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Commissioner Nagler stated that this is tied to the mixed -use requirement and that he <br />would very much support a condition of approval requiring that the existing structure <br />forever be used as a commercial retail or whatever the allowed uses are for the <br />structure and that the applicant not have the flexibility over time to use it periodically for <br />residential. He added that he also then thinks that implies that the plaza is important for <br />this whole gestalt of the development, and if that is true, then losing one -third of the <br />plaza to create parking in the back is a sacrifice that is not appropriate to the overall <br />plan. He noted that the implication is that the parking would then be off of the street, <br />and it then becomes a question of whether or not there should be a garage door or not. <br />He stated that he thinks the design of the structure is really quite attractive, and staff <br />has obviously considered this at some length and came down with the side of having <br />garage doors that fit the architectural style of the building, so that is fine from his <br />perspective. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that putting the garages in the back also takes away the <br />guest parking out in the front, so now there will be more people parking on the street. <br />He suggested that it might help the people across the street if the garage door be one of <br />the fancier looking ones that have the handles that almost look like the old carriage <br />house -type doors that will go with the Mission style. He added that it would contribute <br />to the character in the Downtown. <br />Commissioner Ritter agreed <br />Commissioner Balch stated that he is in line with everyone's comments. He indicated <br />that he prefers this method of two- abreast parking and two- abreast in the driveway than <br />tandem parking because that does not work very well in design and he has personally <br />seen that go very bad. He added that he is supportive of this as it would allow for four, <br />which would not be possible with tandem in any way, shape, or form. <br />Chair Allen stated that she is also supportive of this. She noted that she generally does <br />not like garages in front on a pedestrian street, but it certainly is not a precedent that <br />she would see approving in most developments. <br />Commissioner O'Connor commented that he is glad the garages are pushed back <br />Chair Allen agreed. She stated that she supports it for the same reasons everyone else <br />mentioned that first, she does not want the plaza to be cut out and half the white house; <br />and second, the quality of the door makes a huge difference. She asked the applicant <br />if the photo on the bottom left -hand corner of page A.13 of Exhibit B of the staff report is <br />really a carriage -style garage like what Commissioner O'Connor was recommending. <br />Mr. Bowers said yes. He added that they want the garage doors to be real authentic <br />Spanish style. <br />Commissioner Balch pointed out that there are some other notes in general that do not <br />fit in with the four items for discussion, and he would like to bring them to this part while <br />the Commission is talking about commercial buildings. He indicated that these are kind <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 18, 2015 Page 25 of 34 <br />