HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 3481ORDINANCE: NO, .... ill.J ____ _
ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OJ:i' PALO ALTO
IMPOSING A MORATORIUM ~'OR SIX MONTHS ON THE PRO
C8SSING OF APPLICATIONS f'OR CONSTRUCTION EXCEEDING
.A CERTAIN SIZE OR H8IGHT IN THE P..R8A OF CALIFORNIA
AVENUE, EL CAMINO R£AL, AND PARK BOULEVARD AND
DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
WHEREAS{ the City Council is concerned about employment and
traffic gr·owtr\ in the area of. Palo Alto genE:~rally known as the Cali
fornia. Avenue A1:-~1a, including areas fr·onting on Sherman Avenue,
Camb:r i dge AvemH;!, College Avenue, Park Boulevard and E l Camino Rea 1;
and
WHF.REAS 1 the City Counci 1 directed the city staff to conduct a
study of the impact of the current zoning regu1ations on the .future
develo9ment of the California Avenue Area1 and
~vHERE:AS, that study indica ted that under th"' present zoning f the
California Avenue Area has the potential to substantially increase its
developed floor area, thereby increasing employment and traffic conges
tion; and
WHEREAS, ttl at study indica ted a signi f i. cant corrununi ty concex-n for
the potential height and densitx· of buildings in the California Avenue
A.rea; .:md
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Palo AJ.to will
review the staff study in the next sever-a 1 months and recommend changes
in city policy and development regulations for the California Avenue
Area to the City Council' and
WHEREAS, the City Counc i 1 is concerned tha.t development .~pplica
tions will be made in large numbers during the time that such changes
in pol icy and development regulations are being considered and that
such appl ica t ions wi 11 resu 1 t in more intense devaloprnent and tra.E f ic
in the California Avenue Area.
NOW, 'l'HER!i:FORE, the Council of thG Clty of Palo Alto does ORDAIN
as follows:
SEC'riON 1. A moratorium is imposed on the processing by the City
of all applications received after October 17, 1983, for planning
approvals and building permits for construction of or remodeling of any
building in the California Avenue Area, if such construction or re
modeling results in;
(a) For the CC and PF zoned properties, as designated on the
map attached hereto as Exhibit A, a floor area ratio greater than 2:1
or a height greater than thirty-five (35) feet,
(b) For the RM-4 zoned propert ief:) on t.he south side of
College Avenue, as designated on the map attached hereto as Exhibit A,
a height greater than thirty-five (35) feet.
• • (c) For the Co zoned pr.operties fronting on El Camino Real
as designated on the map a~tacb.dd hereto as Exhibit B, a floor. area
ratio greater than 1:1 or a height greater than twenty-five (25) feeto
SECTION 2. This moratorium shall not apply to any proj<::ct that
received design approval of the Director of Planning and Community
Environment, after review by the Architectural Review Board, on or
before October 17, 1983; provided that, no such project shall be
allowed to apply for a modification if such modification would result
in an increase in floor area ratio or he igbt beyond the 1 imi tat. ions of
U"!e previously approved project. or of the mor.~ t.o:c i uro F •wh ichever is
Qreate:c.
SECTION 3. During this morat:od.um, the City sta.f.f shall pr~lpare
amendments to ~he Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance to reduce
the intensity of potential development and resulting traffic congestion
in the California Avonue Area.
SECTION 4. Th.is moT.'ato.r.ium shall be in effect for six (6) months
·::::orruuencing--®the effective date of this ordinance.
SEC'.£'ION 5. '!'he Council finds that thit"3 project will have no sig
nificant adverse environmental impi;ict.
SECTION 6. Baserl on the reasons set forth above, the Council de
clare.-:; that the enactment of the morel tor iurn imposed hereby is necessary
as an emergency measure to protect the public peace, heal.th, and safety
and shall be effective immediately upon adoption.
This ordinance was introduced at a .r.egular meeting of the Council
of the City of Palo Alto on October 24~ 1983, and was passed on a four
fifths vote of all Council members present at the meeting as follows:
INTRODUCED AND PASSED: October 24, 1983
A Y. 8S : Becht e 1 , Cobb , Fa z z i no 1, F 1 etcher , K 1 e i n , Levy , R en z e 1 , W i the r spoon
NOES: None
ABSTENTIONS~ Non~
ABSENT: Eyerly
Attorney --
2.