AgdaPkt 2017-05-22 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 8 of 27 (While the appeal letter from Mr. Carr states that the appeal is also of the Tentative Map, Condominium Permit, and Planned Development approvals, no contentions were made in the grounds for appeal that pertained to any of these three approvals). As discussed below, City Council has ample grounds to deny the appeal and uphold the approval of the Project. In the following three sections, this report explains (1) the Project is consistent with the Downtown Precise Plan, and (2) the City complied with CEQA and no further environmental analysis is required. I. The Project is Consistent with the Downtown Precise Plan. Appellants assert that the Project is not consistent with the DTPP, including with respect to (i) historic resources, (ii) architectural character regulations, (iii) height, setbacks and size/scale requirements, (iv) the “complete streets” and street-character policies, and (v) the creation of a vibrant city center. In the following two sections, Staff discusses (a) reasons for which the Project is consistent with the DTPP, and (b) responses to the Appellant’s contentions. a. The Project Is Consistent with the DTPP, which Established Zoning Regulations for the Downtown Area, Pursuant to Article 52 of the Zoning Code, and Is the Primary Means of Regulating Land Use and Development within the City’s Downtown Area. i. The DTPP Provides Zoning to Regulate Development in the Downtown Area, Including through Mandatory Standards, and Guidelines, Which the Council Has Discretion to Apply. The City Council adopted the DTPP as a Planned Community District pursuant to Article 52 of the Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of such a Planned Community District is to provide for “uses or combination of uses, appropriately requiring flexibility under controlled conditions not otherwise attainable under other districts.” (Zoning Ordinance, § 52.1) Thus, a precise plan such as the DTPP allows the City to set forth precise development policies for development in a specific area of the City. In that respect, the DTPP is akin to a general plan or specific plan in that it provides overarching policies, mandatory standards, and guideline recommendations to plan for and shape development in downtown Redwood City, with which specific development projects must be consistent. Like a general plan or specific plan, the DTPP includes a wide range of policies, some of which are in tension with each other. Thus, where a project furthers the overall intent of the DTPP and does not conflict with any strict mandatory standard, the City Council has discretion to determine that the project is consistent with the DTPP. This discretion derives in large part from the fact that the DTPP includes a range of policies and a project cannot be expected to satisfy every policy and objective (though a project must comply with all mandatory standards), and that deference is given to elected officials charged with making final decisions for the City regarding the interpretation and application of their own planning documents. 8.A. - Page 8