cut and feel, we try to balance it for cutting down to hawthorn.

Um I think the uh the slope, okay, the um site, slow uh long way and also thought way.

So it sort of we try to keep the driveway in the middle so that it's kind of the cut and feel the islands, and it seems the most we have to cut it's around three to four feet for the uh hawthorn garage, and then whatever we have filled up to the maple to make the level tearings for the fire access.

So actually, the whole thing, I dare not say it would balance perfect, but I think um the most I got is the on the high side of Hawthorn, it would cut around four feet, feet eight to four feet, and then while the lower side doesn't have to cut, so we might need more fuel and compact to make the terrace from the maple side.

Otherwise, uh the cold balance, it's um it's pretty much it's um hopefully it doesn't really it have to do the the level terence that way to for the fire issue, but then actually the whole thing we try to balance it as if it won't be like hopefully minimum disturbance or uh let more mud have to bring in, or I don't think we need to bring mud out.

It's really we need to compact a little more on the maple to give the level terrence.

Thank you.

And the main purpose of my question for those listening at home and here is that the impact of any dirt removal involves the equipment getting in there, the trucks to haul it out, and that was where I was going with this, because the minimal amount being moved to me is better than having to really do a major, which you described isn't, which would be a major impact.

We would talk a lot of ground removal.

So that was the purpose of my question.

Oh, you answered, thank you.

Um for this project, because of the cut and feel, and the uh the strong water management.

Our project that way requires 100% strong water.

So actually, um, although we start with a small project, only a few units, but we end up in order to answer all the grading or the uh strong water management.

We have you can see during our entitlement, even designing, not yet building permit, we have all the calculation of water and landscape to make everything like it have to have enough open land to absorb the water, and then they have all the piping calculation to manage to collect and how it drains and stuff.

So that's how it's the BKF, the main company that's help helping us with the SEO and then working with the landscape architect to make sure everything works out with the calculation.

So hopefully that try to minimize um, I think for disturbing to the neighbor by doing that.

I think it's uh the work hour with control.

We cannot try to do as much of it's not uh the all that's allowed to do it.

I think they during construction, uh our our general contractor, they have to control everything that is per city required that they could do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um Commissioner Shade.

Yeah, through the chair.

I have a question.

I don't know for staff or are they required to do any soil testing, testing the soil?

You have to do that.

We already have the soil, uh we park.

That's how they calculate how to uh do the water collection and everything.

So that was done almost a year ago.

With uh the geotype was part of fairly far off, and we don't have much, it doesn't have to go down to water table, plus the soil, not hot walk.

So when we cut, those uh okay.

But in as far as the support for the buildings as well, yeah.

Yeah, that would be required as part of the building permit process.

Thank you.

Through the chair.

Uh Commissioner Baker.

I know this is not really the planning commission's Ballywick, but is there any?

But we had the neighbors here talking about the just the current resident who's likely to be displaced.

Does the city have any ordinance requiring relocation assistance or any of something along those lines?

I don't know the specific answer to that, but I would um like to offer to connect the neighbors here tonight with my colleagues in the housing division, um, because we definitely have resources that can assist with displacement, and I don't want to um miss this opportunity.

So if I can maybe chat with the neighbors after the meeting, and I can give them my card to make sure we connect them with the correct resources.

Okay, thank you so much.

Anyways, okay.

So at this time I'd like to public close public hearing officially turn over and turn the matter over to the commission for discussion.

So who wants to start?

I mean, I guess I can go ahead and start.

Yeah, um, you know, our primary jobs as planning commissioners are to ensure that proposals meet the zoning and other requirements.

I think, for example, staff just demonstrated that this project is exempt from CEQA, so even if we wanted to that part is not really in our discretion.

Um I also don't see any particular individual health or safety issues, which are the other things that we can act on.

Um so that I think we have to turn to the community needs here.

Um, as my question a minute ago says, I I the planning commission really has no power to address the residency of the current occupants.

But this does bring up the general issue of displacement in South San Francisco, and we've seen as jobs and housing have grown, jobs have grown much faster than housing that the housing supply has fallen behind.

South San Francisco has to has had to plan for almost 4,000 units in its latest uh regional housing needs assessment to meet the current demand.

Um this project adds a relatively modest four units.

Um I think it's pretty much in scale with its neighbors.

Um it was kind of ironic to see read some of the e submitted comments about people wishing their kids could live in the city.

Small projects like this make it more likely the kids can stay.

