Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

through the chair. We're ready to begin. Thank you. Welcome to this regular meeting of the planning commission this Tuesday evening, May 12th. I now call this meeting to order. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, and with liberty and justice for all. Could you please call the role? Chair Patel here.

Vice Chair Cla here. Commissioner Bush here. Commissioner Shunl here. And Commissioner Williams

here. Good evening and welcome. We are excited to be here in person with options for virtual participation. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us maintain an efficient and accessible meeting environment. There are several ways to participate. For those attending in person, complete a yellow request to speak slip and hand it to the clerk. If participating remotely, use the raise your hand feature in Zoom and you will be called on at the appropriate time. If calling in via phone, press star 9 to raise your hand and when called upon, press star six to unmute. These options for public comment will remain available until I close the public comment period for each specific item. For members of the public watching on YouTube who wish to provide live public comment, please note that you must join the meeting through the Zoom webinar using the access information listed on the agenda. And finally, we welcome speakers providing public comment, but please be advised this is a limited public forum. As such, speakers must stay on topic if speaking to a particular agenda item. If speakers fail to follow these rules, they will be warned, and if they continue to disregard our rules, their opportunity to speak will be ended. The first item on our agenda this evening is public comment. Members of the public wishing to comment on any item not appearing on the agenda may address the planning commission at this time. State law prevents council planned planning commission from taking action on any matter not on the agenda. Your comments may be referred to staff for followup. This public comment section is generally limited to a total of 15 minutes. However, that is subject to the commission's discretion and can be extended if the commission wishes to do so. If needed, an opportunity for additional public comment may also be provided later in the agenda. If you are in chambers and wish to speak to an item not on the agenda, please submit your yellow request to speak slip to the clerk now. If you are online and wish to speak, please raise your hand. Now,

do we have any folks wishing to comment on general public comment through the chair? We do not have any requests to speak.

Okay, thank you. Then I will go ahead and close the general public comment period. The next item on our agenda is a public hearing for item number one, 500 East 3rd Avenue, Block 21, an approved mixeduse project extension request, PA-2026-00009. We will start with a staff presentation and then the applicant presentation followed by public comments. Members of the public are given two to three minutes to speak depending on the number of speakers. Once the public hearing is closed, I may ask staff to respond to any public comments. The commission will ask clarifying questions, deliberate, and render a decision. If a decision is made tonight, that decision of the planning commission can be appealed to the city council within 10 calendar days. Can we go ahead with the staff presentation, please?

Sure. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Patel. Um, good evening, planning commission, um, Sonteo community members. My name is Liz Galliardi, associate planner with the community development department, and I will be presenting on this item tonight. So, just before we dive in, a quick presentation overview. I'll begin with some project background, um setting up the location for where this is taking place, as well as the approved project uh details and history. Then we'll move into code and policy review um followed by public notice and the staff recommendation. So this map on the screen shows the project site in blue with an orange outline relative to the downtown Cal Train station which is located about two blocks to the northwest of the block 21 site. Here's a closer view of the block 21 project site which is located on a full block located um with East 3rd Avenue, South Delaware Street, East 4th Avenue, and South Claremont Street surrounding it. The site has a parcel area of 1.51 acres and its general plan land use designation is mixeduse High and is zoned central business district support. So, this image shows an aerial of the site conditions that were in place when the project was approved. Um, as you can see, it used to be occupied by several structures with varying building uses, sizes, and footprints. These images show the current condition of the project site today. Uh, the structures on site have been demolished and the site has um been maintained with some fencing and screening. Demolition permits were issued in February of 2023 prior to issuance of the main building permit for construction. This demolition was authorized to allow the applicant to conduct soil testing where the buildings previously stood um to evaluate if there was any contamination from prior uses

