General Plan Amendment
The current General Plan Land Use Designation for the project site parcel is Freeway Commercial (FC). The FC Zoning Ordinance District does not currently allow Research and Development uses and allows office use only with a Conditional Use Permit. However, given the proximity of the project site to the Downtown Area, the General Plan Preferred Land Use Scenario (PLUS) envisions the project site and the nearby vicinity as an area suitable for East of 101 Transit Core designation, and is described as:
Transit-oriented community with a walkable street pattern and a vibrant mix of high-density multifamily and employment uses with supportive retail, services, and amenities (minimum FAR from 2.0 up to 8.0 with community benefits; maximum residential densities up to 120 du/ac to 200 du/ac).
The project has been designed to implement this PLUS vision. The project proposes an employment use development with a maximum FAR of 3.19, with a community benefits proposal, that is located adjacent to high-quality and regional transit.
At this point in the ShapeSSF General Plan Update process, no further zoning standards or details are available. Also, the project parcel is located within the study area boundaries of the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, but no land use designation, zoning, or development standards were assigned. Thus, the project is largely being designed in the mold and expectation of nearby DSASP zoning that has been proven successful for high density employment developments near transit.
Specifically, to ensure land use compatibility, the proposed project would conform closely to Transit Office/R&D Core (TO/RD) development standards as described in Section 20.080.002 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code.
The TO/RD sub-district is intended to provide a location for the highest intensity office or R&D uses in immediate proximity to the Caltrain Station. In addition, with the relocation of the Caltrain Station and construction of a pedestrian and bicycle rail undercrossing, this sub-district will provide convenient access to Grand Avenue and the surrounding areas and will support commercial revitalization.
In order to accommodate the proposed project, the applicant proposes a text and map amendment to the General Plan. The proposed text amendment would add new text to the General Plan, allowing the City to apply the Transit Office/R&D Core (TO/RD) land use designation to additional areas it deems appropriate for transit-oriented development. The proposed text revisions to pg. 2-20 through 2-21 of the General Plan, where the General Plan Commercial Transit Office/R&D Core land use designation is defined, are as follows:
Chapter 2: Land Use
COMMERCIAL
Transit Office / R&D Core
The Transit Office/R&D Core area is generally bounded on the north by East Grand Avenue and extends to the parcels directly north of the South San Francisco Caltrain Station along Dubuque Avenue, on the east by Gateway Boulevard, on the south by South Airport Boulevard, and on the west by Industrial Way and the US 101 right-of-way. It is currently a mix of parking lots and low scale service and light industrial uses. This urban employment district would be characterized by a walkable street pattern, more like Downtown than the suburban-style developments that dominate much of the East of 101 area. With the extension of the Caltrain Station and construction of the pedestrian bicycle underpass, this area will be well connected to the Downtown, providing an opportunity for a significant number of workers to easily access downtown amenities.
Taller buildings are suitable here in conformance with the FAA height limitations. The area would lend itself to corporate office, hotels, and other major facilities due to its high visibility from US 101 and proximity to San Francisco International Airport, Downtown San Francisco, and the various employment centers on the Peninsula. Along the extension of Grand Avenue to the east beyond the rail tracks undercrossing, limited retail and services may be feasible in the long run and to provide amenities for nearby employees. The allowable development intensity in the area would be 1.5 to 2.5 floor area ratio (FAR). A FAR up to 3.5 may be allowed if specific criteria are met.
Project Site
General Plan Amendment
580 Dubuque Avenue - Land Use Regulations
Table 20.110.002 Current Proposed
Use Classification Freeway Commercial (FC) Planned Development (PD) Residential Uses
Caretaker Unit - -
Residential Care Facilities See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below General - -
Limited - -
Public & Semi-Public Use Classifications
Colleges and Trade Schools - -
Community Assembly, 2k sf or less - -
Community Assembly, More than 2k sf - -
Cultural Institutions - -
Day Care Centers - -
Emergency Shelter - -
Government Offices - -
Hospitals and Clinics See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Clinics - -
Hospitals - -
Park and Recreation Facilities, Public MUP MUP
Public Safety Facilities P P
Schools, Public or Private - -
Social Service Facilities - -
Commercial Uses
Adult Oriented Businesses - -
Animal Care, Sales and Services See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Kennels - -
Pet Stores P P
Pet Day Care - -
Veterinary Services - -
Automobile / Vehicle Sales and Services See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Automobile/Vehicle Rentals - -
Automobile/Vehicle Sales and Services C C
Automobile/Vehicle Repair, Major - -
Automobile/Vehicle Service and Repair, Minor - -
Automobile/Vehicle Washing - -
Rental Car Storage - -
Service Station C C
Towing and Impound - -
Banks and Financial Institutions See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Banks and Credit Unions - -
