HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 183-05parcels along Ramona Street north of Channing Avenue, and including the three parcels between
High Street and Alma Street located within 100 feet north of Forest Avenue, and the first three
parcels along Alma Street south of Channing Avenue (See Attachment B). Part of the SOFA CAP
Phase 2 adoption included the rezoning of 66 parcels zoned Commercial Downtown (CD) to
Residential Transition (RT) Districts. The rezoning removed approximately 330,000 square feet
of gross floor area out of the Commercial Downtown zoning designation. The rezoned area will
continue to be tracked and reported in the the Commercial Downtown Annual Monitoring and will
be identified as part of the SOFA CAP Phase 2.
Non-Residential Development Activity
The Downtown Study incorporated a growth limit of 350,000 square feet of additional floor area
above the total floor area existing in 1986, and provides for a re-evaluation of the CD regulations
when new development reaches 235,000 square feet. Since 1986, a total of 103,293 square feet of
non-residential uses have been added in the Downtown area. This includes the net reduction of
non-residential floor area of approximately 15,700 square feet at 80Q High Street. This allows an
additional 131,707 square feet of new non-residential development to occur before are-evaluation
of the CD regulations is necessary.
Demonstrating Special Public Benefits
The Downtown Study reserved 100,000 square feet of the 350,000 square foot cap to be used for
projects demonstrating special public benefits. Since 1986, nine projects in the downtown area
have utilized the Planned Community zoning that requires a finding of public benefit. Five of the
projects exceeded the non-residential floor area that would otherwise be allowed under zoning by.
a total of34,378 square feet. The total of these projects is shown in the 4th column of Attachment
C; all the projects were approved before August 31, 1998. The remaining four projects were
mixed-use projects that did not exceed allowed non-residential floor areas. All of the projects
either provided parking or paid a fee in-lieu of providing parking. .
Projects Qualifying for Seismic, Historic or Minor Expansion Exemptions
The Downtown Study set aside 75,000 square feet of the 350,000 square foot cap for projects that
qualify for seismic, historic or minor expansion exemptions in order to encourage these upgrades.
Since 1986,60,561 square feet have been added in this category. These projects are shown in the
5th column of Attachment C.
Parking Inventory
At the time of the Dowritown Study, performance measures were established that specify that new
development in the Downtown should not increase the total parking deficit beyond that expected
from development that was existing or approved through May 1986, or 1,601 spaces. At the end
of the 2003 monitoring period, the City determined a re-evaluation of the parking exemption,
regulations would be done when the unmet parking demand resulting from exemptions reaches a
cumulative 450 spaces after the City opened two new parking structures, one located on 528 High
Street the other at 445 Bryant Street, effectively decreasing the original 1986 deficit by almost half
to 836 spaces. Attachment D is a chart of the CD parking deficit. Through various projects, the
actual parking deficit has been significantly reduced.
CMR:183:05 Page 2
Most notable are: 1) the two-floor addition to the Cowper/Webster Garage, 2) significant restriping
of on-street parking spaces by the City's Transportation Division resulting in 96 additional spaces,
and 3) the construction of two parking structures located on 528 High Street and 445 Bryant Street.
Vacancy Rate for Ground Floor (GF) Combining District
The Ground Floor Combining District (GF) was created to encourage active pedestrian uses in the
downtown area. Uses other than retail, eating and drinking, personal services and a few
conditional uses may be allowed through an exception process. One of the requirements for
making the exception is that the GF vacancy rate must be greater than 5 percent. In October 2004, /
. there were approximately 624,330 square feet of GF area. In the staff survey of Downtown
vacancies in October 2004, there were 7 properties, totaling 22,291 square feet, which met the
requirements for vacant and available ground floor area. They were:
Vacant Square
Address Feet
525 Alma 6400
529 Alma 6000
536 Ramona 1700
174 University 2300
250 University 1791
432 University 3500
530 University . 600
Total 22,291
This results in a vacancy rate of approximately 3.57 percent; therefore, exceptions will not be
permitted for consideration.
