18.24.080(b)(2) Common Open Space
If Common Open Space is provided, it shall meet the following standards:
(C) A minimum of 60% of the area shall be open to the sky and free of permanent weather protection or encroachments. Trellises and similar open-air features are permitted. (F) A minimum 20% of landscaping
D. Usable open space may be any
combination of private and common
spaces;
Relocated to PTOD development standards in Chapter 18.34.040(e).
E. Usable open space does not need to
be located on the ground (See Figure 5-
1);
Removed. Redundant with definition of usable open space in Chapter 18.04.030(124).
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria F. Open space should be located to
activate the street façade and increase
"eyes on the street" when possible (See
Figure 5-3);
18.24.080(a) Open Space Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria …Common and private open spaces should include the following characteristics:
(1) Be integrated into the site access and building circulation strategy (5) Be located to provide easy access to private and common building areas, protected from the activities of commercial areas, and balance privacy and noise impacts to neighboring uses (7) Promote community safety through eyes on the street
18.24.040(b)(2)(B): An open space with a minimum dimension of 20 feet and minimum area of 450 square feet. The open space shall be at least one of the following:
(i) A publicly accessible open space/plaza
(ii) A space used for outdoor seating for public dining (iii) A residential Common Open Space adjacent to a common interior space and less than two feet above adjacent sidewalk grade. Fences and railing shall be a minimum 50% transparent. [Choice in menu of options] G. Both private and common open
space areas should be buffered from
noise where feasible; and
See noise standards in Section 9.10.030(a).
See existing noise standards for rooftop open spaces in 18.40.230: Rooftop Gardens.
18.24.080(a) Open Space Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria …Common and private open spaces should include the following characteristics:
(5) Be located to provide easy access to private and common building areas, protected from the activities of commercial areas, and balance privacy and noise impacts to neighboring uses
18.24.080(b)(1) Private Open Space.
If Private Open Spaces is provided, it shall meet the following standards: … (C) Be accessed directly from a residential unit
(D) Balconies shall not be located within the daylight plane (E) ...ground floor patios shall meet the following minimum requirements... (iii) Street facing private open space on the ground floor shall meet the finished floor height for ground floor residential standards in section 18.24.040(b)(4)
18.24.080(b)(2) If Common Open Space is provided, it shall meet the following standards... (A) Minimum size of 200 square feet
(B) Area shall include a space with a minimum dimension of a circle with a 10-foot diameter. (C) Notwithstanding subsection (1), courtyards enclosed on four sides shall have a minimum dimension of 40 feet and have a minimum courtyard width to building height ratio of 1:1.25 H. Parking may not be counted as open
space.
Removed. Redundant with definition of usable open space in Chapter 18.04.030(124). (6) Parking Design
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria Parking needs shall be accommodated
but shall not be allowed to overwhelm
the character of the project or detract
from the pedestrian environment, such
that:
18.24.030(a) Site Access Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To provide facilities and accommodations for pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and transit users to safely and efficiently access and circulate both within individual sites and in the site’s surrounding context. Site access should include the following elements:
(3) Vehicle, loading and service access that is integrated into building and landscape design and located to prevent conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists, while also provided convenient access to building entries.
18.24.030(b)(3) Vehicle Access.
(A) Vehicle access shall be located on alleys or side streets where available. (B) Except for driveway access and short-term loading spaces, off-street parking, off-street vehicle loading, and vehicular circulation areas are prohibited between the building and the primary building frontage.
18.24.030(b)(4) Loading Docks and Service Areas.
Loading and service areas shall be integrated into building and landscape design and located to minimize impact on the pedestrian experience as follows:
(A) Loading docks and service areas shall be located on facades other than the primary building frontage: on alleys, from parking areas, and/or at the rear or side of building if building includes these frontages. When only primary building frontage is available, loading docks and service areas shall be recessed a minimum five feet from the primary façade and shall be screened in accordance with Chapter 18.23.050. (B) Loading dock and service areas located within setback areas shall be screened in accordance with Chapter
18.23.050 and separated from pedestrian access to the primary building entry to avoid impeding pedestrian movement and safety.
18.24.060(b)(7) Façade Design - Parking/Loading/Utilities (A) Entry Size: No more than 25% of the site frontage facing a street should be devoted to garage openings, carports, surface parking, loading entries, or utilities access (on sites with less than 100 feet of frontage, no more than 25 feet)
A. Parking is located behind buildings,
below grade or, where those options are
not feasible, screened by landscaping,
low walls, etc.;
B. Structured parking is fronted or
wrapped with habitable uses when
possible (See Figure 6-1);
18.24.030(a) Site Access Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To provide facilities and accommodations for pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and transit users to safely and efficiently access and circulate both within individual sites and in the site’s surrounding context. Site access should include the following elements:
(3) Vehicle, loading and service access that is integrated into building and landscape design and located to prevent conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists, while also provided convenient access to building entries.
18.24.060(b)(7)(B): Above grade structured parking levels facing a public right-of-way or publicly accessible open space/path, with the exception of vehicular alleys, shall be lined with commercial or habitable uses with a minimum depth of 20 feet.
