LAND USE AND
COMMUNITY DESIGN
11 2
L.
INTRODUCTIONN
The Land Use and Community Design Element sets the foundation for future preservation, growth and chan ge in Palo Alto and serves as the blueprint for the development of public and private property in the city. It includes policies and programs intended to balanc e natural resources with future community needs in a way that makes optimal use of available la nd, to create attractive buildings and public spaces that reinforce Palo Alto’s sense of place and community, to preserve and enhance quality of life in Palo Alto neighborhoods, to support thriving commercial areas that meet the needs of lo cal residents, and to maintain Palo Alto's role in the success of the surrounding region.
This Element meets the State-mandated re quirements for a Land Use Element. It defines categories for the location and type of public and privates uses of land under the City's jurisdiction; it recommends standards for population density and building intensity on land covered by the Comprehensive Plan; and it includes a Land Use Map (Map L-6) and Goals, Policies and Programs to guide land use distribution in the city. By satisfying these requirem ents, the Land Use and Community Design Element lays out the basic guidelines and standards upon which all of the other Comprehensive Plan elements rely and build. Other elements of the Plan correspond with the land use categories and policy direction contained in this Element, while providing more specialized guidance focused on particular topics, such as transportation or conservation.
VISION: Palo Alto’s land use decisions shall balance our future growth needs with the preservation of our neighborhoods, address climate protection priorities through sustainable development near neighborhood services and enhance the
quality of life of all neighborhoods.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
12 CONNECTIONS TO OTHER ELEMENTS
The Land Use and Community Design Element is replete with direct connections to all of the other elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Its guidance for land uses is strongly linked to the Housing Element’s pr escriptions for residential development, even though the Housing Element is cy clically updated on a separate State- mandated timetable. The inextricable ti e between land use and transportation is clearly apparent both in this Element an d the Transportation Element, as the co- location of land uses significantly affects the ability of transit, walking and biking to replace vehicle travel, in addition to capitalizing on the presence of rail service in Palo Alto. The success of programs in the Natural Environment and Safety Elements are largely dependent on land uses decisions that protect the environment as well as people and property. The Land Use Element dovetails with both the quality of life initiatives in the Community Services a nd Facilities Element, and the prosperity objectives of the Business and Economics Element.
PLANNING CONTEXT
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
With a backdrop sweeping from forested hi lls to the Bay, Palo Alto is framed by natural beauty. Views of the foothills contribute a sense of enclosure and a reminder of the close proximity of open space and nature. Views of the baylands provide a strong connection to the marine environment and the East Bay hills. Together with the city’s marshland, salt ponds, sloughs, cr eeks and riparian corridors, these natural resources, clearly visible in the aerial photograph in Map L-1, are a major defining feature of Palo Alto’s character.
Preserving the city’s attractive and valu able natural features is important for a number of reasons. Ecologically, these areas provide key habitat for wildlife, create a buffer from developed areas and act as a na tural filtration syst em for storm water runoff. For the community, they represent an important facet of the look and feel of Palo Alto, contributing to a sense of place both through direct public access to natural areas and the views that establish Palo Alto’s local scenic routes.
Foothill Expressway
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
Middlefield Road
Los Altos
£¤101
§¨¦
280
·|}þ85
Sunnyvale
Atherton
Redwood City
OregonExpressway
Embarcadero Road
El CaminoReal
PageMillRoad
UniversityAvenue
Louis Road
Channing Avenue
Stanford
Lands
AlmaStreet
Hawthorne
Avenue
ChanningAvenue
EmersonStreet
§¨¦
280
, US GS, AEX, Getmapping , A erogrid , IGN, IGP , swisstopo, a nd the GIS User Community MAP L-1
PALO ALTO AERIAL VIEW
PALO ALTO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
LAND USE
012 M i l e s
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2013; ESRI, 2016; PlaceWorks, 2016.
Railroads
City Boundary
Sphere of Influence
PALO
ALTO
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
14 REGIONAL PLANNING
Palo Alto cooperates with nu merous regional partners on a range of issues of common interest. Regional planning partne rs include the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and other Stat e agencies, Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Association of Bay Ar ea Governments, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Transit District, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County and neighboring cities. The City of Palo Alto works together with the cities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park on a variety of shared programs relating to economic development, social services, education, public safety and housing.
Palo Alto also works with Mountain View, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills on joint ventures such as fire protection and wate r quality control. In addition, Palo Alto elected officials and staff participate in numerous countywide and regional planning efforts, including via both advisory and decision-making boards and commissions.
Palo Alto also maintains a strong relation ship with Stanford University. Although the campus lies outside of the city limits, as shown in Map L-2, important Stanford- owned lands are within Palo Alto, includ ing Stanford Shopping Center, Stanford Research Park and the Stanford University Medical Center. The City, Santa Clara County and Stanford maintain an in ter-jurisdictional agreement regarding development on unincorporated Stanford lands and collaborate on selected land use and transportation projects.
CITY EVOLUTION
EARLY HISTORY
There is evidence in the archaeological record of people living along San Francisquito Creek as far back as 4000 BC, and the first widely recognized inhabitants are the Costanoan people starting in about 1500 BC. The Costanoan are Ohlone- speaking Native Americans who lived ne ar the water from San Francisco Bay to Carmel. Costanoan and earlier ar tifacts have been identified in the city, particularly along the banks of San Francisquito Creek. Preservation of these resources is a high priority for the City and essential to defining the character of the community.
Foothill Expressway
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
Middlefield Road
Los Altos
£¤101
§¨¦
280
·|}þ85
Sunnyvale
Atherton
Redwood City
OregonExpressway
Embarcadero Road
ElCaminoReal
PageMillRoad
UniversityAvenue
Louis Road
Channing Avenue
Stanford
Lands
Alma Street
Hawthorne
Avenue
ChanningAvenue
EmersonStreet
§¨¦
280
MAP L-2
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, URBAN SERVICE AREA, AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY LANDS
PALO ALTO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
LAND USE
012 M i l e s
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2013; USGS, 2010; NHD 2013; ESRI, 2010; Tiger Lines, 2010; Stanford University, 2000; PlaceWorks, 2 014.
City Limit
Sphere of Influence
Stanford Academic Growth Boundary
Railroads
^_ Potential Future School Site
Stanford University Land Use Designations
Academic Campus
Campus Residential - Low Density
Campus Residential - Moderate Density
Open Space and Field Research
Campus Open Space
Special Conservation
Lake/Reservoir
Urban Service Boundary
!| Caltrain Stations
^_
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
16 CITY DEVELOPMENT
From its earliest days, Palo Alto has be en a world-class center of knowledge and innovation. The city incorporated in 1894 on land purchased with the specific intent of serving the newly established Stanford University. Originally centered on University Avenue, Palo Alto grew south a nd east, incorporating the older town of Mayfield and its California Avenue district in 1925. By the 1970s, the city had almost doubled in size, stretching into the foothills and south to Mountain View, with commercial centers along Middlefield Road in Midtown and El Camino Real through formerly unincorporated Barr on Park, and research and development areas at the city’s outskirts.
Today, Palo Alto covers almost 26 square miles (16,627 acres) of land, about a third of which is open space, including 34 city-owned parks and 1,700 acres of protected baylands. Ensuring that activities in a nd around the baylands, including airport operations, occur with minimal environmental impacts is of major importance to the City and region.
COMPACT DEVELOPMENT
Palo Alto was an early adopter of compact development principles, as embodied in the Urban Service Area designated to mana ge growth in the current Comprehensive Plan. Through this strategy, the City has endeavored to direct new development into appropriate locations—such as along transit corridors and near employment centers— while protecting and preserving neighborhoods as well as the open space lands that comprise about half of the city.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE
Palo Alto is regarded as a leader in sustainability, having adopted its first Climate Action Plan in 2007 and continuing through the City’s multi-faceted efforts to
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
17 eliminate the community’s dependence on fossil fuels and adapt to the potential effects of climate change. Through the direct provision of public utility services by the City to the community, Palo Alto is able to achieve truly outstanding energy efficiency and water conservation. The City and community also are leaders in promoting non- automobile transportation, waste reduction and diversion and high-quality, low- impact development.
In addition to efficiency and conservation, the City sees an adequate housing supply as a fundamental component of a sustainable and equitable community. As of the adoption of this Comprehensive Plan, renting or owning a home in Palo Alto is prohibitively expensive for many. The housing affordability crisis in Palo Alto and in the Bay Area more broadly has a number of negative consequences, including diminished socioeconomic diversity and increased traffic congestion as local workers commute from distant places where housing is cheaper. In response, this Element lays out a multi-faceted strategy to both preserve existing housing and create new housing in a variety of types and sizes. Mo st new housing is a nticipated to be multi- family housing on redeveloped infill sites near housing. These policies and programs work hand-in-hand with Housing Element pr ograms and focus change along transit corridors, while preserving the character of established single-family neighborhoods.
