Redwood City Planning Commission Meeting on Firearms Zoning and Development Agreement - May 2, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Redwood City Planning Commission Regular Meeting – May 2, 2023
The Redwood City Planning Commission met on May 2, 2023, at 6:00 PM (adjourned at 9:00 PM) in Council Chambers and via Zoom to consider two major items: a proposed zoning ordinance to regulate firearms and ammunition retail sales, and a third amendment to a development agreement for 1548 Maple Street. The meeting featured extensive public testimony and commission deliberation on the firearms ordinance, resulting in a modified recommendation to the City Council.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: The Commission approved the draft special meeting minutes of April 4, 2023 (6-0, Espinoza abstain) and April 18, 2023 (5-0, Hunter and Espinoza abstain).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Firearms Ordinance (Item 6A): 13 speakers (6 in-person, 7 virtual) overwhelmingly urged the Commission to increase the proposed buffer distance from 600 feet to at least 1,000 feet from sensitive facilities. Many cited the California Gun-Free School Zone Act (1,000 feet), statistics on gun violence, personal experiences with lockdowns, and comparisons to neighboring San Carlos’ 1,000-foot buffer. Several speakers expressed opposition to any gun shops in Redwood City. A few speakers noted that the community engagement process was not well publicized and that the English-language meeting had only 12 attendees compared to ~70 for the Spanish-language meeting. One speaker requested no action be taken to allow more outreach.
Discussion Items
-
Firearms and Ammunition Retail Zoning Ordinance: Assistant City Manager Poche Flaherty and Principal Planner Francis presented a proposal to require a conditional use permit and establish locational restrictions, including a 600-foot buffer from schools, childcare centers, parks, places of worship, libraries, youth centers, community centers, and Courthouse Square. The proposal also required a police permit with security and storage conditions. Staff noted that 78% of survey respondents supported stricter gun sale regulations, and 79% supported restricting sales near sensitive uses. Commissioner questions focused on the rationale for 600 feet, inclusion of in-home daycare, mapping at different buffers, constitutional limits, and equity impacts. Public testimony and commissioner discussion led to a motion by Commissioner Espinoza, seconded by Commissioner Chu, to amend the staff recommendation: strike 600-foot blanket and instead impose 1,000 feet from schools, public parks, and youth centers; maintain 600 feet from childcare centers, libraries, community centers, faith-based places of worship, and Courthouse Square; include in-home daycare facilities if address data is available (via census block or opt-in). Additionally, the motion directed staff to research display restrictions (e.g., window coverings) and a buffer for residential zoning districts, applying an equity lens using the City’s equity methodology. The motion passed 6-1 (Commissioner Koch dissenting).
-
1548 Maple Street Development Agreement Amendment: Principal Planner McGill presented a request for a third amendment to extend the development agreement’s term by three years (to June 20, 2026) and allow phased construction of the Bay Trail while maintaining continuous pedestrian/bicycle access. The developer has facilitated key infrastructure, including the Bloomquist extension and the county navigation center. No public speakers. The Commission approved the recommendation to City Council unanimously (7-0).
Key Outcomes
- Firearms Ordinance: The Commission voted 6-1 to recommend that the City Council adopt a zoning ordinance with a 1,000-foot buffer for schools, parks, and youth centers; 600-foot buffers for other specified sensitive facilities; and inclusion of in-home daycares subject to data availability. Staff will also research display protections and a residential buffer with an equity analysis.
- 1548 Maple Street: The Commission voted 7-0 to recommend City Council approval of the third amendment to the development agreement.
- Next Meeting: A special Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for May 10, 2023, at 6:00 PM to discuss housing element zoning code changes.
Meeting Transcript
Hi everybody. Before we start, I would just like to ask if if anybody is intending to speak this evening and has not turned in a speaker's card, I would ask if you could get a speaker's card from the back and turn it into Christina up at the front desk here. Thank you. So public comments on the approval of minutes, consent items, matters of commission interest, and any items not on the agenda will be taken during item number three in today's meeting. Comments on other agenda items will be taken only when that item is called. In-person speakers will be called first, followed by virtual attendees. Um in-person speakers, uh as I requested a few minutes ago. Um please, if you haven't yet, please spill out a speaker's card, which is at the back of the council chambers, uh, and bring it up to staff. Uh Christina over there by the by the computer. Um if you're joining the teleconference by phone, um, or or if you're if you're joining by Zoom, please uh use the raised hand feature to speak. And if you're joining by phone, you can raise your hand by dialing star nine, and then when you're called upon, dial star six to unmute your microphone. Please only raise your hand at the time that the item on which you are speaking is called. And each uh speaker is allotted three minutes, but that time may be adjusted if there are many speakers, so that we can we can get everyone in. For in-person speakers, there will be a light on the podium right up there, uh, to let you know how much time you have left and a buzzer when the time is up. And for virtual speakers, there will be a timer on the screen. Lastly, um, we all know that we bring different perspectives to the discussion, and we want to make sure that everyone has a chance to be heard without interruption. Um, and that's something that we say uh before most of our meetings. Um it's not necessary because there's not a great amount of controversy. Um this evening there is an item on the agenda which will be controversial, and there will be strong feelings on both sides. And so we really want this to be a smooth meeting and a respectful meeting. So I would ask you all, please, uh, no cheering or booing uh for anyone who who speaks. Um there are many, there's many of you I know uh I've seen we've seen before, um, and you are some of you are experienced in speaking before the planning commission or the city council. Um may never have spoken in a public setting before, and you may be very nervous. And so I would ask that everyone um you know be extremely respectful for people because some of the people up there might be really nervous uh and um you know they will need all the uh all the support that they can get. Um I do see that there are signs here, and that is fine. And um I would just request, and I thank you currently that uh don't hold them up in the in a way that you're blocking the people's view behind you. Um that being said, I will um proceed with the roll call, please. Commissioner Alvarez here, Commissioner Chu? Here, Commissioner Espinoza? Here, Commissioner Koch, here Commissioner Lazarus, present. Vice Chair Sunagoratz? Here. And Chair Hunter. Here. And for the purposes of this meeting, I'll state that I'm Sue X Lines, staff liaison to this commission and the other city staff that are attending this evening. John Francis, Principal Planner, Anna McGill, Principal Planner, Evelyn Garcia, Associate Planner, Stephen Dijong, GIS and Analytics Manager, Veronica Ramirez, City Attorney, Michelle Flaherty, Assistant City Manager, Jennifer Byers, Assistant City Attorney, and Christina Mateo, Administrative Secretary and Meeting Host. Thank you. Um item uh number two on the agenda is AB 2449 notifications and considerations, meeting participation by teleconference. Uh do we have any remote participation notifications or requests? No, we do not. Thank you. Um item number three is public comments on any item that's not um on approval of minutes, consent items, matters of commission interest, or any items not on the agenda, not otherwise on the agenda. I have I don't let me make sure. Uh I do not have speaker cards for uh any public for any public comments um in item three. Are there any uh remote uh hands for item three? There are no raised hands on this item. Okay, thank you. Uh the next item on the agenda is the approval of minutes. Um is there a motion to approve the meeting minutes of April 4th, 2023? Still moved.
openpublica.com