On May 10, 2023, the Redwood City Planning Commission held a special meeting (6:00–8:00 PM) for a study session on proposed amendments to the Municipal Code, Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, Affordable Housing Ordinance, and General Plan Land Use Map to implement the recently adopted Housing Element (2023–2031). The session was intended to gather feedback from the commission and public; no formal action was taken. Staff presented strategies to accommodate 150% of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (over 7,000 dwelling units), including missing middle housing, height/density increases, parking reductions, SB9 implementation, zoning map amendments, affordable housing ordinance updates, and procedural clarifications for SB35 and non-conforming structures.
Good evening everyone. Um and thank you for joining our May 10th special planning commission meeting. As a reminding reminder, items will be taken in the order they're listed on the agenda. Um before we get started, I wanted to briefly go over public comment procedures for the meeting uh 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 the agenda um items will be taken only when that item is called. In-person speakers will be called first, followed by the virtual attendees. In person speakers, uh please fill out speakers card at the front of the council chambers to bring to staff if any. Uh for those joining virtually, you may use the raise hand feature on the Zoom to speak if you're joining the teleconference by phone. You may raise your hand by dialing star nine and then star six to unmute your microphone when prompted. Please only raise your hand at a time that the item of which you are speaking is called. Each speaker is allotted three minutes, but that time may be adjusted. There are many speakers. For in-person speakers, there'll be a light on the podium, which will let you know how much time you have left in a buzzer. For virtual speakers, there will be a timer on the screen. Lastly, we know that we each bring different perspectives to the discussion, and we want to be sure everyone has a chance to be heard without interruption. Thank you for your attention and consideration during this process. Now we will proceed with the roll call. Commissioner Alvarez. Here. Commissioner Chu here. Commissioner Espinoza? Here. Commissioner Koch. Here. Commissioner Lazarus. Present. Vice Chair Shenogaretz? Here. And Chair Hunter is absent. And so for the purposes of this meeting, I'd like to say that I'm Sue X Line, Steph Lee is into the commission, and other city staff that are attending this evening. John Francis, Principal Planner. Jennifer Byers, Assistant City Attorney, Sam Hughes, Associate Planner, Patrick Heisinger, Acting Housing Leadership Manager, and Jessica Ira, Secretary and Meeting Host. The next item on the agenda is AB two four four-9 notifications and considerations. Do we have any remote participation notifications or requests from the commission to consider? We do not. If if you'd like to talk about the housing element, that's the next item on the agenda. Would you like to wait to raise your hand during that item? Um I guess so. Okay. I mean, I didn't know I was on the list to speak now. Oh okay. You you have your hand raised virtually. Um then aga again um again my controls on this screen in terms of interacting with you are like not working real well for me right now. So I'm probably doing things I shouldn't even be doing. Okay, thank you. We'll call you later. All right. Are there any other uh virtual participants? There are no other hands raised.