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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 14522 City of Palo Alto (ID # 14522) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Study Session Meeting Date: 8/15/2022 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: 616 Ramona: Prescreening for Municipal Code Text Amendment Title: 616 Ramona Street [22PLN-00146]: Request for Council prescreening for an applicant proposed text amendment to Chapter 18.18.120 to allow a change to the building envelope when replacing non-complying floor area in the Commercial Downtown. Environmental Assessment: Not a Project. The Formal Application Will be Subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Review. Zoning District: CD-C(P) Community Commercial Downtown with a Pedestrian Combining District. From: City Manager Lead Department: Planning and Development Services Recommendation Staff recommends that Council conduct a prescreening and provide informal comments regarding the applicant’s request to amend Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Chapter 18.18.120 to allow for a change to the building envelope when replacing noncomplying floor area. This Zoning Code Text Amendment would allow for the redevelopment of the property at 616 Ramona Street with a taller two-story office building, rooftop deck, and underground parking garage. Comments provided during the prescreening process are not binding on the City or the applicant. Executive Summary This prescreening is a request by the applicant to amend the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Specifically, the applicant proposes to amend PAMC Section 18.18.180 to allow for the replacement of non-complying floor area in the Commercial Downtown (CD) district without restricting the building envelope. The proposed text amendment would accommodate the redevelopment of 616 Ramona Street, a 5,124 square foot (sf) site. The existing site includes a two-story, 8,344 sf office building. The proposed development would include a new, two-story, 8,964 sf office building with a rooftop deck (utilizing 620 sf of transferrable development rights) City of Palo Alto Page 2 and below-grade parking garage. The proposed code change would align with a previous interpretation of the code, consistent with the staff interpretation presented to Council in 1988. However, in 2016 Council amended the code to more clearly prohibit a change to the building envelope when replacing non- complying floor area. The project would require a formal application for a Zoning Code Text Amendment, a request for a variance from a special setback, and an Architectural Review application for the new proposed development. Background In 1986 Council adopted Ordinance 36961, which established a new Commercial Downtown (CD) District and codified development standards for the new zone district. The amendments significantly reduced the allowable floor area for parcels within the CD District. Because these code amendments resulted in many existing buildings that exceeded the newly established gross floor area standards, the adopted amendments included a provision allowing for the replacement of noncomplying floor area. However, the code provisions raised questions regarding interpretation. In March 1988 staff brought forth an informational report to Council for a code interpretation of the 1986 amendments (CMR 185:8). This code interpretation, included in Attachment C, concluded that buildings could be permitted to be remodeled or replaced provided there would be no increase in the building’s noncompliance. It concluded that buildings could be reconfigured in terms of length, height, and width so long as the existing floor area was not increased. In no event would a building’s height be allowed to exceed the height limit of the applicable district. In 2006 Council adopted Ordinance 4923, which amended the Commercial Downtown Zone regulations, moving the regulations from Chapter 18.49 to 18.18. The language relating to noncomplying uses remained substantially unchanged. Until 2015, staff continued to review and approve projects within the CD District consistent with the code interpretation presented to Council in 1988. In 2015 some councilmembers expressed disagreement with this interpretation of this code and directed staff to amend the code for clarity. In January 2017 Council adopted Ordinance 5373,2 amending Chapter 18.18.180(a)(2) to clarify the meaning of “building envelope” and to 1 Ordinance 3696 is available online at: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/city- clerk/ordinances/ordinances-1909-to-present/ordinances-by-number/ord-3696.pdf 