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<br />. Regarding proposed Recommendation No.7: <br /> <br />The connection shown on the applicant's Site Concept plan (see applicant's Exhibit 1.2) depicts <br />a Green Lane crossing between the northern 7.3 acre portion of the site and the southern 1.3 acre <br />portion of the site. This is not "midblock" as referred to in proposed Recommendation 7. <br />Therefore, the first sentence should be revised to state: "a pedestrian friendly connection... shall <br />be provided at to cross Green Lane between the former Santa Clara School S'ite and a properly <br />south olGreen Lane and shall include..." <br /> <br />Staff also notes that the proposed text amendments direct the subject properties to be development <br />with an emphasis on mixed-use principles. It is assumed that the specific requirements for enhanced <br />pedestrian connections and uniting the site as one horizontal "mixed use center" is all that is meant <br />by this statement. If further principles are required, they should be inserted into the text amendment. <br /> <br />Regarding the fonner Santa Clara School site, none of the existing Recommendations I through 4 <br />directly apply to the 7.3 acre site north of Green Lane. However, it is noted that the description of <br />the subarea states, in part, that "the area contains the largest amount of community commercial use <br />in Santa Clara." Again, as previously discussed under the commercial land policies, the RRSC does <br />not appear to support re-designation of this 7.3 acre portion of the site to Commercial and C-2 <br />Community Commercial zoning. <br /> <br />Summary <br />In summary, the findings in conjunction with the policies of the RRSC as discussed above, provide <br />that the direction of the RRSC plan was to limit the amount of additional community commercial in <br />Santa Clara (except where specifically identified), to limit the amount of new commercial on River <br />Road, and to disperse commercial uses (especially neighborhood commercial) throughout River <br />Road-Santa Clara. This direction, in conjunction with the Residential Land Policies above <br />encouraging diverse housing and multi-family housing near existing commercial and transit <br />facilities, provide the reasons staff does not find the amendments consistent with the RRSC as <br />proposed. Staff encouraged the applicant to provide more mixing of uses throughout the site (such <br />as more residential on the northern portion of the site), in order to obtain higher densities, to provide <br />a better transition between new commercial uses and off-site residents, and to temper the amount of <br />commercial dominance of the development. As previously stated, the applicant has revised their <br />application several times in response to City and neighborhood comments. In comparison to the <br />original application, the applicant's current proposal does provide more of a mixed use type <br />development by including a residential component and providing the pedestrian amenities to unite <br />the two portions of the site together. The proposal also includes specific measures to reduce <br />potential C-2 impacts such as the fPD and fSR overlays, building height and size restrictions, and a <br />reduced use list (such as no theatres, lodging, medical). However, for the reasons stated in response <br />to the RRSC residential and commercial land use policies, staff does not find the proposed <br />amendments, in their current form, consistent with the remaining applicable portions of the <br />refinement plan. <br /> <br />As previously mentioned, the Santa Clara Community Organization testimony included several <br />suggestions which they believe would bring the project closer to the needs of the Santa Clara <br /> <br />Staff Findings ~ October 8, 2007 <br />Page 26 <br />