CC Min 1995-09-18 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

owner and applicant were meeting and would continue to meet, the commitment the applicant and owner have to improving the neighborhood and to the community long term, and the need to get Council's approval before enforceable agreements for additional parking can be signed. Mr. Otenchalk described the many improvements on-site and off-site that the owner had agreed to make, including removal of the railroad tracks at Charter and Douglas, and the support for the project from businesses in the neighborhood including Petersen Precision, Roberts & Brune Co., Terry & Sons, Inc., Raychem, Beals-Martin and Athena Antiques, Inc. Mr. Otenchalk asked Council not to delay the decision stating they were determined to be good neighbors. Paul Hockett from TSH Architects, 1400 Fashion Island, San Mateo, advised he was working diligently to meet all the conditions of the Variance including monitoring, restriction of warehouse use and developing additional parking. Teresa Morreira, Real Estate Representative from Raychem, advised that Raychem was willing to work with the applicant to provide 37 additional parking places in back of their building, and assured the Council that safety of their employees was of great consideration to them. Ms. Morreira advised that Raychem believed this project was a great opportunity to improve the entire area as it relates to security and reciprocal parking. In response to questions by Councilman Sanfilipo, candidate for Council, Ms. Morreira stated that her assignment was to work with John Otenchalk on the parking agreement and advised that if approval of the project was contingent on an agreement between Raychem and the applicant for 37 additional parking spaces, she would have to get senior approval but she believed that Raychem would enter into such an agreement. MEMO 9/19/95 Joe Steinfeld, 850 Main Street, candidate for City Council, advised that parking was not the issue, that the issue was whether Redwood City was business friendly or not. Mr. Steinfeld stated that by granting this Variance the City was giving one business special treatment over another, which is definitely not business friendly. Steve Penna, 49 Birch Street, asked the Council not to delay a decision, but to act now. Mr. Penna stated that the applicant did not meet the necessary criteria established by the survey, increased traffic and parking would have a negative impact on that industrial area, the area was not safe for foot traffic, and the applicants should have gone to the neighborhood association meetings to discuss possible impacts on the neighborhoods. In response to Councilwoman Steinfeld's concerns, Police Captain Granucci advised he would prepare a report on crime statistics in the area, 4 P.M. to midnight, including vagrancy, and present it to the Council. MEMO 9/19/95 '--- MINUTE BOOK NO. 53 Regular Meeting Minutes Page No. 328 September 18, 1995 Page 7