Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> - - "' -, <br /> defines anything below 75 feet as low-rise. The Uniform Building Code defines anything <br /> above 75 feet as requiring life safety provisions in the building which are colloquially <br /> - called high-rise. There is no mention in the UBC of ... low-rise, and in fact that is <br /> irrelevant to the issue of architectural compatibility." Mr. Gibson said the City had the <br /> unilateral right to interpret what low-rise meant within some logical context. Mr. Gibson <br /> said the proposed building is a very large mass more suited to a downtown commercial <br /> area or office park, not in or near a residential area. Mr. Gibson said this building is at <br /> least a mile from other commercial areas in Redwood Shores. He said the "primary <br /> request here is that the Project be redesigned within the context of what the Architectural <br /> permit has the authority to review, and in context with the Lido Specific Plan, and not <br /> focusing on what is really a red herring, about the zoning... The issues of traffic... are <br /> important, but they are not really the main issue. The main issues are compatibility with <br /> the neighborhood, they are not congestion management issues. They are issues on how the <br /> traffic affects the neighborhood, not how the traffic affects the traffic... The key issue is, <br /> we would ask that the City take whatever (means) it thinks it has, to cause this Project to <br /> be redesigned as a more residential scale, lower Project that would be in keeping with the <br /> Lido Specific Plan." <br /> In answer to Couneilman Claire's question regarding approval of the apartment <br /> development, Mr. Gibson said he was part of that process, and the complex was equivalent <br /> to a two-story office building, approximately 35 feet high. He said a four-story office <br /> building is about 60 feet high. Mr. Gibson said, in comparison, the office building was <br /> much, much larger than all the other surrounding structures. <br /> - <br /> Don Warren, Stonybrook Associates, spoke to the issue of "the agreement between the <br /> City of Redwood City, Redwood Shores Properties, and SBSA at the time the Lido Special <br /> Area Plan was being negotiated. Redwood Shores Properties, of which I was then the <br /> President, submitted to the City of Redwood City a proposal for the Lido development <br /> which included Parcel 7 at that time which included the two parcels that are now the <br /> subject of this discussion, as an all residential project. That was the original proposal, and <br /> it was part of the 640 unit residential proposal that was put before the City. As part of <br /> those deliberations, the SBSA, the regional sewage treatment facility, of which Redwood <br /> City, San Carlos, Belmont, Menlo Park, rightly so, challenged our desire at that time to put <br /> residential so close to the SBSA plant. And they were very articulate in expressing why <br /> they were concerned about that. Their concern was expressed in a number of public <br /> hearings and in written form. Hearings that were available to the entire community and <br /> attended by representatives of the entire community, including the community of <br /> Redwood Shores.." Mr. Warren said Redwood Shores Properties was not happy with what <br /> SBSA wanted initially, but a compromise agreement was reached, with him representing <br /> Redwood Shores Properties, Jim Bewley representing SBSA and the City Manager for the <br /> City. Mr. Warren said the compromise is now embodied in the General Plan and <br /> designates that site as commercially zoned. He said although many types of commercial <br /> uses were discussed, "but no certainty as to what that might be." Mr. Warren said all three <br /> parties agreed upon the "CG" zone as it allowed for a 75 foot height limit. He said, "the <br /> - agreement was a well thought out and well negotiated agreement... And SBSA's concern <br /> REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 NOVEMBER 17.1997 <br /> MINUTES Page No. 049 PAGE 18 <br />