Los Altos City Council
February 14, 2023

CITY COUNCIL STUDY

SESSION
AGENDA
5:30 PM - Tuesday, February 14, 2023
via Videoconference and In Person
Please Note: The City Council will meet in person as well as via Telephone/Video Conference Telephone:1-669-444-9171 / Webinar ID: 851 9801 8033
https://losaltosca-gov.zoom.us/j/85198018033?pwd=dEhlNXJJb1ZRK2l5RFZ3TVhxamhiQT09 Passcode: 455178
TO PARTICIPATE IN-PERSON: Members of the public may also participate in person by being present at the Los Altos Council Chamber at Los Altos City Hall located at 1 N. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos, CA
TO PARTICIPATE VIA VIDEO: Follow the link above. Members of the public will need to have a working microphone on their device and must have the latest version of ZOOM installed (available at https://zoom.us/download). To request to speak, please use the “Raise hand” feature located at the bottom of the screen.

TO PARTICPATE VIA TELEPHONE: Members of the public may also participate via telephone by calling the number listed above. To request to speak, press *9 on your telephone.

TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS: Prior to the meeting, comments on matters listed on the agenda may be emailed to [email protected]. Emails sent to this email address are sent to/received immediately by the City Council. Please include a subject line in the following format:

PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA ITEM ## - MEETING DATE STUDY SESSION Correspondence submitted in hard copy/paper must be received by 2:00 PM on the day of the meeting to ensure distribution prior to the meeting. Correspondence received prior to the meeting will be included in the public record. .

Public testimony will be taken at the direction of the Mayor, and members of the public may only comment during times allotted for public comments.

AGENDA

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER

CONFIRM QUORUM
1 2/14/2023 CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION AGENDA Page 2 of 2

PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM(S)

1. Public Comment

DISCUSSION ITEM(S)

2. City Council Priority #9: Business Communities: City Council provide direction on the organized action items from the Downtown Vision. (A. Carnesecca)

ADJOURNMENT

SPECIAL NOTICES TO THE PUBLIC
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Altos will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk 72 hours prior to the meeting at (650) 947-2610.

Agendas Staff Reports and some associated documents for City Council items may be viewed on the Internet at http://www.losaltosca.gov/citycouncil/online/index.html. Council Meetings are televised live and rebroadcast on Cable Channel 26.

On occasion the City COuncil may consider agenda items out of order. 2 PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE

The following is public correspondence received by the City Clerk’s Office after the posting of the original agenda. Individual contact information has been redacted for privacy. This may not be a comprehensive collection of the public correspondence, but staff makes its best effort to include all correspondence received to date.

To send correspondence to the City Council, on matters listed on the agenda please email [email protected]
3 Agenda Item 1.

From: Pat Marriot
To: Public Comment
Subject: PUBLIC COMMENT STUDY SESSION FEBRUARY 14, 2023 Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023 5:09:09 PM
Council Members,
You are asked to provide direction on “phasing of objectives” and “long-term projects” from the Downtown Vision. There’s a lot to consider, especially in the context of the city budget and other city priorities, such as the Housing Element follow-up.

I had some questions when I read the staff report:

Fiscal Impact
The individual fiscal impact of each item will be assessed and provided to City Council prior to implementation.
-When will we see the fiscal impact of the outdoor dining/parklet program? Phase 1
·Implement a Permanent Parklet Program for restaurants – On November 30, 2021, City Council approved the Parklet Program to go into effect thirty days after the end of all the emergency health orders. At this point in time, City staff has identified improvements to the parklet program that are being presented to the community for outreach before returning to City Council for review.
-Has this outreach begun? I have not seen any notices to residents. ·Install Public Wi-Fi – There are a number of no signal zones in downtown where residents and visitors cannot access their cellular devices while visiting businesses. -I assume this means in public spaces. Where are these dead spots? The Vision Plan specifies Downtown Plazas. How many are without Wi-Fi signals? Does the public space in front of Enchante Hotel have Wi-Fi from the hotel restaurant? How about the one in the Cetrella building plaza?
·Standardize trash receptacle enclosures – Our trash receptacles in the parking plazas and behind businesses are in less than ideal conditions more often than not. The City should create a standard dumpster enclosure to secure waste and prevent any vector issues. -Are “trash receptacles” the same as dumpsters? Who would pay for the enclosures? ·Vector control issues in partnership with County – City staff have partnered with Santa Clara County Vector Control to ensure that vector issues identified in downtown are being addressed appropriately and quickly. There are already a number of vector control measures that have been implemented in various locations to control the potential spread of vector issues.
4 Agenda Item 1.
-
Is this the rat birth-control method I read about recently? Would this also be used in other parts of the city?
·Explore increasing amount of EV charging stalls – Our community has a significant demand for EV charging stalls that is not currently met by the amount of stalls in our downtown. -Would the chargers be free or paid?
Thanks for listening,
Pat Marriott
5 Agenda Item 1.

From: Couture, Terri
To: Public Comment
Subject: public comment - City Council study session agenda #1 Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023 5:49:44 PM
Dear City Council and members of the public
In phase 1 of the report dated Feb 11,2023 regarding the parklets. Where are the improvement plans the City staff are recommending? Has the public received the outreach described? Where is the revenue data showing the increase of revenue that supports all the businesses in the downtown area. All businesses should be treated fairly.

Regarding all phases - where is the projected budget and timeline? How can the tax payers decide on any improvements without a detailed budget? How can we recommend expenses without details on revenue?
Please make sure we know the details, as its one of your objectives you promised us during your assorted campaigns.
thank you
Terri Couture
*Wire Fraud is Real*. Before wiring any money, call the intended recipient at a number you know is valid to confirm the instructions. Additionally, please note that the sender does not have authority to bind a party to a real estate contract via written or verbal communication. 6 Agenda Item 1.

February 13, 2023
Dear Mayor Meadows and Councilmembers,
LAAHA is pleased to see the Los Altos City Council moving forward so quickly on considering improvements to our already great downtown. In its deliberations, the Council must bear in mind the binding commitments the City has already made in the Housing Element.

Choosing the parking plaza for housing in Phase 1: Los Altos has committed to building affordable housing on one of the parking plazas. This will, obviously, affect downtown parking.

Therefore, in Phase 1, the city must choose which parking plaza will become housing, in order for the Phase 2 parking management study to be undertaken.

Phase 2 parking study must include how to handle parking for housing over retail: In the Housing Element, Los Altos has committed to making it feasible to build housing over retail in our downtown; indeed, the City has projected housing over retail will be built in the next eight years. Los Altos must fulfill this commitment. Currently, the City requires onsite parking for these homes, which makes them infeasible. The parking management study must come up with a plan to deal with this issue. That could be some combination of these suggestions:
● Allow an in-lieu payment for parking, instead of building parking on-site ● Allow the parking to be provided off-site
● Reduce or eliminate parking requirements
There may be other ways to deal with the parking issue for downtown housing; it must be dealt with somehow.

LAAHA looks forward to a plan that makes our downtown more full of life, keeping it inviting and safe for cyclists and pedestrians, while accommodating the needs of people who arrive downtown by car.

Respectfully,
LAAHA Steering Committee
Los Altos Affordable Housing Alliance
Committed to educating and inspiring the Los Altos community to build housing that is affordable for those who live and work in Los Altos
https://losaltosaffordablehousing.org/
7 Agenda Item 1.

February 13, 2023
Mayor Meadows and Members of the City Council
Re: Council Meeting February 14, 2023, Study Session #1 City Council Priority #9: Business Communities
Dear Mayor Meadows and Members of the City Council:

The League of Women Voters advocated for Program 1.H in the Housing Element to facilitate affordable housing on a downtown parking lot. The Housing Element committed to a Request for Proposal for such a project by 12/2023. We believe that the timeline proposed in the Staff report for preparation of a downtown parking plan and update to citywide parking regulations should be expedited as the parking management will have a significant impact on the RFP for housing on a parking plaza. In addition, we urge the Council to designate a downtown plaza for the housing as soon as possible so as to meet the 12/2023 deadline.

Thank you for your consideration.
(Please send comments related to this letter to Sue Russell at [email protected]) Sincerely,
Karin Bricker, President LWV of Los Altos Mountain View cc: Gabriel Engeland Nick Zornes Jon Maginot Anthony Carnesecca Angel Rodriguez
8 Agenda Item 1.

PUBLIC CORRESPONDENCE

The following is public correspondence received by the City Clerk’s Office after the posting of the original agenda. Individual contact information has been redacted for privacy. This may not be a comprehensive collection of the public correspondence, but staff makes its best effort to include all correspondence received to date.

To send correspondence to the City Council, on matters listed on the agenda please email [email protected]
9 Agenda Item 1.

From: Harry Guy
To: Public Comment
Subject: PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA ITEM #1 - Study Session - 2/14/2023 Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 12:40:28 PM
Thank you to Council for conducting this study session on the vision for downtown and thank you to City staff for their work to help our downtown businesses survive the impacts of the pandemic, which occurred on top of the already-changing nature of what residents are seeking in the way of downtown businesses and services. Although the Vision Plan could not have predicted the pandemic and its deep impact on residents and businesses, if it was well-conceived and articulated, it should remain as a complete and valid vision for our downtown. I believe the Downtown Vision Plan adopted by Council in 2018 does that, although the selections and phasing of strategies and tactics to achieve the downtown vision will need to be influenced by the impacts we have experienced.

I think it is worth noting that the list of key Council and Staff contributors to the 2018 Downtown Vision Plan have almost entirely left their positions, see page III of the plan. Notably, I believe 100% of the City Manager’s Office members listed have changed, as well as most of the Planning Staff. I think the current key Staff members who need to lead the development of next steps in implementing the plan need to spend more time with the consultants who developed the plan and a small but diverse set of stakeholders (residents, businesses) who provided input to the vision development. I think the staff report, as written, shows a lack of clear understanding of the vision content and the priorities residents want to see emphasized in the next steps. For example, the staff report states that “The goal of the Los Altos Downtown Vision Plan is to provide a safe, clean, and attractive downtown for residents, businesses, and visitors.” In fact, page 2 of the Downtown Vision Plan states “The purpose of the Vision Plan is to provide the Los Altos community with a vision for the future of the Downtown triangle to guide growth and development over the next 20 years. This Vision Plan acts as the guiding document for future development of the Downtown, maintaining the community’s history, values, and desired intensity of development, while also allowing for incremental change intended to facilitate a unique, vibrant village that exemplifies the exceptional character and qualities of Los Altos.” Words are important; Staff has used the term “goal” and the Downtown Vision Plan used the term “purpose.” Do these have different meanings? Is that important? I think it is.

