Agenda Packet_2026-02-03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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i I SECTION 11 — PUBLIC INTEREST AND ,EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS i The approval did not advance the public interest nor uphold equitable treatment of affected residents, and instead placed institutional priorities above the protection of residential welfare, vulnerable populations, and fair community planning standards. 11.1 Duty to Protect_Residential Welfare and Quality of Life in R„-1 Zones A core responsibility of local government and land-use decision-making is the protection of residential livability, stability, and quiet enjoyment within R-1 neighborhoods. These protections serve as a foundation of planning policy and uphold the expectation that single- family homes remain shielded from incompatible or intrusive institutional activity. In approving the project without adequate safeguards, the City did not uphold this fundamental duty to preserve the quality of life of the adjacent R-1 residence directly impacted by institutional expansion. 11.2 Disproportionate Burden on a Single R-.1 Residence with.,Senior and ADA- Protected ,Occupants The approval placed the greatest impacts—noise, activity, circulation, lighting, and cumulative institutional presence--on the only directly affected residence, occupied by elderly and ADA- protected individuals. Rather than being afforded heightened consideration and protective measures, the most vulnerable residents experienced the least protection. Public-interest planning requires thoughtful evaluation of burdens on those least able to absorb them; here, the inverse occurred, and the disproportionate burden on a single household was neither acknowledged nor mitigated. 11.3 Unequal Consideration Given to Institutional, Interests Over Residential Rights Throughout the process, greater deference was afforded to institutional objectives than to the rights and protections owed to the adjacent R-1 property. Institutional expansion needs were accepted at face value, while residential impacts were minimized, overlooked, or left unaddressed. The absence of alternative analysis, lack of conditions of approval, and limited opportunity for meaningful participation collectively reflect an imbalance that diminished the weight of residential rights in the decision-making process. 11.4 Public Trust and Community Confidence in.Fair Governance Undermined The combined effect of notice irregularities, limited opportunity for participation, the appearance of predetermined CEQA findings, and the imbalance of time and consideration given at the hearing contributed to a reasonable perception that the process did not reflect open, fair, or impartial consideration. Public confidence in land-use decisions relies not only on legal compliance, but on the integrity, transparency, and fairness of the process. The circumstances surrounding this approval undermined those expectations and eroded trust in equitable governance. 27 City Council 18 —43 2/3/2026