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

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From: Justin Wana To: GRP -City Council Subject: Public Comment for 11/9 Meeting Date: Monday, November 9, 2020 11:49:47 PM Hi, I'm a little disappointed that I was unable to make a public comment. I had my hand raised on Zoom since the first call for people to do so. I accidentally exited the app on my phone and immediately rejoined and raised my hand once again, but was skipped over. Having four and a half hours to make this comment, it would have been nice to be able to have our perspective heard. I understand that the meeting has been exceptionally long and am very much appreciative of staff and the council for having stayed up to listen to the public. My public comment would have been as follows: Hello, My name is Justin Wang and I am the Advocacy Manager at Greenbelt Alliance. Greenbelt Alliance is an environmental non-profit that encourages both the protection of open space as well as directing development and growth into our existing communities. We endorse developments in the Bay Area that help further these goals by providing an independent validation of smart infill housing, master plans, and mixed-use projects. After careful review, Greenbelt Alliance is pleased to endorse the proposed "South Main Mixed -Use" project. Given the current COVID-19 crisis, it is more important than ever before to make sure everyone in the Bay Area has a place to call home and a short commute to work, once we go back to work. This project has an impressive commitment to deep affordability with 27% of units across the project that will be offered at Below -Market -Rate Rents for households ranging from 30-120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and will remain affordable for 55 years. As you well know, this project site is well located within a short walk or bike ride of the Redwood City Caltrain Station and Redwood City SamTrans Transit Center, along the EI Camino Real corridor. This project will encourage a walkable and vibrant community in Redwood City for residents across the income spectrum, provide a public open space and family -friendly retail uses, support the local economy, and offer a host of other environmental and quality of life benefits. Every city in the Bay Area must play their part to increase the housing stock to make sure the local workforce can afford to live close to jobs, schools, and services — spending more time with family and friends and less time in traffic congestion — improving the social fabric of our communities and reducing the climate - damaging greenhouse gas emissions produced by driving.