Redwood City Streamlines Affordable Housing Review in Downtown Plan Update

The Redwood City Council spent its longest stretch Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, on what staff called minor cleanup: a package of General Plan and Downtown Precise Plan amendments. The package lets 100% affordable housing projects downtown skip discretionary review and puts the city's adopted street-design standards into the General Plan. The council adopted it 7-0. Before that vote, residents organized against license plate cameras urged the council not to replace the Flock contract that expires Nov. 30.

---

• General Plan and Downtown Precise Plan amendments adopted 7-0; 100% affordable projects get ministerial review.
• Residents urge no new surveillance camera contract once Flock's deal ends Nov. 30.
• Police Advisory Committee work plan approved 7-0, adding youth engagement and domestic violence priorities.
• Council votes 7-0 to reapply for state pro-housing status despite staff calling odds of new funding "very low."

---

Downtown Rules Get a Quiet but Real Rewrite

The basics: The General Plan is the city's long-range land use blueprint. The Downtown Precise Plan governs development in the city center. "Ministerial" review means a project that meets objective standards is approved by staff, without a discretionary hearing.

Why it matters: The Downtown Precise Plan changes make 100% affordable housing ministerial and raise the height threshold for review from 35 to 45 feet. Builders will also face fewer conflicts among the city's plans.

Where things stand: Staff framed the package as housekeeping. "Very surgical, very minor amendments," said Sue Exline, Assistant Community Development Director. The General Plan changes:

• Remove construction-hour examples from the public safety element.
• Clarify that hotels are not subject to floor area ratio limits.
• Update street typologies to match RWC Moves (2018) and Walk Bike Thrive (2022).
• Add an open space compliance analysis required by SB 1425.

The Downtown Precise Plan edits align with zoning code updates made over the summer. Senior Planner Ellen Yao reported that the Planning Commission voted 5-0 on Oct. 20 to recommend approval. No members of the public spoke.

Councilmember Jeff Gee focused on the package's main purpose. "I think that's the most important word in the presentation is the consistency," Gee said.

The pedestrian street debate: Councilmember Chris Sturken raised the most pointed question. "One thing that caught my eye was one type of street that was stricken from the general plan is the pedestrian street," Sturken said.

Transportation Manager Malahat Owrang explained why the category was folded into other street types: pedestrian malls now require their own legal designation. She said the typologies set minimum standards that projects may exceed, and that putting them in the General Plan strengthens the city's hand with developers. "It gives basically the staff more power to implement what we adopted as a local plan a few years ago," Owrang said.

The city attorney suggested clarifying pedestrian-focused streets through the Greater Downtown Area Plan (GDAP). Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos asked whether staff are limited to the design elements listed and asked about cyclist categories drawn from NACTO, the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

Councilmember Isabella Chu noted inconsistencies within the city's transportation documents. She urged that GDAP reflect California's shift from level of service (LOS), a measure of car delay, to vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as the standard for evaluating traffic impacts.

Sacramento sets the pace: Gee asked whether keeping up with state law is effectively a full-time job, noting that shrinking deadlines for ministerial approvals force tradeoffs. "This is a resource balancing issue constantly," Gee said. Staff said the work spans planning, engineering, the city attorney's office and outside counsel. The Assistant Director said new bills take effect Jan. 1, the city's codes will be outdated by January and the city is always playing catch-up.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council adopted both resolutions on a motion by the mayor, seconded by Gee. For: 7 (Martínez Saballos, Eakin, Chu, Gee, Howard, Padilla, Sturken), Against: 0, Absent: 0. Affordable housing developers gain a faster downtown path. Bike and pedestrian advocates gain enforceable street standards but lose the named "pedestrian street" category for now.

What's next: In response to Councilmember Diane Howard, staff said GDAP will bring further amendments and that the next housing element is due in 2031.

---

Organized Push Against License Plate Cameras

Why it matters: Staff have deferred any new automated license plate reader (ALPR) recommendation until 2027. Public input now will shape that decision.

Where things stand: Five of seven public commenters spoke against surveillance cameras, including members of Safety Over Surveillance Redwood City. Bill Newell, a public commenter, thanked the council for not auto-renewing Flock. He relayed that the city has asked Flock to remove its cameras and will cover them if the company does not. "Our community does not want a new surveillance camera contract with any surveillance system vendor," Newell said.

Sarah Matlin, a public commenter, described an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest near El Camino Real and Hopkins Avenue, roughly 400 to 500 yards from two Flock cameras. She acknowledged that details were still being verified and that she could not prove the cameras were used. "Masked thugs are kidnapping and jailing immigrants here in Redwood City, a block from Sequoia High School, 10 blocks from here, and we should not help them," Matlin said.

