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Resolution approving entitlements to construct a two-story 25,000 sq. ft. building (400-450 East Jamie Court) and a five-story 311,368 gross sq. ft. office/ R&D building and a five-level parking garage on a 6.45-acre site (201 Haskins Way) for the Planning Project (P17-0096), including Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Use Permit, Design Review, and Preliminary Transportation Demand Management Program.
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WHEREAS, Alexandria Real Estate (ARE) Equities (“Applicant”) has proposed to construct a two-story 25,000 gross sq. ft. building (400-450 East Jamie Court), a five-story 311,368 gross sq. ft. office/ R&D building and a five-level parking garage on a 6.45-acre site (201 Haskins Way) and seeks approval of a Use Permit (UP18-0001), Design Review (DR19-0004), and Preliminary Transportation Demand Management Program (TDM18-0001), as well as a Zoning Map Amendment (RZ18-0001) to re-zone one parcel at 201 Haskins Way (APN 015-102-230) from MI to Business Technology Park (BTP) and to re-zone one parcel at 400-450 E. Jamie Court (APN 015-102-250) from BC to BTP (collectively referred to as “Phase 1”); and,
WHEREAS, the proposed Phase 1 is comprised of parcels located within the Mixed-Industrial (MI) and Business Commercial (BC) Zoning Districts; and,
WHEREAS, the 400-450 E. Jamie Court parcel is the only parcel in the area zoned BC that is adjacent to the MI and BTP Zoning Districts; and
WHEREAS, in conjunction with the Applicant’s request, City staff recommends that the City Council adopt a Zoning Map Amendment (RZ18-0001) and Zoning Text Amendment (ZA18-0002) to re-zone six parcels that surround Phase 1 [101 Haskins Way (APN 015-102-210), 151 Haskins Way (APN 015-102-220), 410 E. Grand Avenue (APN 015-102-180), 430 E. Grand Avenue (APN 015-102-160), 451 E. Jamie Court (APN 015-102-240), and a vacant parcel (APN 015-102-290)] (collectively referred to as “Phase 2”) to BTP to further consistency with the land use designations set forth in the General Plans; and
WHEREAS, Applicant’s request for approval of Phase 1 entitlements and re-zoning and the City’s adoption of a Zoning Map Amendment and Zoning Text Amendment for Phase 2 (collectively referred to as “Project”) is considered a “project” for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act, Pub. Resources Code §21000, et seq. (“CEQA”); and,
WHEREAS, on March 7, 2019 the Planning Commission 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 and the Environmental Impact Report (EIR18-0002), as well as supporting documents, at the conclusion of which the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council find that the Environmental Impact Report is the appropriate environmental document and to approve the Project; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing on March 27, 2019 to consider the entitlements request for a Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Use Permit, Design Review and Preliminary Transportation Demand Management Plan and take public testimony; and,
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed and carefully considered the information in the EIR (EIR18-0002), including all comment letters submitted, and by separate resolution certifies the EIR (EIR18-0002) as an objective and accurate document that reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City in the discussion of the Project’s environmental impacts.
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 Phase 1 applications; the Phase 1 project plans, as prepared by WRNS, dated September 28, 2018; the Preliminary Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan, as prepared by Sylvani Transportation Consulting; the Project’s EIR, including the Draft and Final EIR and all appendices thereto; all site plans, and all reports, minutes and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed March 7, 2019 meeting; all site plans, and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the City Council’s duly noticed March 27, 2019 meeting 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:
SECTION 1 FINDINGS
A. General Findings
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution.
2. The Exhibits attached to this Resolution, including the Draft Conditions of Approval (Exhibit A), Project Plans for Phase 1 (Exhibit B), and the Preliminary TDM Plan for Phase 1 (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 Planning Manager, Sailesh Mehra.
4. By Resolution No. ________, the City Council, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, finds that an EIR was prepared for the Project in accordance with CEQA, which EIR adequately discloses and analyzes the proposed Project’s potentially significant environmental impacts, its growth inducing impacts, and its cumulative impacts, and analyzed alternatives to the Project. For those impacts that could potentially exceed CEQA thresholds of significance, where feasible the City has identified and imposed mitigation measures that avoid or reduce the impact to a level of less-than-significant. The City Council finds that the benefits of approving the Project outweigh the Project’s significant and unavoidable impacts.
