San Carlos housing plan nearly finished

Starting this year, the city will aim to help facilitate the development of more than 3,200 units over the next eight years as part of the city’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation, a calculation that determines how many homes a jurisdiction is reasonable for building. The city’s stated goal is substantially higher than the 2,735-unit goal the state gave it and more than 4 1/2 times its previous allocation.

To achieve its goal, city staff recommended density limits be increased in most parts of town where housing is already permitted and increasing height limits along busier corridors like Laurel Street and El Camino Real.

“It is difficult to get to the number of units in the housing element that we are told we need to get to and I think that staff and consultants did a good job,” Planning Commission Vice Chair Kristen Clements said during Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s not easy especially when lots are small but I do appreciate the efforts.”

Residents, especially those living in single-family neighborhoods, have remained concerned about some of the changes. While more density is already on the way to single-family areas through Senate Bill 9, which as of last will allows up to four homes on one lot, some areas abutting low-density zones could welcome multistory structures under the city’s new zoning guidelines.

Existing and new city policies aim to address the concern through buffers either from trees, placing as much distance as possible between the structures, or, under new recommendations, requiring taller structures to feature stepbacks at higher floors.

Planning Manager Lisa Porras reiterated that developers, behind projects that qualify for density bonuses — meaning they can seek concessions for incorporating an adequate number of affordable units in their plans — can ask to do away with the stepbacks.

Still, Porras and Assistant Community Development Director Andrea Mardesich noted developers would have to prove to city planning staff that no other alternatives are available for achieving the density.

“It’s nice to acknowledge that over the past year, we’ve heard a lot about the concern about the transition zone and I think the solutions that we’ve come up with have really done a pretty good job of addressing that given the fact that we have to weigh for additional housing and affordable housing against the impact,” Commissioner David Roof said. “I think we’ve landed in a pretty good place.”

While in support of the documents brought before them, commissioners asked that some greater detail either be incorporated into the document including provisions for supporting residents in emergencies such as flooding, a key issue current as the Bay Area grapples with severe storms, Clements noted.

Additionally, Chair Jim Iacoponi asked that staff continue to take the public’s concerns into consideration as the city pursues objective design standards Mardesich said will help to “fine-tune” how new development will complement existing neighborhood character. Porras defended current development and design standards but acknowledged they should be able to “stand alone.”

“They’re going to be a road map for the next five years with a lot of very disruptive, compared to today, development,” Iacaponi said. “And I think we owe it to our fellow citizens to make sure we have their voices and do the best we can to balance.”

The City Council will review the documents next during their meeting on Jan. 23. All jurisdictions are required by the state to have an adopted Housing Element by Jan. 31.