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DRAFT <br /> Mr. lnderbitzen stated that it was at this time that an opportunity arose for this site to <br /> look at residential on that portion where one of the office buildings and the hotel would <br /> have been located. He indicated that they then started to work with City staff and the <br /> Task Force to put something together that would make sense on this site. He noted <br /> that this was one of the nine successful sites to be rezoned for high-density residential <br /> projects. He further noted that most of the other sites were rezoned at 30 units to the <br /> acre, but this site was asked to take some additional density because the site could take <br /> it, in addition to the fact that it is a good location for having 35 units to the acre as a <br /> minimum. He indicated that he thinks this is the only site throughout that rezoning <br /> process that had virtually no negative public reaction; the project essentially had no <br /> neighborhood opposition, and this is a testimony to the fact that it is in a good location, it <br /> really does function pretty much like a TOD being just barely outside a half mile from the <br /> BART station, and it just fits; the project team did a good job of fitting it in there. <br /> Mr. lnderbitzen then outlined the process for their presentation, stating that the project <br /> team's intention tonight is not to go through the project presentation in detail as they did <br /> that at the Planning Commission Work Session just four months ago and the project has <br /> not changed that substantially, but to hit the high points just to get it on the record and <br /> make sure that they have a good overview of the site. He indicated that Padru Kang <br /> would make that presentation; followed by Brett Leon, who will review the Commission's <br /> comments, questions, and input from the Work Session and show how the team <br /> responded to those, and explain why they did not respond to some and what they would <br /> like to see happen on those items. He stated that he will then come back to get a few <br /> things on the record and to update some of the issues that were not discussed at the <br /> Work Session and have arisen as they have gone forward. <br /> Padru Kang presented a quick overview of the project and some of its highlights. He <br /> noted that this site has an opportunity for a real great sustainable mixed-use residential <br /> community that has a lot of great uses around it that are walkable: eight bus stop <br /> locations all within a quarter mile; the BART terminal three-fourths of a mile away <br /> straight down Owens Drive; high-density residential or multi-family residential in some <br /> shape or form; regional retail and other shopping centers nearby; health care; and a <br /> combined nine acres of open space and public park area for the community. <br /> Mr. Kang stated that the site is currently under-utilized, and they are looking at filling the <br /> existing surface parking with high-density residential and activating the streets on <br /> Owens Drive and Rosewood Drive by pushing the retail to the corner with a public <br /> community plaza that is very open and will serve essentially all of the surrounding <br /> neighborhoods. He added that some landscaping will come in as well as an urban <br /> plaza patio area right at the south end of the podium. He noted that they have pushed <br /> the podium building back a little farther than what is required in the high-density <br /> guidelines because of its mass, and placed the parking structure farther back against <br /> the campus, which is a better location for office parking because it is actually closer to <br /> where people would be working. <br /> DRAFT EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, 3/27/2013 Page 4 of 22 <br />