Project Description

The South San Francisco Downtown Station Area Specific Plan will guide the city of South San Francisco in creating a vibrant, transit-supportive, diverse downtown and Caltrain station area. The planning team initiated a robust community outreach effort to engage residents, employees, and business and property owners in a dynamic collaborative effort to shape the future of the downtown station area.

The area has been designated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) as a Priority Development Area. A number of physical challenges, in particular the barriers posed by freeway, ramps and overpasses, and major roadways, divide the downtown from the city’s major employment base and make it difficult to access the Caltrain station from any point to the east or west. Beyond its physical attributes, the diversity of population in this area of South San Francisco presents challenges in ensuring that the plans for the area adequately reflect the needs and priorities of the community.

The vision for the plan achieves city and community goals while creating a unique place that provides connectivity to the downtown and Caltrain station areas, encourages long-term development that is transit-supportive, and provides accessibility for all community members. The plan also addresses current market trends, affordable housing and implementation. Design standards were prepared to enable the city to guide future development in the public and private realms within the study area.