Vacancy Rate for Entire CD District
For purposes of tracking the health of the Downtown area, the vacancy rate for the entire CD area
is reported. This figure does not affect any of the exception or Downtown cap regulations. At the
time of the October 2004 staff survey, the following were vacant and available:
CMR:183:05 Page 3
TABLE 1: Commercial Downtown (CD) Vacant & Available Floor Area
As of October, 2004 '
(Includes Upper Floor Office Space)
Address Zoning District Vacant Square Feet
235 Alma CDNP
525 Alma CDCGFP
529 Alma CDCGFP
335 Bryant CDCP
514 Bryant CDCGFP
635 Bryant CDCP
540 Emerson CDCGFP
420 Florence CDCP
167 Hamilton CDCGFP
240 Hamilton CDCP
285 Hamilton CDCGFP
467 hamilton CDCP
505 Hamilton CDCP
777b* ) High RT35
440 Kipling CDCP
130 Lytton CDCP
325 Lytton CDCP
CD -Commercial Downtown (C) -Commercial (N) -Neighborhood (S) -Service
GF -Ground Floor Combining District
P -Pedestrian Overlay
RT -Residential Transition
CMR:183:05 Page 4
600
6400
6000
10348
587
235
1,850
3885
9600
2000
9000
450
1600
800
3725
48000
3354
The entire CD area has approximately 3,750,000 gross square feet of floor area including
approximately 330,000 square feet within the SOFA CAP Phase 2 area. About 375,000 square feet
is used for religious or residential purposes or is vacant and not available for occupancy. Thus the
net square footage of available commercial space is 3,375,000 square feet.
With a total 3,375,000 square feet of commercial floor area available for occupancy, the vacant
204,900 square feet equals a rate of 6.07 percent.
Trends in Use Composition
The primary observation of change in the use composition of Downtown since the enactment of
new CD zoning regulations in 1986 is that the total floor area devoted to certain higher-intensity
commercial uses (office, retail, eating and drinking) has increased, while the total floor area in
lower-intensity commercial uses (manufacturing, warehousing) has been reduced (see Table 2).
This trend has continued in the past few years with an increase in higher intensity eating and
drinking establishments.
CMR:183:05 Page 6
7. Staff was directed to monitor the Downtown area in terms of development activity, vacancy
rates, sales tax revenues, and commercial lease rates to facilitate evaluation of the
effectiveness of the new regulations.
8. Staff was directed to undertake a site and feasibility study to evaluate an additional public
parking structure elsewhere in the Downtown, to consider development of a parking
facility on public lots S, Land F, and to explore the possibility of leasing or purchasing
privately-owned vacant lots suitable as parking structure sites.
9. Policies and regulations were adopted which encourage Planned Community (PC) zoning
for parking structures and limit underground parking to two levels below grade, unless
there is proof that regular pumping of subsurface water will not be necessary.
10. A Twelve-Point Parking Program was adopted to increase the efficiency of existing
parking.
11. Traffic policies were adopted which prohibit new traffic signals on portions of Alma Street
and Middlefield Road, and prohibit a direct connection from Sand Hill Road to Palo
Alto/Alma Street. In addition, new signs were approved directing through traffic offof
University Avenue and onto Hamilton and Lytton Avenues~
12. Staff and the Architectural Review Board (ARB) were directed to consider the possibility
of an Urban Design Plan for Downtown and to develop design guidelines for commercial
structures in neighborhood transition areas and for driveways which cross pedestrian
walkways.
13. A temporary Design and Amenities Committee was created and charged with developing
an incentive program (including FAR increases of up to 1.5) to encourage private
development to provide a variety of public amenities in the Downtown area.
14. Staff was directed to study possible restrictions on the splitting and merging of parcels as
well as the establishment of minimum lot sizes in the new CD district.
* * *
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Attachment C
CD NON-RESIDENTIAL CHANGE IN SQUARE FOOTAGE
09/01/86 TO 08/31/04
Public Benefit Seismic, Historic, Net change in Bonus Non Project Address Zoning Date Approved Residential or Minor Bonus non-Residential
Square Footage Square Footage Floor Area
520 Ramona Street A CDCGFP 11/20/84 -400 +400
220 University Avenue CDCGFP 2/5/87 -65 +65
151 Homer Avenue CDSP 3/17/88 ---9,750
314 Lytton Avenue CDCP 5/5/88 ---713
247-275 Alma Street CDNP 8/4/88 --+1,150
700 Emerson Street CDSP 9/15/88 ----+4,000
431 Florence Street CDCP 9/15/88 -2,500 +2,500
