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Special Planning CommissionMeeting <br />Minutes –Wednesday, September 17, 2015 <br />Page 21 <br />Speaking in general, Chair Boguszewski opined that the city has done a good job of outreach to <br />992 <br />get the public involved with a variety of opportunities to attend, speak and comment; but at some <br />993 <br />point decisions needed to be made.Chair Boguszewski opined that the city needed to balance <br />994 <br />residential and business-community needs whether or not that balance is perceived accurately by <br />995 <br />both sides. <br />996 <br />Specific to this issue, Chair Boguszewski recognized that it may be scary to some people, but <br />997 <br />also asked that they keep in mind that the whole intent is to allow development but to not do so in <br />998 <br />a way that will be harmful to what the community already has in place, nor to residents and <br />999 <br />neighborhoods.Chair Boguszewski noted that not all potential uses were going to occur, with the <br />1000 <br />overall list of uses perhaps seeming overwhelming and frightening, but further noted that some <br />1001 <br />development should and will happen.Given the checks and balances already in place, Chair <br />1002 <br />Boguszewski opined that these revisions were a good start and other details would be addressed <br />1003 <br />project by project.Again, just because a use is permitted, Chair Boguszewski noted there are <br />1004 <br />other regulations in place that need to happen and that would address many of the neighborhood <br />1005 <br />concerns. <br />1006 <br />For clarification purposes, Chair Boguszewski noted that the depth from existing residential <br />1007 <br />properties to CMU-1 designated areas was 400’ which he found a pretty good distance, <br />1008 <br />representing approximately 3 narrow blocks of width.Therefore, Chair Boguszewski questioned if <br />1009 <br />he would necessarily agree with extending it further and reduce permitted uses in CMU-3. <br />1010 <br />Chair Boguszewski referenced the recently-constructed fire station on Lexington Avenue as an <br />1011 <br />example for height and designed with setbacks and other features falling within the regulating <br />1012 <br />plan and form.From his personal perspective, Chair Boguszewski stated he didn’t find that height <br />1013 <br />to stick out or overshadow the residential properties across Lexington Avenue.Chair <br />1014 <br />Boguszewski further stated his agreement in keeping the 35’ height restriction and using footage <br />1015 <br />versus stories as the guide, opining that could work with other things already in play for <br />1016 <br />development projects. <br />1017 <br />Regarding the concern expressed during public comment about the potential for a hotel <br />1018 <br />development as a permitted use in CMU-3 designated areas, Chair Boguszewski opined that he <br />1019 <br />still considered that it would be buffered sufficiently.While recognizing the visceral restrictions to <br />1020 <br />some uses listed in the Table brought up by Ms. McCormick, Chair Boguszewski offered his <br />1021 <br />willingness to listen if any individual commissioners wished to bring discussion forward or re- <br />1022 <br />address any of those uses already discussed and agreed upon by consensus during discussion <br />1023 <br />tonight.However, Chair Boguszewski opined thatfrom his perspective, enabling vertical mixed <br />1024 <br />use was at the heart of this plan and to get that urban feel, originating with the classic use for <br />1025 <br />small businesses on the ground floor with residential use above that.Therefore, Chair <br />1026 <br />Boguszewski opined thathe couldn’t see striking that, and especially since CMU-4 designation is <br />1027 <br />already only permitted as a CU on the boundary of larger roads as well, seeing no reason to pull <br />1028 <br />it out unless there was a consensus to do so. <br />1029 <br />Regarding the hour issue, Chair Boguszewski questioned if there was a need to look at any <br />1030 <br />specific issues brought up that would prompt rewriting text in Section 6.a, or changing the 2:00 <br />1031 <br />a.m. to something earlier.From his perspective, Chair Boguszewski opined that the bottom line <br />1032 <br />was that there were sufficient checks and balances in place overall for any potential use that <br />1033 <br />protections were in place for neighborhoods while allowing attractive development to occur with <br />1034 <br />minor tweaks perhaps needed from time to time going forward. <br />1035 <br />Member Gitzen <br />1036 <br />Member Gitzen stated that when first reviewing the Table of Uses and four sections, he didn’t <br />1037 <br />think there were enough gradients.However, after further review and discussion, Member Gitzen <br />1038 <br />stated that, from a general perspective, he was comfortable with the balance achieved. <br />1039 <br />Member Bull <br />1040 <br />Member Bullconcurred for the most part with the comments of Chair Boguszewski.On uses, <br />1041 <br />Member Bull stated that he weighed restrictions on hours of operation, employment and <br />1042 <br />deliveries, as addressed in CMU-1 designated areas sufficiently through a combination of <br />1043 <br />permitted, not permitted or conditional use differentials. <br />1044 <br /> <br />