HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-25 Planning & Transportation Commission Agenda PacketPLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Council Chambers & Hybrid
6:00 PM
Planning and Transportation Commission meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the
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Meeting ID: 916 4155 9499 Phone: 1(669)900-6833
PUBLIC COMMENTS
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CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL
AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
The Chair or Commission majority may modify the agenda order to improve meeting management.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda. Three (3) minutes per speaker.
CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS
1.Director's Report, Meeting Schedule, and Assignments
STUDY SESSION
Public Comment is Permitted. Three (3) minutes per speaker.
2.San Antonio Road Area Plan Land Use and Transportation Alternatives Study Session.
CEQA Status: Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15262.
ACTION ITEMS
Public Comment is Permitted. Applicants/Appellant Teams: Fifteen (15) minutes, plus three (3) minutes rebuttal. All others:
Three (3) minutes per speaker.
3.Recommendation on an Ordinance to Amend Various Sections of Title 16 (Building
Regulations) and Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Implement Retail
Vitality Policies in the Comprehensive Plan. CEQA Status: The Ordinance is Consistent
with and Represents Implementation of Adopted Policies in the Comprehensive Plan, for
Which an Environmental Impact Report (Comprehensive Plan EIR) was Certified on
February 5, 2016.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Public Comment is Permitted. Three (3) minutes per speaker.
4.Approval of Planning & Transportation Commission Draft Summary & Verbatim Minutes
of February 11, 2026
COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE MEETINGS AND
AGENDAS
Members of the public may not speak to the item(s).
ADJOURNMENT
OTHER INFORMATION
The materials below are provided for informational purposes, not for action or discussion during this meeting’s agenda. Written
public comments may be submitted in advance and will be provided to the Commission and availible for public inspection on the
City’s website three days before the meeting.
A.Public Comment
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS
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teleconference, or by phone.
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CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 916 4155 9499 Phone:1-669-900-6833
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Item No. 1. Page 1 of 2
Planning & Transportation Commission
Staff Report
From: Planning and Development Services Director
Lead Department: Planning and Development Services
Meeting Date: March 25, 2026
Report #: 2603-6128
TITLE
Director's Report, Meeting Schedule, and Assignments
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) review and
comment as appropriate.
BACKGROUND
This document includes the following items:
Upcoming PTC Agenda Items
PTC Meeting Schedule
PTC Representative to City Council (Rotational Assignments)
Commissioners are encouraged to contact Samuel Tavera (Samuel.Tavera@PaloaAlto.gov) to
notify staff of any planned absences one month in advance, if possible, to ensure the
availability of a PTC quorum.
PTC Representative to City Council is a rotational assignment where the designated
commissioner represents the PTC’s affirmative and dissenting perspectives to Council
for quasijudicial and legislative matters. Representatives are encouraged to review the City
Council agendas (https://www.paloalto.gov/City-Hall/City-Council/Council-Agendas-
Minutes) for the months of their respective assignments to verify if attendance is needed or
contact staff.
Prior PTC meetings are available online at https://midpenmedia.org/category/government/city-
of-palo-alto/boards-and-commissions/planning-and-transportation-commission.
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UPCOMING PTC ITEMS
April 8, 2026
4103 Old Trace Road Subdivision
Alternative Housing Types Study Session
788 San Antonio Road
Attachment A: 2026 PTC Meeting Schedule & Assignments
:
Jennifer Armer, Assistant Director
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Planning & Transportation Commission
2026 Meeting Schedule
2026 Schedule
Meeting Dates Time Location Status Planned Absences
1/14/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
1/28/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Cancelled
2/11/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular James
2/25/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular Chang
3/11/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Special James, Ji
3/25/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
4/8/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
4/29/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
5/13/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular Hechtman
5/27/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
6/10/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
6/24/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
7/8/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
7/29/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular Hechtman
8/12/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
8/26/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
9/9/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
9/30/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
10/14/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
10/28/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
11/11/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Cancelled
11/18/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Special
11/25/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Cancelled
12/9/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Regular
12/30/2026 6:00 PM Hybrid Cancelled
2026 Assignments - Council Representation (primary/backup)
January February March April May June
Bryna Chang Allen Akin Bart Hechtman Kevin Ji Todd James Forest Peterson
Todd James Forest Peterson Cari Templeton Bryna Chang Allen Akin Bart Hechtman
July August September October November December
Council Cari Templeton Bryna Chang Allen Akin Bart Hechtman Kevin Ji
Summer Break Kevin Ji Todd James Forest Peterson Cari Templeton Bryna Chang
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Attachment A - 2026 PTC
Schedule & Assignments
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Planning & Transportation Commission
Staff Report
From: Planning and Development Services Director
Lead Department: Planning and Development Services
Meeting Date: March 25, 2026
Report #: 2603-6122
TITLE
San Antonio Road Area Plan Land Use and Transportation Alternatives Study Session. CEQA
Status: Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15262.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Planning & Transportation Commission (PTC) conduct a study session to:
1. Review and comment on the draft San Antonio Road Area Plan land use and mobility
alternatives; and
2. Provide feedback to staff on preferred land use and mobility alternatives to inform City
Council discussion.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The San Antonio Road Area Plan (Area Plan) draft land use and mobility alternatives (illustrated
in Attachment A) provide high-level options for development in the plan area. Topics include
allowed uses, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, residential density, building heights, commercial
office and retail development areas, outdoor space, and roadway improvements. PTC feedback
on key project considerations and approaches are critical for the City Council to select the
preferred alternatives.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the Area Plan is to develop an integrated land use and transportation approach
to guide new development in the 275.3-acre plan area along and adjacent to San Antonio Road.
The Area Plan objectives include increased housing production, transportation and mobility
improvements, outdoor space, commercial and retail nodes, infrastructure, and sustainability
measures. The creation of this plan implements policies and programs of the City’s
Comprehensive Plan and the 2023-2031 Housing Element (Housing Element). The Area Plan will
establish policies, development standards, design guidelines, and the public infrastructure
necessary to accelerate the envisioned growth and development. The Area Plan builds on other
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Item No. 2. Page 2 of 8
planning efforts, including the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the 2022 Sustainability and Climate
Action Plan, the Housing Element, the 2025 Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan, and
the 2026 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan update (currently in process).
BACKGROUND
1 PDAs are locally created to support regional
goals set forth by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission (MTC), as described in Plan Bay Area. Plan Bay Area outlines the
Bay Area’s Regional Growth Framework, Regional Transportation Plan, and Sustainable
Community Strategies through 2050 and beyond. Key goals of PDAs include encouraging and
guiding growth around transit and connecting housing to jobs and areas of interest.
2 Architectural Review Board; Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee; and
City/School Transportation Safety Committee in 2025. A Community Survey was conducted in
October 2025, and the first Community Workshop was held on October 23, 2025.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (March 3, 2026)
1 September 18, 2023, City Council Meeting:
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=6489&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
2 September 10, 2025, Planning & Transportation Commission Meeting:
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=7671&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
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Human Relations Commission (March 17, 2026)
Architectural Review Board (March 19, 2026)
Parks and Recreation Commission (March 24, 2026)
Planning and Transportation Commission (March 25, 2026)
City/School Transportation Safety Committee (March 26, 2026)
In addition, a community workshop was held on March 5, 2026, and an online survey is running
from late February through March 2026. The feedback from these advisory bodies and the
public will be presented to the City Council at a study session on April 6, 2026.
ANALYSIS
The development of land use and mobility alternatives is a critical step toward creation of an
area plan. These alternatives explore differing priorities and tradeoffs, including housing and
commercial mix, housing densities, building heights, outdoor spaces, retail, and bicycle and
pedestrian facilities. Once preferred alternatives are selected, the Area Plan will have its high-
level concepts in place which will be further developed in the draft plan. The Area Plan will
ultimately include more granular policies, and development standards will be developed in later
phases of the project.
During the previous PTC study session on September 10, 2025, individual Commissioners
indicated interest in seeing bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements, availability and need
for additional right-of-way, the retention of existing jobs, increased building heights, increased
residential units, consideration of school capacity and catchment areas (including safe routes),
and a need to identify outdoor/community spaces including parks in the plan area.
Commissioners also expressed concern about how the Area Plan will impact the current
jobs/housing imbalance and how retail will be located within the plan area. These concepts are
addressed in some of the alternatives provided. The PTC also encouraged close cooperation
with neighboring jurisdictions, which is ongoing with both the City of Mountain View and the
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and inquired about sea-level rise and climate change,
areas which will be addressed in future phases of the Area Plan.
Land Use
For the land use alternatives, the project team has divided the 275.3-acre plan area into
districts which could be seen as distinct development areas. Some of these areas are
considered not likely to redevelop during the next 25 years, due to factors such as how recently
the current property was developed, institutional uses, and disparate ownership. Other areas
have a higher probability of redevelopment. Please refer to the map in Attachment A, Page 18,
for the specific locations of these development areas. The development areas are:
Primary Sub-Areas (High Development Potential Areas)
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The primary focus of the land use alternatives is on four high development potential areas
listed below. These areas are considered most likely to change. The project team has created a
series of options (or alternatives) to consider illustrated in Attachment A on pages 20-58.
Central San Antonio – is generally the area along San Antonio Road between East
Charleston Road and Byron Street, excluding the Greenhouse. This area includes several
pipeline residential development projects, additional sites likely to redevelop (such as
the Magnussen Toyota site at 690 San Antonio Road), and only a handful of sites
unlikely to redevelop (such as the two recently constructed hotels at 744 and 750 San
Antonio Road). Many properties contain one- to two-story commercial development.
These are explored in pages 22-26 of Attachment A.
South Fabian – The portion of Fabian Way on either side of Charleston Road, this area
includes the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, a private school, and some of the most
recently constructed multi-family housing, none of which is likely to redevelop.
However, there are several low-rise commercial spaces and surface parking lots which
have high development potential. This area contains some pipeline residential
development projects. These are explored in pages 27-31 of Attachment A.
North Fabian – The portion of Fabian Way closest to U.S. 101; this area contains 2-3
story office buildings (including the Maxar Site at 3825 and 3875 Fabian Way) and a
private school. While the school is unlikely to redevelop, the owner of the Maxar Site is
currently seeking a buyer, with residential development likely to be considered as part
of any redevelopment. These are explored in pages 32-39 of Attachment A.
CTI – The area containing Commercial Street, Transport Street, and Industrial Avenue
(CTI), bounded by San Antonio Road, U.S. 101, East Charleston Road, and the City’s
border with Mountain View contains a number of small lot, one- to two-story
commercial buildings. While there are no active development applications in this area,
there is developer interest in consolidating lots in this area. A 16-acre mixed-use
development is currently proposed in Mountain View adjacent to this area, and there is
a unique opportunity to work across jurisdictions in developing a new neighborhood in
this area. These are explored in pages 40-58 of Attachment A.
East and West Bayshore – The area bounded by East Bayshore Road, San Antonio Road,
and the Baylands Nature Preserve currently contains a number of low-rise office
buildings and the HomeKey transitional housing site. Separated from the rest of the Plan
Area by U.S. 101 and in close proximity to the Bay, this area is less desirable for
increased residential development. The single parcel along West Bayshore Road
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adjacent to the U.S. 101 bike/ped bridge also currently has a commercial office use and
is not well connected to the surrounding community.
Alma – The portion of the Plan Area along Alma Street contains a small townhouse
development and two faith-based organizations with larger parking lots. While state
laws have made it easier to develop housing in proximity to Caltrain stations, this area is
still considered less likely to redevelop, with the possible exception of the two faith-
based sites. State law has also made development of 100% affordable housing projects
easier on such sites, however, given the current scarcity in federal and state funds for
affordable housing, local funds would likely be required to make projects on these sites
feasible.
Stability Areas (redevelopment not anticipated)
There are also sub-areas within and adjacent to the plan area which are considered highly
unlikely to redevelop due to factors such as lot size, ownership, and/or historic designation. See
Sub Area Alternatives map on page 18 of Attachment A.
Greenhouse – The Greenhouse (777 San Antonio Road) and the Greenhouse II (765 San
Antonio Road) are a series of individually owned townhomes constructed in the 1970s.
Green Meadow – Green Meadow is one of Palo Alto’s mid-century subdivisions
designed by Joseph Eichler. While it is listed on the National Register, it is not a
designated district on Palo Alto’s Inventory. Green Meadow is outside of the plan area,
but within the Senate Bill 79 (2025) development area.
South San Antonio – South San Antonio is generally the area along San Antonio Road
between Byron Street and Nita Avenue. This area contains individually owned
townhomes, low-rise apartment buildings, and private schools.
Mobility
The Area Plan will identify mobility strategies which support the land use alternatives. The Area
Plan will reimagine the San Antonio Road corridor in order to accommodate multiple travel
modes and support access to adjacent land uses. Key mobility concepts include pedestrian-first
design, the creation of low-stress biking routes, first/last mile connections, parking and demand
management, and smart corridor technology. These topics are explored in pages 71-86 of
Attachment A. Additionally, some land use concepts proposed, such as small block sizes and
paseos, also improve walkability/bikability. Mobility improvements will apply across the entire
plan area, and presents multiple concepts for two focus locations described below.
San Antonio Road (E. Charleston Road to Middlefield Road) – This segment currently
includes an approximately 100+ foot public right-of-way (ROW), four travel lanes (two in
each direction), a raised median, and on-street parking that transitions to turn lanes at
intersections. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of the street. Bicycle travel is
currently accommodated via Class III shared-lane markings (“sharrows”), where people
bicycling and motor vehicles operate in the same travel lane – there are no dedicated
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on-street bicycle lanes or separate bicycle facilities on this segment. The alternatives
presented in pages 92-99 of Attachment A provide three concepts to enhance
pedestrian and bicycle facilities while maintaining existing general-purpose vehicle
travel lanes along the City’s east-west truck route.
E. Charleston Road (south of San Antonio Road) – This segment functions as a key
connection to the City of Mountain View and currently provides pedestrian and bicycle
accommodations along the corridor (e.g., sidewalks and bike lanes). The alternatives
presented on pages 106-113 of Attachment A present two concepts to enhance
pedestrian and bicycle facilities along this segment.
Additional proposed improvements include intersection improvements (especially where San
Antonio Road intersects with Middlefield and E. Charleston Roads and San Antonio Avenue
intersects with Alma Street), connections to the San Antonio Caltrain station, and incorporating
bike/ped facilities into improvements at the San Antonio Road/U.S. 101 interchange and future
improvements in Mountain View.
Staff is requesting feedback on which of the Area Plan alternatives are preferred, and which are
not preferred. Additional feedback is welcome on other alternatives explored in Attachment A.
This feedback will be provided to the City Council at a study session scheduled for April 6, 2026.
Financial Analysis
Attachment B provides additional context for some of these alternatives by describing the
range of costs to provide public parks, paseos, and open spaces envisioned in the Maxar Site
and CTI Sub-Area Plan Alternatives; the ability of housing and office development in the plan
alternatives to fund parks based on current City requirements; policy tools for ensuring the
public parks are built within the Maxar Site and CTI Sub-Area; and current and projected
financial feasibility of housing and office products in the Plan Area. Financial analysis of
transportation improvements is ongoing.
Based on the ranges of park spaces and residential and commercial buildout included in
the Area Plan alternatives for the Maxar Site and CTI Sub-Area, the City of Palo Alto’s existing
Parks Impact Fee revenues and Parkland Dedication requirements are highly likely to provide
sufficient resources to acquire and construct the alternatives’ public parks (inclusive of paseos
and open spaces). Only the “low-end residential only” build out of the CTI sub-area fell short of
generating sufficient revenue based on today’s fees and projected costs to provide high-end
outdoor facilities (and this scenario would still generate enough funds to support some level of
outdoor spaces).
Preliminary analysis of the financial feasibility (from a developer’s perspective) reveals the
projected success of development prototypes representing ownership townhomes, five-story
midrise multifamily rental housing, eight-story multifamily rental housing, a five-story office
building, and an eight-story office building.
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Under current conditions, the townhome prototype outperforms all other prototypes in
the Plan Area. Townhomes are relatively inexpensive to build and sell for high prices in
the Palo Alto market, including within the Plan Area, consistent with many other
jurisdictions in the region.
Both midrise rental housing and office development are likely to become
financially feasible in the Plan Area, with the Plan Area especially well positioned to
attract office development as market conditions improve. Palo Alto remains one of the
region’s most desirable office markets (especially for Class A office space); although the
Plan Area will remain a secondary location within the city, significant office
development potential exists as achievable rents increase, financing costs decline, and
the area benefits from the creation of an adjacent mixed-use office destination in
Mountain View.
NEXT STEPS
Feedback from the PTC, other appointed boards, committees, and commissions, and the
community (through the Community Advisory Group [CAG], community workshop, online
survey, and other public outreach efforts) will be presented to the City Council at a study
session scheduled for April 6, 2026. Based on Council feedback the project team will further
develop land use and transportation alternatives, anticipated for Council consideration in June
2026. Once the City Council provides direction on a preferred land use and transportation
alternative, the project team will next begin creating more detailed policies and standards
which will return to the community and advisory bodies, likely in late 2026.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Several of the City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan policies relate directly to the Area Plan. Policies
L-1.10, L-2.2, L-2.3, L-2.4, L-2.6, L-2.11, L-2.12, and L-3.4 relate to growth management,
sustainable communities, and neighborhood character. Policies L-4.5, L-4.16, and L-5.4 relate to
commercial centers and employment districts. Policies L-6.6 and L-6.7 relate to the design of
buildings and public space. Policies L-8.6, L-9.3, L-9.6, and L-9.7 relate to parks, streets, and
public spaces. Additionally, the 2023-2031 Housing Element includes Program 6.6(C) calling for
the City to prepare an area plan for the San Antonio Road Corridor and increase housing
opportunities. The Housing Element also identifies 53 Housing Opportunity Sites within the Plan
Area and emphasizes increasing housing in close proximity to the San Antonio Caltrain station.
The City has also adopted a Housing Incentive Program (HIP) in 2019, which was updated in
2025, as a local alternative to encourage multi-family and mixed-use residential development.
The HIP currently covers significant parts of the Plan Area.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
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The study session itself does not result in any fiscal nor resource impact; feedback from the PTC
will be incorporated into the study session with City Council later this year. Through City Council
consideration of land use and transportation alternatives, financial analysis will be refined to
identify potential impacts from various policy decisions.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ATTACHMENTS
AUTHOR/TITLE:
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Task 4Plan Alternatives
Memorandum
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Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Table of Contents
•Project Vision
•Plan Alternatives: Objectives, Priorities and Process
•Overall Design Strategy
•Sub Area Alternatives
•Primary Sub Area Alternatives
•Evaluating Trade-Offs
•Secondary Sub Area Alternatives
•Mobility Alternatives
•Mobility Strategies
•San Antonio Road
•E. Charleston Road
•Fabian Way
04
07
12
17
73
84
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 3
•Section Break
•Green Slide
•White Border
•Defines different sections of
the Alternatives memorandum.
Deck Description
•Strategy/Alternative
•White Slide
•Green Border
•Describes design
strategies, policies, and
design alternatives.
•Provides a high-level
overview of concepts,
trade-offs and related
information.
•Additional Information
•White Slide
•Orange Border
•Describes details of design
strategies and alternatives.
•Provides additional
information to inform
decision making.
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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Project Vision
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 5
Vision Statement (Draft)
The vision for San Antonio Road is of a vibrant mixed-use corridor connecting
walkable neighborhoods where people of all incomes can live, work, and thrive;
where safe streets, transit, and green infrastructure can support shorter
commutes, reliable transit, and climate resilience; and with a dynamic economy
that attracts new businesses while sustaining local shops and services that define
the community.
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Overarching Goals of the Area Plan
6
A City-led initiative to create a 20-year vision with active community input, with results
from 200+ survey respondents included
ENHANCE
ECONOMIC VITALITY
Attract new businesses, strengthen Palo Alto’s
economy, and preserve valued local businesses.
Encourage residential and mixed-use development, with
housing at all income levels, and access to well-designed
public spaces and neighborhood services and retail.
IMPROVE MOBILITY
AND SAFETY
Enhance streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit
connections for easier and safer travel for all users.
SUPPORT
SUSTAINABILITY
Promote development with fewer, shorter commutes,
integrate green infrastructure, increase tree canopy, and
build resilience to climate change.
CREATE A MORE
LIVABLE COMMUNITY 78% support/
strongly support
90% support/
strongly support
82% support/
strongly support
73% support/
strongly support
IMPROVE MOBILITY
AND SAFETY
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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Plan Alternatives:
Objectives, Priorities
and Process
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
What will the Alternatives do?
•Translate what we have heard from the community and decision-makers into physical
interventions that support the project vision.
•Test out land use and mobility design concepts to resolve identified issues in the Plan Area,
shape future development, and explore how to deliver community benefits.
•Inform feasibility analysis to ensure streamlined implementation on project completion.
Alternatives: Objectives
How will the Alternatives impact project outcomes and implementation?
•Inform modifications to existing development standards to regulate future development.
•Establish development incentives to get desired built form and community benefits while
ensuring project feasibility.
•Identify implementation strategies such as public-private partnership projects, mechanisms to
create and maintain open space, etc.
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Housing Priorities
•Develop scenarios to illustrate increased residential capacity at all income levels.
•Re-evaluate housing needs allocation capacity within the Plan Area.
Alternatives: Priorities
Retail Priorities
•Focus on small-scale neighborhood-serving retail (not larger "destination retail").
•Explore retail models that are co-located with open spaces to create "third
places".
Office Priorities
•Explore potential to increase office development to achieve community benefits
like increased open space and more viable neighborhood serving retail.
•Consider strategies to include small-scale office/ flex spaces.
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Outdoor
Space
Priorities
•Explore different sizes, configurations, and types of open spaces (larger
outdoor space vs several smaller outdoor spaces).
•Explore potential locations for aggregating open spaces and retail to create
“third places” for community gathering.
Alternatives: Priorities
Mobility +
Connectivity
Priorities
•Create mobility improvements for all users, focusing on a connected network in
alignment with other City mobility initiatives.
•Primary focus on San Antonio Road and key intersections.
•Improve streetscape character and safety in primary change areas.
•Improve pedestrian-bike access to Caltrain and consider strategies to increase
transit access.
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Establish “areas of stability” and “areas of change” within Plan Area.
Overall Design Strategy and Priorities
Land Use Priorities
•Create new neighborhoods along Fabian
Way and in the CTI area (area along
Commercial St., Transport St., Industrial Ave.)
•Focus open space, amenities in new
neighborhoods
•Create smaller, walkable blocks where
possible
•Infill San Antonio Road with residential
Mobility Priorities
•Improve ped/bike safety and walkability
•Improve streetscape character and
pedestrian experience through
landscaping,tree canopy
•Improve ped/bike experience at
intersections
•Improve connections to Caltrain,
schools, and other amenities
Explore focusing on the identified
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Overall Design
Strategy
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 13
Overall Design Strategy
Redevelop/infill existing low-density commercial with
high-density residential to create new neighborhoods
Create new open spaces and "third spaces"
with neighborhood serving retail and amenities
Improve transit service to community destinations and
access to Caltrain
Improve ped/bike experience, safety and connectivity on all
streets and intersections
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Design Strategy: Outdoor Space
Goals
•Improve access to parks, decrease distance to parks to
under a 10-min walk throughout Plan Area
•Improve ped-bike experience linking existing and new open
spaces to new residential areas
•Create new open spaces to serve existing and new
residential neighborhoods (North Fabian and CTI sub areas)
•Co-locate retail and services with new open spaces to
create “third places”
Alternatives explore:
•Location, size, and number of open spaces
•Method of creating open spaces Access to Parks
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 15
ADD NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVING PARK TO
NORTH FABIAN
SUB-AREA
ADD DISTRICT
SERVING PARK TO
CTI SUB-AREA
PROPOSED
NEW PARK IN
MOUNTAIN VIEW
PROPOSED 101
INTERCHANGE
PLAN
IMPROVE ACCESS AND
SAFETY AT INTERSECTIONS
CONNECTING TO NEW AND
EXISTING OPEN SPACES
Design Strategy: Outdoor Space
•Add new outdoor spaces as part of new
development in North Fabian and CTI sub-
areas
•Improve ped-bike access to existing parks
and new outdoor spaces
•San Antonio Road becomes a key ped/bike
connection with continuous tree canopy to
create a pleasant experience connecting
new residential areas to amenities and
transit
•Fabian Way becomes a key bike connection
to the Baylands with separated bikeways
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Design Strategy: Connectivity
Focus on Corridors: Primary interventions will focus on the major
street corridors: San Antonio Rd, E. Charleston Rd. and Middlefield Rd.
