AgdaPkt 2000-07-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~A -1) The City is starting the process to update its General Plan. The growth of offices is occurring so rapidly due to market forces that much land in the City will be developed or converted to office use before decisions are made on the desired land use and intensity of development. The City's zoning ordinance, which implements the General Plan, allows the entire conversion of land to office use in many zoning districts. A period of time is needed to study the situation and provide interim (if need be) and long term planning and zoning regulations which address a balance of needs of the community. In the past two years there has been increased development in areas adjacent to Routes 101, 84, 82 and in zoning districts CG-R, CG, and CB. The development has been primarily office. There is potential for additional change from existing commercial, non-office use to office use in these districts and in the Central Business (CB) district in the downtown area and in Redwood Shores. There is also increased pressure for non- neighborhood serving office in the Neighborhood Commercial (CN) district. The General Plan states "the City should take into consideration the cumulative air quality impacts from proposed developments and should establish and enforce appropriate land use as well as other regulations to reduce air pollution" Policy L -13 on page 6-6. Offices generate a high number of peak period trips relative to other land uses, and significant emissions when those trips create, or add to traffic at congested intersections. With millions of square feet of offices being built and more applications being presented to the City, the impact on air quality should be examined. The nature and design of projects recently constructed has raised significant concerns regarding balance of land use in each district, the loss of potential sites for high density housing, the lost opportunity to develop a General Plan that responds to the wishes of the community due to market forces rapidly overtaking the development and conversion of land uses, the negative visual impact caused by massive buildings and potential rows of offices along City streets. The land use and specific design concerns include a one- sided use of land for offices where a balance of land uses was intended, preemption of the General Plan update process, potential rows of offices along city streets creating a canyon effect, negative traffic impacts during peak periods causing traffic backups and excessive vehicle emissions from idling vehicles; piecemeal appearance along gateway corridors and gateway locations and lack of architectural and landscape continuity. Office development on large sites and in gateway locations and corridors should be consistent with broader objectives for a balance of commercial uses and high density housing, together with attractive, landscaped gateway corridors. Focused study of these issues is necessary to ensure that new development shall be consistent with City objectives for maintaining opportunities for high density housing development, a balance of commercial land uses, preservation of the ground floor in the core downtown area for retail uses, preservation of neighborhood commercial areas as retail and service centers that provide services to the immediate neighborhood, prevention of arterial streets from exceeding their capacity thus producing excessive vehicle emissions from idling vehicles, unified design of buildings, streetscape and landscape along gateway corridors and in gateway locations, and prevention of a 6 .-.,.., '~"T .