Laserfiche WebLink
covering architecturally distinctive/historic buildings or historic points of interest. The impact of the 847 Woodside <br />project component, including but not limited to impacts on trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a <br />state scenic highway, would be less than significant, and no mitigation would be required because it is consistent with <br />the existing land uses surrounding the project site, is within the maximum allowable height (a small portion of the <br />stair penthouse would not be noticeable in light of screening provided by redwood trees that will remain), and would <br />not substantially obstruct, interrupt, or detract from an existing scenic resource. For these reasons, the 847 Woodside <br />project component would be consistent with the analysis in the Focused GPU EIR and would not create new impacts, <br />increase impacts, and there is no new information of substantial importance for CEQA purposes. <br />c. As discussed in the Focused GPU program EIR (p. 4.1-10), the project component site is located in an urbanized area, <br />and based on the infill nature of the development and adopted architectural standards, visual change from new <br />development would be limited and the characteristics of surrounding neighborhoods would be substantially preserved. <br />For this reason, the Focused GPU EIR concluded the impacts of new development would be less than significant. <br />The proposed project component would be required to comply with adopted General Plan goals, policies, and <br />implementation programs intended to preserve scenic beauty and maintain community aesthetics, as discussed in <br />Impact AES-1 and Impact AES-3 of the Focused GPU program EIR; the Regulatory Framework section of the Focused <br />GPU EIR (“4.1.2 Regulatory Framework”); and other policies and programs identified in the Redwood City General <br />Plan, especially those related to Goal BE-13 “Enhance the Woodside Road Corridor.” In particular, Policy BE‐13.4 <br />provides: “Support new higher‐density residential development on Woodside Road, while ensuring that new <br />development is sensitive to adjacent single‐unit residential neighborhoods.” All of these adopted policies and <br />programs help protect views along major corridors, such as Woodside Road. The proposed project component would <br />be consistent with General Plan Policy BE-13.4 as it would result in higher-density residential development on <br />Woodside Road. <br /> The Mixed-Use Neighborhood (MUN) Zoning District is intended to provide opportunities for moderate-scale <br />developments that facilitate pedestrian-friendly environments with the goal of providing areas for a variety of activities <br />such as commercial, office, and moderate-density residential uses, or a mix thereof. The 847 Woodside project <br />component is consistent with the vast majority of the over-50 development regulations, including building height, <br />setbacks, site design, and landscaping requirements. The development standards that the 847 Woodside project <br />requested modifications to result from an applicant request to apply the State Density Bonus law in order to provide <br />the proposed 86 units of 100 percent affordable housing at the site, as also described in the project description (item <br />#8 above). The two waivers to development standards that relate to architectural design include the waiver of daylight <br />planes standards and the building length standards. In regards to daylight plane, the upper stories of the building would <br />protrude past the daylight plane and in regards to the building length standards, the proposed building would exceed <br />the maximum building length by approximately 20 feet. However, because the applicant is entitled under state law to <br />certain deviations that are needed to accommodate affordable housing, they do not conflict with applicable scenic <br />quality regulations. <br />As discussed in the project description (item #8 above), proposed project component exterior materials would include <br />concrete, metal panel, brick veneer, cement plaster, and tile, plus metal accents (light bronze) and metal railings and <br />trim, primarily of earthtones with dark gray, dark brown, beige, and some dark blue. In addition, a mural is proposed <br />along the northern street front portion of the project component (Plan Sheets PA3.1, PA3.2, and PA5.3, 10/27/23).The <br />building footprint has corners and recesses, which provide variety in its external appearance. The site design provides <br />outdoor open space, a recessed front entry, and semi-outdoor walkways, and integrates existing trees in the site design. <br />These characteristics assist in defining the space with a semi-open, pedestrian-oriented feel and integrating with an <br />important urban corridor. The inclusion of a 15-foot-deep rear yard that retains the 9 existing mature Coast Redwoods <br />at the rear of the property enhances the visual quality of the building while also providing a buffer to the adjacent <br />lower-density neighborhood. <br /> The proposed project component was reviewed at the April 25, 2024, Special Meeting of the Architectural Advisory <br />Committee (AAC) to review the building, site, and urban design and to forward a recommendation to the Planning <br />Commission. Staff recommended that the AAC forward a recommendation to the Planning Commission for approving <br />the project. The AAC did not support the waiver for the intrusion into the daylight plane and recommended variety in <br />the long flat elevations in light of the building length waiver and did not recommend approval of the design. [Note the <br />project has since been revised to reduce the need for these deviations as is described in the attached memo.] <br />As discussed in subsection (a) above, there are large redwood trees currently on the site that vary in height between <br />approximately 30 and 75 feet tall adjacent to the residential uses to the east. These trees will be preserved in the <br />redevelopment project and exceed the height of the proposed development and therefore the project’s intrusion into <br />the daylight plane would not have a substantial impact on the existing scenic quality from the single-family <br />ATTY/RESO.0070/CC RESO 1900 BROADWAY (CEQA) - EXHIBIT 1 - CEQA CONSISTENCY CHECK LIST <br />REV: 10-23-24 VR <br /> <br />Page 25 of 135