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Page 1 of 9 <br />REPORT <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br /> <br />September 22, 2014 <br /> <br />SUBJECT <br />Downtown Precise Plan Maximum Allowable Development Status Update and <br />Direction <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Approve resolution clarifying the Downtown Precise Plan's square footage allocation <br />process for development applications currently submitted; and, by motion direct staff to <br />return to Council with a recommended process for development applications which <br />would exceed the Maximum Allowable Development allowed under the Downtown <br />Precise Plan. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Downtown Precise Plan (DTPP) was formally adopted by the City Council on <br />January 24, 2011 and amended on July 22, 2013. The DTPP area consists of <br />approximately 183-acres with the City’s historic center (see area map, attached). This <br />plan was established to “orchestrate private and public investment actions in the <br />Downtown”. In the short time since adoption, it has become quite apparent that the <br />DTPP is a successful planning document. There have been a total of nine (9) projects <br />approved since adoption, and six (6) additional projects are currently proposed. In total, <br />over 1,200 housing units and 300,000 square feet have been recently completed or are <br />under construction, with additional units and office space proposed. <br /> <br />The success of the DTPP is due in large part to the certainty it creates for private <br />investment. The DTPP has the authority of the Zoning Code, and includes development <br />regulations such as use process details, historic regulations, building and landscape <br />placement regulations, parking requirements, architectural guidelines and regulations, <br />signage regulations and other related details. While dwelling units and floor area ratio <br />are not restricted on a site-by-site basis, the DTPP does establish Maximum Allowable <br />Development (MAD) permitted for the area as a whole. <br /> <br />The DTPP establishes MAD for the following categories of development: residential, <br />office, retail, and lodging. The MAD allocation numbers were primarily based on <br />economic conditions at the time. Similar numbers are also reflected in the City’s <br />General Plan. It is important to note that this is a building permit maximum, not a zoning <br />(planning stage) maximum. This can be problematic for applicants when a number of <br />planning applications are submitted at approximately the same time. This occurred with <br />the most recent phase office development applications. The City received five (5) office <br />applications totaling approximately 489,000 square feet in August 2014. City staff is <br />also aware of another office development (approximately 100,000 sf) that may be <br />9.C. - Page 1