A major life science campus development proposed in Redwood Shores that has drawn public criticism over its scale will now officially undergo the environmental review process, weighed against a down-scaled alternative, in an effort to address concerns and answer questions over feasibility and impact on the area.
After an extensive joint study session in March on the major development proposal between the Redwood City Council and its Planning Commission, on Monday, councilmembers approved studying the smaller alternative extensively — a proposal that is 13% smaller than the original.
The decision to study the alternative was not an approval of the project, councilmembers clarified, but rather an effort to get a better understanding on the implications such a large-scale project would have on the former landfill site.
Through the environmental review analysis, the data collected will be able to truly inform the decision to move forward, Councilmember Jeff Gee said. Gee is the representative for Redwood Shores on the council, and has advocated for further reductions to decrease its scale.
“There’s no question this project is very large, there is no question that this project is on a very complex site, that needs not just studying, but tons of studying, given its complexity,” Gee said.
Many public meetings have been held to gather community input throughout the design process, but advocacy to make the project smaller or for further adjustments can continue, Community Development Director Jeff Schwob said.
The original proposal includes 13 office structures, a 104-room hotel and a 46,000-square-foot amenities center, a food hall and outdoor terrace and three parking structures.
The proposed alternative includes redeveloping the site into a 3 million-square-foot campus with only 12 buildings, with 5 more acres of public open space and a significant increase of setbacks. The building heights of those closest to residents are proposed to be lowered, and a road has been relocated within the development site to keep traffic internal. The alternative maintains the hotel and amenities center.
At the joint study session, opponents to the Redwood LIFE development shared their support and appreciation for the project alternative.
In addition to the original proposal and the downscaled alternative, staff will also be studying the possibility of a no-build option.
While the environmental impact report usually does not cover how the surrounding environment might affect a potential development — it’s usually the other way around — this will be studied in this case due to the site’s location on a former landfill and its susceptibility to groundwater rise, Schwob said.
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