Resolution imposing interim zoning controls for 18 months to require a Conditional Use authorization and specified findings for proposed Laboratory Uses in the PDR-1-G (Production, Distribution, and Repair) District; affirming the Planning Department’s determination under the California Environmental Quality Act; and making findings of consistency with the General Plan, the eight priority policies of Planning Code, Section 101.1, and Planning Code, Section 306.7.

This resolution imposes interim zoning controls for 18 months on specific Laboratory Uses within the PDR-1-G (Production, Distribution, and Repair) District in the Mission. Specifically, it requires a Conditional Use authorization for proposed Laboratory Uses that involve outdoor development and/or engineering laboratories or those operating outside an enclosed structure. This measure aims to mitigate adverse impacts such as noise, air quality, and privacy concerns on adjacent sensitive receptors like residences, schools, and parks. The controls are enacted to allow time for a comprehensive planning study and the adoption of permanent legislation. The Planning Commission, when reviewing Conditional Use applications, must consider whether the proposed outdoor lab use aligns with the Mission Area Plan's objectives (Objectives 1.4, 1.5, 1.7) and its potential impacts on neighboring properties. This action supports the broader goals of the Mission Action Plan (MAP2020/MAP2030) to preserve PDR industries, protect working-class jobs, and maintain the socioeconomic diversity of the Mission District, which has seen a decline in PDR employment and a loss of Latino residents. The resolution also urges the Planning Department, with input from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, to conduct a broader study on all Laboratory Uses in the PDR-1-G district, including potential square footage limits and enforcement mechanisms.

Residents in the PDR-1-G District, particularly those living near industrial areas, schools, or parks, will benefit from reduced noise, air quality, and privacy impacts from outdoor industrial laboratory operations. This resolution also aims to protect traditional working-class jobs and community-serving businesses in the Mission by preserving industrial land for its intended purpose.

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