With the above observations in mind, and my personal desire for Council and Staff to place a much higher priority directed at facilitating multi-modal transportation and improving safety downtown for all modes, I offer the following recommendations for Council and Staff consideration:
-Prioritize development of specific strategies, tactics and a timetable aimed at this element of the Community Vision on page 16: “Enhancing safety and connectivity to the adjacent Civic Center, Lincoln Park, and surrounding neighborhoods through targeted multi-modal transportation forms for pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobiles;” this should include moving up the priority and timetable for the pedestrian connections (from Hillview and across Foothill Expressway) and the envisioned roundabout at San Antonio-Main-Edith; this should include conducting a downtown transportation study and actively supporting the County's efforts to study and improve the Foothill Expressway corridor, especially intersections from Edith to I-280 10 Agenda Item 1.
-
Establish a modest-sized group of stakeholders (consultant, businesses, resident representatives) who were closely involved in the development of the 2018 Downtown Vision Plan to meet with a few key Staff members and a Council subcommittee tasked with ensuring a clear Staff understanding of the Downtown Vision Plan and making two specific assessments/recommendations to the full Council: (1) Is the Downtown Vision Plan still valid or does it need to be revised? (2) What are the prioritized strategies, tactics and timetable recommended for the next 10 years? The “residents” selected for this group perhaps could be the chairs of the commissions (just one option); the group should be given three months to complete their work and report back to Council
Respectfully,
Harry Guy - Los Altos Resident
11 Agenda Item 1.

AGENDA REPORT SUMMARY

Reviewed By:

City Manager City Attorney
GE
Finance Director
JH JD
Meeting Date: February 14, 2023
Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities Prepared by: Anthony Carnesecca, Economic Development Administrator Reviewed by: Jon Maginot, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Gabriel Engeland, City Manager
Attachment(s):

1. City of Los Altos Downtown Vision Plan
Initiated by:

City Council directed staff to bring the Downtown Vision back to them for review and implementation as one of their strategic priorities for this calendar year.

Previous Council Consideration:

August 28, 2018
Fiscal Impact:

The individual fiscal impact of each item will be assessed and provided to City Council prior to implementation.

Environmental Review:

Not applicable.

Policy Question(s) for Council Consideration:
 Does City Council agree with the phasing of objectives?  What concurrent long-term projects from the Downtown Vision would City Council like staff to research while working on the other objectives?
Summary:
 City Council approved the Downtown Vision Plan in August 2018 and the City has implemented a few items from the Downtown Vision.
 City Council directed staff to bring the Downtown Vision back to them as one of their strategic priorities for this calendar year.
 The downtown landscape has significantly changed due to a global pandemic so the specific action items for the Downtown Vision need to be reassessed and incorporate a new perspective on the Downtown Vision.
12 Agenda Item 2.

Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities February 14, 2022 Page 2
Staff Recommendation:

Provide staff with direction on the organized action items from the Downtown Vision.

Purpose
The goal of the Los Altos Downtown Vision Plan is to provide a safe, clean, and attractive downtown for residents, businesses, and visitors.

This report provides a comprehensive update regarding the status of the various Downtown Vision objectives and seeks to receive Council feedback regarding the direction for both the short-term and long-term.

Background
On August 28, 2018, the Los Altos City Council adopted the Downtown Vision, which provides the City of Los Altos with many approaches, short-term programs, and long-term improvements that would increase vibrancy in the downtown triangle.

Discussion/Analysis
The City Council has requested that staff present objectives from the Downtown Vision along with a clear timeline for implementation. Some items have been incorporated into other plans or will be incorporated into future plans so they have been omitted. For example, bicycle enhancements will be incorporated into the Complete Streets Master Plan.

Completed Objectives
 Allowed contemporary service uses in the Downtown CRS core – On August 27, 2019, City Council approved Ordinance 2019-462, which updated the permitted and conditional uses for the Downtown Core in the Los Altos Municipal Code. Per the suggestions in the Downtown Vision Plan, this ordinance allowed contemporary service uses in the Downtown CRS core: Fitness studios and day spas, Yoga and Tai Chi, Martial arts, Kinder gyms, Wine bars and beer gardens, and allow office behind Main and State frontages.  Implemented Temporary Parklet Program for restaurants – The City created the COVID Parklet Program that was approved under the emergency powers of the City Manager with the support of City Council. City staff allowed restaurants to continue outdoor dining in the public right-of-way with the installation of protective wine barrels filled with five hundred pounds of water, sand, or concrete along the perimeter of the parklet.  Allocated funding for the Downtown Theater Working Group – City Council allocated funding to the Downtown Theater Working Group to conduct a study on the potential for a downtown theater, including a survey of residents’ opinions on a downtown theater. 13 Agenda Item 2.

Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities February 14, 2022 Page 3
City staff recommends that City Council address the immediate downtown infrastructure needs in a phased approach of objectives while researching concurrent long-term projects as you can see from the proposed timeline below.

City staff will begin working on Phase 1 before slowly incorporating Phase 2 while wrapping up Phase 1 and so forth until the completion of Phase 3. Concurrently, City staff can research and evaluate concurrent long-term projects from the Downtown Vision that will take a more significant amount of staff resources.

Phase 1
 Implement a Permanent Parklet Program for restaurants – On November 30, 2021, City Council approved the Parklet Program to go into effect thirty days after the end of all the emergency health orders. At this point in time, City staff has identified improvements to the parklet program that are being presented to the community for outreach before returning to City Council for review. City staff recommends keeping the current temporary parklet program in place through some time in 2023 to allow restaurants time to apply and build their parklets to the new standard.
 Install Public Wi-Fi – There are a number of no signal zones in downtown where residents and visitors cannot access their cellular devices while visiting businesses. Staff is working to develop proposals for low-cost options to install public Wi-Fi and will return to City Council with a formal proposal.
14 Agenda Item 2.

Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities February 14, 2022 Page 4
 Standardize trash receptacle enclosures – Our trash receptacles in the parking plazas and behind businesses are in less than ideal conditions more often than not. The City should create a standard dumpster enclosure to secure waste and prevent any vector issues.  Vector control issues in partnership with County – City staff have partnered with Santa Clara County Vector Control to ensure that vector issues identified in downtown are being addressed appropriately and quickly. There are already a number of vector control measures that have been implemented in various locations to control the potential spread of vector issues.
 Explore increasing amount of EV charging stalls – Our community has a significant demand for EV charging stalls that is not currently met by the amount of stalls in our downtown.

Phase 2
 First Street Streetscape Plan – Public Works staff has hired an experienced streetscape design team lead by civil engineering consultant BKF Engineers. This summer, staff worked with their team to carry out Phase I of the S. 1st Street Streetscape Design, which included doing field walks and providing 1st Street infrastructure background documents and data and establishing the scope of work (SOW) and project schedule for the streetscape planning, design, and construction phases. That work has been completed and staff is reviewing BKF’s proposal for carrying out the SOW for community outreach, design/construction documents, and cost estimating, and bidding and construction. Staff plan to return to Council in early 2023 to recommend awarding a contract amendment to implement the plan.  Increase and improve lighting along sidewalks, in Veterans Community Plaza, and in parking plazas – The sidewalks, Veterans Community Plaza, and parking plazas are not extremely well lit in some locations. As well, streetlamps in downtown are not uniform either so staff recommends the city create a standard look and feel for all lighting within the downtown.

City staff is working on a pilot installation of one solar streetlamp that will be installed in Veterans Community Plaza and evaluated for efficacy. If this pilot installation is successful, City staff can return with a staged plan over a few years to replace all lighting in the downtown core. City staff can return to the City Council with contracts or proposals that will improve lighting throughout the downtown that can be funded through the Downtown Maintenance Fund.
 Improve electrical service along sidewalks, in Veterans Community Plaza, and in parking plazas – There is no standard for electricity at the tree wells as some trees have electricity while others do not so it would be good to create a standard outlet at all tree wells with the same current so that all trees may be lit properly. City staff can return to the City Council with contracts or proposals that will improve electricity throughout the downtown that can be funded through the Downtown Maintenance Fund.
15 Agenda Item 2.

Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities February 14, 2022 Page 5
 Short-term pothole improvement plan – As City staff aim to improve all of our parking plazas in the long-term, there are smaller issues, such as potholes, that need to be addressed on a regular basis. These pot holes can be addressed comprehensively if staff takes a wholistic review of the parking plazas under this pothole improvement plan.  Develop a comprehensive downtown parking plan – As apart of the adopted 6th Cycle Housing Element 2023-2031, the City of Los Altos has committed to prepare a downtown parking plan and update to citywide parking regulations in Program 3.A. The housing program as required within the adopted housing element requires the City to complete this process by December 2024; it is anticipated that this work will commence later in the year (2023). At the January 24, 2023 City Council meeting, the Council agreed with the recommendation of the Development Services Director, that the downtown parking and citywide parking requirements should be completed by an Independent Third Party Consultant in order to provide a non-biased review of the existing parking demand and anticipated future need of parking. Additionally, the City of Los Altos has committed to facilitating alternate modes of transportation for residents in Program 4.J of the adopted housing element. The approved housing program 4.J requires the City to further implement the adopted Complete Streets Masterplan, which makes improvements to the transportation network throughout the City. For example above head pedestrian crossing signals adjacent to downtown on San Antonio Road will be funded and completed no later than December 2027. Lastly, the downtown parking plan and citywide parking requirements will consider all existing plans such as the General Plan, Complete Streets Master Plan and Downtown Vision Plan when developing a Parking Plan and Citywide Parking Regulations.

Phase 3
 Improve wayfinding signage at entry points and directing to plazas – Visitors to downtown have difficulty finding the parking plazas when there is not adequate signage for individuals who do not know about our free parking plazas.
 Install activity node for community use – The vision calls for the installation of an activity nodes along Main and State Street area, which could include small event spaces for interactive activities. This would potentially include the installation of activity spaces in the bulb-outs at intersections along our two major downtown thoroughfares.  Downtown safety and circulation study – It is integral that the downtown area be safe for individuals visiting our downtown by all transportation methods.

Concurrent Long-Term Projects
 Park space – The vision proposes utilizing a plaza as a flexibly-programmed park space for special events.
16 Agenda Item 2.

Subject: City Council Priority #9: Business Communities February 14, 2022 Page 6
 Play structures – The vision calls for a play structure in the redesign of a plaza that would allow children of all ages and abilities to have a space for their needs and accessibilities within the downtown area.
 Downtown Theater Working Group – Per City Council direction, the Downtown Theater Working Group is working on a feasibility study for a potential theater located in downtown.

