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Honorable Mayor Hosterman and Members of the Council February 10, 201 I Page 3 We sec no hope for a successful retail or live -work component on Parcel 2. As we understand the draft Guidelines, it requires an additional 5,000 s.f. of retail at the corner of Gibraltar Drive and Hacienda Drive on whichever lot 12 or 3) are last to develop. If that is the case, we could accept the Guidelines because BRE will be proposing a project on Parcel 2 that does not include retail and we are confident that the application for that development will precede any application that the City might receive on Parcel 3. Additionally, we believe that live -work along Gibraltar Drive is not practical, commercially viable or enhances the design or utility of the project. It reduces density, demands more parking and is not necessary in this location. Our preference is for the City Council to approve the Planning Commission recommendation that allows for retail and live -work space on Parcels 2 and 3 as the market conditions dictate. In other words, the developers of those properties would have the option but not the obligation to build retail or live -work space. 3. Retail Depth The Guideline mandates 60' retail depth anticipates that we will attract larger users at the corner of Owens and Willow. Burdening Parcel I with this obligation makes a very difficult leasing effort even more problematic. If we are successful in leasing the 5,000 s.f. of retail, it is extremely likely that the users will be smaller tenants. It is essential that we offer them as much storefront glass as possible. Most 1,000 s.f. users would rather have 25 feet of frontage with 40 foot depth, than 17 feet of frontage with 60 foot of depth. Please make the 60 foot retail depth optional rather than mandatory. After the Guidelines are adopted, BRE will utilize them to design projects to comply with those Guidelines. It is not in the interest of BRE or the City to have loose ends that require substantial additional negotiation or variances to the Guidelines. For that reason, we respectfully request that the nearly completed Guidelines be modified to include these remaining, essential requests which insure that the projects that result are economically feasible, comply with the Guidelines, meet the standards of the Settlement Agreement, and are attractive, pleasant housing projects that fit nicely into the community. Very Truly Yours, Phu\ rio„.0 Peter MacDonald Cc: John Wayland, 13 RE Nelson Fialho Brian Dolan Mark Sweeney John Steinbuch