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Report regarding an application for Design Review to construct one new residential building consisting of four units at 328 Railroad Avenue in the Downtown Residential High (DRH) Zoning District in accordance with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC), and determination that the project is categorically exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Class 3, Section 15303. (Stephanie Skangos, Senior Planner)
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MOTIONS FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
(1) Make a determination that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA; and
(2) Approve the Design Review entitlement, subject to the Conditions of Approval.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission conduct a public hearing and take the following actions:
1. Make a determination that the Project is categorically exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Class 3, Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures; and,
2. Approve the Design Review for Planning Project P24-0099, DR24-0028, based on the Findings and subject to the Conditions of Approval.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Site Overview
The project site is located at 328 Railroad Avenue in the Downtown Residential High (DRH) Zoning District. The site is 5,640 square feet in size and is a through lot with street frontages on both Railroad Avenue and 1st Lane. There is an existing two-story residential building with two existing dwelling units (duplex) and an attached one-car garage facing Railroad Avenue and an existing detached one-car garage facing and accessible from 1st Lane. The surrounding area to the north, east and west of the project site is developed with residential units; the area just south of the project site, across Railroad Avenue, is developed with both commercial and industrial uses. This area is screened from the project site with existing mature landscaping.
Proposal
The applicant is proposing the construction of a new two-story residential building, approximately 3,160 square feet in size, off of 1st Lane. The existing detached one-car garage will be demolished. The new building will consist of four dwelling units, resulting in a total of six units on the project site. The new units will be split evenly between the first and second story, with two units on each level, ranging in size from 596 square feet to 1,005 square feet. The units will be a mix of two- to three-bedroom units. All four units will be accessed from a front-entry porch facing the Lane. The proposal also includes new landscaping and fencing, as well as improvements to an existing paved area adjacent to the existing duplex to serve as a common usable open space area for the four new units and two existing units on-site.
ZONING CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Proposed Use
The project site is located within the Downtown Residential High (DRH) Zoning District. Per South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC) Section 20.080.002 (“Use Regulations - Downtown Residential Zoning Districts”), multifamily residential is permitted by-right and subject to the development standards outlined in SSFMC Table 20.080.003 (Development Standards - Downtown Residential Zoning Districts). As noted in Table 1 below, the proposed project complies with all applicable development standards, as well as brings the project site into compliance with minimum density requirements.
Table 1. Project Compliance with DRH Development Standards
Site and Building Design Standards
SSFMC Chapter 20.310 (Site and Building Design Standards) prescribes general Citywide site and building design standards to be used in conjunction with the applicable base zoning district requirements and design standards, as well as specific design standards for residential development based on type - single-family, duplex and/or multifamily. The general standards contain requirements for building entrances, building materials and textures, and architectural integrity; while the specific residential standards focus on wall planes, roofline, entry protection, building articulation, windows, and open space design. The design of the project meets these general standards, as well as applicable design standards for residential development of this size.
Downtown Residential Districts - Development Standards
South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC) Section 20.080.004 (Downtown Residential Districts, Supplemental Standards) outlines additional standards applicable to projects located within a downtown residential zoning district, including the DRH District. The project has been designed to comply with all applicable required development standards for the DRH District.
Parking Requirements
Vehicle Parking
The project site is located within a Transit Station Area, as the site is located within a half-mile of the South San Francisco Caltrain Station and along a transit corridor with a fixed route bus service. Per SSFMC Section 20.330.004 (Required Parking Spaces), and in accordance with California Assembly Bill (AB) 2097, no off-street parking is required for any use located within a Transit Station Area. Therefore, the proposed project does not require parking, and is not proposing to include any additional off-street parking spaces. However, there is an existing one-car garage on-site that will remain and continue to be used for the existing duplex.
Bicycle Parking
SSFMC Section 20.330.007 (“Bicycle Parking”) establishes the requirements for short-term and long-term bicycle parking. The minimum number of on-site short-term and long-term bicycle parking spaces are based on the use and size of the project. Short-term bicycle parking is not required for residential developments of less than eight units; however, long-term bicycle parking is required for residential developments of four units or more at the following rate:
• Long-term Bicycle Parking: A minimum of one bicycle parking space shall be provided for every four units for multifamily and group residential projects.
Per these requirements, the project is required to provide a total of one long-term bicycle parking space on site. This has been included as a Condition of Approval found in Attachment 1 to this report.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
The General Plan Land Use designation for the project site is High Density Residential, which is intended for a mix of residential development, including townhouses, condominiums and apartment buildings with maximum residential densities up to 50 dwelling units. The increase in units brings the project site into compliance with the minimum density required for this site and surrounding area.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
The Design Review Board (DRB) reviewed the proposal on March 18, 2025. Overall, the DRB liked the proposed design concept, articulation and color palette for the new residential building but had concerns about the accessibility of the proposed usable common open space area for the new units, as well as the potential for this area to become a parking area for residents because of an existing second curb cut off Railroad Avenue leading to this paved area.
The DRB recommended approval of the project with recommendations to provide an accessible walkway path from the new units to the proposed common usable open space area and to remove the existing curb cut and replace it with a standard vertical curb and additional landscaping. Additional minor site recommendations were also made pertaining to an existing metal gate and paved patio area, as well as the proposed plant palette. The DRB comment letter is included as Attachment 3 to this staff report, and the DRB comments have been incorporated in the Conditions of Approval found in Attachment 1 to this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project has been determined to be categorically exempt under the provisions of CEQA, Class 3, Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures. The project site is an existing developed property surrounded by existing residential units, and commercial and industrial buildings. The proposal includes the construction of a new multifamily residential structure consisting of no more than four dwelling units and resulting in an overall total of no more than six dwelling units on a legal parcel in an urbanized area. Thus, the exemption under Section 15303 applies.
IMPACT FEES
The proposed project is subject to the City’s impact and development fees, which are used to offset the impacts of new development on City services and infrastructure. The Conditions of Approval (Attachment 1) list out the relevant impact fees:
• Parks and Recreation Impact Fee
• Childcare Impact Fee
• Library Impact Fee
• Public Safety Impact Fee
• Citywide Transportation Fee
CONCLUSION
The project is consistent with the City’s Municipal Code, General Plan, and Zoning Ordinance. The proposed project is located within a high-density residential area surrounded by existing residential units, and multifamily residential is a permitted use by-right at the project site. The proposed project complies with all applicable development standards, as well as bring the project site into compliance with minimum density requirements. The project meets all applicable development, site and design standards. For these reasons, staff recommends that the Planning Commission take the following actions:
1. Make a determination that the Project is categorically exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Class 3, Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures; and,
2. Approve the Design Review for Planning Project P24-0099, DR24-0028, based on the attached Findings and subject to the Conditions of Approval.
Attachments
1. Findings and Conditions of Approval
2. Project Plans, dated February 27, 2025
3. Design Review Board (DRB) Comment Letter, dated April 1, 2025