5. The proposed Project, including the proposed amendments, are consistent and compatible with all elements in the City of South San Francisco General Plan as office/R&D uses in the East of 101 Area and help the City implement several broad General Plan goals, including but not limited to maintaining a balanced land use program that provides opportunities for continued economic growth, and building intensities that reflect South San Francisco’s prominent inner bay location and excellent regional access.
6. The proposed Project is consistent with the standards and requirements of the City's Zoning Ordinance (as proposed for amendment) and with the provisions of the East of 101 Area Plan. The development of the Project Site would result in the construction of approximately 336,368 gross sq. ft. of office/ R&D space, and would meet minimum design standards.
7. The Project Site is physically suitable for the type of development and density proposed, as the campus development will benefit from being located in the East of 101 Area Plan, and the size of the office/ R&D campus is appropriate for the location and meets the City’s land use and zoning standards.
B. Use Permit
1. Phase 1 is allowed within the BTP zoning district and complies with the standards and requirements of the City’s Zoning Ordinance and with the design provisions of the East of 101 Area Plan, as proposed for amendment. Phase 1 meets or exceeds all of the general development standards of the BTP Zoning District, with the exception of a request for a parking reduction. The request for a parking reduction is permissible and warranted by the City’s Zoning Ordinance because Phase 1 incorporates a robust Transportation Demand Management Program designed to encourage all employees to rely on alternatives forms of transportation.
2. The proposed development of Phase 1 is consistent with the General Plan for the reasons stated in Findings B.1 and B.2 above and is consistent with the East of 101 Area Plan.
3. The proposed office/ R&D use will not be adverse to the public health, safety, or general welfare of the community, nor detrimental to surrounding properties or improvements, for the reasons stated in Finding B.3 above.
4. Phase 1 complies with applicable design and development standards and requirements of the City’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed for amendment, with the exception of parking requirements, for which a reduction is permissible and warranted by the Zoning Ordinance as discussed below.
The exception for the number of parking spaces is allowable under the City’s Municipal Code Section 20.330.006(D), and warranted based on the following findings:
a. The parking reduction will serve to support and promote the TDM program for Phase 1, which will reduce parking demand for Phase 1.
b. Parking demand generated by Phase 1 will not exceed the capacity or have a detrimental impact on the supply of on-street parking in the surrounding area. Phase 1 uses will be adequately served by the proposed on-site parking because the development of Phase 1 will provide approximately 94% of the required parking spaces and is required, through the TDM program, to achieve an alternative mode use of 35%. The site is not anticipated to result in a shortfall of on-site parking or create the need for overflow parking off-site.
c. The proposed parking standard of 2.68 spaces per 1,000 sq. ft. for non-residential uses and will be adequate for the proposed use because of the offered alternative solutions for providing and managing parking. The development of Phase 1 is required to implement a TDM Program on an on-going basis over the life of Phase 1 with a required alternative mode shift of 35 percent. The TDM requirements applicable to Phase 1, the fact that similar reduced standards have been accepted and/or successfully applied within several large developments in the City, including other nearby Genentech developments and Applicant-owned campuses such as Merck and Verily, and the studies from the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) all support a reduced parking standard.
d. The reduced parking rate reinforces the overall efforts of the City’s General Plan and the TDM Ordinance, which encourage reduced parking standards as an effective tool in encouraging use of alternative modes of transportation other than single occupancy vehicles.
e. The number of parking spaces provided by the reduced standard will serve all existing, proposed and potential uses as effectively and conveniently as would the standard number of parking spaces required by Chapter 20.230 and Chapter 20.330. As described above, there is ample evidence to support the proposed parking reduction, and there is added concern that an overabundance of parking could have a deleterious effect on the goals and objectives of the City’s TDM efforts since such would serve as a disincentive to use of alternative modes of transportation.