2 Ordinance 5373, adopted January 11, 2016, is available online at: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/city-clerk/ordinances/ord-5373.pdf City of Palo Alto Page 3 more clearly state that noncomplying floor area may not be demolished and replaced in a manner that results in a change to the three-dimensional shape of the existing building. The code was revised as follows: “(2) The grandfathered use in subsection (1) shall be permitted to remodel, improve, or replace site improvements on the same site, for continual use and occupancy by the same use, provided such remodeling, improvement, or replacement complies with all of the following: (A) shall not result in increased floor area: (B)shall not relocate below grade floor area to above grade portions of the building shift the building footprint; (C)shall not result in an increase in the height, length, building envelope, building footprint or any other increase in the size of the improvement. For purposes of this section, “building envelope” shall mean the three-dimensional shape and size occupied by an existing building. It is not the maximum, buildable potential of the site; (D) shall not increase the degree of noncompliance, except pursuant to the exceptions to floor area ratio regulations set forth in Section 18.18.070; or (E ) in the case of medical, professional, general business or administrative office uses of a size exceeding 5,000 sf in the CD-S or CD-N district that are deemed grandfathered pursuant to subsection (1), such remodeling, improvement, or replacement shall not result in increased floor area devoted to such office uses. (F) The Director may approve minor changes to the building’s footprint, height, length, and the building envelope through Architectural Review of minor aesthetic architectural improvements and to improve pedestrian orientation provided there is no increase to the degree of any non-complying feature.” Project Description The formal application would include a request to amend Chapter 18.18.120(a)(2) of the City of Palo Alto Zoning Ordinance. The amendment would allow for demolition of an existing two- story office building at 616 Ramona Street, a 5,124 square foot (sf), site, and redevelopment of the site with a new two-story building with a third-floor rooftop deck and below-grade parking garage. The project would result in demolition of 8,344 sf of gross floor area, including 3,220 sf of floor area that exceeds the allowable 1:1 floor area ratio, and replacement with 8,964 sf of gross floor area. The additional 620 sf of floor area beyond the existing floor area would be provided through transferred development rights (TDRs). The project also includes a request for a variance from the required six-foot setback along Ramona Street. A location map of the proposed site is included in Attachment A. Attachment D includes the applicant’s project description. The preliminary schematic drawings, included in Attachment E, are conceptual, as City of Palo Alto Page 4 is appropriate at this stage of project consideration. Surrounding Uses Adjacent zoning includes PF zoning (City Hall and King Plaza) to the north across Ramona Street, other CD-C(P) zoned parcels to the northeast, and CD-C(P) with a Ground Floor (GF) combining district to the south (rear) of the building and west (along Hamilton). The adjacent building at the corner of Hamilton and Ramona Street includes retail space on the ground floor (Joe & The Juice), office space on the second level, and residential condominiums on the third level. The adjacent building at 630 Ramona is a Historic Resource Category 2 building on the City’s local inventory occupied by office uses (real estate office). Discussion Staff will prepare a thorough analysis of the zoning and Comprehensive Plan compliance upon submittal of a formal application, if filed. Staff’s review of the conceptual plans and project description highlights key requests. Comprehensive Plan The existing use of the site is a variety of small general business and medical office uses (e.g. architecture firm, chiropractor, etc.). The use of the site would not change; office use is consistent with the allowable uses within the Comprehensive Plan for the Regional/Community Commercial land use designation. The proposed redevelopment of the building is consistent with policies outlined in the Comprehensive Plan to encourage pedestrian design. These include Policy L-4.7: Maintain and enhance the University Avenue/Downtown area as a major commercial center of the City, with a mix of commercial, civic, cultural, recreational and residential uses. Promote quality design that recognizes the