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of large high-density sites and to promote feasibility for achieving the lower-income <br /> Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). <br /> Additionally, since receipt of the April 10 HCD comment letter, staff was approached by <br /> the owners of Area 6 (Signature Center), to request a modification to the mapped area <br /> to allow the entire 14.66-acre site to be develop with housing, rather than just an <br /> 11-acre portion as previously highlighted. The original mapping was based on a prior <br /> conceptual proposal from Signature Center to retain the existing office buildings and <br /> develop housing on an 11-acre subarea of the site; however, due to changes in the <br /> office market, the owner is interested in a more comprehensive redevelopment of the <br /> site, including potential removal of the existing office buildings. While development on <br /> only 11-acres was initially contemplated, staff is supportive of this change since it would <br /> provide more flexibility to the owner to design the site and develop a feasible housing <br /> project and is consistent with HCD comments and other redlines contemplated for <br /> Program 1.7. <br /> Changes in response to HCD's specific comments include consideration of additional <br /> incentives for development (such as allowing for modified parking requirements) and <br /> more direct support and assistance to owners seeking to subdivide and entitle projects <br /> on such sites. The program was also revised to clarify that for all high-density sites <br /> larger than 10 acres (this includes Oracle, Metro 580 and Hacienda Terrace) the City <br /> will provide flexibility with respect to subareas delineated for housing development <br /> within such large sites, provided that the minimum densities and maximum unit counts <br /> remain within the ranges listed. This approach is similar to that allowed for the <br /> Stoneridge Mall sites. <br /> While technically Signature Center is not considered a large site because both of the <br /> parcels that comprise the site are less than ten acres, it is recommended that the same, <br /> more flexible approach be allowed for the property, given concerns expressed by the <br /> owners about the feasibility of development if the development area is defined too <br /> restrictively, and so this site is called out in the policy as well. For Signature Center, the <br /> map area shown in Appendix B and in the General Plan land use map have been <br /> amended to show the entirety of the site, rather than a subarea. And, a notation has <br /> been included in Appendix B, for all large high-density sites to indicate that this flexibility <br /> will be provided, within the specified density and unit count limits. (Note that since the <br /> Planning Commission meeting further minor changes have been made to both the text <br /> of Program 1.7 and description of the Site in Appendix B to clarify the intent of the <br /> program.) <br /> Program 4.8 (Streamlined Review) Reflected in the main document on page 53 and <br /> Appendix C: For low- and medium-density residential projects, and mixed-use projects <br /> within sites so designated, General Plan Policy 11 requires additional amenities and <br /> benefits be provided for them to develop above mid-point densities specified in the <br /> General Plan (this is achieved through the PUD process). The adopted Housing <br /> Element provides analysis showing that projects are generally able to achieve densities <br /> above the mid-point, and Program 4.8 was written to indicate that Policy 11 would not <br /> Page 5 of 7 <br />