which included a gas station and a dry cleaning business among others. The soil testing has been completed by the applicant um but the site has since remained vacant. The city's vacant lot maintenance ordinance applies to any site that is undeveloped um and unoccupied for more than 180 consecutive days and requires the site to be either um improved and maintained at all times either with specific landscaping and fencing um as outlined in the ordinance or with an approved vacant lot maintenance plan. Um, in this case, the applicant provided a vacant lot maintenance plan that was approved by the city in July of 2024 and since that time has generally been maintained in accordance with that plan. So just um for some more context and project background, this map shows the block 21 site again in blue um with some more context for the surrounding downtown area um the Cal Trade station again as well as some other surrounding projects that are in various stages of development. These include the First and B or Donut Delight site which is right across from the train station. Um to the northeast there's the recently entitled Gateway multifamily residential project. Um the existing Metropolitan Apartments and the 200222 South Fremont site which is a project that has since been abandoned due to inaction um and is also a vacant lot. To the northwest um 435 East 3rd Avenue is currently under construction for a mixeduse project. And then to the south we have block 20, a mixeduse project under review. Going down that same block is Kiku Crossing, which is a recently completed affordable housing development and parking garage. the bespoke project, a mixeduse um public private partnership project that

has recently gone to planning commission and um is headed to city council soon for final determination as well as the Drager's mixeduse project was which is expected to move forward with their building permits soon. So, now that we've covered the location, u moving on to the approved project description. The block 21 project is a six-story mixeduse building consisting of about 180,000 square ft of office uses on the four floors 1 through 3 with 111 residential units above on the upper three floors. The project also includes 402 parking stalls which are located in a two-level belowrade parking structure with vehicle access provided off of South Claremont Street. And I'll just quickly so show some additional renderings of the proposed project. Starting with the view from 3rd Avenue and South Claremont Street here. This is another view from the corner of 4th Avenue and South Delaware. And finally, an enlarged view along South Claremont Street from the corner of South Claremont to fourth of and you can see um towards the left of the screen where that vehicle entrance is provided along with the residential lobby on this um elevation. So, regarding the approved project description, um as we discussed, this is for a six-story mixeduse building with office and residential uses. Um, the city council approved this project originally in June of 2022 with entitlements for a site plan and architectural review, a tenative map to merge the existing 11 parcels into one parcel as well as a site development planning application for removal of trees. The planning application approvals um

are good for two years. So, the original approval would have expired on June 20th, 2024. However, the applicant exp um applied for their first extension um which was referred to the planning commission and ultimately approved in July of 2023 which extended the original project expiration date for an additional 2 years to June 20th 2026. So that brings us to the application which is before the planning commission this evening which is a second request for project extension. With this extension request, no changes are proposed to the original approved project design. And if it's approved, this extension would move the planning application expiration date out two additional years from June 20th, 2026 out to June 19th, 2028. So, now that we've reviewed the project background um and the current application for that second extension, I'll move into some of the code and policy review. Um I'll note here that the zoning code authorizes um planning application extensions to be reviewed and approved by the zoning administrator. So, this is typically a staff level review. Um however this application has been referred up to the planning commission um in keeping with the process that was followed for the first extension request. So this extension request is made to both the tenative map as well as the planning application which includes that site development planning application and site plan and architectural review in the Samonteo municipal code. The subdivision code chapter 26 is what regulates the tenative map. So consistent with state law, the subdivision code allows for up to three extensions of two years each for the tenative map approval. The zoning code,

which is chapter 27 of the municipal code, allows the city to consider up to two-year extensions for planning application approval. So for this project, that would be that site plan and architectural review and site development planning application. for this project. This is the second of those two allowable extensions for the planning application for that mixeduse project. However, the tenative map may still be eligible for an additional extension separate from the development approval um which that is not requested tonight, but just um as a point of reference. So, in addition to all of that background, the zoning code includes three findings that must be made in order to approve an extension. These are that the project must still be consistent with the general plan and zoning ordinance and that the extension will not result in any new environmental impacts or an increase in severity of a previously identified environmental impact. So this extension request has been evaluated for each of the required three findings. I'll start here with the general plan consistency. Um, since this project was originally approved back in 2022, the city has adopted a new general plan, the 2040 general plan. And under this general plan, um, new land use designations were introduced. So, the project now has a land use designation of mixeduse high. And we've evaluated the project for consistency with those new mixeduse high standards, which are summarized um, in the chart on the screen. And as you can see, the project does not exceed any of the maximum standards allowed by the new general plan. So would still be consistent even with that change. Moving on to the second finding for zoning consistency. This one's a little bit more straightforward. The project site zoning designation of central business district support has not

