Redwood City Planning Commission Regular Meeting - March 7, 2023
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Redwood City Planning Commission Regular Meeting - March 7, 2023\n\nThe Redwood City Planning Commission convened on March 7, 2023 at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers and via Zoom. The meeting included a public hearing on the Housing Element Annual Progress Report for 2022 and a public hearing to receive comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the proposed mixed-use development at 1125 Arguello Street. The commission also recognized Commissioner Kevin Bondonno on his final meeting after 21 years of service. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM.\n\n### Consent Calendar\n- No items were presented on the consent calendar.\n\n### Public Comments & Testimony\n- Jonathan Eremia, Norcal Carpenters Union spoke during general public comments, advocating for area standards including healthcare, apprenticeship programs, and local hire requirements in construction projects, stating these should be normal rather than overlooked.\n- Bart Bartola, San Mateo County Building Construction Trades Council (in-person) voiced support for the 1125 Arguello project, citing the developer's commitment to using highly skilled workers, electric construction, and mass timber.\n- Amy Buckmaster, Chamber San Mateo County (remote) voiced support, praising the transit-oriented location, 33 affordable ownership condos, childcare in historic homes, and new office workers supporting downtown businesses.\n- Christine Padilla, Build Up San Mateo County (remote) voiced support, emphasizing the childcare component, noting Redwood City has a shortage of nearly 2,400 childcare slots and needs over 3,100 new slots by 2032.\n- Ken Chan, Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County (remote) voiced support, highlighting the partnership between Habitat for Humanity and Hines as an example for creating affordable ownership homes through mixed-use development.\n- Kathleen Daly (remote) voiced support but expressed a desire for more affordable housing and fewer office buildings, stating the 33 affordable units are a good start but too small.\n\n### Discussion Items\n\n#### Housing Element Annual Progress Report for 2022\n- GIS Data Analyst Angel Saluta presented the report covering housing development stages from January 1 to December 31, 2022. The city has issued permits for over 3,200 new homes, with nearly 900 units affordable to extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households. Key projects include 557 East Bay Shore (480 units), Habitat for Humanity (20 units), and the conversion of 1818 El Camino Real to permanent supportive housing (51 units).\n- Commissioner questions addressed RHNA crediting, the 1304 Middlefield affordable unit mix (15 extremely low, 15 very low, 8 low, 1 manager), and potential double-counting. Staff clarified that units are counted when building permits are issued and are not double-counted between reporting periods.\n- The public hearing was opened and closed with no public comments.\n\n#### 1125 Arguello Street Draft Environmental Impact Report\n- Contract Principal Planner Darryl Boyd presented the DEIR for a proposed mixed-use project on a 3.5-acre site, including approximately 300,000 sq ft of office space, a 4,000 sq ft childcare facility (reusing two historic landmarks), and a 33-unit 100% affordable for-sale residential building. The DEIR concludes no potentially significant and unavoidable impacts with mitigation. The 45-day review period ends March 20, 2023.\n- Commissioner questions addressed MUT zoning allowances, state density bonus triggers, and potential parking exemptions under AB 2097. Staff emphasized that no decisions on the project or EIR would be made tonight; the purpose was solely to receive comments.\n- Public comments were received from five speakers, all in support.\n- Commissioner discussion: Chair Hunter requested that the DEIR's alternatives analysis include similar employment and housing impact data as provided for the proposed project. Vice Chair Crnogorac asked that impacts on the 110 trees on site and streetscape be included. Commissioner Chu requested a no-parking or minimal-parking alternative in light of state law allowing parking exemptions near transit.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- Motion to accept the 2022 Housing Element Annual Progress Report and recommend City Council approval, authorizing submission to the state. Moved by Commissioner Espinoza, seconded by Commissioner Chu. Passed 6-0.\n- No action taken on the 1125 Arguello DEIR. The commission received public comments, which will be responded to in the final EIR. The project is expected to return for formal consideration in late May/early June 2023.\n- Recognition of Commissioner Bondonno: Chair Hunter and fellow commissioners, along with former Commissioner Ernie Schmidt, honored Commissioner Bondonno for his 21 years of service on the Planning Commission (and previously on the Housing and Human Concerns Committee). Commissioner Bondonno expressed gratitude to staff, past and present commissioners, and councils.\n- Future meetings: The March 21, 2023 meeting was cancelled; the next regular meeting is April 4, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
Turn this on. And good evening, everyone, and welcome to the Planning Commission meeting of March seventh to twenty twenty-three. As a reminder, items will be uh taken up in the order in which they are listed on the agenda. So before we get started, I wanted to briefly go over the public comment procedure for the meeting for those who may be joining us for the first time. Public comments on the approval of minutes, consent items, matters of commission interest, and items not on the agenda will be taken during item number three on this evening's agenda. Comments on other agenda items will be taken only when that item is called. Or if you're joining the teleconference by phone, you can raise your hand by dialing star nine and then star six to unmute when prompt your microphone when prompted. Um again, only raise your hand at the time that the item you are speaking on is called. And each speaker will be allotted three minutes. Um for the for in-person speakers, um, there will be a light on the podium uh to let you know how much time you have left. And for virtual speakers, there'll be a timer on your screen. So with that, I would like ask that we could now proceed with the roll call. Commissioner Bandano. Here, Commissioner Chu here. Commissioner Espinoza? Here, Commissioner Koch, here. Vice Chair Sunogaretz? Here. And Chair Hunter. Here. And I would like to let everyone know that um I'm Sue X Lang, staff liaison to this commission. And that other city staff that are attending this meeting. Daryl Boyd, contract, principal planner, Angel Saluda, JS Data Analyst, Jennifer Byers, Assistant City Attorney, Christina Mateo, Administrative Secretary, and Jessica Ira, Planning Secretary, and meeting host. Thank you. Item number two is a new one. Uh it's AB 29, 2449 notifications and considerations. Um, so I would like to ask if do we have any remote participation notifications or requests from the commission to consider. No, we do not. All right, thank you. Um this is a new item. Um, the city is still um trying to figure out uh the the best way to do this, but I want to ask our city attorney to um as as much as you can just explain what this item is because it it's um it's a part of I think all of our public meetings from now on. Thank you, and you're correct, Chair Hunter. It will be a part of our meetings moving forward. Um, and so just to kind of briefly explain the background on this. The Brown Act historically provided for teleconference participation um where you are allowed to participate if you notice it in the your location in the agenda and you opened it up to the public. During the pandemic, new rules were in place that allowed you to participate remotely and not publish it in the agenda 72 hours in advance, your location or open it up to the public. What this new law does is it replaces that pandemic rule with rules that allow you to continue to participate from a remote location, um, and you do not have to open it up to the public, but it is under more limited circumstances. The old teleconference rules where you could participate um after noticing it in the agenda and opening it up to the public still apply, so that's still an option. And I understand that the city clerk will be presenting to the planning commission at some point in the near future, explaining the more limited circumstances and the process and procedure for if you are interested in participating from a remote location under this new provision. Wonderful. Thank you very much. I appreciate it uh the clarification. That was about as clear as it can be until we figure out how it's actually gonna work in practice. Thank you. Um the next item is uh item three public comments on the approval of minutes, consent items, matters of commission interest, and items not on the agenda. Um I have one speaker's card here. Um if there's anyone uh is there anyone else um who wishes to speak who is here in the uh in the audience? Uh and Sue, do we have anyone online who wish to speak on this? We do not have we do not have any hands raised, Chair Hunter. Okay, then I will call on the uh one speaker that I have here, and I'm sorry I'm uh I uh not clearly reading the name, but uh Jonathan Iremia.
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