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<br />SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/STUDY SESSION/TOWN HALL April 20, 2015 <br />MEETING MINUTES PAGE 3 <br />track and manage her water use and conservation. She encourages others to use <br />these applications and would like to have them more advertised so people know about <br />it. She also opined that she does not like the design of the Crossing 900, feeling it <br />makes things boxed in, and impacts the view. She asked that when there is a future <br />revision to the Downtown Precise Plan, to please look at having a moratorium on <br />building. <br /> <br />Karen Keefer, commended Council and staff on the Precise Plan, Redwood City e-news <br />and the great things that make our city wonderful. She expressed appreciation in not <br />moving forward with the DMB Associates housing development and opined that it is <br />unsafe to build in the ponds. She spoke in favor of having more affordable housing <br />here, noting that this does not mean half of the median income but it is much less than <br />that. She said that she has worked for FEMA and disaster relief as a career and she <br />opined that there is a need for more water and she does not understand why there we <br />are building without more water coming in. She also congratulated everyone for doing <br />well with their water conservation. <br /> <br />Kris Johnson thanked Council for its service, said he has lived in the Mount Carmel area <br />for 12 years. He stated that he believes Council should take immediate action to adjust <br />and lower building heights in the Downtown Precise Plan and expressed concern with <br />the size and height of many of the new construction projects in the pipeline or near <br />completion and their scale to the smaller, charming and historic buildings. He opined <br />that as a resident he wants sunny sidewalks and cafes versus high rises, shading <br />communal gathering spots that create a cold, windy tunnel effect. He questioned why <br />this city has the highest building height maximums on the Peninsula outside of San <br />Jose and San Francisco which is at 136 feet high. He stated that he has looked back to <br />2007 and could not find one instance where a resident expressed support for 12-story <br />buildings and opined that this has always been controversial and questioned why <br />Council voted to support it. He asked Council to direct staff to bring a staff report to <br />recommend bringing building heights down. <br /> <br />Jimmy Hedges said he knows we have recycle water and that residents may get water <br />from the corporation yard. He spoke in favor of using tanker trucks and bringing the <br />water to people so that they may use it to water trees. <br /> <br />Laura Marquez spoke in favor of rent control in the Redwood City. She said she <br />understands there are many buildings coming up, but asked if there is awareness of the <br />price being asked for some residences. She asked what you would do if you are faced <br />with situation with a rent at $2,500 but you are earning the $8 or $8.50 per hour. She <br />expressed hope that what she had to say for herself and other working people in <br />Redwood City will be considered. <br /> <br />Guadalupe Ortiz representing Comite de Inquilinos (Renters Committee) said they have <br />a newly formed rent control group here. She said this affects her family specifically <br />because their rent has been raised two times. She opined that the person managing <br />their apartment building had been taking in new people and it seems they are being <br />pushed to move out. She asked if they are being counted or are they disposable <br />because that is how they feel they are being treated. She would like the City to take <br />into account the state of the apartment building where it’s like an oven in summer and a <br />freezer in the winter. <br />6.1.K. - Page 3