ecomments_export 01042022 Reg mtg

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I support the passage of the Multifamily Development Standards, including the elimination of off-street parking minimums in the Downtown Area and South Area zones. (If I read it correctly, that is what staff are recommending.) More new homes with less built-in parking will help San Leandro move in the direction of the walkable city we all desire. More people will walk or bike to local businesses, more people will have access to housing, more people will become part of the fabric of our diverse community adding nothing to traffic congestion and carbon emissions. With this and other steps, San Leandro has the power to move toward being a more welcoming, more accessible place, and to achieve our climate goals and give our children and grandchildren a better environment. Historically, requiring off-street parking was never a policy with any good justification in the first place. From the first year it was instituted in Bay cities in the mid-1960s, people recorded it was reducing the amount of new housing. Whatever the intentions, it had the effect of remaking much of our urban landscape into a car-centered one, where no new housing was allowed without being chock full of parking, even if it was near transit. It was the true "one size fits all" approach. San Leandro city staff have observed in report after report, housing element after housing element, going back to the early 2000's if not earlier, that our high off-street parking requirements are a major obstacle to getting the housing we desire. After taking this step, we should study parking requirements citywide and make more needed changes, including the residential zones outside DA and SA, and commercial zones. But you have enough information before you to make this modest change in DA and SA now. This reform will also make transit systems more sustainable and lay the groundwork for their expansion: AC Transit has written in strong support of eliminating the parking minimums. There are many steps to go. But on Tuesday, the Council has the ability to take a first big step forward toward the walkable city. Please follow the staff recommendation to eliminate off-street parking minimums. Guest User Location: Submitted At: 5:47pm 01-03-22 I strongly support the Planning Commissions recommendations to remove parking minimums in new housing in the transit-adjacent zones "Downtown Area" and "South Area", and to increase bike parking and EV requirements. San Leandro has great weather the majority of the time throughout the year. It's super bikable and walkable, I want to see more green space developed and let parking lots. Tom Huetteman Location: Submitted At: 4:29pm 01-03-22 I strongly support the Planning Commissions recommendations to remove parking minimums in new housing in the transit-adjacent zones "Downtown Area" and "South Area", and to increase bike parking and EV requirements. It is way past time that we embrace a vision for our City's future that moves away from the traditional car-centered city to a more livable and sustainable future that creates a walkable city that puts its focus on walking and biking, public transit and car sharing. The horrific smoke that has become sadly a common occurrence is a stark reminder of the urgent need to move away from fossil fuel dependence and have "all-hands- on-deck" to address climate change. We can do this and build better and stronger communities at the same time. Not acting proactively is not an option! Guest User Location: Submitted At: 1:46pm 01-01-22 I live a car-free life in San Leandro with my husband and our infant. I would like to see parking minimums done away with because we have great public transit here and people don't need cars. Adding minimums to new developments increases costs for a resource fewer and fewer people in San Leandro need.