The problem with the the Downtown Precise Plan is that, due to very recent laws (2022 laws effective Jan. 1, 2023), the city cannot require retail or commercial anywhere downtown. Regardless of zoning. Nor can city require any parking. AB 2011, SB 6, AB 2097. Retail isn’t profitable to build. Orinda isn’t a strong enough trade area to attract retail. The DPP is a zoning plan, but a city can no longer zone to require retail or commercial. We have to stop chasing the ghost.
We need to be realistic. That means preserving the current 35 foot height limit, increasing current density downtown to only 20 dwelling units per acre to comply with state housing laws, and maximizing development of the vacant 10 acre CalTrans parcel across from Wilder (serviced by a shuttle to downtown and BART).
Staff is proposing only lower density at CalTrans, which would force more development (higher buildings, greater density) downtown.
My strategy will preserve the Village character downtown, prevent too much density from interfering with emergency evacuation thru downtown, and satisfy our housing obligations.
I have addressed this in detail in my submission to the council in connection with its meeting on Nov. 1. Look for “public comments” on the agenda.
Correction: instead of “the city cannot require retail or commercial anywhere downtown” I should have said “ the city cannot require retail or commercial in more than half of the ground floor space in any building anywhere downtown.”
Addition: due to AB 2049, city cannot require any project within one-half mile of BART, residential or commercial, to provide any parking. This covers all of both downtowns.
I should note that I support the downtown precise plan as I've said publicly before. It will help us achieve much of the city's potential.
The problem with the the Downtown Precise Plan is that, due to very recent laws (2022 laws effective Jan. 1, 2023), the city cannot require retail or commercial anywhere downtown. Regardless of zoning. Nor can city require any parking. AB 2011, SB 6, AB 2097. Retail isn’t profitable to build. Orinda isn’t a strong enough trade area to attract retail. The DPP is a zoning plan, but a city can no longer zone to require retail or commercial. We have to stop chasing the ghost.
We need to be realistic. That means preserving the current 35 foot height limit, increasing current density downtown to only 20 dwelling units per acre to comply with state housing laws, and maximizing development of the vacant 10 acre CalTrans parcel across from Wilder (serviced by a shuttle to downtown and BART).
Staff is proposing only lower density at CalTrans, which would force more development (higher buildings, greater density) downtown.
My strategy will preserve the Village character downtown, prevent too much density from interfering with emergency evacuation thru downtown, and satisfy our housing obligations.
I have addressed this in detail in my submission to the council in connection with its meeting on Nov. 1. Look for “public comments” on the agenda.
Correction: instead of “the city cannot require retail or commercial anywhere downtown” I should have said “ the city cannot require retail or commercial in more than half of the ground floor space in any building anywhere downtown.”
Addition: due to AB 2049, city cannot require any project within one-half mile of BART, residential or commercial, to provide any parking. This covers all of both downtowns.
Thank you, Nick