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Report regarding making findings and determining that the vacation of a portion of Cypress Avenue in relation to the Firehouse Work and Firehouse Live projects located at 201 Baden Avenue in the Downtown Transit Core (DTC) Zoning District is in conformity with the South San Francisco adopted General Plan in accordance with provisions of State Planning Law (Govt. Code Section 65402). (Stephanie Skangos, Associate Planner)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Commission determine, by motion, that the vacation of a portion of Cypress Avenue in relation to the Firehouse Work and Firehouse Live projects located at 201 Baden Avenue is in conformity with the South San Francisco adopted General Plan in accordance with provisions of State Planning Law (Govt. Code Section 65402).
MOTION FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
(1) Move to find the proposed vacation is consistent with the South San Francisco adopted General Plan.
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BACKGROUND/ DISCUSSION
Site Overview
The project site, currently owned by the City, is located at 201 Baden Avenue in the Downtown Transit Core (DTC) sub-district of the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP) District. The site consists of three parcels (APNs 012-335-100 and 012-335-110, with the third not possessing an APN), and a portion of the Cypress Avenue public right-of-way bisects the property. There is an existing retired firehouse and surface parking lot on the site.
As part of a larger proposal for the site, which includes the retention of the existing firehouse for commercial purposes on one half of the site (Firehouse Work) and the development of housing on the second half of the site (Firehouse Live), the project site will be reconfigured and a portion of Cypress Avenue will be vacated. As such, a Lot Line Adjustment and Street Vacation would be required for the overall project to develop this site. It should be noted that the Firehouse Work component of the project is currently moving forward and is separately being considered by the Planning Commission at its November 3 meeting.
The Street Vacation involves vacating a portion of Cypress Avenue that bisects the property and extends from Baden Avenue to Second Lane. This portion of Cypress Avenue has not been used as a public right-of-way and is already developed with the existing firehouse and surface parking lot (Attachment 1).
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
In accordance with provisions of State Planning Law (Govt. Code Section 65402), prior to disposition of real property and vacation of a public right-of-way, the Planning Commission as the planning agency for the City is required to find such street vacation is in conformity with the adopted general plan. On September 16, 2021, the Planning Commission determined that the disposition of two City of South San Francisco-owned properties located at 201 Baden Avenue (APN 012-335-100 and APN 012-335-110) in the Downtown Transit Core for the purposes of the overall project and site development is in conformity with the South San Francisco adopted General Plan.
The General Plan Land Use Designation for the 201 Baden Avenue property is Downtown Transit Core, which includes specific policies related to development within the Downtown in an effort to “Promote infill development, intensification, and reuse of currently underutilized sites”. The proposed vacation of the portion of Cypress Avenue that bisects the subject property will allow for the completion of entitlements for a larger project that will include activating an underutilized site and promoting infill development, as well as providing a mix of new housing and commercial opportunities that will still be compatible in scale with the Downtown district and conform to the General Plan Land Use Policies. The proposed vacation will allow the Firehouse Work and Firehouse Live projects in furtherance of these goals. Therefore, the proposed vacation is consistent with the General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed street vacation is necessary for the proposed restoration of the Firehouse for commercial purposes and the development of a fully-affordable (82 unit housing project) with ground floor commercial. The Firehouse Work and Firehouse Live projects are subject to separate CEQA analysis as part of the respective projects. The current request to the Planning Commission is to make a finding of the consistency with respect to the Cypress Avenue street vacation to the General Plan. Therefore, no CEQA action is required by the Planning Commission at this time.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that the Planning Commission make findings that determines that the vacation of a portion of Cypress Avenue in relation to the Firehouse Work and Firehouse Live projects located at 201 Baden Avenue, in the Downtown Transit Core Zoning District, is in conformity with the South San Francisco adopted General Plan in accordance with provisions of State Planning Law (Govt. Code Section 65402).
Attachments:
1. Proposed Street Vacation