Title
Resolution making findings and determining that the environmental effects of the construction of 70 single-family townhouse units located at 500 Railroad Avenue, were sufficiently analyzed under the certified 2040 General Plan Environmental Impact Report and based on the Compliance Checklist, no additional environmental analysis is needed pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15183.
body
WHEREAS, Newlife Investments, LLC (“Applicant”) has proposed to construct 70 townhouse units with associated open space and public improvements at 500 Railroad Avenue (“Project Site”); and
WHEREAS, the proposed Project is located within the T4 Lindenville (T4L) Zoning District; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant seeks approval of a Planning Project (P23-0061) including Planned Development (PUD24-0001), Tentative Parcel Map (PM25-0001), Design Review (DR24-0026) and Transportation Demand Management Program (TDM23-0007); and
WHEREAS, approval of the applicant’s proposal is considered a “Project” for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §21000, et seq.) (“CEQA”); and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of South San Francisco (“City”) approved the City’s General Plan in 2022, which articulates the vision for growth and development throughout the Lindenville area as well as the entire City through 2040, including identifying Lindenville as an opportunity area to introduce new residential uses that can help meet local and regional housing goals; and
WHEREAS, the City Council certified an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) on October 12, 2022 (State Clearinghouse # 2021020064) in accordance with the provisions of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the citywide development of the 2040 General Plan Update, Zoning Code Amendments and Climate Action Plan (“2040 General Plan Program EIR”); attached hereto as Exhibit 1; and
WHEREAS, the City Council also adopted a Statement of Overriding Considerations (“SOC”) on October 12, 2022 in accordance with the provisions of CEQA and the CEQA Guidelines, which carefully considered each significant and unavoidable impact identified in the 2040 General Plan Program EIR and found that the significant environmental impacts are acceptable in light of the Project’s social, economic and environmental benefits; and
WHEREAS, in October 2023 the City Council adopted the Lindenville Specific Plan Addendum to the 2040 General Plan Program EIR, which made minor changes to the General Plan development assumptions for the Lindenville Specific Plan area; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, the City, in conjunction with an environmental consultant, David J. Powers & Associates, prepared a Compliance Checklist to provide substantial evidence that the proposed Project is within the scope of the previous environmental analysis including the 2040 General Plan Program EIR and Mitigation Monitoring Program and that subsequent CEQA analysis is not required for the Project; and
WHEREAS, as demonstrated through the Compliance Checklist analysis of 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, and no further environmental review would be required pursuant to Section 15183; and
WHEREAS, the Project is subject to CEQA streamlining pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, which allows for streamlined review for projects consistent with the General Plan and Zoning; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco held a duly noticed public hearing on May 15, 2025 to consider the Compliance Checklist attached hereto as Exhibit 2 and take public testimony; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has exercised its independent judgment and analysis, and considered all reports, recommendations, and testimony before making a determination on the Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based on the entirety of the record before it, which includes without limitation, the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §21000, et seq.) (“CEQA”) and the CEQA Guidelines (14 California Code of Regulations §15000, et seq.); the South San Francisco General Plan and 2040 General Plan Program EIR; the Environmental Consistency Analysis, as prepared by David J. Powers & Associates, dated April 2024; the Project Plans dated September 10, 2024, and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed May 15, 2025 meeting; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code Sections 21080(e) and 21082.2), the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby finds as follows:
SECTION 1 FINDINGS
A. General
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution.
2. The Exhibits attached to this Resolution, including the 2040 General Plan Program EIR and all related appendices (Exhibit 1), and the Compliance Checklist and supporting documents prepared by David J. Powers & Associates, dated April 2025 (Exhibit 2) are each incorporated by reference and made a part of this Resolution, as if set forth fully herein.
3. The documents and other material constituting the record for these proceedings are located at the Planning Division for the City of South San Francisco, 315 Maple Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080, and in the custody of the Chief Planner.
B. California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
1. For the reasons stated in this Resolution, the Project is subject to CEQA streamlining and does not require additional CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 as the Project is consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan or Zoning because as supported by the findings of the Compliance Checklist which also serves as an Environmental Consistency Checklist:
a. The Project is consistent with the development density established by existing zoning, General Plan designation, and General Plan policies for which the 2040 General Plan Program EIR was certified, with approval of a Planned Development Zoning District to allow a reduced minimum density because the project parcel shape restricts the site from meeting the T4 Lindenville zoning district minimum density.
b. There are no project-specific effects which are peculiar to the Project or the Project Site.
c. There are no project-specific impacts, which the 2040 General Plan Program EIR failed to analyze as significant effects.
d. There are no potentially significant off-site and/or cumulative impacts which the 2040 General Plan Program EIR failed to evaluate.
e. There is no substantial new information which results in more severe impacts than anticipated by the 2040 General Plan Program EIR.
2. For the reasons stated in this Resolution, there is not substantial evidence in the record to support a fair argument that approval of the Project will result in significant environmental effects beyond those adequately evaluated and addressed by the 2040 General Plan Program EIR nor would the Project require any new mitigation measures because:
a. The Project does not propose substantial changes to the General Plan which will require major revisions of the 2040 General Plan Program EIR due to the involvement of new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects;
b. No substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the General Plan is undertaken which will require major revisions of the 2040 General Plan Program EIR due to the involvement of new significant effects or a substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects;
c. No new information of substantial importance, which was not known and could not have been known with the exercise of reasonable diligence at the time the 2040 General Plan Program EIR was certified as complete, shows any of the following:
i. The Project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the 2040 General Plan Program EIR;
ii. Significant effects previously examined will be substantially more severe than shown in the previous EIR;
iii. Mitigation measures or alternatives previously found not to be feasible would in fact be feasible and would substantially reduce one or more significant effects of the Project, but the Project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measure or alternative; or
iv. Mitigation measures or alternatives which are considerably different from those analyzed in the 2040 General Plan Program EIR would substantially reduce one or more significant effects on the environment, but the Project proponents decline to adopt the mitigation measure or alternative.
3. Based upon the testimony and information presented at the hearing and upon review and consideration of the environmental documentation provided, including but not limited to the Compliance Checklist, as prepared by David J. Powers & Associates, and attached hereto as Exhibit 2, the Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, finds that the Project is statutorily subject to CEQA streamlining pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, the Project falls within the environmental parameters analyzed in the 2040 General Plan Program EIR, and further finds that the Project would not result in any new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in the severity of any previously identified effects beyond those disclosed and analyzed in the 2040 General Plan Program EIR certified by City Council nor would new mitigation be required by the Project. These findings are supported by the fact that the Compliance Checklist analysis determined that the Project would not result in any new impacts not adequately evaluated and addressed by the 2040 General Plan Program EIR and Statement of Overriding Considerations.
SECTION 2 DETERMINATION
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution and recommends that City Council adopt a resolution making a determination that the environmental effects of the proposed Project were sufficiently analyzed under the 2040 General Plan Environmental Impact Report and no additional environmental analysis is needed pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.
* * * * *