BELMONT HARBOR INDUSTRIAL AREA
SPECIFIC PLAN
City Council Study Session
July 14, 2026
Laura Russell, Deputy Community Development Director
Rob Gill, Senior Planner
Aaron Aknin, Good City Company
AGENDA
Specific Plan Foundation, Guiding Principles, Land Use and Build Out HIA Process and Feedback
Residential Transition Zones
Design Guidelines and Parking Garages
Pause: any questions so far?
New Master Plan concept
Community Outreach and Next Steps
City Council Feedback
1 2
4 3
5 6
8 7
FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPT – HIA AS AN EMPLOYMENT CENTER
HIA is a long standing industrial and commercial hub
Specific Plan intended to modernize, not change the purpose of the area Opportunity to bring investment and fiscal benefits
High quality development at intensity sufficient to bring increased property taxes, sales taxes and business license tax Modernize employment uses, retain/attract local businesses that serve the community Balance other areas of the City being developed with more housing
Guiding Principles - Approved by City Council January 23, 2024
LOCAL SERVING, COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOOD
ENSURE SAFETY FOR ALL MODES
GREEN SPACE
EMBRACE THE AREA’S HISTORY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
CONTEXT SENSITIVE STANDARDS
REVITALIZE BELMONT CREEK
MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT
DISTRICT CONNECTIONS
LAND USE PLAN - Approved by City Council January 23, 2024 HIA – 1 Mixed Use Residential
HIA – Industrial & Commercial
Mobile Home Park (No Change)
POTENTIAL PLAN BUILD-OUT at 2050
Existing
Build-Out
Net New
Industrial/Commercial
1,352,423 sf
3,900,000 sf
2,547,577 sf
Multi-Family Residential
250 units
553 units
303 units*
Mobile Home Park
91 units
91 units
no change
* 103 units entitled but not yet submitted for building permit
HIA PROCESS TO DATE
Project Initiation (Early 2023)
Community Engagement (May–November 2023):
Guiding Principles (January 23, 2024)
Land Use Framework (January 23, 2024)
Community Workshop (May 12, 2025) - Development Standards & Residential Transitions Mobile Home Park Meeting (August 2, 2025)
City Council Meeting (October 14, 2025) - Residential Transitions; proposal for townhouse zoning on O’Neill Avenue Back to the technical team to explore more options
More conversations with owners and potential applicants Discussion with architect with local experience
Transition Areas need more revision
Concerns about light and privacy
Townhouse zoning not supported
RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREAS
Focus is on Bonus Height because Base Height of 65’ addresses concerns and has not received feedback
O’NEILL AVENUE RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREA – BONUS HEIGHT October 2025 Proposal
(Modified From Previous)
*Model of development standards, not a proposed project
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
35’
200’
155 max’
65’ max
O’NEILL AVENUE RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREA – BONUS HEIGHT July 2026 Proposal
Increase setback from 25’ to 35’ to allow for landscaped area Remove front massing block that was 35’ tall
Increase setback for tallest portion of the building from 125’ to 200’ *Model of development standards, not a proposed project
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
O’NEILL AVENUE RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREA – SUMMARY OF CHANGES May 2025
October 2025
Current - July 2026
O’Neill Ave Setback
15’
25’
35’
Maximum Height
185’
155’
155’
Distance from O’Neill to tallest point of a new building 120’ setback to 145’
tall building
125’ setback to 155’
tall building
200’ setback to 155’
tall building
160’ setback to 185’
tall building
N/A (185’ no longer proposed)
N/A (185’ no longer proposed)
Preliminary proposal in January 2024:
retain base height of 65’
Bonus height set by airport limit; 155’ – 205’ for different parts of the HIA
KAREN ROAD RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREA – BONUS HEIGHT
October 2025 Proposal
(Modified From Previous)
*Model of development standards, not a proposed project
KAREN ROAD RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AREA – BONUS HEIGHT
July 2026 Proposal
Same as O’Neill Avenue standards
Increase setback from 25’ to 35’ to allow for landscaped area Increase setback for tallest portion of the building from 125’ to 200’ *Model of development standards, not a proposed project
In the O’Neill Avenue transition area, locate parking garages close to O’Neill to act as a buffer to existing homes Reduces potential privacy impacts – parking garages don’t have regular occupancy like offices Lighting can be limited to allow for safety inside without spilling out of the garage Require high quality materials and design features such as vertical landscaping, screening and public art In residential transition areas, new buildings would be required to include automatic window shades that would close in the evening Exterior lighting would be downlit and shielded to reduce light pollution No architectural or decorate lighting on building facades facing residential uses in the transition areas ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES- PARKING GARAGE
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES- PARKING GARAGE
Examples of the combination of architecture, landscaping and art Sunnyvale
Parking garage with office building
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES- PARKING GARAGE
South San Francisco boarder with San Bruno
Across from single family homes
Office building height ~112’
Parking garage height ~58’ – 6 levels
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES- PARKING STRUCTURES
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
TRANSITION AREA DESIGN GUIDELINES- PARKING GARAGE
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
Hypothetical Example of BUILD OUT WITH TRANSITION STANDARDS *Hypothetical example of build out of one site in context, not a proposed project July 2026 Proposal
155’ height limit at Harbor Boulevard side
65’ height limit at O’Neill Avenue side
35’ landscaped setback on O’Neill Avenue side
Tallest buildings set back 200’ from O’Neill Avenue
Design Guidelines to enhance transition
Visualize the setback: farther than taller building at Public Storage
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
*Hypothetical example of build out of one site in context, not a proposed project Hypothetical Example of BUILD OUT WITH TRANSITION STANDARDS
ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT – Not for circulation
PAUSE
Any questions so far?
