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- - - building materials as its developments in Los Altos, Palo Alto, Cupertino and other "more pricey housing markets." Mr. Ward said this development would become a community asset as more and more --' commercial space is developed in Redwood City providing 15,000 new jobs. Mr. Ward said there is a shortage of moderately priced housing in Redwood City, and this development would add to that market. He reported that the Chamber of Commerce and SAMCEDA endorsed the development to fill that shortage. He said at a price of a little over $300,000 the owners of these homes would be hard working residents who would take great pride in their homes. Mr. Ward said the development "respects the neighborhood by redeveloping a dilapidated property with new single family homes that will substantially reduce traffic impacts." He said Classic Communities had been very responsive to the neighbors concerns and urged Council to support the development. He advised he had slides available if the Council would like to see them. Mr. Ward advised that Classic Communities had applied, in advance, to the Architectural Advisory Committee before submitting the original application which was for 27-units. "We made an adjustment to 26-units and obtained the support of the Architectural Advisory Committee... (Referring to the staff report) "The current easement on the property is for the benefit of the property only, an important distinction... (and) except in a minority of cases, values have increased significantly over time in the neighborhoods surrounding the communities that we have developed." In response to Councilman Ruskin's questions regarding the property easement, Mr. Ward said, "It is for the benefit of the commercial property only." Mayor Hartnett - said, "You mean that the legal description of the easement is such that the owner of the commercial property has reserved the easement for commercial purposes." Mr. Ward said, "Correct." In response to Councilwoman La Berge's questions regarding minimum and maximum lot sizes, Mr. Ward said, "Generally it (lot size) will be on the order of 3,750 square feet on average... 3,811 actually." Mayor Hartnett said the project before the Council was the 26-unit development, and asked for legal clarification of what the Council could do regarding the alternative that was suggested. City Attorney Schricker said, "The appeals were taken ITom the 26-unit development. The arguments being advanced would relate to that development. The appellants to the extent that those arguments may be germane to the 24-unit development, should so state. The disadvantage to the City Council at this stage to change the proposal is that you don't have a Tentative Map to look at. My recommendation is that you really couldn't approve a Tentative Map in a form which would conform to the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act, and the Subdivision Ordinance. So if we proceed with essentially a dual project what I would recommend doing is the Council not make a - decision but retain jurisdiction, and submit the proposed development to staff and to the developer for purposes of preparing a new Tentative Map, and bringing that back to REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MLNUTE BOOK NO. 55 MAY 5. 1997 MINUTES Page No. 289 PAGE 14