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school. Ms. Stern then identified the different designations based on the colors and designs on the legend. Units and Housing Caps Chairperson Fox noted that in the 1996 Dwelling Unit voter-approved 29,000 housing cap, there was no definition of the term “dwelling unit.” She asked Commissioner Blank to repeat his recommendation regarding what should and should not be counted towards the housing cap. Commissioner Blank recommended that the 240 units from Staples Ranch be used either for affordable housing or TOD and that they be exempt from the housing cap to encourage more affordable housing or TOD; however, they should not be exempted from the housing cap if they will be used to build large expensive single-family homes. He added that based on Commissioner Narum’s input, that number should be further reduced by the number of units that would include garages and cars. He asked the Commission if there is a general consensus for that. Commissioner O’Connor noted that the Commission had a previous discussion on living units with kitchens and cooking facilities that have an impact on water and sewer as opposed to care facilities where the residents do not cook. Chairperson Fox stated that a dwelling unit is one that has a full kitchen and toilet facilities; one that has a hotplate or microwave would not be considered a dwelling unit. Ms. Stern clarified that this would be a definition of a unit but that the Initiative does not offer a definition. She added that Commissioner Blank is offering an alternative as to how to define a unit with a more complete unit including an integral garage. Commissioner O’Connor inquired if the 240 units resulted from a Joint City Council- Planning Commission Workshop. Ms. Stern replied that it came out of an analysis on impacts on schools, parks, traffic, parking, utilities, etc., as a proportional number overa total of 850 units where some units may have a zero impact on schools but a 50 percent comparable to conventional unit impact on traffic. Commissioner O’Connor noted that he also recalls a discussion on the size of units and their square footage as opposed to a one-room unit. Commissioner Blank stated that he was simply suggesting that having a garage and a car should be considered more of a unit than an independent-living unit with a campus environment where the residents do not drive. He added that the Commission should consider counting those units under the cap and trading them with units that would benefit community as an affordable housing unit or TOD. In response to Chairperson’s comment that there should be a separated agenda item as a noticed public hearing on the definition of a housing unit, Commissioner Blank stated that this is a different question than a recommendation on how to handle the 240 Staples PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES July 25, 2007 Page 27 of 35