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• General Plan Land Use Element, Program 15.3: "...Encourage the designation of land as mixed - use...." • General Plan Land Use Element, Policy 16: "Encourage mixed -use development which encompasses a combination of commercial development and housing units,...." • General Plan Land Use Element, Program 12.5: "Consider drafting an ordinance that protects the rights of businesses to operate in the Downtown commercial area." • Downtown Specific Plan Land Use Objectives, No. 2: "To encourage and pro - actively coordinate the rebuilding of selected non - historical commercial areas of limited use and physical value." • Downtown Specific Plan Design and Beautification Objectives, No. 2: "To enhance the streetscapes of the Downtown commercial streets beyond Main Street, and to create a system of mini - plazas along Main Street and on other commercial streets where appropriate." • Downtown Specific Plan Mini -Plaza Design Criteria, No. 51: Mini - plazas should typically be lighted and contain decorative paving...." • Downtown Specific Plan Land Use Policies and Programs, Commercial Use, No. 1; B; C: "...three -story buildings may be allowed on a case -by -case basis. ...The building must be designed to minimize its three -story appearance.... The building must conform with the Municipal Code height limits." • Downtown Specific Plan, various sections: "...recognize that Downtown is growing and that constructing new buildings on vacant and undeveloped sites keeps the area vital and desirable." "Such new development is to be encouraged provided that it fits with the established pattern and reflects one of the various architectural styles." "New homes should face the street." "To ensure that a significant amount of parking required to serve new development is provided on- site by private property owners." Mr. Bower then made a brief presentation of the project's configuration. He stated that they were aware that the building height of the units was going to be the big concern; therefore, the three units were set back 20 feet from the street to try and minimize that height, noting that these units would seem bigger if they were up on the front of the street. He added that if they had located these units up on the street and done rear parking, they would have had to put a driveway through and would have had to shave off part of the existing house, which would have made the house even smaller and less functional than its 1,169 square feet, and would also have taken away about one -third of the plaza area. He further added that the bioswale would also have had to be relocated to the front, and there would only be two -car parking for each spot. He then presented a short video of a fly -by 3 -D animation of the project. Commissioner O'Connor stated that he saw the brown fences as he went by the project site and inquired if they were doing a wood fence and if there was the possibility of doing an open, wrought iron fencing. Mr. Bowers replied that there would be a wood fence on the perimeter and between the units in the backyard, and a wrought iron fence up on the front. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 18, 2015 Page 11 of 34