Pawnbrokers - -
Other Financial Services - -
Alternative Loan Businesses - -
Building Materials Sales and Services - -
Business Services - -
Commercial Cannabis Businesses See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Cannabis Delivery-Only Operations - -
Cannabis Distribution - -
Cannabis Indoor Cultivation - -
Cannabis Manufacturing - -
Cannabis Testing - -
Commercial Entertainment and Recreation See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Amusement Arcade - -
Indoor Entertainment C C
Indoor Sports and Recreation C C
Outdoor Entertainment - -
Outdoor Sports and Recreation - -
Crop Production, Limited - -
Eating and Drinking Establishments See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Bars/Night Clubs/Lounges - -
Coffee Shops/Cafes C C
Restaurant, Full Service P P
Restaurant, Limited Service C C
Food and Beverage Retail Sales See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Convenience Market - -
Grocery Store C (1) C (1)
Supermarket C (1) C (1)
Funeral Parlors and Mortuaries - -
Lodging See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Hotels and Motels P P
Maintenance and Repair Services - -
Massage Businesses MUP MUP
Offices See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Business and Professional C P
Medical and Dental - -
Parking Services See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Commercial Parking P (8) P (8)
Public Parking P P
Personal Services See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below General Personal Services P P
Tattoo or Body Modification Parlor C C
Retail Sales See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below General Sales P P
Firearm Sales - -
Large Format Retail P P
Second Hand Store - -
Swap Meet - -
Shopping Center - -
Neighborhood P P
Community P P
Regional P P
Employment Uses
Construction and Material Yard - -
Food Preparation - -
Handcraft/Custom Manufacturing - -
Industry, General - -
Industry, Limited - -
Recycling Facility See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Collection Facility - -
Intermediate Processing - -
Research & Development - P
Clean Technology - -
Salvage and Wrecking - -
Warehousing, Storage, and Distribution See sub-classifications below See sub-classifications below Chemical, Mineral, and Explosives Storage - -
Freight/Truck Terminals and Warehouses - -
Indoor Warehousing and Storage - -
Outdoor Storage - -
Personal Storage - -
Wholesaling and Distribution - -
Transportation and Utilities Uses
Airports and Heliports
Light Fleet-Based - -
Tansportation Passenger Terminals - -
Utilities, Major - -
Utilities, Minor P P
Waste Transfer Facility - -
Other Applicable Use Regulations
Accessory Uses See Section 20.300.002 Accessory
Buildings and Structures
See Section 20.300.002 Accessory
Buildings and Structures
Nonconforming Use See Chapter 20.320 Nonconforming
Uses, Structures, and Lots
See Chapter 20.320 Nonconforming
Uses, Structures, and Lots
Temporary Use See Chapter 20.340 Temporary Use See Chapter 20.340 Temporary Use Limitations:
1. Prohibited east of 101.
2. Subject to state licensing requirements.
3. Only in conjunction with research facility.
4. Limited to locations east of South Airport
Boulevard and the Bayshore Freeway.
5. Must be located a minimum of 500 feet from
any Residential district.
6. Only within hotels and motels.
7. Must be associated with a hotel or retail use
when located within 1,000 feet of SFO.
8. Restricted to: (a) areas located underneath
major utility lines or under elevated freeways; or (b)
consistent with General Plan Policy 3.2-I-5, airportoriented parking facilities on Produce Avenue that were legally approved prior to 1999.
9. Tasting rooms require Minor Use Permit
approval.
10. In accordance with General Plan Policy 3.5-I-11
and Resolution 84-97, legally approved freight
forwarding, customs brokering, wholesale,
warehousing, and distribution uses that existing in
1997 (or were approved prior to July 10, 2000 with a
Use Permit) are considered conforming uses and may
convert to other industrial uses including wholesale,
warehouse, and distribution uses, and may expand
within parcel boundaries as they existed at the time
Resolution 84-97 was adopted, subject to meeting the
current development standards (Municipal Code);
however, said uses may not expand, convert to, reconvert to, or establish a freight forwarding use.
11. Only within enclosed buildings and south of
Grand Avenue.
580 Dubuque Avenue
Lot, Density, and FAR Standards - DSASP/PD
Applicable Zoning Existing Proposed
Standard - Table 20.280.004-1 TO/RD FC Planned Development (PD) Min Lot Size (sf) 10000 43,560 10000
Min Lot Width (sf) 50 50 50
Min Lot Depth (sf) N/A n/a N/A
FAR
Min FAR 1.5 - 1.5
Max FAR 2.5 0.50; 1.2 for Hotels and Motels 2.5
Max FAR w/ Incentive Program 3.5 1.0; 2.0 for Hotels and Motels 3.5 Residential Density (units per acre; included within FAR above) Min Density N/A N/A N/A
Max Density N/A N/A N/A
Max Density w/ Incentive Program N/A N/A N/A
Standard - Table 20.280.004-2 DTC
Height (ft)
Max Bldg Height FAA allowed 50 FAA allowed
Min Ground Floor Height for Nonresidential Uses 15; 12 min clearance - 15; 12 min clearance Max Finished Floor Height (residential) N/A - N/A
Yards (ft)
Grand Ave. (east and west) frontage 0 - 0
Pedestrian Priority Zone Street Frontage N/A - N/A
Eastern Neighborhood Streets Except Grand Ave. Frontage 20 - 20 Interior Side N/A 0; 10 along R district boundary N/A
Rear 10 for the first two stories, 15 thereafter (C) 0; 10 along R district boundary 10 for the first two stories, 15 thereafter (C) Max Lot Coverage (% of lot) 85 50 85
Min Usable Open Space (sf per residential unit) Refer to Section 20.280.007(K) - Refer to Section 20.280.007(K) Min Amount of Landscaping (% of site) 15 15 15