San Carlos OKs life science plan

Each of the office structures will have rooftop terraces and one building would include tenant amenities like an exercise area and lounge while the other will have a 5,500-square-foot publicly accessible child care center. Additional public amenities will include restoration to Belmont Creek and a new public creek path, plazas, an amphitheater and athletic courts. 

Public benefits total about $4.3 million after accounting for the creek restoration, on-site child care, and payments to multiple city funds including the Downtown Improvement Fund, Community Improvement and Recreation Fund and the Green Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Fund. Another nearly $12 million in fees will also be paid for affordable housing, traffic and sewer impacts. 

“The guidance provided by council in the areas of community benefits in particular have been very helpful and instrumental in negotiations even for projects outside the vision plan study area such as this one,” Lisa Consta Sanders, the principal planner with the city, said.

Among the groups working with Presidio Bay Ventures will be AbilityPath, which operates multiple disability-inclusive preschools, and the Community Foundation of San Carlos, which plans to use funds from the developer to help install public art. 

“We’re excited about this project. We’re also especially grateful that Presidio Bay Ventures chose us, to support us with a generous pledge for our community building effort and for growing our endowment,” Michael Campbell, president of the Community Foundation of San Carlos, said during Monday’s meeting. 

Councilmembers largely praised the project, voting unanimously to approve a development agreement, rezoning requests and a mitigated negative declaration document. Councilmember Sara McDowell shared her appreciation for the child care being offered and stressed the importance of ensuring residents get access to the site. She also emphasized her interest in seeing contaminated soils removed. 

The site is situated in an industrial part of town where a variety of chemicals are known to have seeped into the ground from a variety of businesses and uses. The developer noted a study found very low levels of chemicals on their specific site but said mitigation efforts would still be taken specifically to protect children in the day care service.

Mayor Adam Rak also requested that labs not be placed on the first floor. The campus will accommodate laboratories working with biosafety levels 1 and 2 in alignment with the city’s ban on BSL 3 and 4 labs. Presidio Bay Ventures is also seeking LED Gold status with an all-electric project also featuring drought resistant landscaping and a gray-water system.

“This is really a new high for us in terms of vetting projects before they’re approved and answering concerns,” Councilmember Ron Collins said. “I think it’s a win for you, I think it’s a win for the city, it’s a win for the community and I support it.”