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<br />Tóthe Honorable, <br /> <br /> <br />REPORT <br /> <br />January 24, 2000 <br /> <br />Subject <br />Downtown Housing Sites <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />Council may select one of the following options: <br /> <br />1) Retain the current zoning while studying housing land-use issues for the downtown <br />during the General Plan update (Le. an area plan to be started immediately). This <br />permits current development proposals to proceed. <br />Staff Recommendation <br /> <br />2) Rezone the downtown to an Interim Study (illS") Zoning District, thereby putting a <br />moratorium on all new development in order to allow staff time to further study housing <br />opportunities for the entire downtown. <br /> <br />3) Direct staff to immediately prepare a Zoning Text and General Plan Amendment to the <br />Central Administrative ("CA") Zoning District in the downtown in order to allow housing. <br />The Council would then proceed with the area plan discussed in recommendation #1. <br /> <br />4) Do nothing and retain the existing downtown zoning without further studying this <br />issue. <br /> <br />Background <br />At a December, 1999, meeting the City Council requested staff to investigate potential <br />housing sites in the downtown area. This issue was raised in the context of a proposed <br />office project at 500 Arguello Street. The applicant wishes to construct a five story, 94,200 <br />sq. ft. office building. Initially, he proposed (with staff's encouragement) a mixed use <br />project consisting of 20 townhouses and a smaller office building, however there was some <br />concern about housing being near the County jail so he revised the project to office only. <br />See attached letter from developer dated January 4, 2000. <br /> <br />-..' 'rJ ',.~. 4 <br /> <br />The proposal has focused discussion on housing in the downtown. In light of the pending <br />discussion on the General Plan and need for housing, should the City promote housing in <br />all areas of the downtown? <br /> <br />As indicated in the chart below, most of the downtown zoning already permits housing. <br />Please refer to the attached zoning map for locations of the zoning districts. <br /> <br />-"'.'.. "-"'r' <br />