Update — In his latest proposal, the developer has decided to remove the ill-conceived rooftop bar from the proposal. The fact that it was proposed for this location in the first place — across from a public school and overlooking neighbors’ homes — shows how little regard he seemingly has for proposing a project that is actually compatible with this area of the city. The text below was written before this latest change to his proposal.

_____

As if the 5-story towers that the developer is proposing aren’t already very oversized for that parcel, for that area of our city, and for the neighbors who would have to (literally) live in their shadow, the proposal also includes the equivalent of a 6th floor to accommodate a rooftop bar.

Such a bar would add to the impacts created by this project because it would make the buildings even taller than they would be without a 6th floor, would make the development noisier for nearby residents, would add traffic to an already impacted intersection, and would invariably lead to increased traffic on nearby streets as bar-goers seek parking spaces.

As impactful as these issues would be, there is an additional one to consider: This proposal would create a bar right across the street from from the Branciforte Small Schools campus and on a popular pedestrian route used by those students and students from nearby Branciforte Middle School.