San Carlos council adopts mitigated negative declaration and advances entitlements for 789 Old County Road life‑science project

The San Carlos City Council on Oct. 14 adopted the CEQA mitigated negative declaration for the Minkoff Group's proposed development at 789 Old County Road and introduced related zoning and development agreements with conditions designed to address neighborhood concerns.

Staff described the project as two research and development buildings (a five‑story east building and a four‑story west building) with an above‑grade parking structure, internalized service areas, and landscape and streetscape improvements that would extend off‑site to complete the East Side Connect bike and pedestrian links to Terminal Way. Staff said the applicant reduced building heights and massing during design iterations, added tree planting on the north elevation and a green wall on the parking structure, and agreed to mitigation measures required by the draft MND.

The council voted to adopt the mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program (Resolution 2025‑116) and then introduced Ordinance No. 1627 (plan development zoning) and Ordinance No. 1628 (development agreement). Those introductions included amendments the council requested: automatic window shades to reduce light trespass on visible elevations (1% opacity on the specified floors/elevations) and a requirement that if a multi‑tenant configuration includes a restaurant, cafe, or other retail, that space be open to the public and accompanied by public parking spaces; the applicant agreed to add public access for the courtyard area as a condition of the development agreement.

Developer Will Burdsey said the project provides approximately $4.2 million in community benefits — about $1.7 million in off‑site improvements plus roughly $2.4 million in a fiscal contribution — and more than $11.6 million in impact fees, all due at building permit issuance under the proposed agreement. "We've worked closely with city staff and neighbors and revised our plans to respond to concerns about massing, height and greenery," Burdsey said.

Nearby residents and neighborhood advocates urged the council to enforce the East Side Vision Plan's study area recommendations and to keep height and massing smaller; speakers also raised questions about soils remediation and the public value of the courtyard if it becomes effectively private. Representatives from local nonprofits and labor unions spoke in favor of the project, citing nonprofit partnerships, job creation, and local apprenticeship opportunities.

Traffic consultant Mark Spencer reviewed two transportation studies prepared for the project and said the development would generate about 2,400 daily trips and roughly 320 AM and PM peak‑hour trips. With the project's Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures and applicable impact fees, he said the effects were manageable; the project will contribute funds for a new traffic signal at Branson/Old County Road and other recommended intersection or geometric improvements.

Councilmembers directed staff and applicant to memorialize several commitments in the development agreement and plan development zoning, including the automatic shade measures (north elevation and selected west elevation floors), public access to the courtyard, and a public‑parking requirement should multi‑tenant retail or restaurant spaces be provided. Councilmembers also discussed enforcement steps for construction noise and agreed to consider a future agenda item to review construction time‑limit code enforcement generally.

The council introduced the zoning and development agreement ordinances with the stated amendments and scheduled second‑reading actions; all motions in the hearing passed on unanimous votes.