Where possible, new connections will be made to increase walkability
Block Size: Reduce block size to create more walkable and connected
neighborhoods
Improve connectivity by adding mid-block pedestrian paths/paseos in
the following areas:
•CTI Area: At least one connection from: San Antonio to Commercial; Commercial to
Industrial; Industrial to MV Project
•North Fabian Way:
•One connection from Fabian Way to San Antonio Rd;
•Add pedestrian walkway or new street connecting to Fabian Way per the
Objective Design Standards (at least one ped connection every 300 feet)
•San Antonio Road: Explore connection to Wyandotte Street
•Caltrain access: Improve connections at Nita Avenue and coordinate with Google and
Mountain View to improve connections to Caltrain
Primary Connections
Potential New Connections
MV Proposed Project
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Sub Area Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Based on anticipated redevelopment potential, “” are divided
into sub-areas for exploring alternatives, that look at different
, as well as and Each area is
studied at a different level of detail depending on specific opportunities and
challenges.
Primary Sub-Areas
•These areas have the greatest potential for redevelopment and can contribute to creating
new neighborhood-serving amenities like outdoor space and retail
•These include
Secondary Sub-Areas
•These areas have limited redevelopment potential in the near term.
•These include
“Areas of Stability“
•These include , areas that are 100%
built-out with low redevelopment potential.
•Parts of Green Meadow and South San Antonio are within SB 79’s impact area that allows
higher density for projects meeting specific criteria. Utilization of SB 79, however, is likely
very low, due to existing conditions in these areas.
Sub Area Alternatives
18
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Plan Area Development Analysis
Primary Sub-Areas:
Estimated Build-out of Alternatives
•Central San Antonio
+ 1,300 to 2,400 units Residential
- Up to 209,000 sf Non-residential
•South Fabian
+ 600 to 1,100 units Residential
- Up to 177,000 sf Non-residential
•North Fabian
+700 to 1,500 units Residential
- Up to 485,000 sf Non-residential
•CTI
+ 1,000 to 2,000 units Residential
+ 0 to ~900,000 sf New Office
- Up to 499,000 sf Non-residential
Total Plan Area
Existing Condition:
•802 units Residential
•2,399,400 sf Non-residential
•New Residential Development
•New Class A Office/R+D Development
(if allowed)
+ 0 to ~900,000 sf *
•Net change in existing Office/R+D
Up to -932,600 sf Net Loss
*Individual scenarios predict maximum development potential if 50-100% of sites redevelop, with certain sites
excluded due to use, ownership, or recent redevelopment. Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total
of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the citywide total).Even with scenarios which allow the
largest amount of new office space, staff anticipates an overall net decrease in non-residential square footage due
to redevelopment for residential and mixed-use projects.
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 20
Methodology for Redevelopment/Growth Projections
Assumptions
•All build-out assumptions, such as density ranges, building prototypes, and replacement ratios for existing commercial uses, are based on
recent pipeline projects and market demand in the Plan Area.
•The assumptions try to show the maximum change/growth potential possible in the Plan Area.
•The build-out scenarios and potential development numbers exclude the "no change" parcels identified within each subarea.
•All office scenarios focus on improving the jobs-housing balance area across the Plan Area.
•To understand the maximum redevelopment potential of commercial-only parcels, the reduction in commercial uses is factored at 100%,
based on market trends of commercial-only parcels in the Plan Area being redeveloped as residential projects.
•Up to 75 to 100% build-out scenarios have been considered for most alternatives. In CTI, a lower build-out (50-75%) has been considered
for the no-office scenarios, since residential-only projects are less financially viable on smaller individual parcels, which is the prevailing
condition in the CTI subarea.
•Potential new housing development, excluding the Maxar site, is assumed to have mid-rise buildings with densities ranging from 90 du/ac
to 135 du/ac depending on height.
•The Area Plan expects 50,000 to 80,000 sf of new neighborhood-serving retail and commercial services such as restaurants, day care,
grocery stores, pet care, salons, etc. to be developed in the Plan Area within new mixed-use buildings.
•Within the CTI subarea, each alternative scenario assumes that, at a minimum,Palo Alto's jobs/housing policy for new development will
be met. Across the Plan Area as a whole, new residential development will improve the jobs/housing balance.
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 21
Analysis of Potential New Office/R+D
Potential Non-Residential Loss
Plan Area:
•Potential loss of up to -932,600 sf of Office/R+D across the SARAP plan area
o CTI area -240,000 sf
o Maxar -485,000 sf
o Other Areas -207,600 sf
•Potential loss of up to -437,400 sf of other general commercial/non-residential
across the SARAP plan area
Potential New Class A Office/R+D Scenarios for CTI area
Scenario 1 - Total 600,000 sf new Class A office/R+D in CTI area
•360,000 sf net new Class A office/R+D in CTI (redevelop 240,000 sf of existing office/R+D)
•-125,000 sf net loss office/R+D across the CTI and Maxar sites in full redevelopment scenario
Scenario 2 - Total 750,000 sf new Class A office/R+D in CTI area
•510,000 sf net new Class A office/R+D in CTI (redevelop 240,000 sf of existing office/R+D)
•25,000 sf net gain office/R+D across the CTI and Maxar sites in full redevelopment scenario
Total Plan Area
Existing Condition:
•802 units Residential
•2,399,400 sf Non-residential
•1,495,965 sf Office/R+D
•903,435 sf Commercial
•New Residential Development
3,800 to 7,400 units
•New Class A Office/R+D
Development (if allowed)
0 to ~900,000 sf *
•Net change in existing
Office/R+D
Up to -932,600 sf Net Loss
*includes upper end of new office/R+D
considered in alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 22
Palo Alto’s Policy on Jobs -Housing Balance
Analysis of Potential New Office/R+D in CTI Subarea
Current Jobs-Housing Ratio
•The 2023-2031 Housing Element
identifies a ratio of jobs to
employed residents within the City.
•2023 data shows a ratio of jobs
per housing unit
•Regional average is jobs to
housing units.
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Primary Sub Area
Alternatives
- Central San Antonio
- South Fabian
- North Fabian
- CTI (Commercial St., Transport St., Industrial Ave.)
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Within each primary sub area, there are a series of choices. These can
relate to general site use (residential, commercial, mixed-use),
residential densities, building heights, ground floor uses, and publicly
accessible outdoor spaces. These can be mixed and matched.
Central San Antonio
•CSA-A1 and CSA-A2 are building height options
•CSA-B1 and CSA-B2 are ground/lower floor use options
South Fabian
•SF-A1 and SF-A2 are building height options
•SF-B1 and SF-B2 are ground/lower floor use options
North Fabian
•M-A1 and M-A2 are land use options (additional considerations included)
•M-B1 and M-B2 are residential density options
•M-C1, M-C2, and M-C3 are building height options
“CTI”
•CTI-A1 through CTI-A4 are outdoor space options
•CTI-B1 through CTI-B4 are building height and land use options
Selecting Alternatives
24
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Primary Sub Area AlternativesCentral San Antonio
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Central San Antonio Sub Area
Existing Character
•Low-density commercial
•Two recently completed 5-story hotel
projects
•Several applications for 6-8 story midrise
residential projects
Future Development Potential
•Transition to high-density mixed-use
•8.7 acres of Housing Element Sites
•Approx. 19 acres of potential future
development
•Several active pipeline projects
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Central San Antonio Sub Area
27
Design Approach
The strategy for this area to is continue to allow high-density
residential projects. For larger sites or parcels that may be
aggregated to be over ~3 acres there is a potential to require
some publicly accessible outdoor space and neighborhood
serving retail.
Future Development Potential
•Alt CSA-A1: 60 ft height limit (status quo)
•No change to currently allowed height
•Limits buildings to 5 stories, less feasible building type
•Alt CSA-A2: 90 ft height limit
•Maximizes mid-rise construction
•Inline with current development applications
•Improves project feasibility
•Increases housing yield
824 San Antonio
Height: 2 Stories
28 units: 56 du/ac
800+808 San Antonio Rd
Height: 5 Stories
120 units: 135 du/ac
788 San Antonio Rd
Height: 8 Stories
168 units: 169 du/ac
762 San Antonio
Height: 7 Stories
197 units: 112 du/ac
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
824 San Antonio
Height: 2 Stories
28 units: 56 du/ac
800+808 San Antonio Rd
Height: 5 Stories
120 units: 135 du/ac
788 San Antonio Rd
Height: 8 Stories
168 units: 169 du/ac
762 San Antonio
Height: 7 Stories
197 units: 112 du/ac
Central San Antonio Sub Area
28
Other Considerations
•Ground floor retail allowed, not required
•Lower floor land use alternatives
•Alt CSA-B1 - Restrict all commercial office uses
•Alt CSA-B2 - Allow limited commercial office uses on
the ground floor focused on professional services
•Outdoor Space
•Consider small plaza/park requirement on larger sites
(Toyota site)
•Connectivity
•Consider requiring ped/bike path connection to
Wyandotte Street
•Improve intersections and ped/bike facilities
(see mobility section for alternatives)
•Require wider sidewalks
Potential
Connection
Potential
Plaza/Park
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 29
Central San Antonio
ALT CSA-A1
Residential 60 ft height limit
ALT CSA-A2
Residential 90 ft height limit
Build-Out Up to 75%-100%Up to 75%-100%
Assumed
Average Density 90 du/ac 135 du/ac
Residential Units 0 existing units
Up to 1,300 to 1,800 new units
0 existing units
Up to 1,800 to 2,400 new units
Commercial
Uses
449,000 sf existing
up to 209,000 sf loss of
commercial uses
449,000 sf existing
up to 209,000 sf loss of
commercial uses
Total Parcel
Area
21.3 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
8.7 acres
Existing Building Area 449,000 sf
449,000 sf
Land Use Alternatives (includes pipeline projects):
Existing Condition (does not include pipeline projects) :
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the total citywide)
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Primary Sub Area AlternativesSouth Fabian Way
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
South Fabian Sub Area
Existing Character
•Mix of low-scale office buildings
•Jewish Community Center/Moldaw Residences
•Apartments and podium townhomes north of JCC
•Insufficient bike facilities
•Narrow sidewalks and insufficient street trees on
Fabian Way south of E. Charleston Rd
Future Development Potential
•6 acres of Housing Element Sites
•Approx. 10 acres of potential future development
•2 pipeline projects include an office-to-private
school conversion and a 7-story mid-rise
residential project
•The area has seen other applications for mid-rise
residential projects
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
South Fabian Sub Area
Design Approach
Due to the small parcel sizes in this sub-area, the
recommended strategy is to allow incremental
redevelopment on a parcel-by-parcel basis.
Height/Density Alternatives
•Alt SF-A1: 60 ft height limit (status quo)
•No change to currently allowed height
•Limits buildings to 5 stories, less feasible building
type
•Alt SF-A2: 90 ft height limit
•Maximizes mid-rise construction
•Improves project feasibility
•Increases housing yield
3950 Fabian Way
Private School Conversion
Height: 2 Stories
3977 Fabian Way
Height: 7 Stories
295 units: 135 du/ac
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
South Fabian Sub Area
Other Considerations
Land Use
•Ground floor retail: allowed, not required
•Lower floor land use alternatives
•Alt SF-B1: Restrict all commercial/office uses
•Alt SF-B2: Allow limited commercial office uses on lower
floors (ground and 2nd floor) focused on professional services
•Require wider sidewalks and street trees
•Improve intersections and ped/bike facilities
(see mobility section for alternatives)
33
3950 Fabian Way
Private School Conversion
Height: 2 Stories
3977 Fabian Way
Height: 7 Stories
295 units: 135 du/ac
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 34
South Fabian Sub Area Alternatives
ALT SF-A1
Residential 60 ft height limit
ALT SF-A2
Residential 90 ft height limit
Build-Out Up to 75%-100%Up to 75%-100%
Assumed Average
Density 90 du/ac 135 du/ac
Residential Units 384 existing units
Up to 600 to 800 new units
384 existing units
Up to 800 to 1,100 new units
Commercial Uses 177,000 sf existing
up to 177,000 sf loss of commercial
177,000 sf existing
up to 177,000 sf loss of commercial
Total Parcel
Area
24.3 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
6 acres
Existing Building Area 754,800 sf
Existing Commercial Area 177,000 sf
Commercial area includes 33,000 sf of private schools,
estimated 120,000 sf of office, and some automotive uses
Land Use Alternatives (includes pipeline projects):
Existing Condition(does not include pipeline projects) :
Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
No Change Area*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the total citywide)
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Primary Sub Area AlternativesNorth Fabian Way
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
North Fabian Sub Area
Existing Character
•Large Maxar industrial facility
•Office buildings that have been
converted into private school facilities
•Inadequate bike facilities and traffic
calming to serve new uses
Future Development Potential
•Transition to high-density mixed-use
•Approx. 35 acres of potential future
development sites
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
North Fabian Sub Area
Land Use Strategies
•Integrate residential uses
•Create new outdoor areas to serve existing and new
residents in the area
•Improve ped/bike access and safety
•Create a plan for the future of the Maxar Site
•Connect to bike path at US-101 interchange, for ped/bike access to CTI and
North Bayshore
•Allow for a mix of residential densities; townhouses and apartment buildings
•Estimated yield: 900 to 1,400 units
•Create publicly accessible parks and outdoor spaces
•Create walkable block structure connecting to Fabian Way
North Fabian:
Maxar Site
(See Alts)
North Fabian:
Other Sites
•Maintain
allowed land
uses
•Allow up to 60
or 90 ft with
rear setback
requirements
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
24.5
acres
Maxar Site Alternatives
•Land Use Area
•Alt M-A1: Allow residential throughout site area
•Alt M-A2: Prioritize Flex/Incubator/Research + Development/Office space on eastern section
of Plan Area along US-101
•Approximately 5-6 acres
•Allows for up to 20-acre residential master plan project
Other Considerations
•Urban Design
•Require publicly accessible internal streets
•New ped/bike connection from Fabian Way to proposed US-101 interchange path
•Create new and/or improved intersections along Fabian Way to access new development
•Outdoor Space
•Require new parks and outdoor spaces to be built on-site
•Require new parks and outdoor spaces to be publicly accessible
•Retail
•Require a minimum amount of retail space to serve new residents
•Require a minimum of amount of “retail ready” space (convertible to retail/food + beverage)
•Allow but no minimum retail requirement, allow a 100% residential project
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Maxar Site Alternatives
Minimum Gross Density for Residential Projects
•Alt M-B1: 40 du/ac (status quo - allow some townhouses @ 18-22 du/ac net
density)
•Would allow for approx. 200 for-sale 2-3 story townhouses
•Alt M-B2: 60 du/ac (no building type with less than 30 du/ac net density)
•Would likely push development of more 3-8 story rental apartment buildings
•Would push for-sale component into denser “townhouse over podium” building type
Height
•Alt M-C1: Allow up to 60 feet (status quo)
•Alt M-C2: Allow up to 90 feet (maximize mid-rise constructure type)
•Alt M-C3: Allow high-rises, up to 160-250 feet
•Unlikely to be financially feasible but provides flexibility
•Extra height could be tied to additional outdoor space
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 40
Maxar Site: Potential Site Configurations
5-6 ac
3 ac
1.5 ac2 ac2 ac
1 ac
0.5 ac
0.5 ac
Concept A Concept B Concept C Concept D
•One big park, one small park
•Parks face Fabian Way
•Higher density to the west
•Lower density to the east
•Flex/incubator space along US-101
•One big park, one small park
•Big park faces Fabian Way
•Higher density residential along
San Antonio Rd and US-101 ramp
•Two parks of similar size
•Lower density residential along
San Antonio Rd and US-101 ramp
•One larger park
These site concepts are for and represent potential configurations of land uses based on the strategies and alternatives
presented in previous slides, final designs will be developed through the typical development application and design review process.
Ped-bike
Connection
to San
Antonio
High Density Housing
Retail/Services
Low Density For Sale
Housing
Outdoor Space
Flex/Incubator Space
Legend
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Maxar Site Alternatives Analysis
Maxar Site and Alternatives Summary
•Site area = 24.5 acres
•Parks/outdoor space estimate: 2-5 acres
•Streets estimate: 3.5 - 4.5 acres
•Developable Area: 17-19 acres
•Development @ 40 du/ac:
•24.5 acres @ 40 du/ac = 980 units (gross)
•17-19 acres @ 40 du/ac = 680-760 units (net)
•Development @ 60 du/ac:
•24.5 acres @ 60 du/ac = 1,470 units (gross)
•17-19 acres @ 60 du/ac = 1,020 - 1,140 units (net)
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Maxar Site Alternatives
24.5
acresALT M-B1
Residential 60 ft height limit
ALT M-B2
Residential 90 ft height limit
Build-Out Up to 75%-100%Up to 75%-100%
Assumed Average
Density 40 du/ac 60 du/ac
Residential Units 0 existing units
Up to 700 to 1,000 new units
0 existing units
Up to 1,000 to 1,500 new units
Commercial Uses 683,000 sf existing
up to 485,000 sf loss of commercial
683,000 sf existing
up to 485,000 sf loss of commercial
Total Parcel
Area
34.6 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
0 acres
Existing Building Area 683,000 sf
Existing Commercial Area 683,000 sf
Land Use Alternatives (includes pipeline projects):
Existing Condition (does not include pipeline projects) :
*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the total citywide)
42
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 57
Primary Sub Area AlternativesCTI Area
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
CTI Sub Area
44
Existing Character
•Low-density office and
industrial buildings in small
buildings
•Parcel sizes are small
•Single property owner has
aggregated a number of parcels
but they are non-contiguous
Future Development Potential
•Transition to high-density
mixed-use
•7.2 acres of Housing Element
Sites
•Approx. 25.8 acres of potential
future development sites
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 59
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
CTI Sub Area Alternatives
Design Approach
The strategy for this area to is create a cohesive and complete
neighborhood over time with new outdoor spaces and
neighborhood-serving retail. Just south of the CTI Sub Area, in
Mountain View, a developer is proposing a project with
488,000 sf of office and 476 units on the shopping center site.
Design Opportunities
•Create new park/plaza/outdoor space for residential uses
•Create opportunity for retail/services/food + beverage
•Connect to MV development
•Improve ped/bike connections to San Antonio
•Improve streets and increase tree canopy Sub Area Boundary
Pipeline Projects
Housing Element Sites
Parcel Lines
MV
Proposed
Project
PROPOSED US-101
INTERCHANGE PLAN
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
SITE
ANALYSIS
46
Fire Access
How do streets
provide for fire
access to mid-rise
buildings?
Flooding
How do projects
integrate with public
realm considering
higher ground floor
than sidewalks?
Ped/Bike
Infrastructure
E. Charleston
facilities inadequate
for higher-density
development
Street Design
Provide for wider
sidewalks and
increased tree
canopy
US-101 Buffer
Provide for
landscape buffer
US-101
Interchange
Plan
Ped/Bike connection
to US-101 interchange:
multi-use path
DEVELOPABLE
AREA
25.8 acres
HE SITES*
7.2 acres
Proposed
Project in MV
•10.4 Acres Total
Parcel Area
•488,100 sf Office
•476 Residential
Units
•28,500 sf of
Commercial
•~1.7 acres of Open
Space
Outdoor Space
Provide publicly access outdoor
space(s) for new development
Total Existing
Building Area :
528,800 sf
*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area
(26% of the total citywide)
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Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 47
MV
Proposed
Project
Street connection
to Transport Ave
Neighborhood
connection to open
spaces and retail
Bike
infrastructure
improvements
on E.
Charleston
Road
Connection to
ped/bike
improvements on
US-101 interchange
Mobility
Strategies
Improve intersection
Create a walkable
block structure with
pedestrian pathways
Increase sidewalk
widths and tree
canopy
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Street Design
Goals
•Improve pedestrian experience
•Improve bike safety and comfort on E.
Charleston
•Increase tree canopy
•Create transition area from sidewalk grade
to building ground floor heights (need to
be 3-8 ft above sidewalk level to meet
FEMA standards)
•Design streets to meet Fire Department
aerial access standards to avoid on-site
driveways for firefighting access (to
increase unit yield and development
feasibility)
Pr
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t
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L
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e
East Charleston Rd
(alternatives described in Mobility Section)
Internal Streets
(additional study needed in plan development)
Existing
Condition
Existing
Condition
Alt 1 Alt 1
Alt 2 Alt 2
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Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Outdoor Space
Considerations
49
?
•Size and amount of
outdoor space?
•Types of spaces?
•Location priorities?
•Connections to local
ped/bike
improvements?
•Character of new
outdoor space(s)?
?
MV
Project
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Challenges to Creating
New Outdoor Spaces
50
Small Parcels
New outdoor spaces
and pedestrian
connections will
require coordination
across parcels
DEVELOPABLE
AREA
25.8 acres
HE SITES
7.2 acres
Proposed
Project in MV
(1 parcel)
•10.4 Acres Total
Parcel Area
•488,100 sf Office
•476 Units
•28,500 sf of
Commercial
•~1.7 acres of
Open Space
Challenges
•Parcels are small with multiple owners; ownership aggregation is
distributed where it occurs
•Small parcels are less feasible for residential development
•Wider front setbacks are needed to improved sidewalks and
increase tree canopy
Opportunities
•Allow higher value land uses (office) in exchange for creating new
outdoor spaces
•Distribute new outdoor spaces evenly across all parcels (require
front yard “mini parks” on all parcels through requiring larger
setbacks and access easements
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 51
Outdoor Space
Strategies and
Alternatives
KEY ISSUES
•Visibility and Activation
Fronting E. Charleston Road or
along an interior street?
•Amount of Open Space
1-3 acres of parks/plaza plus
pedestrian pathways
•Size and Distribution
•One large park or distributed
open spaces?
•What is the minimum size…
For the largest park?
To be considered a park?
•Concentrated on a few parcels or
distributed as expanded setbacks
on most parcels?
Alt CTI-A4. Linear Parks on Expanded Setbacks
Alt CTI-A2. Internal Park/PlazaAlt CTI-A1. Plaza/Park on E. Charleston Road
Alt CTI-A3. One Large Park
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Potential Outdoor Space Types
52
Small
Park
Mini
Park Plaza
Less than
0.25 acre
Pocket Park Linear Greenway
(widened setback)
0.25 to
0.5 acre
0.25 to
0.75 acre~ 1 acre Size varies
with length
Size varies
with length~ 2 acre
Neighborhood
Park
South Park
San Francisco, CA
Landsby North
Mountain View, CA
Santana Row
San Jose, CA
6th Ave Park
Seattle, WA
Landsby North
Mountain View, CA
Johnson Park
Palo Alto, CA
Mews /
Pedestrian
Pathways
Mission Bay
San Francisco, CA
Strongly
supported by
community
Strongly
supported by
community
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 53
Alt CTI -A1 | Location: Along E. Charleston Rd.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
•High retail visibility and activation
supports retail fronting outdoor space
by maximizing visibility from Charleston
•Better access and connection to
potential bike facility along E.
Charleston Road
•More accessible to a wide range of
users (transit users, cyclists,
pedestrians) instead of just
neighborhood residents
•Adds public space to the public realm
of a major corridor; complements
streetscape investments
•Traffic on E. Charleston could impact
user comfort; noise and pollution from
major street could impact usability of
open space
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Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 54
Alt CTI -A2 | Location: Interior to Neighborhood
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
•Retail visibility less from E. Charleston,
could impact viability (retail could be
added on street leading to open space
to address this issue)
•Better residential integration serving
as an amenity focused on residents and
more neighborhood oriented
•Reduced noise and safety concerns
supports comfort and safety for passive
recreation and children’s activities
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 55
Alt CTI -A3 | Configuration: Large Central Park
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
•Feasibility. A large outdoor space would
require maximum parcel aggregation and
additional height or higher-value land
uses such as office to “pay” for the
larger, consolidated outdoor space. This
configuration is likely hardest to achieve.
•Size. A 2-acre park may be very difficult
to achieve in one location. If one larger
outdoor space if preferred, the size may
need to be evaluated for feasibility.
•Programming of uses. A larger outdoor
space allows for a wider variety of
program elements, activities, and
increased greenery/ landscaping.
•Reduced noise and safety concerns.
Supports comfort and safety for passive
recreation, children’s activities, as well as
community events.
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 56
Alt CTI -A4 | Configuration: Linear Parks and Plaza
KEY POINTS
•High visibility and activation. Supports
retail fronting outdoor space by
maximizing visibility from E. Charleston
•Integrated over time. Each landowner
on certain streets would dedicate a
widened setback to create parklets.
•Usability. Narrower open space will
limit program options and
planting/landscape density but may
improve retail and street activation.
•Adds public open space to a major
corridor; complements streetscape
investments
•Traffic on E. Charleston could impact
user comfort; noise and pollution could
impact usability of open space
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
•Support relocation of HE sites
adjacent to US-101 to parcels
closer to E. Charleston
•Support parcel aggregation to
implement outdoor space and
connectivity goals
•Explore allowing higher value
office development to improve
residential feasibility and
implement outdoor space and
connectivity goals
Development
Strategies
57
Small Parcel
Sizes
Support parcel
aggregation to make
project more
feasible and
implement open
space goals
HE Sites
Relocate HE sites
away from freeway
Proposed
Mixed-Use Office
and Residential
Project in MV
10.4 Acres
One Parcel:
Former Shopping
Center
DEVELOPABLE
AREA
25.8 acres
HE SITES
7.2 acres
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 58
Land Use
Alternatives (1/2)
Alt CTI-B2:
Allow Residential up to 90 feet
•Estimated growth:
•Allows developers to maximize mid-
rise building type, providing more
flexibility and financial feasibility.
