Late Correspondence (Uploaded 05-23-2023) — Santa Rosa City Council, May 23, 2023

From: McKay, Conor
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: Fw: [EXTERNAL] 1650 West Steele Lane
Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 8:06:18 AM
Conor McKay (he/his) | Senior Planner
Planning & Economic Development | 100 Santa Rosa Avenue | Santa Rosa, CA 95404 [email protected]

email signature cropped

The City of Santa Rosa is offering in-person City Hall support by appointment only. The Planning and Economic Development Department has launched its Planning Application Portal which contains process checklists for the majority of planning entitlements. Please check on the status of your submitted permit application here. For general planning inquiries, please contact [email protected]. To submit permit application materials, please submit all required documents to [email protected].

La Ciudad de Santa Rosa ofrece apoyo en persona solo con cita previa. El Departamento de Planificación y Desarrollo Económico ha lanzado su portal de aplicaciones de planificación que contiene listas de verificación de procesos para la mayoría de los derechos de planificación. Consulte el estado de su solicitud de permiso enviada aquí. Para consultas generales de planificación, comuníquese con [email protected]. Para enviar los materiales de la solicitud de permiso, envíe todos los documentos requeridos a [email protected].

From: Janice Shipley < >
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 3:54 PM
To: McKay, Conor <[email protected]>
Cc: Les Shipley < >
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 1650 West Steele Lane

Dear Mr. McKay,
Thank you for the post card notice about a hearing on the proposed apartment building at 1650 West Steele Lane. I understand there is an objection by the Schulz Creative Associates due especially to the "much-reduced parking for the project." I agree with Schulz Associates as I believe their property would be impacted by apartment resident excess cars and visitor vehicles, etc. parking on their property.

I am also concerned with the amount of traffic that
would impact West Steele Lane, especially due to activities not only at the Schulz property but also at the Childrens' Museum.

Having frequented both of these venues, I can attest to the difficulty it often is to find a break in traffic when trying to leave the skating rink or Childrens' Museum, as there is only one lane traffic in each direction.

My husband and I have a business on Guerneville Road and the traffic there is already very impacted due to Coddingtown businesses, and depending on the time of day, traffic stops due to rush hour as well as SMART train barricades when the trains pass through.

Adding more
traffic to that congested area would create hardships for current residents and businesses.

I would like to suggest that a three story building may be more than this already congested area can accommodate. Decreasing the building to one or two stories but retaining the 36 parking spaces would seem more appropriate for that area.

Widening the road around its
entrance would also help. Will there be an emergency/fire exit as well? I only see one possible roadway in/out.

Thank you for your attention,
Janice Shipley
From: McKay, Conor
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: Fw: [EXTERNAL] Comments re: 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 8:06:20 AM
Conor McKay (he/his) | Senior Planner
Planning & Economic Development | 100 Santa Rosa Avenue | Santa Rosa, CA 95404 [email protected]

email signature cropped

From: Jennifer Maniscalco >
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2023 8:36 PM
To: McKay, Conor <[email protected]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comments re: 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments

I could not agree more with the appeal from the Charles M Schulz Creative Associates regarding the planned apartments at 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments.

I live at 2167 Meadowbrook Ct and parking is already horrendous. Our guest parking lot is already filled with neighbors from the street that don’t live here. The street is always filled with cars. I worry about how many people will park in our lot if there aren’t more spaces for 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments.

Traffic is also an issue, and I implore you to come on a normal weekday and see how bad it can be.

Some days, it can take several minutes to be able to pull out safely onto Steele Ln. I worry about how much worse that will be without properly updating the road and intersection.

Thank you for acknowledging these concerns on behalf of the residents in the condos on Meadowbrook Ct.

Jennifer Maniscalco

Sent from my iPhone
From: McKay, Conor
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: Fw: [EXTERNAL] 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments (Appeal) Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 8:06:26 AM
Conor McKay (he/his) | Senior Planner
Planning & Economic Development | 100 Santa Rosa Avenue | Santa Rosa, CA 95404 [email protected]

email signature cropped

From: Erika Schnur < >
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2023 1:46 PM
To: McKay, Conor <[email protected]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 1650 W Steele Lane Apartments (Appeal)

Hello Conor,
My name is Erika and I live just down the street from this proposed project.

