AgdaPkt 2008-04-28 - Laserfiche WebLink

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78 ATTACHMENT 4 Page 41 7. PRIVACY, VIEWS, NOISE, SCENIC HIGHWAY, SAFETY AND TRAFFIC CEQA FINDINGS: The establishment, maintenance, and operation of the proposed development should not, under the circumstances of this case, be detrimental to the public health, safety, peace, morals, comfort, or general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood because the proposed housing project will be subject to the mitigation measures contained in the adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation, Monitoring Program (EA-2007 -09) prepared for the project. Redwood City does not have a privacy or view protection ordinance and the City's Noise Ordinance only regulates temporary construction noise; noise that can be mitigated per the recommendations contained in the MND. Nevertheless, it is staff's belief that the significant distance between the Canada College housing project and the closest single-family residential rear yard (1,800+/- feet) does not pose detrimental privacy or noise impacts, particularly when compared with privacy and noise impacts that one might expect within a typical single family residential neighborhood where homes are separated by only six (6) feet between side yard property lines. The project will also provide extensive landscape privacy screening. The Canada College project site also lies approximately one quarter mile east of 1-280, a State scenic highway. The proposed two to three-story housing project would be visible one-half mile south of the site on northbound 1-280 between the Farmhill Boulevard and Woodside Road exit and would be visible from northbound 1-280 on the north side of the Farmhill Boulevard interchange. The MND has determined that the scenic quality and resources of 1-280 would not be affected substantially by the project because the project would be only briefly visible by cars traveling at speeds of 60+/- mile/hour such that the duration of viewing is relatively short; the existing college campus is already developed with one to three story buildings and is surrounded by developed areas, neighborhoods and roadways; and because the applicant is required to install perimeter landscaping around the project site as mitigation. The development should also not create detrimental safety impacts. On the contrary, the housing project will likely increase college campus safety since it will house a permanent Canada College faculty /staff residential population on a site that is currently an empty, unpopulated campus parking lot. The project should also not create significant traffic impacts. According to the MND, the project would generate four (4) inbound and 16 outbound AM peak hour trips and 16 inbound and nine (9) outbound PM peak hour trips at the intersection of Farmhill Boulevard, Woodhill Drive and the Canada College main entrance and would operate acceptably at LOS C during these peak hours. The MND has also determined that the project would not further degrade conditions on 1-280 or cause the roadway to exceed capacity. The College District also has a proven track record, through its College Vista housing project (located in the City of San Mateo), of reducing commuter traffic. College Vista