changed since the original project approval and remains consistent. And finally, there are no changes proposed to the original project approval that would result in any new or increased environmental impacts for that third finding. For public noticing, um this project was noticed 10 days in advance of tonight's hearing with mailed postcards um sent out to property owners within the radius of,000 ft, which is shown on the map here. um as well as email notification to interested parties and planning project subscription list serve. It was also included in the planning e newswsletter which was published on Thursday May 7th. And that brings us to my last slide for our staff recommendation, which is a recommendation that the planning commission adopt a resolution to approve this 2-year extension to um the tenative map and the associated planning applications. Um that concludes my presentation and I welcome any questions that you guys may have. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Um do we have a presentation from the applicant? prepared presentation, but I'm happy to answer any additional questions. I think staff covered really um really well the project. Um and so any questions that you have, I'm happy to answer any anything you'd like to talk about relative to the site. Thank you. Um, okay. Then I will look to my fellow commissioners to ask if anyone has any clarifying questions. I'll look this way this time. Commissioner Bush, do you have any questions?

Commissioner Shamul, I do not. Commissioner Clafter. Um, yes. actually through the chair. I um figured it might uh be reasonable to uh ask uh if uh there might be any updates at this time beyond uh this extension request.

Well, there's one spec office building being built on the peninsula right now and it's in downtown Sano and I'm building it right across the street. So, uh, the market for, uh, spec office buildings has improved considerably since the last extension request. I'm sure that you've seen a lot of the things in the news as well. Um, so I think that, um, I was just talking to Lisa about this. So, I started working on this project in 2018 and two of my children weren't born. So, um I I would anticipate that within this extension window, this project will start construction. Um whereas I probably couldn't have anticipated or predicted that in the last extension request window. So, uh the markets for this sort of construction is improving dramatically month after month right now in the Bay Area. And the real key has not been our unwillingness to construct. It's really been an impossible um hurdle of getting construction financing and that is also starting to change because of all the leasing velocity we're seeing on the peninsula. So, as an example, downtown Redwood City, hundreds of thousands of square feet has been leased in the last six months. Downtown Sunnyvale, hundreds of thousands of square feet of class A office has been leased in the last few months. Um, downtown Mountain View, downtown Palo Alto are a low singledigit class A vacancies at this point. Um, downtown Sanonteo actually has the highest class A vacancy right now of all the downtowns between Berling game and uh, Mountain View. Um, but that is going to rapidly decrease as well. So, the the demand for this product is very very high at this point and that's bringing lenders back into the marketplace. So, um I would think within this extension window, this project will be under construction.

Great. Thanks. Um I did have one other quick question. Uh we had gotten a public comment um uh that I just wanted to make sure that I brought up. We um uh I I drive by that site um you know, frequently. I don't know if that counts as a site visit, but I'll just throw that out there. Yeah. Uh but um uh we did, you know, so I've obviously seen the site, you know, pretty frequently um as I'm going by and uh we did get a public comment just about fencing and um just seeing that the fencing is maintained. I and I think there might have been some recent updates to the fencing or the I don't know if that was the case. Uh so right now we we keep it maintained for lots of things not just fencing but for weed control for the mulch areas um and for the screening areas. So we have a dual layered fence. One is the exterior chain length. Then we have a screening fence. And that was well thought out by city staff and us when we we we wanted to create a um a scenario where we weren't uh susceptible to spray painting and tagging. And so that's one of the reasons that we elected to do what we did relative to like a solid plywood or something different to screen we bought. Um, so it was costly, but I think that it's was worth it given the time, you know, that we've had to screen it. Um, I did see the public comment. I know the person who made the comment really well. Um, but generally speaking, I think that, you know, the site is inspected by the city frequently and any um issues that are ever identified are addressed immediately.