My concerns are that there will not be enough parking for the total amount of units being built.

If
you haven’t been down to this side of town, there is already a lack of parking for the existing complexes, and many people’s cars are lined up and down the streets. Where I live, people park in no parking zones even! In order to afford the rental costs, many families have multiple cars due to multiple people having to work and even if we want people to use public transit, let’s be honest, they aren’t in the capacity needed.

This brings me to my next concern: extra traffic at our intersections.

Most mornings when I drive to
work, the lights are so poorly timed, that anywhere from 3-6 people run the red lights. When making a left from Steele Way onto Guerneville Road, only 2 cars can make it through that light cycle without running it.

It would be nice if our city fixed current issues before adding more congestion to this area. And 36 parking spaces is not enough for 36 units.

Thank you for reading my concerns and comments.

Erika Thayer
Sent from my iPhone
From: Leah Halper
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Steele Lane project: please fast track this project and don"t let an appeal slow it down Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 11:35:43 AM
Dear City Council members,
I urge you to favor expedited progress on the 1650 West Steele Lane project already approved by the zoning administrator. Adding 36 units for mixed income residents is necessary and overdue; while only four are for very- low income residents, this project is a step in the right direction. Please don’t let naysayers slow it down, as the project meets many objectives the council has set for itself. It’s near transit, is infill development, has access to critical shopping, and is appropriate to the needs of people at different income levels.

If you don’t let a good project like this go forward, how will we ever meet state housing requirements and, more importantly, help people here who urgently need good housing? Leah Halper
Santa Rosa resident
From: Adrian Covert
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda Item 16.2 (1650 West Steele Lane) Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 1:02:29 PM
Greetings Councilmembers,
I write to express my support for the proposed housing development at 1650 West Steele Lane. Santa Rosa's housing shortage is harming residents and contributing to the growing homelessness crisis. 1650 West Steele Lane will provide 36 new units within walking distance from Coddingtown Mall and the North Santa Rosa SMART station. Residents here will be less reliant on cars than virtually anywhere else in Santa Rosa. This is precisely the type of project Santa Rosa desperately needs. Appellants' objections over insufficient parking are neither credible (the project will provide 36 new parking spaces, just three shy of meeting full projected demand) nor relevant as parking requirements are eligible grounds for appeal under state law re AB 2079.

I respectfully request Council to follow the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator and the Planning and Economic and Development Condition and deny this appeal.

Sincerely,
Adrian Covert
Santa Rosa YIMBY (West End)

From: [email protected]
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 1650 West Steele Lane HOUSING PROJECT Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 1:06:47 PM
Dear City of Santa Rosa Clerk.

I support this housing project and oppose the appeal using CEQA to try to block this important housing project.

Santa Rosa's housing shortage is harming residents and contributing to the growing homelessness crisis.
1650 West Steele Lane will provide 36 new units within walking distance from Coddingtown Mall and the North Santa Rosa SMART station. Residents here will be less reliant on cars than virtually anywhere else in Santa Rosa. This is
precisely the type of project Santa Rosa
desperately needs.

Appellants' objections over insufficient parking are not eligible grounds for appeal under state law.

I urge the Council to follow the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator and the Planning and Economic and Development Condition and deny this appeal.

Sincerely,
Scott Mendelsohn
Santa Rosa Resident
From: tomhelm
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 1650 West Steele Lane
Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 1:39:00 PM
Dear Councilmembers,
Please deny the appeal of the proposed development at 1650 West Steele Lane.

Santa Rosa's housing shortage is harming residents and contributing to the growing homelessness crisis.
1650 West Steele Lane will provide 36 new units within walking distance from Coddingtown Mall and the North Santa Rosa SMART station. Residents here will be less reliant on cars than virtually anywhere else in Santa Rosa. This is precisely the type of project Santa Rosa desperately needs.

Thank you.

Tom Helm
Santa Rosa CA 95409
Sent from my Galaxy

From: Samantha Feld
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Public comment - 1650 W Steele Lane Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 1:40:48 PM
Hello City Council members,
I am a resident of Santa Rosa and would like to express support for the new housing development at 1650 W Steele Lane. This project will provide 36 critically needed units, near services and public transit, addressing Santa Rosa’s housing and homelessness crisis, while also tackling the climate crisis. These are exactly the types of projects Santa Rosa needs to meet the needs of our community. The objections raised about parking spaces are not eligible grounds for appeal per state law. I strongly urge the Council to
follow the recommendation of the Zoning
Administrator and the Planning and Economic and Development Condition and deny this appeal.

