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

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Page 14 of 27 not dictate style, but will add final design touches to buildings in order to give them a character that may be unique but complimentary with the architecture of Downtown Redwood City.” (DTPP, p. 26) For the Contemporary architectural style, the regulations that add those “final design touches” allow for a variety of roof forms, including flat or shaped roofs, and a variety of wall cladding materials that includes brick, stucco, wood, ceramic tile, terra cotta or metal (i.e. the same types of materials used in the Project). The DTPP states that the Contemporary Architectural Character Type guidelines “draw upon contemporary building materials, modern construction methods, and simple geometric forms to create a visual identity that is strongly distinct from the historically-inspired Character Types.” (DTPP, p. 119) The Project’s architectural character accomplishes just that, and therefore it complies with all of the Contemporary Architectural Character Type regulations. iii. The Project Complies with the Building Height and Setback Requirements of the DTPP, and is Appropriately Scaled Appellant’s Contention: The Project does not establish a distinctive “human scaled” district that retains the “history, charm and livability” of an historic medium sized city; that it is not well scaled to surrounding neighborhoods; that the building height is lopsided and uncomfortable when compared to adjacent buildings; that the proposed building is not adequately set back from the street; that the proposed building base cap does not promote a “human scale” to aid in reducing the imposing nature of taller buildings; and that the building violates the maximum corner height requirements. (See Appeal, pp. 2-5) City’s Response: The DTPP encourages the tallest buildings to be placed in the Downtown Core, where the maximum building height is 12-stories. This 12-story height zone includes the Project site (not 10-stories as stated on page 5 of the Appeal) and the entire block on which it is located. The Project is proposed to be 6-stories in height, and the 8-story office building project at 601 Marshall Street that is presently under construction is located on the same block as the Project. Within specific areas of downtown the DTPP imposes targeted 3, 4, and 5-story step- down height zones in order to “bring heights down from the standard 8-story maximum permitted height in areas with high concentrations of historic resources, potential shadow concerns, or areas adjacent to low-rise neighborhoods.” (DTPP, p. 84) As shown in yellow, beige, and orange in Figure 1 on the following page, these step-down height zones are located immediately to the east and west of the historic courthouse, along Hamilton Street and Middlefield Road, along the frontages of Broadway and Main Street, and along the perimeter of the DTPP area. By incorporating the mandatory step-down height zones, the DTPP has already mitigated impacts to identified key historic resources by limiting the heights of certain parcels in order to avoid impacts. The DTPP does not require any height step-downs 8.A. - Page 14