Redwood City Planning Commission Meeting - June 20, 2023
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Redwood City Planning Commission Meeting - June 20, 2023
The Redwood City Planning Commission held a regular meeting on June 20, 2023, starting at 6:00 PM and adjourning at 9:20 PM. The main focus was a public hearing on the Redwood Life Evolve project, a proposed life science campus at 800-3400 Bridge Parkway. Commissioners voted 6-0 to recommend that the City Council initiate proceedings to repeal the Westport Specific Plan and adopt a new Precise Plan, with a request for further community outreach by the applicant.
Consent Calendar
- No items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No speakers on general public comments (item 3) or minutes/consent.
- On item 6B, numerous in-person and virtual speakers testified. Supporters included union representatives (carpenters, building trades) who highlighted union jobs, career pathways, and economic benefits. Supporters also included housing advocates (Housing Action Coalition, Eden Housing, Build Up San Mateo County) who emphasized the $85 million affordable housing contribution and $2 million for child care. Environmental organizations (Greenbelt Alliance) supported moving to CEQA study to assess benefits like sea level rise funding.
- Opponents, primarily Redwood Shores residents, raised concerns about building height (up to 100 feet), scale (3.31 million sq ft), traffic, construction duration (25 years), environmental impacts on wetlands and wildlife, adequacy of community benefits, biosafety level 3 risks, and disruption to the community. Many urged rejecting the plan or requiring a scaled-back alternative.
Discussion Items
Item 6A: 1125 Arguello
- The commission unanimously (6-0) continued this item to a date uncertain after no public speakers.
Item 6B: 800-3400 Bridge Parkway – Redwood Life Evolve
- Staff presented the request for initiation of a Precise Plan to replace the Westport Specific Plan. Applicant detailed the project: phased demolition and construction of 3.31 million sq ft of life science space, 104-room hotel, 46,000 sq ft amenity center, 29 acres of public open space, all-electric buildings targeting LEED Gold minimum. Community benefits: $85 million for affordable housing (estimated 850 units), $2 million for child care, $50 million for sea level rise mitigation, $8 million annual general fund revenue, union labor commitments, and transportation improvements including shuttle to Caltrain and formation of a Transportation Management Association.
- Commissioner discussion centered on project size, height, community opposition, adequacy of community benefits, biosafety levels, and the need for further community engagement. Chair Hunter expressed concerns about insufficient community outreach and benefits. Vice Chair Crnogorac noted the project is in a location far from transit and questioned the scale. Commissioner Lazarus suggested a friendly amendment to request additional community outreach, which was accepted.
Key Outcomes
- Item 6A: Continued to date uncertain (6-0).
- Item 6B: Motion by Commissioner Espinoza, seconded by Vice Chair Crnogorac, to adopt Resolution 23-16 recommending the City Council initiate proceedings to consider repeal of the Westport Specific Plan and adoption of a new Precise Plan for the Redwood Life Evolve project. An amendment by Commissioner Lazarus to include a recommendation for the applicant to conduct further community outreach was accepted. The motion passed 6-0.
- The meeting adjourned at 9:20 PM. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 18, 2023.
Meeting Transcript
Um good evening and thank you all for being here. Um we're not gonna start quite yet. We're waiting for one more, unfortunately. Okay, good evening, everyone. And welcome to the Planning Commission meeting of June 20th, 2023. As a reminder, items will be taken up in the order in which they are listed on the agenda. Before we get started, I wanted to briefly go over uh public comment procedures for the meetings 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. In-person speakers will be called first, followed by virtual attendees. For in-person speakers, I've already mentioned this, but um please spill out a fill out a speaker's card like this, which are available on the back, uh, and bring them to the staff in the front if you wish to speak in person. Uh for those joining virtually, if you're joining on Zoom, you may use the raise hand feature. And 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 the time that the item on which you are speaking is called. Each speaker will be allotted three minutes, but that may be adjusted if we have many uh many speakers, which is a possibility tonight. For in-person speakers, there will be a light on the podium, right? Which is right up there to let you know how much time you have left and a buzzer when your time is up. For virtual speakers, there will be a timer on the screen. And last week, we know that this is a um a a large large issue uh with many different opinions in the community, and so we really encourage you to be respectful and to listen to everyone's comments, even those you disagree with, listen to their comments, and I trust that they will listen to yours, and um we can uh hopefully achieve a consensus uh in this room. So we will now proceed with the roll call. Sue Commissioner Alvarez here. Commissioner Espinoza um will address that in just a minute. Commissioner Koch. Here Commissioner Lazarus. Present. Vice Chair Cernel Gorbatz. Here. Chair Hunter? Here. And Commissioner Chu is absent. And so for the purposes of this meeting, I'm Sue Xline. I'm the liaison to the planning commission. Other city staff that are attending tonight are Ryan Kuchenig, senior planner, Margaret Neto, contract, principal planner, Jeff Schwab, contract CDT, Jennifer Byers, Assistant City Attorney, and Jessica Ira, Secretary and Meeting Host. Thank you. Uh item number two is AB 2449 notifications and considerations. I'll ask our staff liaison if there's any notifications or requests for virtual meeting participation. If any virtual notifications or requests for virtual meeting participation have been received from any members of the commission. Yes, Commissioner Espinoza for just cause circumstance. Thank you. Uh Commissioner Espinosa, would you like to address the commission commission? Thank you, uh Chair and to my fellow planning commissioners. Uh I have a few sick folks uh at home and definitely don't want to spread anything to my fellow planning commissioners and staff. Um so I'm just letting y'all know that I'll have audio and video on throughout the entire meeting. Uh and there are no individuals over the age of 18 in the room present. Great. Thank you. And Sue, I think. So um so for the record, we have at least four a quorum of the other commissioners that are present. And then council chambers. Commissioner Espinoza has not exceeded the annual limits.
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