Okay. Thanks. Those are all my questions. Commissioner Williams. Yeah, I have a couple questions. Um, so I mean they're not super relevant, but based on what you just said, it was interesting to hear about the market and um, particularly the leasing um, market. Would you say that the changes are related to people being back at, you know, back in the office for work versus hybrid and work from home or I just was surprised by those statistics. So

yeah, I'm happy to opine on it a little bit. I I can tell you that um the Bay Area right now is the beneficiary of 60 cents of every venture dollar spent in AI is landing here. And that's a worldwide stat. So 60 cents of every dollar spent worldwide on AI venture is landing here in the Bay Area. The Bay Area public market cap over the last three years has grown to almost $22 trillion um between San Jose and San Francisco. And so um what's happened is a tremendous amount of new AI companies have been founded but more importantly companies who were already uh going concern are utilizing AI to improve their balance sheets and to improve their customer offerings and to improve their existing product offerings. So, we're seeing like the wild wild west old uh you know, crazy, you know, if you remember back in 2000 or you know, uh whatever uh uh you like AI fund or excuse me, venture funded euphoria that can occur here in the Bay Area. But in addition to that, we're seeing a lot of strong companies that are growing their balance sheets tremendously

and they're hiring a lot of people. And so, it's different. um they're occupying less space but they are demanding higher high highly amenitized buildings transit oriented walking distance to downtowns etc. Um, and that's why the vacancy rates in the downtowns are very, very low. And so, like downtown Burling Game as an example, 220 Park, which was a building that we were supposed to construct near the same time, um, it's a good thing we didn't because the financial structure of that building had to change dramatically because they sat vacant for so long. But that building is 100% leased. um 610 Walnut in downtown Redwood City, another building that was built right before the downturn. That building's now 100% leased in the last month. So, it's really um being funded mostly by um the dollars that are that are advancing and pouring into the AI sector and then all the ancillary companies that are associated with that. Um, but the non the areas with less amenities are not seeing the same sort of leasing velocity. So, it's certainly focused in the high in the amenity rich locations.

Okay. Uh, yeah, interesting. That's good to know. Um, thank you. Um, that's why Lane Partners, as an example, is looking to move forward on draggers,

right? So, you know, everyone's seeing this same thing. And so 435 East Thirdrd Avenue is the building that I'm under construction on right now. We went out to the debt markets in August. We got one quote from one lender of 400 lenders we went to. Um and the lender was not someone that you've heard of. Uh we have a project in downtown Redwood City right now that we just went out to the debt community with and we got uh you know half a dozen quotes from all top shelf lenders or lenders that you've heard of. So that's just in a six-month time frame. Wow. So real shift

in the lenders appetite not not not nationwide or all over the Bay Area but for these downtown office spec office buildings. Okay. Wow. That seems like a fast quickly changing thing. Yeah. Through the chair, before we continue questions, would we like to open public comment for the item?

Yes. Let's go ahead and Well, yes, let's go ahead and do that. Um, if there's anybody in the chambers who wishes to speak on this item, um, please submit your yellow request to speak slip now. And if there's anyone online who would like to comment on this item, go ahead and raise your hand now. throughout the chair. There are no public commenters.

Okay. Thank you. Sometimes I forget about or we changed our procedure to do uh public comment before questions and sometimes I slip back into the old way. Do you have any other questions, Commissioner Williams? Okay. I have a few questions. I think mostly for staff. So you don't Sorry, you already stood up. Um, several of these were answered by the staff presentation, so I don't think I need to answer them. Um, are we able to specify conditions of approval for this extension request? Um,

well, there we go. Um, yes, I believe so for the um for the extension. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Um, we should get the applicant. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, that's a good point. Um, but we would need to discuss those with the applicant and get some agreement on those. Okay. Thank you. Um, typically when projects have conditions of approval, how does the city ensure that those conditions of approval are being met? Is there any kind of proactive check-in with a applicant or is it more of a reactive enforcement situation?

Um, it is typically reactive. Um, code enforcement gets involved. Obviously, if there are there's construction happening, we've got the inspections and that's proactive. Yeah. Um but yeah. Okay. And the sidewalks surrounding this site, are they in the public rightway?

