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Ordinance amending Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code to make minor revisions, corrections and clarifications; and improve and streamline the development standards in accordance with the General Plan, and determination that the proposed amendments are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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WHEREAS, in July of 2010, the City Council for the City of South San Francisco (“City”) adopted a comprehensive update to the City’s Zoning Ordinance, which repealed the then-existing Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code, and replaced it with an entirely new Title that, among other actions, established new zoning districts, revised and reformatted many then-existing zoning provisions, eliminated inconsistent and outdated provisions, and codified entirely new zoning provisions, including new land use regulations and development standards; and,
WHEREAS, since adoption of the Zoning Ordinance in July 2010, the City has identified areas of the Zoning Ordinance that require minor refinement, clarification, and/or correction; and,
WHEREAS, the City staff has drafted proposed revisions to the City’s Zoning Ordinance to address the identified areas that require correction; and,
WHEREAS, the Zoning Ordinance was adopted after preparation, circulation, consideration, and adoption of an Initial Study/Negative Declaration (“IS/ND”) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, Public Resources Code Sections 21000, et seq. (“CEQA”), which analyzed the environmental impacts of adopting the Zoning Ordinance and concluded that adoption of the Zoning Ordinance could not have a significant effect on the environment because none of the impacts required to be analyzed under CEQA would exceed established thresholds of significance; and,
WHEREAS, the minor refinements, clarifications, and/or corrections set forth in this Zoning Amendment, are minor in nature, the adoption 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/ND prepared and circulated for the Zoning Ordinance, nor do the refinements, clarifications, and/or corrections constitute a change in the project or change in circumstances that would require additional environmental review; and,
WHEREAS, on March 21, 2019 the Planning Commission for the City of South San Francisco held a lawfully noticed public hearing to solicit public comment and consider the CEQA finding and the proposed zoning ordinance amendments, take public testimony, and adopted Resolution No. 2840-2019 making a recommendation to the City Council on the project; and
WHEREAS, on August 14, 2019 the City Council for the City of South San Francisco held a lawfully noticed public hearing to solicit public comment and consider the CEQA finding and the proposed zoning ordinance amendments, take public testimony, and adopt the recommendation of the Planning Commission on the proposed revisions to the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that based on the entirety of the Record before it, as described below, the City Council of the City of South San Francisco does hereby ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION I. FINDINGS.
Based on the entirety of the record as described above, the City Council for the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the following findings:
A. General Findings.
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Ordinance.
2. The Record for these proceedings, and upon which this Ordinance is based, 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 Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments; and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed September 1, 2016 meeting; and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed September 15, 2016 meeting; and all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed March 21, 2019 meeting and the City Council’s duly noticed August 14, 2019 meeting; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2).
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.
B. Zoning Amendment Findings
1. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments are consistent with the General Plan because the Ordinance Amendments will continue to reinforce many of the General Plan policies maintaining a balanced land use program and is consistent with the City’s overall vision for the proper location of uses. None of the new or revised definitions, tables, figures and land uses will conflict with or impede achievement of any of the goals, policies, or land use designations established in the General Plan.
2. The areas of the City impacted by the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments are suitable for the proposed uses in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses, and other considerations because the minor revisions, corrections and clarifications will not alter the existing uses permitted in the Zoning Ordinance.
3. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments are not detrimental to the use of land in any adjacent zone because the minor revisions, corrections and clarifications will not result in a change of any existing zoning districts.
SECTION II. AMENDMENTS.
The City Council hereby amends the following sections, included as Exhibit A, of the South San Francisco Municipal Code are amended to read as follows. Sections and subsections that are not amended by this Ordinance are not included below, and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION III. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of this Ordinance, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, provisions of this Ordinance are severable. The City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase hereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, or phrases be held unconstitutional, invalid, or unenforceable.
SECTION IV. PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
Pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 36933, a summary of this Ordinance shall be prepared by the City Attorney. At least five (5) days prior to the Council meeting at which this Ordinance is scheduled to be adopted, the City Clerk shall (1) publish the Summary, and (2) post in the City Clerk’s Office a certified copy of this Ordinance. Within fifteen (15) days after the adoption of this Ordinance, the City Clerk shall (1) publish the summary, and (2) post in the City Clerk’s Office a certified copy of the full text of this Ordinance along with the names of those City Council members voting for and against this Ordinance or otherwise voting. This Ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days from and after its adoption.
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Introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of South San Francisco held the 14th day of August 2019.