HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 111-08City of Palo Alto
C ty Manager’s Repor
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT
DATE:
SUBJECT:
January 22, 2008 CMR:111:08
APPROVAL OF REQUEST TO INITIATE A PRELIMINARY REVIEW
OF A PLANNED COMMUNITY (PC) APPLICATION FOR A 3-STORY
MIXED USE OFFICE/RETAIL DEVELOPMENT AT 2180 EL CAM-INO
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the applicant’s request for a preliminary review
and direct the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) to conduct a preliminary review
of a project at 2180 E1 Camino Real. Commission preliminary review is tentatively scheduled
for February 13, 2008.
BACKGROUND
Chilcote Family Trust is proposing a project that would include the redevelopment of the city
block bounded by College Avenue, Oxford Avenue, E1 Camino Real, and Staunton Court. The
proposal would include construction of a three story retail/office building, a neighborhood
market, a two story below-grade parking structure, and a landscaped park space open to the
public. The applicant wishes to have preliminary Council review of the project for a Planned
Community and needs approval from Council to schedule the preliminary review.
DISCUSSION
Palo Alto Municipa! Code (PAMC) Section 18.79.030(b) states that concurrence of the City
Council is necessary to conduct a preliminary review. The purposes of a preliminary review, as
stated in PAMC Section 18.79.010, are:
a) To maximize oppommities for meaningful public discussion of development projects, at the
earliest feasible time, for the guidance of the public, project proponents, and City decision
makers.
b)To focus public and environmental review of development projects on the issues of greatest
significance to the community, including but not limited to planning concerns, neighborhood
CMR:lll:08 Page 1 of 3
compatibility, Comprehensive Plan consistency, economics, social costs and benefits, fiscal
costs and benefits, technological factors, and legal issues. These procedures are not intended
to permit or foreclose debate on the merits of approval or disapproval of any given
development project.
c) To provide members of the public with the opportunity to obtain early information about
development projects in which they may have an interest.
d) To provide project proponents with the opportunity to obtain early, non-binding preliminary
comments on development projects to encourage sound and efficient private decisions about
how to proceed.
e) To encourage early communication between elected and appointed public officials and staff
with respect to the implementation of City policies, standards, and regulations on particular
development projects.
f) To facilitate orderly and consistent implementation of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and
deve!opment regulations.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOM~IENDATION
The Council may choose the following alternatives in accordance with Section 18.79.040(b):
1)
2)
2)
The Council may direct the study session to be conducted solely by the
City Council, or
The Council may direct that the study session be conducted solely by the Planning
Commission, or
The Council may direct staff to arrange a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning
and Transportation Commission and any other City boards whose participation is deemed
desirable.
RESOURCE IMPACT
Applicants for any preliminary review submit a fee deposit, against which staff time expended to
process the application is charged, as a part of the City’s cost recovery program.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Policy implications of the project would be discussed during the preliminary review before
Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Appropriate environmental review will be conducted for this project, however it is not required
at the time of preliminary review. Environmental issues would be highlighted for the Counci!
during the preliminary review of this project.
CMR:I 11:08 Page 2 of 3
PREPARED BY:
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
RUSS REICH--
Planner
STEVE EMSLIE
Director of Plarming and Community Environment
EMILY HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
COURTESY COPIES:
Patrick Smailey, The Chilcote Trust
Linda Poncini, Carrasco and Associates
Robin Kennedy, Manatt ] Phelps l Phillips
William D. Ross
CMR:111:08 Page 3 of 3