Alt CTI-B1:
Allow Residential up to 60 feet
•Estimated growth:
•Maintain existing height limits
•Limits residential and residential
mixed-use buildings to 5 stories
Alternative Summary
1.Residential up to 60 feet (5
stories); and existing allowed
uses.
2.Residential up to 90 feet (8
stories); and existing allowed
uses
3.Residential and Office up to 90
feet; and existing allowed uses.
(Relocate HE sites)
4.Residential up to 160-250 feet
and Office up to 135 feet; and
existing allowed uses.
(Relocate HE sites)
ResidentialMixed Use with Retail
Housing Element Sites
Potential Open SpacePotential Connection
ResidentialMixed Use with Retail
Housing Element Sites
Potential Open SpacePotential Connection
Land use designation of parcels for illustrative purposes, to be considered in the policy development phase of the Area Plan
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 59
Land Use
Alternatives (2/2)
Alt CTI-B4:
Allow Office and Residential high-rise (160-
250 ft residential/135 ft office)
•Estimated growth: 1500 units; 750,000 sf office/R+D
(Net new 510,000 sf of office/R+D assuming 75% of
parcels redevelop; no more than 150,000 sf net
increase between North Fabian and CTI)
•Jobs/housing balance is met in the CTI Area.
•High-rise building types could reduce office parcel
area and allow for more residential parcel area and
outdoor space.
Alt CTI-B3:
Allow Office and Residential up to 90 feet
(8 story residential/5-story office)
•Estimated growth: 1,200 units; 600,000 sf office/R+D
(Net new 360,000 sf of office/R+D assuming 75% of
parcels redevelop; no net increase between North
Fabian and CTI)
•Jobs/housing balance is met in the CTI Area.
•Restricts office development to 5 stories, allowing
more height for office could reduce office footprint
for same amount of floor area.
Relocate
Housing
Element
Sites.Benefits to allowing office:
•Move HE sites from US-101
adjacent parcels to internal
parcels
•Office development can help
fund land area for parks and
other community benefits
•Office and Residential Mixed-
use will better support retail
and services
•Office development may offset
cost and improve feasibility for
residential projects if developed
by same company
Residential (No Office)Mixed Use with Retail
Housing Element Sites
Potential Open SpacePotential Connection
Office Allowed
Residential (No Office)Mixed Use with Retail
Housing Element Sites
Potential Open SpacePotential Connection
Office Allowed
Relocate
Housing
Element
Sites.
Land use designation of parcels for illustrative purposes, to be considered in the policy development phase of the Area Plan
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 60
Context: School Map
Goals/Strategies
•Create a safe ped/bike connection along
Charleston Rd with Intersection
improvements at San Antonio Rd.
•Create a safe ped/bike route along San
Antonio Rd
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 61
CTI Land Use Alternatives
Scenario Alt CTI-B1
60 ft height limit (No Office)
Alt CTI-B2
90 ft height limit (No Office)
Alt CTI-B3
90 ft height limit (Office Allowed )
Alt CTI-B4
135 ft height limit (Office Allowed )
Estimated
Build-Out Up to 50%-75%Up to 50%-75%Up to 75%-100%Up to 75%-100%
Residential Units Up to 1,000 to 1,500 new units Up to 1,300 to 1,900 new units Up to 1,100 to 1,500 new units Up to 1,500 to 2,000 new units
Office/R+D 0 sf 0 sf 600,000 sf (new)
360,000 sf (net new in CTI)
750,000 sf (new)
510,000 sf (net new in CTI)
Notes
Less build-out is expected since
residential alone is less financially
profitable.
Less build-out is expected since
residential alone is less financially
profitable.
Palo Alto’s job-to-housing ratio policy
can be maintained within the CTI area
up to 750,000 sf of new office if a
minimum of 1,500 units are built.
Palo Alto’s job-to-housing ratio policy
can be maintained within the CTI area
up to 900,000 sf of new office if a
minimum of 1,900 units are built.
Total Parcel
Area
25.8 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
7.2 acres
Existing Building Area 528,800 sf
Existing Commercial Area 528,800 sf
The commercial area includes an estimated 240,000 sf of
office space, 288,800 sf of retail, and light industrial uses.
Land Use Alternatives:
Existing Condition (does not include pipeline projects) :
*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the total citywide)
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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Evaluating Trade-Offs
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 63
Height/Density Trade -offs
60 ft Height Limit (status quo)90 ft Height Limit 160-250 ft Residential Limit*
Allows up to
(mid-rise "4 over 1" typology)
Allows up to
(mid-rise "5 over 3" typology)
Allows a
(high-rise construction typology)
•“Fits” in better with adjacent lower scale
buildings, more compatible building form
and scale.
•However, any project may use State
Density bonuses to increase density/height
up to 8 stories by providing affordable
units on-site.
•Most feasible building type - maximizes
buildout for mid-rise construction typology.
•Can yield a
•Potentially because
construction and land costs are distributed
across a larger number of units.
•Increases opportunities for
•Provides
by allowing up to three podium
levels, limiting need to go below-grade.
•Provides maximum number of new
housing units (assuming projects are
feasible and get built).
•Provides to developer.
•Potentially less feasible building type in
high-value areas because it limits number
of units.
•Potentially more expensive units because of
higher per unit costs.
•To maximize units, is
likely needed, which further drives up costs
per unit and limits project feasibility.
•Need to regulate built form for scale and
height transitions to adjacent smaller-scale
buildings.
•Less feasible building type (at least in
near-term) because of significant increase
in costs per square foot for high-rise
construction technology. Projects begin to
become feasible around 14 stories in
height (9 to 14-story not very feasible)
Building
Type
Pros
Cons
*final height limit would be set in next stage of Area Plan with Council feedback
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Housing Density + Typical Typologies
64
3-Story
Townhouse
18-22 du/ac
4-Story
Stacked Flats
20-30 du/ac
60 ft (5 story)
Midrise
100-135 du/ac
90 ft (7-8 story)
Midrise
135-200 du/ac
170 ft (16 story)
Zoning range may be
up to 250 feet
High-rise
200-400 du/ac
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 65
Land Use Trade-Offs in CTI
Allowing New Office Along with Residential for New
Mixed-Use Projects
Restricting New Office, Allowing Only
Residential/Residential Mixed-Use
Office is the most desirable use in Palo Alto from a developer
perspective. By allowing a mixed-use project to include office in
addition to residential, the feasibility of a project increases, and
offers an opportunity to negotiate the provision of community
benefits such as outdoor space.
High-density residential and residential mixed-use projects
(residential above ground floor commercial) face
feasibility challenges in high-value markets such as Palo Alto.
Feasibility is further impacted if projects are required to provide
community benefits like outdoor space, new connections on
private property, etc.
Possible outcomes of allowing office:
-Improve project feasibility, ensuring that redevelopment
happens in the near future.
-Deliver residential units sooner as part of redevelopment.
-Provide more space for parks/plazas/outdoor space.
-Provide more space for new connections (using private
property)
-Provide other community benefits such as streetscape
improvements.
Possible outcomes of restricting office:
-Redevelopment would likely take longer.
-Larger residential projects may not develop without a
corresponding higher-value product (office or townhomes).
-Lower feasibility would likely mean smaller-scale development
on scattered parcels without lot consolidation.
-Incremental development without lot consolidation is unlikely
to produce community benefits such as
parks/plazas,infrastructure improvements.
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 66
Statistical Analysis OF Alternatives: 20 -Year Build -Out
EXISTING CHANGE ALTERNATIVES BUILDOUT TOTAL EXISTING + NEW
SUB AREA
EXISTING
COMMERCIAL
BUILDING AREA
EXISTING
RESIDENTIAL UNITS
COMMERCIAL
NET CHANGE
RESIDENTIAL
NET CHANGE
LOWER DENSITY
(75% to 100% buildout)
90 du/ac
HIGHER DENSITY
(75% to 100% buildout)
135 du/ac
HIGHER DENSITY +
OFFICE RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL
EAST BAYSHORE 414,000 sf 0 units N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 414,000 sf to
517,500 sf
WEST BAYSHORE 35,000 sf 0 units 0 100 to 200 units 100 to 200 units N/A 35,000 sf 100 to 200 units 35,000 sf to 44,000 sf
NORTH FABIAN 683,000 sf 0 units -485,000 sf 700 to 1,500 units 700 to 1,000 units 1,000 to 1,500 units N/A 700 to 1,500 units 198,000 sf to
247,500 sf
SOUTH FABIAN 177,000 sf 384 units -177,000 sf 600 to 1,100 units 600 to 800 units 800 to 1,100 units N/A 1,000 to 1,500 units 0
CTI 528,800 sf 0 units +371,000 sf to
-499,000 sf 1,000 to 2,000 units 1,000 to 1,500 units 1,500 to 2,000 units 2,000 units +
900,000 sf office 1,000 to 2,000 units 0 sf to 900,000 sf
CENTRAL SA 449,000 sf 0 units -209,000 sf 1,300 to 2,400 units 1,300 to 1,800 units 1800 to 2,400 units N/A 1,300 to 2,400 units 240,000 sf to
300,000 sf
SOUTH SA 99,000 sf 125 units 0 0 0 units 0 units N/A 125 units 99,000 sf to
124,000 sf
GREENHOUSE 0 sf 228 units 0 0 0 units 0 units N/A 228 units 0
ALMA 13,600 sf 65 units 0 100 to 200 units 100 to 120 units 120 to 200 units N/A 165 to 265 units 13,600 sf
TOTAL 2,399,400 sf 802 units -500,000 sf to
-1,370,000 sf
3,800 to
7,400 units
3,800 to
5,420 units
5,220 to
7,200 units Up to 935,000 sf 4,600 to 8,200 units 999,600 sf
to 2,146,600 sf
Note: Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26% of the total citywide)
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 67
Summary of City’s Housing Initiatives
Recent City initiatives to stimulate housing production
•Housing Element (2023-2031) has identified 53 opportunity sites in the
Plan Area.
•Housing Element allocates 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area (26%
of total citywide allocation)
•GM and ROLM-zoned districts within Plan Area designated as Focus Areas.
•City’s Housing Incentive Program (HIP) applies to a portion of the Plan
Area.
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 82
Secondary Sub Area
Alternatives
- East Bayshore
- West Bayshore
- Alma
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Secondary Opportunity Areas
East Bayshore
•Alt EB-1: Low-density commercial office (status quo)
•Alt EB-2: High-density commercial office
•Alt EB-3: Mixed-use; allow residential (alternative removed)
West Bayshore (HE Site)
•Alt WB-1: Allow residential and keep as HE Site (status quo)
•Alt WB-2: Restrict residential, move the HE site to within
North Fabian or South Fabian Areas
Alma
•SB 79 will allow residential on these parcels up to 65/75 feet
in height with a minimum density of 30 du/ac
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 70
East Bayshore
ALT EB-1
Low-density commercial
office (status quo)
ALT EB-2
High-density
commercial office
Build-Out No change Up to 75%-100%
F.A.R.0.4 FAR Allow Higher FAR
Commercial
Uses
414,000 sf existing
No new commercial
414,000 sf existing
Up to 103,500 sf of net
new commercial
Total Parcel
Area
37.5 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
0 acres
Existing Building Area 414,000 sf
414,000 sf
Land Use Alternatives (includes pipeline projects):
Existing Condition (does not include pipeline projects) :
*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area
(26% of the total citywide)
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 71
West Bayshore
ALT WB-1
Allow residential and keep
as HE Site (status quo)
ALT WB-2
Restrict residential,
move the HE Site.
Build-Out Up to 75%-100%No Change
Density / Office
F.A.R 90 du/ac 0.4 FAR
Residential Units Up to 100 to 200 new units 0 new units
Commercial
Uses
35,000 sf existing
up to 35,000 sf loss of
commercial
35,000 sf existing
No net new commercial
Total Parcel
Area
2.1 acres
HE Sites*
Parcel Area
2.1 acres
Existing Building Area 35,000 sf
Existing Commercial
Area 35,000 sf
Land Use Alternatives (includes pipeline projects):
Existing Condition(does not include pipeline projects) :
*Palo Alto’s 2023-2031 Housing Element allocates a total of 1,559 new housing units to the Plan Area
(26% of the total citywide)
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 86
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
SB 79: Alma and parcels within ½-mile radius of Caltrain
•Typical Lot: Single-family Eichler House
on 8,000 sf lot (5.5 du/ac) with a home
value from $3-4 million
•SB 79 would allow redevelopment of a
parcel up to heights/density outlined
below; 30 du/ac minimum density is
required (6 units on typical parcel size)
•Outside of religious facility sites,
redevelopment under SB 79 is not likely
due to existing home values
•SB 79: ¼ Mile Radius
•Up to 75 ft; 120 du/ac
•SB 79: ½ Mile Radius
•Up to 65 ft; 100 du/ac
¼ Mile Radius
½ Mile Radius
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 87
Mobility Alternatives
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 88
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – Overview
POOR WALK/BIKE CONNECTIVITY There are disconnected bike lanes, narrow sidewalks,
wide arterials that create barriers to walking and biking.
HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUMES The corridor experiences heavy traffic and truck volumes
with congestion throughout the day.
AUTO-ORIENTED DESIGN The area has wide roads, low-density land use, and
development that prioritizes automobiles.
Despite proximity to bus stops and Caltrain, there is poor
integration with transit, limiting alternatives to driving.
Coordination with Mountain View and Caltrain, as well
as other partners (e.g., Google, private developers) will
be necessary to advance projects across boundaries.
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION NEEDS
LACK OF TRANSIT INTEGRATION
Characteristics of the existing transportation and circulation environment
74
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – What We Heard
•Build on and coordinate with prior and current planning and design efforts
•2026 Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan
•South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project
•US-101 Interchange Project
•Fabian Way South Palo Alto Bikeways Demonstration Project
•Prioritize safe connections to schools, parks, retail, and transit
•Improve connections across San Antonio Rd at Nita Ave, Middlefield Rd, and Charleston
Rd
•Enhance connection to San Antonio Caltrain Station
•Create comfortable walking and biking experience along and across San
Antonio Road
•Provide separated bikeway or multi-use path
•Consider increase in vehicle and truck traffic related to new development
in Mountain View and Palo Alto
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 90
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – Walking, School Routes
76
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 91
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – Biking
77
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – Transit, Parking
78
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Mobility Context – Safety
79
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 94
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 80
Special Set Back
•Special setbacks along several streets in
the Plan Area are shown here for
reference.
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 81
2026 BPTP Complete Vision Network
2026 BPTP Recommendations
•Class I shared use path along San Antonio Road from E. Charleston Road to
Terminal Boulevard/Baylands Nature Preserve
•Class IV separated bikeways on
•San Antonio Road between Alma Street and Charleston Road (SB_20)
•Middlefield Road within City limits
•Charleston Road within City limits
•Alma Street from Meadow Drive to San Antonio Avenue
•Fabian Way from Meadow Drive to Charleston Road (SB_23)
•Class IIIb bicycle boulevard on Mackay Drive
•Intersection improvements at Charleston Rd (Int_07) and Middlefield Rd (Int_12)
•San Antonio Road Area is identified as a Pedestrian Priority Area
Mobility Context – Projects, Plans, and Policies Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 96
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 82
Mobility Context – Projects, Plans, and Policies
•T-3.5. When constructing or modifying roadways,
plan for use of the roadway by all users
•T-3.6. Consider pedestrians, bicyclists, e-bikes
and motorcycles when designing road surfaces,
curbs, crossings, signage, landscaping and sight
lines
•Create a culture and climate of systemic safety by
addressing the key risk factors and barriers to
safety, including:
•Making design, maintenance and operations
decisions that prioritize safety
•Commit to support areas zoned for
increased density and infill
development with transportation
facilities and improvements to
enable safer multi-modal
transportation for present and future
road users
•T-3.14. Continue to prioritize the
safety of school children in street
modification projects that affect
school travel routes, including
during construction
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 97
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 83
Prior and Current Planning and Design Efforts
US 101 Interchange Improvements – San Antonio Road
Fabian Way Protected Bike Lanes
Charleston/San Antonio
Road Intersection Design
Potential future ped/bike
connection
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 98
Mobility Strategies
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Reimagine the corridor as a multimodal spine that balances mobility with placemaking
85
Mobility Strategies to Support Land Use Alternatives
PARKING AND DEMAND MANAGEMENT Apply strategies to reduce travel demand and organize
allocation of curb space to improve access and efficiency.
PEDESTRIAN-FIRST DESIGN Prioritize comfortable, accessible, and inviting streets that
encourage walking and biking (while recognizing San Antonio
as a regional corridor and truck route.
LOW-STRESS BIKING ROUTES Provide high quality bikeways that meet the needs of
people of all ages and abilities.
Integrate walking, biking, shuttles, and shared mobility to
create a seamless journey from doorstep to destination.
SMART CORRIDOR TECHNOLOGY Use real-time data, adaptive signals, and digital tools to
optimize traffic flow and enhance multimodal safety.
FIRST/LAST MILE CONNECTIONS
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Create comfortable, accessible, and vibrant environments where walking is the most
convenient and enjoyable mode of travel.
Pedestrian-First Design
short blocks
Implement 2026 BPTP Pedestrian Design Guidelines and increase walkability with short block lengths and paseos
86
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 101
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Low -Stress Biking Infrastructure
Provide high-quality bikeways that meet the needs of people of all ages and abilities.
Class IV Separated Bikeway
Protected Intersection
Class I Shared Use Path
Implement 2026 BPTP recommendations and applicable countermeasures from the Safety Action Plan Appendix E
87
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Types of Bikeways
Source: Caltrans, Toward an Active California, State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, 2017.
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
First/Last Mile Connections - Overview
Integrate walking, biking, shuttles, and shared mobility to create a seamless journey from
doorstep to destination.
Shuttles
Short-distance, fixed-route,
circulator-style trips or flexible,
responsive, and sustainable
transport to bridge the first/last
mile.
Mobility Hubs
A place where multiple transportation
modes are cohesively and conveniently
located to provide an integrated suite of
mobility services and amenities.
Shared Micromobility
Any shared small, low-speed, human- or
electric-powered transportation device,
including bicycles, scooters, electric-assist
bicycles, electric scooters (e-scooters), and
other small, lightweight, wheeled
conveyances.
Wayfinding
Use of signs, maps, and other visual cues to
help people navigate through an area.
Effective wayfinding systems improve
accessibility and user experience.
89
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 104
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
First/Last Mile Connections - Mobility Hubs
A place where multiple transportation modes are cohesively and conveniently located to
provide an integrated suite of mobility services and amenities.
Features
Rendering of Mobility Hub
Source: mtc.ca.gov/planning/transportation/mobility-hubs
•Real-time transit information
•Shuttle service
•Pick-up/drop-off zone
•Electric vehicle charging
•Vehicle parking
•Enhanced crossings
•Low-stress bicycle routes
•Bicycle racks
•Covered bike storage/lockers
•Shared micromobility
•Transit shelter
•San Antonio Rd/Charleston Rd
•San Antonio Rd/Middlefield Rd
•San Antonio Caltrain Station
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 105
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Organize allocation of curb space for vehicles, deliveries, and shared mobility to improve
access and efficiency.
Parking and Demand Management - Curbspace
Prioritize and accommodate various curb functions depending on curb needs in different contexts.
Access for Goods
Space for deliveries, used for
short periods of time.
Access for People
Active space for transit
boardings, passenger
loading, and shared mobility
services.
Public Space and Services
Space for use by people and
public services, such as
parklets, landscaped areas,
and fire hydrants.
Storage for Vehicles
Curb lane is intended to be
used for the storage of
vehicles or bicycles for
established time periods, such
that it is unavailable for other
purposes.
Movement
Curb lane is used for the
movement of vehicles or
active transportation modes
and is unavailable for other
purposes.
91
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 106
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Implement strategies intended to reduce travel demand, shift trips to more sustainable
modes, and improve the efficiency of the mobility network.
Parking and Demand Management -Transportation
Options
Provide Bicycle Parking and
Repair Stations
Provide designated, secure
and convenient areas for bike
parking and bike
maintenance and repair.
Improve Walking/Biking
Access
Include streetscape
improvements that make it
easy and comfortable to walk
and bike.
Incorporate Shared Vehicle
Services and Bike Fleets
Provide car-share parking and
bike fleets on-site and offer
subsidized car-
share memberships.
Create Supportive Mix of Land
Use
Incorporate a mix of
residential, commercial, and
institutional land uses and
increase the density of uses.
Integrate Communications
and Information
Provide real-time transit
information and wayfinding
signage.
Apply transportation demand management strategies to make sure that new development is designed to make it
easier for tenants, residents, employees, and visitors to get around using sustainable modes.