City staff has not spent time on this initiative and does not have an update at this time.  Publicly available restrooms – Current visitors to downtown must request to use a private restroom from businesses while downtown. Publicly available restrooms will allow visitors to be able to spend more time downtown because they can visit different shops and not worry about needing to find a restroom.

Recommendation
Provide staff with direction on the organized action items from the Downtown Vision. 17 Agenda Item 2.

City of Los Altos
DowntowN vision
ADOPTED AUGUST 28, 2018

DOWNTOWN

VISION PLAN
18 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
This page intentionally left blank.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ii
19 Agenda Item 2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FINAL - AUGUST 2018
ECONOMIC VITALITY STRATEGY OPTIONS FOR
DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS: ADMINISTRATIVE
DRAFT
Prepared for:

City of Los Altos
RRM Design Group
Submitted by:

Date February 28, 2017
Project # 1702.057
iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CITY OF LOS ALTOS CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF LOS ALTOS PLANNING STAFF
PREPARED FOR: PREPARED BY:

CITY OF LOS ALTOS
Jean Mordo, Mayor
Lynette Lee Eng, Vice Mayor
Jeannie Bruins, Council Member
Jan Pepper, Council Member
Mary Prochnow, Council Member
Jon Biggs, Community Development Director
Zachary Dahl, Planning Services Manager
Steve Golden, Senior Planner
Sunny Chao, Associate Planner
Sean Gallegos, Associate Planner
Emiko Ancheta, Permit Technician
Yvonne Dupont, Executive Assistant
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE
Chris Jordan, City Manager
Jennifer Quinn, Economic Development Manager
Christopher Diaz, City Attorney
Erica Ray, Public Information Coordinator
Wendy Meisner, Executive Assistant
to the City Manager
20 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
This page intentionally left blank.
iv
21 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS
v
INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................................

CHANGING NATURE OF DOWNTOWNS AND ECONOMICS ...................................................................

THE COMMUNITY’S VISION ...........................................................................................................................

LAND USE ............................................................................................................................................................

BUILT ENVI RONMENT ......................................................................................................................................

PUBLIC SPACES .................................................................................................................................................

CIRCULATION AND PARKING ........................................................................................................................

SUSTAINABILITY ...............................................................................................................................................

IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................................................

VISION POSTER...................................................................................................................................................

APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................................

A. Economic And Fiscal Evaluation
B. Community Outreach Summaries
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 1
9 13
17 25
37 47
59 61
65 69
22 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

TABLE OF CONTENTS
This page intentionally left blank.
vi
23 Agenda Item 2.
1 - Introduction
24 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
2 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

INTRODUCTION
The City of Los Altos initiated the preparation of a Downtown Vision Plan (Vision Plan) to help shape the future of Downtown Los Altos. The Vision Plan effort is a community based, visioning and guidance tool that was developed through a robust community engagement process.

The purpose of the Vision Plan is to provide the Los Altos community with a vision for the future of the Downtown triangle to guide growth and development over the next 20 years. This Vision Plan acts as the guiding document for future development of the Downtown, maintaining the community’s history, values, and desired intensity of development, while also allowing for incremental change intended to facilitate a unique, vibrant village that exemplifies the exceptional character and qualities of Los Altos.

Main Street today, looking east.
25 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 3

WHITNEY STREET

SAN ANTONIO
foothill
Road
expressway
Vision Plan Boundary
Figure x. vision plan area
Vision Plan Boundary
Figure 2: Downtown Vision Plan Area
Downtown Vision Plan Area
The Vision Plan Area, commonly known as the
Downtown Triangle, encompasses nearly 70 acres
and is bound on the north by Edith Avenue, to the
east by San Antonio Road, to the west by the Foothill
Expressway, and on the south where San Antonio
Road and the Foothill Expressway meet. Figures 1
and 2 shows the location of the Vision Plan area and
its location within the City of Los Altos in proximity to adjacent cities.
san jose
dOWNTOWN
los altos
milpitas
sunnyvale
santa clara
cupertino
mountain view
san francisco bay
palo alto
101
84 109
82 85
237
280
280
880
680
lOS ALTOS
Figure 1: Vision Plan Area, Regional Location
N
26 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
4 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
History of the Downtown
The history of Downtown Los Altos is one that is
closely tied to the extension of the Southern Pacific
Railroad down the San Francisco Peninsula at the
turn of the 20th Century. Located in close proximity
to the City of San Jose and Stanford University and
coupled with the areas natural beauty, the Downtown
area soon became a desirable place to live and, by
1911, contained a number of homes and offices. The
first business on Main Street was Eschenbruechers
Hardware Store located at 316 Main Street, which
later housed the town’s Post office. In 1909, the
two-story Shoup Building was completed at the
corner of Main and Second Streets. One of the most
significant buildings Downtown is the Los Altos
Railroad Station, located at 288 First Street. Built
in 1913 for the Southern Pacific, the railroad was
the driving force for development of the City of Los
The Los Altos Railroad Station built in 1913, a Designated City Landmark.

Altos. By the 1950’s through 1960’s, Downtown Los
Altos continued to evolve and became a full service
Downtown, providing for the needs of the community
and surrounding areas.

Many of these original buildings are still in existence today, some identified on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory, and others eligible for the National
Register. These buildings help to accentuate the
unique character of Downtown Los Altos and should
act as an inspiration to inform future development.
27 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 5
Other Planning Documents
A number of other planning efforts and documents
contribute to the ongoing evolution and development
of Downtown Los Altos.
• General Plan (2002);
• Zoning Ordinance (as of 2018);
• Affordable Housing Ordinance (2017);
• Climate Action Plan (2013);
• Downtown Design Plan (1992, rev. 2009);
• Downtown Design Guidelines (2009);
Two-story Shoup Building completed in 1909, with the old Eschenbruecher Hardware Store building to the left (green awning). • Downtown Land Use and Economic Revitalization
Plans (2005);
• Downtown Opportunity Study (2009);
• Downtown Buildings Committee Report (2016);
and
• Downtown Parking Management Plan (2013).
28 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
6 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Community Engagement Process
This Vision Plan reflects the community’s preferred vision for the future of Downtown Los Altos. The community’s preferred vision evolved after an extensive outreach process that included a broad spectrum of community engagement opportunities including stakeholder meetings, community group meetings, community workshops, pop-up workshops at community functions, committee meetings, and City Council meetings. In addition to in-persons meetings, the community was contacted through mailed and emailed postcards, a project website was prepared and two online questionnaires were conducted at key stages of the community engagement process. The multiple platforms provided residents and stakeholders with alternative methods of providing input on their vision for the future of Downtown and ensured that all who wanted to engage in the process were given the opportunity. In total, approximately 30 events and two online questionnaires were undertaken during the community engagement process.

Timeline graphic displaying outreach process.
project initiation
dec 2016-
mar 2017
phase I
vision scenarios
development
apr-dec 2017
phase II
prepare
downtown
vision plan
jan-may 2018
phase III
plan refinement
and adoption
jun-sep 2018
december 2016
phase Iv
POP-UP
Workshop
ONLINE
SURVEY

COMMUNITY
Workshop
ONLINE
SURVEY
POP-UP
Workshop
POP-UP
Workshop
POP-UP
Workshop
community engagement
Ongoing meetings throughout outreach process included but were not limited to:

Chamber of Commerce, Community Coalition, Los Altos Property Owner’s Association, Los Altos Forward, Los Altos School District, Los Altos Village Association, and multiple PTA’s POP-UP
Workshop KICK-OFF
EVENT
Workshop
29 Agenda Item 2.

INTRODUCTION 1
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 7
Many key themes were identified by the community
that are represented in the preferred vision plan and
the four alternative scenarios leading to the preferred plan. The following highlights the attributes that the
community was collectively most supportive of:

Supported Key Attributes:
• Preserve the existing unique character of
Downtown Los Altos;
• Increase the activity and vitality of Downtown
during the day and evening hours;
• Encourage a variety of local dining opportunities
including a greater variety of restaurants and
outdoor dining;
• Include plazas that provide a central area for
the community to congregate, places to provide
activities for youth, and outdoor dining;
• Strengthen the pedestrian-friendly and
walkability of Downtown with wider sidewalks,
shared streets, activity nodes and paseos and
encourages foot traffic that can support local
business;
• Incorporate opportunities for a live theater, hotel,
office, affordable housing, and mixed use with
residential;
• Enhance bicycle safety and access to and through
the Downtown area;
• Highlight entry features into the Downtown area
with public art;
• Strengthen pedestrian connection to the Civic
Center, and possibly to Lincoln Park, with a
pedestrian overcrossing; and
• Increase parking access and efficiency in
Downtown through signage and conveniently
placed parking areas, above ground and below
ground parking structures.

Los Altos Community Center workshop.

Los Altos farmers market pop-up workshop.
30 Agenda Item 2.

This page intentionally left blank.

INTRODUCTION 1
8 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA31
Agenda Item 2.
2 - Changing nature of downtowns
and Economics
32 Agenda Item 2.

C H A N G I N G N A T U R E

O F D O W N T O W N S

AND ECONOMICS
2 11 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

CHANGING NATURE OF DOWNTOWNS AND ECONOMICS
Downtowns at their very essence are the heart of any community. In years past, downtowns have provided a centralized location for meeting a variety of community needs and services, such as working, shopping, dining, entertainment and, in some cases, living. Downtown Los Altos has served as the centralized location for meeting the needs of the Los Altos community and that of the nearby Town of Los Altos Hills since as early as the 1950s.

However, in more recent years, the nature of downtowns across the state have been evolving due in part to ongoing macroeconomic challenges as well as development policy restrictions at the local level. Some of these challenges and restrictions include:
• Growing competition between municipalities to attract businesses; • Rise of e-commerce sales reducing the need for brick and mortar stores; • Lack of building flexibility in older building stock desired by contemporary retail tenants; and • More prescriptive zoning and parking regulations inhibiting incremental change.

This Vision Plan seeks to address these evolving challenges and restrictions by:
• Enhancing sense of place to create a local destination that is attractive for both residents and businesses; • Introducing alternative land uses and identifying opportunity sites to stimulate new activity; • Recommending modifications to the built environment that allows for greater flexibility of tenants; and • Providing more contemporary land use and parking recommendations that allows for incremental change.

A centralized location in Downtown Los Altos, at the Main and Second Street intersection. 33 Agenda Item 2.

