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Welcome! What's in this issue?
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In November 2020, sixty-three percent (63%) of San Bruno voters approved a cannabis business tax which allows the City to impose a tax of up to 10% on the gross receipts of any cannabis business allowed to operate in the City. At present however, Title 6 of the San Bruno Municipal Code prohibits cannabis businesses from operating within the City.
At their September 27, 2022 meeting, the San Bruno City Council will consider an ordinance to partially repeal the prohibition of cannabis businesses and enact regulations that will allow up to 3 cannabis retail businesses and 1 distribution business.
The process to develop regulations for cannabis businesses was set in motion when the San Bruno City Council included the development of such regulations as a part of the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Strategic Initiatives. The City hired a consultant to lead the process and work on the effort started shortly thereafter. On February 8, 2022, the City Council held a Study Session to consider options for commercial cannabis operations in the city. At the conclusion of the Study Session, City Council directed staff to proceed with preparation of draft Municipal Code amendments and related procedures that would provide for up to 3 commercial cannabis operations, consisting of any combination of cannabis retailers in zoning districts in the San Bruno downtown area, along portions of San Bruno Avenue and El Camino Real, and at The Shops at Tanforan, and for distribution uses in the M-1 (light industrial) Zone north of Interstate I-380.
At public hearings on July 19, 2022 and August 16, 2022, the Planning Commission discussed and made recommendations to amend the Municipal Code Article III (Zoning) to allow for commercial cannabis operations in certain parts of San Bruno as shown on the attached map. The Planning Commission also recommended additions to the map to include Bayhill Shopping Center and Towne Center.
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Commercial cannabis uses cannot be located within 600 feet of what would be considered to be sensitive use such as schools and parks.
If approved, the cannabis ordinance would do the following:
- Maintain provisions for personal cultivation/use of up to 6 plants (as currently provided for in the Code).
- Allow for Cannabis Retailers (previously termed “dispensaries”) in selected areas of San Bruno. Cannabis retailers would allow for general retail storefront sales of cannabis or cannabis products, packaging and labeling of cannabis for sale, and could also include delivery services to residences or end-users. Cannabis retailers would be allowed subject to obtaining approval of a commercial cannabis operators permit as well as a conditional use permit. Cannabis retailers would be required to comply with security and transportation requirements.
- Allow for cannabis distribution facilities (commercial cannabis distribution) in selected areas of the city. Cannabis distribution facilities would provide for storage and distribution of commercial cannabis products to licensed commercial cannabis operations, though no retail sales would be allowed from the site. These uses would be allowed subject to obtaining approval of a Commercial Cannabis Operators Permit as well as a Conditional Use Permit. Any distribution service would be required to comply with security and transportation requirements.
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There would be no other types of commercial cannabis operations permitted; all of these uses are currently and would continue to be prohibited by the City of San Bruno:
- No commercial cannabis cultivation. (This use involves the commercial planting, growing, harvesting, drying, grading and trimming of cannabis, and can occur indoors or outdoors, including in a nursery setting.)
- No commercial cannabis manufacturing, including CBD (cannabidiol) extract derived from cannabis. (This use involves subjecting cannabis to a process which concentrates cannabis into an edible or topical product.)
- No commercial cannabis testing/laboratories. (This use involves state-mandated testing of cannabis products in a state-licensed laboratory setting prior to distribution and sale.)
- No cannabis microbusinesses. (This is a business involved in at least three types of commercial cannabis activities, including retail sale, cultivation, distribution and/or manufacturing).
- No temporary cannabis events. (This is an event where cannabis may be consumed over a short period of time and at a temporary event location.)
- No “cannabis cafes” for onsite consumption of cannabis products.
To provide public comment before the September 27, 2022 City Council meeting please email your comments to CityClerk@sanbruno.ca.gov. To be part of the City Council’s public meeting, please join us on zoom on September 27, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
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Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager |
Ask the City Manager - each month, l will respond to a question that has been asked by San Bruno residents or businesses.
Submit your questions -
Via email:
CityManager@sanbruno.ca.gov
Via phone:
(650) 616-7056
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This month’s Ask the City Manager column is dedicated to the former Crestmoor High School site, located at 300 Piedmont Avenue.
On August 23, 2022, the City of San Bruno received the first formal submittal for the former Crestmoor High School site. The 40-acre site is owned by the San Mateo Union High School District. This initial formal application closely resembles the preapplication the City received in March of this year.