92
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 107
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Smart Corridor Technology
Keep Cycles
Short
Transit Signal
Priority & Leading
Bike/Ped Intervals
& Extended Time
to Cross
Signal
interconnectivity
and coordination
Time to
Intended
Speed
Adjust by
Time of
Day
Real-time
traffic
management
93
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 108
Mobility AlternativesSan Antonio Road
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
San Antonio Rd Priorities
A. East of Charleston Rd
o Enhance connection to and across US-101
o Create connection through to Fabian Way
o Coordinate with VTA US-101 Interchange Project and Google
o BPTP Recommendation: Class IV - Separated Bikeways; Class I -
Shared Use Path north of Bayshore Road
o Provide comfortable walking and biking facilities
o Enhance connections across San Antonio Rd
o Maintain capacity for vehicle and truck traffic
o Coordinate with landowners and developers
o BPTP Recommendation: Class IV - Separated Bikeways
o Caltrain Station connection
o Nita Avenue crossing improvements
o San Antonio Avenue enhancements
o Coordinate with Mountain View, Caltrain, and Google
o BPTP Recommendation: Class IV – New Separated Bikeway on San
Antonio Avenue and new Class IV – New Separated Bikeway on San
Antonio Road from overcrossing to Middlefield
A
B
C
95
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 110
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
San Antonio Intersection Improvements
D. Charleston Rd Intersection
o Create protected intersection
o Remove side street with diagonal parking, extend pedestrian zone
o Modify lane geometry, consider removing dual left turn lanes to provide
median refuge
o Explore grade separated crossing
o Create protected intersection
o Consolidate existing driveway access
o Modify lane geometry,
o remove westbound right turn lane,
o consider removing dual left turn lanes to provide median refuge
o Explore grade separated crossing
o Extend existing bike lanes through the intersection
o Enhance connection to bike boulevard on Mackay Dr
D
E
F
96
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 111
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
A. East of Charleston Rd
97
San Antonio Road with planned US 101 Interchange
Improvements that include bike path over 101
•Class I multi-use path or Class IV
separated bikeway along San Antonio
from Charleston to US-101 interchange
ped/bike overpass
•Ped/bike connection across San Antonio
Road and through to Fabian Way to
access destinations north of CTI Area
Google Streetview images of San Antonio
Road at US 101 SB Off Ramp, facing east
8 – 12 ft
As Space
Allows
Expand sidewalk to
create a 8-12 ft wide
multi-use ped/bike
path on San Antonio Rd
Connect San Antonio
Interchange Bike Path
to Fabian Way and
Transport St
Expand sidewalk to
create a 8-12 ft wide
multi-use ped/bike
path on San Antonio Rd
Planned US 101
Interchange
Improvements
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 112
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
D. Potential Grade -Separated
Crossing
98
Would require 9%
ramp or
~ 300 feet for 5%
175 ft
Would require
30-40 feet
setback
Spiral ramp requires
100 ft x 100 ft
dimension, roughly
the size of the gas
station property
Potential two-way
shared-use path
Potential two-way
shared-use path
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 113
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 99
•Heart of the Central San Antonio sub area (mixed-use change area)
•Currently designated a high-stress street for biking
•Experiences truck traffic and congestion throughout the day
•2026 BPTP recommends prioritizing intersection improvements at
Charleston Rd and Middlefield Rd
•2026 BPTP recommends Class IV separated bikeways on each side of the
street
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd - Existing
24’24’
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 100
Context: Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd - Existing
•Utilities/Infrastructure Challenges
•Potential Pinch-Points
•Unique Situations
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 101
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd - Alternatives
Existing Condition
24’24’24’24’
24’24’24’24’
Alt MSA-2 Alt MSA-3
Alt MSA-1
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 102
Category Existing ALT MSA-1
Separated Bikeway, Wider Sidewalks
ALT MSA-2
Shared Use Path (north) + Bikeway (south)
ALT MSA-3
Two Way Bikeway Both Sides
Bike Facility Type Class III (shared lane)Class IV Class I shared use path north + Class IV south Class IV two way (both sides)
Curb to Curb Width 76.5 ft 76.5 ft 76.5 ft 55.5 ft (moves curbs, removes existing trees)
ROW Required 100.5 ft (Existing)100.5 ft 110.5 ft 105.5 ft
Additional Easements NA No change 10 ft (7ft on north side)5ft (2.5ft each side)
Bicycle Facility Width NA 7 ft 12 ft two-way shared use path (north)
+ 7 ft bikeway (south)10 ft two-way path (each side)
Sidewalk Width 5 ft 5-8 ft 5-8 ft 8 ft
On-Street Parking 8 ft; No Change Removed (101 spaces)Removed on south side (40 spaces total removed)Removed (101 spaces)
Considerations • No change
•Separated, low stress bicycle and pedestrian
facility
•Improved safety for bicyclists and pedestrians
crossing at intersections
•No curb moves
•Space for placemaking
•High comfort two-way path on north side
•Improved safety for bicyclists and pedestrians
crossing at intersections
•Some parking retained
•Space for placemaking
•Highest comfort for bicycles and pedestrians
•Improved safety for bicyclists and
pedestrians crossing at intersections
•Space for placemaking
Constraints • No change •Intersection turn consolidation
•Removal of parking
•Intersection turn consolidation
•Minor parking impacts
•Large ROW needs (10ft), requires coordination with
properties on west side
•Impact to tree at pinch point near Greenhouse
residences
•Complete reconstruction of curb to curb
required and considerations related
to utilities and stormwater infrastructure
•Removal of parking
•Impact to tree at pinch point near
Greenhouse residences
•Taller buildings require reduced distances
to fire apparatus
Consistent with 2026
BPTP Recommendations NA •Yes •Partially •Yes
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd – Alternatives MatrixItem 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd – Alt MSA-1
•Separated bikeway with wide sidewalks and no
parking on both sides
•Meets 2026 BPTP
•Considerations
o Separated and low stress bicycle and pedestrian
facilities on both sides, but does not fully mitigate
traffic conflicts along this truck route
o Curbs and median remain in place
o Widening sidewalks would require 3' right-of-way
within the special setback
o All parking removed
24’24’
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 118
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
•Shared use path and parking on north side with
separated bike facility, wider sidewalks, and no
parking on the south side
•Equivalent to 2026 BPTP
o Modifies 2026 BPTP Class IV separated bikeway to high
comfort Class I shared-use path on north side
o Low-stress bicycle facilities on both sides
o Curbs and median remain in place, some parking
retained
o Requires right-of-way or easements within the special
setback (7' north,3' south with sidewalk widening)
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd – Alt MSA-2
24’24’
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 119
S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Alt MSA-2: Multi-Use
Path on North Side
Expand
sidewalk to
create 8-12 ft
wide multi-use
ped/bike path
Maintain street
trees
Existing trees
may create
pinch points
10 – 12 ft
As Space
Allows
•Work with adjacent property
owners to expand existing sidewalk
into a two-way multi-use path
•Maintain as many existing trees as
possible
•Pinch-points may be unavoidable
without moving infrastructure or
removing some trees
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
•Exceeds 2026 BPTP with Class IV two-way bikeways on both
sides of the street separated from sidewalks
•Considerations
o High comfort bicycle and pedestrian facilities providing two-
way separated travel for people walking and biking
o Removes parking on both sides
o Impacts tree near Greenhouse residences
o Requires relocation of all existing street trees
o 20 feet on each side of the street for pedestrian and bike
facilities
•Potential Trade-Offs
o Requires reconstruction of curbs to narrow roadway, median
remains
o Requires right-of-way within special setback on both sides
o Requires relocation of significant utilities and infrastructure
B. Charleston Rd to Middlefield Rd – Alt MSA-3
24’24’
24’24’
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
C. West of Middlefield Rd
107
•Enhance connections to the Caltrain Station
•Provide low-stress bikeway on San
Antonio Ave
•Extend and connect bike path to Caltrain
Station
•Create high visibility pedestrian and bike
crossing markings
•Coordinate with Mountain View, Alphabet,
and Caltrain to provide Mobility Hub at/near
the Caltrain Station
•Enhance bike/ped crossings at Nita Ave to
connect to Mackay Dr
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
C. West of Middlefield Rd (+ San Antonio Ave)
108
Convert turn lane to
separated bikeway
along San Antonio
Rd and transition to
San Antonio Ave
at Byron St
Remove left turn
from Byron St to
San Antonio Ave
Provide low-stress
bikeway and lighting
enhancements along
San Antonio Ave from
Byron St to Alma St
•Existing cross-section varies from 30' to 40'
•Implementing separated bikeway (2026 BPTP
recommendation)would require removal of
on-street parking and landscaping strip
•Provide pedestrian-scale lighting
•Provide low-stress bikeway, consider
o Shared use path (Class I)
o Bike boulevard with traffic calming (Class III)
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
San Antonio Rd Connection to Caltrain
109
Enhance connection from
Mackay Dr across San
Antonio Rd to existing bike
lanes on Mayfield Ave
Explore opportunities to
improve connection through
existing underpass
•Partner with Mountain View and Alphabet to
strengthen existing connections to Caltrain
o Enhance connection from Mackay Dr across
San Antonio Rd to Nita Ave/Mayfield Ave
o Explore opportunities to improve connections
through existing underpass
o Simplify San Antonio Ave / Briarwood Way
intersection
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Alma Street and Connection to Caltrain
110
Widen existing sidewalk to
shared use path on west
side of Alma St from San
Antonio Ave to Caltrain
station
Reduce curb radii and add
bike crossing markings
connecting to new shared
use path on west side of
Alma St
Construct separated bikeway
on east side of Alma St
Widen existing sidewalk to
shared use path on west
side of Alma St from San
Antonio Ave to Caltrain
station
Reduce curb radii and add
bike crossing markings
connecting to new shared
use path on west side of
Alma St
Construct separated
bikeway on east side of
Alma St
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 111
Alma Street (existing conditions)
Widen existing sidewalk
to shared use path on
west side of Alma St from
San Antonio Ave to
Caltrain station
Reduce curb radii and add bike
crossing markings connecting
to new shared use path on
west side of Alma St
Construct separated
bikeway on east side of
Alma St
Utilize existing
landscaping strip to
construct separated
bikeway on east side of
Alma St
•2026 BPTP recommends separated bikeway
along Alma St from San Antonio Ave to
Meadow Dr
•Limited driveway conflicts along east side
•Landscaping strip is approx. 15' wide
•Coordinate with Caltrain and Mountain View to
enhance existing connection from San Antonio
Ave to Caltrain station
Item 2
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 112
Alma Street
•Provide low-stress bikeway on Alma Street
•Create high visibility pedestrian and bike crossing
markings
•Implement signal timing strategies to manage
vehicle speeds along the corridor
•Keep cycles short
•Provide leading intervals for walk/bike
•Time signals to intended speeds
•Adjust timing plans by time of day
•Coordinate with Mountain View, Google, and
Caltrain to provide Mobility Hub at/near the Caltrain
Station
Keep Cycles
Short
Time to
Intended
Speed
Adjust by
Time of
Day
Leading Pedestrian
Intervals
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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Mobility Improvements E. Charleston Road
Item 2
Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Charleston Road Strategy
114
Fabian to SA SA to MV
SA/Charleston
Intersection
•Improve ped/bike facilities on E. Charleston Road
•Improve intersection safety
•Connect to proposed ped/bike facilities on San Antonio Road
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Attachment A - San Antonio Road Area Plan Land
Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 115
Intersection : E. Charleston Rd and San Antonio Rd
Goals:
•Improve pedestrian/bike movements
across the intersection
•Integrate preferred alternatives for San
Antonio Road and Charleston Road
•Protected intersection
•Reduce crossing distance
•Reconfigure diagonal parking to ped/bike
facilities
•Grade separated crossing (limited
touchdown area on south side)
Approved Project
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 116
Charleston Rd: San Antonio Road to Mountain View
Proposed Improvements
•Improve neighborhood
connections to Mountain
View
•Improve pedestrian and
bike infrastructure on
Charleston Road
•Connect to proposed US-
101 bikeway interchange
Bike
Infrastructure
Setbacks required
for new bike
infrastructure on
Charleston
Street Design
Provide for
wider sidewalks
and increased
tree canopy
101
Interchange
Plan
B
Ped/bike connection to
US-101 interchange
multiuse path
Neighborhood
connection to
open spaces and
retail
Bike infrastructure
improvements on E.
Charleston Road
Block Size
Create pedestrian
pathways at least
one every 800 feet
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
10 ft.
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Charleston Road South of San Antonio (facing south)
Existing Typical Section
Bike lanes too
narrow Sidewalk too
narrow for high
density
development
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 118
ALT MCH -1: STREET SECTION
E. Charleston Road south of San Antonio (section shown facing south)
Exiting
10 ft.
Setback
Preferred
15 to 17 ft.
Setback
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•Goals:
•Create safe and comfortable
bike connection to and across
San Antonio Road
•Connected new development in
CTI and Mountain View to other
amenities
•Alternative Concept:
•Create 14 feet wide multi-use
path on north side of
E.Charleston Road
•Keep existing curbs
•Expand existing setback by 5 to
7 feet
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 119
ALT MCH -2: STREET SECTION
E. Charleston Road south of San Antonio (section shown facing south)
Pr
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Exiting
10 ft.
Setback
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15 to 17 ft.
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Curb moved
by 6 ft.
•Goals:
•Create safe and comfortable
bike connection to and across
San Antonio Road
•Connected new development in
CTI and Mountain View to other
amenities
•Alternative Concept:
•Increase curb-to-curb
dimension to widen bike lanes
from 5 feet wide to 8 feet wide
•Increase sidewalk width
•Expand existing setback by 5 to
7 feet
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Charleston Rd: Fabian Way to San Antonio Road
•Reconfigure the Fabian Way - San
Antonio Road intersection to
improve safety and circulation
•Calm turning movements with a
raised crosswalk on Fabian Way
•Remove diagonal parking spaces to
support a safer, more efficient
intersection layout
•Create space for placemaking
elements, micromobility parking,
and enhanced bus stop amenities
Alt MCH-B1
Proposed
Section
Existing Section
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N 121
Traffic Volumes for E. Charleston to Fabian Way
AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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Mobility Improvements Fabian Way
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
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S A N A N T O N I O R O A D A R E A P L A N
Fabian Way
•Address Fabian Way planned improvements
•Address potential future needs with residential
land use at Maxar Site
•Address pick-up drop-off at JCC and private
schools
•Address potential to add traffic signal at
Federation Way and/or other locations
Future
Residential
Development
JCC Gym/
Afterschool
Program
Federation Way
Fa
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Potential Ped/Bike Path
Fa
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Private
School
Private
School
Potential new intersections
Potential new traffic signal
Protected intersection
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Use and Transportation Alternatives
Packet Pg. 138
2991 SHATTUCK AVE, #203 | BERKELEY, CA. 94705 | P: 510.647.5291| STRATEGICECONOMICS.COM
MEMORANDUM
To: Robert Cain, Principal Planner, City of Palo Alto
From: Derek Braun, Principal
T.J. McKiernan, Associate
Date: March 17, 2026
Project: San Antonio Road Area Plan
Subject: Funding Approaches and Opportunities for Public Parks, Paseos, and Open Space
Strategic Economics evaluated the capacity and means of potential development in the San Antonio
Road Area Plan’s “Plan Alternatives” to provide land and fund construction of new public parks,
paseos, and open spaces (collectively referred to as “parks” throughout this memorandum). The Plan
Alternatives being considered by the City of Palo Alto include variations in the intensity and types of
uses accommodated in the Plan Area. The Plan Alternatives also include varying quantities of parks to
support the Plan Area’s gradual transformation into a set of cohesive mixed-use neighborhoods and
employment centers.
The Plan Alternatives identify the “CTI Sub Area” and the “Maxar Site” (in the North Fabian Sub Area)
as being two of the most significant areas of potential change, with each consisting of approximately
25 acres of potential future development sites. Analysis of development scenarios and building
prototypes for the two areas informed this memorandum’s findings regarding: 1) whether the
development described in the alternatives would generate sufficient parkland dedication and Parks
Impact Fee revenues to construct envisioned parks, 2) tools the City of Palo Alto can use to secure
sufficient land for the parks, and 3) the ability of housing and office development to provide parks
funding based on their financial performance under current and future development conditions.
Following this introduction, the remainder of the memorandum includes the sections described below:
• Study Geographies and Development Scenarios (page 4): Defines the land use scenarios
analyzed to reflect the Maxar Site and CTI Sub Area Plan Alternatives.
• Public Parks Costs and Funding (page 4): Compares the cost to provide parks in the scenarios
with the contributions of land and funding that would be generated by development in the
scenarios, based on current City of Palo Alto parkland dedication and Park Impact Fee
requirements.
• Park Delivery Tools (page 7): Describes tools the City of Palo Alto can potentially use to acquire
land for parks in the Plan Area, depending on the magnitude and pace of development
proposals.
• Residential and Office Development Conditions (page 9): Describes residential and office
development “prototypes,” their applicability to the study geographies, and their current and
potential future financial performance under varying market and development conditions.
The Appendix provides additional detailed tables that describe key assumptions, calculations, and
outputs of the analyses.
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March 17, 2026
Study Geographies and Development Scenarios
Development scenarios for the Maxar Site and CTI Sub Area were prepared based on Plan Alternative
buildout information provided by Raimi + Associates. The scenarios are not indicative of active
planning applications in the City of Palo Alto. They are preliminary buildout scenarios used to evaluate
the feasibility of park development in each subarea.
The Plan Alternatives included 2 to 4.5 acres of park space at the Maxar Site and one to three acres
at the CTI Sub Area. Figure 1 shows the quantities of park space included in each scenario to
determine park land costs and funding contributions. Numbers in the scenario names vary based on
park space in the scenarios, while letters in the scenario names vary based on differences in
development intensity and uses.
This analysis only evaluated residential development scenarios at the Maxar Site, although the site
could include a smaller commercial component. The scenarios for the Maxar Site, which is a large
single-owner parcel, include a mix of townhomes and multifamily housing units. All analyses assumed
that townhomes are an ownership housing product while multifamily apartments are a rental housing
product.
The CTI Sub Area includes two scenarios of entirely residential development and two scenarios of
residential and office development.
FIGURE 1: DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS BY GEOGRAPHY AND PARK SPACE REQUIREMENT
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Public Parks Costs and Funding
The following findings examine whether the City of Palo Alto’s existing park land dedication and funding
requirements would cover the costs of providing parks included in the Plan Alternatives. The findings
describe costs to provide parks in the Scenarios, identify required park land and funding contributions
from development in the Scenarios, and discuss the adequacy of current parks funding mechanisms.
The analysis used park construction cost estimates (based on the City of Palo Alto’s most recent Park
Impact Fee nexus study), recent property sales, and a construction cost inflation index to calculate the
cost of land acquisition and park construction on the Maxar site and in the CTI subarea.
The notes below Figure 2 describe the sources
and methodology used to prepare these estimates.
As shown in Figure 3, these cost estimates reflect the low- and high-end park
development cost estimates as applied to the varying quantities of park acres included in the Land
Use Alternative and Development Scenarios.
The estimates described in this
memo are intended to inform general policy-level consideration of mechanisms for funding parks
included in the Plan Alternatives. Although these estimates are based on reliable local sources and
data, the actual cost to acquire land and construct a park will always vary based on unique
circumstances.
FIGURE 2: PARK DEVELOPMENT COST ESTIMATES (2026 DOLLARS)
cost per acre.
(b) Strategic Economics calculated the low-end park development cost by adjusting the City's previous park development cost estimates (from
2019) for inflation. The adjustment was based on the California Construction Cost Index (published by the California Department of General
Services and based on the Engineering News Record Building Cost Index). Although this index reflects changing construction costs, it is also
used to increase the City’s park impact fees. As such, it is appropriate to use this index to conduct a fee-based estimation of the total cost of
park development. The original estimates appear in the City of Palo Alto’s “Supplement to the Development Impact Fee Justification Study,”
2019.
(c) Strategic Economics calculated the high-end total open space development cost based on land values reflecting the average of five industrial
property sales that occurred in the San Antonio Road Specific Plan Area from 2024 to 2026 (these sales are shown in Figure 14; all other costs
reflect inflation-adjusted costs from the City of Palo Alto’s 2019 park development cost estimates described above.
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FIGURE 3: ESTIMATED PARK LAND ACQUISITION/CONTRIBUTION VALUE AND PARK DEVELOPMENT COST FOR THE
MAXAR SITE AND CTI SUB AREA
Scenarios
(a)
uniformly assume that the overall average cost of these spaces match the typical cost of developing a park in Palo Alto.
The next step of the analysis compared the estimated park development costs to the total developer
contributions to park space and funding required under current City of Palo Alto requirements. The
main assumptions of each buildout scenario were shown in Figure 1.
• The requirement only applies to residential projects that require a
subdivision or parcel map, which typically includes multiunit ownership housing developments
such as single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums. Therefore, the requirement
applies to the ownership townhome component of the Maxar site’s development scenarios. As
of 2025, the Parkland Dedication requirement specifies that subdivisions resulting in more
than 50 parcels must provide land at a rate of 531 square feet per unit for single family homes
and 366 square feet per unit for multi-family homes; otherwise, an in-lieu fee may be paid.
• The requires that multifamily developments pay $44.20 per square foot and
commercial projects pay $19,076.43 per 1,000 square feet, as of August 2025. The Park
Impact Fee only applies to projects not subject to the Parkland Dedication requirement. For
purposes of the analysis, the multifamily housing units at the Maxar Site and CTI Sub Area
were assumed to be rental projects that must pay the Park Impact Fee.
Figure
4 compares the cost of providing parks in the scenarios (based on land value and park construction
cost) versus the value of land dedication and Park Impact Fee payments required of development in
the scenarios. As shown, the land and fee contributions in the scenarios with 4.5 acres of parks fall
short of meeting the full cost of developing the parks. The results for all scenarios assumed that the
new housing development is exempt from paying approximately $13.5 million in park impact fees due
to credits for existing commercial development on the site.
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March 17, 2026
FIGURE 4: TOTAL MAXAR SITE PARK DEVELOPMENT COST AND REQUIRED DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER
EXISTING CITY POLICIES
(a) The development scenarios under the two-acre park alternative are required to dedicate approximately three acres of park space each.
Under the Parkland Dedication policy, they would pay an in-lieu fee for the remaining undedicated park acreage; however, this chart assumes
that the two-acre park contribution fully satisfies the dedication requirement, and no additional in-lieu fee revenue is shown (i.e., only the
Park Impact Fee contributions are shown). The analysis assumed that townhomes in the “A” scenarios provide parkland dedication meeting
single-family home requirements, while the higher-density “podium” townhomes in the “B” scenarios meet multi-family dedication
requirements.
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2025; Strategic Economics, 2026.
As shown in Figure 5, the Park Impact Fees generated under the
one-acre park alternative scenarios for the CTI Sub Area are at least three times higher than the park
development cost due to the small park size compared to the total housing units developed. The three-
acre park alternative scenarios include fewer housing units, decreasing the total Park Impact Fees
collected compared to the one-acre alternative while also requiring three times the cost in land
acquisition and construction to build the park. However, the only CTI Sub Area scenario for which Park
Impact Fees are inadequate to cover the cost of park development is the least intensive “Scenario
4A,” which includes the lowest number of housing units—implicitly corresponding to five-story
multifamily residential development—and three acres of parks and paseos.
The scenarios that fail to
meet park land and funding requirements combine fewer housing units with higher assumed
quantities of park land.
$0M $20M $40M $60M $80M
Total Park Development Cost
Scenario 1A Development Contributions
Scenario 1B Development Contributions
Total Park Development Cost
Scenario 2A Development Contributions
Scenario 2B Development Contributions
Land Cost (Acquisition)Construction Cost Land Cost (Dedication)Park Impact Fee (Residential)
Scenario #2 -4.5 Acre Park
Scenario #1 -2.0 Acre Park
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FIGURE 5: TOTAL CTI SUB AREA PARK DEVELOPMENT COST AND REQUIRED DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS UNDER
EXISTING CITY POLICIES
(a) The development scenarios for the CTI subarea are not bound to the Parkland Dedication requirements.
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2025; Strategic Economics, 2026.
Park Delivery Tools
Although future development in the Plan Area will generate funding to build parks, funding alone does
not guarantee that the City of Palo Alto will be able to acquire land for parks envisioned in the Plan
Alternatives. The Parkland Dedication requirement is the sole tool that ensures development projects
provide land for parks, but the requirement only applies to a very limited subset of large-scale, typically
owner-occupied housing development projects.
The following findings describe several significant tools available to the City of Palo Alto for ensuring
or enhancing the ability of the City to obtain land for parks and other public facilities needs included
in the Plan Alternatives. The applicability of each tool varies depending on the development context,
such as whether new development is undertaken by a single large property owner or through smaller
individual projects via an incremental process.
A detailed funding and financing strategy for all major public infrastructure and facilities needs will
later be prepared and included in the San Antonio Road Area Plan.
• Existing Parkland Dedication requirement: The City of Palo Alto’s existing dedication
requirement mandates that housing developments seeking a subdivision or parcel
$0M $20M $40M $60M $80M $100M
Total Park Development Cost
Scenario 3A Development Contributions
Scenario 3B Development Contributions
Scenario 3C Development Contributions
Scenario 3D Development Contributions
Total Park Development Cost
Scenario 4A Development Contributions
Scenario 4B Development Contributions
Scenario 4C Development Contributions
Scenario 4D Development Contributions
Land Cost (Acquisition)Construction Cost
Park Impact Fee (Residential)Park Impact Fee (Commercial)
Scenario #4 -3.0 Acre Park
Scenario #3 -1.0 Acre Park
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map for more than 50 parcels must provide land for parks. Smaller projects requiring
subdivision or a parcel map can pay an in-lieu fee instead. This requirement would primarily
apply to large-scale ownership housing projects, such as the townhomes envisioned at
a portion of the Maxar site in the plan alternatives.
• Park Impact Fees: The City’s Park Impact Fees, described earlier, specifically provide funding
for new parks. These fee revenues can be used to acquire land for public parks, but do not
guarantee the City’s ability to acquire any specific property.
Examples of these mechanisms include the
following:
• Development Agreements: Development agreements could potentially be required in the
Area Plan for large-scale projects pursued by a master developer that exceed certain size
thresholds. Negotiated agreements create an opportunity to require parkland dedication and
construction, potentially in lieu of otherwise applicable Park Impact Fees. This option may be
preferable for the City than using existing policies as it allows greater flexibility to specify park
requirements and it addresses park dedication requirements, which will likely not apply to
the CTI subarea under the Plan Alternatives development scenarios.
• Community Facilities Districts (CFDs): CFDs create an additional tax levy on properties in a
district. These funds can be used to provide infrastructure improvements within the same
district via bond issuance and repayment over time. Under California state law, this levy can
be calculated based on any type of reasonable property characteristic other than property
value, such as land square footage. The process for initiating the CFD could be initiated by
the City but would require a two-thirds vote of property owners by land area if there are fewer
than 12 registered voters in the district—an easier threshold to meet in a nonresidential area
with one or more interested large property owners. A key benefit of CFDs over other district-
based funding mechanisms is that they can be used for ongoing infrastructure operations
and maintenance in addition to capital costs.
• Reimbursement Agreements: If one developer is required to provide additional infrastructure
capacity or amenities to serve an entire district or area, a reimbursement agreement can be
established to receive payments from later developers who benefit from these early
improvements. Although reimbursement agreements can be established privately and
separately from any other funding or park delivery mechanism, these agreements are more
often incorporated into the structure of a CFD.
These mechanisms typically rely on the exchange of a benefit for increased development
rights for commercial properties (as housing is often subject to State or local density bonuses and
protections that limit developer incentives to purchase additional development rights). Examples of
these mechanisms include the following:
• Community Benefits programs: The Area Plan can potentially incorporate a structured
community benefits program in which property owners must set aside land for parks or make
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other contributions in exchange for greater development rights. However, community
benefits programs may be less effective for ensuring parkland dedication since smaller
properties would be unable to provide a land dedication.
• Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): Property owners may transfer unused development
potential from one property with certain characteristics (the “sending site” or “originating
site”) to another property (the “receiving site”). The transfer enables the owner of the
receiving site to develop additional gross floor area above and beyond what would otherwise
be allowed. The sending site, having transferred away its development potential, could
become a prime location for future parks. The value of the TDR depends on the relative
financial feasibility of development at the base allowed density, financial feasibility of
building types, and market strength. TDR programs for providing parks are generally most
useful when the sending site is already a natural area, so the potential usefulness of TDR in
the already-developed Plan Area is likely limited.
Residential and Office Development Conditions
This section reviews the results of a preliminary analysis of the financial performance (from a
developer’s perspective) of development prototypes representing residential and commercial
developments that could occur in the study sub areas. The analysis examined the relative performance
of the development prototypes under both current and foreseeable future market and economic
conditions. The findings are intended to inform consideration of the mix and scale of uses included in
the Plan Alternatives.
RESIDENTIAL PROTOTYPES INCLUDED OWNERSHIP TOWNHOMES, FIVE-STORY MULTIFAMILY RENTAL HOUSING, EIGHT-
STORY MULTIFAMILY RENTAL HOUSING, A FIVE-STORY OFFICE BUILDING, AND AN EIGHT-STORY OFFICE BUILDING (SEE
FIGURE 6). COMMERCIAL PROTOTYPES INCLUDED A FIVE-STORY OFFICE BUILDING AND AN EIGHT-STORY OFFICE BUILDING
(SEE
Figure 7). The two townhome prototypes and the two office prototypes respectively occupy sites of the
same size, making the key difference between these prototypes the density or floor area ratio (FAR)
achieved.