Together, all of these efforts make Palo Alto a more resilient community, able to adjust behaviors and actions in an effort to protect and preserve environmental resources.
CITY STRUCTURE
COMPONENTS
The city is composed of unique neighborhoods and distinct but connected commercial centers and employment distri cts. Understanding how these different components of the city structure support one another and connect to the region can help inform land use planning. By reflecting the existing structure in its policies, Palo Alto will ensure that it remains a community that encourages social contact and public life and also maintains quality urban design.
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
Palo Alto’s 35 neighborhoods are characterized by housing, parks and public facilities. Their boundaries are based on land use and street patterns and community
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
18 perceptions. Most of the residential neigh borhoods have land use classifications of single-family residential with some also including multiple-family residential, and transitions in scale and use often signify neighborhood boundaries.
Each neighborhood is a living reminder of the unique blend of architectural styles, building materials, scale and street patterns that were typical at the time of its development. These characteristics are more intact in some neighborhoods than in others. The City strives to complement neighborhood character when installing streets or public space improvements and to preserve neighborhoods through thoughtful development review to ensure that new construction, additions and remodels reflect neighborhood character.
Neighborhoods built prior to the mid-1940s gen erally have a traditional pattern of development with relatively narrow streets, curbside parking, vertical curbs and street trees between the curb and sidewalk. Many homes are oriented to the street with parking often located to the rear of the lot.
Many later neighborhoods were shaped by Modernist design ideas popularized by builder Joseph Eichler. The houses are in tentionally designed with austere facades and oriented towards private backyards an d interior courtyards, where expansive glass walls “bring the outside in.” Curving streets and cul-de-sacs further the sense of house as private enclave, and flattened curbs joined to the sidewalk with no planting strip create an uninterrupted plane on which to display the house. Some neighborhoods built during this period contain other home styles such as California ranch.
Both traditional and modern Palo Alto neighborhoods have fine examples of multi- unit housing that are very compatible with surrounding single-family homes, primarily because of their high-quality design characteristics, such as entrances and gardens that face the street rather than the interior of the development. Examples include duplexes and small apartment buildings near Downtown, as well as second units and cottage courts in other areas of the city.
PP A L OO A L T OO C O M P R E H E N S I V EE P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
19 COMMERCIAL CENTERS
Centers are commercial and mixed use areas that serve as focal points of community life. These commercial centers are distribu ted throughout the city, within walking or bicycling distance of virtually all Palo Alto residents, as shown in Map L-3. There are three basic types of Centers in Palo Alto:
h Regionall Centers include University Avenue/Downtown and Stanford Shopping Center. These areas are commercial activity hubs of citywide and regional significance, with a mix of shopping, offices and some housing.
Downtown is characterized by two- and three-story buildings with ground floor shops. Downtown Palo Alto is wide ly recognized for its mix of culture, architecture and atmosphere of innovati on, which make it a uniquely special place. Trees, benches, outdoor seating areas, sidewalks, plazas and other amenities make the streets pedestrian-friendly. Transit is highly accessible and frequent. Downtown plays a key role in concentrating housing, employment, shopping and entertainment near each other and regional rail and other transit, exemplifying and supporting citywide sustainability and resiliency.
However, a recent cycle of economic growth has brought increased pressure for additional office space in Downtown Palo Alto. In recent years, the demand has become so strong that othe r important uses that contribute to Downtown’s vitality, such as storefront retail, are at risk of being pushed out.
This Element includes policies and prog rams to preserve ground floor-retail uses Downtown and sustain its role as a gathering place. Programs are also included to convert some unused development potential from commercial to residential potential in the future.
Stanford Shopping Center has evolved fr om its original auto-oriented design into a premier open-air pedestrian environment known for extensive landscaped areas surrounded by retail and dining.
h Multi-Neighborhoodd Centers, including California Avenue, Town and Country Village and South El Camino Real, are retail districts that serve more than one neighborhood with a diverse mix of uses including retail, office and residential. They feature one- to three-story buildings with storefront windows and outdoor seating areas that create a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.
These centers also contain retail uses clustered around plazas and parks that provide public gathering spaces. They can be linked to other city Centers via transit.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
20 h Neighborhood Centers, such as Charleston Shopping Center, Edgewood Plaza and Midtown Shopping Center, are small retail areas drawing customers from the immediately surrounding area. These centers are often anchored by a grocery or drug store and may include a variety of smaller retail shops and offices oriented toward the everyday needs of local residents. Adjacent streets provide walking, biking and transit connections.
EMPLOYMENT DISTRICTS
Palo Alto’s employment districts, such as Stanford Research Park, Stanford Medical Center, East Bayshore and San Antoni o Road/Bayshore Corr idor, represent a development type not found in other parts of the city. These Districts are characterized by large one- to four-story buildings, with some taller buildings, separated by parking lots and landscaped ar eas. The Districts are accessed primarily by automobile or employer-supported transit, though future changes in land use and tenancy could support a shift toward transit, pedestrian and bicycle travel.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT
The pace of non-residential growth and development in Palo Alto has been moderated by a citywide cap on non-reside ntial development first adopted by the City Council in 1989. Based on the demonstrated and continuous strength of the city’s economy, and recent changes in the approach to growth management throughout California, this Plan presents an updated cumulative growth management and monitoring system. This system moderates the overall amount of new office/R&D development and monitors its impacts on Palo Alto’s livability.
This updated approach uses 2015 as th e baseline from which to monitor new development and establishes a cumulativ e, citywide cap on office/R&D uses, including conversions of existing square footage to office/R&D space. It also establishes clear guidance to address wh at the City should do as the cap is approached.
Foothill Expressway
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
Middlefield Road
Los Altos
£¤101
§¨¦
280
OregonExpressway
Em
barcad
ero Ro
ad
AlmaStreet
ElCaminoReal
PageMillRoad
UniversityAvenue
Louis Road
ChanningAvenue
Stanford
Lands
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
3 1
1 3
2 1
2 2
2 1
2 3
4 1
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2013; USGS, 2010; NHD 2013; ESRI, 2010; Tiger Lines, 2010; PlaceWorks, 2014.
PALO ALTO GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
LAND USE ELEMENT
00 . 51 M i l e s
MAP L-3
CITY STRUCTURE
!| Caltrain Stations
Sphere of Influence
City Boundary
Railroads
Park/Open Space
Regional Centers
1. University Avenue/Downtown
2. Stanford Shopping Center
Commercial Districts
1. South of Forest Area (SOFA)
2. California Avenue
3. Alma Village
1. Stanford Research Park
2. Stanford Medical Center
3. East Bayshore
4. San Antonio Road/Bayshore Corridor
"
Ø
Mixed Use Areas
Employment Centersl
³³lo×
Employment Districts
1. California Avenue
2. Town & Country Village
3. South El Camino Real
Multi-Neighborhood Centers"
Ø
1. Charleston Center
2. Edgewood Plaza
3. Midtown
Neighborhood Centers"
Ø
Foothill Expressway
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
Middlefield Road
Los Altos
£¤101
§¨¦
280
·|}þ85
Atherton
Redwood City
OregonExpressway
Embarcadero
Road
AlmaStreet
ElCaminoReal
PageMillRoad
UniversityAvenue
Louis Road
ChanningAvenue
Stanford
Lands§¨¦
280
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2013; USGS, 2010; NHD 2013; ESRI, 2010; Tiger Lines, 2010; PlaceWorks, 2014.
PALO ALTO GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
LAND USE ELEMENT
012 M i l e s
MAP L-4
COMMUNITY DESIGN FEATURES
Major View Corridors
k Primary Gateways
!! Scenic Routes in Palo Alto
!| Caltrain Stations
Railroads
Park/Open Space
City Boundary
Sphere of Influence
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
23 URBAN DESIGN
The look and feel of Palo Alto is shaped by urban design, which encompasses the wide variety of features that together form the visual character of the city. These elements range from aesthetic to functional and include the design of buildings, the historic character of structures and plac es, public spaces where people gather, gateways or entrances to the city, street trees lining neighborhoods, art decorating public spaces, as well as parking lots and essential infrastructure. Key community design features are illustrated on Map L-4.
BUILDINGS
Palo Alto has many buildings of outstanding architectural merit representing a variety of styles and periods. The best examples of these buildings are constructed with quality materials, show evidence of crafts manship, fit with their surroundings and help make neighborhoods comfortable and appealing. To help achieve quality design, the Architectural Review Board reviews buildings and site design for commercial and multi-family residential projects. Palo Alto’s commercial and residential buildings have received regiona l and national design recognition. Design issues in residential neighborhoods include sympathetic restoration and renovation of homes, protection of privacy if second stories are added, and efforts to make streets more inviting to pedestrians.
