Two development proposals vying for approval in San Carlos’ east side may hit a roadblock in the review process Monday as the city focuses on slowing proposals to gather community input on how the growing Innovation District should evolve.
Both developers, Black Mountain Properties and MBH Architects on behalf of MBC BioLabs, submitted proposals in 2019 to construct life science spaces. Black Mountain Properties seeks to develop a more than 208,000-square-foot life science building with a 2,500-square-foot amenity building at 888 Bransten Road. MBH Architects has proposed a 108,143-square-foot science lab at 1030 Brittan Ave.
Having undergone financial and environmental studies, each plan now only needs city staff to complete community benefit negotiations before sending the proposals to the Planning Commission for further review.
But growing development interests on the east side has been top of mind for the council, concerned with taking a holistic approach to new construction in the area. In September, staff was directed to develop an up to $500,000 East Side Innovation District Vision Plan with assistance from a consultant, Perkins&Will.
The vision plan requires staff halt review processes for plans proposed in the Innovation District while the consultants conduct public engagement events and studies to better understand what community benefits residents would like to see added. Work on the vision plan is slated to begin this summer and will take about nine months to complete.
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Currently, two developments are underway, a 528,520-square-foot biotech campus by Alexandria Real Estate Equities and an additional 26,561-square-foot biotech building also by MBC Biolabs. One additional proposal for the area has been approved while three projects are under review and four others in the conceptual stage.
During the September meeting, Community Development Director Al Savay said only two of the 10 projects proposed for the area would be affected by halting the review process until the city and consultants complete the vision plan.
On Monday, the City Council will determine whether the two life science developments move forward separate from the vision plan or are put on pause until the community engagement is complete.
Staff will present the council with several options. The first would be to complete community benefit negotiations and planning review while directing the Economic Subcommittee to advise staff on the negotiations. This option would sidestep the vision plan completely.
Other options include authorizing staff to complete community benefit negotiations without the planning review, allowing the project to quickly move forward once the vision plan is completed or to stop all reviews and negotiations.
The City Council will meet remotely via Zoom at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, and will be streamed live at sancarlosca.iqm2.com and on Comcast Channel 27 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. Remote public comments will be received by telephone during the meeting, prior to the close of public comment on an item. *67 (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 836 0775 9364.
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