Yes. Just wanted to look at the survey, but through the chair, yes, they are. Okay. Thank you. Um, those were all of my questions and so I will now open it up to my fellow commissioners for any comments or discussion.

Sure. Uh, I I mean I don't really have um too many comments other than uh it's clear that it it's clear to me anyway that it meets the findings that are required. Um, and that's really what we're being tasked with. We're not being tasked with looking at the plans or the, you know, or the building at this time. So, at in at this point in time, um, so it seems relatively straightforward. Um, I I mean, one of my questions, it's sort of a rhetorical question, but was, you know, what does happen if the extension request was not granted? Um but you know then we don't we don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. I mean I want it to be um a a viable successful project because um we have approved plans and um you know we we all agreed it was a project that we want to see go forward. So, in my mind, I will um um vote to approve the extension request.

Thank you.

Commissioner Cler, do you have any comments? Um yeah, I think I think just the main comment for me is obviously uh you know it's been a um been a while uh going back and forth watching this uh you're seeing this uh you know empty lot there and so uh it sounds like uh it sounds like the uh winds have shifted and uh I'm pleased to hear that there's a greater possibility that we will see things moving forward in the next two years. Uh obviously sooner would be better but we can't you know we can't dictate that from the dis here. So, um, you know, I and I, you know, in terms of the the project itself, you know, obviously I'm I think, um, you know, I might have had some, if I had been on the commission at the time, I might have had some comments about, you know, the amount of housing or about this or that, but I think, you know, overall that I like the design and, um, you know, it sounds like, um, it's, uh, what works on that site. So, um I would uh I would I would certainly vote to uh just uh grant the extension at this time as well.

Commissioner Shle.

Yeah, I'm excited to see this project move forward and uh vote in support of it. Um just want to echo my fellow commissioners that have already spoken that um yeah considering the findings that there's no um impacts to the environ no increased impacts to the environment or um and that it's still consistent with the general plan and the zoning ordinances. I don't have any um issue with this project uh being approved for the extension. And I'm happy to see that this is a trend. Uh I I work in construction um in my day in my day job and uh we're seeing this happen all throughout um construction. So I'm excited to see that uh this is starting to be a um a trend for um construction period all over the Bay Area, especially here in the peninsula. Um biolife sciences and um a lot of other projects are moving forward um where they were stalling 18 months ago. And so, yep, I'm happy to be in support of approving this extension.

Commissioner Bush. Yeah. Thanks. Sorry. I don't have any comments other than to say that it's uh I want to plant a little seed that this would be an awesome place for a food truck site just for the few years that the lot happens to be vacant until construction begins. Just no idea what that would require for you, but just plant a little seed. I've often thought, wouldn't it be nice if we had a bunch of food trucks in the food city? Does seem like there is a lucrative leasing business for food trucks and empty lots in this city. That's all I'm saying. From what we've heard, that's all I'm saying, but I don't have any comments on the request.

I I could respond to that comment. I suddenly brought to mind uh Portland, Oregon, uh which used to have the food trucks lining the edges of the the parking lots downtown until they were

It's not a coincidence that I was in Portland two weekends ago. This was planted in my head. Okay. So, I I have some comments. Um, one, I'm excited to hear that the market is changing and that this project is likely to move forward within the extension period. I will say that this lot is probably the one project we hear the most about on the planning commission in public comments on every other project. Every other project that comes before us cites this project and says, you know, that project didn't move forward. How do we know this project is going to move forward? It comes up all the time. And um the public comment that we got about this project noted that the chain link fence is not permitted under the vacant lot maintenance ordinance. And so I am a little worried because working in tech um the tech market does feel very volatile right now and you know TBD whether AI is a bubble or not. I worry if the market turns down again, we could potentially be in a situation where we've had an empty lot with a chain link fence surrounding it. Um, contrary to our vacant lot maintenance ordinance for four plus years.