regional and historical importance of the area and reinforces its pedestrian character. The project would also address policies in the Natural Element of the Comprehensive Plan that encourage the reduction of natural gas emissions from existing buildings because a new development would be required to comply with the most current CalGreen requirements. However, the proposed project would add to the massing within the Downtown on a building that exceeds allowable floor area ratio, in order to accommodate redevelopment for office use. This is not specifically discussed in the Comprehensive Plan but is discussed further in the City’s zoning ordinance. Zoning Compliance The proposed development at 616 Ramona Street is located within the CD-C(P) Zone District Commercial Dowtown Community with a Pedestrian Combining District). The Commercial City of Palo Alto Page 5 Downtown Community district is intended to be a comprehensive zoning district for the downtown business area, accommodating a wide range of commercial uses serving city-wide and regional business and service needs, as well as providing for residential uses and neighborhood service needs. The existing office use at the site would continue; this use is consistent with the allowable uses within the commercial downtown community. A review of the conceptual plans concludes that the project appears to comply with most of the applicable development standards. However, the project replaces noncomplying floor area in a manner that increases the building envelope, which is inconsistent with PAMC Section 18.18.120(a)(2). Therefore, a code amendment would be required to allow for the replacement of this non-complying floor area. In addition, the project does not comply with the six-foot special setback along Ramona Street. Therefore, a variance would be required to accommodate this deviation from the code. Generally, the project does improve the building’s compliance with the pedestrian combining district requirements by providing an awning, contributing to the pedestrian scale, and more windows that provide views into the space, consistent with the design guidelines for this combining district. Multi-Modal Access & Parking The proposed project would provide a new below-grade parking garage which would be accessed from the rear alley. More detailed plans would be necessary as part of any formal application to determine whether the project, as designed, provides appropriate clearances, turning radius, etc. for cars to appropriately access the parking garage and the parking spaces within the garage. Two on-site spaces would be required if 620 sf of additional floor area were to be added using transferred development rights (TDRs). The in-lieu fees for 33 parking spaces have previously been paid into the Downtown Assessment District for the existing floor area. The project proposes 11 new parking spaces on site (with the ADA spaces counted twice in accordance with the code). Therefore, the project would provide nine parking spaces beyond the 35 required for the project (33 in-lieu and two new on-site spaces). The project would provide improvements for pedestrians along Ramona Street by redeveloping the site to comply with the existing pedestrian overlay design requirements. Improvements would include a wider sidewalk, balconies that provide pedestrian coverage on the ground level and “eyes on the street” for levels above, as well as increased visibility into the space. Policy Implications City of Palo Alto Page 6 Prescreenings are intended to solicit early feedback on proposed projects and, like all study sessions, cannot result in any formal action. Therefore, informal comments from Councilmembers would not impart policy. That said, Council’s feedback will help to inform whether there is interest in pursuing Zoning Code text amendments. Such text amendments, if desired, would have policy implications. The requested code amendments address the concept of allowing for replacement of non- complying floor area on a building. The code has historically limited redevelopment of many older, legal noncomplying buildings in the Downtown if the result is greater height or massing. The request is to allow this and other such buildings to be redeveloped for the benefits of improved energy efficiency or to resolve other noncompliance issues for a site (e.g. waste storage or parking). The proposed conceptual amendment could result in the redevelopment of many Downtown sites to modernize existing buildings while retaining existing non-complying floor area. Resource Impact The prescreening and processing of an application, if filed, are services paid for by fees from