HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 56940160183_20260202_ay16 1
Ordinance No. 5694
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 18.70
(Nonconforming Uses and Noncomplying Facilities)of the Palo Alto Municipal
Code to Allow De Minimis Exceptions
The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 18.70.105 (Noncomplying facility – de minimis exception) of
Chapter 18.70 (Nonconforming Uses and Noncomplying Facilities) of Title 18 (Zoning) of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code is added to read as follows:
18.70.105 Noncomplying facility - De minimis exception
Notwithstanding the requirements of Sections 18.70.080, 18.70.090, and 18.70.100, up to 250
square feet of non-complying floor area (i.e. floor area associated with a non-complying
feature) may be relocated as follows, provided that the degree and manner of non-compliance
is not increased:
(a) The non-complying facility houses a single-family residential use in a low-density
residential zone district; and
(b) Any proposal to relocate non-complying floor area will comply with the following:
(1) Projects that include relocation of 150 to 250 square feet to a location above the
ground floor shall be subject to Section 18.10.040, subd. (i), or 18.12.110, as
applicable; or
(2) Projects that include relocation of less than 150 sf above the ground floor and that
are therefore not subject to Individual Review, shall comply
with the objective standards for single-family development as applicable to the
proposed relocation.
SECTION 2. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Ordinance
is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent
jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and
each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase not declared invalid or
unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 3. The Council finds that the adoption of this Ordinance is exempt from the
provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources
Code Section 21080.17 and CEQA Guidelines sections 15061(b)(3), 15301, 15302 and 15305
because it constitutes minor adjustments to the City’s zoning ordinance to implement State
law requirements related to accessory dwelling units as established in Government Code
Section 65852.2, and these changes are also likely to result in few additional dwelling units
dispersed throughout the City. As such, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed action
will not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
Docusign Envelope ID: D2F18BED-83C3-43AA-996A-7B8AA6954482
0160183_20260202_ay16 2
SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first date after the date of
its adoption.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
NOT PARTICIPATING:
ATTEST:
_______________________________ __________________________________
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
_______________________________ __________________________________
Assistant City Attorney City Manager
__________________________________
Director of Planning & Community
Environment
MARCH 9, 2026
APRIL 6, 2026
BURT, LAUING, LU, LYTHCOTT-HAIMS, RECKDAHL, STONE, VEENKER
Docusign Envelope ID: D2F18BED-83C3-43AA-996A-7B8AA6954482
Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: D2F18BED-83C3-43AA-996A-7B8AA6954482 Status: Completed
Subject: ORD 5694 - De Minimis Exceptions for Nonconforming Uses and Noncomplying Facilities
Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 2 Signatures: 5 Envelope Originator:
Certificate Pages: 2 Initials: 0 Christine Prior
AutoNav: Enabled
EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled
Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
250 Hamilton Ave
Palo Alto , CA 94301
Christine.Prior@PaloAlto.gov
IP Address: 170.85.155.8
Record Tracking
Status: Original
4/7/2026 10:00:05 AM
Holder: Christine Prior
Christine.Prior@PaloAlto.gov
Location: DocuSign
Security Appliance Status: Connected Pool: StateLocal
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Albert Yang
Albert.Yang@paloalto.gov
Assistant City Attorney
City of Palo Alto
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 67.40.27.131
Signed using mobile
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Signed: 4/7/2026 10:13:23 AM
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Jonathan Lait
Jonathan.Lait@paloalto.gov
Director, Planning and Development Services
City of Palo Alto
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(None)
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Using IP Address: 165.225.242.87
Sent: 4/7/2026 10:13:24 AM
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Signed: 4/7/2026 12:10:33 PM
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Ed Shikada
Ed.Shikada@paloalto.gov
City Manager
City of Palo Alto
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(None)
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Using IP Address: 104.129.199.7
Sent: 4/7/2026 12:10:34 PM
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Signed: 4/9/2026 7:04:08 AM
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Vicki Veenker
Vicki.Veenker@paloalto.gov
City of Palo Alto
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)Signature Adoption: Uploaded Signature Image
Using IP Address:
2600:1010:b09c:b5d3:5dd3:796d:e0ac:b065
Signed using mobile
Sent: 4/9/2026 7:04:09 AM
Viewed: 4/19/2026 9:43:13 AM
Signed: 4/19/2026 9:48:00 AM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Mahealani Ah Yun
Mahealani.AhYun@paloalto.gov
City Clerk
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 170.85.155.38
Sent: 4/19/2026 9:48:01 AM
Viewed: 4/20/2026 7:09:52 PM
Signed: 4/20/2026 7:10:03 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
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Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps
Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 4/7/2026 10:04:26 AM
Certified Delivered Security Checked 4/20/2026 7:09:52 PM
Signing Complete Security Checked 4/20/2026 7:10:03 PM
Completed Security Checked 4/20/2026 7:10:03 PM
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