Title
Report regarding consideration of an application for a Use Permit to allow an indoor soccer facility at 152 Utah Avenue and determination that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). (Indoor Sports and Recreation use; CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1) (Victoria Kim, Associate Planner)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission take the following action:
1. Find the Project complies with CEQA, Class 1, Section 15301, Existing Facilities and make findings and approving the Use Permit (UP23-0001), subject to the attached draft Findings and draft Conditions of Approval.
MOTION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Move to determine the project is exempt from CEQA and approve the Use Permit subject to the attached Findings and Conditions of Approval.
Body
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The applicant, Jesus Acevedo, submitted a Use Permit application to operate an Indoor Sports and Recreation use facility in January 2023. The proposed project is an indoor soccer facility, and the indoor version of soccer would be played on a smaller field with 6 to 8 players per team.
Site Overview
The project property is located at 152 Utah Avenue, within an existing one-story warehouse building. The project area is approximately 7,527 square feet with an automatic fire sprinkler system in the existing 15,118 square foot building. There are 39 surfacing parking spaces including two accessible parking stalls on site. The main access to the property is from Utah Avenue to the north. The project site is surrounded by industrial, commercial, and office buildings on the north, south, and west, and bordered by Colma Creek to the east.
Proposed Project
The applicant is proposing to operate an indoor soccer facility for a maximum of three teams at a time. There would not be any exterior changes to the building and current landscaping areas would remain the same. Other than a fenced indoor soccer field (50 feet by 100 feet) and 10 removable chairs, no special equipment such as goal structures is proposed. Any identifying signage for the business is required and a sign permit application would be under a separate permit.
Operation Plan
According to applicant’s operational plan, the indoor soccer field will be open between 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm Monday to Friday and 9:00 am to 11:00 pm on the weekends. The proposed business hours would take place outside of regular operating hours in the neighboring businesses. The maximum number of occupants would be 24 players (3 teams) with 2 staff employees, totaling 28 people. There would be three employees rotating shifts and at least one staff member would be at the project site during business hours. Proposed staff hours for indoor soccer field would be as follows:
• Employee 1: Monday to Friday 4:00pm to11:00pm
• Employee 2: Saturday and Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm
• Employee 3: Saturday and Sunday 3:00pm to 11:00pm
The indoor soccer court featuring an artificial turf would be approximately 5,000 square feet (50 feet wide and 100 feet long) and each team consists of 6 to 8 players. The indoor field would be operated only for regular pickup games and there would be no plans for special events.
ZONING CONSISTENCY
Land Use
The subject site is located in T6 Urban Core (T6UC) Zoning District. Pursuant to SSFMC Section 20.135.020 (Transect Zoning Districts), Indoor Sports and Recreation uses are permitted in the T6UC zoning district subject to the approval of a Use Permit. The proposed use would be operated indoors and outside of normal business hours that noise, traffic, and parking in the surrounding area would not be negatively impacted by the project. Bringing in a new recreational location would provide a fitness opportunity to neighbors, workers, and visitors for enjoyable and healthy activities.
Parking Requirement
Pursuant to SSFMC Section 20.330.004 (Required On-Site Parking Spaces), Parking Management and Monitoring Study is required for commercial recreation uses without a specified parking requirement. The Applicant submitted Parking Study Analysis (Ref. Attachment 5) to provide parking analysis for the project.
The project site currently has 37 surface parking spaces and 2 accessible parking spaces along the south and east property lines. The parking study analysis includes hourly parking demand surveys within proximity of the project site for peak demand hours and a comparable study at a similar indoor soccer facility to capture anticipated volumes and peak hours of parking demand.
Based on the parking study analysis, the peak hours for high parking demand around the project are outside of the project business hours during weekdays and the parking demand decreases after 4:00 pm when most of the workers at the adjacent businesses leave for the day. The comparable parking demand survey also concludes that the peak parking demand would be no more than 34 vehicles at 11:00 am on the weekend and 11 vehicles on a weekday at 7:00 pm. As such, the on-site parking spaces would accommodate the expected parking demand and be adequate for the project. Therefore, the proposed indoor soccer facility would not have negative impacts on off-site and on-site parking without any alternative parking methods.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The project site is designated as East of 101 Mixed Use and consistent with the City’s General Plan. The proposed Indoor Sports and Recreation use meets the vision of East of 101 which is a well-connected innovated district with diverse mix of uses. Primarily office, life science, logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, and other industrial uses consist of the area. The project is providing an amenity to provide a commercial use and recreational facility for the neighbors and the proposed use is within the intent of the adopted General Plan designation.
Policy LU-1.1: Support mixed use activity centers. Support a network of vibrant mixed use activity centers located throughout the city. Mixed use centers should include business and services, housing, healthy food, parks, and other gathering places.
Policy LU-1.7: Create new Lindenville and East of 101 mixed use neighborhoods. Facilitate the construction of new mixed-use neighborhoods in Lindenville and East of 101 that are well connected to services, transit, amenities, public buildings, and parks and recreational facilities.
Policy LU-7.7: Affordable spaces for emerging businesses. Support affordable and flexible commercial and industrial building space for new and emerging businesses.
GOAL PE-2: A resilient and diverse South San Francisco economy supports existing industries while accommodating emerging growth opportunities.
GOAL PE-7: South San Francisco provides a business climate that supports the success of local entrepreneurs and existing small, local, minority-owned, and culturally diverse businesses.
GOAL PR-1: South San Francisco equitably provides improved parkland, recreational facilities, and services for all residents.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is in an existing structure and it is staff’s evaluation that the proposal is categorically exempt from environmental review under the provision of CEQA guidelines, Class 1, Section 15301. The project would not create any changes to the site conditions and staff evaluation concludes no further environmental analysis is required.
CONCLUSION
The proposed Indoor Soccer use would provide a recreation facility and new business opportunity for residents, employees, and guests to the city. The project is consistent with General Plan and City’s Zoning Ordinance development standards. Staff recommends that the Planning Commission determine that the Project is exempt from CEQA and approve the Use Permit (UP23-0001), subject to the attached Findings andConditions of Approval.
Attachments:
1. Draft Findings
2. Draft Conditions of Approval
3. Site Plans and Site Photos
4. Business Operation Plan
5. Parking Study Analysis