the applicant. Additionally, impact fees are charged on the formal project to account for impacts the project will have on public services and infrastructure. The proposed text amendment itself would have no impact on revenue. However, if property owners chose to redevelop their sites based on the revised regulations, this may result in increased property tax revenue. The proposed redevelopment of 616 Ramona Street would result in a 50% increase in property taxes according to the developer (see Attachment D). The exact actual increase would be dependent on the proposed tenant. Timeline Following the prescreening review, the applicant will consider Council’s comments and determine how they want to proceed. Any formal application for a Zoning Code Text Amendment would be subject to review by the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) and City Council. Any proposed modifications to the site would be subject to review by the Architectural Review Board. Stakeholder Engagement The Palo Alto Municipal Code requires notice of this public hearing to be published in a local newspaper and to be mailed to owners and occupants of property within 600 feet of the subject property at least ten days in advance. Notice of a public hearing for this project was published in the Daily Post on August 5, 2022, which is 10 days in advance of the meeting. Postcard mailing occurred on August 2, 2021, which is 13 days in advance of the meeting. As of the writing of this report, no project-related public comments were received. City of Palo Alto Page 7 Environmental Review The prescreening is a preliminary review process in which Councilmembers may provide comments, but no formal action will be taken. Therefore, no review under the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA) is required at this time. A full review in accordance with CEQA would be initiated with the formal filing of a development application. Attachments: Attachment A: Project Location (PDF) Attachment B: Zoning Comparison Table (DOCX) Attachment C: 1998 Council Informational Report Regarding Non-Complying Floor Area in the CD Zone District (PDF) Attachment D: Project Description (PDF) Attachment E: Project Plans (DOCX) 7 7 7 6 City Hall ton_Building 2.5'10.0' 180 7.1' 4 125.0'102.5' 40.0' 102.5' 25.0'2.5' 15.0' 100.0' 85.0' 100.0'50.0' 100.0' 50.0' 100.0' 40.0' 102.5' 40.0' 102.5' 30.0' 102.5' 30.0' 102.5' 30.0' 102.5' 30.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 25.0'7.5' 40.0' 102.5' 65.0' 95.0' 50.0' 100.0' 100.0' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 75.0' 125.0' 75.0' 125.0' 175.0' 7.0' 400.0' 225.0' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 50.0' 102.5' 100.0' 50.0' 100.0' 50.0' 100.0' 50.0' 100.0' 50.0' 50.0' 35.0' 5.0' 15.0' 5.0'104.0' 100.0'114.0' 0.0' 5.0'15.0'5.0' 35.0' 100.0' 100.0' 85.0' 59.0'85.0' 59.0' 85.0' 66.0'85.0' 66.0' 100.0' 100.0' 50.0' 620 180 624 628 632 636 0 630 616 208 228 220 231 611-623 625-631 538- 542 250 651 221- 225 227 668 581 247 602 604 643 635 203 642640 636200 240 9 215 225 229 552548546 230-238 235 261 267 555 600 229 ST R EET H A M ILT O N A V E N U E E M E RSO N ST R EET B R EST A V E N U E R A M O N A ST REET L A N E 11 W EST P CD-C (P) D-C(GF)(P) Civic Center Plaza Parking Lot C C This map is a product of the City of Palo Alto GIS This document is a graphic representation only of best available sources. Legend Project Site 0' 66' Attachment A: Project Location CITY O F PALO A L TO IN C O R P O R ATE D C ALIFOR N IA P a l o A l t oT h e C i t y o f A P RIL 16 1894 The City of Palo Alto assumes no responsibility for any errors ©1989 to 2016 City of Palo Alto chodgki, 2022-06-28 11:26:05 (\\cc-maps\Encompass\Admin\Personal\Planning.mdb) Page 1 of 2 ATTACHMENT B ZONING COMPLIANCE TABLE 616 Ramona Street, 22PLN-00146 Table 1: COMPARISON WITH CHAPTER 18.18 (CD-C DISTRICT) Exclusively Non-Residential Development Standards Regulation Required Existing Proposed Minimum Setbacks Front Yard None required (unless there is a special setback) 6 ft 0 ft Rear Yard None Required 0 ft 0 ft Interior Side Yard None Required 0 ft 0 ft Street Side Yard None Required 0 ft 0 ft Special Setback Pursuant to Code Section 20.08 6 foot 6 foot Minimum street setback for sites sharing a common block face with any abutting residential zone district (4) Not Applicable Not Applicable Minimum yard (ft) for lot lines abutting or opposite residential zone districts 10 feet (1) Not Applicable Not Applicable Maximum Site Coverage None Required 5,125 sf (100%) 4,860 sf (95%) Maximum Height 50 ft Unknown (single-story) 41 ft 10 in Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) 