AgdaPkt 2020-11-09 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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From: Francine To: GRP -City Council Subject: South of Main Project Date: Monday, November 9, 2020 4:42:34 PM Copying Bob Wilson email. I have the same issues with the project To City Council November 9, 2020 I am a long term resident of Redwood City having lived and or worked in Redwood City for most of the time since 1983. I strongly urge Council NOT to approve this project in its current form. It does not serve the needs of Redwood City and our extended community. It is a massive project that cannot be supported by our existing infrastructure or the meager improvements being offered by this developer. There are alternatives for development of this site and they have not been adequately vetted. Here is why I urge you NOT to approve this project. We need to send a strong message to the developer that we can do much better as a community. 1) Members of the Planning Commission stated in their last meeting that there was not adequate time to absorb the findings of the EIR for this project and they were rushed to review the project. Candidly, they did not do their collective jobs and forwarded this project to you anyway. You should send it back to them for a proper and thoughtful review. Even in its current form, the Planning Commission did not adequately review the project and secure answers from the developer on key questions. 2) We do not need another 530,000 square feet of office space in Redwood City. We have a huge backlog of offices in the pipeline and we do not have the housing or transportation infrastructure to support exiting needs, let alone this massive backlog. We cannot support over 500K square feet more in offices and the over 2,500 new workers being added to the downtown area. Given the uncertainly on what a post COVID world will be like for work in offices versus work at home, it is irresponsible to even consider this addition at this time. 3) We already have a massive imbalance between office space and housing. The size of this project is immense. It should be dedicated to housing NOT more office space. Once the area is developed as offices it cannot be easily converted to much needed housing. They strangely do not ask for more housing than the current Zoning allows. Why? If they really were good partners with the City they would be seeking permission to add housing above the current zoning caps. 4) The developer in their cunning game plan to gain community support, is dangling low income housing as a sweetener for your approval. I do not see a net gain at all in low income housing. Yes we will have more net low income housing, but we will create far more demand than supply in -spite of the calculations in the EIR. Those calculations, while based on accepted formulas, have never shown the full impact that these office projects have on the lower income members of our community. Have staff do a more comprehensive study of how our needs have been changing as development of offices and corresponding increases in housing have impacted our community. Our formulas have not worked. 5) The contribution to our massive deficit in transportation infrastructure is insulting. Yes it fits a formula, but we have unwisely followed these formulas for far too long. In spite of massive developments yielding huge profits for developers, we do not have funding for key projects like the Woodside 101 interchange or local public transit. We must stop ignoring this problem. 6) Demand to see the developers financials for this project and forecasts for returns. They are gaining much and we will be left to fund their gains for decades as we struggle to fill in the massive gaps in housing and elsewhere this project will create. They seem to think we are not noticing the imbalance in fairness here. Do you realize since the study session this project has ballooned bu 33%! This is profit to them and a financial burden to our community! Stop this insanity and do not approve this project in this form. Delay approval also so we have time to comprehend the impact on our community needs for transportation and housing in a post COVID world. With so many unknowns in the post-COVID world, this is NOT the time to lock in such a massive project. Do not let the siren