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Palo Alto has a rich stock of historic stru ctures and places that are important to the city’s heritage and preserving and reusing these historic resources contributes to the livability of Palo Alto. The City’s Historic Inventory lists approximately 400 buildings of historical merit, with more than a dozen buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as three historic districts (Green Gables, Greenmeadow and Professorville) and one architectural distri ct (Ramona Street). Map L-5 illustrates historic resources in Palo Alto.
Historic sites include the El Palo Alto Re dwood, believed to be the site of a 1776 encampment of the Portola Expedition and one of 19 California Points of Historical Interest in the city. The garage at 367 Addison that was the birthplace of Hewlett- Packard is one of seven sites or structures li sted on the California Register of Historic Landmarks. The length of El Camino Real from San Francisco to San Diego, including the section that passes through Palo Alto, is a State Historic Landmark. Many historic
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
24 buildings in the city have been rehabilitat ed and adaptively reused as office or commercial spaces, including former single-family homes in and near downtown.
PUBLIC SPACES , STREETS AND PARKING
Throughout Palo Alto are a variety of public spaces from parks and schools to plazas and sidewalks, to cultural, religious and civi c facilities. Each of these can increasingly serve as centers for public life with gathering places, bicycle and pedestrian access, safety-enhancing night-time lighting and cl ear visual access, and, in some cases, small-scale retail uses such as cafes.
Well-designed streets also invite public use and enhance quality of life. Palo Alto’s reputation as a gracious residential community is due not only to its fine street trees and attractive planting areas, but also to appropriate street width for neighborhood character, accommodation of pedestrians and bicycles, height and setbacks of buildings and color and texture of paving materials. These components help to ensure that streets are pleasant and safe for all travelers.
Parking lots occupy large amounts of surfac e area in the city. Well-designed parking lots make efficient use of space while contributing positively to the appearance of the surrounding area. A parking lot can provide an opportunity for open space and outdoor amenities rather than just a reposi tory for cars. Many parking lots in Palo Alto include trees, landscaping and public art.
GATEWAYS
Community identity is strengthened when the entrances to the city are clear and memorable. In Palo Alto, these entrances or gateways include Un iversity Avenue, El Camino Real, Middlefield Road, Oregon Expressway/Page Mill Road, San Antonio Road and Embarcadero Road and the Palo Alto Transit Center and California Avenue Caltrain station. Well-designed gateways are defined by natural and urban landmarks that complement the character and identity of the neighborhood.
!
!!!
!!!
! !!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!!!!
!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
!
!
!
! !!!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!!
!
!
!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!
!!!
!
!
!!!!
!
!
!
!
! !!
!
! !
!
!
!
! !
!
!
!
!!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!!!
!
!!!!!!!
!!!!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!!!!!!!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
!! !
! !
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!
! !
!!
!!
!! !
!
!
!!!
!!
!
!
!!
! !
!!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!! !
!
! !
!!
!!
!!
!
!
!
! !!!!
!
!!
!
!!
!
!
! !
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!!!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!! !
!
!
!!
!!!!
!
!!
!
!! ! !
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Foothill Expressway
Mountain View
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
Middlefield Road
Los Altos
£¤101
§¨¦
28 0
·|}þ85
·|}þ23 7
Sunnyvale
Atherton
OregonExpressway
Embarcadero Road
El CaminoReal
PageMillRoad
UniversityAvenue
Louis Road
Channing Avenue
Stanford
Lands
MiddlefieldRoad
Alma Street
Hawthorne
Avenue
ChanningAvenue
EmersonStreet
Louis Road
Professorville
Historic District
Green Gables
Historic District
Greenmeadow
Historic District
Ramona Street
Architectural District
§¨¦
280
MAP L -
!!!!!!!
! !!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!!!!!
!
!
!
!!!!
!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
!
!
!
! !!!!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!!
!
!!
!
!!!
!
!
! !
!!
!!
!
!!!
!!
!
!
!!!!!!
!
!
!!!!
!
!
!
!
!! !
!! !
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!!!
!
!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!!!!!!! !!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!! !
! !
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!!
!!
!!
!!
!!!
!
!
!!!
!!
!
!
!!
!!
!!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!! !
!
!!
!!
!!!!
!
!
!
!!!!!!
!!
!
!!
!
!! !
!
!
!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!
!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!!
!!!
!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!!!!
! !
!
!
!
!!!!!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
!!
!
!
!
!!
!! !
!
!
!!
!!!!
!
!!
!
!! !!
!
!
!
!! !
!
!
!
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Source: PlaceWorks, 2016; The City of Palo Alto, 2013.
012 M i l e s
*Cultural and historic resources include Historic Structures on the City of Palo Alto Historic Inventory (categories I, II, III, or IV), and/or Buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, and/or California Registered Historic Landmarks, and/or Points of Historical Interest.
This map is for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the full inventory of historic structures, landmarks, or other cultural resources in Palo Alto. For a more complete listing, please refer to the content of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and the associated environmental review documents.
PALO ALTO GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
LAND USE ELEMENT
! Cultural or historic resource*
Highways
City Limit
Professorville
Historic District
Ramona Street
Architectural District
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
26 URBAN FOREST
Palo Alto’s urban forest—including both public and privately owned trees—is a key part of the community’s history, identity and quality of life. It offers enormous social, environmental and financial benefits and is a fundamental part of Palo Alto’s sense of place. Regular spacing of trees that are similar in form and texture provides order and coherence and gives scale to the street. A canopy of branches and leaves provides shade for pedestrians and creates a sense of enclosure and comfort. On the city’s most memorable streets, trees of a si ngle species extend historic character to the corners of blocks, reducing the apparent width of streets and intersections and defining the street as a continuous space. Protecting, maintaining and enhancing the urban forest, as called for in the 2015 Urban Forest Master Plan, is among the most effective ways to preserve Palo Alto’s character.
PUBLIC ART
Public art helps create an inviting a tmosphere for gathering, fosters economic development and contributes to vital public spaces. Palo Alto’s public art program reflects the City’s tradition of enriching pub lic spaces with works of art, ranging from the subtle inclusion of handcrafted artifacts into building architecture to more traditional displays of sculpture at civic lo cations. The Municipal Code requires both public and private projects to incorporate public art.
UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
A city is supported by its infrastructure—fea tures such as paving, signs and utilities.
These features represent su bstantial public investments and are meant to serve all community members. Infrastructure improvements must meet current needs and keep pace with growth and development. While the purpose of infrastructure is usually utilitarian or functional, attention to design details can add beauty or even improve urban design. For example, replacing a sidewalk can provide an opportunity to create larger tree wells and provide new street trees.
State law (California Government Code Section 65302.10) requires the City to address potential regional inequity and infr astructure deficits within disadvantaged unincorporated communities (DUCs) in this Element. There are no DUCs within the Palo Alto Sphere of Influence (SOI) with p ublic services or infrastructure needs or deficiencies.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
27 PALO ALTO AIRPORT
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) is a general aviati on airport owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto. PAO occupies 102 acres of land east of Highway 101 in the baylands and has one paved runway. The airport func tions as a reliever to three Bay Area airports. PAO facilities include an air tra ffic control tower operated by the Federal Aviation Administration and a terminal building. Flight clubs and fixed base operators operate on-site, offering fuel sales, flight lessons, pilot training and aircraft sales, rentals, maintenance and repair. From 1967 to 2015, PAO was operated by Santa Clara County under a lease agreement. Op erations and control have since been transferred to the City and key challenges ahead include addressing deterioration of runway conditions, addressing noise impacts and hours of operation and the relationship between the Airport and the Baylands Master Plan. LAND USE MAP AND LAND USE DESIGNATIONS Map L-6 shows each land use designation within the city of Palo Alto. The land use designations translate the elements of city structure into a detailed map that presents the community’s vision for future land use development and conservation on public and private land in Palo Alto through the year 2030. Residential densities are expressed in terms of dwelling units per acre. Population densities per acre are not absolute limits.
Building intensities for non-residential uses are expressed in terms of floor area ratio (FAR), which is the ratio of gross building floor area (excluding areas designated for parking, etc.) to net lot area, both expres sed in square feet. FAR does not regulate building placement or form, only the spatial relationship between building size and lot size; it represents an expectation of the overall intensity of future development.
PP A L OO A L T OO C O M P R E H E N S I V EE P L A NN
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
28 The maximums assigned to the land use designations below do not constitute entitlements, nor are property owners or developers gu aranteed that an individual project, when tested against the General Plan ’s policies, will be able or permitted to achieve these maximums.
LAND USE DEFINITIONS
OPENN SPACE
Publiclyy Ownedd Conservationn Land:: Open lands whose primary purpose is the preservation and enhancement of the natural state of the land and its plants and animals. Only resource management, recreation and educational activities compatible with resource conservation are allowed.
