3B Public Hearing 2009 0720 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RELATIONSHIP TO THE SURROUNDING AREA AND BACKGROUND The neighborhood near the proposed 200 unit condominium project is primarily residential with a high density residential (Pacific Plaza) project located east of the proposed structure and smaller single family homes across West Juana Avenue. . St. Leanders School is located immediately to the north of the project. The neighborhood surrounding the replacement garage property is primarily used for public facilities, with the San Leandro BART station located on the east side of the development and Union Pacific and BART railroad tracks framing the boundaries of the project site. Adjacent to the property are commercial and industrial offices with some nearby residential uses The street frontage of San Leandro Boulevard and West Juana Avenue adjacent to the new housing community is currently the subject of a BART station -Pedestrian Interface study and implementation plan. Downtown San Leandro Transit -Oriented Development Strategy (TOD Strategy) On September 4, 2007 the San Leandro City Council approved the "San Leandro Transit Oriented Development Strategy" which is a plan that addresses planning and design issues in the area between downtown and the San Leandro BART station. The purpose of developing the TOD Strategy is to provide growth in the transit rich downtown for sustainable development. Downtown San Leandro is an ideal location for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) because the area is served by a variety of transportation sources including AC Transit and BART and because it is near shopping and professional services. With development of housing around the San Leandro BART station, it is expected that this new population will increase the amount of downtown business activity, thereby creating a walkable and pedestrian friendly downtown environment. As new housing units are built, there will be both an increase in transit ridership and a larger local population that will enhance the market for downtown shops and services and act as a catalyst for downtown revitalization. This strategy also assists in the City's dealing with new laws, such as AB32, that require cities to reduce overall energy use, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and associated Greenhouse Gases. Associated with the adoption and providing for the implementation of the TOD Strategy specific plan were new zoning standard. These new standards include increased height limits, higher residential densities, reduced parking standards, and other zoning standards. These standards were adopted so that property owners would know exactly how to design new developments, or redevelop existing sites, while minimizing the uncertainty of the discretionary review process. A programmatic EIR was also certified by the City Council on September 4, 2007 during the specific plan/zoning code process that addresses the possible impacts of future development in the TOD Specific Plan area, including these two subject sites. City review of any projects in the TOD Strategy area is limited to a review of an applicant's "Site Plan Review" permit by the city's Board of Zoning Adjustments or the Planning Commission Planning Commission July 9, 2009 Cornerstone at San Leandro Crossings Public Hearing Page 2 of 14