Yeah. For the chair, if I could just um say one thing about that section of the code. Um there there are three parts to that section of vacant lots of the code. And so in the first one um it would specify that there are no chain link fences. The second part which is um what the current agreement with the applicant um is about is um sort of looser in what is allowed as long as there is an agreement that's approved by the city. So just just wanted to be clear about that. Okay. So there is an agreement with the city that the the chain link fence is adequate.

Yeah. I just I wonder if there is something that we can do to make this situation better, especially since as the public comment posted pointed out, it is the approach to the city. It's the gateway. And I think it's really unfortunate that when you drive into San Mateo, you pass one abandoned project on your right and you pass a stalled project on your left as you're coming into the downtown. Um, and it may not be, you know, it may not be improving the fence if the fence already has an approved maintenance agreement. It could be I I walk by this site on an almost daily basis. Um, the sidewalk is in not great condition. Uh two two sides, the Delaware side and the Third Avenue side are not bad. Sorry, the Delaware side and the Fourth Avenue side are not bad. Um the Third Avenue side is quite narrow and has many signs that between the uh fence and between the sign a wheelchair would not be able to pass and a stroller would not be able to pass. It is too narrow. And the Delaware side has a ton of curb cuts because there used to be driveways going into the properties there. And again, because the width of the sidewalk has been narrowed because of the fence, uh, a wheelchair or stroller would not be able to pass in that gap. And so I just wonder if there's anything we can do in the interim to improve the condition around that site, even if it's there's a bunch of like no parking signs that are causing this is a question for the city. there's a bunch of no parking signs that are causing that width to be narrow. Like, can we paint the curbs red and remove the no parking signs so that that that becomes better? Um, yeah. I I this is this is a question I guess like what what can we do to ask

public works if that's public right of way to improve that situation for possibly the next two years? Yeah, unfortunately we don't have public works on on the line right now. Um but that is something that we can take back to them if there are signs that are blocking the sidewalk. That's Oh, we have Zach. And yes, we've got Zach on here as well. Hello. Are you all able to hear me? Yes. Yep.

Excellent. Well, yeah. I mean, I think one I think this would be a good question to pose to the applicant and see if he has any thoughts on that. And I think it's it's the sidewalk condition is kind of a combo effort between the city and the applicant right now because the condition is is partially a result of the demolitions that took place. Um but yeah, I know there was lengthy discussions. The maintenance plan that we ended up with the result of that is the extent of fencing. We I think our mainten our vacant lot ordinance kind of with its long-term maintenance requirements envisioned a smaller lot with a single frontage rather than I think um and the applicant probably answer this better. I believe it's over 1400 linear feet and so that poses a different challenge. We're also dealing with if you have a fence with screening right at the back of sidewalk there's major graffiti issues. And so ultimately the configuration was factoring all of those in. But um yeah, I that's kind of the background and where we landed the way we did um with what's required. But um yeah, beyond that, I would I would maybe tee it up to the applicant for for his thoughts on the matter.

The sidewalk on the Claremont side is lifting and I think it's gotten worse over time. I know my my own daughter has bit it on one of those cracks when roller skating. So I I think if we could anything we could do as the city or the applicant to make that sidewalk situation better would be really good. Yeah.

So I mean I can talk about a lot of different aspects but um Delaware the fence is all the way on our property. So that sidewalk has always been that width. We didn't change it. Um on uh Third Avenue, obviously, you know, looking at the signs, that would be up to public works. We're happy to have the signs of removed. Um there's a major grade separation between the sidewalk and our site area on Third Avenue. So, that fence does need to be right where it is because there was a a significant step down after that. And so, that would be a lot worse for your daughter than the crack. um on Claremont and Third Avenue. I think that um we've done a pretty good job of maintaining it obviously, but those two sidewalks are more accessible and and and work better. Um you know, here's what I would say. Um if we had not torn down these buildings, you'd have the same sidewalks. So, uh, the sidewalks get replaced and they will be, um, upgraded to meet the downtown, uh, uh, streets program. Um, once once the project is constructed, uh, it it wouldn't make any sense to rip sidewalks out at this point. It would be much more impactful than anybody would want it to be. Um, and in addition to that, we would just immediately rip that back out and it would cost a lot of money. And so it's just not something that we're capable of doing having now sat on this site for much longer than we wanted to. Um but uh relative to the fence and I'm happy to explain a little bit about that. So we we have had different fencing materials on different sites in downtown Sanonteo. We've built here now for 14 years.

