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Commissioner Balch clarified that profitability is not the Commission's concern and <br />asked Mr. Grant if he thought that it was a plausible design. <br />Mr. Grant stated that he understands profitability or financial feasibility is not the <br />concern of the Commission; however, mathematically, taking out one 25- linear -foot unit <br />will not create three or four two -car garages. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that what is being considered are three additional <br />garage parking spots for the three remaining units, which would be equivalent to about <br />30 linear feet. He noted that shaving off five linear feet from the commercial building, <br />added to the 25 linear feet from the unit to be removed, would result is 30 linear feet. <br />Mr. Grant stated that they started at one point, and the Commission's direction was to <br />add more commercial, and to get as close as possible to that, they shrunk the garages <br />and aprons of the residential units. He pointed out that this is Downtown, not a <br />suburban site, so a one -car garage with tandem drive makes sense. He noted that he <br />is trying to do a project that makes financial sense or the Knuppes will walk. <br />Commissioner Balch pointed out that tandem parking does take away the visitor <br />element to the residents. <br />Mr. Grant stated that the visitor parking will be handled by the commercial parking after <br />hours. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that no one knows who is going to occupy these units. <br />He added that this is California, and no one knows how many people are going to move <br />into one of these three - bedroom, three - and -a -half baths and only have one care even <br />though they are in the Downtown. <br />Mr. Grant indicated that they have to design for practicality and for the logic behind this. <br />He stated, for example, that the residents in all the units have two cars; their guests will <br />park on Spring Street, the same way any other guest parks. He noted that all the <br />residents on Spring Street live in houses with a one -car garage and a driveway apron. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that what he is trying to say is that at some point, a <br />critical mass will be reached, and what is being done is no longer possible. He noted <br />Mr. Grant's statement that everybody's guest or everybody's commercial customer can <br />park on Spring Street, but there is no parking left on Spring Street. <br />Mr. Grant stated that he understands that; but it is also understood that when there is <br />retail on a downtown main street and that retail is forced around the corner and is <br />turned into a residential neighborhood as the Commission wanted, parking is not <br />required for the new retail on the main street. He added that a little mini -park does not <br />provide parking, but it still brings in customers and tenants. <br />Chair Allen clarified that an existing building has a different zoning, as well as some of <br />the other existing projects; however, this property has the space, and the guidelines are <br />very clear. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, December 9, 2015 Page 36 of 40 <br />