Title
Study Session Summary of July 31, 2018 - El Camino Real Corridor Specific Plan - Presentation of Design Examples
Summary
Call to Order:
Vice Mayor Larry Klein called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
City Councilmembers Present:
Mayor Glenn Hendricks
Vice Mayor Larry Klein
Councilmember Jim Griffith
Councilmember Gustav Larsson
Councilmember Nancy Smith
Councilmember Russ Melton
Councilmember Michael S. Goldman
City Councilmembers Absent:
None
Study Session Summary:
Assistant Director of Community Development, Andrew Miner, gave a presentation including: a summary of the most recent City Council Study Session; information on potential development standards and densities for the segments and nodes; and site-specific examples of the development concepts/densities.
Comments provided by the City Council:
• Support for the site-specific modeling examples and the information they portray of the potential development standards and densities.
• Support for the Community Benefits program, and the need to re-evaluate it every few years to prioritize incentives.
• Emphasis that El Camino Real (ECR) should remain a commercial corridor.
• Concern and support for conceptual maximum height standards, support emphasized near the Civic Center Node.
• Continue to use the conceptual densities presented in the study.
• ECR corridor plan should coordinate with the goals and vision of the Vision Zero Plan.
• Support for the building stepback to occur at the third story.
• Concern over impacts to single-family neighborhoods adjacent to properties on ECR, especially in relation to the proposed 45-degree plane.
• Emphasis on the need for great design standards, including articulation on buildings.
• Concerned with the effects that locating parking/open space in the rear of buildings may have on the low-density housing units that are adjacent.
• Appreciation for the consideration that new buildings may have on the single-family neighborhoods that are adjacent to ECR parcels.
• Support for having side yard setbacks on ECR.
• The need for improved public transportation on ECR to support the proposed growth.
• Support for making ECR a safe walkable street.
Public Comment:
Several members of the public were present at the meeting and provided the following comments on the information that was presented:
• A good community benefits plan is necessary and should include:
o Incentivization of studio units; and
o Prioritization of affordable housing.
• Support for the removal of on-street parking on ECR.
• The ECR streetscape should be considered when development projects are analyzed.
• Concern with potential 5-story buildings on ECR.
• Coordination with Vision Zero Plan, and potential updates needed to the Citywide bike plan once decisions are made on ECR.
• Support for a cycle track on ECR.
• Request that the property located on the SW corner of Hollenbeck and ECR be included in the Civic Center node to allow higher density development.
• Support for the form based code approach.
• Better transportation is needed along ECR.
• Emphasis on the need for safe bike/pedestrian paths on ECR and the plan should anticipate bike share programs and e-scooter programs.
Adjournment:
Vice Mayor Klein adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m.