Previously, in 2020, the District issued a Request for Proposals to invite developers to bid for the site and has indicated they intend to construct or purchase workforce and/or teacher housing on another site (not in San Bruno) with the money from the sale of the Crestmoor site. SummerHill Homes has entered into an agreement with the District to purchase the site, with the intent to redevelop it as a community of single-family homes.
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Fig. 1 – Rendering of proposed development. The application proposes 156 single family detached homes and area dedicated to recreational uses.
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The project proposes to build 156 single family detached two-story homes. Of the 156 homes, 132 are proposed to be market rate and 24 (15%) are proposed to be on-site below market units: 8 (5%) affordable to low-income households, and 16 (10%) affordable to moderate-income households. Staff are actively reviewing this application.
In addition to the construction of 156 homes, SummerHill’s proposal includes the dedication of land for active recreation at the north end of the site and preservation of open space along much of the sloped perimeter. The Crestmoor fields are currently used and maintained by youth soccer clubs, and from the late 1980’s until 2020 were used by the soccer clubs and maintained by the City. Ensuring that community recreation continues to occur at the site after redevelopment has been a focal point for the City.
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Fig. 1 – Rendering of proposed development. The application proposes 156 single family detached homes and area dedicated to recreational uses.
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The City, District, and Developer have been and continue to be engaged in very positive conversations around the future of soccer fields at the site and are actively exploring ways in which a soccer complex, along with other recreational activities, could be developed efficiently. The City is optimistic these conversations will result in a win-win for the developer and San Bruno community. A scenario is being pursued where the project could include a large multi-use turf area that could be programmed with multiple simultaneous youth soccer games, walking paths, restrooms, and associated parking. One possibility is that the turf area could be graded from the current two levels to a single grade and include artificial turf and possibly lighting, which could extend the usability of each field.
Should the project move forward as proposed, it is anticipated that the project will require a Vesting Tentative Map and Planned Unit Permit in addition to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)-- and may also require additional planning approvals and permits. At this stage, staff will review the application documents to ensure all required application materials have been submitted, also known as a “completeness” review. A formal response will be sent to the developer and, if there is missing information, the developer will have an opportunity to provide that information. Once the application has been deemed “complete,” staff will conduct a detailed review to ensure the development meets all zoning codes, land use, and similar requirements and arrange for the preparation of the EIR. This process could take a year or more. The City will request public comments at specific times during the EIR preparation and review process. Comments may also be submitted at any time during the application review period to the City.
Separate and distinct from the process to review SummerHill’s application to construct 156 single family homes, the City will embark on a process to design the public soccer fields and other public amenities envisioned for the site. This process will begin in 2023 and include feedback and participation from representatives from San Bruno’s soccer community and the general public.
For additional background on the site, also see the post in the City Manager’s March 2022 newsletter.
Additional information and selected application materials for this project and other projects are available at sanbruno.ca.gov/DevelopmentActivity. |
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This article is dedicated to the recently completed Safe and Equitable Policing Review. You may recall, back in June 2020, as the San Bruno City Manager, I committed to conducting a comprehensive review of policing in San Bruno as the country experienced protests and calls for police reforms following the tragic death of George Floyd and the “8 Can’t Wait” movement, which sought changes in local law enforcement practices.
In partnership with the Police Chief, the City Manager’s Office developed a goal statement for the Safe and Equitable Policing Review:
Enhance the Police Department’s ability to provide for the public safety needs of our Community fairly and equitably, through a review of Police Department policies, practices, data analysis, and an assessment of community perceptions.
We proceeded with identifying two distinctive phases for the project and engaged the community in the process. Phase I, an internal review by the San Bruno Police Department (SBPD), was completed and presented to the City Council and the public on March 23, 2021. Phase II was an independent review of SBPD performed by Impact Justice, a non-profit focused in criminal justice reform, with support and professional support by a former police chief. The Phase 2 report was presented to the City Council on July 12, 2022.
San Bruno should be proud that the independent review did not find any evidence of inequitable service, unfair treatment, or systemic bias within the San Bruno Police Department. In fact, the report notes several areas where the San Bruno Police Department has adopted best practices and is leading in its adoption of equity-based practices and wellness programs for its officers. Nevertheless, with any institution, especially one that is entrusted with the responsibility and power that is afforded to local law enforcement agencies, there is always room to improve. There are 16 recommendations within the report, including suggestions for changing how complaints are handled, expansion of mental and behavioral health resources, development of an anti-bias statement and improvements to data and reporting to detect any incidents of bias in the future.
