Redwood City Planning Commission Special Meeting - February 18, 2025
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Redwood City Planning Commission Special Meeting - February 18, 2025
The Redwood City Planning Commission held a special meeting on February 18, 2025, starting at 7:00 PM and adjourning at 8:15 PM. The meeting included a public hearing on the city's 2024 Annual Progress Reports (APR) for the Housing Element and General Plan, and the appointment of a Vice Chair. Commissioners present: Cornejo, Finch, Hunter, Koch, and Chair Crnogorac. All votes were 5-0.
Consent Calendar
- No items were on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were received in person or by email on any agenda item.
Discussion Items
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5.A. 2024 Annual Progress Reports (APR) – Housing Element and General Plan
Staff Presentation (Principal Planner John Francis):- The APR reports the city's progress on housing approvals, building permits, and implementation of 39 Housing Element programs.
- In 2024, 176 housing units received building permits. Over 60% of those were at the low-income affordable level.
- To date in the current RHNA cycle (2023-2031), the city has issued building permits for 831 housing units, fulfilling approximately 18% of its total RHNA obligation across all income levels.
- ADUs continue to be a significant source: over 500 ADUs have been permitted since 1992, and they count toward RHNA after building permits are issued.
- Staff highlighted progress including:
- Transitioning 131 homeless households to interim or permanent housing.
- Committing $4.3 million to the 100% affordable project at 1304 Middlefield Road.
- Launching a pre-approved ADU plans program and co-hosting a Peninsula ADU Tour with ~300 participants.
- Completing a sea-level rise vulnerability study and receiving a $300,000 MTC technical assistance grant to revise parking standards near transit.
- Commission Q&A:
- Commissioner Hunter asked about future ADU events; staff indicated interest but no fixed plans.
- Commissioner Hunter clarified that the Harbor View preservation project (Renato Court) was counted toward RHNA after HCD determined the developer's community benefits qualified as an in-kind public contribution.
- Commissioner Koch inquired about actual construction rates from building permits; staff noted that once a building permit is issued, construction is highly likely.
- Commissioner Finch asked about projects that receive permits but are not built; staff said they do not lose RHNA credit and that tracking is done for larger projects.
- Commissioner Koch confirmed that ADUs may be counted toward RHNA, contrary to what some local groups had stated.
- Commissioner Finch noted that the term "secured funding" for the US 101/Woodside Road interchange might imply full funding; staff agreed to clarify that only partial funding has been secured.
- Chair Crnogorac noted the even geographic distribution of ADUs across the city.
- Commissioner Finch asked about parking requirements for ADUs; staff read from city code: no additional parking or replacement parking is required, including if a garage is demolished.
- Staff mentioned that the San Mateo County ADU Resource Center is exploring low-interest loan programs for ADU construction.
- Commissioner Finch expressed concern about enforcing the daylighting law without painted curbs; staff noted they will provide warnings first.
- Staff confirmed the sea-level rise study is available on the city website.
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6. Planning Commission Vice Chair Appointment
Commissioner Hunter moved, seconded by Commissioner Cornejo, to appoint Commissioner Kimberly Koch as Vice Chair. Commissioner Koch accepted. No public comments. Motion passed 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- Motion passed 5-0: To accept the 2024 Housing Element APR and the 2024 General Plan APR, and recommend that the City Council accept both reports and authorize the City Manager to submit them to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, in compliance with Government Code Section 65400.
- Motion passed 5-0: To appoint Commissioner Kimberly Koch as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission.
- Upcoming meetings announced:
- March 4, 2025 – Joint meeting with City Council on Redwood Life project.
- March 18, 2025 – Regular meeting cancelled.
- March 26, 2025 – Special meeting for 901 Al Camino Real and 920 Shasta Avenue entitlements.
- April 1, 2025 – Regular meeting likely cancelled.
- Staff reminded commissioners that board/commission applications are due March 30, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
In-person speakers must turn in their speaker card to admin or staff liaison of ideas to be recognized to speak. And comments that were emailed to PC at Redwood City.org by 5 p.m. today may be read into the record by the staff liaison. Both types of comments are subject to the three-minute time limit. I will now turn it over to staff to call the role. Commissioner Cornejo. Here. Commissioner Finch? Here. Commissioner Hunter? Here. Commissioner Koch? Here. And Chair Surnagoratz. Here. For the purpose of this meeting, I am Sue Xline, I'm assistant community development director and staff leads and to the commission. Other staff attending this evening, Jen Byers, Assistant City Attorney. John Francis, Principal Planner. Christina Mateo, Administrative Secretary, and Meeting House. And also Terry Chin and Angel Saluda are both online as well. Thank you, Ms. Xline. Moving on to the agenda item number two at this time, we'll take public comments from those joining us in person only. If you have joined us in person, please fill out the speaker's card and bring it to staff. All right, seeing none. Are there any public comments received by email? No. There were none. All right. Is there a motion to approve the meeting minutes of November 19th, 2024? So moved. Commissioner Hunter. Moved by Commissioner Hunter. Any literally second? Second by Commissioner Koch. Commissioner Cornejo. Yes. Commissioner Finch? Yes. Commissioner Hunter? Yes. Commissioner Koch? Yes. And Chair Sonagar Rats. Yes. The motion passes five to zero. All right. Steaming right along to number four. It's consent calendar. The next item.
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