Daly City planning commission backs redevelopment plan for 455 Hickey Boulevard, forwards recommendation to council

Daly City’s Planning Commission on June 4 recommended that the City Council consider entitlements for a redevelopment at 455 Hickey Boulevard that would demolish an existing office building and parking structure and build either an 8‑story commercial office building (about 280,000 square feet) or a 5‑story medical office (about 80,000 square feet) with a three‑story parking structure.

Planning staff told commissioners the 3.2‑acre site, made up of three parcels near the Gellert Boulevard–Hickey Boulevard intersection, is currently zoned for a mix of retail, office and planned development and that the owner is proposing a general plan amendment and rezoning to a plan development district to allow consistent commercial office use across the site. “Staff is recommending that the planning commission make a recommendation to the City Council to approve the general plan amendment, the plan development rezone, and the design review for the proposed project alternatives,” staff said during the presentation.

Staff presented two build alternatives and the materials shown to the commission depicted the taller, 8‑story scenario. Access would be provided primarily from Hickey Boulevard to the podium parking and via a private driveway off Sarah Vista Avenue to the parking structure. The project proposes 900 parking spaces to meet zoning standards and CalGreen requirements, including 450 EV spaces (90 fast‑charge, 90 level‑1 and 270 EV‑capable), according to staff.

Transportation consultants for the applicant evaluated traffic at 17 study intersections and found the project is in Travel Analysis Zone 1918 and a transit priority area; staff said that screening under regional policy exempts the project from a VMT analysis and the project’s required Travel Demand Management measures are expected to achieve a target 25% trip reduction. Staff also described required street and pedestrian improvements the city will impose as conditions of approval.

Staff reviewed a shadow study conducted for both alternatives and said it concluded the project would cause minimal shadowing to residential neighborhoods. The City completed environmental review and proposed a mitigated negative declaration with a mitigation monitoring and reporting program; staff said the public review period closes June 20 and the item is expected to go before the City Council on July 22.

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on several points before voting. One line of questioning concerned the recommended design review approval period: staff said the intent was to recommend a five‑year design review approval period (the applicant asked for 10 years) and that the staff report language would be corrected and that the period could be incorporated into the plan development standards. A commissioner asked whether an 8‑story building would be the tallest in Daly City and whether the fire department could serve that height; staff replied other entitled projects have allowed up to 14 stories and that the fire department participated in review and that high‑rise requirements would apply.

Tom Gilman of DES Architects, representing the design team, said construction duration would depend on market conditions but estimated that once construction begins the build would take about two years. Sam Hawkes, representing the property owner King Asset Management, told commissioners financing commonly depends on tenant commitments and that entitlements are a first step to securing tenant interest and loans.

A representative of Carpenters Local 217, Nell Zolander, spoke during public comment in favor of the project and urged inclusion of local hire and apprenticeship opportunities, saying the development “has a potential to change lives for those who live in this community” and would provide good local construction jobs.

After public comment, commissioners moved to adopt staff findings, affirm the environmental assessment (mitigated negative declaration) and approve the general plan amendment, plan development rezoning and design review subject to the conditions in the staff report. Commissioners voted in favor and the motion carried; staff will schedule a City Council public hearing for the project, anticipated on July 22, 2024.

The commission concluded with brief reports and adjourned.