AgdaPkt 2013-09-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

7.A. - Page 2 BACKGROUND Since 2009 the City and Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford) have been working on a Precise Plan and Environmental Impact Report for Stanford's property at the Mid-Point Technology Park. To implement the Plan effectively and provide further Public Benefits, a Development Agreement was also prepared. The City Council approved Guiding Principles prepared by City and Stanford staff that the subcommittee of Council Members Foust and Ira used to direct the construction of the Development Agreement. The City Council held a Study Session on April 8, 2013, at which the basic outlines of the Development Agreement were presented. ANALYSIS At its August 20, 2013 hearing, the Planning Commission reviewed the five actions before the City Council: the Stanford In Redwood City Precise Plan Final Environmental Impact Report, the Zoning Ordinance text amendment, the Zoning Map amendment, the Stanford in Redwood City Precise Plan, and the Development Agreement between Stanford and the City. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the project and, after receiving public testimony, recommended that the City Council certify the EIR, adopt the ordinances necessary to enact the Precise Plan, and approve the Precise Plan and the Development Agreement. A summary of the Precise Plan and the Environmental Impact Report conclusions are provided in the attached Planning Commission report. The Precise Plan establishes the design and development parameters of the property, establishing open space areas, pedestrian and vehicular circulation design standards, as well as building and massing guidelines. The Precise Plan will be implemented through the timelines and requirements of the Development Agreement. The Development Agreement also provides an array of specific public benefits to assist with the integration of the Stanford in Redwood City Project into the fabric of Redwood City. The EIR identifies the impacts of the project and the mitigations for these impacts. There are some impacts, such as traffic delays at Woodside Road, that cannot be mitigated by the City's action, as they are controlled by the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans). In these instances, the City Council is asked to adopt findings to override the requirement for Stanford to mitigate these impacts. Stanford could develop the property solely through the Precise Plan document, as that sets the specific parameters for development in terms of density, design, and uses. Additionally, because the Environmental Impact Report identifies the mitigation for project impacts the property could develop exactly as any other property within a Precise Plan, such as in the Downtown. However, because Stanford does not have an immediate project to develop, and anticipates full build out will take several building cycles, they have requested an agreement with the City that would guarantee them some certainty for the projects over time in exchange for expanded Community Benefits for Redwood City. z