Down on Linden, uh a block away.

Um that's sufficient.

Uh someone in the comments asked if we'd like this building next to us.

I mean, be honest, it's a good-looking building.

I probably would prefer it over to my current neighbors.

Um, and but I just generally think I would support it because if it helps people stay in this community, it's it's a good thing.

More neighbors are a good thing.

I understand the parking issue, but the displacement problem we're talking about it's gonna be a lot worse if we don't plan for the residents uh employees that are coming in that will otherwise outbid and outlast the old timers so I with knowledge that this is a hard choice for for the especially for the people living there I will be uh supporting this exemption 30 chair um uh thanks uh commissioner baker i i actually echo a lot what you said probably all um uh when i make decision as a planning commissioner i i really look at fire life safety privacy uh uh any um uh uh exceptions that we're granted granting and stuff like that and i do see uh this project had went through humongous hoops to actually reach uh its state right now because uh when i look at a section i was like who designed in the planning phase like the fire letter and stuff like that but uh now that it's explained like fire department gave them a hard time up front so well I have a taste of that too normally so so in light of that um uh I would say probably the neighbors could talk to city council when if this go in front of the council however like since this is the common part I also understand that uh sure when the city needs housing and needs development sure I support the development but not near me or next to me or in my friend's neighborhood like I I do get that sentiment but like in terms of agreeing whether this big small like everyone has their measure and standard so us planning commissioner and the city officials will base on the zoning ordinance the planning uh like the planning codes uh uh fire codes to make the determination because that is the most uh uh objective uh objective way of doing that doing things so in light of that uh subjective parameters uh while I'm actually sympathetic I I cannot make decision based off feelings uh so I I will n I will make my decision not based off that unfortunately uh but I hope you understand I I listened but I it's out of our power to do that.

Uh that said uh I was about to give big claps to the architect because like I was looking at the plan like in case you you can't hear me I'm about to applause you for your solution like that's one of the most crazy approach to actually put four buildings six units and the fire access like that.

I guess you didn't start off like that like you probably have to redesign multiple things because no one really designed things like that to start with it will be like but I really think this solution is crazily elegant so so that's that's as much as I'm gonna praise you on but like I I really need to clap but like uh send center access uh and all the developers actually have a choice when you're in this corridor you will just provide serial parking and imagine neighbors having a six unit and allowed to have serial parkings for these it will be worse nightmare by doing parking they actually have to spend more cost in building that for the neighbors so I think the developers actually did think about the neighborhoods enough that they have to actually add another floor to clear parking requirements even though self city does not require them.

So I hope hope to also salute on that decision because yes, the cut and fill in all those is making this construction cost really high too um so I'm very glad that the applicant is uh providing six new units here for us.

So I'm supportive to this uh project.

Thanks.

Commissioner Fria.

Um I pretty much concur with a lot of things my fellow commissioners say I do want to compliment Commissioner Baker, I do completely agree that with it, it looks like the residents will be displaced.

That we're the DD put them in contact with least resources they can go because there again we've made many decisions this body, and you know, that's the probably the most painful part of any decision.

There is displacement.

There's buildings being taken down, put up, it does impact people, and we're not foolish on that part of it.

Um, as for the building itself, I should say I know what it can be like.

I have to in my I live in the South City, and um I have a unit beside me where there's actually four families living in it next to me, so I know the park and how the issues can go, but we've approved a lot of buildings like this, it's a beautiful building.

A lot of buildings we've approved don't have the TIM parking spaces that it's for those who are looking for parking places, that statement has made us like a band-aid, it really doesn't help you, but it's better than some buildings we've had.

So again, not want to divert back to what have I been said by my fellow commissioners, but I will support this project and have the empathy for those, and I want to thank the neighbors for coming forward and let us know your feelings.

So we appreciate that.

Thank you.

Commissioner Shadi, any comments?

Yeah, through the chair.

I echo my commissioners' comments, you know, my empathy towards the existing tenants in the house.

We can always make a recommendation aside from the city resources, we can ask the developer to try to help them.

It's just an ask, and they should be considerate enough to understand the circumstances.

That's one ask.

Second of all, in as far as the parking, uh to my fellow commissioners, they're gonna be selling these units.

So it makes it easier for them to sell them if there's parking.

So, and it's an advantage to the neighborhood.

I think the parking is not unique to Maple, it's throughout.

I've lived in South City all my life, and we've seen it changing.

I mean, I like the design.

