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ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
610 FOSTER CITY BOULEVARD
FOSTER CITY, CA 94404-2222
July 2, 2025
Ben Yu & Peter Banzhaf
201 Spear Street, Suite I I 00
San Francisco, CA 94105
[email protected] / [email protected]
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO REVIEW NEW BUILDING AT 388 VINT AGE PARK DRIVE - DES ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERS (PR2025-0004)
Dear Applicant,
On June 25, 2025, the members of the Interdepartmental Evaluation Committee (IDEC) reviewed information and/or plans For the project noted above.
Please review the IDEC members' comments/conditions below to ensure all requirements listed are completed/followed before and during the event. If any comments require clarification, please use the contact information listed with the department and title to contact the individual directly.
Police Department - Marcus Terry, Police Sergeant (650) 294-7578 [email protected] * No Comments.
Fire Department - Michele Orque, Fire Inspector (650) 522-7940 [email protected] @ Comments forthcoming.
Parks and Recreation Department - Tiffany Oren, Recreation Manager (650) 286-3395 [email protected]
* No Comments.
Public Works Department - Ryan Marquez, Senior Civil Engineer, (650) 286-3588, [email protected]
* Revised water and wastewater capacity studies will be required. Please coordinate with Public Works on methodology before undertaking significant work. * Revised traffic study will be required along with peer review. * Project will be subject to EMID Code 8.90 Water Neutrality Growth Ordinance.
Community Development Department - Chuck Venook, Building Inspection Division, Chief Building Official, (650) 286-3240, [email protected] * No Comments.
Community Development Department - Planning/Code Enforcement Division, Thai-Chau Le, Planning Manager, (650) 286-3244, [email protected] * Project Understandinq. The project site is located at 388 Vintage Park Drive project (APN 094-901-270) and was previously approved in 2022 for a General Development Plan Amendment (File No. RZ2021-0003, Ordinance No. 652) and Specific Development Plan/Use Permit (File No. UP2021-0023) to demolish the approximately 11,000 SF restaurant and construct a 124,395 SF, four-story 81-foot tall R&D Life Sciences Office building with associated parking, circulation, loading zones, and site improvements of research and development. Of the 124,395 SF building, 95,932 SF is of the R&D use. The project proposal is to add flexibility to allow for the following:
o Option A: Continue with the entitled 124,395 SF, four-story 81-foot tall R&D Life Sciences Office building (:95,000 SF of R&D space) and make parking stackers o 00pp'tOionnalB';aCseodns0tnru'cetnaan:t'ff0aOn0dsS%!ion A with an additional *125,000 SF building (i125,000 SF of which is R&D space), five-story 97-foot R&D Lire sciences Office building, and optional for additional parking stackers only upon tenant demand. This option is an increase of about :kl25,000 SF building space 30,000 SF of which is R&D)
Please let us know if we misunderstood the project proposal. * Planninq Entitlement Process.
o Because the project would increase square footage and further reducing parking, the project would be subject to a new General Development Plan (GDP) amendment and a new Use Permit, consistent with requirements from the Foster City Municipal Code (FCMC). The GDP would be reviewed with the City Council and the Use Permit (UP)would be reviewed by Planning Commission. * Development Impact Fees.
o The previously approved project was subject to Affordable Housing Commercial Linkage Fees. Please note that the project may be subject to additional development impact fees.
* Vintage Park Desiqn Guidelines.
o Please provide a narrative on how the project would continue to conform to the Vintage Park Design Guidelines with Option B that would add height to the project options.
o Provide a written approval of the proposed project by the Vintage Park Community Association (VPCA) is required to be provided.
* Chanqes to Parkinq.
o For both options, the applicant is asking for a parking reduction and deviation from the Municipal Code parking requirements. Please provide a parking study with a Transportation Demand Management plan and measures that would justify the parking reduction request.
* Environmental Review
o A new environmental analysis shall be completed to analyze Option B and to update relevant sections that may have changed since the adoption of the previous Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Updated technical reports should include traffic study, parking study, utilities capacity analysis (e.g. water and sewer), air quality data, and noise data. The information for these studies could be used for the Preliminary Review ("Gatekeeper") meeting.
* Other Studies and Reports.
o Provide a narrative of the long-term vision for the subject site, including the complementarity and compatibility of the proposed land use to surrounding developments, and reasons for the proposed changes to the previously entitled project.
o Provide a narrative on potential feasible types of R&D uses for the site. o The previously approved project was proposed to be LEED Silver Equivalent.
Please verify if the new proposed project scenarios will remain the same. o Provide a recent and updated market feasibility study for the proposed project, including the anticipated success of a new office/research and development facility and associated site improvements.
o Provide any narrative on circulation and if that would change with the Option B scenario.
o Provide a compliance narrative or report on project's consistency with the City's Climate Action Plan.
* Previously Approved Conditions of Approval (COAs). All conditions of approvals (COAs) From the previously approved Use Permit (File No. UP2021-0023) would likely continue to apply to this project due to the similarity of scope. However, the City may update the language to be more consistent with existing local, regional, State, and Federal requirements.
* It is recommended that the proposed project be designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver equivalent or similar minimum level of green-building design. Provide information regarding sustainable/green features anticipated to be incorporated in the building design. * Next Steps.
o The applicant has expressed interest in bringing the Preliminary Review application to a City Council Preliminary Review meeting ("Gatekeeper Meeting") and this is tentatively scheduled for late August 2025. Following initial review through the Preliminary Review application (City Council Preliminary Review), the proposed project will require to submit all required applications and pay all required deposits to formally initiate Planning's entitlement reviews. Applications shall include:
General Application form for GPD and UP
s Building Permit Acknowledgement Form
s Environmental assessment applicable
Forms are available here: https://www.fostercity.orq/forms Detailed information regarding outstanding items will be provided following submittal of a General Plan Development (GDP) and Use Permit applications and staff review of the submitted application.
We appreciate the opportunity to work with you on this project and hope that our comments will be helpful. Please contact the respective department with any questions. p.p. Sofia Mangalam
Community Development Director
cc: IDEC members