February 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
3265 El Camino Real
Planned Home Zone (PHZ)
City Council
Garrett Sauls, Principal Planner
1 PHZ/PC Process
• Prescreening – September 2023
• Formal application – January 2024
• PTC hearing(s) – April 10, 2024
• 1st ARB hearing – April 18, 2024
• 2nd ARB Hearing – November 21, 2024
• PTC Hearing – January 15, 2025
• Council decision – Today
Public comments are accepted at all public
hearings, and through writing at any time
throughout this process.
BACKGROUND / PROCESS
3 PROJECT OVERVIEW
A Planned Home Zone (PHZ) rezoning to include:
• Six-story, 55-unit residential rental project on a
vacant lot
• 32 parking spaces – 30 in stackers & two accessible
spaces (25 EV Stalls, 6 EV Ready Stalls)
• 55 bike lockers, four short-term bike spots, and five shared electric bikes
• 100% of the units will be deed restricted:
• 25% of units will be Low-Income (70% AMI)
• 75% will be Moderate-Income (110% AMI)
4 PROJECT OVERVIEW (Continued)
The project deviates from the base CS zoning requirements in the following ways:
• Rear yard setback (10 foot required, 0-5 feet proposed) • Site Coverage (50% permitted, 87% proposed)
• Floor Area Ratio (0.6 permitted, 4.42 proposed)
• Height (50 feet permitted, 79 feet proposed – to top of staircase);
• Minimum Open Space per unit (150 square feet required, 31 square feet proposed)
• Parking (55 required, 32 provided)
• Loading Zone (One Short-Term Parking Stall per 50 units)
5 PROJECT LOCATION
Location
• Frontage on El Camino Real
• Adjacent to El Camino Real Focus
Area
• Approximately 323 du/acre on
0.17 acres
Surrounding Densities
• 3150 El Camino Real
• 144 du/acre on 2.55 acres
• 3001 El Camino Real
• 113 du/acre on 1.14 acres
• 3400 El Camino Real
• 65 du/acre on 3.5 acres
6 Council Feedback - September 11, 2023
The Council provided the following direction on the
design:
• Provide information on how long parking stackers
take to cycle through;
• Clarify if parking will be unbundled from units;
• Provide information on anticipated rents and
whether they will be affordable to teachers;
• Consider expanding the driveway from 14 feet to
20 feet;
7 El Camino Real Frontage (NB)
8 El Camino Real Frontage (SB)
9 Rear Elevation
10 Rooftop Deck
11 TDM Plan Requirements
• Unbundled Parking
• Free VTA Smart Passes for all tenants
• Shared E-Bikes
• Online Transportation
Kiosk/Transportation Coordinator
12 Circulation
Fehr & Peers evaluated circulation to and within the site:
• For lifts, PAMC requires capacity for full/mid-size vehicles which is smaller than typical code requirements. • Stalls 1-6 can be accessed with three or fewer maneuvers with both vehicle size types. • Stalls 7-8 require more based on vehicle size; mid-size - three or fewer, full-size - four to five maneuvers. • COA #18 requires Stalls 7 and 8 only be accessed by mid-size vehicles only given all stalls are assigned.
Affordability Information
Typical formula for calculating rents: HCD AMI Income Bracket for # PPH x .30 / 12 *Subject to increase every year
Staff Report Corrections
• In discussing affordability to PAUSD salary schedule, staff report used the HUD definition of cost-burden rather than the City's and HCD's definitions of “affordable rent.” • Under local definitions, all units are considered affordable to appropriately-sized households, even if there is some degree of cost-burden. I.E., rent + utilities based on 110% of AMI is still considered “affordable rent” for a household with income at 90% of AMI, even though their housing cost would exceed 30% of gross income.
• Comparing the PAUSD salary schedule to the applicable low- and moderate-income bands:
• One-person households w/ single PAUSD salary:
9% qualify for LI studios; 79% qualify for MI studios
• Two-person households w/ single PAUSD salary:
21% qualify for LI studios or 1 BR; 79% qualify for MI studios or 1 BR. 14 15
• Project will satisfy Option 2 of Council’s
PHZ requirements (Weighted Value BMR
Units – minimum 20%, 75% provided).
• Property is within the NVCAP boundaries.
• Protected Valley Oak proposed for removal
because dripline exceeds 25% of buildable
area.
• Roof deck will provide the majority of
open space requirements.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
16 RECOMMENDED MOTION
1. Consider the Initial Study Checklist/Streamlined Environmental Review prepared in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15183;
2. Adopt the Ordinance in Attachment B amending the zone district from CS to PC; and
3. Approve the Record of Land Use Action in Attachment C.
Garrett Sauls
Principal Planner
[email protected]
• The base zoning is CS. The AHIP is the City’s local program to encourage 100% affordable housing projects. The project conforms and deviates in the following ways from CS and AHIP:
1. CS Lot Coverage: 50% (3,704); AHIP: No max; Proposal: 87% (6,525)
2. CS FAR: 60% (4,495); AHIP: 2.0 (14,984); Proposal: 4.42 (33,089)
3. CS Open Space/Unit: 150 sf; AHIP: 50 sf; Proposal: 31 sf
4. CS Height: 50 ft; AHIP: 50 ft; Proposal: 79 ft, 8 in
5. CS Parking: 1 space/1 bedroom unit (55); AHIP: 0.75 space/unit (42); Proposal: 32
AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM
*Bolded Standard Does not Comply w/ AHIP
• The project conforms and deviates in the following ways from CS and the ECR Focus Area:
1. CS Lot Coverage: 50% (3,704); ECR FA: 70%; Proposal: 87% (6,525)
2. CS FAR: 60% (4,495); ECR FA: 4.0 (29,968); Proposal: 4.42 (33,089)
3. CS Open Space/Unit: 150 sf; ECR FA: 100 sf; Proposal: 31 sf
4. CS Height: 50 ft; ECR FA: 85 ft; Proposal: 79 ft, 8 in
5. CS Parking: 1 space/1 bedroom unit (55); ECR FA: 1 space/unit (42); Proposal: 32
EL CAMINO REAL FOCUS AREA
*Bolded Standard Does not Comply w/ ECR FA
• The project conforms and deviates in the following ways from CS and the NVCAP development standards:
1. CS Lot Coverage: 50% (3,704); NVCAP: 100% (7,492); Proposal: 87% (6,525)
2. CS FAR: 60% (4,495); NVACP: 3.0 (22,476); Proposal: 4.42 (33,089)
3. CS Open Space/Unit: 150 sf; NVCAP: 150 sf; Proposal: 31 sf
4. CS Height: 50 ft; NVCAP: 65 ft; Proposal: 79 ft, 8 in
5. CS Parking: 1 space/1 bedroom unit (55); NVCAP: 1 space/1 bedroom unit (42); Proposal: 32
NVCAP DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
*Bolded Standard Does not Comply w/ NVCAP
7 Modified Facades
Previous Front/Side Facade Revised Front/Side Facade
8 Modified Facades
Previous Front/Side Facade Revised Front/Side Facade
9 Modified Facades
Previous Rear Facade Revised Rear Facade
Alternative Parking/Trash Collection Solution
10 Windows Facing Kasa Hotel
Previous Section Towards Kasa Revised Section Towards Kasa