MASTER PLAN APPROACH - BACKGROUND
Currently only HIA-1 (orange area) allows new housing
Property owners are requesting housing in HIA-2 due to market conditions If housing is an allowed use, State law severely limits the City’s ability to shape a project A Master Plan process is a potential path to allow residential development, while keeping as much City discretion as possible
MASTER PLAN APPROACH – PROJECT TYPES
TYPE 1
Standard Project
Height of 65 feet or less under base zoning
Subject to Planning Commission authority for Design Review and other minor entitlements.
TYPE 2
Bonus Project
Greater than 65 feet in height under bonus height scenario Subject to City Council approval with community benefits.
TYPE 3
Legal Non-Conforming Expansion
Expansion of nonconforming businesses and structures. Reviewed by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission.
TYPE 4
Master Plan
The HIA Specific Plan will have different project types with different approval pathways.
A new project type could be added for a Master Plan that includes residential uses in the HIA-2 area.
New project type for applications that include residential uses with employment uses
MASTER PLAN APPROACH – CONCURRENT REVIEW
A Master Plan application would require a legislative action with a Planning Commission recommendation and City Council approval General Plan Amendment
Redesignates the parcel in the General Plan to allow residential, moving it from HIA-2 to HIA-1 (which already allows housing).
Specific Plan Amendment
Amends the HIA Specific Plan to reclassify the parcel from HIA-2 to HIA-1.
Conceptual & Detailed Development Plan
Belmont’s existing Planned Development process
Development Agreement (DA)
Secures community benefits (especially the commercial component of mixed or multi-site projects), controls phasing, and provides vesting
MASTER PLAN APPROACH – GUARDRAILS
A Master Plan application would require a legislative action with a Planning Commission recommendation and City Council approval Limitations:
For larger sites with potential for a true master plan
Minimum parcel size would apply; multiple sites may be combined Expectation for comprehensive approach with focus on employment uses No density bonus or other mechanism used to avoid the Residential Transition Area standards Include new required findings:
Residential Transition Areas are respected— taller buildings are set back; height limit is not exceeded Land uses that benefit the community are included. May include ground floor commercial, small scale commercial recreation, or park/public open space Project is fiscally positive for the City; projects pay their own way for infrastructure and ongoing services
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Tonight’s meeting:
www.belmonthiaplan.com + City Website
Postal mail to property owners in HIA + 300’ radius
Flyers delivered to Mobile Home Park residents
Email interest list ~150 people
Weekly Newsletter
Email to Homeview and Sterling Downs HOA Leadership
Email to Mobile Home Park resident contacts
With City Council feedback, project team will finish drafting the Specific Plan Future Community Outreach:
Update to email interest list and posted to website (also translated into Spanish) Staff “Ask me Anything” – drop in format - questions and answers via zoom and/or in person Public review of Draft Specific Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Public meetings to provide comments on the Draft Plan and Draft EIR
NEXT STEPS
www.belmonthiaplan.com
COUNCIL QUESTIONS & DIRECTION
Feedback Requested:
Residential Transition Areas
Height and setback
Design guidelines
Master Plan approach
Agreement with concept
Appropriate guardrails
Backup Slides
STATE LAW
SB 79 Map
¼ mile of CalTrain Station
HIA currently not included because it is in the County
After annexation, approximately 12 properties in HIA will be in SB 79 area Most of those properties are small and would likely have to be consolidated to allow new development
STATE LAW
SB 79
Within ¼-mile of CalTrain station
Height: 75 feet
Density: 120 du/ac
Residential FAR: 3.5
Additional SDBL Concessions Available to SB 79 Projects:
Three additional concessions for projects providing housing for extremely low income households Two for projects providing housing for very low income households One for projects providing housing for low-income households Minimum Density to Qualify for Additional Concessions: 90 du/ac
STATE LAW
SB 6 & AB 2011
Allows housing development on commercial properties under certain circumstances but with conditions State Law has exemption for “industrial” properties
However: based on definitions in the law, a site-by-site analysis would be required to see if the industrial exemption would apply; based on use on the site and adjoining uses
SAN CARLOS DRAFT NORTHEAST AREA PLAN (FOR REFERENCE)
San Carlos
Northeast Specific Plan
HIA Draft
Maximum Base Heights
75 – 100 feet
(depending on location)
65 feet
(except for 28 feet
at mobile home park)
Maximum Bonus Heights
100 – 155 feet
(depending on location)
155 feet
San Carlos taking a similar approach to stepping down height near single family residential However, San Carlos Plan includes residential mixed use adjacent to existing residential, so use of State Density Bonus law is expected to increase height to around 85’, typical limit of wood frame construction; not directly comparable to HIA
RESIDENTIAL BUFFER
90-foot Residential Buffer Option
Maximum Height 35 feet (or 40 feet with a pitched roof) Intended to accommodate townhouses – depth a limitation for multi-family building
ORIGINALLY PROPOSED MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHTS
Maximum base height is 65 feet (existing height)
Maximum heights could be achieved with negotiated community benefits ALUCP height restrictions cannot be exceeded
AREA BUILDING HEIGHTS (FOR REFERENCE)