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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso - CC - 145-2021RESOLUTION NO. 145-2021 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURLINGAME AMENDING THE BURLINGAME GENERAL PLAN TO INCREASE THE FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) FOR OFFICE AND RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON PROPERTIES FRONTING OLD BAYSHORE HIGHWAY IN THE BAYFRONT AREA AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SPECIFICITY TO SEA LEVEL RISE GOALS AND POLICIES WHEREAS, in 2015, the City of Burlingame initiated a multi -year process on a community -led effort to update the City's General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, called "Envision Burlingame"; and WHEREAS, on January 7, 2019, the City Council adopted the new General Plan pursuant to City Council Resolution No. 006-2019, and WHEREAS, pursuant to state CEQA Guidelines section 15168, the City prepared a Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the new General Plan; and on January 7, 2019, the City Council certified the Final EIR for the new General Plan, pursuant to City Council Resolution No. 005-2019; and WHEREAS, State Law allows the legislative body of a county or city to amend any mandatory element of the General Plan up to four (4) times a year; and WHEREAS, an increase in the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for office and research/development projects on properties fronting Old Bayshore Highway was considered by the City Council on March 1, 2021, and at a joint City Council/Planning Commission meeting on April 24, 2021; and WHEREAS, The General Plan includes the Innovation Industrial Land Use District, which is intended to accommodate light industrial and logistics uses, with complementary commercial businesses; and WHEREAS, properties fronting Old Bayshore Highway face the Bayfront Commercial Land Use District, which permits uses including entertainment establishments, restaurants, hotels and motels, retail, and higher -intensity office uses including both general office and life sciences/lab offices; and WHEREAS, an increased FAR for office and research/development projects on properties fronting Old Bayshore Highway would be compatible with both the Innovation Industrial and Bayfront Commercial Land Use Districts because the Old Bayshore Highway properties are situated between both districts; and WHEREAS, an increased FAR for office and research/development projects on properties fronting Old Bayshore Highway to up to 2.75 would be compatible with comparable development in the adjacent Bayfront Commercial Land Use District, which allows an FAR of up to 3.0 for office and research/development projects; and WHEREAS, the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury released a report entitled, "California's Ground Zero for Sea Level Rise" on August 11, 2021; and WHEREAS, the report examined the risk of Sea Level Rise (SLR) in San Mateo County, noting "more people and property are at risk from rising seas in San Mateo County than any other California county," and recommends collaboration among affected cities, the County, and private entities in order to find solutions to the complex, long-term problem of SLR; and WHEREAS, the report included 13 findings and four recommendations; and WHEREAS, Grand Jury Recommendation R4 recommends that the County Board of Supervisors and each city and town council, should ensure that their general plans regarding SLR protection include transportation and utility infrastructure, schools, public safety facilities, and hazardous material sites; WHEREAS, Burlingame General Plan Community Safety Element includes Goal CS-5, which specifies protecting vulnerable areas and infrastructure from flooding related to rising sea levels in the San Francisco Bay; and WHEREAS, Burlingame General Plan Policy CS-5.6 (Sea Level Rise Defense Strategy) is recommended to be amended to read: "Develop and implement a local sea level rise defense strategy for Burlingame that includes protection for transportation and utility infrastructure, schools, public safety facilities, and hazardous material sites, and include identification of funding mechanisms." as outlined in Exhibit "A" attached hereto. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURLINGAME DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Burlingame General Plan shall be amended to increase the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for Office and Research/Development projects on properties fronting Old Bayshore Highway in the Bayfront Area, as outlined in Exhibit "A" attached hereto. Section 2. Burlingame General Plan Policy CS-5.6 shall be amended to provide additional specificity to Sea Level Rise Goals and Policies, as outlined in Exhibit "A" attached hereto. Section 3. The City Council finds and determines that no subsequent environmental review as described in Section 15162 of the state CEQA Guidelines is required because since the City Council certified the Final EIR for the General Plan, no substantial changes have been made in the Project (as defined in the Final EIR), no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the Project is being approved, no changes are proposed to the total buildout for the Bayfront area as a whole (as defined by Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ) 1948, 1949, 11725, 12278, and 12279), and no new information of substantial importance has been known. Furthermore, adoption of the General Plan amendments do not trigger additional environmental review as provided in state CEQA Guideline section 15168(c). �L �� /(��z (��_ Ann O'Brien Keighran, Mayor I, MEAGHAN HASSEL-SHEARER, City Clerk of the City of Burlingame, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 61 day of December, 2021, and was adopted thereafter by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: BEACH, BROWNRIGG, COLSON, O'BRIEN KEIGH, tAN, 9RTIZ NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE � ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: NONE' rer, City Clerk EXHIBIT "A" Amendments to the 2040 General Plan: Amend Innovation Industrial (1/1) Land Use Development Standards: - Maximum Intensity: 0.75 FAR for industrial and commercial uses; 2.75 FAR for office/research & development uses fronting Old Bayshore Highway; 3.0 FAR for hospitality uses Amend General Plan Policy CS-5.6 — Sea Level Rise Defense Strategy: Develop and implement a local sea level rise defense strategy for Burlingame that includes protection for transportation and utility infrastructure, schools, public safety facilities, and hazardous material sites, and include identification of funding mechanisms."