C H A N G I N G N A T U R E

O F D O W N T O W N S

AND ECONOMICS
2 FINAL - AUGUST 2018 12
Economics
As part of the Vision Plan effort, an economic and
fiscal evaluation was conducted to determine an
Economic Vitality Strategy appropriate for Downtown
Los Altos into the future. This strategy provided
the underlying foundation for the Vision Scenario
Alternatives that were developed, shared with the
community, and ultimately resulted in this Vision
Plan.

The following summarized policy recommendations
were utilized as part of the Vision Plan process
and carried forward within this document based
on feedback received from the community. These
recommendations are intended to encourage smaller
scale incremental change that allows Downtown Los
Altos to modernize while keeping the essence of its
village character as it continues to evolve.

These include:
• Allowing contemporary service uses (e.g., fitness
studios and day spas, yoga and tai chi studios,
martial arts and kinder gyms, wine bars, and beer
gardens) in the Downtown core;
• Updating parking requirements;
• Incentivizing Specific Uses with reduced parking
requirements;
• Establishing an in-lieu parking fee;
• Enhancing parking management; and
• Modifying building heights.

These policy recommendations are further detailed
and explained within Chapter 5, Land Use, and
Chapter 6, Circulation and Parking. The full version
of the Economic and Fiscal Evaluation can be found
within the Appendix of this document.

Studios and gyms are favorable for downtowns and
contribute to an active, healthy community.

The Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, CA allows more
contemporary uses, like the wine bar shown above, and
beer gardens.
34 Agenda Item 2.

C H A N G I N G N A T U R E

O F D O W N T O W N S

AND ECONOMICS
2 13
This page intentionally left blank.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA35
Agenda Item 2.
3 - The COmmunity’s Vision
36 Agenda Item 2.

THE COMMUNITY’S VISION 3
16 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
The Community’s Vision
Downtown Vision Statement
Looking into the future, Downtown Los Altos continues to embody the village character long enjoyed by the community while the economic vitality of its businesses has flourished. As the center of the City, Downtown has evolved into a greater focal point of activity, providing new living, working, and entertainment options for all age and income segments of the community. The centrally-located public plaza between Main and State Streets is the new anchor of Downtown, providing a venue for accommodating events, outdoor dining, and other community activities. Whether traveling to Downtown by walking, bicycling, or a range of future vehicles, visibility and access has been improved through enhanced signage, wider sidewalks, landscape improvements, and bicycle connectivity on 2nd and 3rd Streets. In essence, Downtown Los Altos has become a community destination, while maintaining its roots as a nostalgic village nestled at the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Vision Elements
The City of Los Altos is committed to a community-focused, economically viable, and village-scaled Downtown through:
• Maintaining the village character unique to Los Altos while also allowing small, incremental change through implementation of complementary land use and parking policies • Enhancing economic vitality through expanded dining, shopping, service, office, hospitality, and residential uses accessible to the entire community
• Developing adequate parking facilities and implementing parking strategies that continue to meet the current and future parking needs of businesses, residents, and visitors • Utilizing existing parking plazas in a manner that enhances the village character while also meeting the working, living, entertainment, and hospitality desires of the community • Enhancing safety and connectivity to the adjacent Civic Center, Lincoln Park, and surrounding neighborhoods through targeted multi-modal transportation forms for pedestrians, bicyclists, and automobiles
• Enlivening the streetscape character by providing new opportunities for wider sidewalks, outdoor dining, seating, landscaping, public art, paseos, and activity nodes • Creating a new, centrally-located public plaza(s) to enhance the sense of place and create a hub of activity for community events, informal activities, and outdoor dining • Expanding the variety of residential housing types to meet the current and future needs of all residents of Los Altos
37 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018 17
Downtown Vision Plan
Figure 3 demonstrates the intent of the Downtown Vision Statement and illustrates key concepts, such as the Downtown Plaza, shared streets, streetscape enhancements, and an improved multimodal circulation network. Refer to Chapter 10 for the complete Vision Poster. first street district
edith avenue district
MAIN AND STATE STREET DISTRICT (Downtown Core)
SAN ANTONIO ROAD DISTRICT (lower triangle)
district legend
Ly e l l s t r e e t
Whitney street
main street
state street

SAN ANTONIO ROAD
3rd street4TH street
2nd street
Foothill Expressway
1st street
edith avenue
Figure 3: Downtown Vision Plan
13 7
7 7
12 4
4 3
6 5
5 8
10 9
9 11
11 1
2 2
2 SCALE: 1” = 300’ (8.5” X 11”)
0’ 50’ 150’ 300’
Affordable Housing
primary entry featureS
facade Improvements & Pedestrian
Connections
Downtown Central plaza
(Short-Term)
Office and Commercial Uses
shared streetS
Underground Parking
Structure
Above Ground parking structure Wrapped
with OFfice or Commercial on Ground FLoor
pedestrian bridge
downtown Central plaza (Long-Term)
roundabout
live theater
Boutique hotel
1 5
9 3
7 11
2 6
10 4
8 12
13 SITE PLAN LEGEND
38 Agenda Item 2.

THE COMMUNITY’S VISION 3
18 This page intentionally left blank.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA39
Agenda Item 2.
4 - Land Use
40 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
21 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

LAND USE
Downtown Districts
This Vision Plan views the Downtown area as a unified whole. However, during the due diligence and community outreach process, a number of separate areas within the Downtown area began to emerge based on similar land use characteristics and the feedback received. These separate areas, or districts, include Main and State Streets, First Street, San Antonio Road, and Edith Avenue. Figure 4 identifies the location of the districts within the Vision Plan Area.

Figure 4: Vision Plan Area
Main and State Streets District San Antonio Avenue District First Street District Edith Avenue District
Figure x. downtown districts

SAN ANTONIO
main street
state street
foothill expressway
ROAD

WHITNEY STREET
Main and State Streets District
San Antonio Road District
First Street District
Edith Avenue District
41 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 22
Main and State Street District
The Main and State Street District continues to be the
focal point of Downtown activity with a balanced mix
of service, office, retail, restaurant, and boutique hotel uses.

Envisioned attributes include:
• Primary retail, restaurant, and entertainment
destination;
• Opportunity for residential and office above
retail;
• New Downtown Plaza(s) act as a focal point;
• Enhanced pedestrian-oriented streetscapes with
street trees, landscaping, benches, streetlights,
bicycle racks, and activity nodes;
• Outdoor dining opportunities within “Downtown
Dining Hub”, Downtown Plaza(s), and paseos; and
• Parking provided on-street or in lots or structures
directly adjacent to District.

First Street District
The First Street District acts an extension of the
Main and State Street District, integrating a variety
and mix of uses more focused on service, office,
and residential. Additional building setbacks and
streetscape improvements along First Street help
balance the narrower street section of First Street.

Envisioned attributes include:
• Variety of uses – service, office, and residentialfocused with a few retail shops and restaurants; • Enhanced intersections with accent paving,
crosswalks, and landscaping;
• Signage that welcomes visitors to Downtown Los
Altos and directs people to Downtown plazas and
parking areas;
• Parking provided on-street or in lots or structures;
• Tree-lined streets; and
• Enhanced gateway entry elements.

Main Street looking northwest. First Street looking north. 42 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
23 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
San Antonio Road District
The San Antonio Road District is focused on office
uses with some mixed-uses and restaurants that both
support and act as transitional areas to the Main and
State Street District.

Envisioned attributes include:
• Primary focus on office uses, with new
opportunities for small tech start-up spaces with
sufficient off-street parking;
• Restaurant and neighborhood-supporting uses
enhance the District and act as transitional areas
to Main and State Street;
• Performing arts theater, a central entertainment
venue for the community;
• Additional small, boutique hotel serving local
businesses and visitors;
• Plaza spaces anchor new uses and support the
Main and State Street District;
• Tree-lined streets; and
• Gateway entry element.

Edith Avenue District
The Edith Avenue District continues to be focused
on residential uses with some small office uses
transitioning elements from the adjacent Main and
State Street District.

Envisioned attributes include:
• Both market-rate and affordable residential uses
that support Downtown vitality;
• Neighborhood-serving uses as transitional areas
to Main and State Street; and
• Tree-lined streets.
3rd Street looking south. Existing three-story, standalone residential on 2nd Street. 43 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 24
C o m m e r c i a l L a n d U s e s i n a
D o w n t o w n – M a i n ta i n i n g M a r k e t
Flexibility
As Downtown Los Altos continues to evolve, the City
should be mindful of the construction and land use
flexibility needed to address ongoing market trends
and evolution of commercial land uses. Ensuring
greater flexibility will allow for the adaptability of
existing buildings, allowing new uses or tenants
to occupy spaces, and will ultimately allow for
the continued, long-term success of Downtown.

Below are some more recent examples of building
characteristics that contemporary commercial land
uses demand:
• Building widths of 25 to 50 feet;
• Building depths of 40 to 50 feet; and
• Ground level plate heights of 16 to 18 feet.

The current retail storefront needs of shorter building depths create an opportunity and a challenge for
some of the older buildings in Downtown that are
closer to 100 feet deep. In some locations, this
provides the opportunity to have two business in
one building with one business fronting on Main
or State Street and one business fronting a plaza.

These existing longer buildings can also be divided
to provide multiple business along paseos. The extra
depth can also be used to access residential or office
uses located above the commercial building.

Older buildings in downtown typically have lower
ground-level plate heights or ceiling heights. This is a deterrent to attracting retail and restaurants to these buildings. As older buildings redevelop and remodel,
raising these ceiling heights will give the downtown
more flexibility to adapt to the changing market
demands.

Building design should ensure flexibility to be able to adapt to changing market demands.
44 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
25 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Housing – Market Rate and Affordable
The inclusion of additional market rate, workforce, and affordable housing units within the Downtown was supported by the broader community in order to provide a wider variety of housing options, enhance vitality, and add day and nighttime activity. Workforce housing, while not recognized by the State Affordability Law requirements, is generally targeted at those households making 160% of median area income. Parking Plaza 8 is identified as a potential affordable housing site. While there are additional housing opportunities above retail in the Main and State Street District, emphasis on new housing is likely to be focused on on private properties within the First Street District. It should be acknowledged that in certain portions of the Downtown area, particularly the Main and State Street District, the construction of affordable housing units is unlikely due to the fragmented ownership pattern, small lots, and lack of ability to provide on-site parking for a project. If housing units were developed within the First Street District, it is likely they would be market rate units due to the high cost of construction and would be built to conform with the Zoning Ordinance requirements in place at that time. To encourage construction of a greater variety of housing options within the Downtown, the City should consider encouraging alternative design strategies, such as workforce housing (affordable by design) and/or minimum unit sizing.

