Centennial Village Update with Changes to Timing and Design

South San Francisco, CA       August 26, 2015  

Update on Centennial Village: Last Night March 22nd, City Council denied 3rd Amendment to take away some of the Prevailing Wage agreed upon by Developer. Instead voted to go into default proceedings. Developer has 30 days to come up with new plan. After 30 Days, city will vote to cancel project.- Jaime Gonzalez

South San Francisco’s planned Centennial Village Development will come before the City Council again this evening as the Applicant El Camino & Spruce LLC submits changes for approval. Changes submitted are outlined by the City as follows:

SUBJECT: Centennial Village development administrative agreement amendment to the development agreement between the City of South San Francisco and El Camino and Spruce, LLC (“first amendment”) for the previously entitled Centennial Village project to allow a 7-month extension to the timeframe to commence construction of the project at 180 El Camino Real in the El Camino real mixed use zoning district in accordance with SSFMC chapters 19.60 & 20.090.

Applicant:                   El Camino and Spruce LLC                                              Property Owner:         Shamain Partnership

Site Address:            180 El Camino Real (APN 014-183-110)          Case Nos.   P11-0065: DA13-0002 & DAA15-0001

STAFF RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving an Administrative Agreement Amendment to the Development Agreement for the Centennial Village Project at 180 El Camino Real.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION

On March 12, 2014, after review by the Design Review Board and Planning Commission, the City Council approved a Use Permit, Design Review, Transportation Demand Management Plan (TDM), and Development Agreement to allow the construction of a mixed-use project including approximately 222,000 square feet of commercial space, up to 284 residential units, a parking structure and surface parking, and other on- and off-site improvements (Project). The entitlement approvals also included adoption of Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) with a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.

Proposed Revisions to the Project Plans

 In the process of developing the building permit drawings to construct the project, the applicant has worked in concert with a residential developer to revise the general layout of the residential units. Revisions include:

• Wrapping apartments around the parking structures to allow residents to park on the same level as they live. Based on this revision, residential units will only be located above Safeway and Building E, and no longer above Major 2 or the Health
• Revising the residential unit layout to provide all units with views to roof-top open space
• Moving the underground parking from below Safeway to below the main parking field, providing more convenient parking for buildings along the periphery of the

The proposed modifications to the project design are in keeping with the original vision for the project, and will result in a development that better addresses the needs of both residents and the public. Staff supports the modifications as proposed. (See rendering below)

Administrative Agreement Amendment (“Administrative Amendment”)

As part of the Project approvals, the City and the applicant negotiated a Development Agreement to clarify and obligate several Project features and mitigation measures, including the timeframe in which construction of Phase 1 would commence after final approval by the City was granted.

Subsequent to obtaining entitlements for the Project, the applicant has completed conceptual and schematic design phases and is currently in the design development phase. Because the applicant is preleasing retail space prior to construction, additional coordination is required with each of the potential tenants, which has resulted in a longer design development phase than initially anticipated. Therefore, the applicant is requesting minor modifications to the Development Agreement that would revise the commencement date of Phase 1 construction from 18 months (which would occur on September 26, 2015) to 27 months (which would occur on June 26, 2016). The applicant is also requesting minor revisions to the description of the improvements required as part of the Phase 1 construction, in keeping with the proposed revisions to the project plans discussed above. No other changes to the DA are proposed at this time. The proposed amended language is shown below in strikeout/underline format:

Section 6.13(a)(i). Phase 1 construction will begin within 1827 months after final approval by the City of all discretionary approvals of the overall plan, and the passage of all applicable statutes of limitations without legal challenge and will include:

• All commercial buildings except Building
• All subterranean parking under the main surface parking lot Safeway/Major 2.
• Phase 1 Parking GarageSecond floor parking above Safeway/Major 2.
• A minimum of 150 apartment units above Safeway/Major
• All current site improvements and design

• No change to building architecture as approved by the City Council per DR11-0019.
• Structural/foundation enhancements for Health Club building sufficient to support approved residential construction and associated parking
• The second story of Buildings C and/or D may consist of exterior walls and roof only, as shown on the plans approved concurrently
• Developer must apply for the building permit for the Phase 1 Safeway/Major 2 commercial building, not including CVS concurrently with the building permit for the 150 Phase 1 residential units; the Safeway/Major 2 commercial building not including CVS and 150 unit residential building permits will only be issued
• The City shall not be obligated to issue any certificate of occupancy for the Phase 1 Safeway/Major 2 commercial building until construction of Phase 1 residential units, defined as vertical wall framing of the residential units, has

Section 7.02(a) of the Development Agreement provides that amendments to the DA that do not substantially affect (i) the term of the DA, (ii) permitted uses of the Project Site, (iii) provisions for the reservation or dedication of land, (iv) conditions, terms, restrictions or requirements for subsequent discretionary actions, (v) the density or intensity of use of the Project Site, or (vi) or monetary contributions by the Developer, can be approved by City Council resolution as an “Administrative Agreement Amendment.” None of these conditions exist here, and therefore, an Administrative Agreement Amendment is appropriate. The proposed Administrative Amendment is attached as Exhibit A to the Resolution. If the City Council approves the Administrative Amendment, the applicant anticipates the following schedule for development of the project:

• Submittal of Building Permit Drawings October 2015
• Demolition of existing buildings on site December 2015
• Commencement of Construction of Phase 1 March 2016

 GENERAL PLAN CONFORMITY AND ZONING CONSISTENCY

 The Project site is designated El Camino Real Mixed Use within the General Plan. The site is also located within the El Camino Real Mixed Use Zone District, which provides zoning for high-intensity active uses and mixed-use development. The Project is consistent with the guiding and implementing policies in the General Plan by creating a mixed-use environment within the required FAR parameters that emphasizes pedestrian-activity with buildings built up to the sidewalk along El Camino Real and South Spruce Ave, provides a well-articulated and visually engaging development that implements the goals of the Grand Boulevard Initiative and locates parking in a way that is not visually dominant. The Project remains consistent with all development standards of the District.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

 An Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) was prepared for the Project and was circulated on April 12, 2013 for a 30-day review period. A total of six comment letters were received from commenting agencies, but no significant environmental issues were raised.

A public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on August 15, 2013 to receive comments from the public on the ISIMND. The City Council adopted the IS/MND on March 12, 2014. The IS/MND included a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.

The modifications to the mixed-use development and development agreement would not include any substantive changes that would result in any additional environmental impacts and are within the parameters that were analyzed in the IS/MND. Therefore, no further CEQA action is required by the City Council at this time.

STAFF CONCLUSION

The proposed Administrative Agreement Amendment to the Development Agreement includes amendments related to the proposed commencement date of construction and minor revisions to the project, and remains consistent with the intent and purpose of the El Camino Real Mixed Use district. There are no new or increased environmental impacts that would occur as a result of the proposed Project modifications. Therefore, staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving an Administrative Agreement Amendment to the Development Agreement for the Centennial Village Project.

Photo: ssf.net

Original rendering

 For the full staff report  CLICK HERE

COUNCIL MEETING

The Council meeting will take place at 7pm at the MSB 33 Arroyo Drive and can be viewed live stream through the City’s website CLICK HERE or on community television channels Astound (Wave) – CH 26,  Comcast- CH 27, and AT&T  – CH 99. Council meetings are always held on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

For more Everything South City articles on the Centennial Village CLICK HERE