While the Safe & Equitable Policing Review is complete, the work to implement the recommendations in the report and ensure that the San Bruno community receives high quality policing services continues. I invite you to review the recommendations and learn more about the Safe & Equitable Policing Review, by clicking here to access the City Manager’s Foreword, followed by the full 100 page report. |
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Soon, the former Sears site within The Shops at Tanforan will be reactivated as a temporary Hyundai and Genesis new car dealership and repair facility. This is an interim use, intended to be in place for approximately 2 years, as the Tanforan site undergoes an entitlement process for a mix-used development of comprised of retail, office space and housing. Additionally, the dealership is in the process of submitting planning and building documents for a permanent facility at The Crossing near El Camino Real & I-380 in San Bruno.
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Work on the temporary dealership is underway. Anticipated opening is October 2022. Additionally, this Fall, the City of San Bruno will launch a community engagement process related to redevelopment of the Tanforan site. Stay tuned, we want your opinions on how redevelopment at Tanforan should benefit the San Bruno community.
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Join us on Friday evenings this September for Movies in the Park! Movies start at approximately 8:00 p.m. near the tennis courts in San Bruno City Park, 251 City Park Way.
You won’t want to miss it:
- September 2 – Spider-Man: No Way Home
- September 9 – Lion King (2019 Live Action)
- September 16 – Jungle Cruise
- September 23 – Encanto
- September 30 – West Side Story (2021)
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Traveling? Going back to school? Not feeling well? COVID-19 testing is available.
The City of San Bruno is continuing our partnership with Curative to offer no out-of-pocket cost COVID-19 testing to the community. To book an appointment, visit cur.tv/sanbruno or call 888-702-9042. Appointments are preferred to minimize wait times, however they are not required. Walk-up / on-site registration is available at the testing site, which is located at Narita Plaza, between San Bruno City Hall (570 Linden Avenue, San Bruno) and the San Bruno Library. The testing site is open Monday through Friday, 8:30AM-4:00PM.
Residents and visitors to San Bruno are reminded to follow precautions to help reduce the spread of COVID-19:
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Did you know that you can have City of San Bruno’s public meeting agendas emailed to you when they are posted? You can! San Bruno’s website automates notifications related to regular city business and important topics. This gives you the ability to stay current on what is important to you. Visit Notify Me to learn more about subscribing to San Bruno notifications.
Please note, the above notification systems do not include emergency notifications. SMC Alert is San Bruno's official emergency notification system that is used for citywide and countywide emergency alerts.
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Interested in getting involved in your community? Be where the action is! The City of San Bruno has several Citizen Advisory Commissions, Boards and Committees. Each are comprised of volunteers that live in San Bruno and are 18 years or older. Applications are accepted any time throughout the year and are kept on file for two years. However, the next review and City Council interview process is planned for October. As such, to be considered for appointment by the City Council in October, please submit your application by September 30, 2022.
Current vacancies include:
- Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee
- Culture & Arts Commission
- Traffic Safety & Parking Committee
…and more!
Apply now at sanbruno.ca.gov/CitizenAdvisory and help make a difference in your community! |
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The San Bruno Fire Department and the City of San Bruno will hold a Push-In Ceremony, hosted by the San Bruno Fire Department, to celebrate the arrival of two new type I engines that will be placed in service in the City of San Bruno.
Please join the San Bruno Fire Department as firefighters ceremonially push new Engine 51 and E-52 into their respective stations in San Bruno. On this day, the public can get their first look at the new fire engines that have been purchased to help protect our community and watch the Push-In Ceremony as the fire engines are “pushed” into their apparatus bay.
Details:
Sunday, September 11, 2022
11:00 a.m. | Station 51
555 El Camino Real San Bruno
1:00 p.m. | Station 52
1999 Earl Avenue San Bruno
Watch the ceremony live streamed on the San Bruno Fire Department Facebook Page! |
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The San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District (District) receives reports of dead birds year-round. Dead birds are often the first sign that West Nile Virus is active in an area. The District works with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the CDPH West Nile Virus Dead Bird Hotline is an important part of West Nile virus surveillance. Residents who find a dead bird should call 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or file a report online.
To learn more about the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District and their services, please visit their website at www.smcmvcd.org. |
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Sign up for emergency alert notifications through SMC Alert:
For more information and other City updates, follow the official
City of San Bruno accounts on social media!
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