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South San Francisco eyeing limits on analysis and improvement | Native Information

South San Francisco City Council is considering banning research and development along the El Camino Real corridor within city limits, as well as tightening the language banning certain e-commerce-related distribution centers in the area.

The council discussed the matter during its meeting on Wednesday, during which council members expressed their support for the amendment to the zoning law.

“We’re seeing an overheated R&D market and some of the ideas we had for potential homes east of 101 were quickly dashed by R&D projects that came quickly and furiously,” said Mayor Mark Addiego. “I think it is very important that the heart of the city, the El Camino Real Corridor, is really for the South San Franciscans, this is really our economic zone.”

R&D work is a key component of the biotech industry, which is still expanding in the region, and the ban would remove compatibility issues as such facilities, which are sometimes “24-hour” in nature, move to low-density residential areas, so a presentation at the city council meeting on Wednesday.

R&D facilities east of Highway 101 have traditionally been successful, and other R&D opportunities exist west of Highway 101 in the Lindenville neighborhood, the presentation said.

A second component of the proposed change would relate to sales establishments that have seen tremendous growth from the rapid rise in online shopping, especially during the pandemic.

“Our current zoning regulation was passed in 2010, it simply did not take into account the use of e-commerce sales as we experience and use it today,” said Tony Rozzi, the city’s chief planner.

The change would update the carrier definition to include a distribution center definition that did not previously exist. It would also introduce the term “parcel hub,” which includes users like Amazon and UPS. These uses are likely to continue in mixed industrial areas with a conditional use permit, Rozzi said.

During the meeting, Councilors Eddie Flores and James Coleman raised concerns about a previously received application for an R&D exploitation project at 180 El Camino Real at the southernmost tip of the corridor within the city.

The SteelWave sponsored project would replace the closed Safeway and construct three buildings totaling approximately 750,000 square feet for R&D use.

“My only concern about our home-to-job ratio is if we allow hundreds of more jobs in the area where we already have so many jobs – that would lead to a lot more traffic jams,” said Coleman.

The project, if approved, would be exempted from the ban after a grace period of 180 days, Rozzi said. It’s also outside of the worrying area and close to the San Bruno BART station, he said.

The recommended zoning change will require a second reading at a later date before being adopted.

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