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Resolution making findings and approving a Design Review and Sign Permit to allow for the installation of a 65-foot tall, double-faced, digital billboard on property located adjacent to 140 Beacon Avenue.
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WHEREAS, Outfront Foster Interstate, LLC (“Applicant”) has a legal equitable interest in a property owned by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) located adjacent to 140 Beacon Avenue (APN 015-171-999) (“Property”); and
WHEREAS, Applicant has submitted a development proposal to construct, operate, and maintain an off-premise digital message center display (“Digital Billboard”) at the Property (“Project”); and
WHEREAS, in order to construct and operate the Project, Applicant seeks approval of a Development Agreement, Design Review, and Sign Permit; and
WHEREAS, approval of the Applicant’s proposal is considered a “project” for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act, Pub. Resources Code § 21000, et seq. (“CEQA”); and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted an Initial Study / Mitigated Negative Declaration (“IS/MND”) on August 26, 2015 (State Clearinghouse number 2013062062) in accordance with the provision of CEQA and CEQA Guidelines, which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of billboards along the west side of U.S. Highway 101; and
WHEREAS, on June 14, 2017, the City Council determined that modifications to sign height, increasing the height up to a total of 114 feet above grade, were minor in nature, the approval of which 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 IS/MND adopted by the City Council, nor would it require additional environmental review; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15164, an addendum to the IS/MND was prepared for the Project (“2023 Addendum”) which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of billboards along the east side of U.S. Highway 101 and along with the 2015 IS/MND; and
WHEREAS, on December 21, 2023 the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco held a properly noticed public hearing, at which time interested parties had the opportunity to be heard, to review the Project, as well as supporting documents, prior to the Planning Commission making its decision on the Project; and
WHEREAS, on December 21, 2023, the Planning Commission considered and adopted a Resolution making findings and recommending that the City Council make a determination that the Project at 140 Beacon Avenue is fully within the scope of environmental analysis as described in the 2015 Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) and that the 2023 Addendum to the IS/MND is the appropriate environmental document for the project and no further environmental review is required; and
WHEREAS, on December 21, 2023, the Planning Commission further considered and adopted a separate Resolution making findings and recommending that City Council adopt a South San Francisco Zoning Ordinance amendment to amend Section 20.360.004 to allow four (instead of three) digital billboards along the US 101 corridor; and
WHEREAS, on December 21, 2023, the Planning Commission made findings and adopted a resolution recommending the City Council approve the Design Review, Sign Permit, and Development Agreement with certain Conditions of Approval for the Project; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2024, the City Council for the City of South San Francisco held a lawfully noticed public hearing, at which time interested parties had the opportunity to be heard, to review the Project, as well as supporting documents, prior to the City Council making its decision on the Project; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2024, the City Council carefully considered and adopted a Resolution making findings and a determination that the Project at 140 Beacon Avenue is fully within the scope of environmental analysis as described in the 2015 Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) and that the 2023 Addendum to the IS/MND is the appropriate environmental document for the Project and no further environmental review is required; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed and carefully considered the requested Project Entitlements and the Development Agreement for the Project at the duly noticed public hearing on March 13, 2024, and all related testimony and evidence presented in the record and during the hearing.
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 General Plan EIR; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the Project applications; the Project Plans, as prepared by Chappell Geomatics, Inc, dated May 21, 2022; the Outfront Billboard Project and Related Zoning Amendment Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, including all appendices thereto; the 2023 Addendum to Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration; all site plans, and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the City Council’s duly noticed February 28, 2024 meeting, and City Council deliberations; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2), the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby finds as follows:
A. General Findings
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference.
2. The Exhibits attached to this Resolution, including the Conditions of Project Approval (Exhibit A), Project Plans (Exhibit B), Design Review Board Letter (Exhibit C), 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.
4. The grant of entitlements shall be dependent on approval by City Council and execution of the Development Agreement requiring payment of a fee in lieu of satisfying the 2:1 ratio.
B. Sign Permit Findings
1. The proposed digital billboard is comparable to existing digital billboards in appearance, function, and technology;
2. The digital billboard will provide unique broadcasting opportunities for the City to provide information and facilitate communication with its residents; and
3. The proposed digital billboard will increase revenue to the City to assist the City in providing services to residents.
C. Design Review Findings
1. The digital billboard complies with the applicable standards and requirements of the South San Francisco Zoning Ordinance, as proposed for amendment by separate resolution to allow a total of four digital billboards in the City instead of three;
2. The digital billboard complies with the General Plan the City Council has adopted because it will provide economic opportunities to the City to in turn provide services for residents consistent with the policies and design direction provided in the South San Francisco General Plan for the employment of non-residential land use designation;
3. The digital billboard is appropriately located adjacent to the 101 Highway and away from existing residential areas, therefore its impacts are minimized. It complies with any applicable design guidelines adopted by the City Council in that the proposed sign program is consistent with the Design Principles in Section 20.360.003; and
4. The digital billboard complies with the applicable design review criteria in Section 20.480.006 (“Design Review Criteria”) because the project has been evaluated against, and found to be consistent with, each of the eight design review criteria included in Section 20.480.006.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that subject to the Conditions of Approval, attached as Exhibit A to this Resolution, the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution, and recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the Design Review and Sign Permit.
Be it further resolved that the recommended approvals stated herein are conditioned upon the City Council’s approval of a resolution determining, under CEQA, project consistency with the 2015 IS/MND and that the 2023 Addendum to the IS/MND is the appropriate environmental document for the project, and no further environmental review is required.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.
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