Debate surrounding a mixed-use project that would primarily accommodate housing at an existing retail space in San Ramon is set to continue at the next City Council meeting, following a challenge from a neighborhood group that is continuing to campaign against the project and a separate appeal from the applicant seeking to overturn one of the project's conditions.

Citizens Against Market Place Area Development (CAMPAD) submitted an appeal against the Planning Commission's Feb. 16 vote to approve the project after its final required public hearing on the topic, which was received by the city clerk's office on Feb. 27.

TRC Retail, the applicant for the project and owner of the Marketplace site, submitted an appeal on Feb. 24 seeking to overturn a condition of approval requiring overnight parking to be accommodated in the retail portions of the proposed mixed-use development. The housing portion would consist of 40 condos and four accessory dwelling units.

The appeals will be the main topic of discussion at the council's next regular meeting, with city staff recommending the council approve a resolution that would deny the appeals. Councilmembers are set to vote following a discussion of the resolution, a public hearing, testimony from the appellants and further public comment.

In a staff report prepared for the upcoming meeting, associate planner Ryan Driscoll laid out refutations to the allegations in CAMPAD's appeal, arguing that the project conforms with the city's General Plan and zoning ordinance requirements as well as being appropriately designated as mixed-use despite a housing-forward focus.

"In summary, there is no new information has been provided by the appellant that would demonstrate that the Planning Commission erred in reviewing and approving the project given the limitations of SB 330 and due process requirements," Driscoll said.

TRC also provided a response refuting allegations from CAMPAD, with information that Driscoll said helped inform staff's recommendation to deny the appeal.

"Based on the appeal information provided and the record of decision, City Staff recommends denial of the CAMPAD appeal," Driscoll said.

Staff are recommending that the council vote to approve the appeal from TRC, noting that the overnight parking requirement was the Planning Commission's recommendation, with city staff having advised against it from the start.

"City Staff did not recommend inclusion of this Condition during the Planning Commission review and continues to recommend eliminating the Shared Parking Agreement Condition of Approval," Driscoll said. "The Project complies with the City's objective parking standards (within the objective constraints of the HAA) for single-family dwellings, and there is no additional established objective standard (e.g. City standard or Health and Safety standard) that requires additional parking beyond what is included with the proposed Project."

The San Ramon City Council is set to meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (March 14). The agenda is available here.