AgdaPkt 2019-08-26 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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8.A. - Page 49 of 85 CD -William Chui From: CD -William Chui Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2019 12:54 PM Subject: FW: FAR and ADUs From: Rachel Holt Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2019 10:36 AM To: GRP -Planning Commissioners <PC@redwoodcity.org> Subject: FAR and ADUs Chair Bondonno and Planning Commissioners - Thank you for the time, attention and thoughtful discussion in which you engaged on Tuesday night. I have had some time to digest your comments and questions, as well as some of the very moving public comment by many of my neighbors and I have a few foIlowup thoughts that I would like you to consider. Regarding the "remedy" of filing an appeal. I want to further flesh out that process, so that you really understand how broken our system is, and why I remain convinced that the majority of this community has no idea about how to oppose development that is in conflict with existing neighborhood character. First, there is the very broken system of "notice". The only neighbors that are put on notice that an application has even been submitted for review/approval to the planning department are the immediate adjacent neighbors and the 3 neighbors across the street. That is it. If you live in a neighborhood that seems to be in the cross hairs of developers, and you don't happen to live right next door to the potential project, this is what the appeals process will look like for you: you must consistently troll Building eye (the city's online notification of applications for building permits), the HRAC agenda (for requests for complete tear downs or major additions to homes 1940 or older) and watch every listing and recently sold home in that neighborhood. And then you have to find out who the assigned planner is for that project and repeatedly email that person to stay on top of the status of the application, and then timely file the appeal within 15 days of the project being approved, at the bargain basement price of $640. 1 know this from personal experience. Most of my neighborhood has been asleep at the wheel (myself included) as homes (some gorgeously maintained, historic, STARTER homes) have been torn down, replaced by 3,000 sq ft plus sized homes and sold for 3 million dollars. As I told you Tuesday night, the turning point in my neighborhood really was when Jeff Ira, former Mayor and clearly well informed on how to fight City Hall, filed an appeal on an approved building permit on Iris- right next door to him. Since then, I have heard over and over again from my neighbors things like "I didn't know I could file an appeal", "I didn't think there was anything I could do because the city told me it complied with code", "I don't want to start a war with my neighbor", and most disheartening "I am sad to see the destruction of everything that attracted me to this neighborhood". The appeals process does not work. It is broken in so many ways and, to be even remotely effective requires neighbors to spend countless hours being watchdogs. Which brings me to the other neighborhoods throughout this city. You might think this is a "Mt Carmel" issue, because we seem to be the squeakiest wheels. This goes hand in hand with a broken appeals process. It is happening all across this city. I have seen it in Woodside Plaza. Friendly Acres is at serious risk as Facebook and Google continue to grow just over our southern border and offer HUGE housing stipends to it's employees who live within .5 miles of their offices. Central, Palm Park, Eagle Hill. They are all at risk. And in Mt Carmel we are sitting ducks. Relying on you and City Council to save this neighborhood. 325