The analysis determined the approximate “residual land value” associated with each prototype, which
represents the developer’s ability to pay for land after addressing all other project costs and required
return on investment. Expressing the findings as a residual land value provides a uniform metric for
comparing the performance of different prototypes. Comparison of the residual land value to the
typical value of recently sold properties in the Plan Area also indicates the relative financial feasibility
of the development prototypes. Detailed assumptions and outcomes of the analyses are shown in the
Appendix.
Since a variety of development challenges exist throughout the Bay Area in the current market cycle,
the findings also describe how the performance of the development prototypes may change over time
under foreseeable market and economic shifts. This step of the analysis tested the sensitivity of the
results to potential changes in rents and cap rates, a variable that represents a project’s net operating
income relative to its value and serves as an indicator of the strength and perceived risk of the
development market. such as construction costs or land costs, that are also always changing over
time. In reality, every aspect of the development “equation” changes over time, such as variation in
construction costs, financing costs, and land costs. Nonetheless, the results do demonstrate the
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potential outcomes of improving market and economic conditions over the next two- to three-year
period.
FIGURE 6: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPES
Source: Raimi+Associates, 2026; Strategic Economics, 2026.
FIGURE 7: OFFICE DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPES
Source: Raimi+Associates, 2026; Strategic Economics, 2026.
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Under current market conditions,
the townhome projects both result in residual land values of above $300 per square foot of land.
Under current development conditions, typical garage-parked townhomes support higher residual land
values than the less common podium-parked townhomes that were also analyzed (a version of which
exists at “Altaire” in the Plan Area).
The five-story multifamily prototype produced a slightly negative residual
land value, likely due to the prototype’s inclusion of a level of underground parking. The eight-story
multifamily building, which did not contain any underground parking, supported higher residual land
values than the five-story multifamily building, but it still did not perform as well as either of the
townhome prototypes.
Multifamily residential development
slowed in the years after the Covid-19 pandemic as rents failed to keep pace with rapidly rising
construction costs. The effects of these changes remain in place, as high construction costs and
financing costs continue to pose challenges for delivering new multifamily projects.
• The market scenarios compared current and improved cap rates under assumptions of varying
levels of rent growth. The high end of the range of market outcomes achievable in the next two
to three years was based on a 3.75 percent cap rate and twenty percent increase in rents. The
low-end scenario was based on the current estimated cap rate of 5.50 percent and no rent
growth. Figure 9 and Figure 10 show all outcomes in the range of rent and cap rate growth,
with bottom left corner of the shaded area representing present residual land values.
• The five-story and eight-story multifamily rental prototypes produce residual land values
sufficient to purchase and develop land in the Plan Area with a ten percent increase in rents
and marginal decrease in cap rates. The eight-story multifamily prototype outperforms the five-
story prototype, likely due to the former’s less costly parking layout.
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FIGURE 8: RESIDUAL LAND VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL PROTOTYPES UNDER CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
FIGURE 9: RESIDUAL LAND VALUE OF THE FIVE-STORY MULTIFAMILY PROTOTYPE UNDER A RANGE OF MARKET
CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
-$200
-$100
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
3-Story
Townhomes
(Garage
Parking)
3-Story
Townhomes
(Podium
Parking)
5-Story
Multifamily
8-Story
Multifamily
Typical Land Values ($/SF)Residual Land Value
-$400.00
-$300.00
-$200.00
-$100.00
$0.00
$100.00
$200.00
$300.00
$400.00
$500.00
0%10%20%
Change in Market Rents
Typical Land Values in Palo Alto
Range of Residual Land Values
Residual Land Value (Improved
Cap Rates)
Residual Land Value (Current
Cap Rates)
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FIGURE 10: RESIDUAL LAND VALUE OF THE EIGHT-STORY MULTIFAMILY RENTAL PROTOTYPE UNDER A RANGE OF
MARKET CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
As shown in Figure 11, neither
prototype currently achieves a positive residual land value due to similar factors that are constraining
the short-term performance of the midrise residential development prototypes. In recent years, market
rents for many types of commercial property have fallen or plateaued, while construction costs and
interest rates have risen significantly. As a result, developers and investors are approaching office
development with a higher level of uncertainty than in the recent past, and they require higher return
thresholds for new projects to achieve financial feasibility.
New development proposals—such as Presidio Bay’s proposed redevelopment of
Charleston Plaza shopping center adjacent to the Plan Area—demonstrate ongoing developer
confidence that office development conditions will improve. This is especially true for new, modern
office projects in locations with amenities and housing.
• The tested market scenarios compared current market rents to rents up to twenty percent
higher under “strong” market cap rates of 4.50 percent and “weak” market cap rates of 7.75
percent (derived from market research and developer interviews). These ranges reflect historic
rent growth and the variability of market capitalization rates over the last ten years. Figure 12
and Figure 13 illustrate the performance of both prototypes under a range of possible future
development market conditions.
-$400.00
-$200.00
$0.00
$200.00
$400.00
$600.00
$800.00
0%10%20%
Change in Market Rents
Typical Land Values in Palo Alto
Range of Residual Land Values
Residual Land Value (Improved
Cap Rates)
Residual Land Value (Current Cap
Rates)
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• The financial performance of the office development prototypes most readily improves in
response to changes in financing costs and perceived development risk. Typical cap rates
adjust in response to changes in financing costs, perceived development risk, and anticipated
future revenues. The market scenario analyses show that the office prototypes exceed land
purchase costs under a hypothetical “strong” market cap rate scenario while maintaining
current rents and construction costs.
• The results of the analysis also demonstrate the value of additional office FAR in the eight-
story office prototype—suggesting greater ability of higher-FAR office products to support
community benefits or other contributions. For example, in a strong market scenario (low cap
rates) with ten percent rent growth, the five-story prototype’s residual land value is
approximately $580 per square foot of land and the eight-story prototype’s residual land value
is approximately $1,060 per square foot of land.
FIGURE 11: RESIDUAL LAND VALUES OF COMMERCIAL PROTOTYPES UNDER CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
-$150
-$100
-$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
Five-Story Office Eight-Story Office
Typical Land Values Residual Land Value
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FIGURE 12: RESIDUAL LAND VALUE OF THE FIVE-STORY OFFICE PROTOTYPE UNDER A RANGE OF MARKET CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
FIGURE 13: RESIDUAL LAND VALUE OF THE EIGHT-STORY OFFICE PROTOTYPE UNDER A RANGE OF MARKET CONDITIONS
Source: Strategic Economics, 2026.
-$500.00
-$300.00
-$100.00
$100.00
$300.00
$500.00
$700.00
0%10%20%
Fo
o
t
Change in Market Rents
Typical Land Values in Palo Alto
Range of Residual Land Values
Residual Land Value (Strong
Market)
Residual Land Value (Weak
Market)
-$200.00
$0.00
$200.00
$400.00
$600.00
$800.00
$1,000.00
$1,200.00
$1,400.00
0%10%20%
Change in Market Rents
Typical Land Values in Palo Alto
Range of Residual Land Values
Residual Land Value (Improved
Cap Rates)
Residual Land Value (Current Cap
Rates)
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Appendix
FIGURE 14: INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY SALES IN THE PLAN AREA, 2024-2026
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FIGURE 15: PARK DEVELOPMENT COST AND EXISTING POLICY CONTRIBUTION ASSUMPTIONS AND CALCULATIONS
(4)
(1)(2)(3)(5)(2)(6)(7)
A *
$11,000,000
(B * 531) /
43,560
Lesser of
A or F
G *
$11,000,000
(C * $44.20) +
(D * $19.71) E * $19.71
(1) Each scenario’s multifamily square footage is equal to the number of multifamily rental units identified in Figure 1 multiplied by the average unit size of multifamily developments based on market research
(850 square feet).
(2) The land acquisition cost for the development of parks reflects the high-end value from Figure 2 as most of the properties in the studied subareas have existing improvements.
(3) The Construction Cost category includes the following costs from Figure 2: Park Construction, Planning & Design, and Administration.
(4) Rates in the “Calculation” row of this section of the Figure refer either to conversions from acres to square feet or to Palo Alto’s existing policy rates, or both.
(5) The parkland dedicated does not exceed the park area specified by the development scenario, even if the Parkland Dedication requirement does exceed the scenario (as in Scenarios 1A and 1B).
(6) The Impact Fee column combines both the multifamily rental impact fee and the commercial impact fee.
(7) The Fee Credit each scenario receives for existing commercial development represents the maximum possible fee credit (i.e., the total replacement of existing structures in both subareas) as both a
conservative estimate of each scenario’s ability to pay for parks improvements and due to a lack of knowledge about the rate of redevelopment in each subarea.
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2025; Raimi and Associates, 2026; Strategic Economics, 2026.
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FIGURE 16: TOTAL PARK DEVELOPMENT COST AND DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS BY SCENARIO
FIGURE 17: OWNERSHIP TOWNHOME PROTOTYPES' REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 18: OWNERSHIP TOWNHOME PROTOTYPES' COST ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 19: OWNERSHIP TOWNHOME PROTOTYPES' PRO FORMA RESULTS
FIGURE 20: MULTIFAMILY RENTAL PROTOTYPE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 21: MULTIFAMILY RENTAL PROTOTYPE COST ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 22: MULTIFAMILY RENTAL PROTOTYPES' PRO FORMA RESULTS
FIGURE 23: OFFICE PROTOTYPES' REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 24: OFFICE PROTOTYPES' COST ASSUMPTIONS
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FIGURE 25: OFFICE PROTOTYPES' PRO FORMA RESULTS
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Item No. 3. Page 1 of 11
Planning & Transportation Commission
Staff Report
From: Planning and Development Services Director
Lead Department: Planning and Development Services
Meeting Date: March 25, 2026
Report #: 2602-5927
TITLE
Recommendation on an Ordinance to Amend Various Sections of Title 16 (Building Regulations)
and Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Implement Retail Vitality Policies in the
Comprehensive Plan. CEQA Status: The Ordinance is Consistent with and Represents
Implementation of Adopted Policies in the Comprehensive Plan, for Which an Environmental
Impact Report (Comprehensive Plan EIR) was Certified on February 5, 2016.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) recommend the City
Council amend various sections of Titles 16 and 18 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC)
(Attachment A) to implement retail vitality measures related to Comprehensive Plan policies
and the City Council's 2025 Enhance Business Vibrancy Priority.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The draft ordinance in Attachment A builds on retail conditions and strategies analyses
completed in 2023 and 2024, and an interim retail ordinance adopted in December 2024.
Approval of this updated ordinance is intended to:
Make the interim ordinance permanent;
Allow a broader range of retail and other commercial uses;
Reduce confusion from overlapping/conflicting regulations;
Add standard conditions for specific uses and remove overly subjective findings;
Streamline parking requirements and permit approvals;
Reduce ground-floor vacancies; and
Encourage vibrancy in the City’s commercial areas; including Downtown and California
Avenue.
Amendments to the zoning code are shown as underlined/strikeout in Attachment A.
Annotations in the margin guide the reader to the rationale behind substantive changes. The
analysis section below summarizes proposed amendments by code chapter/section.
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BACKGROUND
Previous Work Effort
1
Current Work Effort
Consider allowing bars (without food), but with limitations or conditions, and an
entertainment zone on California Avenue.
Enforce transparency and other design standards to ensure that all ground-floor uses
are activated, including medical offices or personal services uses.
Add ground-floor flexibility by allowing offices if they are neighborhood-serving.
Consider more blended parking rates.
Avoid merging of retail and retail-like use categories.
Limit changes to the Retail Preservation regulations to potential exemptions for
multifamily residential and office/manufacturing zones.
1 October 29, 2025 PTC Staff Report and Attachments:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/meetings/ItemWithTemplateType?id=9314&meetingTemplateType=2&comp
iledMeetingDocumentId=17309
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Consider special standards for certain retail areas; including upper University Avenue,
Ramona Street, and car-free portions of California Avenue.
Consider potential consequences of allowing office uses on the ground-floor in
commercial retail areas.
ANALYSIS
This section details proposed changes in the draft ordinance, organized by code section, and
highlights specific questions for the PTC to consider.
18.04.030: Definitions
The draft ordinance suggests the following changes to use classification definitions:
1. Make permanent 2024 changes to the following use classifications: “automobile
showroom,” “retail finance service,” and “formula retail business.”
2. Split the current “animal care” definition into two use classifications, based on impact
(e.g., noise, odors), to acknowledge that use regulations already distinguish between
“animal care, excluding boarding and kennels” and “boarding and kennels” and allow
these uses in appropriate locations with appropriate permit levels (i.e., permitted by
right vs conditionally permitted). Also see new standards in Section 18.42.130 (Animal
Care), below, intended to prevent potential negative impacts.
3. Provide more flexibility for eating and drinking uses by creating three categories (with
different levels of potential impact) and removing “take out” as a separate use
classification.
a. Create three eating and drinking-related definitions, which generate different
parking requirements:
i. “Eating and drinking, full service” for establishments with table service,
seating, and a full kitchen.
ii. “Eating and drinking, limited service” for establishments where food is
ready to consume within about 10 minutes and there is limited seating
(e.g., delis, coffee shops). Currently, such uses are interpreted as
“intensive retail service” which is not an intuitive use classification for
potential retailers.
iii. “Bars” is a new definition that would allow bars without food service.
Currently, the City does not allow stand-alone bars; a full kitchen is
required with any alcohol service. Bars have potential to generate
revenue and increase foot traffic, but can also create potential nuisances.
Also see new standards in Section 18.42.090 (Alcoholic Beverages)
intended to prevent potential negative impacts. As proposed within the
district regulations, bars would only be allowed with a conditional use
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permit (CUP), allowing the City to apply additional conditions, such as hours of
operation.
b. Eliminate “take-out services” as a separate use classification, since most eating
and drinking uses include take-out as standard practice. However, the PTC
expressed concerns about potential negative consequences. One issue could be
“ghost kitchens” which are uses that provide take-out and/or delivery options
without a storefront or dine-in seating. Rather, these uses rely on third-party
apps like DoorDash. “Ghost kitchens” may previously have been classified as
“take-out service” but would now be classified as “eating and drinking, limited
service.” This is a more appropriate assumption given that they would have
lower parking generation compared to a use with dine-in seating. Moreover,
existing design standards would require that these uses are designed like any
other eating and drinking service establishment.
18.16: Neighborhood, Community, and Service Commercial (CN, CC and CS) Districts
The draft ordinance proposes the following changes to the CN, CC, and CS districts, which
represent commercial district regulations for all commercial areas except for Downtown.
4. Streamline the four sets of overlapping, confusing, and contradictory use regulations for
Midtown and Charleston Shopping Centers into one clear set of rules.
a. Use the base district use regulations for the CN district (Table 1 in Chapter 18.16)
to regulate these neighborhood shopping centers and use footnotes to note
modified standards that apply in these locations.
b. Remove the -GF combining district/overlay designation on the Zoning Map and
remove Table 2 and Table 5 in Chapter 18.16, again consolidating use regulations
into Table 1.
c. Allow neighborhood-serving offices and residential uses in Midtown (they are
already allowed in Charleston), except along public frontages. Allow
neighborhood-serving offices by right for spaces up to 2,500 sq. ft., but require a
CUP for larger spaces. As a result, modify existing office use regulations that
restrict the amount of office space permitted.
d. Allow residential uses on upper floors and fronting rear/side yards, whereas
residential uses are currently not permitted. This would allow mixed use
development in the event of redevelopment of these neighborhood shopping
centers.
5. Adjust permit levels (i.e., by right vs. CUP) and expand allowed uses, including some
from the “retail-like” category as allowed, and bars with a CUP, in the CC and CS
districts. Question for PTC consideration: Should bars be allowed, subject to a CUP, in
the CN district (e.g., in Midtown and Charleston Shopping Centers)?
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6. Replace onerous and subjective permit findings with findings that are linked to the
purposes of the district.
18.18: Downtown Commercial (CD) District
The draft ordinance proposes the following changes to the zoning district that covers
Downtown. However, note that the -GF combining district, described below, supersedes the CD
District use regulations on applicable parcels (i.e., University Avenue and the retail-dense
segments of Emerson, Ramona, and Bryant Streets).
7. Streamline overlapping use regulations by consolidating Table 1 and Table 4 of Chapter
18.18.
8. Adjust permit levels (i.e., by right vs. CUP) and expand allowed uses, including some
from the “retail-like” category, and bars with a CUP.
18.30(A): Retail Shopping (R) Combining District Regulations
The draft ordinance proposes the following changes to the -R combining district, which applies
only to California Avenue and generally supersedes CC(2) base district use regulations:
9. Make permanent 2024 additions to allowed uses.
10. Replace list of permitted and conditionally permitted uses with a table, consistent with
other base district use regulations.
11. Expand allowed uses. For example:
a. Allow bars with a CUP.
b. Allow fitness studios up to 5,000 sq. ft. by right. Above 5,000 sq. ft. fitness is
classified as commercial recreation, which requires a CUP. This will allow a higher
level of review and conditions to be applied to larger fitness uses.
c. Allow neighborhood-serving offices (which includes medical office) by right,
except along the California Avenue frontage.
d. Allow medical offices that include retail sales (e.g., medical spas, optometrists,
integrative medicine clinics) along California Avenue frontage with a CUP.
12. Establish design criteria for neighborhood-serving offices, such that they are fronted by
retail uses—with a minimum depth of 30 feet—on California Avenue.
13. Remove Waiver and Adjustments section entirely to make regulations unambiguous and
acknowledge that the draft ordinance is providing more permitted uses.
14. Remove subjective findings.
18.30(C): Ground Floor (GF) Combining District Regulations (Applicable in Downtown core)
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The draft ordinance proposes the following changes to the -GF combining district. The -GF
combining district overlay applies to University Avenue and portions of Emerson, Ramona, and
Bryant Streets; and, currently, to Midtown and Charleston Shopping Centers. The -GF
combining district generally supersedes base district use regulations.
18.38: Planned Communities (PC) District Regulations
18.40.180: Retail Preservation
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22. Exempt the following multifamily residential and office/manufacturing zones from Retail
Preservation regulations:
a. Residential zones: RM-30, RM-40, NV-R3, and NV-R4
i. There are at least two sites where retail preservation regulations would
need to be enforced in the event of a redevelopment project applies,
since these sites contain a daycare and a motel, respectively. In order to
develop multifamily housing, a project would need to trigger an
exemption from retail preservation regulations. Exempting multifamily
districts would support Housing Element policies and programs to reduce
constraints to housing development for existing and future projects.
b. Office/manufacturing zones: ROLM ROLM(E), RP RP(5), and GM
i. There are at least 21 sites with office/manufacturing designations where
retail preservation regulations would need to be enforced in the event of
redevelopment projects. These are primarily retailers and services near
San Antonio Road, and include the following types of commercial
businesses: building materials, bath and kitchen supply, auto materials
and repairs, showrooms, gyms/recreation, daycares, and private clubs.
Some of these uses are revenue-generating uses that support the City’s
tax base and provide important uses for residents, contractors, and
visitors. On the other hand, the retail preservation ordinance would
restrict redevelopment options on these sites and prevent other types of
uses, that meet the purposes of these districts including medical,
research, office and limited manufacturing uses.
ii. Because a number of GM parcels are located within the San Antonio
Road Area Plan, an ongoing project by the City to guide redevelopment in
a 275.3-acre portion of Palo Alto adjacent to the Mountain View border,
an alternative approach would be to exempt the other
office/manufacturing zones with this amendment and allow the City to
complete the San Antonio Road Area Plan process before deciding how to
consider retail preservation in the GM zone.
Chapter 18.42: Standards for Special Uses
The draft ordinance proposes modifications to the standards for special uses chapter to apply
standard conditions that can allow more uses by right and clarify the types of standards that
will be applied through the CUP process:
23. Modify Section 18.42.090 (Alcoholic Beverages) to streamline permitting and apply
conditions for bars and restaurants with alcohol service, regarding potential impacts
such as noise and trash, and enforce certain performance, such as required staff
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training. All stand-alone bars would require a CUP, allowing the City to regulate hours
among other conditions.
24. Establish Section 18.42.130 (Animal Care) to create generally applicable conditions for
animal care uses, regarding nuisances, drainage, ventilation, waste, and other potential
impacts.
18.52: Parking and Loading Requirements
The draft ordinance aims to allow more flexibility in parking requirements through the
following modifications:
25. Establish blended parking rate for the California Avenue Parking district (similar to
Downtown), with separate ratios for eating and drinking services and other retail uses.
This would acknowledge that:
a. Visitors to California Avenue likely park once and walk between uses whether
parking on the street or within garages;
b. Existing buildings and tenant spaces typically do not provide on-site parking and
cannot physically provide additional parking in the event of a change of use
application that triggers additional parking spaces;
c. Existing City parking ratios are generally unenforceable for most uses on
California Avenue because of the applicability of AB 2097 (Gov. Code Section
65863.2).
26. Modify ratios for offices and eating and drinking services to standardize ratios regardless
of location and acknowledge that full service restaurants generate different (higher)
parking requirements that limited service establishments, which have greater turnover.
27. Modify thresholds for when a transportation demand management (TDM) program is
required, exempting small retail additions and changes in use for retail and retail-like.
a. Question for PTC consideration: How could this TDM program integrate with
Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA) program?3
28. Increase shared parking opportunities to allow shared parking to accommodate up to
60% of required parking spaces.
18.76 & 18.77 Process and Administration
29. Change all references of Conditional Use Permit or CUP, to Administrative Use Permit or
AUP to better reflect the primarily administrative nature of this permit process and send
a signal to potential tenants that the permitting process is not necessarily onerous or
3 For more information about the PATMA, visit: https://www.paloaltotma.org/
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lengthy. Note that this change would be completed throughout the PAMC and not just
the Process and Administration section.
30. Remove overly subjective findings in Section 18.76.015, pertaining to conditionally
permitted formula retail uses on California Avenue.
16.59: Citywide Transportation Impact Fee
31. Exempt small retail additions from the citywide transportation fee, consistent with fee
exemptions in PAMC sections 16.45 and 16.58.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
City Council adoption of the draft ordinance, which proposes to increase permitted uses, allow
more uses by right, and reduce regulatory hurdles may reduce permitting timelines, staff and
decision-maker time, and commercial vacancy rates, is anticipated to increase sales tax
revenues.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
This ordinance supports implementation of the following Comprehensive Plan policies:
B4.2.1: Revise zoning and other regulations as needed to encourage the preservation of
space to accommodate small businesses, start-ups and other services.
B4.2.2: Consider planning, regulatory, or other incentives to encourage property owners
to include smaller office spaces in their buildings to serve small businesses, non-profit
organizations, and independent professionals.
B5.1.14: Revise zoning and other regulations as needed to encourage the revitalization
of aging retail structures and areas. Encourage the preservation of space to
accommodate small, independent retail businesses and professional services.
L1.6.1: Review regulatory tools available to the City and identify actions to enhance and
preserve the livability of residential neighborhoods and the vitality of commercial and
employment districts, including improved code enforcement practices.
L4.2.1: Study the overall viability of ground-floor retail requirements in preserving retail
space and creating an active street environment, including the types of locations where
such requirements are most effective.
L4.2.2: Evaluate the effectiveness of formula retail limits adopted for California Avenue.
Develop incentives for local small businesses where warranted.
L4.2.3: Explore and potentially support new, creative and innovative retail in Palo Alto.
L4.5.1: Revise zoning and other regulations as needed to encourage the preservation of
space to accommodate small businesses, start-ups and other services.
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L4.5.2: Consider planning, regulatory, or other incentives to encourage property owners
to include smaller office spaces in their buildings to serve small businesses, non-profit
organizations, and independent professionals.
L4.16.1: Maintain distinct neighborhood shopping areas that are attractive, accessible
and convenient to nearby residents.
L4.10.2: Create regulations for the California Avenue area that encourage the retention
or rehabilitation of smaller buildings to provide spaces for existing retail, particularly
local, small businesses.
T5.1.2 Consider reducing parking requirements for retail and restaurant uses as a way to
encourage new businesses and the use of alternative modes.
As part of the implementation of Housing Element Program 3.2 (Monitor Constraints to
Housing), the City is required to analyze how potential new regulations may impact housing
production, if at all, and recommend solutions to address any adverse impacts. This retail
initiative is anticipated to reduce retail vacancies, primarily at the ground-level. It is not
expected to impact the rate of housing production, except proposed changes to allow
residential uses in the Midtown and Charleston Shopping Centers could encourage mixed-uses
at upper levels. Additionally, the ordinance may have the effect of making ground-floor retail
uses within residential mixed-use buildings more flexible and viable.
