Redwood City Special Planning

05/10/23

Zoning Map Amendmentss

Welcome to Ultraground. We show you zoning news in a way no one else does.

May 10th

  • Mixed-use Heights

  • Zoning Map Amendments

  • Missing Middle Code Amendment

  • Affordable Housing Ordinance

You saved: 2h 2m
General Code Title

Code/General Map Amendments

Citywide

At this Special Planning Commission, commissioners delved into reshaping the Redwood City's future, navigating through revisions to the Municipal Code, Zoning Ordinance, and Map, along with revisiting the Affordable Housing Ordinance, and General Plan Land Use Map. These updates are all part of the master plan to implement the transformative Housing Element.

Mixed-use Heights

Mixed-use heights

Zoning Map Amendments

Rezoning to Mixed-use Corridor (MUC)

MUC
MUC2

Rezoning to Mixed-use Neighborhood (MUN)

MUN
MUN2

Rezoning to Mixed-use Transitional (MUT)

Rezoning to Mixed-use Waterfront (MUW)

MUW

There were also proposals to rezone existing mobile home park parcels from industrial (IR-T) to Mobile Home(MH) and correct inconsistencies between Zoning and General Plan maps.

Missing Middle

Multifamily R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5 zoning districts

Density (Units)

  • Tied to General Plan density, not lot size

  • Minimum lot dimensions reduced

Parking

  • Reduce to 1 space per unit min.

  • None within ½ mile of transit (State Law)

  • No guest parking req

  • Allow tandem parking

Affordable Housing Ordinance

The options include building units on or off-site, buying existing affordable units, or donating land to affordable housing developers. The staff established guiding principles to protect the city's interests and ensure affordable units are built. The meeting also discussed concurrent construction requirements and proposed changes to allow market rate developers to move forward if they put up a large enough deposit.

The land donation alternative was already approved, but the ordinance lacked criteria, so the staff proposed a five-year period for the project to move forward before the land reverts back to the city. The criteria for the site include at least one acre or the ability to build at least 40 units, close to transit, and an approved financing plan. The city council would make the ultimate decision on the land donation. The meeting also discussed aligning affordable housing rents with state density bonus rents, which tend to be higher in two of the income ranges. The proposal is to align rents with the state density bonus for 80% of the units in a 100% affordable, deed-restricted project.

Nonconforming Use

The meeting discussed updates to the nonconforming zoning section of the zoning ordinance, which regulates the development of uses and structures and nonconforming parking that predate the provisions of the zoning ordinance. The proposed changes aim to make it easier for properties in Redwood City to add new units or residential space. The meeting also discussed procedural clarifications regarding SB 35, a state law passed in 2017 that requires affordable housing projects to be reviewed based on objective standards and on an expedited timeline. The review authority for SB 35 projects is recommended to be the zoning administrator. The meeting also proposed revisions to the ordinance that would provide updates that would make the code consistent with the airport land use plan for the San Carlos Airport.

Thank you for being a part of Ultraground.