156 University Avenue CDCGFP 12/15/88 -4,958 +4,958
401 Florence Street CDCP 3/2/89 --2,407 +2,407
619 Cowper Street CDCP 5/6/89 --+2,208
250 University Avenue PC-3872 5/15/89 11,0008 300 +20,300
550 University Avenue CDCP 6/1/89 ---371
Page 1
Public Benefit Seismic, Historic, Net change in Bonus Non Project Address Zoning Date Approved Residential or Minor Bonus non-Residential
Square Footage Square Footage Floor Area
529 Bryant Street PC-3974 5/3/90 2,491 c 2,491 +2,491
305 Lytton Avenue COCP 9/28/90 -200 +200
.550 Lytton AvenueDE COCP 10/22/90 --+4,845
531 Cowper Street PC-4052 5/21/91 9,000 475 +9,475 I
I
540 Bryant Street COCGFP 3/24/92 -404 +404
5301534 Bryant Street COCGFP 4/15/93 -432 +432
555 Waverley
Streetl425 Hamilton COCP 9/21193 --+2,064
AvenueE
201 University Avenue COCGFP 11/18/93 -2,450 +2,450
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Public Benefit Seismic, Historic, Net change in Bonus Non Project Address Zoning Date Approved Residential or Minor Bonus non/Residential
Square Footage Square Footage Floor Area
518 Bryant Street CDCGFP 3/3/94 -180 +180
245 Lytton Avenue CDCP 7/21/94 ---21,320
400 Emerson StreetEF PC-4283 9/19/94 -200 +4,715
443 Emerson Street CDCGFP 1/5/95 -26 +26
420 Emerson Street CDCP 3/16/95 -125 +125
340 University Avenue CDCGFP 4/6/95 ---402
--281 University Avenue CDCGFP 4/20/95 -2,500
456 University Avenue CDCGFP 5/18/95 -7,486 +7,486
536 Ramona Street CDCGFP 7/11/95 -134 +134
-725n53 Alma Street PC-4283 7/17/95 --1,038
552 Emerson Street CDCGFP 7/18/95 -177 +177
483 University Avenue G PC-4296 10/2/95 3,467c 2,789 +7,289
424 University Avenue CDCGFP 9/21/95 -2,803 +2,803
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Public Benefit Seismic, Historic, Net change in Bonus Non Project Address Zoning Date Approved Residential or Minor Bonus non/Residential
Square Footage Square Footage Floor Area
901/909 Alma Street E,F PC-4389 8/1/96 --+4,425
171 University Avenue CD-C(GF)(P) 9/19/96 -1,853 +1,853
401 High Street CD-C(P) 10/3/96 -350 +350
430 Kipling Street D,H CD-C(P) 10/22/96 -200 +1,412
460-476 University CD-C(GF)(P) 3/20/97 -1,775 +1,775 Avenue
400 Emerson Street D PC-4238 3/21/97 --+2,227
275 Alma Street CD-N(P) 7/8/97 -200 +3,207
390 Lytton Avenue PC-4436 7/14/97 8,420c 689 +17,815
411 High Street H CDCP 12/18/97 -2,771 +2,771
530 Ramona CDCGFP OS/20/99 -2852 +2852
705 Alma St CDSP 09/21/99 -2814 +2814
200 Hamilton Ave CDCP 10/21/99 -10913 +10913
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A: Project approved during the Downtown Moratorium (9/84 to 9/86), but was not included in the Downtown EIR's "pipeline projects." As a result, the project is
counted among the CD District's nonresidential development approvals since the enactment of the Downtown Study Policies in 1986
B: Through Assessment District project provided additional 64 public parking spaces as part of public benefit instead of required 44 private spaces
C: Project exceeded square footage otherwise allowed by zoning
D: Project converted residential space to non-residential space. Net non-residential space counts toward the 350,000 square foot limit
E: Project included covered parking that counts as floor area but not counted 350,000 square foot limit
F: Project was approved pursuant to PAMC Sections 18.83.120 or 18.83.130 which allow for a reduction in the number required parking spaces for shared parking
facilities, joint use parking facilities, or substitution of 8 bike parking spaces for one vehicle space.
G. In addition, project paid in-lieu fee for loss of2 on-site parking spaces
H: In addition, projects paid in-lieu fee for loss of 4 on-site spaces
I: Part of the SOFA 2 CAP
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-,
NET CHANGE ADDED NET PARKING NET TOTAL PROJECT IN NONI ADDED EXEMPTIONS ZONING PARKING DEFICIT CUMULATIVE ADDRESS RESIDENTIAL REQUIRED PARKING PER 18.49.060 CHANGE DEFICIT FLOOR AREA SPACES OFPAMC
619 Cowper Street CDCP +2,208 9 9 0 0 1,590
250 University PC-3872 +20,300 103 131 8 0 -28 1,562 Avenue
550 University CDCP -371 0 0 0 -1 1,561 Avenue
529 Bryant Street PC-3974 +2,491 10 0 10 +10 1,571
520 Webster StreetC PC-3499 0 0 163 0 -163 1,408
305 Lytton Avenue CDCP +200 1 0 1 +1 1,409
550 Lytton Avenue CDCP +4,845 19 19 0 0 1,409
Downtown Extensive restriping by Transportation Division of on and off/street parking -96 1,313
531 Cowper Street PC-4052 +9,475 38 0 2 +38 1,351
540 Bryant Street CDCGFP +404 2 0 2 +2 1,353
530/534 Bryant CDCGFP +432 2 0 2 +2 1,355' Street
555 Waverley CDCP +2,064 8 0 0 +8 1,363 .
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!