The fence on the adjacent site on block 20 is lovely. Yeah. Um and I'm sure it's much more expensive.

Well, yeah. Yeah. And it's been ripped apart three or four times. So, uh, you know, people have driven through it several times. Um, and generally speaking, that site is 100% asphalt and at grade with the sidewalks. So, um, we don't have to be quite as restrictive with access, but um, with this particular site, we do have to be very restrictive with access because once you come off the sidewalks, there's significant hazard. In addition to that, we don't want people in there doing nefarious things. Um, and so when we discussed how to best do this, the thing uh we want we we knew we wanted a screening fence, but we knew if it was made up of any material that could be spray painted that it would be spray painted.

Yep.

Because we've been here, done that, right? For example, even our construction sites with the blue screening on them, those will get spray painted during our construction. we just know they are and so it's kind of an ongoing maintenance issue. But more than that, we wanted something that was more attractive. So we, you know, went out and bought every fake green vine that we could get from a supplier to handle the 1400 linear feet around the entire site. And then we're almost protecting that vine with the outer fence. And then we put wood chips so that you wouldn't one wouldn't have organic material coming up through the ground weeds and um that it would have a better aesthetic. Um during the winter time that creates quite a bit more maintenance and we have to capture a lot of that water and keep it on the site so that it doesn't run mud onto the sidewalks. During the summer it's much easier to deal with. Um, but so there was quite a bit of thought that went into how to make it look the best, how to keep it safe and secure. Um, that was also a reason we demolished the old buildings. I don't know if you remember, one of the houses started on fire because a homeless person went in there and started a fire. Um, and and many of those buildings were well beyond their useful life. And so we had, you know, one of the buildings the roof caved in because of heavy I don't know if you remember that winter. I I remember. Yeah.

You remember that crazy winner? Um which we wish we would have another one. Uh so so we've tried to address delay sucks. Yeah. It sucks for everyone. Not the least of which me because as aesthetically unpleasing as it is for you, it is financially unpleasing for me to a significant tune. Yeah. And so um and not that that's all I care about, but it certainly motivates one to get things going. Um, so I believe as much commentary as you get about the site, Yep. having it be what was there would be der way worse.

Oh, yeah. I don't think anyone's worse debating that.

So, it's kind of like, okay, you know, I can't I wish I could. So, if we would have started construction, we would have lost the building to the bank. Um, that's what happened to the other two buildings, one in Sunnyvale and one in downtown. I should be careful what I say publicly but major financial restructuring of the project would have occurred. I would not be standing here representing the project. So in the development business those things happen and they usually happen um uh during economic downturns which we all experienced. So we carried so 2018 we carried this site through COVID and then we carried it through a three-year downturn and now we're almost we're almost there. So I understand no one wants Sano to be more beautiful than me. I've built four buildings in the downtown in 10 years. No one's built four buildings in downtown. All my buildings are gorgeous. Eye and the beholder. Like it's like a child. I'm not going to call my children ugly, but but um I want it to be built, trust me. So, relative to making it more pleasant, we're always open to ideas, but we did put a ton of thought into it with staff so that it wouldn't be so so that we would make it as good as it could be given those constraints that I outlined.

Okay. Thank you. So, I know it's not ideal. We all get that. Hope so. Commissioner Clifter.

