AgdaPkt 2003-03-24 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

PERMIT NO. 3-01 I �✓ —2 5 Shores Childcare, LLC., and The City of Redwood City October 12, 2001 Page 7 to the bay from the childcare facility playground. The Commission's Design Review Board concluded that the proposed access, as modified by the conditions of this authorization, will be sufficient to provide attractive and safe public access both for childcare center users and employees, and for the general public. Therefore, the Commission finds that the proposed access areas and improvements are reasonably related to the public access burden created by the proposed development and are the maximum feasible consistent with the project. 2. Visual Impacts. The Bay Plan's policies on appearance, design, and scenic views of development around the bay state that "all bayfront development should be designed to enhance the pleasure of the user or viewer to the Bay. Maximum efforts should be made to provide, enhance, or preserve views of the Bay and shoreline, especially from public areas, from the Bay itself, and from the opposite shore...." In addition, the Bay Plan states, "Structures and facilities that do not take advantage of or visually complement the Bay should be located and designed so as not to impact visually on the Bay and shoreline. In particular, parking areas should be located away from the shoreline...." The per nittees will construct a 3,864 - square -foot portion of a 27,987 - square-foot parking lot within the Commission's 100 -foot shoreline band. The parking lot will accommodate fourteen vehicles within the Commission's shoreline band. In particular, parking for five vehicles will occur in an area that currently provides unobstructed views to Steinberger Slough located adjacent to the public access seating and viewing area proposed at the southern end of the site. The permittees intend to limit parking in this area to twenty- minutes. The Commission's Design Review Board concluded that potential public access user and visual conflicts will be reduced by limiting the parking time within this area to 20 minutes. Therefore, as conditioned, the Commission finds that the proposed project is consistent with the Bay Plan's Policies on Appearance, Design, and Scenic Views to the Bay. 3. Wildlife Impacts. The site is on the opposite shore from Bair Island, an area with exist- ing high natural resource values, resource values that will likely increase when the island is managed for wildlife purposes. The Bay Plan's policies on public access state that "public access to some natural areas should be provided to permit study and enjoyment of these areas.... However, some wildlife may be sensitive to human intrusion. For this reason, projects in such areas should be carefully evaluated in consultation with appro- priate agencies to determine the appropriate location and type of access to be provided." The access required for this project is separated from Bair Island by Steinberger Slough, a largely undisturbed slough with marsh vegetation growing along both sides of the slough channel. As noted above, the Redwood Shores peninsula has already been extensively developed and access has been provided along most of the western shore side of Steinberger Slough. Existing access along the slough consists of a gravel and asphalt path on the levee top, periodically connected to inland areas through small parks at street ends. The required access for the childcare/office facility is an enhancement of that existing access and the proposed improvements are similar to those being constructed on the adjacent hotel site. The mitigated negative declaration determined that the project will have no impact on natural resources, nor has the public or fish and wildlife agency raised concern about the project's potential for such impacts. Steinberger Slough also provides a substantial buffer between developed areas of Redwood Shores and the undeveloped, future wildlife area of Bair Island. The Commission finds that the proposed public access is in keeping with the less formal, more natural access in the area, and has been designed and located so as to minimize potential impacts on wildlife and wetlands.