EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT ATTACHMENT #1: HOUSING LOCATION DETAILS
Four potential locations to allow housing are under discussion:
1. Waterfront Site
2. Demeter St. Industrial Sites
3. Pulgas Street East Sites
4. South of Weeks Site
Site #1: Waterfront
This 12+ acre vacant parcel is located at the end of Demeter, Tara, and Purdue Streets. Due to the required BCDC setback buffer and planned open space, the site has approximately 7 acres of net developable land. This site has an existing proposal for housing (application submitted by owner).
Zoning Options Units
Waterfront Site
Maintain current industrial flex zoning 0
Low Estimate: Urban Residential zoning (3-4 stories, 40 DU/acre) ~260 High Estimate: Bay Road Central zoning (5 stories, 50 DU/acre) ~320 Recommendation: Allow residential only, maintain three-story maximum height within 200’ of University Village from current Plan.
*Study potential remediation/mitigation measures in CEQA.
Site #2: Demeter Street Industrial Sites
These nine parcels are located at the end of Demeter Street and add up to 5.7 total acres.
These sites were included in the preliminary map of potential housing sites, but do not have current residential applications (or known developer interest).
Zoning Options Units
Demeter Sites
Maintain current industrial flex zoning 0
Low Estimate: R-MD-2 zoning (2-3 stories and 22 DU/acre) ~90 High Estimate: Urban Residential (3-4 stories and 40 DU/acre) ~120 Recommendation: Leave current zoning and do not allow residential uses. The rationale for this recommendation is as follows:
• Over 150,000 square feet of light industrial/PDR is already in operation on these parcels, and these types of jobs were meant to be promoted by the Specific Plan • 20’ wide easement along backs of properties already creates natural buffer between residential and non-residential use
• Given limited locations/market for light industrial in the City, this area should remain as is to support local middle-income jobs
• Little common ownership; six separate major owners/operators Site #3: Pulgas Street East Sites
These 11 parcels are located on the eastern side of Pulgas Avenue, between Bay Road and Weeks Street. The parcels add up to 7.5 total acres and is a combination of vacant land and light industrial manufacturing. This area has one existing proposal for housing (application submitted by owner, includes 100% affordable units).
Zoning Options Units
Pulgas East Sites
Maintain current REC zoning 0
Low Estimate: Apply new zone that allows non-residential at 1.0 FAR and residential at 4-story / 50 DU/A [5-story, 65 du/a with bonus].
Remove library parcels. ~200
High Estimate: Apply new mixed zone. Keep library parcels in new zone. ~250 Recommendation: Allow either low-density non-residential or moderate-density residential (likely by creating a new zone that merges two adjacent existing zones - REC and Bay Road Central) - to maintain future flexibility while enabling housing development. *Study potential remediation/mitigation measures in CEQA. *Remove from consideration all parcels that are planned for the relocated Public Library.
Site #4: South of Weeks Street Site
This large (2.7 acres) vacant parcel is located on the south side of Weeks Street, between Pulgas Avenue and the Plan boundary. In the past, the site was the subject of a proposal for a Primary School but is no longer under consideration for this particular use.
Zoning Options Units
South of Weeks
Maintain current industrial flex zoning 0
Low Estimate: Apply R-MD-2 [3-4 stories and 30 du/a with bonus] ~80 High Estimate: Apply Urban Residential [4/5-story, 50+ du/a with bonus] ~140 Recommendation: Allow residential use, maintain two-story limit immediately adjacent to lowdensity residential zones. *Reach out to property owner (Gates Foundation) to gauge interest in residential development.