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Report regarding CEQA determination and entitlements for Design Review and a Transportation Demand Management Plan for a new seven-story office / R&D building with detached parking garage at 439 Eccles Avenue. (Stephanie Skangos, Senior Planner)
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MOTIONS FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
(1) Move to adopt the Resolution making findings and CEQA determination; and
(2) Move to adopt the Resolution making findings and approving Planning entitlements subject to the attached conditions of approval.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission conduct a public hearing and take the following actions:
1. Adopt a Resolution making findings and a determination that the Project is consistent with the scope of environmental analysis in the previously certified 2040 General Plan Environmental Impact Report, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15183 and no further environmental review would be required; and,
2. Adopt a Resolution making findings and approving the entitlements for Planning Project P23-0076, including Design Review DR23-0018 and Preliminary Transportation Demand Management Program TDM23-0006, subject to the attached Conditions of Approval.
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PROJECT OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND
Site Overview
The 439 Eccles Avenue project site is comprised of one 2.63-acre parcel located on the north side of Eccles Avenue approximately 700 feet north of the intersection with Forbes Boulevard. The project site has an existing 40,224 square foot, single-story tilt-up warehouse, currently vacant, and associated surface parking. The site is mostly flat, with elevations ranging from approximately 94 to 105 feet above mean sea level.
The project site is flanked by a biotechnology company to the southwest, an event management company to the northeast, and a research and development center to the northwest. A freight
forwarding center is across Eccles Avenue to the southeast, separated from the road by a Southern
Pacific Railroad track. A Rails-to-Trails Path runs behind the northwest property line, separated from the project site by an approximately 20-foot-tall retaining wall.
Project Description
The project proposes to demolish the existing warehouse and construct a new seven-story, 229,460 square foot research and development (R&D) building plus basement level (gross square footage of the new building, including the basement level, is 298,470 square feet), and an associated six-story parking garage with 448 parking stalls. The proposed office / R&D building has an approximately 32,500 square foot footprint, reaching a height of 122 feet above grade, with rooftop elements reaching 146 feet. The parking garage is proposed to reach a height of 66 feet with a footprint of 27,631 square feet. Site improvements would also include open space, landscaping, outdoor seating areas, pedestrian walkways, and vehicular circulation elements. The project site plan and architectural design is detailed in the Plan Set (Associated Entitlements Resolution, Exhibit B).
Architectural Design
The design for the 439 Eccles Avenue Project was inspired by the opportunities presented by the project site, as well as the general needs of biotechnology uses. The main building, rectangular in plan, will be a steel-framed structure clad in tinted glass and framed by two shrouds clad in warm-grey composite panels on the exterior side and wood-like paneling on the interior side. Each level above the third floor will have its own private outdoor balcony terrace, projecting from the South façade, which help to break up the massing of the street-facing façade.
The detached parking structure will be a poured-in-place concrete structure with a shroud projecting to the south side with integral vertical metal panels, matching the color of the wood-like panels on the main building. The East façade of the parking garage facing the central plaza will have integral planters at various locations to soften the appearance of the structure. The top level of the structure will have a canopy of photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight to electrical power.
Landscaping and Open Space
The project provides landscaping and open space in the form of a central plaza, outdoor seating areas, balconies, pedestrian walkways, landscape buffers, and tree plantings throughout the site. Enhanced paving will be provided at the drop-off area, between the main building and parking structure, at the front terrace, and in the central plaza area. Additionally, within the exterior amenity spaces and central plaza, modular and concrete seating, recessed wall / step and bollard lighting, and low-water use native and adaptive plantings will be used to define various outdoor spaces as well as define circulation and heighten the sense of arrival and points of egress. The landscape areas throughout the site include C-3 filtration/Bio-retention zones to capture and treat building and site paving runoff which are integrated into the site landscape composition. The tree palette contains trees species to provide windscreens, feature plantings, and shade elements for open space and parking and circulation areas throughout the site. Landscape plans and planting palettes are included in the Plan Set (Associated Entitlements Resolution, Exhibit B).