Example of affordable housing in a Downtown setting in Santa Barbara, CA. 45 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 26 Road
Existing Parking Plaza Opportunity Sites
Figure x. parking plaza opportunity sites
7 1
2 3
8 9
10 4
5 6

SAN ANTONIO
foothill expressway
#

WHITNEY STREET
Opportunity Sites
Early on in the visioning process, the existing parking plazas were identified as opportunity sites that could
accommodate new development within Downtown.

These opportunity sites have the potential to be
the catalysts for enhancing the overall economic
vitality and vibrancy of Downtown. The City is wellpositioned to help spur reinvestment and attract key uses to the Downtown by utilizing these city owned
parking plazas. Figure 5 identifies those parking
plazas envisioned as opportunity sites.
• Affordable Housing: Parking Plaza 8 is identified
as an ideal site to introduce new affordable
housing within Downtown. Through a publicprivate partnership, this new housing would infuse the Downtown with additional residents
to add to and enhance vitality and day/nightime
activity.
• Hospitality: A new hotel use is identified for
Parking Plaza 2. In addition to the existing hotel
Downtown, this new hotel could provide a wide
range of benefits to the community including
enhanced vitality, increased nighttime activity,
and provide additional revenue to the City.
• Entertainment: A live theater is identified
on Parking Plaza 2. This use would be both
a daytime and evening draw from the
community and elsewhere that would support
complementary businesses, such as pre-event
dining.
• Office: New office uses are identified for Parking
Plazas 1, 3, and 7. Offices would enhance and
increase local jobs, enhance the daytime activity
downtown, and further support other local
businesses in the area. Office could also help to
fund fair share portions of new parking facilities.

Figure 5: Existing Parking Plaza Opportunity Sites
Existing Parking Plaza
Opportunity Sites #
• Parking Consolidation: New parking facilities
were are identified on Parking Plaza 1-3 and 7-8.

Consolidating surface parking into above and
below ground structures is a key component to
balancing the current and future parking needs
of Downtown.
• Parking Plaza 9: Partial City ownership of
Parking Plaza 9 could provide an opportunity
for a public-private partnership for new
development in support of this Vision Plan.
46 Agenda Item 2.

LAND USE 4
27 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Land Use Policy Recommendations
The following Land Use Policy Recommendations support the enhancement of vitality within the Downtown area. Amendments to the City’s existing Zoning Ordinance and the General Plan, or the creation of a detailed plan, like a Comprehensive or Specific Plan, would be required to implement these Land Use Policy Recommendations.

1. Allowing Contemporary Service Uses on Main and State Streets such as:
• Fitness studios and day spas;
• Yoga and Tai Chi studios;
• Martial arts and kinder gyms;
• Wine bars and beer gardens;
• Allow office and/or residential lobby space on the ground floor with the exception of the first 40 feet in depth for the current retail/restaurant spaces with frontage on Main and State Streets; and • Prohibit office uses for frontage on the Downtown Central Plaza(s).

2. Modify/Maintain Building Height Allowances
• Allow up to three (3) stories, or 40- to 45-feet, with setback at 3rd Floor along San Antonio Road and First Street Districts (see Chapter 5); and
• Maintain current height allowances within the Main and State Streets and Edith Avenue Districts. 47 Agenda Item 2.
5 - Built Environment
48 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
30 Built Environment
Downtown’s built environment exudes an eclectic village character and unique massing and form that contributes to the timelessness and charm of the area. Preserving this distinctive identity is critical to ensure the continual attraction of residents, visitors, and businesses. Similar to the Downtown Buildings Committee Report findings, a combination of factors contribute to the distinctive massing and form of Downtown. For example, some of the downtown features unique building forms and lot sizes attributed to small parcels laid out prior to World War I. These older building forms and lot sizes provide unique attributes to the overall Downtown village character. Examples of methods for new development to embrace the existing, eclectic, and unique massing and form of Downtown include:
• Celebrating existing architectural history through incorporation of cohesive yet varying architectural styles with appropriate detailing;
• Reflecting similar variety, patterns, and arrangements of existing buildings; • Breaking up larger buildings into smaller segments or forms; • Relating upper stories to the street front;
• Varying roof parapet heights and detailing;
• Creating storefronts that are scaled to the pedestrian; and • Diversifying entries through vestibules, recesses, signage, and landscaping. 25-foot hORIZONTAL MASSING
recessed entry vESTIB U L E
pedestrian-scaled storefront
c o l o r s a n d m at e r i a l s
representative of THE business
va r y i n g p a r a p e t h e i g h t w i t h
unique detailing
Figure 6: Example of existing, eclectic, and unique
massing and form of Downtown.
49 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
31 Existing residential development incorporates setbacks, articulation, and features that enhance the overall design.

Downtown building facades, with windows and architectural details create pedestrian scale.
design
The community of Los Altos values clearly-defined and individual architectural styles for new development within the Downtown area. Boxy architecture, blank walls, minimal articulation, lack of color, and lowquality materials are all elements of concern heard from the community. The City should ensure that, as new development or remodels are proposed within the Downtown area, a mix of architectural styles with quality detailing and articulation are provided, as noted in the Downtown Buildings Committee Report. The existing, robust Design Review process based on the City’s Downtown Design Guidelines, provides guidance and direction to projects, focusing on architectural integrity, pedestrian scale, high-quality materials, and generous landscaping. To ensure new development and remodels are consistent with the desired level of design quality, the City should continue to utilize the existing Design Review process, but should ensure that both the existing Downtown Design Guidelines and Design Review process are adequately capturing the quality of development desired by the community. In instances where larger projects or projects on prominent sites are proposed, the City could consider utilizing a design firm tasked specifically to make recommendations on a development proposal in support of the Design Review process.
50 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
32 Scale
Future development within Downtown should respect its existing character and scale. As new development occurs within Downtown, the ground level of a building should provide a strong pedestrian scale, utilizing quality materials, fenestration, color, and other elements of a clearly-defined architectural style.

Moreover, massing of buildings needs to be articulated horizontally to maintain the pattern of 25 to 50-foot building widths historically found Downtown.

Where new development occurs on wider lots, the street facing façade should be articulated and massed to reflect this historical pattern. In instances where a multi-story building is proposed, buildings should be designed and massed to minimize the appearance of upper stories. This can be accomplished with building articulation or setbacks/massing, balconies, architectural elements, and use of materials and colors. The existing Downtown Design Guidelines and design findings require these elements to approve any project proposed within the Downtown.

Floor Area Ratio
In areas of Downtown, such as the First Street or San Antonio Road Districts, use of a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) in conjunction with height limitations, setbacks/ massing, and articulation, may be an additional tool to ensure appropriate new development. Requiring a certain FAR in these Districts would limit the ultimate square footage of any new development. However, the City could allow for additional FAR coverage as an incentive if the development provided certain public benefits. Examples of public benefits could include publicly accessible open space or off-site public realm improvements, among others. 100% coverage 1st floor
75% coverage 2nd floor
75% coverage 3rd floor
100% coverage 1st floor
100% coverage 2nd floor
50% coverage 3rd floor
Sidewalk
Sidewalk
Figure 7: Examples of conceptual 2.5 FAR configurations. 51 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
33 (Before) Existing development at Main Street and Second Street. (After) Conceptual development that could occur on Main Street, maintaining Downtown character and scale. 52 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
34 Figure 9: Example of mixed-use building that could
occur on State or Main Street.

Figure 8: Example of standalone residential building that could occur on First Street or San Antonio Road Districts.

RES.

RES.

RES.

COmm.

Office 1 2 ’ - 1 4 ’
1 6 ’ - 1 8 ’
10’-12’
10’-12’
10’-12’
Height
The community was most divided on the topic of building heights along Main and State Street. There was however, ample support to limit the building height in the First Street District, Edith District, and San Antonio District to a maximum of three stories. In both the First Street and San Antonio Districts, the third story would be required to step back from the second story. The Vision Plan recommends adjusting the height requirements in these districts to reflect current industry height standards for office, hotel, residential, and mixed-use buildings for a three-story structure:

First Street District and San Antonio District
• Standalone Residential: Maximum of 40 feet
• Standalone Office or Hotel: Maximum of 45 feet
• Mixed-Use: Maximum of 45 feet
Edith District
• Standalone Residential: Maximum of 40 feet
On Main and State Streets the community preferences were split primarily between 2-story and 3-story building height maximums. There were also a few community members wanting to allow higher 4-story buildings. The Vision Plan recommends limiting the building height on Main and State Street to a maximum of two stories and that height requirements be adjusted to reflect the current industry standards for two story buildings:

Main and State Street District
• Mixed-Use: Maximum of 35 feet
The City may want to consider allowing for increased building height within the Main and State Street District in the future in instances where a property owner chooses to consolidate multiple parcels. 53 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
35 Setbacks
The City currently regulates and will continue to regulate building setbacks through the Zoning Ordinance.

Current Zoning regulations along Main and State Streets promote buildings being located at the back of the sidewalk, or the start of the public realm. This is a typical application of front yard setbacks within a downtown environment, creating a continuous rhythm and cadence to the street, and should be continued forward by the City.

The First Street right-of-way is relatively narrow and varies significantly from Edith Avenue in the north, to San Antonio Road in the south. Moreover, the First Street corridor is currently split across two zoning districts, one of which allows buildings to be built with no setback. This variation in right-of-way and the division between zoning districts has created a lack of cohesion along this thoroughfare, with many members of the community commenting on the feeling of being in a ‘canyon’ for a portion of the street north of Main Street. Going forward, it is recommended the City consider modifying the Zoning Ordinance to create a uniform 10-foot setback requirement along First Street that will allow for enhanced landscaping and outdoor dining opportunities and will ultimately create a greater feeling of openness along First Street.

Figure 10: Conceptual Setbacks Along First Street
F i r s t s t r e e t R O W ( Va r i e s )
10’ min
PRivate Property PRivate Property
10’ min
54 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
36 Existing Primary Entry to Downtown at Main Street, San Antonio Road, and Edith Avenue intersection.

Existing Primary Entry to Downtown at Main Street and
the Foothill Expressway intersection, looking towards First Street.

Quality Placemaking
Placemaking is vital to how today’s downtowns
function. Attracting people to Downtown Los Altos
needs to include opportunities to interact and
socialize with neighbors, to recreate and dine, as
well as shop. The following elements will help create
a sense of place and community destination in
Downtown.

