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Commissioner O'Connor stated that there are many three -story building that are as tall <br />as many two -story buildings. He indicated that it depends on the neighborhood as well. <br />He noted that over at Safeway by the freeway, there are three -story Brownstones right <br />on top of one another, but that is a whole neighborhood onto itself, and any homebuyer <br />would be aware of what they have next door. He pointed out that here, three stories is <br />being added to an existing neighborhood. <br />Chair Allen asked Mr. Beaudin if he had a schedule of when the Downtown guidelines <br />will be enhanced and when two stories, for example, would come out more prominently. <br />Mr. Beaudin replied that the City Council has just identified this as a Work Plan item for <br />the Downtown Specific Plan, and so it is at its early stages and no project schedule for it <br />has been set at this time. He indicated that what the Commission is talking about is <br />essentially compatibility and massing. He agreed that it is a bit difficult because what is <br />being looked at are just some side elevations, and it would be helpful to see the <br />streetscape and the area around these properties. He indicated that the question the <br />Commissioners have to ask themselves is essentially whether the three -story or <br />two -story home or structure fits in this neighborhood relative to what is around it. He <br />pointed out that there are different options before the Commission, and it sounds to him <br />like the Commission is considering either Option 1 or Option 3; and there is about an <br />eight- or nine -foot height difference, which is just where the massing goes on the <br />property. <br />Chair Allen stated that many projects that come before the Commission have pictures of <br />a streetscape, but this has none. She indicated that she is having difficulty envisioning <br />it and asked if staff can help the Commission visualize or really compare Option 1 and <br />Option 3. <br />Mr. Beaudin referred to the slide on the story poles which shows the 22 -foot tall, <br />two -story option; a three -story would essentially be adding another ten feet on top of <br />those story poles, and that would show the massing of the structures. <br />Commissioner O'Connor commented that it would have been nice to see the line of <br />sight from the front, where it would be going up, and the two -story house would be right <br />behind it. He stated that it would be interesting to see how much higher the third story <br />looks at a depth than the two story that is closer. <br />Commissioner Balch stated that Figure 3 on page 9 of the prior staff report is a picture <br />from the street. He indicated that if a two -story is placed right behind the front house as <br />per Option 1, the front house would obviously be seen from the street, Building 2 is <br />taking all the view line from the street, and Building 3 would be in the very back. With <br />respect to Option 3, he stated that the second middle house obviously disappears, <br />leaving only the standard two -story, but as Mr. Beaudin suggested, another ten feet are <br />being added to the top to simulate a three -story. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that looking now from a window, Option 2 pulls it <br />forward, and they are almost the same. <br />Commissioner Balch noted that they are both 22 feet tall. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, September 9, 2015 Page 13 of 17 <br />