Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Avenue

300 Piedmont 2022 12 23
Type Details
Project Description
The Planning Division received a preliminary application for 300 Piedmont Ave (former Crestmoor High School) in March of 2022. The property is approximately 40 acres in size and was operated as a high school from 1962 through 1980. Since then, the property has been used as a continuation school, alternative high school, and for private uses. From 1987 to 2021, the playing fields on the property were open to the public for use and were maintained and managed by the City of San Bruno.

The District has decided to sell the property and has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with developer SummerHill Homes LLC (SummerHill) for sale of the Crestmoor Site to SummerHill, which they intend to redevelop it as a community of 155 detached, single-family, two-story homes with open space and recreation areas. In August 2022, the City of San Bruno received the first formal planning application for the property and have subsequently received additional and revised application materials and issued comments to SummerHill. It is anticipated that the project will require a Vesting Tentative Map and Planned Unit Permit in addition to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental review and may also require additional planning approvals and permits.

The developer will potentially take advantage of the State Density Bonus Program to receive waivers and/or incentives/concessions related to open space and lot size requirements. Of the 155 homes, 131 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 continue to actively review these application materials.

SummerHill’s August 2022 application and subsequent revisions (Application) proposed to dedicate to the City 12.04 acres of open space, which the City would be responsible for maintaining. After receiving the Application, a legal challenge to the City occurred from the School District, leading to a settlement agreement. The agreement allows for the preservation of approximately 6.4 acres of open space intended to be developed into multi-use athletic fields, parking, and associated improvements to be owned, developed, and managed by the City. An additional 12.32 acres of mostly sloped and wooded area will also be preserved for public use and maintained by the future homeowner’s association. SummerHill has submitted a separate set of plans on February 3, 2023 that reflects the project as described in the Settlement Agreement. SummerHill intends to prioritize the design described in the settlement agreement.

Separate and distinct from the process to review SummerHill’s application to construct 155 single family homes and associated improvements, the City initiated a process to design the public multi-use fields and other public amenities envisioned for the site through a park master planning process. The master plan 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. This process began in January 2023 and will include feedback and participation from representatives from San Bruno’s soccer community and the general public.

The community engagement will include outreach efforts, stakeholder meetings, one community pop-up event, an in-person open house event, and an online survey. The process will include two City Council meetings, including a first meeting to obtain input and direction on the master plan, and a second meeting to adopt the final master plan. There would also be two Park and Recreation Commission meetings. This process is expected to take approximately 10 months.

At their December 13, 2022 regular City Council meeting, the City of San Bruno City council initiated a future General Plan amendment to modify provisions contained in the General Plan regarding the Property’s playing fields. The amendments would reflect the preservation of a portion of the site with the fields as a public park. This includes the dedication of approximately 6.4 acres of rough graded area that the City could use for playing fields and other recreational space and facilities, subject to reservation of an easement for storm drainage. 

The future homeowners association of the property would retain ownership of approximately 12.32 sloped acres of unimproved open space and make it publicly accessible for recreational use, with the City having no responsibility for maintenance or improvement of the open space area. In total, there would be approximately 18.73 acres of publicly accessible park and open space land. These areas are shown in the diagram below. The Project would be subject to the payment of City Development Impact Fees, with no credit provided for the dedication of the 6.4 acres.

Land Use/Zoning General Plan: Low Density Residential and Recreational Uses
Zoning: R-1, Single Family Residential
Planning Approvals

General Plan Amendment, Vesting Tentative Map, Planned Unit Permit, and Architectural Review. The project will also require CEQA environmental review.
Location 300 Piedmont Ave (Formerly Crestmoor High School)
Type Single Family Homes, Recreational Uses
Status
The Planning Division is currently processing the application. The application materials were deemed complete on March 8, 2023. CEQA environmental analysis began in March 2023. The CEQA process will analyze both the park and housing development. In addition, a CEQA environmental review meeting (also known as a scoping meeting) will be held at a Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 6:00 PM. A staff report and additional materials will be available at the Agenda Center in the days prior to the April 18 scoping meeting https://www.sanbruno.ca.gov/AgendaCenter.
Planner Michael Smith, Senior Planner (650) 616-7062 msmith@sanbruno.ca.gov
Developer

SummerHill Homes

Crestmoor Multi-Use Fields Master Plan Project

 The City of San Bruno also welcomes you to participate in a process to define the future vision for a new public sports field facility on the former site of Crestmoor High School.   The City owned sports facility will be a part of a larger redevelopment of the site in addition to the residential component described here.  To learn more about that project and how to get involved, please visit: sanbruno.ca.gov/CrestmoorFields

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Environmental Review

The City of San Bruno (City), as the lead agency under CEQA, will be preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed 300 Piedmont Ave development for the entire site including the residential, athletic, and open space improvements (proposed project).  The City has prepared a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to provide information regarding the proposed project and areas of potential environmental effects proposed to be analyzed in the EIR. The purpose of the NOP is to solicit participation from relevant agencies and from the public in determining the scope of an EIR. The scoping period for this EIR is from April 10, 2023 to May 11, 2023. Outside agencies and the public can provide verbal comments during the Planning Commission scoping meeting and/or provide written comments to staff during the 30-day period. 

A copy of the 300 Piedmont Ave. NOP is linked below and includes instructions on how to submit email or physical mail comments.

Notice of Preparation (NOP)

Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Avenue - Selected Materials dated February 3, 2023 

Additional Materials

Project Mailer provided by applicant on February 16, 2023

SummerHill Homes (the developer) created mailer inviting community members to participate in a community workshop.  The workshop was organized by the applicant and held February 27 , 2023. Information contained in this document has not been evaluated by City staff for accuracy. 

SummerHill Homes - Letter to Neighbors (February 16, 2023)

SummerHill Homes - Handout Distributed at Community meeting (February 27, 2023)

Selected materials submitted on February 3, 2023

SummerHill Homes, as part of their application materials, submitted a series of drawings and written documents on February 3, 2023.  Select documents are made available here, updated site plans, conceptual streetscape renderings, and proposed grading and utility plans.

Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Avenue - Selected Materials dated February 3, 2023

Project Handout provided by applicant on May 23, 2022

SummerHill Homes (the developer) created a handout describing the project and distributed the handout at an open house organized by the applicant and held on May 23, 2022.  Information contained in this document has not been evaluated by City staff for accuracy.

Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Avenue - Project Handout

Selected materials submitted on August 23, 2022

SummerHill Homes, as part of their application materials, submitted a series of drawings and written documents on August 23, 2022. Select materials are made available here, including a project description, site plan, aerial photograph, recent photographs of the site, conceptual streetscape renderings, and conceptual grading and utility plans.

Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Avenue - Selected Materials

City Manager's Updates on Crestmoor, 300 Piedmont Ave