Planning Commissioners, re: proposed River Road/Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan 10/6/2023 <br />Thank you for this opportunity to submit comment on the proposed RR/SC Neighborhood Plan. First and <br />foremost; I want to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to so many of my dedicated neighbors, who <br />volunteered considerable amounts of their time and energy collaborating with each other and multiple agencies, <br />over many years, to produce the Plan. I worked with the group for a while in the early days but not so much the <br />last few years. I never lost my interest though, which is centered on “Land Use” and respectful, collaborative <br />“Community.” <br />River Road and Santa Clara offer plentiful opportunity for residential developers (e.g. large lots, developer- <br />friendly building code) as well as challenges (e.g. underdeveloped infrastructure, overlapping jurisdictions). <br />Unfortunately, those same opportunities and challenges, combined with current code, can result in negative <br />impacts to current residents. As you deliberate the proposed Neighborhood Plan and action items – and add <br />your own ideas - I submit the following example of a current residential infill-project for your consideration. <br />The residential infill project example is “Howard Meadows” (outlined in red, above) – a 3 acre subdivision (12 <br />lots) currently under construction at the intersection of Howard Ave. and Lake Dr. - in River Road. Before <br />development, the site was a flat, grass field with a gradual slope from South to North. I encourage you all to pay <br />a site-visit to gain further perspective. The shaded lots are ‘City’ (annexed) and all the others are ‘County’ <br />(unannexed) properties. All streets in the immediate area are ‘County.’ ‘Howard Meadows’ constructed an <br />extension of Lake Dr. down the middle of their site, which connects with Rosewood Ave. at the NE corner of <br />the site. I’ve zoomed out for this photo in order to include 48 residential lots surrounding the development – <br />because, it appears, 48 units is what’s being approved to be constructed at ‘Howard Meadows’ (twelve 2-story <br />4-plexes). Providing on-site parking for all 48 units is, apparently, not required and there are “No Parking” signs <br />along half the new section of Lake on site. As you can see, there are no streets immediately adjacent to <br />6