Lastly, during the October 29, 2025, study session, PTC members asked about the relationship
between pedestrian/bicycle planning and retail uses. The 2026 Bike Plan identifies “Bicycle
Friendly Zones” in Downtown and California Avenue that align with the Pedestrian Shopping (P)
Combining District, Ground Floor (GF) Combining District, and Retail Shopping (R) Combining
District. The -P district is also located in the Midtown and Charleston Shopping Districts, which
are proposed for a Class IV separated bikeway in the 2026 Bike Plan. Currently, a combination
of Class III shared bike routes and Class II bike lanes are provided in the southern portion of
Middlefield Road. Implementation of the pedestrian and bicycle facility projects in areas that
require and support retail development can help support Comprehensive Plan and Bike Plan
goals to coordinate land use and transportation planning and help reduce reliance on single-
occupancy vehicles.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
As part of the larger economic development initiative, the project team conducted stakeholder
interviews with landowners, businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and interviewed peer
cities in 2022 and 2023. The PTC and PTC ad hoc held over a dozen study sessions and hearings
to discuss these initiatives leading up to a recommendation on the interim ordinance in 2024.
These meetings have informed this current work effort. As part of this specific task in 2025, the
project team interviewed local retailers and brokers to confirm key issues and seek feedback on
recommended changes.
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Additionally, two major property owners with retail tenants provided feedback on preliminary
ideas for the ordinance at the January 22, 2026, City Council Retail Subcommittee meeting.
These property owners agreed with many of the comments expressed in the Subcommittee
staff report and emphasized the following:
That the perception of a Conditional Use Permit as a hurdle is a legitimate concern. An
Administrative Use Permit is perceived as a more manageable permit to obtain.
Terms like “revitalization” and “interim ordinance” create uncertainty and the sense
that conditions are in flux; consider better messaging about proposed changes and
liaisons that support retail, such as a retail ambassador.
Retail needs are getting smaller and the deep retail space, especially Downtown, can
benefit from more flexible use allowances.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ATTACHMENTS
AUTHOR/TITLE:
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1
*NOT YET APPROVED*
Ordinance No. _____
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Various Chapters of
Title 18 (Zoning) and Chapter 16.59 (Citywide Transportation Impact Fee of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code to Implement Retail Revitalization Measures
SECTION 1. Findings and Declarations. The City Council finds and declares as follows:
A.Like many communities, the City of Palo Alto has experienced high vacancy rates in retail
districts, which have been compounded by challenges associated with the COVID-19
pandemic as well as ongoing retail trends. Accordingly, the City Council has included retail
revitalization as a Council priority for the past several years.
B.Throughout 2023 and 2024, City staff, the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC),
and the City’s consultant Michael Baker International (MBI) worked together to develop a
Retail Study Report intended to inform a citywide retail zoning strategy.
C.On September 18, 2024, the City Council Retail Committee reviewed the Final Draft Retail
Study Report and provided direction to staff on several zoning amendments should be
implemented immediately to support retail and retail-like uses in the City.
D.The PTC held six hearings on the Retail Study (in addition to four meetings of the PTC retail
ad hoc committee).
E.In December 16, 2024, the City Council adopted interim ordinance no. 5642, temporarily
implementing some of the recommendations of the Retail Study, while directing further
work by staff and the PTC on a permanent ordinance.
F.On October 29, 2025, the PTC reviewed additional analysis and recommendations prepared
by staff and the City’s consultant Lexington Planning.
G.On March 25, 2026, the PTC reviewed issues and options to encourage ground-floor retail
and provided direction for a draft ordinance.
H.The City Council now desires to adopt a retail revitalization to replace interim ordinance no.
5642.
SECTION 2. All references in the Palo Alto Municipal Code to “Conditional Use Permit” shall be
amended to read “Administrative Use Permit.” All references in the Palo Alto Municipal Code to
“CUP” shall be amended to read “AUP.” All references in the Palo Alto Municipal Code to
“conditionally permitted” shall be amended to read “administratively permitted.”
SECTION 3. Section 18.04.030 (Definitions) of Chapter 18.04 (Definitions) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-
through; text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses; unannotated text indicates prior,
temporary amendments that would expire if not restated herein):
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Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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2
*NOT YET APPROVED*
18.04.030 Definitions
(a) Throughout this title the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed in this
section.
(12) “Animal care” means a use providing grooming, housing, medical care, or other services
to animals, including veterinary services, animal hospitals, overnight or short-term boarding
ancillary to veterinary care, indoor or outdoor kennels, and similar services.
(12) “Animal care, daytime” means a use providing care and services during the daytime only,
including grooming, socializing, housing, veterinary services, and animal hospitals that do not
provide overnight care.
(12.1) “Animal care, overnight” means a use providing care and services that includes overnight
or short-term boarding, such as kennels and animal hospitals with overnight care.
[. . .]
(12.6) “Automobile showroom” means a use primarily engaged in the sale of new and used
automobiles and trucks, or the display and demonstration of automobiles and trucks for the
purpose of facilitating sales, but which does not involve on-site storage of inventory, except as
incidental to the showroom use. Automobile showroom serves primarily pedestrian clientele
and is distinct from automobile dealership.
[. . .]
(47) “Eating and drinking service” means uses primarily engaged in serving prepared food and/or
beverages for consumption on or off the premises. Related definitions are provided in
subsections (45) (Drive-in/drive- through service).
(47) (A) “Eating and drinking service, full service” means a use providing preparation and
retail sale of food and beverages with a full menu and providing indoor seating area. Eating
and drinking service This use typically includes presence of a full commercial kitchen, and
commercial dishwasher, and table service. For establishments with incidental sale alcoholic
beverages, a minimum of 50% of revenues from an “eating and drinking service” must be
derived from the sale of food. Related definitions are provided in subsections (45) (Drive-
in/drive- through service, and (125)(B) (Intensive retail service) and (136) (Take-out service).
(B) “Eating and drinking, limited service” means a use where food and beverages are ready
to consume within approximately 10 minutes of the time of sale whether on the premises,
taken out, or delivered. Typically, limited seating area and no commercial kitchen are
provided. Examples include delis, bakeries, frozen dessert shops, pizza shops, counter service
restaurants, and coffee shops. For establishments with incidental sale alcoholic beverages,
a minimum of 50% of revenues must be derived from the sale of food.
(C) “Bars” mean establishments devoted to serving alcoholic beverages for on-site
consumption and which the serving of food is incidental to the consumption of such
beverages, with less than 50% of revenues derived from the sale of food. Such establishment
is also licensed by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
[. . .]
Split definition to distinguish
between less impactful
daytime uses, which may be
allowed in more locations,
vs. overnight uses which may
require additional conditions
due to noise or other impacts.
Make interim ordinance
regulation permanent.
Create three categories of eating and drinking services,
which generate different parking requirements: full
service restaurants with table service and seating, food
service with limited seating (replaces "intensive retail
service" below), and a new classification to allow bars.
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
(56) “Financial service” means a use providing financial services to individuals, firms, or other
entities. The term “financial service” includes banks, savings and loan institutions, loan and
lending institutions, credit unions and similar services.
(A)“Retail finance service” means a financial service use operating in a retail-oriented
manner, offering face-to-face interactions, and convenient in-person transactions in
locations designed for public access. These services includes retail banks, savings and
loan institutions, loan and lending offices, credit unions, and similar services that
prioritize walk-in customers with access to immediate financial solutions or combined
with a publicly accessible retail component.
[. . .]
(57.6) “Formula retail business” means a retail, personal, or eating and drinking service that is
one of fifty (50) or more business locations in the State of California required by contractual or
other arrangement to maintain any of the following standardized characteristics: merchandise,
menu, services, decor, uniforms, architecture, facade, color scheme, signs, trademark, or
servicemark. For purposes of this definition:
(A)“Standardized merchandise, menu and/or services” means 50% or more of in- stock
merchandise from a single distributor bearing the same or similar markings; 50% or
more of menu items identical in name and presentation with other locations; or 50%
or more of services offered identical in name or presentation with other locations.
(B)“Decor” means the style of interior furnishings, which may include but is not limited to,
style of furniture, wall coverings or permanent fixtures.
(C)“Color Scheme” means the selection of colors used throughout, such as on the
furnishings, permanent fixtures, and wall coverings, or as used on the facade.
(D)“Uniforms” means standardized items of clothing including but not limited to
standardized aprons, pants, shirts, smocks or dresses, hats, and pins (other than name
tags) as well as standardized colors of clothing.
(E)“Facade” means the face or front of a building, including awnings, looking onto a street
or an open space.
(F)“Trademark” means a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words,
phrases, symbols or designs that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods
from one party from those of others.
(G)“Servicemark” means a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words,
phrases, symbols or designs that identifies and distinguishes the source of a service
from one party from those of others.
[. . .]
(125) “Retail service” means a use open to the public during typical business hours and
predominantly engaged in providing retail sale, rental, service, processing, or repair of items
primarily intended for consumer or household use.
(A)“Extensive retail service,” as used with respect to parking requirements, means a retail
sales use having more than seventy-five percent of the gross floor area used for display,
Make interim ordinance
regulations permanent.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 175
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
sales, and related storage of bulky commodities, including household furniture and
appliances, lumber and building materials, carpeting and floor covering, air conditioning
and heating equipment, and similar goods, which uses have demonstrably low parking
demand generation per square foot of gross floor area.
(B)“Intensive retail service” as used with respect to parking requirements, means any retail
service use not defined as extensive retail service, such as boutiques, bookstores, and
small goods retail shops. and including limited food service (i.e. ‘ready-to-eat’ food
and/or beverage shops without a full commercial kitchen, where food and/or beverages
are ready to consume at the time of sale and any seating area is limited; examples include
sandwiches, frozen desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, and baked items).
(125.1) “Retail-like use” means a use generally open to the public during typical business hours
and predominantly engaged in providing services closely related to, but distinct from, retail
services, including but not limited to:
(A)Eating and drinking services, as defined in subsection (47);
(B)Hotels, as defined in subsection (73);
(C)Personal services, as defined in subsection (114);
(D)Theaters;
(E)Travel agencies;
(F)Commercial recreation, as defined in subsection (33);
(G)Commercial nurseries;
(H)Automobile showrooms, as defined in subsection (12.6); and
(I)Day care centers, as defined in subsection (42); and
(J)Retail financial services, as defined in subsection (56)(A);
(K)Other commercial uses, services, or activities determined by the Director of Planning and
Development Services to be accessible to the general public, generate walk-in pedestrian
clientele, and contribute substantially to a high level of pedestrian activity, and meet the
intent of the 18.30(B).040 (Pedestrian Shopping) design standards.
Not all retail-like uses are permitted in zoning districts that allow retail-like uses. Refer to use
tables within each zoning district for specific permitted retail-like uses.
[. . .]
(136) “Take-out service” means a characteristic of an eating or drinking service which
encourages, on a regular basis, consumption of food or beverages, such as prepared or
prepackaged items, outside of a building, in outdoor seating areas where regular table service
is not provided, in vehicles parked on the premises, or off-site. Take-out service does not
include intensive retail service uses, as defined in subsection (125)(B).
[. . .]
SECTION 4. Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, the “Zoning Map,” is hereby
amended by changing the zoning of the properties identified in Exhibit A by removing the Ground
Floor (GF) combining district.
Replaced by
"eating and
drinking,
limited
service" new
use
classification
Acknowledge that most restaurants offer
takeout; remove definition and classification
from use tables. Take-out windows will still
be subject to staff design review.
Removing this overlay from Midtown and
Charleston will remove the confusion over the three
different use tables that apply to these areas. See
18.16 for how uses are proposed to be regulated.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 176
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
SECTION 5. Sections 18.16.040 (Land Uses), 18.16.050 (Office Use Restrictions), and 18.16.060
(Development Standards) of Chapter 18.16 (Neighborhood, Community, and Service Commercial
(CN, CC and CS) Districts) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code are hereby amended
as follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-through; text omitted but unchanged noted by
bracketed ellipses):
18.16.040 Land Uses
The uses of land allowed by this chapter in each commercial zoning district are identified in the
following tables. Land uses that are not listed on the tables are not allowed, except where
otherwise noted. Where the last column on the following tables (“Subject to Regulations in”)
includes a section number, specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use;
however, provisions in other sections may apply as well. For properties with combining district
zoning designations, refer to combining district use regulations for additional or superseding
requirements.
(a)Commercial Zones and Land Uses
Permitted and conditionally permitted land uses for each commercial zone are shown in Table 1:
TABLE 1
PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
P = Permitted Use CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required
LAND USE CN (4) CC, CC(2) CS (4)
Subject to
Regulations
In:
ACCESSORY AND SUPPORT USES
Accessory facilities and activities customarily associated with
or essential to permitted uses, and operated incidental to
the principal use.
P P p 18.42
Drive-in services or take-out services associated with
permitted uses(3) CUP CUP CUP 18.42
Tire, battery, and automotive service facilities, when
operated incidental to a permitted retail service or shopping
center having a gross floor area of more than 30,000 square
feet.
CUP 18.42,
18.40.160
Safe Parking 18.42.160
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Business and Trade Schools CUP P P
Churches and Religious Institutions P P P
Private Educational Facilities CUP P P
Private Clubs, Lodges, or Fraternal Organizations CUP P P
MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
Recycling Centers CUP CUP CUP
Warehousing and Distribution CUP
Revised permit levels and added uses to provide
more flexibility in the types of uses permitted.
Specifically, expanded allowed uses in Midtown and
Charleston that were permitted with the -GF overlay.
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
LAND USE CN (4) CC, CC(2) CS (4)
Subject to
Regulations
In:
OFFICE USES
Administrative Office Services P 18.16.050
Medical Offices PCUP(5)(7) PCUP(5) PCUP(5) 18.16.050
Professional and General Business Offices P(7) P P 18.16.050
PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC USES
Utility Facilities essential to provision of utility services but
excluding construction or storage yards, maintenance facilities,
or corporation yards.
CUP CUP CUP
RECREATION USES
Commercial Recreation CUPP(5) CUPP(5) CUPP(5) 18.40.160
Outdoor Recreation Services CUP CUP CUP
RESIDENTIAL USES
Multiple-Family P(1) P(1) P(1) 18.16.060(b)
and (c)
Home Occupations P P P
Residential Care Homes P P P
RETAIL USES
Bars CUP CUP 18.42.090
Eating and Drinking Services, excluding drive-through drive-in and
take-out services
P(8) P P 18.40.160
18.42.090
Retail Services, excluding liquor stores P(8) P P 18.40.160
Liquor stores CUP P P 18.40.160
Shopping Centers P 18.16.060(c),
18.40.160
SERVICE USES
Ambulance Services CUP CUP CUP
Animal Care, daytime excluding boarding and kennels P P P 18.42.130
Animal Care, overnight CUP CUP CUP 18.42.130
Automobile Service Stations CUP CUP CUP 18.30(G)
Automotive Services CUP
Automobile Showroom P P P
Convalescent Facilities CUP P P
Day Care Centers P P P 18.40.160
Small Family Day Care Homes P P P
Note: this does not
change the current
medical office
permit level, just
the perception of
the process.
Footnote generally
allows P use up to
5,000 sq. ft.
Table 2 already
allows
neighborhood
serving offices in
Charleston. This
addition would
allow the same in
Midtown.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
LAND USE CN (4) CC, CC(2) CS (4)
Subject to
Regulations
In:
Large Family Day Care Homes P P P
Small Adult Day Care Homes P P P
Large Adult Day Care Homes CUP P P
Banks and Financial Services V CUP P(2) P(2) P(2)
General Business Services CUP CUP P
Hotels P P 18.16.060(d),
18.40.160
Mortuaries CUP P P
Neighborhood Business Services P 18.16.060(f)
Personal Services P P(6) P 18.16.060(f),
18.40.160
Reverse Vending Machines P P P
TEMPORARY USES
Farmer’s Markets CUP CUP CUP
Temporary Parking Facilities, provided that such facilities shall
remain no more than five years.
CUP CUP CUP
TRANSPORTATION USES
Parking as a principal use CUP CUP
Transportation Terminals CUP CUP
P = Permitted Use CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required
(1) Residential is only permitted: (i) as part of a mixed use development, pursuant to the provisions of
Section 18.16.060(b), or (ii) on sites designated as housing inventory sites in the Housing Element of the
Comprehensive Plan, (iii) on CN or CS sites on El Camino Real, or (iv) on CC(2) sites, all pursuant to the
provisions of Section 18.16.060(b) and (c). Residential uses are not permitted fronting public streets in
the Midtown Shopping District and Charleston Shopping Center, but may be located fronting rear and
interior side yards on the ground-floor or on upper levels.
(2) Except drive-through drive-in services.
(3) So long as drive up facilities, excluding car washes, provide full access to pedestrians and bicyclists.
A maximum of two such services shall be permitted within 1,000 feet, and each use shall not be less
than 150 feet from one another.
(4) For properties in the CN and CS zone districts, businesses that operate or have associated activities
at any time between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. require a conditional use permit.
(5) Except, a A conditional use permit is not required for medical office or commercial recreation uses
up to 5,000 square feet of gross floor area, with the following exceptions, for which a conditional use
permit is always required for: (A) medical office fronting on California Avenue, in the Charleston
Shopping Center and in the Midtown Shopping District; (B) commercial recreation uses fronting on
California Avenue and in the Town and Country Village Shopping Center.
(6) A conditional use permit is required for the following uses when fronting on California Avenue: (A)
Table 2 currently
prohibits
residential uses
in Midtown and
Charleston; this
revisions would
allow residential
on upper floors
and behind
commercial uses.
Regulations for
California
Avenue have
been relocated
to 18.30(A).040,
the -R district
regulations that
apply to
California
Avenue
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 179
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
Fitness or exercise studios, and similar uses exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area; and (B)
Learning centers intended for individual or small group settings. A conditional use permit is required for
fitness or exercise studios, and similar uses exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area in Town and
Country Village Shopping Center.
(7) In the Midtown Shopping District and Charleston Shopping Center, only “neighborhood serving
office” uses are permitted, and a CUP is required for office uses exceeding 2,500 sq. ft.
(8) In the Midtown Shopping District and Charleston Shopping Center, a conditional use permit is
required for retail uses above 20,000 sq. ft. and eating and drinking services above 5,000 sq. ft.
[. . .]
(c) CN District: Special Use Requirements in the Charleston and Midtown Shopping Centers
The following regulations shall apply to areas of Charleston Center and the Midtown Shopping
Center as defined in Section 18.16.030.
Table 2 shows the uses permitted and conditionally permitted on the ground floor of the
applicable areas of the Charleston Center and Midtown Shopping Centers. Permitted and
conditional uses specified in subsection (a) of this section shall only apply to the ground floor of
the areas of the Charleston and Midtown Shopping Centers as listed in Table 2. Uses lawfully
existing on January 16, 2001 may be continued as non-conforming uses but may only be replaced
with uses permitted or conditionally permitted under this subsection.
TABLE 2
CHARLESTON AND MIDTOWN SHOPPING CENTERS GROUND FLOOR USES
P = Permitted Use CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required X = Prohibited Use
LAND USES
Charleston
Shopping
Center
Midtown
Shopping
Center
Subject to
Regulations in:
ACCESSORY AND SUPPORT USES
Accessory facilities and uses customarily incidental to
permitted uses. P P
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Churches and Religious Institutions CUP CUP
Private Educational Facilities CUP CUP
MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
Recycling Centers CUP CUP
OFFICE USES
Neighborhood-serving offices that do not exceed 2,500 square
feet in floor area. P 18.16.050
Neighborhood-serving offices exceeding 2,500 square feet in
floor area. CUP 18.16.050
Revises and replaces
Table 5 in section (f) of
18.16.060 Development
Standards.Integrated Charleston and Midtown use allowances into Table 1
above. Deleting this section means that Table 1 and the related
footnotes will regulate uses in Midtown and Charleston
Shopping Centers.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
LAND USES
Charleston
Shopping
Center
Midtown
Shopping
Center
Subject to
Regulations in:
Administrative office uses and general business office uses (other
than neighborhood-serving travel agencies and insurance
agencies) other than those legally in existence on January
16,2001
X X 18.16.050
Medical offices not exceeding 2,500 square feet in area,
professional offices, travel agencies, and insurance agencies CUP 18.16.050
PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC USES
Utility Facilities essential to provision of utility services but
excluding construction or storage yards, maintenance facilities,
or corporation yards.
CUP CUP
RECREATION USES
Commercial Recreation CUP CUP 18.40.160
Outdoor Recreation Services CUP CUP
Private Clubs, Lodges, or Fraternal Organizations CUP CUP
RESIDENTIAL USES
Residential uses of any nature X X
RETAIL USES
Eating and Drinking Services, excluding drive-in and take-out
services
P P 18.40.160
Retail Services, excluding liquor stores P P 18.40.160
Liquor stores CUP CUP 18.40.160
SERVICE USES
Ambulance Services CUP CUP
Animal Care, excluding boarding and kennels P P
Automobile Service Stations CUP CUP 18.30(G)
Convalescent Facilities CUP CUP
Day Care Centers P P 18.40.160
Financial Services CUP CUP
Mortuaries CUP CUP
Neighborhood Business Services P P
Personal Services P P 18.40.160
Reverse Vending Machines P P
TEMPORARY USES
Farmers’ Markets CUP CUP
Temporary Parking Facilities, provided that such facilities shall
remain no more than five years.
CUP CUP
P = Permitted Use CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required X = Prohibited Use
(d) Charleston Shopping Center Additional Use Restrictions
Item 3
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and 18 to Implement Retail
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(1) Any office use first occupying space at the Center on or after January 16, 2001, shall obtain a
written determination from the director of planning and development services that it qualifies as
a neighborhood serving use, as defined in this chapter, before occupying its premises. The
applicant shall submit such information as the director shall reasonably require in order to make
the determination, and the director shall issue the determination within 30 days of receiving a
complete application. Failure to submit the required information shall be grounds for
determining that a business is not neighborhood-serving.
(2) No more than 7,850 square feet of total floor area at the Center shall be occupied by
office uses at any time.
(3) Prior to approving a conditional use permit for neighborhood-serving offices larger than
2,500 square feet in total floor area, the city shall find that the proposed use will be
neighborhood-serving, that it will be conducted in a manner that will enhance and strengthen
the Center as a neighborhood resource, and that it will not diminish the retail strength of the
center.
(e) Midtown Shopping Center: Additional Use Restrictions
(1)An existing ground floor office may be replaced with another office if
(a)the new tenant or owner will continue the existing business or practice; or
(b) a conditional use permit is issued for the new office use.
(2) No conditional use permit shall be issued for any new office use on the ground floor
unless, in addition to the findings required for a conditional use permit as specified in Section
18.76.010, the city finds that the proposed use will be neighborhood serving, that it will be
conducted in a manner that will enhance and strengthen the Midtown Shopping District as a
neighborhood resource, and that it will not diminish the retail strength of the District.
(3) For properties at 711, 719, and 721 Colorado Avenue, and 689 Bryson Avenue , buildings
not fronting on Middlefield Avenue, designed and used for office purposes, and not well suited to
other uses are exempt from the provisions of this subsection (b).
18.16.050 Office Use Restrictions
The following restrictions shall apply to office uses:
(a) Conversion of Ground Floor Housing and Non-Office Commercial to Office
Medical, Professional, and Business offices shall not be located on the ground floor, unless any
of the following apply to such offices:
(1) Have been continuously in existence in that space since March 19, 2001, and as of such
date, were neither non-conforming nor in the process of being amortized pursuant to Chapter
18.30(I);
(2) Occupy a space that was not occupied by housing, neighborhood business service, retail
services, personal services, eating and drinking services, or automotive service on March 19, 2001
or thereafter;
(3) Occupy a space that was vacant on March 19, 2001;
(4) Are located in new or remodeled ground floor area built on or after March 19, 2001 if the
ground floor area devoted to housing, retail services, eating and drinking services, personal
services, and automobile services does not decrease;
(5) Are on a site located in an area subject to a specific plan or coordinated area plan, which
specifically allows for such ground floor medical, professional, and general business offices; or
Remove onerous and subjective findings and standards, and
replace with proposed "neighborhood-serving" office limitation,
tenant size triggers for CUP, and finding related to district
purposes.
Note, the Retail
Preservation
Ordinance
provides
overlapping and
similar
regulations as
this subsection by
prohibiting office
uses from
replacing existing
retail and retail-
like uses.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
(6) Are located anywhere in Building E or in the rear 50% of Building C or D of the property at
the southeast corner of the intersection of Park Boulevard and California Avenue, as shown on
sheet A2 of the plans titled “101 California Avenue Townhouse/Commercial/Office, Palo Alto, CA”
by Crosby, Thornton, Marshall Associates, Architects, dated June 14, 1982, revised November 23,
1982, and on file with the Department of Planning and Development Services.
(a)The following office use restrictions shall apply to in the Midtown Shopping District and
Charleston Shopping Center:
(1)The only office uses permitted are “neighborhood serving office” uses.
(2)Prior to approving a conditional use permit for neighborhood-serving offices larger than
2,500 square feet in total floor area, the city shall find that the proposed use will be
neighborhood-serving and consistent with the purposes of the zoning district
(3)In the Midtown Shopping District, for properties at 711, 719, and 721 Colorado Avenue,
and 689 Bryson Avenue, buildings not fronting on Middlefield Avenue, designed and
used for office purposes, and not well suited to other uses are exempt from the
provisions of this subsection.
