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OUR PROJECTS IN DEPTH
HABITAT RESTORATION AND MONITORING
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN FOR THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, MYERS DEVELOPMENT, AND THE SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN TRUSTEES
Allison was a co-author of the ‘Habitat Restoration and Monitoring Plan’ (Forbert, McHuron, Knapp 2001) for a privately owned property on the southern and eastern slopes of San Bruno Mountain. San Bruno Mountain is a designated resource conservation area, and the first designation thereto under the federal Endangered
Species Act.
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Allison's efforts with McHuron Geosciences and Mike Forbert of West Coast Wildlands resulted in successful habitat restoration and conveyance of approximately 70 acres of privately held land to the San Bruno Mountain County Park and Habitat Conservation Plan Area. Knapp Consulting partnered with Western Pacific Housing and orchestrated an Earth Day pre-grading plant salvage work effort on the slopes of San Bruno Mountain.
Western Pacific Housing
(now DR Horton) owned certain land abutting the San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan area. The special species plants were conveyed to a nursery in Daly City, California, and eventually planted on San Bruno Mountain. ​
Knapp Consulting, partnered with McHuron Geosciences and South San Francisco Fire Battalion Chief Richard Johnson, coordinating a multi-agency effort (United States Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Transportation, California Highway Patrol, San Francisco International Airport, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, San Mateo County Department of Recreation, cities of Daly City, Brisbane and South San Francisco staff, local interested parties including San Bruno Mountain Watch and Friends of San Bruno Mountain, and biologists) setting the framework to use ‘Prescribed Burn’ on San Bruno Mountain. A Prescribed Burn uses a “controlled fire”
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GENESIS CAMPUS-A HIGH-PROFILE CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT
SERVICES FROM PRE-ENTITLEMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE
CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
The high-profile, controversial project began in 1983, culminated in 2020 and included three phases of development. The project includes a fifteen-story, 112-unit condominium tower, 631 detached residential units, 750,000 square feet in two towers occupied by life science (Research and Development). The project also includes 25,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, a wellness center, a performing arts facility, shared community and project facilities and benefits including a hiking trail with an annotated history and biological marker program, a robust public art program, freeway interchange and overpass improvements, archaeological and biological resource preservation and public open space.
The project faced many planning and environmental issues, including a bitter annexation process that was not forgotten; a pending lawsuit; presence of endangered species, wetlands, a 5000 year old Ohlone shell mound; severe geological constraints (debris slides); the need for long deferred City-initiated freeway improvements the project sponsor partially funded; and the need for housing and employment opportunities. Many members of the community voiced a strong and active opposition to the project. The potential loss of native plants and open space, urban sprawl, desecration of the shell mound, mass and density, destruction of wetlands, and obstruction of views were additional concerns. Worthy of note, largely through our efforts, the shell mound was preserved in perpetuity. Wetlands were restored, habitat preserved, development clustered, and public amenities were constructed. Our successful resource preservation and our partnership form of project management were key elements to the eventual fruition of this project.
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Allison managed and led a team of professionals for the City of South San Francisco. Navigating the preparation of a supplemental environmental impact report (SEIR) and preparation of six addenda to the original EIR and SEIR documents. Allison conducted the legislative and entitlement review which included preparation of three specific plans and six amendments thereto; four general plan amendments; and two amendments to the development agreement. Allison drafted the zoning regulations for the project; a housing agreement and prepared all the staff reports, resolutions and ordinances. She
to eradicate exotic plants. The exotic plants invade and succeed the native plants that provide the habitat to sustain the protected, threatened and endangered butterfly namely mission blue, callippee silverspot, and elfin and bay checkerspot.
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Knapp Consulting orchestrated the successful effort to bring goats to San Bruno Mountain, on privately held lands, to eradicate invasive exotic plans in lieu of mechanical or chemical removal. Knapp Consulting orchestrated the preservation of an additional 26-acres of open space on the eastern slope of San Bruno Mountain. The open space includes a 5,000-year-old Ohlone shell mound, critical habitat for endangered and threatened butterflies, existing wetlands and wetlands mitigation.
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Knapp’s efforts included:
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Coordinating and leading field trips for the City Council and the Planning Commission to San Bruno Mountain.
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Facilitating negotiations with divergent groups thus reaching consensus to rezone and convey the land to the County of San Mateo to include in San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan Area open space.
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Coordinating and partnering with Bruce Chan, a landscape architect and principal of Land Planning Concepts. Allison contacted Bruce to prepare drawings illustrating a vision that could not be put to words, thus providing a focal point in the successful conveyance of the land to San Mateo County.
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Bringing goats to San Bruno Mountain on privately held lands, to eradicate invasive exotic plans in lieu of mechanical or chemical removal.
presented the project to the City’s Design Review Board, Historic Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council. Ms. Knapp fielded many concerns and questions on the project and worked with various local, state and federal permitting agencies. Through this effort, partnerships formed, and stakeholders identified representing various agencies, interested parties, and organizations. Allison regularly worked with the Historic Commission, Design Review Board, Planning Commission, City Council, San Francisco International Airport, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife,
BELMONT HOUSE HOSPICE
SERVICES FROM PRE-ENTITLEMENT TO CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY
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Belmont House Hospice was the first state licensed facility in California, winning six state and national awards.
Allison’s community outreach garnered support for the project and as a result there was no opposition to the project at the Planning Commission or the City Council public hearings. Moreover, the community held fundraisers and assisted in planting the hillside scented garden off the great room. Allison and Dan Vandepriem, the Director of Economic and Community Development also collaborated on a welded sculpture for the front of the residence.
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The project involved renovating a locally significant historic structure, with unsympathetic and unpermitted construction, to provide a six-bed hospice in a home setting. The front elevation remained substantially unchanged through the renovation process while the rear elevation was considerably reworked to restore the building’s integrity and provide a “great room” and garden for the residents. The great room replaced T-1 11 siding, aluminum frame windows, and a flat roof. Each resident now has a private bedroom.
Friends of San Bruno Mountain, San Bruno Mountain Watch, Center for Environmental Diversity, the Sierra Club, print and televised news media, and attorneys. Allison also performed daily in-field monitoring during grading and construction to assure that mitigation measures and conditions of approval were implemented. She was on-call and on-site during the construction period and coordinated with police and fire to keep additional eyes on the project; there was the threat of vandalism and disruption.
Allison formed strong relationships through her work effort. Her partnership role resulted in better site design, a landscaped and furnished mini-park, aesthetic and native hillside restoration and conveyance of seven acres of land to the City of South San Francisco.
This award-winning project also provided a separate and private 'friends and family room', along with an office and a locked room for medical supply storage.
Redevelopment management services included processing the project entitlements, conducting public outreach, identifying and assembling the project team, identifying and securing the funding, the builder, and program manager, coordinating public donations and facilitating the state licensing. The project was categorically exempt CEQA project.
Rear facade prior to renovation
The land dedication was also accompanied by a graded and engineered development pad and road thereto, civil engineering drawings, land restoration sufficient to construct a recreational facility.
Rear facade after renovation
Michael Hilliard Architect hilliardarchitects.com
Allison monitored the construction of the Highway 101 freeway off-ramp providing additional linkage to the east and west of Hwy. 101
in South San Francisco.