AgdaPkt 2021.01.25 Amended Joint SA PFA

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From: To: GRP -City Council Subject: Sequoia station plan Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2021 10:45:03 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders. Dear Council, I listened in on last night's council meeting (1/25/21). Thank you for your efforts and willingness to work late into the night. I did not want to add to the long list of speakers and decided instead to submit my input via email. I am a RWC resident and member of the HHCC. I am in the camp that supports the Sequoia Station project but would like to see more housing. I believe the solution is adding height as many speakers pointed out including other members of the HHCC. I have no problem with a 17 story building if necessary but I think just adding a few floors of housing would be beneficial. I am disappointed in my fellow residents answering the survey are against going above the height restrictions. I did not see the survey but I wonder if the question were phased differently we might get a different response. I am not one who thinks the added office space will cause displacement. Displacement happens when we put office space away from transit. Displacement will happen in RWC because as the city becomes more walkable/bikeable and beautiful people will want to live here. You will hear more from me and the HHCC on how to preserve NOAH units in neighborhoods that currently hold most of our low income residents. Protecting and expanding our affordable housing in these neighborhoods is the key to a diverse community. I would like to add for your consideration a walk/bike bridge (or tunnel) over EI Camino at James. Giving residents and specifically students who cross at that intersection a protected path into the new development and the transit center would enhance the project's accessibility, usability and pedestrian safety. Also for your consideration and something that I mentioned (a while ago) to the safe streets committee staff is building a protected bikeway from Downtown to the Bay Trail. The Bay Trail along with the proliferation of eBikes can be another commute transit artery. The bay trail can service commutes to Redwood Shores and beyond to the north and Facebook and Google to the south. I have talked to Google and they were very enthusiastic about utilizing the Bay Trail for commutes. If we can safely connect people between the Trail and the transit center, RWC might become the hub for bike traffic. This traffic also might be a benefit for local business as walking and other "slow traffic" like bikes is more likely to stop at our retailers as they transit Downtown. Such a protected bikeway would also be a great for safe family biking on weekends and such. Thank you again for all your hard work and entertaining these thoughts Elan Scheinman