NET CHANGE ADDED NET PARKING NET . TOTAL
PROJECT IN NONI ADDED EXEMPTIONS ZONING PARKING DEFICIT CUMULATIVE ADDRESS RESIDENTIAL REQUIRED PARKING PER 18.49.060 CHANGE DEFICIT FLOOR AREA SPACES OFPAMC
536 Ramona Street +134 1 0 1 +1 1,355
725-753 Alma Street PC-4283 -1,038 7 7 0 -11 1,344
552 Emerson Street CDCGFP +177 1 0 1 +1 1,345
483 University PC-4296 +7,289 29 _2E 11 +31 1,376 Avenue
424 University CDCGFP +2,803 11 0 11 +11 1,387 Avenue
901/909 Alma PC-4389 +4,425 18 18 0 0 1,387 StreetD
171 University CDCGFP +1,853 7 0 7 +7 1,394 Avenue
401 High Street CDCP +350 1 0 1 +1 1,395
430 Kipling Street CDCP +1,412 5 _4E 1 +10 1,405
460/476 University CDCGFP +1,775 7 Avenue
, 0 7 +7 1,412
400 Emerson Street PC-4238 +2,227 9 0 0 +9 1,421
--------
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'(
,
NET CHANGE ADDED NET PARKING NET TOTAL PROJECT IN NONr ADDED EXEMPTIONS
ADDRESS ZONING RESIDENTIAL PARKING PARKING PER 18.49.060 DEFICIT CUMULATIVE
FLOOR AREA REQUIRED SPACES OFPAMC CHANGE DEFICIT
275 Alma Stree( CDNP +3,207 o· 0 1 +1 1,422
~
390 Lytton Avenue PC-4436 +17,815 74 50 3 +27 1,449
411 High Street CDCP +2,771 0 _4E 11 +15 1,464
530 Ramona CDCGFP 2852 11 0 11 +11 1475
705 Alma St CDSP 2814 11 0 11 +11 1486
200 Hamilton Ave CDCP 10,913 44 3E 35 +41 1527
550 Lytton Ave CDCP 93 0 0 0 0 1527
528 High St PF 0 0 138 G 0 -138 1389
445 Bryant PF 0 0 575 G 0 -575 814
437 Kipling St CDCGFP 945 4 OE 2 +4 818
701 Emerson St CDSP 434 2 1 1 +1 819
. 723 Emerson St CDSP 400 2 2 0 0 819
880 I 884 Emerson St CDSP 312 2 5 0 -3 816
Pages
NET CHANGE ADDED NET PARKING NET TOTAL PROJECT IN NONI ADDED EXEMPTIONS ZONING PARKING DEFICIT CUMULATIVE ADDRESS RESIDENTIAL REQUIRED PARKING PER 18.49.060 CHANGE DEFICIT FLOOR AREA SPACES OFPAMC
539 Alma St CDCGFP 2,500 10 0 10 +10 826
270 University Ave CDCGFP 2,642 11 Ot: 11 +11 837
SUBTOTAL 86/02 106,930 672 1297 236 -764 837
901 High St. CDSP 12,063 59u 60 0 -1 836
800 High St. t1 PC-4779 -15,700 0 63 0 -63 773
TOTAL 118,993 731 1357 236 -828 773
A: Project approved during the Downtown Moratorium (9/84 to 9/86, but was not included in the Downtown EIR's "pipeline projects." As a result, the project is
counted among the CD District's nonresidential development approvals since the enactment ofthe Downtown Study Policies in 1986
B: Through Assessment District project provided additional 64 public parking spaces as part of public benefit
C: Addition of21evels of parking to Cowper/Webster garage
D: Project was approved pursuant to PAMC Sections 18.83.120 or 18.83.130 which allow for a reduction in the number required parking spaces for shared parking
facilities, joint use parking facilities, or substitution of 8 bike parking spaces for one vehicle space.
E. Project removed existing on-site spaces or met required parking ~y paying in-lieu fee
F: Site had existing parking sufficient to allow expansion
G: Construction of2 city parking lots. 528 High completed on Aug. 2003 and 445 Bryant completed on Nov. 2003
H: Part of the SOFA 2 CAP
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