Biosciences Task Force
MINUTES of the COST / BENEFT COMMITTEE of the SAN FRANCISCO BIOSCIENCES TASK FORCE
Tuesday, January 27, 2003 at 5:00 p.m.
City Hall 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Rm. 479
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Madison Kilpatrick called the committee to order at 5:21 pm.
Present: Peter Cohen
Madison Kilpatrick
Theresa Feeley
Absent: Karen Pierce
Rajiv Bhatia
Guest: Miriam Chion, Planning Department
2. EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS PLAN
Miriam Chion presented an overview of the process and outcomes of planning in the Eastern Neighborhoods. Eighteen months of community planning has already occurred. The result is three possible zoning scenarios that suggest varying amounts of PDR (production, distribution and repair). Bioscience is not specific listed as a PDR but subsectors of the industry would be included. For a bioscience company to locate in the PDR zones, at least 50% of the functions would need to be PDR.
Chion reported that the City is preparing to start an environmental impact review for the proposals. The subcommittee concluded that we should request that bioscience be incorporated into the review. It was suggested that the planning department use the Mission Bay and UCSF environmental reviews as models.
Concern was expressed by committee members that the Planning Department's and Bioscience Taskforce's activities are not currently coordinated but should be. Chion believes that there is room in the current proposal to incorporate what comes out of the Taskforce and that the Taskforce will add specificity. Chion made several suggestions of items that the Taskforce should focus on:
· The location(s) in Southeast that will be available for / dedicated to bioscience clusters.
· How to combine bioscience and housing. Cohen mentioned a recent trip to Cambridge where they have housing and bioscience facilities in close proximity to one another. He suggested that Cambridge might be a resource.
· The amount of land allocated to industrial activities, i.e., if the City chooses to try to recruit and retain bioscience firms, should the amount of industrial land be expanded or decreased.
· The critical mass necessary for bioscience - what is the scale?
Committee members concluded that someone from planning should make a presentation at the next full Taskforce meeting.
3. FINDINGS FROM CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUS GROUPS
Feeley shared the summary of the SF Center for Economic Development's focus groups with SF voters and community leaders. Greatest interest was in jobs for people with diverse educational backgrounds. Greatest concern was that biotech may pollute the environment and produce contaminated waste.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
