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Resolution making findings and recommending that the City Council approve the Southline Specific Plan and the related General Plan Amendments and Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance amendments, to collectively allow and establish regulations for transit-oriented office and research and development (R&D) in a 28.5-acre site adjacent to the San Bruno BART station in the Lindenville Sub-Area
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WHEREAS, Lane Partners (“Applicant”) has submitted an application requesting approval of a General Plan Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Specific Plan, Phase 1 Precise Plan, a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan, Design Review, a Vesting Tentnative Map, and a Development Agreement to redevelop a 28.5 acre industrial site in the Lindenville Sub-Area with up to 2.8 million square feet of R&D / office development, commercial amenities, open space improvements, and on- and off-site infrastructure improvements at the intersection of Tanforan and South Maple Avenues (30 Tanforan Avenue, 40 Tanforan, 50 Tanforan Avenue, 54 Tanforan Avenue, 80 Tanforan Avenue, 315 S. Maple Avenue, 319 S. Maple Avenue, 325 S. Maple Avenue, 347 S. Maple Avenue, 349 S. Maple Avenue, 160 S. Linden Avenue, 180 S. Linden Avenue, 240 Dollar Avenue) (“Southline Specific Project” or “Project”); and
WHEREAS, the Applicant has proposed a Specific Plan, as set forth in Exhibit A, to establish a development vision, zoning regulations, development standards, and design guidelines for the Project Area; and
WHEREAS, the Project is consistent with the City’s General Plan policy direction for redeveloping the Project area with transit-oriented employment uses adjacent to the San Bruno BART station and creating a new east-west connection from Sneath Avenue to Dollar Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant has proposed General Plan Amendments, as set forth in Exhibit B, to ensure internal consistency between the Specific Plan and the General Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Applicant has proposed amendments to the City’s Zoning Map (Rezone) and Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance) including adding a new Chapter 20.290 to adopt the Southline Specific Plan, as set forth in Exhibit C;
WHEREAS, cumulatively, the Specific Plan, the General Plan Amendments, the Rezone and the Ordinance amendments provide a policy and zoning framework for redevelopment of the Project area; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) which evaluates the significant and potentially significant impacts of the Project, the growth inducing impacts of the Project, the cumulative impacts of the Project, and alternatives to the proposed Project; and,
WHEREAS, the DEIR was circulated for the required 45-day public comment period on September 28, 2021 and ended on November 12, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a lawfully noticed public hearing on November 4, 2021 to solicit public comment on the DEIR; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed and carefully considered in the information in the DEIR and FEIR (EIR), and by separate resolution, recommended that the City Council certify the EIR and adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission reviewed and carefully considered the proposed Specific Plan, General Plan Amendments, Zoning Map Amendment, and Zoning Ordinance Amendment; and,
WHEREAS, on June 2, 2022 the Planning Commission held a lawfully noticed public hearing to solicit public comment and consider the EIR and the proposed entitlements, take public testimony and make a recommendation to the City Council on the Southline Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that based on the entirety of the record before it, which includes without limitation, CEQA and CEQA Guidelines, 14 California Code of Regulations § 15000, et seq.; the South San Francisco General Plan and General Plan EIR, including all amendments and updates thereto; the South San Francisco Municipal Code; the draft Southline Specific Plan, the draft General Plan Amendments, the draft Southline Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance Amendments, the Southline EIR, including the Draft and Final EIR, and all appendices thereto; all reports, minutes, and public testimony submitted as part of the Planning Commission meeting of June 2, 2022 and any other evidence (within the meaning of Public Resources Code § 21080(e) and § 21082.2) (“Record”), the City of South San Francisco Planning Commission hereby finds as follows:
SECTION 1 FINDINGS
I. 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 Southline Specific Plan (Exhibit A), the draft General Plan Amendments (Exhibit B), and the proposed Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance Amendments (Exhibit C), are each incorporated by reference and made a part of this Resolution, as if set forth fully herein.
3. By separate Resolution, the Planning Commission, exercising its independent judgment and analysis, has found that an EIR was prepared for the Southline Project in accordance with CEQA, 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 proposed Project; the Planning Commission has further found that the benefits of approving the Project outweigh the Project’s significant and unavoidable impacts; accordingly, the Planning Commission has recommended that the City Council certify the EIR for the Project and adopt a statement of overriding considerations, in accordance with CEQA.
4. 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 Chief Planner, Tony Rozzi.
II. General Plan Amendment Findings
1. The proposed General Plan Amendment for the Project will modify the Land Use Element Figure 2-1 (Land Use Diagram), Figure 2-3 (Special Area Height Limitations), and Figure 2-7 (Specific Area Plans and Redevelopment Areas) and the Planning Sub-Areas Element Unnumbered Figure on pg. 3-12 to reflect adoption of the Southline Specific Plan. The amendments are intended as minor alterations to the General Plan to reflect the boundaries and land use program of the Southline Specific Plan.