Access and Circulation
The project proposes two vehicular driveways, one located central to the south side of the property to access the drop-off area and a west entry driveway to access the parking structure, and a third connection that would act as a fire and service lane, all on Eccles Avenue. Project parking will be provided in a detached six-story garage with one entrance / exit. The main building and parking garage will be separated by an internal plaza with site amenities, including outdoor seating, and pedestrian and bicycle pathways. The main building will have one main entrance directly facing the central plaza and parking garage. Long-term bicycle parking will be provided on the first level of the parking structure, and short-term bicycle parking will be provided adjacent to both building entrances. A passenger loading zone adjacent to the internal building entry, and accessible via the central driveway, can be used for carshare and taxi drop-offs and pick-ups. Accessible pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout the site, including to the adjacent multi-use Rails to Trails path, will be provided.
Entitlements Request
The Project is seeking the following entitlements, discussed in detail in this staff report:
• CEQA Determination
• Design Review
• Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan
ZONING CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Proposed Use
The project site is located within the Business Technology Park - High (BTP-H) Zoning District. Per South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC) Section 20.100.002 (“Use Regulations - Non-Residential Zoning Districts”), R&D and office uses are both permitted land uses by-right.
Development standards for the BTP-H District are outlined in SSFMC Table 20.100.003 (Development Standards - Non-Residential Zoning Districts). As noted in the below table, the proposed project complies with the applicable development standards, including maximum floor area ratio (FAR) and maximum height. Note that the maximum base FAR in the BTP-H District is 0.5, with up to 2.0 permitted with payment of a Community Benefits Fee per SSFMC Chapter 20.395. As proposed, the project would be developed at a FAR of 2.0 and subject to the requirement for payment of a Community Benefits Fee applicable to the proposed FAR above 1.0.
Additionally, the height maximum in the BTP-H District is the maximum permitted by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The maximum proposed height of the office / R&D building is 122 feet, with rooftop elements reaching 146 feet, which was determined to be preliminarily consistent with FAA regulations. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the applicant will be required to submit a determination of no hazard issued by the FAA.
Table 1. Project Compliance with BTP-H Development Standards
Additional Development Standards
SSFMC Section 20.100.004 (Supplemental Standards) outlines several additional standards, including new objective design standards, applicable to projects located within a non-residential zoning district, including the BTP-H District. The project has been designed to comply with all required additional development standards for the BTP-H District.
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. These standards contain requirements for building entrances, open space design and orientation, on-site circulation and parking, building materials and textures, and architectural integrity. The design of the project meets these standards, with a focus on high-quality design and materials, usable open spaces, and pedestrian and bicycle connections to and throughout the site.
Parking Requirements
Vehicle Parking
The maximum number of allowed parking spaces for different land uses is regulated by SSFMC Section 20.330.004 (“Required On-Site Parking Spaces”). Maximum parking requirements are a tool to help ensure compliance with the City’s Transportation Demand Management ordinance. Pursuant to this section, office and R&D uses have different parking ratios. However, combined office and R&D buildings are subject to the parking requirements for R&D uses only, as office space has been considered in the establishment of the R&D parking ratio. Therefore, the proposal must meet the parking requirements for R&D uses, which is no more than 1.5 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. Per the requirement and using the proposed gross square footage of the project (298,470 square feet), the project would need to provide no more than 448 total parking spaces. The proposed detached parking garage will provide a total of 448 parking spaces. Therefore, the project complies with the maximum parking requirements.
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 number of required automobile parking spaces. The following long-term bicycle parking requirements are applicable to the project. Short-term bicycle parking is not required for R&D uses.
• Long-term Bicycle Parking: Rate of 5% of the number of required automobile parking spaces.
