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specifies that residential development projects that are proposed pursuant to the requirements of an adopted specific plan for which an EIR has been prepared and certified are exempt from additional environmental review provided: 1) there are no substantial changes to the project or to the circumstances under which the project is being undertaken that involve new significant environmental effects or that substantially increase the severity of previously identified effects; or 2) that new information of substantial importance which was not known at the time the previous EIR was certified shows the project will have one or more significant effects not discussed in the EIR. Staff does not believe that there are any changes in the project, circumstances, or new information causing new significant environmental effects. Thus, staff recommends this project be reviewed without any additional CEQA review or process. CONCLUSION Rezoning the site to PUD -HDR would be consistent with the General Plan and Downtown Specific Plan land use designations of High Density Residential. Infill developments, especially those in the Downtown, have various challenges and site constraints requiring often times the flexibility allowed by the Planned Unit Development zoning process. Staff believes that the project blends in with the Downtown's character and that impacts to the adjacent residents have been minimized by the positioning of the homes, modest house heights for two -story structures, and prohibition of future additions. Residents who live in the development will be able to walk to Downtown to shop and eat, thus adding to the economic viability of Downtown. Therefore, staff recommends that the Council approve the proposed project. ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION The following are other options that the Council may wish to consider and /or discuss: Option No. 1: Deny the project. Denial of the project would require the applicant to wait one year before submitting the same or substantially same application. Option No. 2: Return the project to staff, the Planning Commission, and applicant with direction to address specific concerns identified by the Council. This is a similar approach to the Civic Square Apartment project whereby the project was refined to address specific concerns and later approved by the City Council. Submitted by: Fiscal Review: Approve by: Brian Dolan Emily Wagner Nelson Fialho Director of Director of Finance City Manager Community Development Page 7 of 8