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DRAFT gained from delaying approval of this large project until a nexus study is done and new standards that everyone must meet are established. She stated that they realize that the Planning Commission is not in the position to make these decisions, but a recommendation to the City Council in this regard would give encouragement to the Housing Commission, community affordable housing advocates, and all those in the City who are waiting for this needed housing, such as store clerks, restaurant staff, teachers, and others for whom they speak. Sean Sowell thanked the applicant for an awesome presentation and staff for their time and effort in preparing a beautiful, very detailed, and very well thought of report. He then inquired how the traffic study addresses both pedestrian and bicycle levels of service. He stated that the only traffic studies he has ever read were designed to make it easier for vehicles, cars, and trucks to get around and through the intersections, and he has never seen a traffic study that answers the question of how this project would make it easier or harder for people on bikes and foot to get around. He commented that WalMart right next door to this planned development is rather atrocious in terms of pedestrian access, one of those you-can't-get-there-from-here situations. He noted that it is not possible to walk on the sidewalk from anywhere on Owens Drive to the front door of WalMart because there are no sidewalks there. He indicated that this is important to him because he does not own a vehicle. He inquired if there are real concrete things that the developer will do to ensure that this new development will have similar problems. Mr. Sowell inquired what the plan was for the northern portion of this parcel, where the only thing he sees is a large parking garage. He inquired if it would be just office and light industrial or residential as well; and if residential, what the proportion of residential would be and what proportion of the residential would be affordable housing, subject to the two options proposed. He also requested that all possible appliances use Energy Star where available, and not just Energy Star with the little yellow tags that barely meets the standards, but Energy Star that are at or above the current medium Energy Star rating. With respect to parking, Mr. Sowell inquired if the large parking garage will be built all at once or if it will be phased somehow or if it will be delayed until after the residential portion goes in. He indicated that if it is designed for the offices that have yet to be built, it would seem that it should come a little later. Mr. Sowell stated that he like the overall colors and wondered if the developer/applicant would be open to using the same color palette but with a little less uniformity so that a given building can at least somewhat stand out, such that that one building is predominantly one color and another is predominantly another color, thereby making it easier for newcomers and visitors to the apartment or condo to find a building. He noted that every building in Archstone Apartments off of Owens Drive looks the same, and some of the apartments even have the same number, so it is easy to get lost. DRAFT EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, 3/27/2013 Page 13 of 22