AgdaPkt 2008-04-28 - Laserfiche WebLink

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88 Page 1 April 28, 2008 INFORMATION ONLY SUBJECT New General Plan Monthly Status Report BACKGROUND The purpose of this report is to provide Council with a brief summary on the progress of the New General Plan since the last update was provided to you on March 24, 2008. Throughout April City staff and the General Plan consultants held a series of meetings with various affinity groups as well as interviews with the Port of Redwood City and technical professionals. Those meetings and a brief summary of their content are presented below: . Developers, Investors, and Real Estate Professiona/s-Apri/1: Met with approximately 15 individuals. They discussed market trends, opportunities and challenges of developmentin Redwood City. Height, density, and parcel size were deemed as important factors in development. Also they discussed suggestions to facilitate projects such as either relaxing parking requirements and/or the need for a parking district in downtown including more public parking garages; the need to increase daytime population in the downtown by constructing office space; and the creation of "flexible zoning" to adopt to changing trends and technology, specifically in the industrial sector. They noted that certain aspects related to sustainability such as access to transit, bicycle commuting, and green building practices are becoming desirable attributes that tenants looking for office space are seeking. . Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee - April 1: Met with approximately 15 members of the Chamber of Commerce. Staff and the consultants spoke about the business advantages of locating in Redwood City, such as its prime location, access to the regional transportation network, and having the right demographics for a labor pool. However, there is a need for business diversity specifically in the industrial/manufacturing sector. The participants also recognized constraints such as water supply, overall health of the economy, and the need for affordable housing. . Health Care Providers - April 1: Met with 5 individuals who work in the delivery of health care, including representatives from Sequoia Hospital, Stanford Medical Clinic and San Mateo County Health Clinic. They expressed the need for more skilled nursing and affordable housing. Some future trends in health care include more "home medicine" and to provide accommodationsforfamily members to be with sick relatives in. the hospitals. Kaiser Hospital was unable to send a representative to this meeting and they are invited to participate in an interview with the consultants at a future date if they are interested.