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<br />6.3A <br />Page 1 <br /> <br />ORDINANCE NO. <br /> <br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY AMENDING <br />ARTICLE 26 OF THE REDWOOD CITY ZONING CODE TO AllOW FOR <br />GROUND FLOOR OFFICE USES AS PERMITTED USES IN THE <br />CENTRAL BUSINESS RETAil (CBR) ZONING DISTRICT <br /> <br />THE COUNCil OF CITY OF REDWOOD CITY DOES ORDAIN AS FOllOWS: <br /> <br />Section 1. Findinas. The City Council finds and declares that: <br /> <br />(a) In order to address challenges facing the downtown business community, <br />the City must implement measures to reduce vacancies on the ground floor of highly <br />visible blocks in and near the center of town. <br /> <br />(b) Based on staff estimates of downtown retail vacancy rates, there are <br />approximately 115,000 square feet vacant at this time, or approximately twenty-eight <br />percent of an estimated 406,000 square foot ground floor retail inventory. This high level <br />of vacancies is exacerbated by the current economic downturn. <br /> <br />(c) Permitting additional types of office uses on the ground floor for portions of <br />the CBR zoning district will decrease vacancies in that there are approximately 45,000 <br />square feet of vacant ground floor area in the portion of the CBR which could become <br />occupied by office uses, for which demand is higher than for retail uses. <br /> <br />(d) Office uses in the CBR contribute to the day time Downtown populatiqn <br />which consists of employees who will have access to transit as well as to existing and <br />future Downtown restaurants, service and retail uses and are thus compatible with and <br />supportive of a vital retail environment. <br /> <br />(e) This code amendment will not apply to the primary retail streets and <br />centers of the CBR including Broadway, portions of Middlefield Road (also known as <br />"Theatre Way"), and Sequoia Station and thus will not diminish the potential for <br />concentrated retail vitality in these key areas. <br /> <br />(f) This zoning amendment has been established with input from multiple <br />points of public communication including the Downtown Business Group and direct <br />contact with property owners and prospective businesses who are interested in <br />occupying ground floor space within the CBR as a result of this amendment. <br /> <br />(e) The zoning amendment is consistent with allowing for and encouraging a mix <br />of urban uses in a downtown setting that includes office, housing, retail and service <br />opportunities. <br /> <br />(f) Allowing office uses on the ground floor of some buildings within the <br />downtown core will encourage economic vitality within Downtown Redwood City. <br /> <br />ATTY/ORD.334 <br />051710 <br />