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<br />, <br /> <br />'1 A-It. <br /> <br />f!~ <br />L~~ <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Sf4nJt"g t". nmI4l houst..g industry in <br />Sa.. MtUeo. .~anta Clara & Santa Cruz counties. <br /> <br />February 28, 2000 <br /> <br />The Honorable Mayor Ira Ruskin <br />and Members of the City Council <br />City of Redwood City <br />City HaH <br />1017 Middlefield Road <br />Redwood City, CA 94063-1993 <br /> <br />Re: Agenda Item SA: Changes to Accessory Dweiliol Uuit <br /> <br />Dear Mayor Ruskin and Members of the City Council: <br /> <br />I am writing on behalf of the Tri.county Apartment Association (TCAA) to commend you and <br />the City of Redwood City for considering revisions to the accessory dwelling unit ordinance that <br />would allow more flexibility in the residency and parking requirements. However, TCAA <br />recommends that the city reconsider the proposed requirement for conditional use permits. <br /> <br />For your information, TCAA is a non-profit trade association serving the rental housing industry <br />in Santa CJara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties. We are active members of the <br />EVP/SAMCEDA Housing Action Team and the San Matc~ County Housing Forum, and <br />strongly support the provision of housing which is affordable to a variety of people in our <br />community. <br /> <br />Rather than changing secondary units to a conditional use, Redwood City should continue to <br />. allow secondary unit,; as a principally permitted use in the R-I and multifanùly zones, so long as <br />the units meet the city's other development standards. This will allow homeowners to build <br />secondary units "as of right." The often-proposed alternative of a conditional use proce.~s, with <br />. mandatory public hearings and broad powers for discretionary reviews, proves to be a strong <br />disincentive to secondary unit development. <br /> <br />Although parking is a common point of contention when discussing the creation of secondary <br />units, variable parking standards based upon neighborhood street parking availabiJity should be <br />applied to secondary unit development. Redwood City is taking a step towards more reasonable <br />parking requirements by counting the driveway of the main house as one of the three spaces <br />required by the ordinance. Rather than imposing a minimum parking standard applicable <br />citywide, at most one space should ~ required based upon individual specific situations. Off- <br />street parking requirements should be flexible, including the allowance of tandem parking to <br />meet this requirement. Units limited to occupancy by senior or handicapped citizens ~hould be <br />exempt from any off-street parking requirement. <br /> <br />TCAA supports the proposed chan¡c to the ordinance that would allow the property owner to <br />live in either the main residence or the second unit. This amendment recognize.'i the changing <br />demographics and housing needs of Bay Area residents and provides a creative and flexible <br /> <br />792 Meridian Way. Suite A, San Jose, CA 95126-3899 . fax (408) 947-0819 . telephone (408) 297-0483 <br />