Publicc Park:: Open lands whose primary purpose is public access for active recreation and whose character is essentially urban. These areas, which may have been planted with non-indigenous landscaping, may provide access to nature within the urban environment and require a conc erted effort to maintain recreational facilities and landscaping.
Streamsidee Openn Space:: This designation is intended to preserve and enhance corridors of riparian vegetation along streams. Hiking, biking and riding trails may be developed in the streamside open space. The corridor will generally vary in width up to 200 feet on either side of the center line of the creek. However, along San Francisquito Creek between El Camino Real and the Sand Hill Road bridge over the creek, the open space corridor varies in width between approximately 80 and 310 feet from the center line of the creek. The aerial delineation of the open space in this segment of the corridor, as opposed to othe r segments of the corridor, is shown to approximate scale on the Proposed Land Use and Circulation Map.
Openn Space/Controlledd Development:: Land having all the characteristics of open space but where some development may b e allowed on private properties. Open space amenities must be retained in these areas. Residential densities range from 0.1 to 1 dwelling unit per acre but may rise to a maximum of 2 units per acre where second units are allowed, and population densities range from 1 to 4 persons per acre. Other uses such as agricultural, recr eational and non-residential uses may be allowed consistent with the protection an d preservation of the inherent open space characteristics of the land.
!|
!|
FOOTHILL EXPY
FABIAN WAY
SAND HILL RD
ALMA ST
SEALE AVE
SAN ANTONIO RD
OREGON EXPY
QUARRY RD
LOMA VERDE AVE
ARASTRADERO RD
E CHARLESTON RD
EMBARCADERO WAY
PASTEUR DR
CALIFORNIA AVE
LINCOLN AVE
UNIVERSITY AVE
JUNIPERO SERRA BL VD
PAGE MILL RD
§¨¦280
|ÿ82
£¤101
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
University
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
Los Altos
Arastradero Preserve
Baylands
Preserve
Byxbee
Park
SOFA II CAP
SOFA I CAP
Baylands Master Plan
East Charleston Road
SAN
FRANCISCO
BAY
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 10.125
Miles
Source: ESRI, 2010; Tiger Lines, 2010; USGS, 2010; NHD, 2013; City of Palo Alto, 2013; PlaceWorks, 2015.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations
Residential
Single Family Res
Multi-Family Res
Mixed Use
Commercial
Hotel Commercial
Service Commercial
Neighborhood Commercial
Regional/Community Commercial
Business/Industrial
Light Industrial
Research/Office Park
Other
SOFA II CAP
SOFA I CAP
School District Land
Major Institution/Special Facility
Streamside Open Space
Public Park
Open Space/Controlled Development
Public Conservation Land
Stanford University Land Use Designations
Academic Campus
Campus Residential - Low Density
Campus Residential - Moderate Density
Open Space/Field Research
Campus Open Space
Special Conservation
Lake/Reservoir
!| Caltrain Stations
Urban Service Area
City Boundary
Sphere of Influence
Railroads
PALO ALTO GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
LAND USE ELEMENT
MAP L-6
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
30 PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
31 RESIDENTIAL
Single-Family Residential: This designation applies to residential neighborhoods primarily characterized by detached single -family homes, typically with one dwelling unit on each lot. Private and public scho ols and churches are conditional uses requiring permits. Accessory dwelling units or duplexes are allowed subject to certain size limitations and other development standards and duplexes may be allowed in select, limited areas where they would be compatible with neighborhood character and do not create traffic and parking problems. The net density in single family areas will range from 1 to 7 units per acre, but rises to a maximum of 14 units on parcels where second units or duplexes occur. Population densities will range from 1 to 30 persons per acre.
Multiple-Family Residential: The permitted number of housing units will vary by area, depending on existing land use, proximity to major streets and public transit, distance to shopping and environmental problems. Net densities will range from 8 to 40 units and 8 to 90 persons per acre. Density should be on the lower end of the scale next to single-family residential areas. Densities higher than what is permitted may be allowed where measurable community benefits will be derived, services and facilities are available, and the net effect will be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Population densities will range up to 2.25 persons per unit by 2030.
Village Residential: Allows residential dwellings that are designed to contribute to the harmony and pedestrian orientation of a street or neighborhood. Housing types include single-family houses on small lots, second units, cottage clusters, courtyard housing, duplexes, fourplexes and small apartment buildings. Design standards will be prepared for each housing type to ensure that development successfully contributes to the street and neighborhood and minimizes potential negative impacts. Net densities will range up to 20 units per acre. Population densities will range up to 2.25 persons per unit by 2030.
Transit-Oriented Residential: Allows higher density residential dwellings in the University Avenue/Downtown and California Avenue commercial centers within a walkable distance, approximately 2,500 feet, of the City’s two multi-modal transit stations. The land use category is intended to generate residenti al densities that support substantial use of public transportation and especially the use of Caltrain.
Design standards will be prepared to ensure that development successfully contributes to the street and minimizes potential negative impacts. Individual project requirements will be developed, including parking, to ensure that a significant , except on
Housing
Element
opportunity
sites, for which
higher density
standards may
be specified in
the Zoning
Ordinance
.
, except on
Housing
Element
opportunity
sites, for which
higher density
standards may
be specified in
the Zoning
Ordinance
.
Multiple-Family uses may
be permitted on Housing
Element o
pportunity sites.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
32 portion of the residents will use alternative modes of transportation. Net density will range up to 50 units per acre, with minimum densities to be considered during development of new City zoning regulation s. Population densities will range up to
2.25 per person per unit by 2030.
COMMERCIAL
Neighborhood Commercial: Includes shopping centers with off-street parking or a cluster of street-front stores that serve the immediate neighborhood. Examples include Charleston Center, Edgewood Center and Midtown. Typical uses include supermarkets, bakeries, drugstores, variety stores, barber shops, restaurants, self- service laundries, dry cleaners and hardwa re stores. In locations along El Camino Real and Alma Street, residential and mixe d use projects may also locate in this category. Non-residential FARs will range up to 0.4. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Regional/Community Commercial: Larger shopping centers and districts that have a wider variety of goods and services than the neighborhood shopping areas. They rely on larger trade areas and include such uses as department stores, bookstores, furniture stores, toy stores, apparel shop s, restaurants, theaters and non-retail services such as offices and banks. Examples include Stanford Shopping Center, Town and Country Village and University Avenue/Downtown. Non-retail uses such as medical and dental offices may also locate in this designation; software development may also locate Downtown. In some locati ons, residential and mixed use projects may also locate in this category. Non-residential FARs range from 0.35 to 2.0.
Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Service Commercial: Facilities providing citywide and regional services and relying on customers arriving by car. These uses do not necessarily benefit from being in high volume pedestrian areas such as shopping centers or Downtown. Typical uses include auto services and dealerships, motels, lumberyards, appliance stores and restaurants, including fast serv ice types. In almost all case s, these uses require good automobile and service access so that customers can safely load and unload without impeding traffic. In some locations, resi dential and mixed-use projects may be appropriate in this land use category. Ex amples of Service Commercial areas include San Antonio Road, El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road northeast of the Bayshore , generally within 1/2 mile of
high quality transit.
, generally within
1/2 mile of high
quality transit.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
33 Freeway. Non-residential FARs will range up to 0.4. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Mixed Use: The Mixed Use designation is inte nded to promote pedestrian-oriented places that layer compatible land uses, public amenities and utilities together at various scales and intensities. The design ation allows for multiple functions within the same building or adjacent to one anot her in the same general vicinity to foster a mix of uses that encourages people to live, work, play and shop in close proximity.
Most typically, mixed-use developments have retail on the ground floor and residences above. This category includes Li ve/Work, Retail/Office, Residential/Retail and Residential/Office development. FARs will range up to 1.15, although development located along transit corridor s or near multi-modal centers will range up to 2.0 FAR with up to 3.0 FAR possible where higher FAR would be an incentive to meet community goals such as providing affordable housing. The FAR above 1.15 must be used for residential purposes. FAR between 0.15 and 1.15 may be used for residential purposes. As of the adoption of this Comprehensive Plan, the Mixed Use designation is currently only applied in the SOFA area. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Commercial Hotel: This category allows facilities for use by temporary overnight occupants on a transient basis, such as hotels and motels, with associated conference centers and similar uses. Restaura nts and other eating facilities, meeting rooms, small retail shops, personal services and other services ancillary to the hotel are also allowed. This category can be applied in combination with another land use category. FAR currently ranges up to 2.0 for the hotel portion of the site. An implementation program indicates that the City will explore increasing this FAR.
