Grand plans to redevelop the Shops of Tanforan into a 44-acre mixed-use village with 2 million square feet of life science buildings, retail and 1,000 multi-family homes was met with serious concern by San Francisco International Airport over noise and how the building heights could interfere with the flight path.
Still, the San Bruno City Council decided to override that concern as outlined in Airport and Land Use Committee zoning restrictions stating the area would be too loud for residential housing at a meeting Nov. 15. The committee, which is part of the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County, expressed concerns in a letter to the city over its general plan which reimagines the Shops at Tanforan and the San Bruno Pet Hospital as possible residential locations on El Camino Real.
Councilmember Marty Medina said the city needed to override the concerns so it could plan for the state’s housing requirements.
“It’s what we need to do in order to add more housing to San Bruno and it just happens to be under where the airport flies,” said Medina.
In an effort to meet its state-mandated housing requirements, the city needs to plan for 3,640 housing units in its Regional Housing Needs Allocation cycle yet a letter sent to the city by San Francisco International Airport said the Association of Bay Area Governments, which sets the RHNA requirements, erred in excluding airport noise criteria from its methodology.
Nupur Sinha, director of planning and environmental affairs at San Francisco International Airport, expressed deep concern in a letter to the city for its allowance for housing units at the Tanforan site. The letter states the committee insists residential areas are incompatible with noise levels over 70 decibels, which the Tanforan site does experience.
“Many airport departure procedures are designed to ascend over the Tanforan site, and residents would experience extreme and persistent noise from aircraft departures,” said Sinha in the letter.
Sinha also addressed building height concerns, stating the ALUC deems 55 to 90 feet height limits for buildings in the airport land use zones. Tanforan’s site is prepared to allow for buildings to reach 126 feet, the same height as the existing Target store at Tanforan, according to the Tanforan for San Bruno website.
“The site poses threats to safe aircraft operations — especially as it pertains to wildlife attractants, particularly large flocks of birds — and building materials/features that reflect and create bright lights/glare,” Sinha said in the letter, adding that it could also affect the airport’s ability to transport high-value cargo.
Additionally, SFO said the city’s decision to override restrictions at the Tanforan site will make it ineligible for federal or local grants for sound insulation or repairs of insulation materials when they fail and will ultimately free the airport of any liabilities.
City Manager Jovan Grogan said that if a project is proposed at the site the city will uphold the highest building materials standards to help mitigate the noise. Grogan said ABAG and the city identified the Tanforan site as an area for new housing development for many reasons, most notably its proximity to BART, Caltrain, Interstate 280, Interstate 380 and Highway 101.
“Planning for new housing near transit is critical for the environment and helps to reduce local traffic congestion,” said Grogan. “A local override of airport land use restrictions is a common practice to ensure that development can occur in cities near airports.”
The city plans to work closely with the airport to balance community needs while meeting the state’s housing requirements, he added.
C/CAG’s Airport and Land Use Committee is advisory and assists local agencies in ensuring compatible land uses near airports. It provides land use policies, height limits, and recommendations for development in the areas surrounding the airport, according to a staff report.
The goal is to prioritize public health, safety, and welfare by limiting exposure to excessive noise and safety hazards around the airport.
Tanforan’s plans started taking shape in February when Alexandria Real Estate completed the purchase of the three separately owned private parcels that make up the shopping center.
The City Council passed the override 4-0 the committee’s restriction, the land use for the Tanforan site and pet hospital is incompatible with residential housing due to noise levels.
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