AgdaPkt 2014-03-24 Closed and Regular

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MIG F 8.A. - Page 261 City of Redwood City Revised Elm Huaenaurn January 22, 2014 Page 3-20 The specific effects of these project changes on the visual impact and mitigation conclusions of the 2003 EIR are described below. Impact 5-1 Analysis: Project Inconsistency with City Height-Related Policies and Regulations. The 2003 EIR indicated a project inconsistency with City height-related policies and regulations, particularly because the maximum height limit for the Pete's Harbor site (per City zoning) is 75 feet, and the 2003 project included building heights up to 240 feet. The associated 2003 EIR mitigation described two options: Mitigation 5-1-1, reduction of all project building heights to 75 feet or less, or Mitigation 5-1-2, preparation of a Precise Plan with building heights in excess of 75 feet for discretionary review and approval by the City. The 2003 EIR determined that mitigation option 5-1-1 would reduce the impact to a less-than-significant level, and mitigation option 5-1-2 would reduce the impact, but not to a less-than-significant level (i.e., the impact would remain significant and unavoidable). Under the current Pete's Harbor project, the tallest multi-story building (the parking garage, which would be surrounded by the wraparound apartment building about 70 feet in height) would be 75 feet in height (see Figures 2.12 and 2.13), meeting the City's current 75-foot height limit for the site. The ten 10-plex buildings would be a maximum 45 feet in height (see Figure 2.17). In addition, all of the One Marina project (the former Peninsula Marina component of the Marina Shores Village project), which is under construction and partially occupied, will be less than 75 feet in height. Therefore, Mitigation 5-1 is no longer required. The currently proposed Pete's Harbor project is consistent with City height-related policies and regulations. Conclusion. Mitigation 5-1 is not required. The impact would not occur. Impact 5-2 Analysis: Visual Impacts on Views and Vistas and on the Character of the Surrounding Area. The 2003 EIR identified significant adverse visual impacts resulting from the proposed project buildings extending significantly above the existing 50-foot visual base plane of buildings, trees, overpasses, and other structures in the project vicinity. The associated 2003 EIR mitigation described two options: Mitigation 5-2-1, reduction of all project buildings to 50 feet or less in height (to conform with the existing visual base plane), or Mitigation 5-2-2, preparation of a Precise Plan subject to various reviews and approvals by the City. (A Precise Plan was ultimately prepared and adopted by the City in June 2004, but was overturned by the voter referendum known as Measure "Q.") The 2003 EIR indicated that the 2003 EIR Pete's Harbor towers would have extended above the base plane by about 190 feet, and other multi-story buildings would have extended above the base plane by up to 34 feet. Under the current Pete's Harbor project, the tallest proposed multi-story building (the wraparound apartment building with parking garage), at 70 to 75 feet, would extend above the 50-foot visual base plane by approximately 20 to 25 feet, but would not extend above the permitted 75-foot maximum building height. No other project building would extend above the 50-foot visual base plane. The reduction in building mass extending above the base plane under the current project would substantially reduce visual impacts on surrounding views and vistas compared to the previous project. View blockage from surrounding areas would be minimal, and "enclosure" effects along adjacent waterways would be substantially reduced. T.110695 Pete's Harbor EIR Addendumlrevised addendum no 213(10695-01).doc