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Dear Delo, Jennifer, David, Julie (and Ben, whose email address I don’t have),
Delo mentioned in her phone call today tthat if I have any questions, etc regarding the community benefits
decision process for the Gateway plan, I should mention them as soon as possible. So here’s a major one:
I explained to Delo that it seems backward, to me, to create any definitive list of items that developers could
offer in return for a streamlined approval process (potentially a ministerial one) BEFORE the Planning
Commission has had any substantive discussion or deliberation on the streamlining process options that could
result in such ministerial project approval.
Understanding (deciding) who would have authority to determine whether, and the extent to which, a project
proposal fulfills standards for providing “benefits” is essential to determining WHICH benefit offers should be
on the “menu” and how they should be weighed in terms of qualifying for very high densities, building heights
or mass, and streamlined or ministerial project approval.
One presentation to the Planning Commission (I think Ben Noble’s) proposed three different possibilities for
varying types of planning commission or staff determinations of whether a project would qualify for additional
density bonuses, streamlined/ministerial approval, etc.
I believe it’s very important for the Commission have those discussions before taking any definitive vote on
recommendations for a “community benefits” program that would qualify a GAP project for relaxed standards,
or for ministerial / streamlined approval.
Best,
Judith