Council Members,
Here are my recommendations for Willow Village
v Deny unmitigated project configurations
v Move to cap ConnectMenlo (Bayfront) development as part of the Housing Element SEIR process.
1.) DENY UNMITIGATED PROJECT CONFIGURATIONS
As configured, the Willow Village project will worsen the housing deficit, displace low-income families, gentrify District 1, and unleash Bayfront development beyond the ConnectMenlo Program EIR envelope into the enormous uncapped, unplanned ConnectMenlo zoning envelope.
I would urge you to deny Willow Village unless it contains the following mitigations:
* A reduced office footprint to eliminate the net housing deficits and displacement caused by the project,
* A requirement that the applicant build all proposed housing units, and link office build-out to housing unit build-out, and
* A valid mechanism to monitor and enforce off-site employment caps.
Denying the project might seem to require courage, but council might take a lesson from the most recent Stanford GUP approval process in which Supervisor Simitian led the call for full mitigation of that project, a call which then Mayor Taylor and Vice Mayor Nash joined. As with the Stanford GUP, denied or withdrawn projects dont go away, they return with more favorable configurations. Sometime denial is required as part of the process of setting community boundaries.
2.) MOVE TO CAP CONNECTMENLO (BAYFRONT) DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT SEIR PROCESS
The future growth potential under the uncapped ConnectMenlo zoning envelope is staggering. In my view, and apparently in the view of at least three of you, ConnectMenlo is objectionable local land use policy. It enables unneeded levels of office development with little local benefit and large, permanent negative impacts. ConnectMenlo housing development will forever change the character of District 1, and ConnectMenlo office development will create perpetual housing pressure with RHNA-driven political strife throughout the city.
Development in Bayfront should be capped and metered similarly to the way downtown development is capped and metered, and the caps should insure full housing mitigation during build out.
Rather than creating a separate process to revisit ConnectMenlo, council could move to create a subcommittee of council members to work with staff to create area development caps in Bayfront similar to those in the Downtown Specific Plan. These could be approved in conjunction with the Housing Element SEIR process.
At one time or another, three of you, members Mueller, Taylor, and Nash have expressed disapproval over ConnectMenlo Bayfront development. Your legacy will be defined by your actions or inactions to make it right when you had that chance.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Paul Collacchi
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