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DRAFT <br />Commissioner Blank recommended that the 240 units from Staples Ranch be used either <br />for affordable housing or TOD and that they be exempt from the housing cap to <br />encourage more affordable housing or TOD; however, they should not be exempted from <br />the housing cap if they will be used to build large expensive single-family homes. He <br />added that based on Commissioner Narum's input, that number should be further reduced <br />by the number of units that would include garages and cars. He asked the Commission if <br />there is a general consensus for that. <br />Commissioner O'Connor noted that the Commission had a previous discussion on living <br />units with kitchens and cooking facilities that have an impact on water and sewer as <br />opposed to care facilities where the residents do not cook. <br />Chairperson Fox stated that a dwelling unit is one that has a full kitchen and toilet <br />facilities; one that has a hotplate or microwave would not be considered a dwelling unit. <br />Ms. Stern clarified that this would be a definition of a unit but that the Initiative does not <br />offer a definition. She added that Commissioner Blank is offering an alternative as to <br />how to define a unit with a more complete unit including an integral garage. <br />Commissioner O'Connor inquired if the 240 units resulted from a Joint City Council- <br />Planning Commission Workshop. Ms. Stern replied that it came out of an analysis on <br />impacts on schools, parks, traffic, parking, utilities, etc., as a proportional number overa <br />total of 850 units where some units may have a zero impact on schools but a 50 percent <br />comparable to conventional unit impact on traffic. <br />Commissioner O'Connor noted that he also recalls a discussion on the size of units and <br />their square footage as opposed to a one-room unit. <br />Commissioner Blank stated that he was simply suggesting that having a garage and a car <br />should be considered more of a unit than an independent-living unit with a campus <br />environment where the residents do not drive. He added that the Commission should <br />consider counting those units under the cap and trading them with units that would <br />benefit community as an affordable housing unit or TOD. <br />In response to Chairperson's comment that there should be a separated agenda item as a <br />noticed public hearing on the definition of a housing unit, Commissioner Blank stated <br />that this is a different question than a recommendation on how to handle the 240 Staples <br />Ranch units. He added that this is a unique circumstance and not precedent-setting, for <br />the sake of the Land Use Element, recommending to the City Council that whatever <br />number of units without garages be exempt from the housing cap if used for affordable <br />housing or TOD. <br />Commissioner O'Connor commented that this is dangerous territory of garages versus <br />open parking and Senior apartments without garages. He expressed concern about not <br />having the final proposal for Staples Ranch. He indicated that he has no problem with <br />giving the leftover units that are not apartments for TOD but would not like to set a <br />precedent should the project come up with 240 two-bedroom units. <br />DRAFT EXCERPTS: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 11, 2007Page 22 of 24 <br />