AgdaPkt 2005-10-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Michael Freedman and Hiro Sasaki opened the session with "Downtown Revitalization Do's and Don'ts. The main session focus was on the remaining issues of building heights; the appropriate amount of housing downtown; the arts district issue; transportation, mostly dealing with rail issues or integrating downtown with enhanced rail service; the vision for EI Camino Real; and the requested response to public spaces. (A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is on file in the City Clerk Department.) Council Members, Planning Commissioners and Architectural Review Committee Members asked various questions and made comments. Public Comment: Charlie Greer, HHCC Member, stated that the Committee is very excited about the housing opportunity that the downtown plan presents. The affordability of the units is exciting and he requested that the vision statement of the precise plan includes an opportunity to house the low and very low residents of the city. He stated that the Committee is also interested in knowing the ideal mix between homeownership and rental housing in the downtown. Scott Morton, representing the Parks and Recreation Commission as Chairperson, stated that Redwood City has less acreage per capita of active park space than the average for Peninsula cities. He stated that park space can be found in many forms including plazas, tot lot playgrounds and pocket parks all of which are part of an urban environment. He further stated that this plan represents an opportunity for Council to make a positive impact on th3 overall amount of park space to the residents of Redwood City. Peggy Bruggmann, resident of the Centennial neighborhood just on the north side of Brewster, she stated that from her neighborhood's perspective she does not think neither option B or C adequately protect the single family neighborhood on Brewster and toward Stambaugh-Heller. Her suggestion is rather than immediately going to 97 or 92 foot with 8 stories, that there be a transition from 3 to 6 on the backside of that block and then to 8 stories. Freedman spoke about the arts district and Main Street. Public Comment: Kay Watanabe and Donna Williams of the Civic Cultural Commission heading the subcommittee on public art, expressed their excitement about the integration of the arts into the precise plan. She stated that the strategic plan includes the downtown because it is a priority and they either advocate, fund, broker or help provide for vital cultural life in Redwood City. An example of success in supporting the downtown is in the Downtown Live concert series and a survey of participants resulted in 100% recommending the series to a friend, 82% indicated that they ate JOINT CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION WITH PLANNING COMMISSION AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 3, 2005 PAGE 4