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria C. Parking that is semi-depressed is
screened with architectural elements that
enhance the streetscape such as stoops,
balcony overhangs, and/or art (See
Figure 6-2);
18.24.030(a) Site Access Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria (3) Vehicle, loading and service access that is integrated into building and landscape design and located to prevent conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists, while also provided convenient access to building entries.
18.24.060(b)(7) Façade Design - Parking/Loading/Utilities (C) Partially sub-grade parking shall not have an exposed façade that exceeds five feet in height above abutting grade at back of sidewalk.
(D) Partially sub-grade parking shall be screened with continuous landscaping and shrubbery with minimum height of 3 feet and be within 10 feet of the sub-grade parking.
D. Landscaping such as trees, shrubs,
vines or groundcover is incorporated into
surface parking lots (See Figure 6-3);
and
Removed. Redundant with landscaping standards and guidelines in Chapter 18.54.040: Landscaping of Parking Areas
E. Street parking is utilized for visitor or
customer parking and is designed in a
manner to enhance traffic calming on the
street.
18.24.020(a) Public Realm/Sidewalk Character Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria (5) Utilize street parking for visitor or customer parking and to enhance traffic calming. (7) Large (Multi-Acre) Sites
Large (in excess of one acre) sites shall
be designed so that street, block, and
building patterns are consistent with
those of the surrounding neighborhood,
and such that:
Sites over 1 acre in size are not uniquely addressed. Standards and contextual design criteria below would be broadly applicable and would not just apply to large sites.
18.24.050(a) Building Massing Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To create buildings that are compatible with and enhance the surrounding area through the consideration of building scale, massing, and bulk. Massing should create a human-scale environment that is of high aesthetic quality and accommodates a variety of uses and design features. Building massing should include elements that:
(1) Break down large building facades and massing to create a human-scaled building that enhances the context of the site
(2) Are consistent in scale, mass and character to adjacent land uses and land use designations (3) Reinforce the definition and importance of the street (4) Provide rooflines and massing that emphasize and accentuate significant elements of the building such as entries, bays, and balconies, and shading elements where appropriate. (5) Provide harmonious transitions between abutting properties A. New development of large sites
maintains and enhances connectivity
with a hierarchy of public streets, private
streets, walks and bike paths (integrated
18.24.030(a) Site Access Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To provide facilities and accommodations for pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and transit users to safely and efficiently access and circulate both within individual sites and in the site’s surrounding context. Site access should include the following elements:
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria with the Palo Alto Bicycle Master Plan,
when applicable);
(1) Site circulation and access that presents a clear hierarchy and connectivity pattern both within a project and to adjacent sidewalks and transit stops. This hierarchy should prioritize pedestrians, bikes, vehicles, and utility/loading access in the order listed. This hierarchy may provide separate access for vehicles and other modes, or demonstrate how all modes are accommodated in shared access points. (2) Connections to side streets, open spaces, mews, alleys, and paseos B. The diversity of building types
increases with increased lot size (e.g.,
less than 1 acre = minimum 1 housing
type; 1 - 2 acres = minimum 2 housing
types; greater than 2 acres = minimum 3
housing types) (See Figure 7-1); and
18.24.050(a) Building Massing Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To create buildings that are compatible with and enhance the surrounding area through the consideration of building scale, massing, and bulk. Massing should create a human-scale environment that is of high aesthetic quality and accommodates a variety of uses and design features.
18.24.050(b)(5)(A) A diversity of housing types (e.g., detached units, attached rowhouses/townhomes, condominiums or apartments, mixed use) are required for projects on large lots:
• < 1-acre lots: minimum 1 housing type;
• 1 to 2-acre lots: minimum 2 housing types; or
• > 2-acre lots = minimum 3 housing types.
18.24.060(b)(2): Building facades shall use a variety of strategies including building modulation, fenestration, and façade articulation to create visual interest and express a variety of scales through a variety of strategies.
C. Where a site includes more than one
housing type, each housing type should
respond to its immediate context in terms
of scale, massing, and design (e.g.,
lower density building types facing or
adjacent to existing single-family
residences) (See Figure 7-1).
18.24.050(a) Building Massing Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To create buildings that are compatible with and enhance the surrounding area through the consideration of building scale, massing, and bulk. Massing should create a human-scale environment that is of high aesthetic quality and accommodates a variety of uses and design features. Building massing should include elements that:
(5) Provide harmonious transitions between abutting properties
18.24.050(b)(1) Upper Floor Step Backs & Daylight Planes (A) When the height of the subject building is more than 20 feet above the average height (i.e., average of low and high roof elevations) of an adjacent building, an upper floor step back shall start within 2 vertical feet of the height of the adjacent building. The step back shall be a minimum depth of 6 feet along both the primary building frontage and the facing facade, and the step shall occur for a minimum of 70% of the each façade length. (B) Notwithstanding, subsection (a), when adjacent to a single-story building, the upper floor step back shall occur between 33 and 37 feet in height.