The data question: Clara Jekyll spoke as an individual and Safety Over Surveillance member, and disclosed her seat on the Police Advisory Committee. She cited Plymouth, Minnesota, and Evanston, Illinois, where she said Flock cameras kept recording. She also criticized the 2023 contract for granting perpetual data-use rights. "The city must still demand that Flock delete all of Redwood City's previously collected images and metadata," Jekyll said.

A commenter who identified herself as Emily warned that shared data access allows side-sharing with federal agencies. Hannah Dorris, a Centennial neighborhood resident, placed the issue in a national context of targeting. Amber Garza Washburn focused on cost and return on investment. "The biggest cost is the trust of the community that you will lose," Garza Washburn said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council took no action, since the item was not on the agenda. Immigrant communities and privacy advocates are the most vocal stakeholders. The Police Advisory Committee, which held an ALPR town hall, will remain part of the review.

What's next: The Flock contract ends Nov. 30. Staff's recommendation is expected in 2027.

---

Police Advisory Committee Plan Wins Unanimous Backing

Where things stand: Dan Torreñán, Chair of the Police Advisory Committee, was introduced by staff liaison Belén Cejada, Equity and Inclusion Officer. He outlined the committee's current work:

• Modernizing public safety dashboards
• The Hopeful Horizons ordinance
• The Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team
• Axon body-worn cameras
• ALPR, including the town hall

New priorities include technology, youth engagement and domestic violence. "You can't fix what you don't measure," Torreñán said. He also cited officer wellness as "a big component in the police department being effective."

The other side: Sturken thanked the committee while noting the council's earlier vote to shrink it. He praised its work "in spite of the majority of council reducing the size of the committee and the frequency of your meetings."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Howard asked about domestic violence data and requested updates. Chu pressed for a data-driven approach, and Vice Mayor Kaia Eakin highlighted officer wellness. The mayor asked for committee input on youth diversion and crisis response capacity. Gee moved approval and Howard seconded. For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 0.

What's next: Cejada said the 2027-28 work plan returns around May or June 2027.

---

Pro-Housing Status: Long Odds, Real Leverage

Why it matters: The state's Pro-Housing Designation gives cities priority points for state housing funds. The city's 2023 award of $890,000 helped HART preserve eight units at 417 Stanbaugh.

Where things stand: Lynn Lancaster, Housing Leadership Manager, said the city's designation must be renewed. "We must now reapply to extend that designation to 2031," Lancaster said. The application relies on existing policies across four categories, proposes no new programs and requires a new 30-day comment period and public hearing.

The current Pro-Housing Incentive Program (PIP) notice offers $8M statewide, and the city is eligible for up to $1M. Because first-time designees get priority, Lancaster was candid about the city's chances. "So I think the odds are very low, but we will still give it our honest effort," Lancaster said.

Howard noted that the earlier award stretched far. "We actually did something with under $1 million, which isn't easy to do," Howard said. The mayor framed the designation as protecting local control: "Being a pro-housing city is really important at a time where the cities who aren't making this progress are seeing less and less opportunities to customize the projects that get proposed in their towns."

The other side: Sturken cited the staff report and Attachment D, which describe offering shelter before removing encampments. He asked whether changing that requirement in the Hopeful Horizons ordinance "would … contribute to our ineligibility for this funding?" "That is something that I don't have an answer for. We would have to ask the state," Lancaster replied. Staff noted there is no current proposal to amend the ordinance and offered to take the question to the Homelessness Committee.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Howard moved both resolutions and the mayor seconded. For: 7, Against: 0, Absent: 0. Nonprofit developers keep a scoring edge for state funds. The link between encampment policy and funding eligibility remains unresolved.

---

Minor Items

• School district agreement: A $1,505,260 extended-day learning agreement passed 7-0; Howard said it is state grants and fees, not city money.
• Consent calendar: All other consent items passed unanimously.
• Ad hoc committee: The mayor named himself and the vice mayor to an ad hoc on council appointee employment agreements.
• Storm pumps: Padilla reported that Price and Bradford storm pump station grants need FEMA review.
• E-bike safety: Resident Rich Anderson warned of e-bikes reaching about 20 mph near young children at Red Morton Park.
• World Kindness Day: The mayor proclaimed Nov. 13, 2026, World Kindness Day, honoring the Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassador Program.

---

Looking Ahead

City Manager Patrick Heisinger said four or five storms could arrive starting Friday. About 30 residents have adopted storm drains, and those who cannot use the city website can email him. The council next meets Nov. 23, 2026.