1.0:1 (5,125 sf) (5) 8,344 sf 8,204 sf Maximum Size of New Non- Residential Construction or Expansion Projects 25,000 sf of gross floor area or 15,000 sf above the existing floor area, whichever is greater, provided the floor area limits set forth elsewhere in this chapter are not exceeded Not Applicable Not Applicable* Daylight Plane for lot lines abutting one or more residential zone districts Initial Height at side or rear lot line (Note 2) Not Applicable Not Applicable Slope (Note 2) Not Applicable Not Applicable *Project proposes to replace non-complying floor area and utilize the allowances under PAMC Section 18.18.060(e)(2) to allow for the addition of exempt floor area on the roof for access to a rooftop deck. Page 2 of 2 Notes 1) The yard shall be planted and maintained as a landscaped screen, excluding area required for site access. 2) The initial height and slope shall be identical to those of the residential zone abutting the site line in question. 3) The maximum height within 150 feet of any abutting residential zone district shall not exceed the height limit of the abutting residential district. 4) The minimum street setback shall be equal to the residentially zoned setback for 150 feet from the abutting single-family or multiple family development. 5) FAR may be increased with transfers of development and/or bonuses for seismic and historic rehabilitation upgrades, not to exceed a total site FAR of 3.0:1 in the CD-C subdistrict or 2.0:1 in the CD-S or CD-N subdistricts. 18.18.100 Performance Standards. In addition to the standards for development prescribed above, all development shall comply with the performance criteria outlined in Chapter 18.23 of the Zoning Ordinance. All mixed-use development shall also comply with the provisions of Chapter 18.23 of the Zoning Ordinance. 18.18.110 Context-Based Design Criteria. As further described in a separate attachment, development in a commercial district shall be responsible to its context and compatible with adjacent development, and shall promote the establishment of pedestrian oriented design. Table 2: CONFORMANCE WITH CHAPTER 18.52.040 (Off-Street Parking and Loading) for Downtown University Avenue Parking Assessment District Type Required Existing Proposed Conforms? Vehicle Parking (within the Downtown Parking Assessment District) PAMC 18.52.040 Table 2 All uses except residential: 1 space per 250 sf 35 spaces 33 spaces1 44 spaces2 Yes Bicycle Parking (within the Downtown Parking Assessment District) PAMC 18.52.040 Table 2 All uses except residential: 1 space per 2,500 sf 40% Long Term (LT) 60% Short Term (ST) 3 spaces 1 LT 2 ST Unknown 2 Long Term 4 Short Term Yes Loading Space The project is not required to provide a loading space because it is less than 9,999 sf. Office projects greater than 10,000 sf are required to provide loading spaces. 1Spaces are currently provided in-lieu through historic payment into the parking assessment district 2The applicant is proposing a new below-grade parking garage with 11 spaces June 9, 2022 Mayor Pat Burt, Vice Mayor Kou and Council Members City of Palo Alto City Clerk’s Office 250 Hamilton Avenue, 7th floor Palo Alto, CA 94303 Re: 616 Ramona Street – City Council Prescreening Honorable Mayor Burt, Vice Mayor Kou and Council Members, Attached is Hayes Group Architect’s submittal package for 616 Ramona Street for a council prescreening. The project applicant is Hayes Group Architects on behalf of our client, R&M Properties. This package includes an electronically submitted plan set, including the site survey, contextual photos, the proposed site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, and perspectives. 1. EXISTING CONDITIONS The 5,125 SF project site is midblock on Ramona Street, adjacent to a four-story, mixed-use building to the north and a Category 2 Historic Resource to the south. The existing two-story office building, constructed in 1962, is old and of another era, lacking windows, adequate floor to floor and floor to roof heights, energy efficiencies, ADA accessibility and pedestrian amenities. We are proposing its removal. The surrounding neighborhood is a mix of retail, restaurants and office uses. City Hall Plaza is directly across the street. The property backs onto Lane 11 West, a twenty-foot-wide alley at the rear that is used for building utilities. The zoning district is CD-C(P), Downtown Commercial, Pedestrian Shopping Combining District. This district allows a commercial FAR of 1.0/1 that can be expanded up to 3.0/1 with bonus and exempt floor areas. There is a fifty-foot height limit and no setbacks or maximum site coverage requirements. Although there are