AgdaPkt 2009-09-21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Redwood City has a clear goal to promote higher-density, walkable development in Downtown and the adjacent neighborhoods, and a simultaneous goal to ensure that change harmonizes with existing development and preservation of historic character. Thus, efforts to revitalize and enhance these neighborhoods center on the balance between conservation/preservation, attracting new development and investment, and increasing density while preserving established community character and respecting building scale. Significant public improvements in the Historic Influence-High Density Neighborhoods will help encourage investment in historic house renovation and new residential infill development. An ambitious street tree planting program, relocation of overhead utility wires, improvements to sidewalks and crosswalks, and provision of pedestrian-oriented and context-sensitive street lighting will enhance these neighborhoods while preserving the City's heritage. The strategies to improve the Mezesville neighborhood are attracting new higher-density, compatible, and architecturally sensitive residential development, providing incentives for rehabilitation of historic structures, and making public investments in infrastructure and public places that will reinvigorate a historic neighborhood just north of Redwood City's Downtown. Putting the replacement jail immediately next to this historic district will certainly discourage private investment. The replacement jail is clearly inconsistent with the vision for this neighborhood. 3. The replacement jail would cut off a planned street connection/transition from the adjacent neighborhoods to Veterans Boulevard. The vision for the Mezesville/Centennial residential neighborhood includes re-establishing a travel connection (vehicular and/or pedestrian) to Veterans Boulevard via Samson Street across the Dodge Site. The connection will allow residents to have improved access to adjacent commercial goods and services and in particular, will facilitate walking. These are key General Plan goals with regard to creating complete neighborhoods and encouraging pedestrian activity. If the replacement jail were built at this location, that connection could not be achieved. 4. The General Plan Housing Element identifies the Dodge Site as a key housing opportunity site to help the City achieve its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) objectives. The draft 2009-2014 Housing Element, which has been reviewed by the State Department of Housing and Community Development and is moving toward compliance, identifies the Dodge Site as a housing opportunity site. Housing opportunity sites have been identified, consistent with State law, as those sites that the City realistically anticipates to be developed with housing during the next five years. The Dodge Site is located on Veterans Boulevard, near the City's northwest gateway. The site was previously occupied by a Dodge dealership but is now vacant. A number of developers, including affordable housing developers, have expressed interest in developing housing on this site. The site provides opportunities for development of an estimated 185 new residential units. This estimate is approximately 15 percent less than the maximum allowed number of units on the site, as the new street connection described above (Samson Street from Winslow Street to Veterans Boulevard) will occupy part of the site Site I nformation for Alternative Locations for the Proposed Replacement Jail September 2, 2009 35