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7A Page 69 PROTECTING OPEN SPACE AND PROMOTING LIVABLE COMMUNITIES CITY OF Iit::UVVOOD CITY PLANNING SERVICES Thursday, July 26,2007 Mayor Barbara Pierce And City Councilmembers, Planning Commissioners 1017 Middlefield Road Redwood City, CA 94063 RE: 885 Woodside Road Development - SUPPORT Dear Mayor Pierce, City Councilmembers, and Planning Commissioners: Greenbelt Alliance, the Bay Area's land conservation and urban planning organization, endorses the 885 Woodside development proposed by Nicholson, Lamb Venture. Our Compact Development Team's (COT) careful review of this project revealed its increase in density to be a step in the right direction for this area. The COT evaluated 885 Woodside using an established set of guidelines designed with the goal of promoting compact infill development patterns and livable, transit-accessible communities with a wide range of housing options for families of all sizes and income levels. The 885 Woodside project includes 43 units of housing on a compact, 2/3-acre site. The location of the project, particularly its proximity to a large amount of neighborhood-serving retail, makes it an ideal place for increasing residential density. Future residents of 885 Woodside can buy groceries at the Safeway across the street, or access nearby retail for everything from filling a prescription to going out to dinner. The 885 Woodside project will better the pedestrian experience by doubling sidewalk width on a portion of Woodside Road; by providing a ground-level patio, with a fountain, that will serve as a common area and connect to a bicycle storage room; by creating sidewalk where there is none on Horgan Avenue; and by wrapping grade and sub-grade level parking with building facades on both Woodside Road and Horgan Avenue. In Redwood City and throughout the Bay Area, skyrocketing home prices mean that a majority of police officers, fire fighters, and teachers cannot afford to live where they work. One significant benefit in your approval of this project will be a net gain of affordable housing. The development will include 15% below.market-rate units for residents earning a moderate income. Building mixed-income communities near transit is a great way to address the desperate search for affordable homes that fuels unpleasant sprawl development. Much has been written recently about the strong connection between poorly-planned growth and global climate change. Given the rising concern about climate change, one key way to reduce unnecessary car trips is by providing only as much parking as is needed while expanding and encouraging other modes of transportation. One of the drawbacks of this site, however, is its lack of major transit access. The bus stop at the site does not go to Caltrain, which would make the site far more convenient for commuting residents. In order to connect to Caltrain, a future resident of the site will need to walk 10 minutes to a shopping center to get MAIN OFFICE. 631 Howard Street, Suite 510, San Francisco, CA 94105 . (415) 543-6771 . Fax (415) 543-6781 SOLANOfNAP A OFFICE. 1652 West Texas Street, Suite 163 Fairfield, CA 94533 . (707) 427-2308 . Fax (707) 427-2315 SOUTH BA Y OFFICE. 1922 The Alameda, Suite 213, San Jose, CA 95126 . (408) 983-0856 . Fax (408) 983-1 001 EAST BAY OFFICE . 160 I North Main Street, Suite 105, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 . (925) 932-7776 . Fax (925) 932-1970 SONOMA/MARIN OFFICE. 555 5th Street, Suite 300B, Santa Rosa, CA 95401 . (707) 575-3661 . Fax (707) 575-4275 info@greenbelt.org . www.greenbelt.org