Per these requirements, the project must provide a total of 23 long-term bicycle parking spaces on site. The project includes the required number of long-term bicycle parking spaces within the detached parking structure on the first level. In addition to the long-term parking spaces, the project will also provide 23 short-term bicycle parking spaces adjacent to the building entrance as an additional amenity
Loading Requirements
SSFMC Section 20.330.009 (On-Site Loading) establishes requirements for on-site loading spaces for new buildings. Based on the project’s square footage, a total of five loading spaces would need to be provided. SSFMC Section 20.330.009(A)(1) includes a provision for a reduction in the number of loading spaces required, upon a finding by the Chief Planner and City Engineer that the applicant has satisfactorily demonstrated that due to the nature of the proposed use, such loading space will not be needed.
The project is proposing to include four loading spaces, and the applicant has commissioned a study by American Trash Management to provide justification for the reduction in loading spaces. Based on recent reports prepared by American Trash Management for similar projects in size and nature in the City that have concluded that less than five loading spaces is adequate, staff believes that the reduction of one loading space, for a total of four for the project, is supportable.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan
Pursuant to SSFMC Chapter 20.400 (Transportation Demand Management), office / R&D uses between 50,000 and 400,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area are required to provide a TDM plan and are categorized as “Tier 3” projects. The minimum requirements for Tier 3 projects are to achieve a total of 40 points, in addition to annual monitoring to achieve a maximum of 60% of employees commuting via driving alone. Points in various quantities are awarded based on specific trip reduction measures; for instance, including promotional programs and materials as a TDM measure would result in 1 point, whereas including a TDM coordinator/point of contact for commute assistance would result in 5 points. In other words, a Tier 3 project would have to propose the number and type of trip reduction measures that would accumulate sufficient points to achieve 40 points.
A draft TDM plan has been prepared for the project by Fehr + Peers (Associated Entitlements Resolution, Exhibit C). The draft TDM plan provides a concise description of TDM Measures that the project will implement to achieve the 40-point minimum for Tier 3 projects, including seven City-mandated TDM measures and a number of optional measures, as outlined below. A draft Condition of Approval is included to ensure TDM compliance and annual reporting.
Table 2. TDM Certification Checklist
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
The General Plan Land Use designation for the project site is Business Technology Park High (BTP-H), which is intended for high-density corporate headquarters, research and development facilities, and offices.
The Project is consistent with the guiding and implementing policies in the General Plan as it has been designed to develop an underutilized site with a high-quality employment use. The site layout and building design architecture will contribute to and further shape the urban character of the East of 101 Area. The proposed office / R&D project is consistent with the land use designation, which promotes office / R&D facilities and supplementary uses.
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
The Design Review Board (DRB) reviewed the proposal on September 19, 2023, and recommended approval with some minor design recommendations primarily focused on landscaping. The DRB comment letter is included as Attachment 2 to this staff report. Since review by the DRB, the design of the main building has been slightly changed to meet Fire Code requirements. The original design included an exterior stairwell at the front façade that was determined by the Fire Marshal to not be in compliance with exiting requirements. The front façade has been redesigned to enclose the stairwell, subsequently causing changes to the design and layout of the balconies found at each level. However, the majority of the building area maintains the original design reviewed by the DRB, and the Board’s original comments and recommendations are still applicable. The applicant has taken the DRB comments and recommendations into consideration and provided a response to each (see Attachment 3 to this staff report).
IMPACT FEES
The 439 Eccles Avenue 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 draft Conditions of Approval (Exhibit A to the Entitlements Resolution) list out the relevant impact fee estimates, summarized below:
• Childcare Fee: $346,484
• Parks Fee: $812,288
• Citywide Transportation Fee: $8M
• Commercial Linkage Fee: $4M
• Public Safety Impact Fee: $300,592
• Library Impact Fee: $32,124
• Community Benefits Program Fee: $2.3M
• Public Art Requirement: On-site, or in-lieu contribution of 0.5% of construction costs
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In 2022, the City Council certified a programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2040 General Plan (State Clearinghouse #202102006) (CEQA Resolution, Exhibit A). The program EIR assessed the potential environmental impacts resulting from implementation of the 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Ordinance Update and Climate Action Plan Update, which established new land use, development, and urban design regulations for the City over a 20-year planning period. The 439 Eccles Avenue Project proposal for an office / R&D building is in keeping with the envisioned use at the project site and in compliance with the City’s development standards.
Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines states that no subsequent EIR need be prepared for a project where an EIR has previously been prepared unless the lead agency identifies subsequent changes in circumstances that were identified and not previously analyzed or would create new significant environmental effects. More specifically, Section 15183 of the CEQA Guidelines mandates that projects that are consistent with the development density established by existing zoning, a community plan, or general plan policies for which an EIR was certified shall not require additional environmental review, except as might be necessary to examine whether there are project-specific significant effects that are peculiar to a project or its site. CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 specifies that when reviewing a project that meets the requirements of this section, a public agency shall limit its examination of environmental effects to those that the agency determines in an environmental checklist or other analysis.
The environmental checklist and appendices prepared for the project by Lamphier-Gregory, Inc., dated January 2024 (CEQA Resolution, Exhibit B) serves as substantial evidence that the current project is within the scope of the previous environmental analysis including the 2040 General Plan EIR and Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Program (MMRP) and that subsequent CEQA analysis is not required for the proposed project. As demonstrated through the environmental checklist analyzing project impacts, there are no effects that are peculiar to the project, or were not previously identified, or have become more adverse due to new, previously unknown information. As such, no further environmental review would be required pursuant to Section 15162.
Additionally, CEQA Guidelines section 15183 mandates that projects which are consistent with the development density established by existing zoning, community plan or general plan policies for which an EIR was certified would not require additional environmental review, except those necessary to examine whether there are project-specific significant effects which are peculiar to the project or its site. In this case, the project is consistent with the Zoning and General Plan development densities and standards, and as demonstrated by the environmental checklist there are no peculiar or project/site specific impacts as outlined in Section 15183 that would trigger the need for additional environmental review thereunder. The project would be subject to all relevant mitigation measures included in the 2040 General Plan EIR MMRP (CEQA Resolution, Exhibit A - Final General Plan EIR).
CONCLUSION
The proposed 439 Eccles Avenue Project is consistent with both General Plan goals and the Zoning Ordinance requirements. The project would produce a seven-story state-of-the-art office / R&D building at 298,470 sq. ft. (gross square footage), a detached parking garage with 448 parking stalls, and includes enhanced connectivity and off-site improvements. Further, the proposed project is consistent with the City’s ongoing development of the East of 101 Area into a nationally recognized biotechnology / R&D center, and ultimately will provide quality jobs in South San Francisco. For these reasons, staff recommends that the Planning Commission take the following actions:
1. Adopt a Resolution making findings and a determination that the Project is consistent with Zoning/General Plan density and standards and the scope of environmental analysis in the previously certified 2040 General Plan Environmental Impact Report, pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15183 and no further environmental review would be required; and,
2. Adopt a Resolution making findings and approving the entitlements for Planning Project P23-0076, including Design Review DR23-0018 and Preliminary Transportation Demand Management Program TDM23-0006, subject to the attached Conditions of Approval.
Attachments
1. 439 Eccles Avenue Project Description & Data
2. Design Review Board (DRB) Comment Letter, dated September 19, 2023
3. Applicant Response to DRB Comments and Recommendations, dated February 1, 2024
Exhibits to Associated CEQA Resolution (24-22)
A. 2040 General Plan EIR (weblinks)
B. 439 Eccles Avenue Environmental Checklist
1. Standard Conditions and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
2. Air Quality Calculations
3. Cultural Records Search, Native American Heritage Commission Response
4. Energy Calculations
5. Transportation Analysis
Exhibits to Associated Entitlements Resolution (24-23)
A. Draft Conditions of Approval
B. 439 Eccles Avenue Project Plans, dated January 5, 2024
C. Proposed TDM Plan, dated January 2024
D. Tree Inventory and Assessment Report, dated August 16, 2023