2. As required under State law, the South San Francisco General Plan, and the South San Francisco Municipal Code, in support of General Plan Amendments, the Planning Commission finds that the proposed General Plan Amendments are otherwise consistent with the South San Francisco General Plan, do not obstruct or impede achievement of any General Plan policies, and furthers a number of important Guiding and Implementing Policies set forth in the Land Use, Planning Sub-Areas, Transportation Elements, including without limitation:
• Guiding Policy 2-G-2: “Maintain 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.”
• Lindenville Guiding Policy 3.2-G-2: “Develop new streets and through connections to facilitate truck movement; improve access to U.S. 101, and provide better connectivity between the proposed San Bruno BART station and Downtown.”
• Lindenville Guiding Policy 3.2-G-3: “Enhance the appearance of the area by undertaking streetscape and other improvements.”
• Lindenville Guiding Policy 3.2-G-4: “Improve buffering between industrial areas in Lindenville and surrounding residential neighborhoods.”
III. Southline Specific Plan Findings
1. With minor revisions to the General Plan through the associated General Plan Amendment, the Southline Specific Plan will be consistent with the General Plan.
2. Adoption of the Southline Specific Plan will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the City because the Plan would provide for sufficient development, land use, and performance standards related to new development. More specifically, the Plan includes policies and design guidelines to address land use and urban design, circulation and parking, open space and landscaping, sustainability, and infrastructure to remain consistent with the General Plan. Additionally, the Plan will further the public interest by focusing new high-quality commercial development and infrastructure investment adjacent to high-quality transit, as recommended in the General Plan’s land use element and Lindenville planning sub-area.
3. The Southline Specific Plan, as evaluated as part of the CEQA process, is physically suitable for the proposed land use designation(s) and the anticipated development will redevelop underutilized industrial sites with a high-quality employment campus proximate to multi-modal transit, will implement a new east-west roadway connection through the Lindenville sub-area, will update infrastructure and utilities, will provide publicly-accessible open space, and will contribute to the City’s public services and amenities.
4. Development of the Southline Specific Plan will be superior to development otherwise allowed under conventional zoning classifications since the Plan provides additional design guidelines and development standards to promote higher-quality commercial development, requires sustainability and conservation features integrated into new development beyond what is required by conventional zoning, and requires enhancements to circulation, streetscape and landscape improvements, pedestrian and bicycle access and utilities and infrastructure. The project, through the adoption of the Plan, allows calculation of Floor Area Ratio across the Plan Area, and will facilitate the construction of a new east-west connection in this part of the City.
IV. Zoning Map and Text Amendment Findings
1. As described in more detail in Exhibit C and as illustrated in Figure 20.290.01, adoption of the Proposed Southline Specific Plan will include amendments to the South San Francisco Zoning Map and Title 20 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code, to ensure consistency between the General Plan, and the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance, and to implement the Southline Specific Plan. The Zoning Map will be amended to add the Southline Campus (SC) Zoning District. The Zoning Ordinance will be amended to identify allowable land uses and establish development standards for property within the Southline Campus district.
2. The proposed Rezone and Ordinance amendments are consistent with the adopted General Plan, as proposed for amendment, because the Rezone and Ordinance amendments will reinforce the General Plan policies related to land use and transportation, specifically located high-quality employment uses proximate to multi-modal transit opportunities, and creating additional connections and linkages in the Lindenville sub-area. Further, the Rezone and Ordinance Amendments do not conflict with any specific plans, and will remain consistent with the City’s overall vision for redevelopment within the Lindenville sub-area. 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 as proposed for amendment.
3. The subject property, i.e. the Southline Specific Plan Area, is suitable for the uses permitted in the proposed Southline Campus Zoning District in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses, and other considerations deemed relevant by the Planning Commission and City Council because the introduction of the Rezone and Ordinance Amendments will introduce land use regulations and development standards to create a high-quality, high-intensity commercial employment center proximate to multi-modal transportation options.
4. The proposed Rezone and Ordinance Amendments, with the addition of the Southline Campus Zoning District, is not detrimental to the use of land in any adjacent zone because the Rezone and Ordinance amendments would provide for sufficient development, land use, and performance standards related to new development or alteration.
SECTION 2 AMENDMENTS
The proposed General Plan Amendments, the Southline Specific Plan, and the Zoning Map and Zoning Text Amendment are set forth respectively in Exhibits A, B and C, and made a part of this resolution as provided herein. All other sections, subsections, tables, figures, graphics and text that are not amended by the proposed Amendments attached shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3 RECOMMENDATION
Now, therefore, Be it Further Resolved that the Planning Commission of the City of South San Francisco hereby makes the findings contained in this Resolution and recommends that the City Council: adopt the General Plan Amendment attached as Exhibit A; adopt the Southline Specific Plan attached as Exhibit B; and adopt an ordinance adopting the Southline Specific Plan Zoning Map and Text Amendments, attached as Exhibit C.
Be it further resolved that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption.
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