Planning Commission Meeting Agenda Packet 05272026

• Street fronting commercial space is required, with a minimum building depth of 50 feet to ensure viable commercial uses • Redevelopment sites have no net loss of commercial square-footage • Corner lots maintain a commercial character on secondary frontages to the maximum extent feasible • Residential at the rear of the site is designed to minimize visibility from the commercial street-frontage • The proposed residential is fully parked on-site Aside from the specific policy noted above, the DSP includes further policy guidance for new development in the Mixed Use – Transitional land use area, including DSP Policy LD-P.22. This policy, intended to create flexibly-designed ground floor spaces, states that ground floor spaces should be designed to accommodate a variety of uses by providing adequately sized areas equipped with necessary building infrastructure — such as gas lines, ventilation, and water — for food service establishments. Additionally, DSP Policies LD-P.5 and EV-P.2, also require and encourage commercial frontage for new development in the MU -T land use and residential space on upper floors. As proposed, the multi-unit residential project does not currently include any commercial space or a flexibly designed ground floor space to accommodate a variety of uses. Per LD -P.20, the project is not providing street fronting commercial space, has 100% net loss of commercial square-footage, and has no commercial street-frontage to minimize visibility of the residential component. Additionally, DSP Policy LD-P.45 encourages development at densities that generally exceed the General Plan range midpoints. As mentioned in the General Plan section of this report above, the project proposes a density substantially below the bottom end of the density range. The project proposes two covered parking stalls, one of which is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stall. This is below the standard that would ordinarily be required by the PMC, which is two spaces, including at least one space per dwelling unit in a garage or carport and one visitor parking space. However, the applicant proposes to use the provisions of AB 2097, which prohibits public agencies from imposing any minimum automobile parking requirement on any residential, commercial, or other development project that is located within 0.5 mile s of public transit1. The subject lot is located within 0.5 miles of public transit via the ACE Train Station on Pleasanton Avenue. As such, there is no minimum parking requirement for the site, and so a shortfall of parking cannot be a basis for denial. In conjunction with the residential project inconsistencies to the noted DSP policies above, staff finds the proposed project will not further the DSP goals LD-G.1 and LD-G.2: • LD-G.1: Preserve the character and development traditions of the downtown while improving upon its commercial and residential viability. • LD-G.2: Retain the small-town scale and physical character of the downtown through the implementation of appropriate land use and development standards, including infill 1 “Public transit” means a major transit stop as defined in Section 21155 of the Public Resources Code.