Redwood City Planning Commission Meeting - June 16, 2026: SB 79 Transit-Oriented Development Alternative Plan Recommendation
Redwood City Planning Commission Meeting - June 16, 2026
The Planning Commission held a regular meeting on June 16, 2026, to discuss and make a recommendation regarding Senate Bill 79 (SB 79), the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act. The primary action was a motion to recommend that the City Council direct staff to prepare a transit-oriented development (TOD) alternative plan, aligning with the city's existing goals for increased density near Caltrain. The meeting also included approval of previous meeting minutes and administrative updates.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the draft meeting minutes from May 5, 2026 (6-0, with one absent) and from the June 2, 2026 joint meeting of the Planning Commission and Architectural Advisory Committee (6-0, with one absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michael Arusa, volunteer lead for Yes in Redwood City, spoke in full support of the staff recommendation to adopt SB 79 as a baseline (without exclusions) and begin work on a TOD alternative plan. He noted that Redwood City is falling behind on housing goals and that SB 79 aligns with city objectives.
Discussion Items
- SB 79 Presentation and Deliberation: Senior Planner Ellen Yao presented an overview of SB 79, which requires housing as an allowed use on residential, mixed-use, or commercial sites within half a mile of a transit stop (Redwood City's Caltrain station). She explained the three eligibility zones (200 feet, quarter mile, half mile) with corresponding height and density maximums (up to 95 feet and 160 dwelling units per acre in the inner zone). She noted that many sites already meet or exceed SB 79 standards (shown in green), while others (shown in pink) would see increased capacity. Staff recommended allowing SB 79 to take effect on July 1, 2026, and focusing efforts on developing a TOD alternative plan by mid-2027, which would tailor requirements to local context.
- Commissioner Questions: Commissioners asked clarifying questions about density comparisons, affordability requirements (including how SB 79's tiers compare to city requirements), the potential relocation of the Caltrain station, and the implications of a TOD alternative plan on existing zoning (e.g., whether it could cap densities above 200% of SB 79). Staff and the city attorney provided responses, noting that the TOD alternative plan would allow redistribution of capacity but could not reduce density on any site by more than 50% or increase it by more than 200% relative to SB 79's baseline.
- Commissioner Positions: Commissioners Finch and Bott expressed support for the baseline approach (no exclusion ordinance) citing alignment with city goals and limited near-term impact due to market conditions. Commissioner Hunter favored a temporary exclusion ordinance to preserve maximum flexibility while the TOD plan is developed. After discussion, the commission leaned toward the staff recommendation.
Key Outcomes
- Motion and Vote: Commissioner Bott moved that by minute order the commission recommend that the City Council direct city staff to prepare a transit-oriented development alternative plan pursuant to SB 79 obligations. Vice Chair Koch seconded. The motion passed 6-0 (Commissioner Cornejo absent). Chair Sunagoratz clarified that this recommendation allows the baseline SB 79 to take effect without exclusions while staff works on the TOD alternative plan.
- Next Steps: The item will be brought to the City Council on July 13, 2026. If adopted, staff will develop a TOD alternative plan with an anticipated first draft for commission review in mid-2027.
- Administrative Updates: The July 21, 2026 Planning Commission meeting was cancelled. The next regular meeting is scheduled for August 18, 2026. Commissioner Bott was thanked for his service, as this was his last meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Good evening, and thank you for joining our June sixteent items, twenty twenty six planning commission meeting. As a reminder, items will be taken in the order they're listed on the agenda will be taken during item number three this evening. Comments on the agenda items will be taken in the or uh only when the item is called. In-person speakers will be called first, followed by virtual attendees. In-person speakers, please fill out a speaker's card at um at the front of the council chambers and bring it to staff for today as to be recognized. If you're joining us virtually, you may use the raise hand feature on Zoom to speak. If you're joining by teleconference by phone, you may raise your hand by dialing star nine and star six to unmute your microphone when prompted. Please only raise your hand at a time when the item on which you are speaking is called. Each speaker will be allotted two minutes. And for in-person speakers, there will be a light on the podium to let you know how much time you have left. Lastly, we want to know that we want you to know that we each bring different perspectives to discussion, and we want to be sure everyone has a chance to be heard without interruption. Planning commission welcomes public comment on the items within a purview. Any speaker whose comments and topics are not on the commission purview will be warned and potentially removed. Thank you for your attention and consideration during this process. I will now turn it over to staff for the roll call. Commissioner Bott. Here. Commissioner Cornejo is absent. Commissioner Finch? Here. Commissioner Hunter? Here. Commissioner Robinson. Here. Vice Chair Koch. Here. And Chair Sunagoratz. Here. So I'm Sue Xline. I'm the Assistant Community Development Director and the liaison for the meeting this evening. Tonight I have with me Rick Jarvis, our consultant city attorney. John Francis, our principal planner, and Ellen Yao, who is a new senior planner in our department. She is just joined us about a few months ago, and she is going to be working on our long-range planning team. She'll be presenting tonight. And we have Jessica Goodall, Secretary and meeting host. Wonderful. Thank you. Notification of meeting participation by teleconference due to just cause pursuant to government code 54953-8-3. Do we have any remote participation notifications or requests from the commission to consider? No, we do not. All right. Let's move on to the next item on the agenda. It's item number three, it's public comments. We will take public comments at this time from those joining us in person and through Zoom. These are um public comments should be in the topics within the co the planning commission's purview. I think we went over the procedures as to how to comment. So these are comments on the approval of minutes, consent items, and matters of commission interest, as well as items not on the agenda. So anything that is not currently on the agenda list of items. Are there any speakers?
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