Entry Features
Primary and secondary entries were confirmed
and continued forward from previous planning
documents at the following intersections within
Downtown:

Primary Entries
• Main Street - between Foothill Expressway and
First Street
• Main Street/San Antonio Road
Secondary Entries
• First Street/Edith Avenue
• First Street/San Antonio Road
• Parking Plaza 3/San Antonio Road
Both primary and secondary entries should be
enhanced through the use of intersection treatments,
such as paving materials and signage, as well as
unique accent landscaping to denote these entry
points into the Downtown. For the primary entries,
use of public art should also be integrated to clearly
define and identify these prominent Downtown
entries.
55 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
37 SAN ANTONIO
ROAD

WHITNEY STREET
Figure 11: “Downtown Dining Hub” Area
“Downtown Dining Hub”
Outdoor dining and seating areas create a vibrant street character.
“Downtown Dining Hub”
The “Downtown Dining Hub” was envisioned as a central activity and dining hub within the Downtown located between 2nd and 3rd Streets and on Main and State Streets as seen in Figure 8. This would include properties facing the streets and facing the central plaza space. To this end, the City should work with interested local businesses to integrate outdoor dining parklets along the street frontage of a business within these areas. In select locations, parklets would expand the sidewalk into the adjacent parking spaces. Outdoor dining could also be provided on the adjacent central plaza. Restaurants and cafés could provide outdoor seating and dining in the parklets or on the plaza without having to provide additional parking. This would incentivize restaurants to locate in this area of town and help attract the additional dining options that are desired by the community.

To ensure ongoing delivery and service to these businesses, the City should consider providing rideshare (Uber/Lyft) drop-off points and identify key areas within the “Downtown Dining Hub” that would continue to allow for these vehicular functions to occur, as discussed further in Chapter 7. 56 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
38 Pedestrian Paseo Example
Existing facades along San Antonio Road should be
improved to enhance Downtown’s visibility.

Pedestrian paseo with business frontage, outdoor dining, and accent paving.

Façade Improvements and Renovation
Existing buildings located on the south/southeast
side of Main Street, currently backing onto San
Antonio Road, were identified as having the potential
to be enhanced through facade improvements to
the existing buildings fronting San Antonio Road.

This concept was supported to provide a greater
Downtown presence along San Antonio Road in
conjunction with the public plaza and pedestrian
overcrossing connecting to the Civic Center area.

Where feasible, the City should support the ongoing
enhancement of these existing buildings facing San
Antonio Road, allowing for current businesses to have
two-sided building entries, or allow for the creation of two separate business spaces that would be more in
keeping with contemporary tenant demands.

Paseo Network
Carried forward from past planning efforts, a
centralized network of paseos is intended to foster
an integrated pedestrian network through the Main
and State Street District while also helping to create
a greater sense of place. Paseos could include unique
paving, landscaping, lighting, and public art to
enhance the Downtown character. The locations of
these paseos are generally indicated on the vision
plan, but could be located anywhere along the block
where there are interested property owners. Paseos
would give properties the opportunity to have
business frontage along the paseo, as well as street
frontage and would strengthen connections between
parking facilities and activity areas, to Main and State Streets.
57 Agenda Item 2.

FINAL - AUGUST 2018
BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
39 Activity Nodes
Activity nodes are included to support unique day and
night-time activities within the Downtown area and
enhance vibrancy and sense of place. Rather than be
located throughout Downtown, placement of activity
nodes should be focused on the Main and State Street
area. Activity nodes could include small event spaces
for live music, art exhibition, fire pits, or other spaces for interactive activities.

Public Art
Public art located at primary downtown entries
and throughout Downtown was supported by the
community. As consideration of public art occurs
in the future, the City should consider art that is
representative of the history and character of the
community. Public art within Downtown could be
expressed in the form of mosaics, sculptures, bicycle
racks, interactive pieces, murals, or other art forms.

Interactive public art is a great way to provide playful opportunities for children and adults alike to engage
in a downtown experience. Whether subtle or overt,
interactive art can enhance the social realm of built
environments and create impromptu landmarks.

Examples of interactive, whimsical art installations
could include those that exude sound, light, water,
or other interactive, sensory opportunities. The
City should explore incorporating interactive public
art throughout the Main and State Streets area of
Downtown to enhance the overall public realm
experience and provide another feature for all ages to
enjoy.

Activity node with fire pit and event space.

An example of an interactive musical art installation
complementing a shared public space.

Downtown bicycle racks as forms of public art.
58 Agenda Item 2.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
This page intentionally left blank.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT 5
40 59
Agenda Item 2.
6 - PUBLIC SPaces
60 Agenda Item 2.

Figure 12: Birdseye Rendering of Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision - Between 2nd and 3rd Street on Parking Plaza 5 outdoor dining performance stage with seating area
Improved Storefronts on plaza enhanced paving and landscaping public art Plaza Promenade
Plaza Entry with Food Truck Pull-In Children’s play area informal event space area 1 1 5
5 8
9 8
9 3
3 6
6 2
2 4
4 7
7 LEGEND
PUBLIC SPACES 6
43 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

PUBLIC SPACES
Downtown Central plaza Short-Term Vision
The Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision recognizes the Long-Term Plaza Vision as a multi-part undertaking and seeks to address the community’s more immediate vision for a centrally-located, public outdoor space in Downtown Los Altos. As shown in Figure 12, the Short-Term Vision maintains Parking Plazas 4 and 6 for public parking while focusing initial plaza enhancement efforts on Parking Plaza 5. Enhancements for Parking Plaza 5 would create a “community living room” type environment that would include outdoor dining, public seating, pockets of landscaping, play structure(s), and event space(s) that would be flexible to allow for both informal and formal events to occur on an ongoing basis. In conjunction with the Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision, additional parking opportunities would need to be provided elsewhere in the immediate vicinity to offset the loss of parking, such as a parking structure on Parking Plaza 2 or 3, between San Antonio Road and 2nd Street, and/or parking restriping in existing lots. This is further discussed in Chapter 7, Circulation and Parking.
61 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 44
PHASE 2
(After) Conceptual Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision at ground level. (Before) Existing Parking Plaza 5, looking northeast toward 3rd Street. 62 Agenda Item 2.

SAN ANTONIO Road
expressway
foothill

WHITNEY STREET
S
A
N
A
N
T
O
NIO
R
o
a
d
REET
4 5
6 Figure 13: Downtown Plaza Locations for Long-Term Vision Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision
Downtown Plazas Long-Term Vision
PUBLIC SPACES 6
45 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Downtown Plaza Long-Term Vision
The long-term vision for the Downtown Plaza is to extend the “community living room” to also include existing Parking Plazas 4 and 6. The central public outdoor space would extend from First Street to State Street creating a spine of open space and activity areas through the Downtown, as shown in Figure 13. 63 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 46
Plaza Features
Many members of the community expressed interest
in specific features they would like to see integrated
into the Downtown Plaza(s). These are expressed
below as key elements that should be incorporated
into the Downtown Plaza Short-Term Vision and/or
the Downtown Plaza Long-Term Vision.

Programmed Plazas
As the Downtown plazas are developed over the longterm, individual programs or themes are envisioned for each public plaza that would provide elements for
all age groups. For example, Parking Plaza 5 could be
programmed to focus on families and outdoor dining,
a playground, and a flexible event space; Parking
Plaza 4 could be programmed for adults with a beer
garden, bocce ball courts, and fire pits; and Parking
Plaza 6 could be programmed for teens with ample
seating and benches, concrete ping pong tables, and
phone-charging stations. Programming for the plazas
should also include flexible space to accommodate
seasonal and holiday events, such as a concerts
or movies in the plaza, farmer’s markets, or more
specialized events such as holiday-related events.

Outdoor Dining
Under existing conditions, outdoor dining is generally
limited to a few restaurants and cafés along Main and
State Streets. The overall vision for the Downtown
plazas provides opportunities to expand outdoor
dining into these new public spaces. Outdoor dining
is envisioned to be provided by private business
or property owners whose buildings back onto
the parking plazas. The concept of outdoor dining
opening onto the Downtown plazas would allow for
families to enjoy a meal at adjacent restaurants while
maintaining eyes on children playing nearby within
the plaza.

Flexible spaces within a plaza allow for formal and
informal events, such as concerts to occur.

Outdoor dining opening onto a plaza.
64 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
47 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Plaza Activity Nodes
A minimum of one activity node should be integrated
into the design of the Downtown Central Plazas
(Parking Plazas 4-6)h. The vision imagines flexible
spaces that can serve a variety of purposes, such as a
small event space for live music, art exhibitions, a fire pit, or other interactive activities.

Play Structure
To facilitate accessibility of the Downtown Central
Plaza Short-Term Vision by all ages, a play structure
should be integrated into the design of the Downtown
Plaza. Selection and siting of the play structure
should consider ease of accessibility, visibility from
nearby restaurants, and accommodating of a range of
children’s ages and abilities.

Seating
Ample seating should be provided for public use
throughout the plazas. Frequently placed and easily
accessible seating is envisioned as separate from
outdoor dining seating discussed above.

Restrooms
Public restrooms should be provided for the comfort
and convenience of Downtown visitors. While no
specific location has been identified within this plan, the public restrooms should be conveniently located
while not obstructing activities, views, or circulation patterns within the plazas. Public restrooms can also
be provided through a public private partnership with
adjacent businesses.

Play structures can attract a wide range of age groups while bringing additional activity to the Downtown.

Example of an activity node in the form of a fire pit,
providing a central gathering space within the public
realm.
65 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 48
Trash and Recycling
Trash and recycling for businesses backing onto
the current parking plazas are currently located
throughout the parking plazas. As each Downtown
plaza is developed, centralized locations for
accommodating the trash and recycling needs of
the adjacent businesses should be identified and
developed to minimize visual clutter and provide for
ease of servicing.

Trees and Landscaping
Trees and landscaping are located throughout the
existing parking plazas. Where feasible, trees and
landscaping should be integrated with the design
of each Downtown Plaza. In instances where new
trees and landscaping are to be incorporated, their
selection should focus on native, low-water using, and
low-maintenance plantings that aid in accentuating
the sense of place within Downtown and that of each
of the plazas. Small areas of landscaping allowing for
informal activities to occur should also be considered
when developing the plazas. Plazas should include a
balance of green space and paved plaza space.

Use of materials and colors helps minimize appearance
of a centralized trash enclosure.

Pockets of native, low-water using landscaping help
inform and frame areas of a plaza.
66 Agenda Item 2.

