May 8, 2008

Complete Neighborhood Fabric Committee
Meeting Notes by Toby Levy

1. Meeting began with recap of impressions of the Town Hall Meeting, which were in general pretty positive

2. Discussion of Community Benefits: There was a general discussion of what the committee saw as desired community benefits. We discussed the difference between Benefits and Mitigation measures, and that requirements needed to mitigate specific project impacts, should not be counted as benefits in our rating system. Likewise the minimum citywide affordability should also not be considered benefits, but requirements.

a. Open Space, publicly accessible and privately maintained.

b. Green Living Streets

c. Childcare

d. Community facilities;

e. Preservation of existing community Assets

f. Recreation Space

g. Subsidized non-for-profit office space

h. Subsidized space for the arts

i. Subsidized neighborhood retail

j. Community Garden

k. Dog Runs

l. Local Hiring

m. Public Improvements

3. Design control Ideas: We want to include some public realm improvements as part of the design control requirements. These are things that can be done on a project basis, rather than a result of cumulative funds collected from a variety of projects. The Design Controls should include reflect the existing architecture of Western Soma.

a. The Alleys

b. The Regional Transit Street

c. The Neighborhood Commercial Street

d. Other wide transit streets

4. Mid-box area in the SLI: Assuming that the Mid-Box is a CU and that our formula retail controls will apply, and there is a major area between 4th and 6th streets in the SLI, where there are many large sites that could be up for development soon. In light of our restrictions on residential, office and medical laboratory, mid box is a possibility. We could embrace their location here since access to regional transportation, and have a vision for this area that would include;

a. Joint approach to the parking and vehicle access, to hide the parking and have a positive street life, with limited curb cuts

b. Create a community gathering space for living and working.

c. Incorporate green space

d. Local hiring

e. Accommodation of local and neighborhood serving businesses on the Street frontages

5. Public Comment: Keith Silva asked the committee to consider changing the designation of Clementina between 7th and 8th streets be a RED-mixed instead of just an RED, since its current development pattern is that of an RED-mixed.

6. Next Meeting

a. Vote on the SLI sub are for mid box

b. Vote on the Community benefits

c. Vote on the Design Controls

d. Discussion of neighborhood around the Hall of Justice

e. Discussion of the impact of wind on the proposed heights we care considering