(b)Size Restrictions on Office Uses in the CN and CS Districts (other than Midtown Shopping
District and Charleston Shopping Center):
(1)In the CN district, office uses shall be governed by the following regulations:
(A)Total floor area of permitted office uses on a lot shall not exceed 25% of the lot
area, provided:
(i)A lot shall be permitted to have at least a total floor area of 2,500 square feet of
office uses, provided the uses meet all other zoning regulations.
(ii)No lot shall be permitted to have more than a total floor area of 5,000 square
feet of office uses.
(B)Such uses may be allowed to exceed the maximum size, subject to issuance of a
conditional use permit in accord with the provisions of Chapter 18.76. The
maximum size for any conditional use shall be established by the director and
specified in the conditional use permit for such use.
(2)In the CS district, office uses shall be governed by the following regulations:
(A)No lot shall be permitted to have more than a total floor area of 5,000 square feet
of office uses.
(B)Such uses may be allowed to exceed the maximum size, subject to issuance of a
conditional use permit in accord with the provisions of Chapter 18.76. The
maximum size for any conditional use shall be established by the director and
specified in the conditional use permit for such use.
18.16.060 Development Standards
[. . .]
(f) Size of Establishments in the CN District
In the CN district, permitted commercial uses shall not exceed the floor area per individual use
Item 3
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and 18 to Implement Retail
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or business establishment shown in Table 5. Such uses may be allowed to exceed the maximum
establishment size, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit in accord with Section
18.76.010. The maximum establishment size for any conditional use shall be established by the
director and specified in the conditional use permit for such use.
TABLE 5
MAXIMUM SIZE OF ESTABLISHMENT
Type of Establishment Maximum Size (ft 2 )
Personal Services 3,000
Retail services, except grocery stores 15,000
Grocery stores 20,000
Eating and drinking services 5,000
Neighborhood business services 3,000
[. . .]
SECTION 6. Sections 18.18.050 (Land Uses) and 18.18.060 (Development Standards) of Chapter
18.18 (Downtown Commercial (CD) District) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code are
hereby amended as follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-through; text omitted but
unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
18.18.050 Land Uses
The uses of land allowed by this chapter in each commercial zoning district are identified in the
following table. Land uses that are not listed on the tables are not allowed, except where
otherwise noted. Where the last column on the following tables (“Subject to Regulations in”)
includes a section number, specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use;
however, provisions in other sections may apply as well. For parcels designed with the -GF
combining district, refer to 18.30(C) for ground-floor use regulations.
Permitted and conditionally permitted land uses for the CD district are shown in Table 1:
Table 1
CD Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses
P Permitted Use • CUP Conditional Use Permit Required
CD-C CD-S CD-N Subject to
regulations in:
ACCESSORY USES
Accessory facilities and activities associated with or essential
to permitted uses, and operated incidental to the principal
use
P P P
Drive-in or Take-out Services associated with permitted uses
(2) CUP CUP CUP
Tire, battery, and automotive service facilities, when operated
incidental to a permitted retail service or shopping center
having a gross floor area of more than 30,000 square feet CUP 18.40.160
Safe Parking 18.42.160
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Integrated the following into Table 1 above by adding
footnotes re: retail uses (including grocery stores) and
eating and drinking services). CUP limitations have not
been proposed on personal services or neighborhood
business services to provide more flexibility.
Revised permit
levels and added
uses to provide
more flexibility in
the types of uses
permitted.
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 184
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
Table 1
CD Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses
P Permitted Use • CUP Conditional Use Permit Required
CD-C CD-S CD-N Subject to
regulations in:
Business and Trade Schools P P
Churches and Religious Institutions P P P
Private Educational Facilities P P CUP
Private Clubs, Lodges, or Fraternal Organizations P P CUP
MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
Recycling Centers CUP CUP CUP
Warehousing and Distribution CUP
OFFICE USES
Administrative Office Services P 18.18.060(f)
Medical, Professional, and General Business Offices P P P 18.18.060(f)
PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC FACILITY USES
Utility Facilities essential to provision of utility services but
excluding construction or storage yards, maintenance facilities,
or corporation yards CUP CUP
RECREATION USES
Commercial Recreation CUP(3) CUP(3) CUP(3)
Outdoor Recreation Services CUP CUP CUP
RESIDENTIAL USES
Multiple-Family P (1) P (1) P (1) 18.18.060(b)
Home Occupations P P P
Residential Care Homes P P P
RETAIL USES
Bars CUP 18.42.090
Eating and Drinking Services, except drive-through drive-in or
take-out services P P P 18.18.060(g) ,
18.40.160
18.42.090
Retail Services, excluding liquor stores P P P 18.18.060(g) ,
18.40.160
Shopping Centers P 18.18.060(g) ,
18.40.160
Liquor Stores P P CUP 18.40.160
SERVICE USES
Animal Care, excluding boarding and kennels daytime P P P 18.42.130
Ambulance Services CUP CUP CUP 18.30(G)
Automobile Service Stations CUP CUP CUP
Automobile Services CUP
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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Table 1
CD Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses
P Permitted Use • CUP Conditional Use Permit Required
CD-C CD-S CD-N Subject to
regulations in:
Automobile Showrooms P P P
Convalescent Facilities P P CUP
Day Care Centers P P P 18.40.160
Small Family Day Care Homes P P P
Large Family Day Care Homes P P P
Small Adult Day Care Homes P P P
Large Adult Day Care Homes
Financial Services, except drive-up services P P CUP
General Business Services CUP P P
Hotels P P P 18.18.060(d) ,
18.40.160
Mortuaries P P CUP
Personal Services P(4) P(4) P(3)(4) 18.18.060(g) ,
18.40.160
Reverse Vending Machines P P P
TRANSPORTATION USES
Parking as a principal use CUP CUP
Passenger Transportation Terminals CUP
TEMPORARY USES
Indoor Farmers’ Markets CUP CUP CUP
Temporary Parking Facilities, provided that such facilities shall
remain no more than five years CUP CUP CUP
P Permitted Use CUP Conditional Use Permit Required
(1) Residential is only permitted as part of a mixed use development, pursuant to the provisions of Section
18.18.060(b), or on sites designated as Housing Opportunity Sites in the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan,
pursuant to the provisions of Section 18.18.060(c).
(2)Drive-up facilities, excluding car washes, provide full access to pedestrians and bicyclists. A maximum of two such
services shall be permitted within 1,000 feet and each use shall not be less than 150 ft from one another.
(3) A conditional use permit is required for personal services over 5,000 sq. ft.
(3) A conditional use permit is not required for commercial recreation uses up to 5,000 square feet of gross floor
area, with the following exceptions, for which a conditional use permit is always required: (A) medical office fronting on
University Avenue; (B) commercial recreation uses fronting on University Avenue.
(4)A conditional use permit is required for the following uses when fronting on University Avenue: (A) Fitness or
exercise studios, and similar uses; and (B) Learning centers intended for individual or small group settings.
Revises and
replaces Table 4
below
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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18.18.060 Development Standards
[. . .]
(g) Restrictions on Size of Commercial Establishments in CD-N Subdistrict
In the CD-N subdistrict, permitted commercial uses shall not exceed the floor area per individual
use or business establishment shown in Table 4. Such uses may be allowed to exceed the
maximum establishment size, subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance
with Chapter 18.76. The maximum establishment size for any conditional use shall be established
by the director and specified in the conditional use permit for such use.
TABLE 4
MAXIMUM SIZE OF ESTABLISHMENT
Type of Establishment Maximum Size (ft 2 )
Personal Services 3,000
Retail services, except grocery stores 15,000
Grocery stores 20,000
Eating and drinking services 5,000
[. . .]
SECTION 7. Section 18.29.050 (Permitted Uses) of Chapter 18.29 (North Ventura (NV) District
Regulations) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows
(additions underlined; deletions struck-through; text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed
ellipses):
18.29.050 Permitted Uses
The uses of land allowed by this chapter in each zoning district are identified in the following tables.
Land uses that are not listed in the tables are not allowed, except where otherwise noted. Where
the last column on the following tables ("Subject to Regulations in") includes a section number,
specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use; however, provisions in other
sections not specifically referenced may apply as well.
TABLE 1: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
P = Permitted Use
CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required TUP = Temporary Use Permit Required
— = Not Permitted
LAND USE NV-R1 NV-R2 NV-R3 NV-R4 NV-MXL
(1)(5)
NV-MXM
(5)
NV-MXH NV-PF Subject to
Regulations In:
ACCESSORY AND SUPPORT USES
18.40
Accessory facilities and activities
customarily incidental to the P P P P P P P -
18.10.080
permitted use 18.12.080
Moved personal services CUP trigger to Table 1 and increased maximum size to
5,000 sq. ft. to increase flexibility. Remaining CUP triggers are unnecessarily
restrictive given the CD-N parcel sizes and development standards which will
generate smaller footprint buildings and limited massing (max 0.9 FAR and 35-
foot building height). Moreover, new buildings will be subject to design review.
Revised permit
levels and added
uses to provide
more flexibility in
the types of uses
permitted.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 187
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TABLE 1: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
P = Permitted Use
CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required TUP = Temporary Use Permit Required
— = Not Permitted
LAND USE NV-R1 NV-R2 NV-R3 NV-R4 NV-MXL
(1)(5)
NV-MXM
(5)
NV-MXH NV-PF Subject to
Regulations In:
Accessory Dwelling Unit & Junior
Accessory Dwelling Unit when
accessory to primary and permitted
residential use
P P P P P P P - 18.09
Home Occupations, when accessory
to permitted residential use
P P P P P P P P 18.42
Horticulture, Gardening, and Growing
of food products for consumption by
occupants of a site P P P P P P P -
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Private Clubs, Lodges, or Fraternal
Organizations, excluding any such
facility operated as a business for
profit
- - - CUP CUP - - -
Private Educational Facilities CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP P P -
Religious Institutions CUP CUP CUP CUP P P P -
OFFICE USES(2)
Administrative Office Services - - - - P P P - 18.29.050(a)
Medical Offices - - - - P P P - 18.29.050(a)
Professional and General Business
Offices
- - - - P P P - 18.29.050(a)
PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC USES
Community Centers CUP CUP CUP CUP - - - CUP (3)
Utility Facilities essential to provision
of utility services but excluding
construction or storage yards,
maintenance facilities, or corporation
yards.
CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP -
RECREATION USES
Neighborhood Recreational Centers - - CUP CUP - - - CUP(3)
Commercial Recreation - - - - CUP CUP CUP CUP(3)
Outdoor Recreation Services CUP CUP CUP CUP - CUP CUP CUP(3)
Youth Clubs - - - - - - - CUP(3)
RESIDENTIAL USES
Single-Family P P - - - - - -
Two-Family P P - - - - - - 18.42.180
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
TABLE 1: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
P = Permitted Use
CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required TUP = Temporary Use Permit Required
— = Not Permitted
LAND USE NV-R1 NV-R2 NV-R3 NV-R4 NV-MXL
(1)(5)
NV-MXM
(5)
NV-MXH NV-PF Subject to
Regulations In:
Multiple-Family - - P P P P P P (4)
Residential Care Homes P P P P P P P -
RETAIL USES
Bars CUP 18.42.090
Eating and Drinking Services, except
drive-through drive-in and takeout
services
- - P P P P P CUP (3) 18.40.160,
18.29.050(c)
Personal Services and Retail Services
of a neighborhood- serving nature - - P P P P P CUP (3) 18.40.160,
18.29.050(c)
Liquor stores - - - - - P P - 18.40.160,
18.29.050(c)
SERVICE USES
Animal Care, daytime excluding
boarding and kennels
- - - - P P P - 18.29.050(c)
18.42.130
Animal Care, overnight CUP CUP CUP 18.42.130
Automobile Showroom P
Convalescent Facilities - - - CUP P P P -
Day Care Centers CUP CUP CUP P P P P - 18.40.160
Large Family Day Care Homes P P P P P P P P(3)
Small Family Day Care Homes P P P P P P P P(3)
Large Adult Day Care Homes CUP CUP P P P P P P(3)
Small Adult Day Care Homes P P P P P P P P(3)
Financial Services - - - - P P P - 18.29.050(a),
18.29.060(b)
General Business Services - - - - P P P - 18.29.050(a),
18.29.060(b)
Hotels - - - - - P P - 18.40.160,
18.16.060(d)
Personal Services - - - - P P P - 18.40.160,
18.29.050(c),
18.29.060(b)
AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN SPACE USES
Park uses and uses incidental to park
operation
- - - - - - - P
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
TABLE 1: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USES
P = Permitted Use
CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required TUP = Temporary Use Permit Required
— = Not Permitted
LAND USE NV-R1 NV-R2 NV-R3 NV-R4 NV-MXL
(1)(5)
NV-MXM
(5)
NV-MXH NV-PF Subject to
Regulations In:
All facilities owned or leased, and
operated or used, by the City of Palo
Alto, the County of Santa Clara, the
State of California, the government of
the United States, the Palo Alto
Unified School District, or any other
governmental agency, or leased by
any such agency to another party
- - - - - - - P
Utility Facilities - - - - - - - CUP
TEMPORARY USES
Temporary Uses - - TUP TUP - - - - 18.42.050
Farmer’s Markets - - - - - CUP CUP -
Temporary Parking Facilities,
provided that such facilities shall
remain no more than five years - - - - - CUP CUP CUP (3)
Notes:
For NV-MXL zoning district, the total floor area of non-residential uses permitted and conditionally permitted on a lot shall not
exceed 5,000 square feet.
For office uses, total floor area of permitted office uses on a lot shall not exceed 5,000 square feet.
Provided such use is conducted on property owned by the City of Palo Alto, the County of Santa Clara, the State of California, the
government of the United States, the Palo Alto Unified School District, or any other governmental agency, and leased for said uses.
Only a 100% Affordable Housing Project is permitted. Development shall follow NV-R4 standards.
Ground floor uses shall comply with the ground floor edge framework set forth in NVCAP section 2.3.
…
SECTION 8. Chapter 18.30(A) (Retail Shopping (R) Combining District Regulations) of Title 18 (Zoning)
of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows (additions underlined; deletions
struck-through; text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
18.30(A).010 Specific Purposes
The retail shopping combining district is intended to modify the uses allowed in a commercial
district, where applied in combination with such district, to allow only retail, eating, and service-
oriented, and neighborhood-serving office commercial development on the ground floors
[. . .]
18.30(A).040 Permitted Uses Land Uses
Except to the extent a conditional use permit is required pursuant to Section 18.30(A).050, the
following uses shall be permitted in an R district:
Item 3
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(a)Eating and drinking services, except drive-in and take-out services.
(b)
or exercise studios exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area
(c)Retail services.
(d)Financial services, except drive-in services.
(e)Pet grooming services.
(f)Automobile showroom.
(g)All other uses permitted in the underlying commercial district, provided they are not located
on a ground floor.
Permitted and conditionally permitted land uses in the combining district are identified in Table
1. Where the last column on the following tables ("Subject to Regulations in") includes a section
number, specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use. Conditional use
permits shall be issued in accordance with Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approvals), subject to
restrictions in Section 18.40.160.
Table 1
P Permitted Use • CUP Conditional Use Permit Required (R) Subject to regulations in:
OFFICE USES
Medical offices, that include retail services, fronting California Avenue CUP
Neighborhood-serving offices, as defined in 18.16.030, except fronting
California Avenue.
P 18.30(A).055(b)
RECREATION USES
Commercial recreation, fronting California Avenue CUP
Commercial recreation, other locations P
RETAIL USES
Bars CUP 18.42.090
Eating and drinking services, except drive-through services P 18.42.090
Formula retail businesses on California Avenue CUP
Retail financial services, except drive-through services. P
Retail services P
SERVICE USES
Animal care, daytime P 18.42.130
Automobile showrooms P 18.42.130
Personal services P
OTHER
All other uses permitted in the underlying commercial district, provided
they are not located on a ground floor. CUP See underlying district
regulations
18.30(A).050 Conditional Uses
The following uses may be conditionally permitted in an R district, subject to the issuance of a
conditional use permit in accord with Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approval):
Replace narrative
list of P/CUP
uses, with table.
Revised permit
levels and added
uses (e.g., bars,
neighborhood-
se) to provide
more flexibility.
Table 1 below removes this exception for
fitness. This change would allow fitness studios
up to 5,000 sq. ft. by right. Beyond 5,000 sq. ft.
fitness is classified as commercial recreation
which would require a CUP.
Personal services, except the following on California Avenue: fitness
Item 3
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(a) All other conditional uses allowed in the underlying commercial district provided they are not
located on a ground floor.
(b) Formula retail businesses on California Avenue.
(c)Fitness or exercise studios exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area on California Avenue.
18.30(A).055050 Design Standards
(a)The following design standards shall apply in the R combining district:
(a) (1) Exterior windows on the ground floor shall use transparent glazing to the extent
feasible. Low-e glass or minimal tinting to achieve sun control is permitted, so long as
the glazing appears transparent when viewed from the ground level.
(b) (2) Window coverings are not permitted on the ground floor during typical business hours.
Where operations preclude transparency (e.g., theaters) or where privacy requires
window coverings, sidewalk-facing frontage shall include items of visual interest
including displays of merchandise or artwork; visual access shall be provided to a
minimum depth of 3 feet.
(b) On California Avenue, neighborhood-serving office uses shall be located behind a retail use
permitted or conditionally permitted in this subsection and must meet the following
standards:
(1) Retail uses shall occupy a minimum 30-foot depth of the ground floor, as measured
from the ground floor street frontage; and
(2) Retail uses shall occupy the full extent of the California Avenue building frontage,
excluding required utilities, driveways, pedestrian access and residential lobby.
[. . .]
18.30(A).070 Waivers and adjustments.
(a) The following shall be grounds for a request for waiver or adjustment of this Chapter:
(1) Economic Hardship. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter be
adjusted or waived upon a showing that strict application would result in an unreasonable
financial burden on the property.
(2) Alternative Viable Use. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter
18.30(A) be adjusted or waived based on a showing that: the permitted retail or retail-like use is
not viable; the proposed alternative use will support the purposes of the combining district and
Comprehensive Plan land use designation; and the proposed use will encourage active
pedestrian-oriented activity and connections.
(b) Documentation.
The applicant shall bear the burden of presenting substantial evidence to support a waiver or
modification request under this section and shall set forth in detail the factual and/or legal basis
for the claim, including all supporting technical documentation. Any request under this section
shall be submitted to the Planning and Development Services Director together with the fee
specified in the municipal fee schedule and an economic analysis or other supporting
documentation. A request under this section shall be acted upon by the City Council.
Allows
neighborhood-
serving office, but
not fronting Cal
Ave.--only beyond
the first 30-foot
depth as an
objective standard
Remove Waiver
and Adjustments
section entirely
to make
regulations
unambiguous
and acknowledge
that the City is
expanding
permitted uses.
Item 3
Attachment A -
Amendments to Title 16
and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 192
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
SECTION 9. Chapter 18.30(C) (Ground Floor (GF) Combining District Regulations) of Title 18 (Zoning)
of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows (additions underlined; deletions
struck-through; text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
[. . .]
18.30(C).020 Permitted Uses Land Uses
(a) The following uses shall be permitted in the GF combining district, subject to restrictions in
Section 18.40.180:
(1) Eating and drinking;
(2) Hotels;
(3) Personal services, except for the following on parcels with frontage on University Avenue:
fitness and exercise studios exceeding 3,000 square feet in gross floor area;
(4) Retail services;
(5) Theaters;
(6) Travel agencies;
(7) Commercial recreation up to 5,000 square feet in gross floor area, except for parcels with
frontage on University Avenue;
(8)Financial services, except drive-in services.
(9)Pet grooming services.
(10)Automobile showroom.
(11)All other uses permitted in the underlying district, provided such uses are not on the
ground floor.
(a)Permitted and conditionally permitted land uses in the combining district are identified in
Table 1 and, subject to restrictions in Section 18.40.180. Where the last column on the
following tables ("Subject to Regulations in") includes a section number, specific
regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use.
(b)Elimination or conversion of basement space currently in retail or retail-like use or related
support purposes is prohibited.
(c)Entrance, lobby, or reception areas serving non-ground floor uses may be located on the
ground floor to the extent reasonably necessary, provided they do not interfere with the
ground floor use(s), and subject to the approval of the Director.
18.30(C).030 Conditional Uses
(a) The following uses may be conditionally allowed on the ground floor in the GF ground floor
combining district, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit in accord with Chapter 18.76
(Permits and Approvals) and with the additional finding required by subsection (b), subject to
restrictions in Section 18.40.160:
(1) Business or trade school;
(2) Commercial recreation over 5,000 square feet in gross floor area or with frontage on
University Avenue;
(3) Day care;
(4) General business service;
(5) All other uses conditionally permitted in the applicable underlying district, provided such
uses are not on the ground floor.
Table 1 below removes this exception for fitness. This change would
allow fitness studios up to 5,000 sq. ft. by right. Beyond 5,000 sq. ft.
fitness is classified as commercial recreation which would require a CUP.
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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(b d) The director may grant a conditional use permit under this section only if he or she makes
the following findings finds, in addition to the findings required by Chapter 18.76 (Permits
and Approvals), that:
(1) The location, access or design of the ground floor space of the existing building housing
the proposed use, creates exceptional or extraordinary circumstances or conditions
applicable to the property involved that do not apply generally to property in the same
district.
(2) Tthe proposed use will not be determined to the retail environment or the pedestrian-
oriented design support the objectives of the GF combining district.
(c e) Any use conditionally permitted pursuant to this section shall be effective only during the
existence of the building that created the exceptional circumstance upon which the finding
set forth in subsection (b) was made.
Table 1
P Permitted Use • CUP Conditional Use Permit Required (GF) Subject to regulations in:
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Business or trade school CUP
OFFICE USES
Medical offices, that include retail services, fronting University Avenue CUP
Neighborhood-serving offices, as defined in 18.16.030, except fronting
University Avenue.
P 18.30(C).035(b)
RECREATION USES
Commercial recreation, up to 5,000 sq. ft. P
Commercial recreation, more than 5,000 sq. ft. CUP
Commercial recreation, fronting University Avenue CUP
RETAIL USES
Bars CUP 18.42.090
Eating and drinking services, except drive-through services P 18.42.090
Formula retail businesses on California Avenue CUP
Retail financial services, except drive-through services. P
Retail services P
SERVICE USES
Animal care, daytime P
Automobile showrooms P
Day care centers CUP
General business service CUP
Personal services P
Theaters P
Travel Agencies P
Replace narrative
list of P/CUP
uses, with table.
Revised permit
levels and added
uses (e.g., bars,
neighborhood-
serving offices)
to provide more
flexibility.
Remove
onerous and
subjective
findings.
Item 3
Attachment A -
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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*NOT YET APPROVED*
OTHER
All other uses permitted in the underlying commercial district, provided they
are not located on a ground floor. CUP See underlying district
regulations
18.30(C).035030 Design Standards
(a)Where the GF combining district is combined with the CD-C subdistrict, the following
design standards shall apply:
(a) (1) Exterior windows on the ground floor shall use transparent glazing to the extent
feasible. Low-e glass or minimal tinting to achieve sun control is permitted, so long as
the glazing appears transparent when viewed from the ground level.
(b) (2) Window coverings are not permitted on the ground floor during typical business
hours. Where operations preclude transparency (e.g., theaters) or where privacy
requires window coverings, sidewalk-facing frontage shall include items of visual
interest including displays of merchandise or artwork; visual access shall be provided to
a minimum depth of 3 feet.
(b) On University Avenue, neighborhood-serving office uses shall be located behind a retail
use permitted or conditionally permitted in this subsection and must meet the following
standards:
(1) Retail use shall occupy a minimum 50-foot depth of the ground floor, as measured
from the University Avenue ground floor street frontage; and
(2) Retail use shall occupy the full extent of the University Avenue building frontage,
excluding required utilities, driveways, pedestrian access and residential lobby.
[. . .]
18.30(C).050 Waivers and adjustments.
(a) The following shall be grounds for a request for waiver or adjustment of this Chapter:
(1) Economic Hardship. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter be
adjusted or waived upon a showing that strict application would result in an unreasonable
financial impact on the property.
(2) Alternative Viable Use. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter
18.30(A) be adjusted or waived based on a showing that: the permitted retail or retail-like
use is not viable; the proposed alternative use will support the purposes of the combining
district and Comprehensive Plan land use designation; and the proposed use will encourage
active pedestrian-oriented activity and connections.
(b) Documentation. The applicant shall bear the burden of presenting substantial evidence to
support a waiver or modification request under this section and shall set forth in detail the
factual and/or legal basis for the claim, including all supporting technical documentation. Any
request under this section shall be submitted to the Planning and Development Services Director
together with the fee specified in the municipal fee schedule and an economic analysis or other
supporting documentation. A request under this section shall be acted upon by the City Council.