Research/Office Park: Office, research and manufa cturing establishments whose operations are buffered from adjacent reside ntial uses. Stanford Research Park is an example. Other uses that may be included are educational institutions and child care facilities. Compatible commercial service uses such as banks and restaurants and residential or mixed-uses that would benefit from the proximity to employment centers, will also be allowed. Additional uses, including retail services, commercial recreation, churches and private clubs may also be located in Research/Office Park areas, but only if they are found to be compatible with the surrounding area through , generally within 1/2 mile of
high quality transit.
, generally within 1/2 mile
of high quality transit.
PP A L OO A L T OO C O M P R E H E N S I V EE P L A NN
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
34 the conditional use permit process. In some locations, residential and mixed-use projects may also locate in this category. Maximum allowable FAR ranges from 0.3 to
0.5, depending on site conditions. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, multi- family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Lightt Industrial: Wholesale and storage warehouses and the manufacturing, processing, repairing and packaging of goods. Emission of fumes, noise, smoke, or other pollutants is strictly controlled. Examples include portions of the area south of Oregon Avenue between El Camino Real a nd Alma Street that historically have included these land uses, and the San Ant onio Road industrial area. Compatible residential and mixed use projects may also be located in this category. FAR will range up to 0.5. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
INSTITUTIONALL
Schooll Districtt Lands: Properties owned or leased by public school districts and used for educational, recreational, or other non-commercial, non-industrial purposes.
FAR may not exceed 1.0.
Majorr Institution/Speciall Facilities: Institutional, academic, governmental and community service uses and lands that are either publicly owned or operated as non-profit organizations. Examples are hosp itals and City facilities. Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s encouragement of housing near transit centers, higher density multi-family housing may be allowed in specific locations.
Majorr Institution/Universityy Lands: Academic and academic reserve areas of Stanford University. Population density and building intensity limits are established by conditional use permit with Santa Clara County. These lands are further designated by the following sub-categories of land use:
h Majorr Institution/Universityy Lands/Campuss Single-Familyy Residential:
Single-family areas where the occupancy of the units is significantly or totally limited to individuals or families affiliated with the institution. h Majorr Institution/Universityy Lands/Campuss Multiplee Familyy Residential:
Multiple family areas where the occupancy of the units is significantly or totally limited to individuals or families affiliated with the institution. , generally within 1/2 mile of high quality transit.
On Housing Element
opportunity sites, FAR will
typically range from 1.25
to 2.5, as specified in the
Zoning Ordinance. Higher
FARs may be feasible
within 1/2-mile of high
quality transit.
On Housing Element
opportunity sites, FAR will
typically range from 1.5 to
2.5, as specified in the
Zoning Ordinance. Higher
FARs may be feasible
within 1/2-mile of high
quality transit.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
35 h Major Institution/University Lands/Campus Educational Facilities:
Academic lands with a full complement of activities and densities that give them an urban character. Allowable uses are academic institutions and research facilities, student and faculty housing and support services. Increases in student enrollment and faculty/staff size must be accompanied by measures that mitigate traffic and housing impacts.
h Major Institution/University Lands/Academic Reserve and Open Space:
Academic lands having all the characteristics of open space but upon which some academic development may be allowed provided that open space amenities are retained. These lands are important for their aesthetic and ecological value as well as their potential for new academic uses.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
36 GOALS, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
GROWTH MANAGEMENT
GOAL L-1 A compact and resilient city providing residents and visitors with attractive neighborhoods, work places, shopping districts, public facilities and open spaces.
CONCENTRATING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA Policy L-1.1 Maintain and prioritize Palo Alto’s varied residential neighborhoods while sustaining the vitality of its commercial areas and public facilities.
Policy L-1.2 Limit future urban development to curr ently developed la nds within the urban service area. The boundary of the urban service area is otherwise known as the ur ban growth boundary. Retain undeveloped land west of Foothill Expressway and Junipero Serra as open spac e, with allowances made for very low-intensity development consis tent with the open space character of the area. Retain undeveloped land northeast of Highway 101 as open space.
Policy L-1.3 Infill development in the urban service area should be compatible with its surroundings and the overall scale and character of the city to ensure a compact, efficient development pattern.
Policy L-1.4 Commit to creating an inventory of below market rate housing for purchase and rental. Work with neighbors, neighborhood associations, property owners and developers to identify barrie rs to infill development of below market rate and more affordable market rate housing a nd to remove these barriers, as appropriate. Work with these same stakeholders to identify sites and facilitate opportunities for be low market rate housing and housing that is affordable.
REGULATING LAND USE
Policy L-1.5 Regulate land uses in Palo Alto according to the land use definitions in this Element and Map L-6.
Policy L-1.6 Encourage land uses that address the needs of the community and manage change and development to benefit the community.
Program L1.6.1 Review regulatory tools available to the City a nd identify actions to enhance and preserve the livability of residential neighborhoods and th e vitality of commercial and employment districts, including improved code enforcement practices.
Policy L-1.7 Use coordinated area plans to guide development, such as to create or enhance cohesive neighborhoods in areas of Palo Alto where significant change is foreseeabl e. Address both land use and transportation, define the desired character and urban design traits of the areas, identify opportunities for public open space, parks and recreational opportunities, address connectivity to and comp atibility with adjacent residential areas; and include broad community involvement in the planning process.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
37 REGIONAL COOPERATION
Policy L-1.8 Maintain an active engagement with Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, neighboring cities, other public agencies including school districts and Stanford University regarding land use and transportation issues.
Program L1.8.1 Maintain and update as appropriate the 1985 Land Use Policies Agreement that sets forth the land use policies of the City, Santa Clara County and Stanford University with regard to Stanford unincorporated lands.
Policy L-1.9 Participate in regional strategies to address the interaction of jobs, housing balance and transportation issues.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING
Policy L-1.10 Maintain a citywide cap of 1.7 million new square feet of office/R&D development, exempting medical
office uses in the Stanford University Medical
Center (SUMC) vicinity. Use January 1, 2015 as the
baseline and monitor development towards the cap
on an annual basis. Require annual monitoring to
assess the effectiveness of development
requirements and determin e whether the cap and
the development requireme nts should be adjusted.
Continue to exempt medical, governmental and
institutional uses from the cap on office/R&D
development.
Program L1.10.1 Reevaluate the cumulative cap when the amount of new office/R&D square footage entitled since January 1, 2015 reaches 67 percent of the allowed square footage, or 1,139,000 square feet. Concurrently consider removal or potenti al changes to the cap and/or to the amount of additional development permitted by the City’s zoning ordinance.
Policy L-1.11 Hold new development to the highes t development standards in order to maintain Palo Alto’s livability and achieve the highest quality development with the least impacts.
Policy L-1.12 The City will monitor key community indicators on a regu lar basis to determine whether the policies of this plan and the efforts of Palo Alto residents and businesses ar e effective at promoting livability. Suggested indicators and monitoring frequency are listed in Table L-1.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
38 TABLE L-1 C COMMUNITY MMETRICS
Measure Metric Recommended Monitoring Frequency
Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80% below 1990 emissions by 2030 (S/CAP goal) Annually as part of Earth Day Report
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per Capita Decrease year over year Annually as part of Earth Day Report Jobs/Housing Balance (Expressed as a
Ratio of Jobs to Employed Residents) Ratio of jobs to employed residents Every 4 years Below Market Rate (BMR) Units Number of units
Annually as part of report to California
Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD)
Progress toward Housing Element Goals Annual Report to State Housing and Community Development Department Annually as part of report to HCD Traffic Volumes on City Streets Change in PM peak hour traffic volumes at 10 representative local intersections Every 2 years
Availability of Parks Percent of residents who live within ½-mile of a city park Every 4 years
PAUSD School Enrollments Changes in student enrollment at public elementary, middle and high schools Annually
A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
GOAL L-2 An enhanced sense of “community” with development designed to foster public life, meet citywide needs and embrace the principles of sustainability.
Policy L-2.1 Maintain a citywide structure of Residential Neighborhoods, Centers and Employment Districts.
Integrate these areas with the City’s and the region’s
transit and street system.
Policy L-2.2 Enhance connections between commercial and mixed use centers and the surrounding residential
neighborhoods by promoting walkable and bikeable
connections and a diverse range of retail and
services that caters to the daily needs of residents.
Program L2.2.1 Explore whether there are appropriate locati ons to allow small-scale neighborhood-serving retail facilities such as coffee shops and corner stores in residential areas.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
39 Policy L-2.3 As a key component of a diverse, incl usive community, allow and encourage a mix of housing types and sizes, integrated into neighborhoods and designed for greater affordability, particularly smaller housing types, such as studios, co-housing, cottages, clustered housing, accessory dwelling units and senior housing.
Policy L-2.4 Use a variety of strategies to stimulate housing, near re tail, employment, and transit, in a way that connects to and enhances existing neighborhoods.