(C) If a project meets the following criteria, a daylight plane with an initial height of 25 feet above grade at the property line and a 45-degree angle shall be required. No setback is required unless otherwise required by the zoning district. This daylight plane is required if all of these criteria are met:
(i) The project is not subject to a daylight plane requirement, pursuant to district regulations in Title 18; and (ii) The project proposes a building which is more than 20 feet above the average height (i.e., average of low and high roof elevations) of an adjacent building; and
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria (iii) The project abuts residential units in the side or rear yard.
(8) Sustainability and Green Building
Design
Project design and materials to achieve
sustainability and green building design
should be incorporated into the project.
Green building design considers the
environment during design and
construction. Green building design aims
for compatibility with the local
environment: to protect, respect and
benefit from it. In general, sustainable
buildings are energy efficient, water
conserving, durable and nontoxic, with
high-quality spaces and high recycled
content materials. The following
considerations should be included in site
and building design:
18.24.090(a) Materials Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To promote the use of high quality, durable, sustainable, and attractive materials that exhibit a sense of permanence and contribute to the aesthetic quality of the development and to the urban design fabric of the community.
18.24.100(a) Sustainability and Green Building Design Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To incorporate sustainability, green building, and environmental considerations into the project design and construction. Green building design aims for compatibility with the local environment: to protect, respect and benefit from it. In general, sustainable buildings are energy efficient, water conserving, durable and nontoxic, with high- quality spaces and high recycled content materials. The following considerations should be included in site and building design…
18.24.100(b): See Chapter 16.14: California Green Building Standards additional requirements for green building and sustainable design. Notwithstanding Section 18.24.010(c), these regulations may not be modified through alternative compliance.
A. Optimize building orientation for heat
gain, shading, daylighting, and natural
ventilation (See Figure 8-1);
18.24.100(a)(1): Optimize building orientation for thermal comfort, shading, daylighting, and natural ventilation, including operable windows
B. Design landscaping to create
comfortable micro-climates and reduce
heat island effects (See Figure 8-2);
18.24.100(a)(2): Design landscaping to create comfortable micro-climates and reduce heat island effects C. Design for easy pedestrian, bicycle,
and transit access;
18.24.030(a) Site Access Intent Statement Contextual Design Criteria To provide facilities and accommodations for pedestrians, vehicles, cyclists, and transit users to safely and efficiently access and circulate both within individual sites and in the site’s surrounding context.
D. Maximize onsite stormwater
management through landscaping and
permeable pavement (See Figure 8-3);
18.24.100(a)(4): Maximize onsite stormwater management through landscaping and permeable pavement E. Use sustainable building materials. 18.24.100(a)(5): Use sustainable building materials F. Design lighting, plumbing and
equipment for efficient energy use;
18.24.100(a)(6): Design lighting, plumbing and equipment for efficient energy use G. Create healthy indoor environments; 18.24.100(a)(7): Create healthy indoor environments
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Existing Context-Based Design Criteria Proposed Standard or Contextual Design Criteria H. Use creativity and innovation to build
more sustainable environments. One
example is establishing gardens with
edible fruits, vegetables or other plants
to satisfy a portion of project open space
requirements (See Figure 8-2); and
18.24.100(a)(8): Use creativity and innovation to build more sustainable environments. One example is establishing gardens with edible fruits, vegetables or other plants to satisfy a portion of project open space requirements I. Provide protection for creeks and
riparian vegetation and integrate
stormwater management measures and
open space to minimize water quality
and erosion impacts to the creek
environment.
Addressed in 18.40.140: Stream Corridor Protection
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Schedule of Meetings
Published May 5, 2022
This is a courtes y notice only. Meeting dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Almost all Palo Alto Council and some Standing C ommittee meetings are cablecast live on Channel 26. If there ha ppens to be concurrent meetings, one meeting will be broadcast on Channel 29.
Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities or programs, or who would like information on the City’ s compliance with the A mericans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact: ADA Coordinator, City of Palo Alto, 650-329-2550 (voice) or 329-1199 (TDD), [email protected]. Listening assistive devices are available in the Counci l Chambers. S ign language interpreters will be provided upon request with 72 hours advance notice. Please advise the City Clerk's Office (650-329-2571) of meetings or changes by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays for inclusion in the following week’s schedule. 5/5/2022
Meetings are held in-person and by virtual teleconference.
MONDAY, May 9
Sp. City Council Meeting, 5:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, May 10
Sp. Finance Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.
TUESDAY, May 10
Sp. Policy and Services Committee Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, May 11
Sp. Finance Committee Meeting, 9:00 a.m.
THURSDAY, May 12
Historic Resources Board Meeting, 9:00 a.m.
THURSDAY, May 12
Human Relations Commission, 6:00 p.m.
MONDAY, May 16
Sp. City Council Meeting, 5:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, May 17
Sp. Finance Committee Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, May 18
Sp. Rail Committee Meeting, 1:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, May 19
Architectural Review Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
THURSDAY, May 19
Public Art Commission Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
MONDAY, May 24
Sp. Finance Committee Meeting, 12:00 p.m.
MONDAY, May 24
Parks and Recreation Commission, 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, May 25
Planning & Transportation Commission Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY, May 26
Historic Resources Board Meeting, 9:00 a.m.
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