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Resolution making findings and certifying the Environmental Impact Report including adoption of a Statement of Overriding Considerations and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the 751 Gateway Boulevard Project.
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WHEREAS, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, or ARE (“Applicant”) has proposed to construct a seven-story, 208,800 square foot R&D / office building approximately 148 feet in height on a 7.4-acre site on 751 Gateway Boulevard (“Project”); and,
WHEREAS, Applicant seeks approval of a Precise Plan (PP20-0004), Conditional Use Permit (UP19-0013), Design Review (DR19-0034), and Transportation Demand Management Program (TDM19-0006) for the Project; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed Project is located within the Gateway Specific Plan District (GSPD) Zoning District; 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, in accordance with CEQA the City determined that an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) was required to evaluate the impacts of the proposed Project; and,
WHEREAS, the City issued a Notice of Preparation on January 21, 2020; and,
WHEREAS, the City prepared a Draft EIR (“DEIR”) (State Clearinghouse No. 2020010281), which was circulated for 45-day public/agency review period from September 22 through November 8, 2020; and,
WHEREAS, Notices of the Availability of the DEIR were posted to the San Mateo County Clerk, mailed to property owners within a 300-foot radius of the site, noticed to local agencies and cities, and circulated through the State Clearinghouse; and,
WHEREAS, the City prepared written responses to comments received on the Draft EIR and prepared a Final EIR for circulation, which consists of the DEIR (incorporated by reference), all comments received on the DEIR, written responses to comments received on the DEIR, and revisions to the DEIR, and a Mitigation and Monitoring Reporting Program (“MMRP”); and,
WHEREAS, the DEIR reviewed and analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the Project, including environmental impacts in the areas of Aesthetics; Agriculture and Forest Resources; Air Quality, Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Energy; Geology and Soils; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Hazards/Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use; Mineral Resources; Noise and Vibration; Population and Housing; Public Services; Recreation; Transportation and Circulation; Utilities; Wildfire; and cumulative impacts of the Project, growth-inducing impacts of the Project, as well as potential Project Alternatives;
WHEREAS, where feasible, mitigation measures have been incorporated into the Project to reduce identified impacts to a level of less than significant; and
WHEREAS, no feasible mitigation exists for certain significant and unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions and transportation impacts that would reduce the impacts to a less-than-significant level; and
WHEREAS, under applicable provisions of CEQA Guidelines section 15092(b), the Project may not be approved or carried out unless the City has eliminated or substantially lessened all significant effects on the environment where feasible, or determined that any remaining significant effects on the environment found to be unavoidable are acceptable due to overriding concerns; and
WHEREAS, a Statement of Overriding Considerations has been prepared pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15092(b) and 15093, which evaluates the benefits of the proposed Project against its unavoidable impacts and sets forth the Project’s specific benefits and overriding concerns;
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed and carefully considered the information in the DEIR, the Final EIR, the Statement of Overriding Consideration, and the MMRP, respectively attached hereto as Exhibits A, B, C, and D, at a duly noticed public hearing held on January 21, 2021, as objective and accurate documents that reflect the independent judgment of the City in the identification, discussion and mitigation of the Project’s environmental impacts, and considered all testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and in the record before it.
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 751 Gateway Boulevard Project Plans, as prepared by RMW Architecture & Interiors, dated December 6, 2019; the Proposed Transportation Demand Management Plan, as prepared by Silvani Transportation Consulting, dated December, 2019; the 751 Gateway Boulevard Project EIR, including the Draft and Final EIR and all appendices thereto; all site plans; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission’s duly noticed January 21, 2021 public hearing; and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code §21080(e) and §21082.2), the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby finds as follows:
1. The foregoing recitals are true and correct and made a part of this Resolution.
2. The exhibits and attachments, including the Environmental Impact Report including the Draft EIR and Final EIR (attached as Exhibits D and A, respectively), the CEQA Findings including Statement of Overriding Considerations (attached as Exhibit B), and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (attached as 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, Tony Rozzi.
Based on the Planning Commission’s independent judgment and analysis, the Planning Commission makes the findings regarding the Project's significant and unavoidable impacts, potentially significant impacts, and less than significant impacts; makes the findings regarding the proposed mitigation measures, and the Project alternatives; and adopts the Statement of Overriding Considerations, finding that the benefits of the Project outweigh the Project’s significant and unavoidable environmental impacts, for the reasons, and as further set forth in Exhibit B, attached hereto and incorporated by reference.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution and certifies EIR19-0005 attached as Exhibit A, adopts the Statement of Overriding Consideration attached as Exhibit B, and adopts the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, attached as Exhibit C.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.