Program L2.4.1 Amend the Housing Element to eliminate housing sites along San Antonio Road and increase residential densities in Downtown and the Cali fornia Avenue area to replace potential units from the sites eliminated.
Program L2.4.2 Allow housing at Stanford Shopping Center, provid ed that adequate parking and vibrant retail is maintained and no reduction of retail square footage results from the new housing.
Program L2.4.3 Allow housing on the El Camino Real frontage of the Stanford Research Park. Explore multi- family housing elsewhere in the Stanford Research Park and near Stanford University Medical Center (SUMC).
Program L2.4.4 Assess non-residential deve lopment potential in the Community Commercial, Service Commercial and Downtown Commercial Districts (CC, CS and CD) and the Neighborhood Commercial District (CN), and convert non-retail commercial FAR to residential FAR, where appropriate. Conversion to residential capacity should not be considered in Town and Country Village.
Program L2.4.5 Update the municipal code to include zoning changes that allow a mix of retail and residential uses but no office uses. The intent of these changes would be to encourage a mix of land uses that contributes to the vitality and walkability of commercial centers and transit corridors.
Program L2.4.6 Explore changing the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) ordinances for both buildings of historic significance and for seismic retrofits so that transferred development rights may be used for residential capacity.
Program L2.4.7 Explore mechanisms for increasing multi-fa mily housing density near multimodal transit centers.
Program L2.4.8 Identify development opportuni ties for BMR and more affordable market rate housing on publicly owned properties in a way that is integrated with and enhances existing neighborhoods.
Policy L-2.5 Support the creation of affordable housing units for middle to lower income level earners, such as City and school district employees, as feasible.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
40 Program L2.5.1 Collaborate with PAUSD in
exploring opportunities to build
housing that is affordable to
school district employees.
Policy L-2.6 Create opportunities for new mixed use
development consisting of housing and retail.
Policy L-2.7 Support efforts to retain housing that is more affordable in existing neighborhoods, including a
range of smaller housing types.
Program L2.7.1 Review development standards to
discourage the net loss of
housing units.
Policy L-2.8 When considering infill redevelopment, work to minimize displacement of existing residents.
Program L2.8.1 Conduct a study to evaluate various possible tool s for preventing displacement of existing residents.
Program L2.8.2 Develop and implement a system to inventory the characteristics of existing housing units and track changes in those characteristics on a regular basis. Make the information publicly available.
Policy L-2.9 Facilitate reuse of existing buildings.
Policy L-2.10 Ensure regular coordination between the City and PAUS D on land development activiti es and trends in Palo Alto, as well as planning for school facilities and prog rams. Under State law, impacts on school facilities cannot be the basis for requiring mitigation beyond the payment of school fees or for denying development projects or legislative changes that could result in additional housin g units. The City will, however, assess the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts of development projects that result in new school construction or enrollment.
Program L2.10.1 Collaborate with PAUSD to plan for space to accommodate future school expansions or new school sites, and evaluate zoning space to accommodate new schools.
Policy L-2.11 Encourage new development a nd redevelopment to incorporate greenery and natural features such as green rooftops, pocket parks, plazas and rain gardens.
Policy L-2.12 Ensure that future development addresses potential risks from climate change and sea level rise.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
41 DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS
GOAL L-3 Safe, attractive residential neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character and within walking distance of shopping, services, schools and/or other public gathering places.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY
Policy L-3.1 Ensure that new or remodeled structures are compatible with the neighborhood and adjacent structures.
Policy L-3.2 Preserve residential uses from conversion to office or short-term rentals.
Program L3.2.1 Evaluate and implement strategies to prev ent conversion of residential and neighborhood- serving retail space to office or short-term vacation rentals.
Policy L-3.3 Recognize the contribution of cottage cluster housing to the character of Palo Alto and retain and encourage this type of development.
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
Policy L-3.4 Ensure that new multi-family buildings, entries and outdoor spaces are designed and arranged so that each development has a clear relationship to a public street.
Policy L-3.5 Avoid negative impacts of basement construction for single-family homes on adjacent properties, public resources, and the natural environment.
Program L3.5.1 Develop a program to assess and manage both the positive and negative impacts of basement construction in single family hom es on the community and the environment, including:
h Impacts to the natural environment, such as potential impacts to the tree canopy, groundwater supply or quality and soil compaction.
h Safety issues such as increased surface fl ooding increased groundwater intrusion with sea level rise, emergency access and egress, or sewage backflows.
COMMERCIAL CENTERS
GOAL L-4 Inviting pedestrian scale centers that offer a variety of retail and commercial services and provide focal points and community gathering places for the city’s residential neighborhoods and employment districts.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
42 COMMERCIAL CENTERS AND MIXED USE AREAS
Policy L-4.1 Encourage the upgrading and revitalization of selected Centers in a manner that is compatible with the character of surrounding neighborhoods, without loss of retail and existing small, local businesses.
Policy L-4.2 Preserve ground-floor retail, limit the displacement of existing retail from ne ighborhood centers and explore opportunities to expand retail.
Program L4.2.1 Study the overall viability of ground-floor retail requirements in preserving retail space and creating an active street environment, in cluding the types of locations where such requirements are most effective.
Program L4.2.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of formula retail limits adopted for Cali fornia Avenue. Develop incentives for local small businesses where warranted.
Program L4.2.3 Explore and potentially support new, creative and innovative retail in Palo Alto.
Policy L-4.3 Encourage street frontages that contribute to retail vitality in all Centers. Reinforce street corners in a way that enhances the pedestrian realm or that form corner plazas. Include trees and landscaping.
Policy L-4.4 Ensure all Regional Centers and Multi-Neighborhood Centers provide centrally located gathering spaces that create a sense of identity and encourage economic revita lization. Encourage public amenities such as benches, street trees, kiosks, restrooms and public art.
Program L4.4.1 Study the feasibility of using public and priv ate funds to provide and maintain landscaping and public spaces such as parks, plazas, sidewalks and public art within commercial areas.
Program L4.4.2 Through public/private cooperation provide well-signed, clean and accessible restrooms.
Program L4.4.3 Collaborate with merchants to enhance the ap pearance of streets and sidewalks within all Centers. Encourage the formation of busine ss improvement districts and undertake a proactive program of maintenance, repair, landscaping and enhancement.
Program L4.4.4 Identify priority street improvements that could make a substantial contribution to the character of Centers, such as wi dening sidewalks, narrowing travel lanes, creating medians, restriping to allow diagonal parking and planting trees.
Policy L-4.5 Support local-serving retail, recognizing that it provid es opportunities for local employment, reduced commute times, stronger community connections and neighborhood orientation.
Program L4.5.1 Revise zoning and other regulations as need ed to encourage the preservation of space to accommodate small businesses, start-ups and other services.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
43 Program L4.5.2 Consider planning, regulatory, or other incenti ves to encourage property owners to include smaller office spaces in their buildings to se rve small businesses, non-profit organizations, and independent professionals.
HOTELS
Policy L-4.6 Sites within or adjacent to existing commercial areas a nd corridors are suitable for hotels. Give preference to housing versus hotel use on sites adjacent to predominantly single-family neighborhoods.
Program L4.6.1 Explore increasing hotel FAR from 2.0 to 3.0 in the University Avenue/Downtown area and
2.5 in areas outside of Downtown.
REGIONAL CENTERS
University Avenue/Downtown
Policy L-4.7 Maintain and enhance the University Avenue/Downtown area as a major commercial center of the City, with a mix of commercial, civic, cultural, recreational and residenti al uses. Promote quality design that recognizes the regional and historical importance of the area and reinforces its pedestrian character .
Policy L-4.8 Ensure that University Avenue/Downtown is pedestrian-f riendly and supports bicycle use. Use public art, trees, bicycle racks and other amenities to create an environment that is inviting to pedestrians and bicyclists.
Program L4.8.1 Prepare a Coordinated Area Plan for Downtown.
Program L4.8.2 Study the feasibility of converting parts of University Avenue to a pedestrian zone.
Stanford Shopping Center
Policy L-4.9 Maintain Stanford Shopping Center as one of the Bay Area’s premiere regional shopping centers. Promote
bicycle and pedestrian use and encourage any new
development at the Center to occur through infill.
Program L4.9.1 While preserving adequate parking
to meet demand, identify strategies
to reuse surface parking lots.
Program L4.9.2 Explore adding additional Floor Area
Ratio (FAR) for retail at Stanford
Shopping Center.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
44 MULTI -NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
California Avenue
Policy L-4.10 Maintain the existing scale, character and function of the California Avenue business district as a
shopping, service and office center intermediate
in function and scale between Downtown and the
smaller neighborhood business areas.
