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7.A. - Page 186 Pete's Harbor ��y � � ..�� EIR Addendum October 8,�2012 Page 3-23 Regarding item 1 above, no solar collectors exist on the Pete's Harbor site, nor are any proposed for the project. To further evaluate the project's compliance with General Plan Program BE-13, Figures 3.2-1 through 3.2-12 (earlier in this section) depict the proposed project's and nearby existing buildings' shadow patterns throughout the year. Separate from the shadow patterns themselves, the varying degrees of grayness of the landscape on the figures simulate the intensity of sunlight during the identified times of the year. For example, the grayer landscape for winter days simulates the lower angle of the sun and less direct sunlight compared to summer days. As illustrated by the figures, project shadows would not intrude on the neighboring Villas at Bair Island, on the Bair Island Wildlife Refuge, or on other nearby development or shadow-sensitive public open spaces. Also, shadows would not intrude substantially over an extended period of time on the adjacent water areas of Smith Slough or Redwood Creek, or on the proposed project's on-site public open space. It should also be noted that a combination of sun and shade is usually a goal when designing outdoor spaces. Conclusion. Mitigation 5-5 is no longer needed to address shadow impacts. As proposed, the current project would result in a less-than-significant shadow impact. Impact 5-6 Analysis: Project Consistency with City Urban Design Objectives. Based upon independent analysis by a qualified urban design professional,' the 2003 EIR identified design aspects of the 2003 EIR project (e.g., building/public space relationships) that were inconsistent with the City's existing Urban Design Guidelines and therefore represented a significant visual impact. The associated 2003 EIR mitigation included a series of design improvements to be formulated by the applicant in consultation with the City, such as varying the project's interior grid, rearranging building tower locations, visually enhancing the parking structures, and refining the design of proposed public spaces. Similar to the 2003 EIR project, the current project plans indicate a range of public and private open spaces, including approximately 1,718 linear feet of public access adjacent to Smith Slough (see Figures 2.5 through 2.11). Based on review of the current project preliminary plans in reference to landscaping, variety of building mass, and opportunities for both formal and informal open space, City staff has concluded that the proposed preliminary Pete's Harbor project design is potentially consistent with the City's "Nice Places" policy (adopted September 10, 2001), which states, "It is the policy of the City of Redwood City that in the design of public and private projects, high priority be given to creating comfortable, enjoyable, and aesthetically pleasing public spaces," and other applicable City urban design objectives. Architectural treatments and materials for the current project are assumed to be similar to those proposed for the 2003 EIR project, and, like the 2003 EIR project, would be generally compatible with adjacent residential development and consistent with higher quality residential development elsewhere in Redwood City. These preliminary findings regarding current project consistency with City urban design objectives would warrant continued verification during the City-required design review process as project architectural and landscape design details are refined and finalized. Until this design review and policy consistency verification process is completed to City satisfaction, it is 'Bottomley Associates Urban Design &City Planning. T.•1106951Addenduml3(10695-01).doc