Yeah. Um I was thinking about what you were what you were talking about um with regards to the sidewalks and I think you know there's the there's the beautifification component which is the the fencing and that's one thing and I think probably more important though is is the safety uh question on the sidewalks. I it's unfortunate we don't have public works uh to speak to this evening, but I would I would you know was thinking about the possibility of of uh any markings that we could put on lifted portions of the sidewalk or even better maybe grind them down because that would not require require full replacement but would would smooth some things out at least a little bit until such time as it's going to be blocked off and fully replaced. Yeah, I think my direction to the staff would just be for public works to evaluate the current conditions and see especially with the signage that's creating narrow pathways of travel if anything can be done to relocate or even remove those signs if they no longer make sense. One of those signs is actually a um ADA entrance sign and I'm like there is no entrance anymore to this lot. So, like clearly this sign doesn't have to be here. Okay, those are all my comments. Can we get the text of the um resolution on the screen

or the text of the recommendation on the screen? Well, I had a quick comment about beautifification. Sure.

That came to me another just little seed that I'll plant my great contributions to this meeting, but uh maybe there's ways to beautify a chain league fence. I've seen uh my wife happens to be a weaver and I've seen many uh beautifification efforts on certain types of materials outside where you integrate like uh color and fiber and outdoor materials etc. Perhaps there's an opportunity to have some sort of uh signage on the fence that directs people to the parking nearby that nobody knows exists. It's like there's lots of opportunities to have something on the fence that's useful and beautiful.

So maybe that's just a, you know, just a little seed. Yeah, that's it. I don't know. Maybe uh Downtown Sono Association can do some sort of like fence art contest for the interior fence, you know, like a graffiti contest. Yeah, sure. I was going to say, yeah, because the Well, the thing about the graffiti point, right, is that if you have murals, then you significantly decrease the opportunity for graffiti. So, if you had a nice fence that had a nice mural on it, but you know, but we don't have that. So, you know, just thoughts. Would anyone like to make a motion? I will make a motion for the recommendation on the screen.

Second. May we have a roll call vote, please? Commissioner Bush, yes. Commissioner Shaml, yes. Chair Patel, yes. Vice Chair Cler, yes. And Commissioner Williams, yes. Motion passes 5-0. Thank you. We will go ahead and close that item and move on to reports and announcements. Do we have any reports and announcements from our staff or city attorney?

Um, mostly announcements about upcoming meetings. Um just as a reminder, we do have the May 26th meeting coming up. Um and the items we intend to have on that uh agenda are the um special use permit for an expansion of a gas station convenience market at 1471 East 3rd. Um and then a multif family development at 220 West 20th just out here. Um and then June 9th, uh we have a zoning code um update study session focusing on single family and multifamily um residential. Um and we also tenatively have uh a hearing for a project the project at uh 616B Street, Nazareth Vista. Um also wanted to check in on June 23rd. I think we heard everybody was going to be here for those next couple of meetings, but just wanted to make sure we have a quorum for June 23rd. Um that agenda item uh we have the concar passage um slated for that agenda and then also um tenatively uh the amendments to the zoning code um to update our highdensity districts uh to be consistent with the the general plan update. So, um, for June 23rd, are there any, um, expected absences or is everyone able to attend?

Okay, that is great. Um, I think that is it still, did you mention I don't know if you just said this, is June 9th uh, going to start at 6 PM as you had mentioned? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for that reminder. Yeah, we'll start at 6 PM. Um, and we'll also have dinner for Okay. folks so that you don't have to try and get that in before a 6 p.m. meeting. Um, and then just just um for your awareness, uh, the there is the appeal for 7:15 North San Mateo, um, which is being scheduled for its council appeal on um, we're looking at July 20th still. That's You said July 20th.

July 20th. Okay, great. Yeah, we hope to get it on a little bit earlier, but there's a lot going on. I do have one. Commissioner Shumple, I have one announcement. July 28th, um I will be traveling for work. Um I will be in Michigan. So, um just putting it out there for commissioners and for staff. Have fun. Thank you. Any other announcements?

I I had um dates in the fall that I will be missing, but I think I mentioned that before. Yeah, I had I had mentioned that I think last meeting that I'll be uh absent uh the 14th, the meeting of the 14th. Um Commissioner Shaml, you mentioned you would be away. Are are you planning to miss the meeting entirely or were you going to try and attend remotely? I think I'll be in the air. So yeah, let's let's not try and make that work. All right, with that I will go ahead and adjourn this meeting. Thank you. Thank you.