I we have, and we're mandated by the city ordinances, by the state mandates, by zoning, and based on those merits, I support the project.

Yes, yet I'm sympathetic with the existing tenants.

Thank you.

Um, sorry.

Oh no, I'm just gonna close out the comments.

Um I want to say that I grew up in Redwood City and then moved up here when I was 10.

My parents are both immigrants as well.

My parents bought a condo in Redwood City in the early 1990s.

Um, and then they split in obviously community property, but um, being almost 35 and don't have any kids yet.

I will say that is how a lot of young people, if they're able to afford to do so, that's how they're doing it.

Um, so reading these comments and knowing my personal history, you can understand how this is really difficult for me.

But again, like as the fellow commissioners have stated, like our job here is not to take our personal feelings into account, it's to make sure that what's zoned is appropriate for and what's being presented to us is what we have to consider, not our personal feelings.

Um, so like I personally when reading these comments, someone's like, Would you like this next to me?

I live in Avalon Park.

I would love this in my neighborhood.

I would love younger people my age to be able to afford to start somewhere in this city that I call home.

I love the city.

I'm alive because of the city.

I was educated here from middle school to high school.

Um, I love my city, and I want people my age to have a chance at it, and I have all the empathy in the world for those residents.

I am myself disabled.

So I get it, but again, like I have to support this project because that's what I have to do in this role.

As difficult and as hard as it is, like that that's the reality.

Um, but I wanted to share all of that because there aren't a lot of people in planning commissions that are under 35 and that are disabled and women.

Me and my fellow or my um my um co-chair are the only two women of color that have ever been on the planning commission that are under 35, which is entirely unique, and she's isn't here at the moment, but I know she'd be feeling the same things right now.

So those are that's how I want to close out my comments.

Thank you.

So if I can ask, please for a roll call.

Um can I just can I have a motion, please?

Can I just jump in through the chair?

May I just make one comment?

I did a little um phone a friend and try to get a little more information about the displacement and relocation.

I texted our director, Nelson Lander.

Um, there is a state law that we need to look into that that does discuss um basically demolition of residential dwelling units and what is required.

Unclear if it would apply in South San Francisco, if it would apply to this project, but I just wanted to say on the record for the commissioners and for the neighbors and for people um listening at home, it is something that we will research and see if it would apply to this project and also any future projects going forward.

So um just wanted to let you know that we will actively look into this.

Thank you so much.

Um, so can I ask for a motion, please from one of my lovely commissioners?

I can make is it one motion or two?

Commissioner Shahade.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion making determination that the project is categorically exempt, per se, qua guidelines, class 32, section 15332 in fill development projects.

Second, roll call, please, Commissioner Furrier.

Yes, Commissioner Sang.

Yes, Commissioner Baker, yes, Chairperson Funes, yes, Commissioner Shahade.

Yes, Commissioners Evan and Vice Chairperson Palmaku are absent.

Can I entertain a second motion, please?

I'd like to make a motion, make findings and approve entitlement requests for the project P23-0086 included in the design review DR 23-0019, subject to the detached draft findings and draft conditions of approval.

Second.

Roll call, please.

Commissioner Baker.

Yes, Commissioner Furrier.

Yes, Commissioner Shahade.

Yes.

Commissioner Zhang.

Yes.

Chairperson Funes.

Yes.

Commissioner Evans and Vice Chairperson Palmaku are absent.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Just as a note, if any that any interest interested party may appeal the commission's decision.

Is there any more?

No.

So the clerk if there are any members of the public who would like to provide any comments on this item.

We already have that.

Or hearing none, great.

Um I just want to say, um, city ever with things like in this situation, uh, get involved and have those people involved in those kind of because you guys don't have to, you know, that's not part of the question.

I don't know.

So, uh, but that would be can we get them involved?

It's part moving forward as part of what South City does.

I I love South City.

I think so, I'm so involved in a lot of the library, city advanced.

I'm wondering stuff like this, when a family does get displaced because they're gonna destroy and build a new dwelling.

Can South City start get someone involved to contact those residents and just gonna offer help, assistance in those situations.

Yeah, so in my role here, I can't provide guidance, but I would really love for you to speak to Adina, the slowly human right there, after the meeting, she'll be able to provide us support.

Yeah, thank you so much.

Um, does any Chrischer have any items or announcements?

Wonderful.

Thank you all so much for coming.

This meeting is now adjourned.

Have a great night, everyone.