Thank you for your consideration,
Samantha Feld
Santa Rosa, CA
From: Jacob Rich
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Approve 1650 West Steel Lane
Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 2:11:54 PM
Dear Council Members,
The 36 apartments at 1650 West Steele Lane will provide housing within walking distance from Coddingtown Mall and the North Santa Rosa SMART station.

Not requiring parking for new developments in transit and service dense areas makes it cheaper and easier to build housing that helps to address the housing shortage and climate crisis. The parking as presented in the project with 36 parking spots meets the requirements of state law.

Please reject the appeal.

Thank you!
Jacob Rich

From: Nick Eckenwiler
To: CityCouncilListPublic; City Council Public Comments Cc: [email protected]
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda Item 16.2 at Tomorrow"s Meeting Date: Monday, May 22, 2023 4:50:37 PM
Attachments: Santa Rosa - 1650 W. Steele Lane - HAA Letter.pdf Good evening,
Please see attached for CalHDF's comment on agenda item 16.2 at tomorrow's city council meeting, an appeal regarding a proposed residential development at 1650 W. Steele Lane.

Thank you!
--
Nicholas Eckenwiler
Legal Fellow

May22,2023
CityofSantaRosa100SantaRosaAvenueSantaRosa,CA95404
Re:ProposedHousingDevelopmentat1650W.SteeleLane
Byemail:[email protected];[email protected]
DearSantaRosaCityCouncil,
TheCaliforniaHousingDefenseFund(“CalHDF”)submitsthisletterasapubliccommentonagendaitem16.2attonight’smeeting.Speciically,CalHDFwritestoremindtheCityCouncilofitsobligationtoabidebyallrelevantstatehousinglawswhenevaluatingtheappealregardingtheproposedhousingdevelopmentprojectat1650W.SteeleLane(the“project”).TheHousingAccountabilityAct (Gov. Code§65589.5; the“HAA”)requiresapprovalofhousing development projects that comply with all objective general plan, zoning,subdivision,anddesignstandardsunlessindingscanbemaderegardingspeciic,objective,writtenhealthandsafetyhazards.

Asstanotesintheirreport,theproposeddevelopmentcomplieswithobjectivelocallanduserules,includingtheCity’sGeneralPlanandZoningCode.(Increasesintheproject’ssizeandwaiversand/orconcessionsrequestedpursuanttotheDensityBonusLaw(Gov.Code§§65915etseq.)donotconstituteviolationsoftheserulesorstandards.)TheHAA’sprotectionsthereforeapply,andtheCitymustnotrejecttheproject,exceptbasedonhealthandsafetystandards,asoutlinedabove.

Asyouarewellaware,Californiaremainsinthethroesofastatewidecrisis-levelhousingshortage.Newhousingsuchasthisisapublicbeneit;itwillbringincreasedtaxrevenueandnewcustomerstolocalbusinesses,anditwillreducedisplacementofexistingresidents.Itwillalsohelpcutdownontransportation-relatedgreenhousegasemissionsbyprovidinghousingindenser,moreurbanareas,asopposedtofarther-ﬂungregionsinthestate(andoutofstate). Whilenooneprojectwillsolvethestatewidehousingcrisis,theproposeddevelopmentat1650W.SteeleLaneisastepintherightdirection. 360GrandAve#323,Oakland94610www.calhdf.org

CalHDF,formerlyknownastheCaliforniaRentersLegalAdvocacyandEducationFund,or“CaRLA,” is a 501(c)3 non-proit corporation whose mission includes advocating forincreasedaccesstohousingforCaliforniansatallincomelevels,includinglow-incomehouseholds.YoumaylearnmoreaboutCalHDFatwww.calhdf.org.

Sincerely,
DylanCaseyCalHDFExecutiveDirector
CourtneyWelchCalHDFDirectorofPlanningandInvestigation
2of2

Santa Rosa City CouncilMay 23, 2023

Santa Rosa City Council
May 23, 2023