no easements on this property, there is a six-foot Special Setback along the Ramona Street frontage for which a variance request will be made to eliminate this setback so that the new building will fit in with the existing context of the street edge. The 240 Hamilton project next door to the north was granted a variance from these outdated Special Setbacks on both Hamilton and Ramona frontages in 2012. The site is more than 150 feet from any residentially zoned properties, does not contain an historic resource and is, therefore, an eligible Transfer Development Rights receiver site pursuant to PAMC 18.18.080(e). The existing, office building consists of 8,344.3 SF of gross floor area constituting a 1.63/1 Floor area Ratio (FAR) where a 1.0/1 FAR is the base permitted FAR. Because of this, the building is considered a Noncomplying (Grandfathered) Facility. Pursuant to PAMC 18.18.120(b), any noncomplying grandfathered facility shall be permitted to remodel, improve, or replace site improvements on the same site, provided such remodeling, improvement, or replacement complies with all of the following: (A) shall not result in increased floor area; (B) shall not relocate below grade floor area to above grade portions of the building; (C) shall not result in an increase of the height, length, building envelope, building footprint, or any other increase in the size of the improvement; (D) shall not increase the degree of noncompliance, except pursuant to the exceptions to floor area ratio regulations set forth in Section 18.18.070, Floor Area Bonuses. No parking is provided onsite; however, the property owner is assessed for 33 parking spaces for the existing floor area in the Downtown Parking Assessment District for parking that is required but not provided on site. 2. PROPOSED PROJECT The proposed project consists of a new, two-story, office building with a full level of underground parking, a second-floor roof terrace and an upper roof terrace. The existing floor area is being replaced and will be distributed as indicated in the attached plan set. The underground parking will be accessed from the rear alley by way of a vehicle elevator that will descend one story below grade to provide access to the eleven parking spaces, including five in a puzzler lift, one ADA van space and one EV Van space (each counting as two spaces) and two other parking spaces. Pursuant to 18.18.110, Context Based Design Criteria, the new building relates to the context in the following ways: 1. Maintaining the street rhythm and syncopation by breaking up the mass and introducing columns that divide the main façade into three bays like the historic building next door. 2. Transitioning the building height from the four-story building to the north to the historic building to the south, by placing the taller stair feature next to the four-story building and stepping down toward the historic resource. 3. Creating a trellis form at the second-floor balcony that reinforces the sidewalk edge while being architecturally reminiscent of the roof massing of the historic building, where the roof form has been added to a simple rectangular box to address the street. 4. Creating ground floor entries that face the street and a stair feature with glazing that reveals activity inside. 5. Providing plenty of ground floor street facing glass and second floor terrace overlooking the street and city hall plaza to activate the street and enhance the pedestrian experience. 6. Providing additional parking below grade, out of sight, and accessed from the rear service alley. 7. Providing all building services accessed from the rear alley. 8. Providing terrace railings that reinforce the crafted metal railings of the historic building’s railings and balconies. 9. Using materials that are derived from the neighboring buildings like metal panels, plaster, concrete and glass and metal railings. 10. Relating to city hall by way of vertically oriented arrays of glass and railings. 11. Minimizing the ground floor lobby serving the upper floor and roof terrace to allow for greater ground floor pedestrian oriented uses. 12. Setting back the main second floor and upper roof terrace to respect the historic building next door. 13. Creating an upper roof terrace for outdoor activities in support of the building occupants. The proposed building provides separate entries for the first-floor use and the upper-floor use. A trellis structure above the street facing second floor terrace defines the front of the building and reinforces the street edge. Outdoor spaces at the front, rear and upper roof provide opportunities for occupants to go outside to work, collaborate and socialize, an important amenity as we enter a post-pandemic world. Mechanical equipment is located at the upper, roof terrace level, between the stairs, and used not only for screening the equipment but for providing support for PV solar panels. Additional PV solar panels are arrayed on the trellis structure in the middle of the roof terrace that defines outdoor, protected, seating areas. This will be an all-electric building generating a portion of its energy from the rooftop arrays. The floor area required for access via stairs and elevator to the new rooftop terrace and garden is considered exempt floor area pursuant to PAMC 18.18.060(e)2. 