3A Public Hearing 2008 0122 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Key issues for discussion include the following: 1. Reduction of the existing front landscaping to provide the required additional parking. (The existing front setback is between 10 to 15 feet in width from the Haas Avenue right- of-way line. Under this proposal it would be reduced to five feet in width). 2. Consideration of frontage improvements facing Haas Avenue (i.e., low walls, arbor/trellis features, specimen-size tree planting and new shrub and ground cover planting) to mitigate loss of landscaped setback and the increase of paving and parking area.) 3. Increasing the ratio of compact parking spaces to standard sized parking spaces. (Typically a maximum of 35% compact spaces are permitted; the proposal is for 44% of the parking spaces to be compact size). 4. Exception to provide less laundry facilities than required by the conversion ordinance. 5. Retention of the mature redwood trees on the property. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING STATEMENT See attached. SURROUNDING AREA AND BACKGROUND The subject property is developed with a 96-unit apartment complex encompassing approximately 1.84 acres fronting Haas Avenue and backing up to the San Leandro Creek to the south. The subject property has 237 feet of frontage on Haas Avenue and an average depth of 400 feet. The apartment complex consists of two four-story, 41-foot tall buildings over a depressed parking garage. The buildings are oriented in an east/west direction, at an angle to Haas Avenue. The subject property is zoned RMl$00(PD) Residential Multi-Family, Planned Development Overlay District. Across the street to the north and adjacent to the east, the properties are zoned RM3000 Residential Multi-Family District and are developed with various residential uses such as single- family dwellings, duplex, and apartments (see attached Vicinity Map). Adjacent to the south is the San Leandro Creek. To the west the properties are zoned RM1800 District and developed with the 20-unit East Apartments and the 44-unit Linvale Townhouse Apartments. The property comprises SO one-bedroom units and 46 two-bedroom units and has on-site amenities including secured parking areas beneath the two apartment buildings and a small deck area overlooking the San Leandro Creek at the rear of the property. The off-street parking consists of 167 parking spaces which is equivalent to 1.74 spaces per unit. PROPOSAL Revised Site Plan for Additional Parking Spaces A total of 179 parking spaces are required, using the current off-street parking requirements for multi-family uses of 1.5 spaces per one-bedroom units and 2.25 spaces per two-bedroom units (Zoning Code Article 17). This requirement is equivalent to 1.86 parking spaces per unit. The applicant, therefore, proposes to redesign the parking area in front of the property. The proposal would reduce the front landscaped setback and the landscaped planter in front of apartment Planning Commission Staff Report January 11, 2007 Woodside Apartments Work Session Page 2 of 6