SAN ANTONIO
foothill
Road
expressway

WHITNEY STREET
Figure 14: Locations of Other Downtown Public Plazas
Other Public Plazas
PUBLIC SPACES 6
49 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Other public plazas
In addition to the central Downtown plaza(s), the integration of two additional public plazas within Downtown were supported by the community. These include a public plaza associated with the future construction of a live theater fronting onto 3rd Street, as well as a linear public plaza connecting the proposed pedestrian overcrossing on San Antonio Road to 2nd Street (see Figure 14). As these plazas are designed and installed, they should include a variety of public amenities such as outdoor dining, seating, landscaping, activity nodes, interactive structures, public art, and/or other amenities that enliven the public realm of Downtown.
67 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 50
Other Downtown Improvements
In conjunction with public improvements discussed
within this Vision Plan, such as the Downtown
Plaza(s), other Downtown improvements are outlined
below to support the community’s vision.

Lighting
Portions of Downtown contain existing street
lights that are scaled to the pedestrian. As the
Downtown Plaza(s) and other public improvements
are implemented, integrating appropriately-scaled
lighting will be necessary to ensure safe and welllit pedestrian spaces. Lighting could include a continuation of the existing street lights, bollard
lights, overhead string lights and/or lights wrapped
around street trees.

Bollards
Bollards, whether temporary or permanent, may be
needed to ensure public safety from vehicular traffic
within the Downtown Plaza(s), shared streets, and
other public spaces. The need for vehicular access
will likely continue to be needed to allow for trash
collection, building maintenance, or community
events. The installation of temporary bollard
infrastructure could also be extended beyond the
Downtown Plaza(s) to allow for the closing a greater
portion of the Downtown for larger community
events.

String lights help frame space and enliven night time
events.

Bollards and planters provide a sense of safety and
security along Main Street.
68 Agenda Item 2.

PUBLIC SPACES 6
51 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi networks have become increasingly
popular in recent years, particularly in public spaces
such as parks and plazas. The City could consider
implementing a public Wi-Fi network within the
Downtown Plaza(s) to further support the desired
community vision and potentially increase the
desirability and frequency of visits to Downtown.

Electricity
Access to electrical outlets continues to be a desirable feature in our daily lives, whether at an airport or
local community coffee shop. The City could consider
integrating electrical outlets within the Downtown
Plaza(s) and/or activity nodes to allow for live music
and other events to occur or to potentially increase
the desirability and frequency of visits to Downtown.

Utilities
Overhead powerlines are currently located
throughout the existing parking plazas and other
areas of Downtown. It is anticipated that the
existing overhead powerlines be relocated or placed
underground in certain areas where they may conflict
with public improvements or other enhancements
outlined within this Vision Plan.

Public Wi-Fi availability is an attractor of people to public spaces.

Recent under grounding of utilities along First Street has improved the visual aesthetic of this portion of Downtown. 69 Agenda Item 2.
7 - Circulation and parking
70 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
54 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA

CIRCULATION AND PARKING
Circulation Concepts
A number of refinements to the existing circulation within and directly adjacent to Downtown have been included as part of this Vision Plan. These include a roundabout and shared streets as discussed further below.

Roundabout
A roundabout at the Edith Avenue, Main Street, and San Antonio Road intersection has been previously discussed by the community as part of previous planning efforts. This concept continues to be supported by the community and has been carried forward. Future design and configuration of the roundabout should ensure efficient access for automobiles while also providing clearly defined, safe, and accessible crossing areas for pedestrians and bicyclists. This asymmetrical, 4-leg intersection is an appropriate candidate for a roundabout. Also, this intersection should be augmented and treated as a primary entrance into Downtown.

Example of a roundabout with native landscaping and accent paving at center. 71 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 55
Shared Streets
Shared streets (“woonerfs”) are prominent in Europe and have become increasingly popular within the United States in recent years. A shared street is a pedestrian-focused street that is flexible, allowing for vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian circulation. The street design appears more like a plaza, with pavers on drive lanes and sidewalks, and sidewalk delineated with bollards, colored pavers, and street furniture instead of traditional curbs. These streets are flexible in nature, as they can easily be converted to car-free streets for events.

To provide a greater multimodal balance within Downtown and to provide flexible space for community events to occur, shared streets have been included on 2nd Street and 3rd Street (see Figure 15). On 2nd Street, the shared street concept would connect the proposed parking structure and affordable housing on Parking Plazas 7 and 8 to Main Street. On 3rd Street, the shared street concept would connect the live theater on Parking Plaza 2 to State Street. Shared streets should include features such as bollards, benches, planters, unique paving, landscaping, lighting, and/or other features to delineate pedestrian areas, ensure safe and efficient multimodal access for automobiles, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Once shared streets are implemented as described above, the City should consider expanding the shared streets concept onto Main and State Streets or other streets in Downtown to further create a pedestrian-focused core, while still allowing for slowed vehicular and bicycle access. Due to the recent investments on the Main and State, along with the cost of shared streets, this is categorized as a long-term implementation improvement.

Example of a Shared Street.

WHITNEYSTREET
SAN ANTONIO Road
PS
PS
PS
PS
Figure 15: Shared Street Locations
office
live
theater
downtown
central plaza
hotel
Shared Streets office
72 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
56 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Pedestrians and Bicycles
The current configurations and alignments of many
Downtown streets enable a comfortable and inviting
pedestrian environment. Short block lengths, wide
sidewalks, and pedestrian scale encourage walking
within the Main and State Street District. As other
areas of Downtown are redeveloped or remodeled,
extension of wide sidewalks and continuation
of pedestrian amenities should be continued to
encourage pedestrian circulation.

The community expressed concerns with the
bicycle friendliness of Downtown, particularly
among the traffic along First Street. To this end, 2nd
and 3rd Streets provide more intimate, less autotraveled streets than First Street. Bicycle-focused enhancements should be made to 2nd Street and/
or 3rd Street, such as signage, pavement markings
(sharrows), or, if space allows, separated bicycle
lane(s) to facilitate bicycle use to and through
Downtown.

Bicycle enhancements should be pursued along 2nd and 3rd Streets to enhance bicycle safety through Downtown.

Wide, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks on Main Street
should be continued elsewhere in Downtown.
73 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 57
Trolley
While current public transit routes do not travel directly through Downtown the introduction of a limited or seasonal trolley, or other rideshare service, could provide enhanced local mobility options for the community.

Trolleys have been successfully integrated in communities across California and serve as a character-enhancing asset that provides alternative transportation options for broad segments of the local population while also alleviating parking issues. Many members of the community expressed concern with the lack of options, other than driving, to travel directly to Downtown, particularly from South Los Altos and El Camino Real areas of the City. Providing a trolley at consistent intervals to and from Downtown would provide both residents, employees, and visitors alike the option to use an alternative form of transit while riding a classic form of transportation.

If remote parking for employees is located outside of Downtown, the trolley could also provide alternative ElCaminoReal
lOS ALTOS AVE.
c
san fr
palo alto
84 109
82 85
280
dOWNTOWN
los altos
Foothill expy.

San antonio rd.

North
Los Altos
South
Los Altos
Figure 16: Conceptual trolley routes connecting south
and north Los Altos with stops within Downtown.

Cable car-style trolleys add to the charm and character of Downtowns while enhancing mobility options.
options for employees traveling to work. Figure 16
below demonstrates a conceptual route the trolley
could follow to connect different areas of the City
to Downtown. If pursued by the City, a formal study
should be conducted to determine feasibility,
schedule, routes, and other aspects of cost and
operation.

Conceptual Trolley
Route
N
City Boundary
74 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
58 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Enhanced bicycle and pedestrian safety crossing.

Enhanced paving provides clear definition of pedestrian crossings.

C i v i c C e n t e r / N e i g h b o r h o o d
Connections
Many community members expressed ongoing
concerns with easily and safely accessing Downtown
from the Civic Center, Lincoln Park, and surrounding
neighborhood areas. Community members felt that
enhanced pedestrian connections would incentivize
them to patronize Downtown more often without
needing to get in their car and drive. While the City
has begun to implement pedestrian connection
improvements from Downtown, such as those
across San Antonio Road, additional enhancements
should be incorporated at primary pedestrian routes.

Improvements could include a pedestrian bridge,
flashing pedestrian crossing signs, priority pedestrian signal timing, in-road flashing lights, and colored or
otherwise enhanced crosswalks, among others.
75 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 59
Figure 18: Rendering of conceptual pedestrian bridge across San Antonio Road.

Figure 17: Conceptual location of proposed pedestrian
bridge.

Shared Streets
Figure x. shared street locations

WHITNEYSTREET
expressway
foothill

MAIN STREET
Los Altos
Library
SAN ANTONIO Road
Conceptual Pedestrian
Overcrossing Location
Pedestrian Bridge
Pedestrian bridges can create iconic landmarks
representative of the character of a community while
simultaneously providing enhanced connections to
key areas of a city. Feedback from the community
highlighted the lack of safe connections from the Civic Center to Downtown. The community was in support
of incorporating a pedestrian bridge to connect these
two important areas of the City. Figure 17 portrays
the conceptual location of the pedestrian bridge.

Given the current street right-of-way and private
property locations, the City will need to determine the most appropriate location for placing the pedestrian
bridge. Future design should be in keeping with the
Downtown village character in terms of design, scale,
and colors/materials. The bridge should also be
designed to accommodate bicyclists, strollers, and
provide ADA access, whether via a ramp, elevator, or a
combination of both.
76 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
60 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Figure 19: Downtown streetscape character with shared streets, activity nodes, drop off area, furnishings, and accent paving. 1 1
2 4 6
7 9 8
5 5
10 10
10 3
3 Main Street
recent improvements
outdoor seating
bicycle racks
Flush curb with safety bollards
container plants
drop off/Loading area
shared street
parklet with outdoor dining &
seatwall
enlarged planter with seatwall
firetable with bar seating
1 5
8 3
6 10
2 9
4 7
LEGEND
Streetscape
The Downtown streetscapes are a great opportunity to unify the Downtown character with benches, light fixtures, landscaping, paving and wall materials and public art. They also add to creating a desirable and walkable Downtown district.

Main and State Streets were recently improved to include corner bulb-outs at intersections, accent paving, stacked stone walls, increased area for outdoor dining, benches, and public art. The Vision Plan suggests a “Dining Hub” with additional parklets between 2nd and 3rd Streets and incorporating drop off/ loading areas for deliveries and car share (Lyft and Uber) access. Activity nodes are also to be introduced in areas where the sidewalk can be expanded like the intersection bulb out areas.

