3B Public Hearing 2011 1121 - Laserfiche WebLink

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File Number: 11 -343 neighborhoods. Policy 3.01: Mix of Unit Types Encourage a mix of residential development types in the City, including single - family homes on a variety of lot sizes, as well as townhomes, row houses, live -work units, planned unit developments and multi - family housing. Policy 3.04: Promotion of Infill Encourage infill development on vacant or underused sites within residential areas. • Policy 13.04: Transit - Oriented Development Ensure that properties adjacent to City's BART stations and along heavily used public transit routes are developed in a way that maximizes the potential for transit use. Such development should be of particularly high quality, include open space and other amenities, and respect the scale and character of nearby neighborhoods. Permits and/or Variances Granted As proposed, the project does not meet all of the underlying development standards for the RM district. The City of San Leandro Zoning Code (Article 10) provides a mechanism through the Planned Development (PD) zoning overlay to allow for minor variations to the underlying development standards. This ensures that such land uses that are compatible with the surrounding context are developed in an orderly manner and with high quality urban design. The minor exceptions requested in the Planned Development are within the area of parking and front setbacks. Covered spaces are provided in the 85 single- or two -car garages; the uncovered spaces are provided with 50 open parking stalls for a total of 135 spaces, which meets the parking requirement in number perfectly, but with a slight change in the mix of covered versus uncovered stalls supplied. The recreation building is setback from the front property line at its northeastern corner by 7 feet, where 15 feet is required in the RM -1800 Zoning District. Staff believes that the above minor exceptions to the underlying development regulations are warranted due to the shape of the property and its location on Washington Avenue close to transit. Due to the relatively narrow shape of the site, the reduction of the covered parking in carports for the surface spaces will enhance the openness of the site. The angled frontage of the site makes conformance of the Recreation Building to the front setback difficult for the north corner of the building, while the south corner exceeds the required setback. Staff notes that the applicant is providing high quality building design and over twice the amount of required open space, which is the type of project enhancement that is expected for consideration of a Planned Development. Environmental Review Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an Initial Study /Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for the project by the City of San Leandro and released for public review on October 14, 2011. Environmental topics for which mitigation was indicated in order to bring potentially significant impacts to a level of insignificance include: City of San Leandro Page 6 Printed on 11/15/2011