Redwood City Planning Commission Regular Meeting – June 17, 2025

The Planning Commission held a study session to review the existing conditions summary for the Greater Downtown Area Plan (GDAP), a successor to the 2011 Downtown Precise Plan. The meeting began at 6:00 PM and adjourned at 8:30 PM. Commissioners present: Bhat, Cornejo, Finch, Hunter, Robinson, Vice Chair Koch, and Chair Crnogorac. No commissioners were absent.

Consent Calendar

• None on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Glenn Babbitt (member of Historic Resources Advisory Committee, speaking personally) expressed strong support for historic preservation, noting that the three historic districts in the plan area (Main Street, Stambaugh-Heller, Mezesville) provide active housing and commercial successes (e.g., Fox Theatre, Hotel Sequoia). He urged the city to vigorously promote the Mills Act program and fast-track updating the historic preservation ordinance to energize the study area.

Discussion Items

• Staff Report (Item 6): Principal Planner John Francis and consultants from WRT, ARUP, and EPS presented the existing conditions analysis for the GDAP, covering four topic areas: community character, community vibrancy, public realm, mobility and connectivity, and climate resilience and infrastructure. Key statistics highlighted:
  • The plan area contains nearly 20% of Redwood City’s population.
  • Median age in the plan area is 33.4 years.
  • Over 50% of residents do not speak English as a primary language; 39% speak Spanish.
  • The Stambaugh-Heller neighborhood is a designated disadvantaged community per the Healthy Planning Index and CalEnviroScreen criteria (educational attainment, income, access to opportunities).
  • The plan area accounts for 60% of all housing built in Redwood City over the last 10 years, outperforming the city and county in multifamily housing production.
  • There are 86 contributing historic resources and 9 individual landmarks in three districts (Main Street, Stambaugh-Heller, Mezesville).
  • Barriers to connectivity include El Camino Real, Whipple, Woodside, Veterans Boulevard, and Highway 101.
  • Flood risk analysis shows significant vulnerability present-day and increasing by 2100, with sea level rise, groundwater, and inland flooding layered.
• Commissioner Clarifying Questions and Discussion:
  • Commissioner Finch asked about off-street parking occupancy (data to follow), Spanish-language door-to-door canvassing, and engagement with renters. Staff confirmed working with community organization Nuestra Casa and planning direct engagement.
  • Commissioner Cornejo asked about the Spanish-speaking focus group size (small groups of CBO staff) and requested breakdown of race vs. language data. Staff noted the census treats Latino/Hispanic as ethnicity, not race, and will provide additional data.
  • Commissioner Bhat questioned the language pie chart labeling (“English only” – clarified as “English” as primary language) and the westward boundary of the plan area at El Camino Real; staff cited neighborhood association boundaries and focus on connectivity needs in Stambaugh-Heller and Centennial.
  • Commissioner Koch asked about senior outreach (focus group held with CBO staff, not residents) and how unbuilt approved projects affect planning; staff noted entitlements expire and the plan may adjust.
  • Commissioner Robinson asked about mobility for school-age children and daycare availability; staff acknowledged youth engagement and recent zoning changes to facilitate childcare.
  • Commissioner Hunter asked about funding (from general fund via building permit fees) and performance gaps relative to the 2011 DTPP; staff will follow up on remaining capacity.
  • Chair Crnogorac asked about green infrastructure for flooding – staff said plan will coordinate with regional levy strategies and localized measures.
• Commissioner Discussion:
  • Commissioner Finch supported focusing retail on nodes rather than ubiquitous ground-floor along El Camino Real, citing vacant storefronts on new developments. Consultant Jason Moody agreed, noting challenges of fast traffic and lack of line-of-sight parking on El Camino Real.
  • Commissioner Bott emphasized housing production as a key priority, noting that half of Centennial within the plan area is historic district, limiting redevelopment. Staff responded that the Housing Element rezoning in 2023 created opportunities and that economic headwinds currently hinder construction.
  • Commissioner Hunter noted the area includes three qualified opportunity zones (Stambaugh-Heller) and urged using that tool for economic development. He also stressed the need for more parks, citing limited existing ones (e.g., Roselli Park considered unsafe).
  • Commissioner Finch raised opportunities for “missing middle” housing via ADUs and smaller multifamily. Staff confirmed recent zoning changes encourage such housing.
  • Commissioner Finch and others discussed street width and calming (especially Veterans Boulevard) – staff are exploring narrowing, medians, greening, and safety improvements, with multiple objectives (connectivity, climate, mode shift).
  • Commissioner Robinson noted the loss of recreational amenities (bowling alley, skating rink) and suggested land uses north of Veterans could host for-profit family entertainment venues.
  • Chair Crnogorac warned against diffusing the downtown’s concentrated energy by expanding too quickly; staff clarified the GDAP includes adjacent neighborhoods to address infrastructure deficits (flooding, heat islands), not to dissolve neighborhood identities.
  • Commissioner Finch noted the county center area feels like a dead zone at night; staff highlighted a new county building café and farmers markets, and plans to better integrate the campus (e.g., Hamilton Green linear park connector).

Key Outcomes

• Approval of June 3, 2025 Minutes: Motion by Hunter, second by Koch; passed 7-0.
• The study session was informational; no formal decisions were made on the GDAP.
• Staff will incorporate commissioner and public feedback into the next phases: framework alternatives and continued community engagement (focus groups, speaker series, Spanish-language canvassing, open house, survey).
• Next Planning Commission regular meetings: July 15, 2025 (may be cancelled) and August 19, 2025 (tentatively scheduled: Redwood Life EIR scoping and one development project).