South City townhome proposal advances

Commissioner Sam Shihadeh lauded the vision of the project, which is proposed adjacent to a similar townhome development on the western portion of the city.

“It’s a good project,” he said, according to video of the meeting. “It’s needed in the area.”

Commissioner Alan Wong concurred, noting the proposal comprised of for-sale homes is a welcome departure from the influx of large, dense, apartment buildings targeting downtown which have flooded South City’s planning desk over recent years.

“It’s refreshing to see a project like this,” said Wong.

Under the commission’s approval, the project will head to the South San Francisco City Council, where officials will make a final decision on its fate.

The proposal aims to construct similar three-story attached townhomes, which will range in size between 1,500 square feet and 2,600 square feet with between three and four bedrooms.

A key component of the forthcoming discussion will be the amount of affordable units included in the project, as well as where those units are located, planning commissioners noted.

David Agee, a representative of development firm Warmington Residential, said his company is prepared to set aside three of the units at an affordable rate — in alignment with state law requiring 15 percent of for-sale projects to be priced at below-market rates.

Commissioner Norm Faria though prepared Agee for a forthcoming conversation with councilmembers in which he would likely be asked to offer more affordable units.

Commission Chair JulieAnn Murphy also asked Agee to consider spreading the units throughout the development, rather than concentrating them in a group as is currently proposed.

“It would be smart to have all the affordable units not clumped in one area,” she said.

As it stands, the composition of the development is divided in two unit clusters on opposing ends of the parcel, with eight units proposed near the intersection of Westborough Boulevard and Oakmont Drive and another 14 at an opposing corner.

The design is constructed in respect of a fault line which subdivides the property, rendering it unsuitable for residential development. As a result, the unbuildable land will be left as private open space for tenants. Portions of the property are also on a sizable slope, further complicating development. In all, nearly 70 percent of the nearly 5 acres will be left as open space.

Considering the constraints of the geography, commissioners lauded the developer’s ability to make the most out of land which was initially targeted for building in 2006, before the proposal was withdrawn.

“It is a good use of that type of narrow space,” said Faria.

Recognizing the previous failed attempts to develop the site, as well as the creative approach to a piece of property imperfect for development, Murphy too expressed her appreciation for the proposal.

“The constraints on this site were quite a few, so to see that they were able to work out a development that seems sensitive to the constraints, it’s good to see,” she said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105