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Regular Meeting <br />March 28, 2005 <br /> <br />Mayor Adams declared the Public Hearing open at 7:02 p.m. <br /> <br />Herbert Smith, 1285 Hafner Place, said his comments were based upon hearsay, but he <br />learned that the Farmer’s Market opened up property from their site to the adjacent <br />property on the corner. He is puzzled about why the owners would remove ten to twelve <br />parking spaces when there are only three spaces in the back. Now it is a safety issue <br />because it is difficult for those who live on Hafner Place to make a left turn into Hafner <br />Place. There is a problem with people on Eighty-First Street making a left turn, trouble <br />with people driving from the west on Olive making a left turn, and now people will make <br />a left turn onto this street, which is the only way in. He said we have people coming out <br />of Farmer’s Market where there is no barrier between the two properties and making a <br />left turn. It is impossible to execute a left turn onto Hafner Place at certain times of the <br />day; right turns only are possible. He wants to know why the parking spaces were <br />removed and what is planned for that area. <br /> <br />Mayor Adams said the developer was present and he would speak first then he would <br />allow Mr. Smith to return with questions. <br /> <br />Hwai Yang, 450 Weidman Road, is the architect representing the owner, George Tsai. <br />He came on behalf of the owner who could not be present and he said he wanted to <br />address some of the citizens’ concerns expressed at the Planning Commission that <br />traffic would be increased on Hafner as a result of this development. The owner has <br />decided to eliminate the curb cut off of Hafner Place, thereby eliminating any traffic <br />associated with the new development. This decision should improve the traffic flow on <br />Hafner Place by diverting any commercial traffic associated with it. By doing so, it <br />creates a safer environment. It eliminated the residents cutting through the parking lot <br />to access Olive Boulevard and eliminated that potential conflict. Mr. Yang said his client <br />was very excited about approval of their plan for the first mixed-use projects in the City. <br />He then showed pictures of the existing building and commented that they planned a <br />complete “face-lift” of the grocery store brick building. They proposed to add first floor <br />for retail and two other floors for residential use. Ms. Brot asked if it would be the same <br />building and Mr. Yang explained again that the existing building would receive an <br />exterior renovation and the new construction to the west and east of the existing will <br />have retail and residential. Next he showed a rendering of the existing Farmers’ Market <br />and noted that to the east and west on the first floor will be retail and then on the <br />second and third floors will be one and two bedroom rental apartment units. There will <br />be balconies and an arcade to provide a covered walk-way and a fountain to improve <br />the ambiance of the development. <br /> <br />Ms. Colquitt said that she previously asked for residents on Hafner Place to be advised <br />that this topic would be discussed tonight, but they received only last minute notice <br />about the hearing tonight, so she asked that the Council not vote on this issue tonight. <br />She said residents are calling an emergency meeting to discuss this proposal and she <br />invited Mr. Yang to come and speak to them about this development. She said that <br />Page 5 <br /> <br />