5. The design, location, size, and operating characteristics of the proposed Phase 1 are compatible with the existing and reasonably foreseeable future land uses in the vicinity because Phase 1 will promote an office/R&D campus in close proximity to other office and research and development uses with employee-serving amenities and is compatible with nearby industrial uses.
6. The Phase 1 site is physically suitable for the type of development and density proposed, as the development of a high quality research and campus-style project is in keeping with existing development within the East of 101 Area and the BTP Zoning District, and the EIR indicated that the Phase 1 site has adequate access and utilities and did not identify any other physical constraints that would render the site unsuitable. The Phase 1 includes high quality, innovative design and product type, and maximum provisions for pedestrian and bicycle use in that Phase 1 would complete sidewalks along the site frontage on the east side of Haskins Way and the north side of East Jamie Court and provide adequate bicycle parking and related amenities. Phase 1 provides green building measures over and above the applicable green building compliance threshold required pursuant to Title 15 (“Buildings and Construction”) of the South San Francisco Municipal Code.
7. An EIR has been prepared for the Project in compliance with CEQA for the reasons stated in Finding A.4 above.
C. Design Review
1. Phase 1, including Design Review, is consistent with Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code because Phase 1 has been designed as a high quality office/ R&D campus-style development, which will provide a pedestrian-friendly campus, on-site amenities, transit connections, and sustainable design. The proposed Phase 1 complies with applicable design and development standards and requirements of the City’s Zoning Ordinance for the reasons set forth in Finding C.4 above.
2. Phase 1, including Design Review, is consistent with the General Plan and the applicable provisions of the East of 101 Area Plan, because the proposed office/R&D campus-style development is consistent with the policies and design direction provided in the South San Francisco General Plan for the dual MI/CC land use designations by encouraging new office/R&D facilities with campus-serving amenities and connections to transit hubs and, as described in the EIR, is consistent with the design standards and guidelines of the East of 101 Area Plan.
3. Phase 1, including Design Review, is consistent with the applicable design guidelines adopted by the City Council in that the proposed Phase 1 is consistent with Design Guidelines, including the design and development standards outlined in the East of 101 Area Plan.
4. Phase 1 is consistent with the Use Permit for the reasons stated in
Findings C.1-C.7 above.
5. Phase 1 is consistent with the applicable design review criteria in South San Francisco Municipal Code Section 20.480.006 (“Design Review Criteria”) because Phase 1 has been evaluated by the Design Review Board on February 20, 2018 and May 15, 2018, and found to be consistent with each of the eight design review criteria included in the “Design Review Criteria” section of the Ordinance as indicated in the Design Review Board Comment Letter dated June 1, 2018.
D. Transportation Demand Management Plan
1. The proposed trip reduction measures contained in the TDM Plan (attached hereto as Exhibit C) are feasible and appropriate for Phase 1, considering the proposed use and the location, size, and hours of operation for Phase 1. Appropriate and feasible measures have been included in the TDM Plan to achieve a projected 35 percent alternative mode usage, as required. The TDM Plan provides incentives for employees to use modes of transportation other than single-occupancy vehicle trips, such as secure bicycle storage, shower facilities, preferential parking for carpools and vanpools, and an employee TDM contact, among others. The TDM Plan also uses a lower parking ratio to increase ridership on BART, Caltrain and other transit services. Further, an employee transit center for shuttle pickup and drop-off linking Phase 1 to nearby transportation lines will help encourage alternative forms of transportation.
2. The proposed performance guarantees will ensure that the target 35 percent alternative mode use established for Phase 1 by Chapter 20.400 will be achieved and maintained. Conditions of approval have been included to require that the Final TDM Plan, which must be submitted for review and approval prior to issuance of a building permit, shall outline the required process for on-going monitoring including annual surveys and triennial reports.
SECTION 2 DETERMINATION
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings made in this Resolution, and subject to the draft Conditions of Approval attached as Exhibit A, approves the Use Permit, Design Review, and Preliminary TDM Plan entitlements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council approvals stated herein are conditioned upon the City Council’s adoption of the Zoning Map Amendment and Zoning Text Amendment and will become effective upon the effective date of the Zoning Map and Text Amendment ordinance.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.
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