Program L4.10.1 Prepare a coordinated area plan
for the North Ventura area and
surrounding California Avenue
area. The plan should describe a
vision for the future of the North
Ventura area as a walkable neighborhood with multi -family housing, ground floor retail, a public park, creek improvements and an interconnected street grid. It should guide the development of the California Ave nue area as a well-designed mi xed use district with diverse land uses and a network of pedestrian-oriented streets.
Program L4.10.2 Create regulations for the California Ave nue area that encourage the retention or rehabilitation of smaller buildings to provide spaces for existing retail, particularly local, small businesses.
Policy L-4.11 Improve the transition between the California-Cambridge area and the single family residential neighborhood of Evergreen Park. Avoid abrupt changes in scale and density between the two areas.
Town and Country Village
Policy L-4.12 Recognize and preserve Town and Country Village as an attractive retail center serving Palo Altans and
residents of the wider regi on. Future development
at this site should preserve its existing amenities,
pedestrian scale and architectural character while
also improving safe access for bicyclists and
pedestrians and increasing the amount of bicycle
parking.
Policy L-4.13 In Town and Country Village, encourage a vibrant retail environment and urban greening.
Policy L-4.14 In Town and Country Village, encourage improvement of pedestrian, bicycle and auto circulation and landscaping improvements, including maintenance of existing oak trees and planting additional trees.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
45 El Camino Real
Policy L-4.15 Recognize El Camino Real as both a local serving and regi onal serving corridor, defined by a mix of commercial uses and housing.
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
Policy L-4.16 Improve the local-serving focus, and provide safe pedest rian, bicycle and multimodal access to all three Palo Alto Neighborhood Centers – Charles ton Shopping Center, Edgewood Plaz a and Midtown Shopping Center.
Support their continued improvement and vitality.
Program L4.16.1 Maintain distinct neighborhood shopping areas tha t are attractive, accessible and convenient to nearby residents.
Policy L-4.17 Encourage maximum use of Neighborhood Centers by ensuring that the publicly maintained areas are clean, well-lit and attractively landscaped.
Policy L-4.18 Maintain Midtown Shopping Center as an attrac tive, pedestrian-oriented, one- to two-story Neighborhood Center with diverse local-serving uses and adequate parking, and a network of pedestrian-oriented streets, ways and gathering places. Encourage re tention of Midtown’s grocery store and a variety of neighborhood retail shops and services.
EMPLOYMENT DISTRICTS
GOAL L-5 High quality employment districts, each with their own distinctive character and each contributing to the character of the city as a whole.
Policy L-5.1 Foster compact Employment Districts developed in a way that facilitates transit, pedestrian and bicycle
travel. Provide mixed uses to reduce the number of
auto trips.
Program L5.1.1 Explore with Stanford University
various developm ent options for
adding to the Stanford Research
Park a diverse mix of uses,
including residential, commercial
hotel, conference center, commercial space for small businesses and start-ups, retail, transit hub and other community-supporting services that are compatible with the existing uses, to create a vibrant innovation-oriented community.
PP A L OO A L T OO C O M P R E H E N S I V EE P L A NN
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
46 Policyy L-5.2 Provide landscaping, trees, sidewalks, pedestrian path and connections to the citywide bike way system within Employment Districts. Pursue opportunities to include si dewalks, paths, low water use landscaping, recycled water and trees and remove grass turf in renovation and expansion projects.
Policyy L-5.3 Design paths and sidewalks to be attractive and comfor table and consistent with the character of the area where they are located.
Policyy L-5.4 Maintain the East Bayshore and San Antonio Road/Bays hore Corridor areas as diverse business and light industrial districts.
GOAL L-6 Well-designedd buildingss thatt createe coherentt developmentt patternss andd enhancee cityy streetss andd publicc spaces..
DESIGN OF BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC SPACE
Policyy L-6.1 Promote high-quality design and site
planning that is compatible with
surrounding development and public
spaces.
Programm L6.1.1 Promote awards
programs and other
forms of public
recognition for projects
of architectural merit
that contribute positively
to the community.
Policyy L-6.2 Use the Zoning Ordinance, design review process, design guidelines and Coordinated Area Plans to ensure high quality residential and commercial design and architectural compatibility.
Policyy L-6.3 Encourage bird-friendly design.
Programm L6.3.1 Develop guidelines for bird-friendly building design that minimizes hazards for birds and reduces the potential for collisions.
Policyy L-6.4 In areas of the City having a historic or consistent de sign character, encourage the design of ne w development to maintain and support the existing character.
Policy L-6.5 Guide development to respect views of the foothills and East Bay hills along public street corridors in the developed portions of the City.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
47 Policy L-6.6 Design buildings to complement streets and public spac es; to promote personal safe ty, public health and well- being; and to enhance a sense of community safety.
Program L6.6.1 Modify design standards to ensure that mi xed use development promotes a pedestrian- friendly relationship to the street, including elements such as screened parking or underground parking, street-facing windows and entries, and porches, windows, bays and balconies along public ways, and landscaping, and trees along the street. Avoid blank or solid walls at street level.
Policy L-6.7 Where possible, avoid abrupt changes in scale and dens ity between residential and non-residential areas and between residential areas of different densities. To prom ote compatibility and gradual transitions between land uses, place zoning district boundaries at mid-block locations rather than along streets wherever possible.
Program L6.7.1 Implement architectural standards to assure they effectively address land use transitions.
Policy L-6.8 Support existing regulations that preserve exposure to natural light for single-family residences.
Policy L-6.9 Discourage the use of fences that obscure the view of the front of houses from the street.
Policy L-6.10 Encourage high quality signage that is attractive, energy-e fficient, and appropriate for the location, and balances visibility needs with aesthetic needs.
GOAL L-7 Conservation and preservation of Palo Alto’s historic buildings, sites and districts.
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Policy L-7.1 Encourage public and private upkeep and
preservation of resources tha t have historic merit,
including residences listed in the City’s Historic
Resource Inventory, the California Register of
Historical Resources, or the National Register of
Historic Places.
Program L7.1.1 Update and maintain the City’s
Historic Resource Inventory to
include historic resources that are
eligible for local, State, or federal listing. His toric resources may consist of a single building or structure or a district.
Program L7.1.2 Reassess the Historic Preservation Ordinance to ensure its effectiveness in the maintenance and preservation of historic resources, particularly in the University Avenue/Downtown area.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
48 Policy L-7.2 If a proposed project would substantially affect the exterior of a potential historic resource that has not
been evaluated for inclusion into the City’s Historic
Resources Inventory, City staff shall consider
whether it is eligible for in clusion in State or federal registers prior to the issuance of a demolition or
alterations permit. Minor exterior improvements
that do not affect the architectural integrity of
potentially historic buildings shall be exempt from
consideration. Examples of minor improvements
may include repair or replacement of features in
kind, or other changes that do not alter character-defining features of the building.
Policy L-7.3 Actively seek state and federal funding for the pres ervation of buildings of historical merit and consider public/private partnerships for capital and program improvements.
Policy L-7.4 Relocation may be considered as a preservation strat egy when consistent with State and national standards regarding the relocation of historic resources.
Policy L-7.5 To reinforce the scale and character of University Av enue/Downtown, promote the preservation of significant historic buildings.
Policy L-7.6 Promote awards programs and other forms of public recognition for exemplary Historic Preservation projects.
Policy L-7.7 Streamline, to the maximum extent feas ible, any future processes for design review of historic structures to eliminate unnecessary delay and uncertainty for the applicant and to encourage historic preservation.
REHABILITATION AND REUSE
Policy L-7.8 Promote adaptive reuse of old buildings.
Program L7.8.1 Promote and expand available incentives for the retention and rehabilitation of buildings with historic merit in all zones and revise existi ng zoning and permit regulations to minimize constraints to adaptive reuse.
Program L7.8.2 Create incentives to encourage salvage and reuse of discarded historic building materials.
Program L7.8.3 Seek additional innovative ways to apply curre nt codes and ordinances to older buildings.
Use the State Historical Building Code for designated historic buildings.
Policy L-7.9 Allow compatible nonconforming uses for the life of historic buildings.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
49 Policy L-7.10 Ensure the preservation of significant historic resources owned by the City of Palo Alto. Allow
such resources to be altered to meet
contemporary needs consistent with the Secretary
of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation .
Policy L-7.11 For proposed exterior al terations or additions to designated Historic Landmarks, require design
review findings that the proposed changes are in
compliance with the Secretary of the Interior
Standards for Rehabilitation.
Policy L-7.12 Maintain the historic integrity of building exteriors.
Consider parking exceptions for historic buildings to
encourage rehabilitation.
Program L7.12.1 Review parking exceptions for historic buildings in the Zoning Code to determine if there is an effective balance between historic preservation and meeting parking needs.
Policy L-7.13 Encourage and assist owners of historically significant bui ldings in finding ways to adapt and rehabilitate these buildings, including participation in state and federal tax relief programs.
