Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael Callagy, County Manager
Adam Ely, Project Development Unit Director
Subject: Addendum to EIR for County Government Center Development Project
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution considering and approving the Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the San Mateo County Government Center Campus Development Project.
body
BACKGROUND:
In March 2017, this Board considered recommendations for capital improvements contained in Feasibility and Master Plan Studies to efficiently and responsibly address: (1) the County’s reliance on increasingly aged and outdated facilities and associated elevated maintenance and operational costs; (2) the County’s substantial reliance on leased space subject to market-based cost growth; (3) upcoming deferred maintenance costs including for mandatory seismic compliance; (4) anticipated staff growth and staff relocations; (5) rising environmental standards; and (6) locational, service, and programming improvements to better serve residents.
This Board, thereafter, directed staff to pursue various projects, including the County Office Building 3 Project (COB3), which is part of the overall County Government Center Campus Development Project, which includes relocation of the Lathrop House and construction of County Government Center Parking Structure 2.
The COB3 project anticipates construction of an approximately 207,000 square foot office building for approximately 600 County employees, containing multiple levels of offices, workspaces, conference rooms, and shared amenities, along with the Board of Supervisors chambers. COB3 will be located at the site directly east of the Hall of Justice, bordered by Marshall Street to the south and Middlefield Road to the east. The project will include a new public promenade to connect COB3 with existing County facilities. Consistent with County priorities, COB3 will be designed to achieve sustainability goals including certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Zero Net Energy (ZNE).
On June 5, 2018, this Board certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and adopted a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) and Statement of Overriding Considerations for the County Government Center Campus Development Project (Project) in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Resources Code, and state and local guidelines.
Initial COB3 project site analysis and site work, including surveying, relocation of the Lathrop House, demolition of the Traffic Court, and soil remediation, abatement, and grading, have been completed.
Since the adoption of the FEIR, the County has modified the COB3 project plans marginally increasing the building size and revising the building design concept as described in the February 2020 Addendum to the San Mateo County Government Center Campus Development Project Environmental Impact Report (Addendum to the FEIR.)
DISCUSSION:
The February 2020 Addendum to the FEIR evaluates possible new or significant impacts resulting from changes to the project. Based on the results of the evaluation, the Addendum to the FEIR finds that there are no new significant impacts or previously identified significant impacts made more severe which would result from the proposed Project modifications and that none of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines section 15162 have occurred as a result of Project modifications.
The Addendum to the FEIR and the FEIR itself constitute the entirety of the administrative record required for or project assessment and approval by the County of San Mateo.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact in considering and approving this Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the San Mateo County Government Center Campus Development Project.