SECTION 10. Section 18.38.030 (Permitted Uses) of Chapter 18.38 (PC Planned Community District
Regulations) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows
(additions underlined; deletions struck-through):
Remove
Waiver and
Adjustments
section entirely
to make
regulations
unambiguous
and
acknowledge
that the City is
expanding
permitted uses.
Allows
neighborhood-
serving office, but
not fronting
University Ave.--
only beyond the
first 50-foot depth
as an objective
standard
Item 3
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
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18.38.030 Permitted uses.
Any use may be permitted in any specific PC district; provided:
(a)Such such use is shall be specifically listed as a permitted use and shall be located and
conducted in accord with the approved development plan and other applicable regulations
adopted pursuant to this chapter to govern each specific PC district; or
(b)The Director may determine that an unlisted use is materially similar to a listed use in the
specific PC district and may be allowed in the same extent and subject to the same standards
as a listed permitted use, if it has:
(1)Similar impacts on the neighborhood such as traffic generation, deliveries, noise and
lighting as listed uses; and
(2)Similar characteristics such as building type, site arrangement, floor area, number of
employees, indoor and/or outdoor uses, customer traffic, equipment use, hours of
operation, parking, vehicle trips and signage as listed uses.
SECTION 11. Section 18.40.180 (Retail Preservation) of Chapter 18.40 (General Standards and
Exceptions) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows
(additions underlined; text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
18.40.180 Retail Preservation
(a)Conversion of Retail and Retail-Like Uses Prohibited.
(1)Any ground floor Retail or Retail-Like use permitted or operating as of March 2, 2015
may be replaced only by another Retail or Retail-Like use, as permitted in the applicable
district.
(A)A ground floor Retail or Retail-Like use in the RT-35 district on properties with
frontage on Alma Street between Channing Avenue and Lincoln Avenue may
additionally be replaced by a Private Educational Facility use, provided that such use
shall not be thereafter replaced by an Office use.
(B)This subsection shall not apply to the following zoning districts:
(I)Residential zones: RM-30, RM-40, NV-R3, NV-R4
(II)Office/manufacturing zones: ROLM, ROLM(E), RP, RP(5), GM
[. . .]
SECTION 12. Section 18.42.090 (Alcoholic Beverages) of Chapter 18.40 (General Standards and
Exceptions) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code are hereby amended and Section
18.42.130 (Animal Care) is hereby added as follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-through;
text omitted but unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
18.42.090 Alcoholic Beverages
(a)Purpose
This subsection establishes permit requirements and standards for establishments with
alcoholic beverage sales or service.
This provision would remove 22
sites from applicability to the RP.
These are primarily GM zoned sites
on and near San Antonio Rd. plus
two residentially zoned - sites,
occupied by a hotel and daycare.
Allows the Director to determine
whether an unlisted use may be
permitted in a PC district, based on
similar impacts and characteristics.
Allows alcohol incidental
to food by right and
applies regulations for
bars .
Item 3
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and 18 to Implement Retail
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(b)Licensing
Establishments with alcoholic beverage sales or service shall comply with all applicable
regulations of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
(c)Permits Required
Table 1 shows permits required for alcoholic beverage service depending on the use
classification and type of alcohol service.
Table 1 Permits Required for Alcoholic Beverage Services
Use Classification Beer and Wine Distilled Spirits
Eating and Drinking Service P P
Bar CUP CUP
(a)Conditional Use Permit Required in Tandem with On-Sale License
In any district where otherwise permitted by this title, any eating and drinking establishment or
other use having any part of its operation subject to an on-sale license required by the State of
California shall be subject to securing a conditional use permit.
(b) Conditional Use Permit Required with New On-Sale License
A conditional use permit shall be obtained in the case of premises for which no conditional use
permit is in force, whenever a new on-sale license is required by the State of California.
(c)(d) Amendment to Conditional Use Permit Required with Expansion
In the case of premises for which a conditional use permit is in force, which permits the sale of
alcohol, but Table 1 permits a less restrictive requirements, an administrative amendment to
such permit shall be required whenever such use is intensified or is expanded in square
footage.
(d)(e) Amendment to Conditional Use Permit Required with New On-Sale License
In the case of premises for which a conditional use permit is in force, but such use permit does
not permit sales of alcohol, compliance with the permit level identified in Table 1 an
amendment to such permit shall be required whenever a new on-sale license is required by the
State of California.
(e)(f) Alcohol Service in Parklets on Rights-of-Way
Establishments that are allowed by the city to serve alcohol for onsite consumption by
issuance of a conditional use permit (“CUP”) as required in pursuant to this section or as a legal
nonconforming use, and that have both an on-sale license from the Department of Alcoholic
Beverage Control (“ABC”) and are duly authorized by ABC to serve alcohol in outdoor areas,
shall be allowed to serve alcohol for onsite consumption without an amendment of the CUP in
parklets on public property approved via permit per PAMC Chapter 12.11 or other outdoor
uses approved via permit per any other relevant section of the PAMC. Outdoor alcohol service
shall be in full compliance with all applicable regulations, including ABC regulations, as may be
amended.
(g) Findings. To approve a CUP for alcoholic beverage sales or service, the decision-making
body must make the following findings:
(1)The number of alcoholic beverage sales licensees in the census tract does not exceed
the limit set by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, as defined in California
Business and Professions Code Section 23958.4; and
(2)At least one of the following:
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(A)The proposed establishment will promote the City’s economic health, contribute to
Comprehensive Plan or area plan policies, or further the zoning district purpose.
(B)The economic benefits associated with the establishment could not reasonably be
achieved without the proposed alcohol sales or service.
(C)The applicant has operated a licensed establishment that has not been the subject
of violations regarding alcohol, or violations of public safety or nuisance statutes or
regulations in Palo Alto. In making this finding, the decision-making body may
consider the number, frequency, and severity of prior violations, the time elapsed
since the last violation, and other relevant factors.
(h) Operational Conditions for Bars. Owners and operators of bars must meet the following
performance standards:
(1)Hours. Hours of operation are subject to review and amendment by the review
authority as necessary to avoid detriment to the neighborhood or to achieve
conformance with revised City of Palo Alto standards or policies.
(2)Preventing Disturbances. The owner or operator of the establishment shall take
reasonable measures to prevent disturbances by patrons in the immediate vicinity.
Such measures shall include:
(A)Signs reminding patrons of nearby sensitive receptors, such as residences, and
requests not to congregate or loiter near such residences nor operate vehicles in a
noisy manner on public streets; and
(B)Sightlines to public areas near the establishment, keeping public areas free of trash
and litter, providing lighting, and otherwise preventing conduct that might disturb
the peace and quiet of residences in the vicinity.
(C)The operator shall assume reasonable responsibility for ensuring that patrons do
not block the entrance or interfere with pedestrian activity on the adjacent public
sidewalk.
(3)Training. All employees selling and/or serving alcoholic beverages, or directly
supervising such sales and/or service, shall finish the Licensee Education on Alcohol and
Drugs program, or another equivalent program offered or certified by the California
Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control within 90 days of employment at the
establishment. Employees who have finished the course within the last 12 months are
exempt from this requirement.
[. . .]
18.42.130 Animal Care
(a) Purpose
Conform with State licensing requirements and City regulations, regulate operations, and
ensure compatibility with other allowed uses in the applicable zoning district.
(b) Performance Standards
Animal Care uses shall be subject to the following standards. Animal care uses subject to a
Identifies
performance
standards for animal
care uses.
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conditional use permit may be required to meet additional standards such as hours of
operation, drop-off and pick-up regulations, fencing and privacy standards, in particular for
businesses with outdoor uses when adjacent to residential or other sensitive uses.
(1)Animal Control Permit. The facility shall maintain a valid permit with Animal Control at
all times, if required, and follow the guidelines of said permit all times.
(2)Nuisances and noise. The business shall be operated in a manner to protect any nearby
properties from excessive noise, odors, lighting or other nuisances from any sources
during the business hours. Noise levels emanating from the use shall not exceed the
maximum level established in Chapter 9.10.
(3)Interior materials. The interior building surfaces of indoor housing facilities shall be
constructed and maintained so that they are substantially impervious to moisture and
may be readily sanitized.
(4)Drainage. Adequate drainage facilities shall be installed and maintained to facilitate
proper sanitation and disposal of natural precipitation and water used to clean the
facility.
(5)Ventilation. Indoor housing facilities shall be adequately ventilated to provide for the
health and comfort of the animals at all times. Such facilities shall be provided with
fresh air either by means of windows, doors, vents, or air conditioning and shall be
ventilated so as to minimize drafts, odors, and moisture condensation.
(6)Waste. Provision shall be made for the removal and disposal of animal and food wastes,
bedding, dead animals, and debris, in accordance with applicable laws. Disposal
facilities shall be covered and operated as to minimize odors and disease hazards.
SECTION 13. Sections 18.52.030 (Basic Parking Requirements), 18.52.040 (Off-Street Parking,
Loading and Bicycle Facility Requirements), and 18.52.050 (Adjustments by the Director) of Chapter
18.52 (Parking and Loading Requirements) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code are
hereby amended as follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-through; text omitted but
unchanged noted by bracketed ellipses):
18.52.030 Basic Parking Regulations
[. . .]
(i)Transportation Demand Management Plan
(1)Requirement for TDM Plan: A Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan to
reduce and manage the number of single-occupant motor vehicle trips generated by the
project shall be prepared and submitted by the applicant in the following circumstances:
A.For all projects that generate 50 or more net new weekday (AM or PM peak hour) or
weekend peak hour trips; or
B.For all projects claiming a reduction in net new trips due to proximity to public transit,
exclusive of subsection (D); or or the implementation of a TDM plan; and
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C.For all projects requesting a parking reduction, except a retail or retail-like use
proposing an addition of less than 1,500 sq. ft. or change of use to other retail or
retail-like; or
D.For all projects with reduced parking pursuant to California Government Code
Section 65863.2 (AB 2097, 2022), except a retail or retail-like use proposing an
addition of less than 1,500 sq. ft. or change of use to other retail or retail-like.
(2)The Director shall have the authority to adopt guidelines for preparing TDM plans and
when applicable shall coordinate such guidelines with the Transportation Management
Association.
[. . .]
18.52.040 Off-Street Parking, Loading and Bicycle Facility Requirements
[. . .]
(c)Tables 1, 2, 3 and 34: Parking, Bicycle, and Loading Requirements
Tables 1, 2 and 23 below outline vehicle and bicycle parking requirements in general and for
Parking Assessment Districts, respectively. Where bicycle parking standards differ from
California Green Building Standards for bicycle parking, the more stringent standards shall apply.
Table 34 outlines loading requirements for each land use.
For mixed-use projects, the requirements for each land use shall be applied and required for the
overall project.
Table 1
Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements
Use
Vehicle Parking
Requirement
(# of spaces)
Bicycle Parking Requirement
Spaces
Class 1 Long Term (LT)
and Short Term (ST)
…
Eating and Drinking Services:
(a) With drive-through drive-in
or take-out facilities
1 per 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area, plus
minimum queue line for 10 cars, subject to
further evaluation for higher demand drive-
through uses. 3 per 100 sq. ft. of gross floor
area
3 per 400 sf 40% - LT 60% - ST
(b) All others Eating and
Drinking Service, Full Service
1 space for each 15060 gross floor area sq.
ft. of public service area, plus 1 space for
each 200 gross sq. ft. for all other areas.
1 per 600 sf of public
service area, plus 1
per 2,000 sf for other
areas
40% - LT 60% - ST
(c) Eating and Drinking Service,
Limited Service
1 space for each 250 gross floor area 1 per 2,000 sf 40% - LT 60% - ST
(d) Bars 1 space for each 150 gross floor area 1 per 1,000 sf 40% - LT 60% - ST
Updates use classifications to match
new definitions; reduces ratios to align
with demand; and standardizes office
ratios across districts and use types.
Exempts small retail
additions and
changes in retail
uses from onerous
TDM requirements.
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Use
Vehicle Parking
Requirement
(# of spaces)
Bicycle Parking Requirement
Spaces
Class 1 Long Term (LT)
and Short Term (ST)
Hotel/Motel/Inn
1 space per guestroom; plus the applicable
requirement for eating and drinking,
banquet, assembly, commercial or other as
required for such uses, less up to 75% of the
spaces required for guestrooms, upon
approval by the director based on a parking
study of parking generated by the mix of uses.
1 space per 10
guestrooms, plus
requirements for
accessory uses
(drinking, banquet,
assembly, commercial
or other)
100%-ST
Shopping Center 1 per 275 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 2,750 sf 40%-LT 60% - ST
OFFICE USES
Administrative Offices
(a) In the RP and ROLM districts 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 3,000 sf 80%-LT 20% - ST
(b) In all other districts 1 per 250 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 2,500 sf
Administrative, Medical,
professional, and
general business offices
1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 2,500 sf 80% - LT 20% - ST
(a) In the RP and ROLM districts 1 per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 3,000 sf 60% - LT 40% - ST
(b) In all other districts 1 per 250 sq. ft. of gross floor area 1 per 2,500 sf
[. . .]
4. For residential mixed-use developments in the CD-C zone, CC(2) zone, on CN and CS zoned sites abutting
El Camino Real, and on CS zoned sites abutting San Antonio Antonia Road between Middlefield Road and
East Charleston Road, the first 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail uses shall not be counted toward the
vehicle parking requirement.
[. . .]
Table 2
Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements for Parking Assessment Districts
Use Vehicle Parking Requirement (# of spaces) 1
For Downtown University Avenue Parking Assessment District:
Residential Uses See Table 1
All Other Uses 1 per 250 square feet
For California Avenue Parking Assessment District:
Residential Uses See Table 1
Hotel/Motel/Inn See Table 1
All Other Uses 1 per 250 square feet
1.For residential mixed-use developments in the CD-C zone, CC(2) zone, and on CN and CS
Establish blended rate for California Avenue, consistent with
Downtown, to simplify regulations and acknowledge that parking
standards for these areas cannot be enforced pursuant to AB2097/
Gov. Code Section 65863.2 which applies to the majority of these
parking assessment districts.
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zoned sites abutting El Camino Real, the first 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail uses shall
not be counted toward the vehicle parking requirement.
[. . .]
Table 23
Minimum Off-Street Bicycle Parking Requirements for Parking Assessment Districts (IF USE IS
NOT LISTED, REFER TO TABLE 1 FOR REQUIREMENTS)
Use Vehicle Parking Requirement
(# of spaces)
Bicycle Parking Requirement
Class1 Spaces
For Downtown University Avenue Parking Assessment District:
All uses (except residential) 2 1 per 250 square feet 1 per 2,500
square feet
40% - LT 60% -
ST
Residential Uses See Table 1
For California Avenue Parking Assessment District:
Automobile Service Stations
1 per 310 square feet of gross
enclosed floor area, plus queue
capacity equivalent to the service
capacity of gasoline pumps
1 per 10
employees 100%-ST
Automotive Services
1 per 150 square feet of gross floor
area, display, or storage on site 1 per 10
employees 100%-ST
Eating and Drinking Services:
(a) With drive-through drive-in
or take-out facilities
3 per 100 sf of gross floor area 3 per 400 sf 40% - LT 60%-ST
(b) All others 1 per 155 sf of gross floor area 1 per 1,550 sf
Financial services:
(a) Bank, savings and loan
offices with 7,500 square feet of
floor area or less:
1 per 180 sf of gross floor area 1 per 1,800 sf 40%-LT 60% - ST
(b) Banks, savings and loan
offices with more than 7,500
square feet of floor area:
1 per 310 sf of gross floor area
(c) Others 1 per 180 sf of gross floor area 1 per 1,800 sf
General Business Services:
(a) Enclosed 1 per 360 sf of gross floor area 1 per 3,600 sf 80%- LT 20%- ST
(b) Open lot 1 per 500 sf of sales, display or
storage site area
1 per 5,000 sf 100%- ST
Medical, professional, and
general business offices
1 per 310 sf of gross floor area 1 per 3,100 sf 60%-LT 40% - ST
Personal Services 1 per 450 sf of gross floor area 1 per 4,500 sf 20% - LT 80% -
ST
Maintain bike
parking standards
by use
classification.
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Retail:
(a) Intensive 1 per 240 sf of gross floor area 1 per 2,400 sf 20%-LT 80% -ST
(b) Extensive 1 per 350 sf of gross floor area 1 per 3,500 sf
(c) Open lot 1 for each 500 square feet of sales,
display, or storage site area. 1 per 5,000 sf 100%-ST
OTHER USES
Any use not specified See Table 1
1.Long Term (LT) and Short Term (ST) bicycle spaces as described in Section 18.54.060 .
2.For residential mixed-use developments in the CD-C zone, CC(2) zone, and on CN and CS zoned sites
abutting El Camino Real, the first 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail uses shall not be counted
toward the vehicle parking requirement.
Table 34
Minimum Off-Street Loading Requirements
[. . .]
18.52.050 Adjustments by the Director
Automobile parking and off-street loading requirements prescribed by this chapter may be
adjusted by the director in the following instances and in accord with the prescribed limitations in
Table 4, when in his/her opinion such adjustment will be consistent with the purposes of this
chapter, will not create undue impact on existing or potential uses adjoining the site or in the
general vicinity, and will be commensurate with the reduced parking demand created by the
development, including for visitors and accessory facilities where appropriate. No reductions may
be granted that would result in provision of less than ten (10) spaces on a site. The following are
adjustments that apply to developments not located within a parking assessment district.
Adjustments within the parking assessment districts are contained in Section 18.52.080. The
decision of the regarding parking adjustments may be appealed as set forth in Chapter 18.78
(Appeals).
Table 4 Allowable Parking Adjustments
Purpose of
Adjustment
Amount of Adjustment Maximum Reduction 2
[. . .] [. . .] [. . .]
Combined Parking
Adjustments
Parking reductions may be granted for any
combination of the above circumstances as
prescribed by this chapter, subject to limitations on
the combined total reduction allowed.
3060% reduction of the total
parking demand otherwise
required
40% reduction for affordable
housing projects
[. . .] [. . .] [. . .]
Allow more flexibility
for shared parking
arrangements.
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1. See Section 18.52.050(d) below regarding requirements for TDM programs.
2. No parking reductions may be granted that would result in provision of less than ten (10) parking spaces
on site.
2. 3. No parking reductions may be granted for projects that are entitled to the reduced parking standards
in Table 1 of Section 18.52.040 for senior housing.
3. 4. Applies to 100% affordable housing projects and the residential component of 100% affordable
housing mixed-use projects. "100% affordable housing" as used herein means a multiple-family housing
project consisting entirely of affordable units, as defined in Section 16.65.020 of this code, available only
to households with income levels at or below 120% of the area median income, as defined in Chapter
16.65, except for a building manager's unit.
(a)Combining Parking Adjustments
Parking reduc.ons may be granted for any combina on of circumstances, prescribed by this chapter, so
long as in total no more than a 6030% reduc on of the total parking demand otherwise required occurs,
or no less than a 40% reduc on for affordable housing projects (including Single Room Occupancy (SRO)
units).
[. . .]
SECTION 14. Section 18.76.015 (Additional Findings for Specified Retail Uses) of Chapter 18.76
(Permits and Approvals) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code is hereby deleted in its
entirety.
SECTION 15. Section 16.59.040 (Exemptions) of Chapter 16.59 (Citywide Transportation Impact
Fee) of Title 16 (Building Regulations) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code are hereby amended as
follows (additions underlined; deletions struck-through; text omitted but unchanged noted by
bracketed ellipses):
16.59.040 Exemptions.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:
(a)City buildings or structures.
(b)Public school buildings or structures.
(c)Affordable units, either for sale or rental, that exceed the minimum number required for
projects under the city's below market rate (BMR) housing program or other provisions of
this code, which units are, by recordable means, obligated to be and remain affordable units
for a period consistent with the requirements of Section 16.65.075(c) of this code.
(d)Day care centers used for childcare, nursery school or preschool education.
(e)Accessory dwelling units (ADU).
(f)Junior accessory dwelling units (JADU).
(g)Retail service, eating and drinking service, personal service, or automotive service when the
total additional square footage is 1,500 square feet or less. This exemption shall apply only
when the additional square footage of new development does not exceed 1,500 square feet.
New development that is larger than 1,500 square feet shall pay a fee for all square footage,
including the first 1,500 square feet.
Removes
subjective
findings
Add fee
exemption for
small retail
additions,
consistent with
fee exemptions
in Section
16.45.050 and
16.58.030.
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(h) (g) New development which is exempt from the fee by virtue of the Constitution of the
United States or California or by virtue of other applicable state or federal law.
SECTION 16. If any section, subsection, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to
be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion or sections of the
Ordinance. The Council hereby declares that it should have adopted the Ordinance and each
section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or
more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid.
SECTION 17. The Council finds that the Ordinance is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with
certainty that there is no possibility that the foregoing amendments to reduce retail vacancies will
have a significant effect on the environment.
SECTION 18. This Ordinance shall be effective from the thirty-first day after the date of its
adoption. Once effective, this Ordinance shall repeal Ordinance no. 5642.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST: APPROVED:
__________________________
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__________________________
Assistant City Attorney
_________________________
Mayor
_________________________
City Manager
__________________________
Director of Planning and
Development Services
Item 3
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and 18 to Implement Retail
Measures
Packet Pg. 205
Exhibit A (Remove Ground Floor (GF) Combining District)
Charleson Shopping Center
Midtown Shopping District
Item 3
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Measures
Packet Pg. 206
Planning & Transportation Commission - October 29, 2025
Commissioners generally supported making permanent the interim ordinance
definitions for Retail Financial Service and Automobile Showroom.
For Formula Retail Business uses, Commissioners expressed some concerns
about effects on California Avenue small boutique character, but generally
supported making permanent the interim ordinance definition.
For Animal Care uses, Commissioners requested additional consideration of
potential odor, waste, and noise impacts, but were supportive of distinguishing
between use types to allow less impactful Animal Care uses in more locations.
For Eating and Drinking Service uses, Commissioners acknowledged that
restaurant “take out services” are standard practice and should be permitted, but
requested additional review of any unintended consequences of removing take-
out restrictions and the potential removal of the “commercial kitchen and
commercial dishwasher” threshold in the current definition.
For Retail-Like Uses, Commissioners provide a range of feedback including a
desire to streamline and simplify retail and retail-like uses, interest in
acknowledging the differences between the uses (e.g. hotels and services vs.
retail sales) and expressed interest in different proposals for how these uses
could be treated in the code.
Commissioners generally supported adding more permitted uses, including office
uses (especially community-serving uses) as long as they do not front on primary
streets; fitness studios up to 5,000 sq. ft.; and daytime animal care uses.
Commissioners generally did not support retail sales requirements at the front
window for service uses.
Commissioners generally supported either removing Waiver and Adjustment
economic hardship allowances or at least making consistent across applicable
zones.
Commissioners supported removing inconsistencies and confusion between
base and overlay district use regulations.
Item 3
Attachment B - Planning &
Transportation Commission
Comments (October 29,
2025, Study Session)
Packet Pg. 207
Commissioners generally supported adding more permitted uses in commercial
zones, including take-out eating and drinking services, medical office, daytime
animal care, and automobile showrooms.
Parking Regulations
Commissioners generally did not support exempting change of use applications
from triggering additional parking requirements, nor being more explicit in the
code about the applicability of AB 2097/Gov. Code 65863.2 parking exemptions.
Rather, Commissioners supported updating parking standards and shared
parking allowances, asked about restaurant parking requirements in particular,
and expressed support for alternative modes of travel.
Process and Administration
Commissioners generally supported renaming the Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
to Administrative Use Permit (AUP) to acknowledge that this is typically a staff-
level permit.
Retail Preservation Ordinance (RPO) Applicability
Commissioners expressed some support for excluding residential and
office/manufacturing zones from the RPO, but wanted to understand how many
retail businesses would potentially be affected.
Permitted Uses in Planned Communities (PC)
Commissioners expressed support for more flexibility in the PC zones, but
recommended a more specific criteria for what could be interpreted as “similar
uses” (e.g. neighborhood-serving, indoor vs. outdoor uses).
Zoning Map
Commissioners supported simplified zoning districts and overlays in the longer
term and a simple one-page commercial zoning map to post to the City’s website
in the shorter term.
Item 3
Attachment B - Planning &
Transportation Commission
Comments (October 29,
2025, Study Session)
Packet Pg. 208
Item No. 4. Page 1 of 1
Planning & Transportation Commission
Staff Report
From: Planning and Development Services Director
Lead Department: Planning and Development Services
Meeting Date: March 25, 2026
Report #: 2603-6147
TITLE
Approval of Planning & Transportation Commission Draft Summary & Verbatim Minutes of
February 11, 2026
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning & Transportation Commission (PTC) adopt the meeting
minutes.
BACKGROUND
Draft summary and verbatim minutes for the February 11, 2026, Planning & Transportation
Commission (PTC) meeting were made available to the Commissioners prior to the March 25,
2026, meeting date. The draft PTC minutes can be viewed on the City’s website at
https://bit.ly/PaloAltoPTC
ATTACHMENTS
None
AUTHOR/TITLE:
Samuel Tavera, Administrative Associate III
Item 4
Item 4 Staff Report
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