First Street is narrower than Main and State Streets and would benefit from buildings setting back from the sidewalk and introducing planting between buildings and the sidewalk where there is not an active storefront presence.

Wider sidewalks and street furniture should be introduced where feasible.

While the City has begun implementing streetscape improvements on the southern portion of First Street, the City should build off of this existing effort and pursue completion of a unified streetscape plan for all of First Street, given its varying right-of-way widths and inconsistent sidewalk treatments. 77 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 61
Existing Parking Plaza 7, looking east.

Parking facilities
The proximity and availability of centralized public parking serving the Downtown area has been advantageous to past growth and development. However, given the small lot sizes, older buildings, and high and inflexible parking requirements, newer development in Downtown has been limited. The City’s currently high parking requirements and high land costs forces any new development to be of a size and bulk that many residents feel erode the Downtown’s village character. In addition, larger macro trends of decreasing private automobile use, indicating less need for parking, coupled with rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber, and ongoing development of autonomous vehicles all share in the need for modified parking requirements. While automobile use and parking demands continue to evolve, the City should ensure the ongoing availability of parking Downtown in the interim in a manner more consistent with other comparable cities. In addition to this Vision Plan, the Downtown Parking Management Plan identified several priorities for parking management in Downtown. These priorities align with this Vision Plan and should continue to be implemented going forward. 78 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
62 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA SAN ANTONIO Road expressway
foothill

WHITNEY STREET
New Underground Parking Structure
Figure x. parking facilities
PS
PS
Pl
Pl
Pl
PS
Existing At-Grade Parking Lot
PS PS New Above Ground Parking Structur
As shown in Figure 20, the existing parking plazas
are the focal point of integrating new structured
parking within Downtown, with a few existing atgrade parking lots also maintained. As above ground parking structures are developed, they should be
designed with flexibility in mind to allow for adaptive reuse in the future if parking demands change.

Additionally, electric vehicle charging stations should be integrated into parking facilities. They should
also be designed with commercial or office on the
ground floor to minimize the aesthetic impacts of
the structure and continue to activate the adjacent
sidewalks with retail and office activity.

The Vision Plan has strategically located the
parking facilities to be conveniently accessed from
San Antonio Road and First Street, minimizing
traffic through Downtown. In total, the City should
anticipate the need to construct a total of 1,620 new
above ground and underground parking spaces to
accommodate existing development and future
growth as envisioned as part of this Vision Plan. In
addition to parking within the Downtown area, the
City should consider the Civic Center as an option to
develop employee designated parking that would free
up additional parking spaces for business customers.

Example of parking structure designed to minimize aesthetic impacts of structure. Figure 20: Location of Future Parking Facilities Underground Parking Structure
Above Ground Parking Structure
PL At-Grade Parking Lot
Ps
Ps
79 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 63
Parking Management
To better manage the existing and future parking facilities within Downtown, the City should continue to implement the recommendations of the Downtown Parking Management Plan. This Vision Plan strives to manage and direct employee parking to free up parking spaces for customers, create revenue for future facilities, and reduce one of the primary barriers to attract redevelopment in Downtown. Recommendations include:
• Incrementally increase “white dot” permits from $36 per year to $72 per month in two or three steps; • Adopt an in-lieu fee option of $25,000 per required space; • Incorporate short-term, drop off spaces for rideshare services (Uber/Lyft); and • Implement multimodal policies that discourage single-use automobile trips.

Fees collected as part of parking management should be used to fund the construction of new above and below ground parking structures as well as other parking facilities within the Downtown area.

While this Vision Plan does not address expanding the existing Parking District, the City should consider proposals to add properties to the Parking District, whereby adding a property would be of benefit to both the City and a property owner in support of the larger Downtown Vision. 80 Agenda Item 2.

CIRCULATION AND PARKING 7
64 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Parking policy recommendations
The following parking policy recommendations support the enhancement of vitality within the Downtown.

Amendments to the City’s existing Zoning Ordinance would be required to implement these parking policy recommendations. Action items related to these Parking Policy Recommendations can be found within the Implementation Chapter of this document.
1) Update Parking Requirements for Downtown Uses (retail, office, and service uses).

Inside Existing Parking District
• Up to FAR 1.0: No parking requirement (no change)
• In excess of FAR 1.0: Two (2) spaces per 1,000 sf for all commercial and office uses • Consider reduction of parking requirements for the residential portion of mixed-use projects, particularly those constructing workforce housing units
Outside Existing Parking District
• 2.5 spaces per 1,000 sf for all commercial and office uses • Consider reduction of parking requirements for the workforce residential portion of mixed-use project or for standalone workforce housing projects
2) Exempt new restaurants within “Downtown Dining Hub” from all parking requirements to attract more dining and outdoor dining Downtown.
3) Consider reduction in parking requirement for outdoor dining located elsewhere in the Downtown Core. 4) Reduce required parking for hotel uses to 0.8 per guest room. Hotel location is suggested on top of the underground parking structure. Hotel parking demand will be higher in the evening, complementing the daytime parking use of nearby commercial and office.
5) Exempt live theater from all parking requirements. The location of the live theater is adjacent to and over a proposed parking structure. The theater parking demand will be higher in the evening, complementing the daytime parking use of the commercial and office.
81 Agenda Item 2.
8 - Sustainability
82 Agenda Item 2.

SUSTAINABILITY 8
67 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Sustainability
Los Altos adopted a Climate Action Plan in December
2013 that outlines strategies to reduce citywide
emissions for both new and existing development to
ensure the long-term sustainability of the City. This
Vision Plan document includes and intends to further
the implementation of many of these strategies to
align with the City’s overarching goal of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. Some of the Climate
Action Plan and sustainable strategies integrated
within the Vision Plan include:
• Providing safe and convenient alternatives to
driving;
• Maximizing energy efficiency and leveraging
opportunities to generate energy from renewable
resources;
• Eliminating unnecessary resource consumption;
and
• Valuing and supporting community projects that
conserve natural resources and contribute to
increased quality of life in Los Altos.

Alternative forms of transportation, such as bicycling, reduce the need for single trip automobile use.
83 Agenda Item 2.
9 - Implementation
84 Agenda Item 2.

IMPLEMENTATION 9
70 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA
Implementation
The Downtown Vision Plan will be implemented over a 20-year time frame as feasible. The plan will be implemented through both public and private investment. Many components could be grant funded due to their pedestrian and bicycle friendly nature. The plan components have been categorized into three phases in response to community priorities, costs, and the goal of adding vitality to Downtown. If Phase 2: MidTerm or Phase 3: Long-Term items can be funded and parking provided, they could be moved to an earlier implementation phase.

Action Plan/Phasing
The following action items discussed elsewhere in this Vision Plan document have been organized below in three phases to allow for the short, mid, and long-term implementation of the Downtown Vision.

Phase 1: Short-Term (1-5 Years)
• Implement land use and parking policy recommendations; • Implement height recommendations;
• Prepare First Street streetscape plan;
• Design/plan for primary entry features and elements;
• Implement “Downtown Dining Hub”;
• Design/install bicycle enhancements;
• Implement parking management recommendations;
• Install neighborhood connections – Lower cost improvements such as signage and crossing enhancements; and
• Study expansion of parking district and feasibility of public parking at the Civic Center.

Phase 2: Mid-Term (5-10 Years)
• Construct parking facilities (above or below ground facilities); • Install Downtown Central Plaza Short-Term Vision (Parking Plaza 5); • Design/install façade improvements and renovations along San Antonio Road; • Design/plan for activity nodes;
• Implement First Street streetscape plan;
• Install shared streets (2nd and 3rd Street);
• Construct affordable housing; and
• Design and install pedestrian bridge connection to Civic Center. 85 Agenda Item 2.

IMPLEMENTATION 9
FINAL - AUGUST 2018 71
Phase 3: Long-Term (10+ Years)
• Construct parking facilities;
• Install Downtown Plaza Long-Term Vision (Parking Plazas 4 and 6); • Construct roundabout (this will require a circulation study); • Design/plan for paseos;
• Construct live theater (Parking Plaza 2);
• Construct hotel (Parking Plaza 2); and
• Construct office (Parking Plaza 3).

Recommended Amendments
It is recommended that the City create a comprehensive or specific plan for Downtown to more precisely capture the Vision Plan recommendations and fine tune land uses, standards, and guidelines for the Downtown.

Implementation of the short-term action can be accomplished through Zoning Ordinance amendments. This Vision Plan becomes the primary guidance document to guide change in Downtown, replacing the Downtown Design Plan.
86 Agenda Item 2.

This page intentionally left blank.

IMPLEMENTATION 9
72 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA87
Agenda Item 2.

Whitney street
state street
nd street
d street
H street
main street
l
l
10 - Vision Poster
88 Agenda Item 2.

This page intentionally left blank.

VISION POSTER 10
75 89
Agenda Item 2.
76 vision poster PLANNING & GRAPHICS: RRM DESIGN GROUP AUGUST 2018 Whitney street
1st street
2nd street
3rd street
Lyell street

SAN ANTONIO ROAD
4TH street
EDITH avenue
first Street section
activity node example
foothill expressway
main street
STATE street First street ROW (Varies) PRivate Property PRivate Property 10’ min 10’ min
b
downtown central Plaza short-term Vision
Main Street
first street
edith avenue

MAIN AND STATE STREET
(downtown core)
SAN ANTONIO road
(lower triangle)
district legend
c
fOR the city of LOS ALTOS
A
c
s t r e e t s c a p e e n h a n c e m e n t s B & b u i l d i n g s e t b a c k s f i r e p i t , o u t d o o r d i n i n g ,
drop off spaces, & entertainment node
outdoor dining, event space, & play structures
a
1 2
2 2
8 3
4 4
5 5
9 11
11 10
7 7
7 12
13 6
Affordable Housing
primary entry features
facade improvements & pedestrian
connection
downtown Central plaza (short-term)
office and Commercial uses
shared streets
underground Parking Structure
above ground parking structure wrapped
with office or commercial on ground floor
pedestrian bridge
downtown Central plaza (long-term)
roundabout
live theater
boutique hotel
1 5
9 3
7 11
2 6
10 4
8 12
13 site plan legend
SCALE: 1” = 100’
(24” X 36”)
0’ 50’ 100’ 200’
residential
Commercial
residential
residential
res. res.
90 Agenda Item 2.

This page intentionally left blank.

VISION POSTER 10
77 DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS VISION PLAN - LOS ALTOS, CA91
Agenda Item 2.