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Community Character Element <br />Goal 9: Preserve and support community and family activities. <br />Policy 23: Promote facilities and activities that accommodate community and family <br />use and accommodate person of all physical abilities. <br />Program 23.2: Encourage commercial, recreational, social, and cultural events and uses <br />which are enriching to family and community life. <br />Staff believes _the proposed project is consistent with the General Plan Land Use Policies and <br />Programs listed above, as the proposed project will: (1) enhance the appearance of the <br />building, (2) continue the use of the existing site, and (3) provide additional services to the <br />community through the daycare/preschool facility. <br />Zoning District <br />The project site is zoned RM -2,500 (multi -family residential) District. The underlying zoning <br />district conditionally allows religious uses. Chabad has obtained its approval in 2019 to operate <br />a religious facility with an on-site daycare/preschool facility. The currently proposed design <br />modifications do not include modifications to approved uses. Hence, if operated per prior <br />approval, the use would be consistent with the underlying zoning district. No changes to the <br />use are proposed or would result from the modifications to the building exterior or to the site. <br />Site Layout, Circulation, Parking, and Access <br />The proposed design review project does not alter the on-site parking arrangement between <br />Chabad and St. Clare's Episcopal Church (St. Clare's). The project includes a defined walkway <br />from the accessible parking to the walkway at St. Clare's to provide a safer path of travel. The <br />location of the trash enclosure was reviewed and approved by Pleasanton Garbage Service <br />(PGS) and as proposed it would not impact service pickup. Staff however has included a <br />condition of approval requiring vehicles to not park in the parking stalls immediately adjacent to <br />the trash enclosure on trash pickup days. It is noted that trash pickup typically occurs prior to <br />7 a.m., and thus is not expected to conflict with times of religious services at St. Clare's or <br />Chabad. <br />Architectural Design, Materials and Colors <br />Chabad's site is highly visible from Hopyard Road, and from Ken Mercer Sports Park. The <br />proposed fagade improvements would be reflective of a modern architectural design, similar to <br />several other recently approved projects. Although the proposed fagade changes are <br />significantly different than the existing building, it presents a refreshed and attractive new <br />building appearance at this prominent location. While the proposal maintains the existing <br />building height, the new tower elements, at 23'-8" in height, or 28'-2" at the dome, are <br />approximately five taller than the existing roof line, and would conform to the height limits <br />(30 feet maximum height) for the underlying zoning district. Staff finds the height and location <br />of the tower elements are appropriate and proportionate to the scale of the existing building. <br />Together with the new building entry canopy feature, they define the building's focal points and <br />presence. <br />Staff finds the overall architectural design and finish materials are high quality and well <br />executed which would vastly improve the visual character of the project site. The City has seen <br />increased interest in the contemporary/modern architectural design concepts as those <br />P21-0136, 3370 Hopyard Road Planning Commission <br />7of9 <br />