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was absolutely opposed to any residential uses on the site but just that there should be <br />a majority of commercial uses on the site in excess of the commercial uses that are <br />currently being proposed. He noted that there is a PDA representative in the audience <br />who can speak on the project. <br />Commissioner O'Connor commented that the PDA also wanted the residential to be <br />second -story. <br />Mr. Weinstein replied that the PDA did not go into that in the letter but that it could be a <br />logical conclusion. <br />Chair Allen noted that the Commission will have a chance to hear from Laura Olson, <br />who is here representing the PDA. Chair Allen then noted that the term "precedent" <br />was used in the staff report and asked staff for guidance on this matter. She stated that <br />her assumption is that the decisions the Commission makes tonight, for example, on <br />tandem parking or potential guest parking, could potentially be cited in a future staff <br />report as a "precedent," especially if the Commission makes comments that it does not <br />consider as precedents. She inquired if her assumption is correct. <br />Mr. Beaudin replied that it is possible that could happen, but what is unique about the <br />PUD process is that it does allow site - specific alterations to the base zoning district, and <br />that is what the Commission is really looking at tonight. He suggested using the word <br />"example" rather than the word "precedent." He indicated that it is entirely possible that <br />a decade from now, the Commission might be talking about a project that was approved <br />at an earlier meeting as an example of a particular design decision that was made in the <br />Downtown, but that does not mean it has to be replicated or followed as would be done <br />if it was, in fact, a precedent. He added that because this is a PUD, it does provide <br />some additional leeway in the eyes of history: the Commission is looking at site - specific <br />conditions at a given time and making decisions based on today's policy and regulatory <br />environment. <br />Chair Allen stated that she just became familiar with the term "tandem parking" a month <br />ago because she had never seen a project with tandem parking since she has been on <br />the Commission. She requested staff to clearly describe what it is and why the City and <br />most cities do not consider a single tandem parking as acceptable for two parking spots. <br />Mr. Beaudin stated that tandem parking is when one car is parked in front of another <br />car, whether on a covered or uncovered area; or one could be in the garage and the <br />second in the driveway. He explained that what it basically means is that there are two <br />cars in play, and one car has to be moved in order to move the second car; that when it <br />is nose -to -tail with two cars, somebody is going to have to do some jockeying, and what <br />is usually desirable is to have a little bit of extra room to play with so that if somebody is <br />jockeying a car, that car does not have to be left in the street while the other car is being <br />moved. He stated that there is just one person doing that exercise: he /she moves <br />car "A" out of the way enough to get into car "B" and move it out of the way; he /she then <br />moves car "A" back into the driveway, then gets into car "B" and drive it away. He <br />continued that in this particular scenario, the drive aisle is wide enough to park a car <br />and still maneuver; these are four to five units, and there is really no concern about <br />congestion or causing any sort of delays or impacts or dangerous situations. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, December 9, 2015 Page 10 of 40 <br />