3. CONFLCT WITH PALO ALTO ZONING ORDINANCE 18.18.120(b), NONCOMPLYING GRANDFATHERED FACILITIES Although the Palo Alto Municipal Code section on noncomplying, grandfathered facilities allows the replacement of existing floor area in a new building, the new building cannot increase the height, length or building envelop of the former building even if those increases are consistent with site development requirements in PAMC 18.18.060 and result in a better building. The effect of this is paralyzing on our building stock and the future replacement of old, outdated and unfit buildings that should be replaced to respond to the needs of our time. For many years, between 1988 and 2014, city staff interpreted this section of the municipal code in accordance with a city manager’s staff report, dated March 10, 1988 (attachment 1), which took a much more real-world, logical approach to the replacement of existing floor area in noncomplying buildings. I can cite many new buildings my firm has completed in the downtown starting with the Palo Alto Bike Shop in 1996 that were noncomplying facilities in terms of FAR that were permitted to replace the existing floor area in new, completely reconfigured buildings. More of these projects included the former Jos Bank’s building, the Keene’s shoes building, 240 Hamilton -the building next door to the proposed building, the Philz Coffee building on Forrest/Alma and 317/323 University Avenue. All of these projects have two things in common: 1) they replaced floor area of noncomplying grandfathered facilities and 2) they resulted in new, modern buildings with completely different building envelops than before, adding to the vibrancy of the downtown. 4. BENEFITS This proposed project is not possible without a new approach to working with owners of noncomplying facilities. The benefits to the downtown are new buildings that respond to the forces of the community, that connect with the street and sidewalk, that provide additional parking, that are consistent with the environmental initiatives of our time and, in particular, the City of Palo Alto’s and that continue to improve the attractiveness of the city’s building inventory. There is no downside. There is no increase in the amount of office space, just better buildings, fit for our time. In short, if allowed to proceed, this particular project would: • Not increase office space • Add 11 parking spaces where none exist now • Provide complete access for all those with disabilities • Meet all current building and life safety codes • Result in a beautiful new building in our downtown • Increase property tax for this parcel approximately 50x We are seeking a zoning code text amendment to PAMC18.18.120(b) that addresses the benefits of retiring outdated, noncomplying buildings and encourages building owners to consider new opportunities for their properties without losing the existing floor area. We look forward to an opportunity to review the benefits of this project and hopefully future projects with you at a prescreening, the first step in our entitlement process. Please call me at (650) 365-0600x15 if you have any questions. Sincerely, Ken Hayes, AIA Principal cc: Steve Reller, R&M Properties Mark Moragne, R&M Properties Richard Hackmann, enclosed: CMR dated March 10, 1988 Attachment E Project Plans In order to reduce paper consumption, a limited number of hard copy project plans are provided to Councilmembers for their review. The same plans are available to the public, at all hours of the day, via the following online resources. Directions to review Project plans online: 1. Go to: bit.ly/PApendingprojects 2. Scroll down to find “616 Ramona” and click the address link 3. On this project specific webpage you will find a link to the project plans and other important information Direct Link to Project Webpage: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/News-Articles/Planning-and-Development-Services/616- Ramona-Street?transfer=0424d932-ab74-4fb3-b083-7d399ef4ca1a