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would result in at least 37 more parking spaces behind Raychem, thus eliminating the need for a Variance. Director Patterson described the off-site improvements the applicant would effect if granted the Use Permit and Variance, including eliminating curb cutouts thus providing more street parking, new curb, gutters and sidewalks, landscaping, new lighting, removing the railroad tracks on Charter Street and Douglas Avenue within the public right-of-way, and traffic signing and striping. Director Patterson advised that other health clubs in Redwood City and other cities are located in industrial areas such as the proposed site, and the early morning and after work peak hours use is a good match with industrial businesses' peak daytime hours use. Director Patterson stated that the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance was not used to limit the number of businesses, only the type, and it was not used to impact competition. Councilwoman Steinfeld voiced her objections to the proposed health club on grounds that the increased traffic and inadequate parking would adversely impact neighboring businesses, increased parking would interfere with unloading of truck trailers, there was a significant public safety issue involved when people walked to and from parking lots in industrial areas, especially at night, and there was no way to monitor lunch time use. 2. Open public hearing; Mayor Pro Tem Hartnett opened the Public Hearing at 8:24 P.M. 3. Hear public comment; Robert Lasher, appellant, 909 Broadway, Western Power Equipment, spoke on behalf of several other businesses in the area, including Sherman-Williams, Par Auto Repair, Burkhart, Wesco, and a new antique store planning to move into their small industrial area. Mr. Lasher advised that they all believed their businesses would be negatively impacted by the loss of parking spaces to the health club's clientele, and their customers would no longer be able to park near their businesses. Mr. Lasher asked Council to delay a decision until they had more information on the operations and parking impacts around other health clubs, and asked that valet parking be made a mandatory condition of the Variance. Mr. Lasher advised that the computer log statistics provided by the applicant regarding lunch time use appeared to be too low, and not reflective of actual use. Mr. Lasher stated traffic and parking were already bad in that area, and increased health club parking would make it unbearable. MINUTE BOOK NO. 53 Regular Meeting Minutes Page No. 326 September 18, 1995 Page 5