Remarks by David Comden
71 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
- Play at 2:32:06
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:33:39
“Yeah, because I think this is part and parcel to what the main discussion item is here about DRC. Council took the initiative to go with option one, which is to disband. But I think option two and three are worthy of our consideration and discussion.”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:34:07
“Yes, but I want you to see them if at all possible. Just give us a second. Okay, very good. I'll continue. And I think it's important to have the DRC continue on because architecture is the unavoidable art that we all have to live with. And this is the new art city, I heard. And so we have to keep that in mind. I can't tell you how many times I've driven by places that I just shake my head and go, how did that? How in the world? And on the other hand, I've driven by places that say, that's pretty nice. That's a nice addition. Well, that unavoidable art is controlled by the decisions we…”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:38:14
“I will say that there was an alternative motion on the DRC issue that was seconded, but it failed. And so it resulted in going with option one, which was the recommendation to eliminate DRC.”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:41:12
“I understand your point. I think that any project that goes in front of DRC is made better, and I haven't heard anyone say that it is made worse by that reviewing body. Objective design standards, while good and necessary, will not be able to cover every single option available to improve projects, whether they be commercial or residential, whether it's the placement of a tree or a consideration of a window shade. You just can't cover it all. Someone mentioned that Santa Barbara has an over 200 page document. Ours is just beginning and it's 25 pages of meaningful stuff which we will expand on…”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:48:53
“take the time to get it to that level usually I see it less and less than I used to conceptual review requests thank you thank you vice chair so how would that look if someone comes in for a conceptual is the DRC involved in this or just staff”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:49:34
“But that wouldn't be a public hearing. That would be a first look feedback in preparation for the one public hearing meeting that they would have.”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 2:52:17
“Commissioner Cobb, did you have a? Yes, I have a friendly amendment for consideration, which is that... the application be complete in preparation of that DRC hearing.”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 3:07:40
“Thank you. Four acres of batteries. What is that? What's the purpose of having the batteries? They're backup for what? Do we know?”
Planning Commission · Sep 23, 2026
- Play at 0:26
“Chair, may I ask, it appears that you had prepared remarks that you read from. Could you send that into the city so that they could be put into the record? I'd be happy to. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 31:54
“Thank you, Chair. So there needs to be a minimum of 30 points. Do we presently have 75 or this would put us in position to have 75?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 32:11
“So we are well over the 30 points and then I thought I heard you say it doesn't matter how many points above 30 you have there's no prioritization for the number of points that is correct whether we have the full 150 or 31 points there isn't any prioritization once we've met over the 30 points, so if we've already met the requirement and Why are we doing this exercise?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 33:47
“Thank you So what? What are the amounts of these grants? minimum and maximum or an average or a median of”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 35:26
“There was a lot packed into that sentence. What I got from it was that the two examples you gave could be awards of $500,000 to $2 million per jurisdiction, which is not inconsequential. The money. Does it go to the city and does it stay within the city? I noticed some of the examples written to defer impact costs for 55 years for a development. Is that how it is used? It is used as a component to help a developer achieve the mission of completing a project?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 36:59
“Right. So I know the request is for feedback and this is... couched as a positive thing. Are there any negative repercussions by going down this path? Objectively.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 53:23
“Okay, okay. Yeah, about 20 seconds into the situation, he did. Okay, thank you, thank you.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 56:21
“Thank you, Chair. With that, I would like to move that we approve the draft pro-housing designation application.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:07:43
“Thank you, Chair, and thank you for the presentation. Do you know what the slope of the property is? It tends to slope down towards the alley.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:08:03
“All right. If they can, we'll wait because they're probably going to be called up for other things. Who makes the decision or makes the offering of which units are chosen for the low and very low income? I notice there's one studio and two one bedrooms, which indicates to me Not a family, no family units typically are offered on this offering for low or very low. So who makes that decision? Is it the developer, the owner comes to the city and says, this is our plan?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:09:13
“Okay, thank you. Regarding the warrants, 66 foot wide property lines versus 75, which is needed. Can you give us some understanding of why 75 is a number? What is the magic of that number?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:10:08
“So let me ask the question slightly differently. A side court is an open space, kind of a community space for the residents. and maybe the 75, I don't know why, but is it true to say that on the south, the property of the south side is largely an office building with a parking lot and not residences? South side B.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:10:38
“That one's residential, the next one's commercial. Okay, it wouldn't hurt to pull that up.”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:11:10
“So that two-story with the parking behind it is right next door, and that's residential?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:11:20
“A lot of space. Okay. Thank you. Tuck under parking replaces the enclosed. What's the thinking why enclosed parking is more desirable or required, and this warrant is asking for modification?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026
- Play at 1:18:14
“Thank you, Chair. Two more questions. Parking, it looks to be that there's parking on Main Street as well as side streets. Do we know if that parking is available 24 hours or at least overnight?”
Planning Commission · Aug 26, 2026