Policy L-7.14 Continue to use a TDR Ordinance to allow the transfer of development rights from designated buildings of historic significance in the Commercial Downtown (CD) zone to non-historic receiv er sites in the CD zone.
Consider revising the TDR Ordinance so that transferre d development rights may be used only for residential development on the receiver sites.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Policy L-7.15 Protect Palo Alto’s archaeological re sources, including natural land forma tions, sacred sites, the historical landscape, historic habitats and remains of settleme nts here before the founding of Palo Alto in the 19th century.
Policy L-7.16 Continue to consult with tribes as required by Californi a Government Code Section 65352.3. In doing so, use appropriate procedures to accommodate tribal concer ns when a tribe has a religious prohibition against revealing precise information about the location or previous practice at a particular sacred site.
Policy L-7.17 Assess the need for archaeological surveys and mitigation plans on a project-by-project basis, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
Policy L-7.18 Require project proponents to meet State codes and regu lations regarding the identification and protection of archaeological and paleontological deposits, and unique geologic features.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
50 PARKS AND GATHERING PLACES
GOAL L-8 Attractive and safe parks, civic and cultural facilities provided in all neighborhoods and maintained and used in ways that foster and enrich public life.
Policy L-8.1 Facilitate creation of new parkland to serve Palo Alto's residential neighbor hoods, as consistent with
the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Recreation Master
Plan.
Policy L-8.2 Provide comfortable seating areas and plazas with places for public art adjacent to library and
community center entrances.
Policy L-8.3 Encourage small-scale local-serving retail services, such as small cafes, delicatessens and coffee carts, in civic centers: Mitchell Park, Rinconada Library and
Cubberly Community Center.
Policy L-8.4 Create facilities for civic and intellectual life, such as better urban public spaces for civic programs and
speakers, cultural, musical and artistic events.
Policy L-8.5 Recognize public art and cultural facilities as a comm unity benefit. Encourage the development of new and the enhancement of existing public and private art and cult ural facilities throughout Palo Alto. Ensure that such projects are compatible with the character and identity of the surrounding neighborhood.
Policy L-8.6 Seek potential new sites for art and cultural facilities, public spaces, open space and community gardens.
Policy L-8.7 Encourage religious and private institutions to collaborate with the community and the surrounding neighborhood.
PUBLIC STREETS AND PUBLIC SPACES
GOAL L-9 Attractive, inviting public spaces and streets that enhance the image and character of the city.
STREETS AND PARKING
Policy L-9.1 Recognize Sand Hill Road, University Avenue betw een Middlefield Road and San Francisquito Creek, Embarcadero Road, Page Mill Road, Oregon Expressway, Interstate 280, Arastradero Road (west of Foothill Expressway), Junipero Serra Boulevard/Foothill Expressway and Skyline Boul evard as scenic routes and preserve their scenic qualities.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
51 Program L9.1.1 Evaluate existing zoning code
setback requirements to ensure
they are appropriate for scenic
routes.
Policy L-9.2 Encourage development that creatively integrates parking into the project, including by locating it
behind buildings or underground wherever
possible, or by providing for shared use of parking
areas. Encourage other alternatives to surface
parking lots that minimize the amount of land devoted to parking while still maintaining safe streets, street trees, a vibrant local economy and sufficient parking to meet demand.
Policy L-9.3 Treat residential streets as both public ways and ne ighborhood amenities. Provide and maintain continuous sidewalks, healthy street trees, benches and other amenities that promote walking and “active” transportation.
Program L9.3.1 Review standards for streets and signage and upda te as needed to foster natural, tree-lined streets with a minimum of signage.
PUBLIC SPACES
Policy L-9.4 Maintain and enhance existing public gathering places and open spaces and integrate new public
spaces at a variety of scales.
Policy L-9.5 Encourage use of data-driven, innovative design methods and tactics and use data to understand to
evaluate how different community members use
public space.
Policy L-9.6 Create, preserve and enhance parks and publicly acce ssible, shared outdoor gathering spaces within walking and biking distance of residential neighborhoods.
Program L9.6.1 Analyze existing neighborhoods and determin e where publicly-accessible shared, outdoor gathering spaces are below the citywide standa rd. Create new public spaces, including public squares, parks and informal gathering spaces in these neighborhoods.
GATEWAYS
Policy L-9.7 Strengthen the identity of important co mmunity-wide gateways, including the entrances to the City at Highway 101, El Camino Real and Middlefield Road; the Caltrain stations; entries to commercial districts; Embarcadero Road at El Camino Real and between Palo Alto and Stanford.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
52 Program L9.7.1 Develop a strategy to enhance gateway sites with special landscaping, art, public spaces and/or public buildings. Emphasize the creek brid ges and riparian settings at the entrances to the City over Adobe Creek and San Francisquito Creek.
URBAN FOREST
Policy L-9.8 Incorporate the goals of the Urban Forest Master Plan, as periodically amended, into the
Comprehensive Plan by reference in order to assure
that new land uses recogniz e the many benefits of
trees in the urban context and foster a healthy and
robust tree canopy throughout the City.
Program L9.8.1 Establish incentives to encourage
native trees and low water use
plantings in new development
throughout the city.
Policy L-9.9 Involve the Urban Forester, or appropriate City staff, in development review.
UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Policy L-9.10 Design public infrastructure, including paving, signs, utility structures, parking garages and parking lots to meet high-quality urban design standards and embrace technol ogical advances. Look for opportunities to use art and artists in the design of public infrastructure. Remove or mitigate elements of existing infrastructure that are unsightly or visually disruptive.
Program L9.10.1 Continue the citywide underg rounding of utility wires. Minimize the impacts of undergrounding on street tree root systems and planting areas.
Program L9.10.2 Encourage the use of compact and well-designe d utility elements, such as transformers, switching devices, backflow preventers and te lecommunications infrastructure. Place these elements in locations that will minimize their visual intrusion.
Policy L-9.11 Provide utilities and service systems to serve all urbanized areas of Palo Alto and plan infrastructure maintenance and improvements to adequately serve existing and planned development.
Program L9.11.1 Implement the findings of the City’s Infrastruc ture Blue Ribbon Committee and its emphasis for rebuilding our civic spaces.
Program L9.11.2 Identify City-owned properties where combinati ons of wireless facilities can be co-located, assuming appropriate lease agreements are in place.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
53 Policy L-9.12 Recognize the importance of regional infrastructure, such as the Regional Water Utility Infrastructure owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).
Program L9.12.1 Coordinate with regional utility providers on acti vities that would impact their infrastructure and right-of-way.
GOAL L-10 Maintain an economically viable local airport with minimal environmental impacts.
PALO ALTO AIRPORT
Policy L-10.1 Operate Palo Alto Airport (PAO) as a vital and efficient facility at its current level of operation without intruding into open space areas. PAO should remain limited to a single runway and minor expansion shall only be allowed in order to meet federal and State airport design and safety standards.
Program L10.1.1 Relocate the terminal building away from the Runway 31 clear zone and closer to the hangars, allowing for construction of a replacement terminal.
Program L10.1.2 Update the Airport Layout Plan in accord ance with Federal Aviation Administration requirements, as needed, while ensuring confor mance with the Baylands Master Plan to the maximum extent feasible.
Program L10.1.3 Identify and pursue funding to address maintena nce, safety and security improvements needed at PAO.
Policy L-10.2 Regulate land uses in the Airport Influence Area to ensu re consistency with the Palo Alto Airport Comprehensive Land Use Plan and the Baylands Master Plan.
Policy L-10.3 Minimize the environmental impacts associated with PAO operations, includi ng adverse effects on the character of surrounding open space, noise levels and the quality of life in residential areas, as required by federal and State requirements.
Program L10.3.1 Establish and implement a system for processi ng, tracking and reporti ng noise complaints regarding local airport operations on an annual basis.
Program L10.3.2 Work with the airport to pursue opportunities to enhance the open space and habitat value of the airport. These include:
h Maintaining native grasses;
h Reconstructing levees to protect the airport from sea level rise while enhancing public access and habitat conservation; and
h Evaluating the introduction of burrowing owl ha bitat. This program is subject to federal wildlife hazard requirements and guidelines for airports.
Policy L-10.4 Provide public access to the Airport for bicyclists and pedestrians.
PP A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
54 Program L10.4.1 Continue to provide a bicycle/pedestrian path adjacent to Embarcadero Road, consistent with the Baylands Master Plan and open space char acter of the baylands subject to federal and State airport regulations.
Policy L-10.5 Address the potential impacts of future sea level rise thr ough reconstruction of the Bayfront levee in a manner that provides protection for the Airport and greater habitat along the San Francisco Bay frontage.
Policy L-10.6 Encourage the use of alternatives to leaded fuel in aircraft operating in and out of Palo Alto Airport.