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Resolution No. ____
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the Comprehensive Plan Circulation Element Text to Add Two New Street Classifications to Map T-5 to add Pedestrian Only Streets and Community Streets and to Apply Those Designations to a Segment of Ramona Street and California Avenue, Respectively
R E C I T A L S
A. California Government Code Section 65300 et seq. requires every city and county in California to adopt a General Plan, known in Palo Alto as its Comprehensive Plan, for its long-range development, and further, to periodically update that plan to reflect current issues and conditions.
B. On November 13, 2017, the City Council for the City of Palo Alto (City) certified a Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the City of Palo Alto 2030 Comprehensive Plan through Resolution No. 9720, made findings in relation to the Final EIR, adopted a mitigation monitoring and report plan (MMRP), and adopted a statement of overriding considerations through Resolution No. 9721 and adopted the City of Palo Alto 2030 Comprehensive Plan through Resolution No. 9722.
C. Map T-5 on Page 67 of the City of Palo Alto 2030 Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element identifies California Avenue and Ramona Street as residential/collector streets.
D. On June 23, 2020, the Council adopted Resolution No. 9909 approving the temporary closure of portions of California Avenue and certain other Downtown streets through Labor Day 2020 to allow for outdoor dining and retail on those streets, consistent with the Santa Clara County Public Health Order in effect. The street closures were part of a Summer Streets Program initiated by the City to accommodate outdoor uses at a time when indoor dining remained prohibited in the County and the growing scientific evidence showed a lower risk of COVID-19 transmission outdoors compared to indoors. At that time, the City anticipated that indoor dining would be allowed to resume in the County, as had been allowed in neighboring counties, and sought to address the immediate needs of the community including residents, workers and businesses that had been severely impacted by loss of business activity and revenue.
E. Through subsequent resolutions, including Resolutions 9909, 9911, 9933, 9954, 9962, 9987, 9988, 10039, 10040, 10129, 10130, 10207, and 10208, Council temporarily extended the street closures.
F. On November 6, 2023 Council directed staff to return with the necessary actions to maintain California Avenue and Ramona Street as a car-free street with current areas of street closure to be made permanent.
G. To align Map T-5 of the transportation Element to reflect the partial closure of segments of Ramona Street and California Avenue, two new street classifications will be added to the map legend and reflected on the map. The new classifications of “Pedestrian Only Streets” and “Community Streets”, will be reflected on the map for the car-free segments of Ramona Street and California Avenue, *NOT YET APPROVED*
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respectively. These classifications and associated provisions are implemented in Resolution _____, which also approves the closure of these street segments to vehicular traffic.
H. The Planning and Transportation Commission, after a duly noticed public hearing on February 12, 2025, recommended that the City Council amend Map T-5 of the City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan and add definitions of the new street classifications to the Glossary as set forth below.
I. The City Council considered said recommendation after a duly noticed public hearing held on March 10, 2025 and now desires to amend Map T-5 of the Circulation Element as set forth below.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council finds that the public interest, health, safety and welfare of Palo Alto and the surrounding region would be furthered by an amendment of the Circulation Element.
SECTION 2. T he Text Amendment to Map T-5 of the Circulation Element of the Comprehensive Plan is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan as a whole; in particular, it facilitates these partial streets closures, which furthers the following goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan:
Table 1: Comprehensive Plan Policy Consistency
Natural Element
Goal N-5: Clean, healthful air for Palo Alto and
the San Francisco Bay Area.
The proposed comprehensive plan amendment
facilitates the closure of two street segments to
motor vehicles, prioritizing alternative modes of
transportation, consistent with these policies that
encourage reduction in emissions from automobiles.
Policy N -5.2: Support behavior changes to
reduce emissions of particulates from
automobiles.
Transportation Element
Goal T-1: Create a sustainable transportation
system, complemented by a mix of land uses,
that emphasizes walking, bicycling, use of
public transportation and other methods to
reduce GHG emissions and the use of single -
occupancy motor vehicles.
The proposed comprehensive plan amendment
facilitates the closure of two street segments to
motor vehicles, which encourages a transportation
system that emphasizes alternative modes of
transportation to single-occupancy motor vehicles
and supports bicycling and walking.
Policy T -1.3: Reduce GHG and pollutant
emissions associated with transportation by
reducing VMT and per-mile emissions through
increasing transit options, supporting biking
and walking, and the use of zero -emission
vehicle technologies to meet City and State
goals for GHG reductions by 2030.
Policy T-1.19: Provide facilities that
encourage and support bicycling and walking.
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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.
The project encourages a community center in retail
areas that are intended to support the vibrant retail
environment surrounding these areas.
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
revitalization. Encourage public amenities
such as benches, street trees, kiosks,
restrooms and public art.
The proposed comprehensive plan amendment
facilitates the closure of two street segments in order to make these spaces central gathering places that
create a sense of identity and encourage walkability
and a vibrant retail area on both California Avenue
and Ramona Street.
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 -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
residential uses. Promote quality design that
recognizes the regional and historical
importance of the area and reinforces its
pedestrian character.
Policy L -7.5 To reinforce the scale and
character of University Avenue/Downtown,
promote the preservation of significant
historic buildings.
The City conducted consultation with tribes that are
geographically and culturally affiliated with the area
in accordance with Senate Bill 18 regulations and
incorporate the tribe’s recommendations as part of
the proposed project to ensure the protection of
tribal cultural resources, if uncovered. The project
does not include any proposed street modifications
that would have the potential to impact adjacent
historic buildings, which would be preserved as part
of the proposed project. The project adds vitality to
the areas around these historic buildings, enhancing
pedestrian access to these areas.
Policy L-7.16 Continue to consult with tribes
as required by California Government Code
Section 65352.3. In doing so, use app ropriate
procedures to accommodate tribal concerns
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 survey s 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 regulations regarding
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the identification and protection of
archaeological and paleontological deposits,
and unique geologic features.
SECTION 3. The City Council hereby amends the Comprehensive Plan Circulation Element as follows:
Map T-5 on Page 67 of the Transportation Element as shown in Attachment A is hereby amended to identify two new street classifications, Community Streets and Pedestrian Only Streets, and to apply those classifications to a portion of California Avenue from El Camino Real to Birch Street and a portion of Ramona Street between Hamilton Avenue and University Avenue, respectively, as shown in Attachment B.
The Glossary is hereby amended to add the following terms and definitions:
Community Street
Streets that are restricted to pedestrians and bicycles or similar modes of transportation, subject to a maximum speed limit. Emergency vehicles and utility and maintenance vehicles operated by or on behalf of the City are allowed; private utility and commercial vehicles may be allowed in limited capacities through an exception process. Outdoor dining, retail displays, and community events are encouraged on community streets.
Pedestrian Only Street
Streets that are restricted to pedestrians. Emergency vehicles, and utility and maintenance vehicles operated by or on behalf of the City are allowed; private utility vehicles may be allowed through an exception process. Outdoor dining and retail displays are encouraged on pedestrian only streets.
These street classifications and additional rules for these street segments are implemented in Resolution ________, which approves the closure of these street segments to vehicular traffic.
SECTION 4. In conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the environmental impacts of this Resolution were evaluated in an Environmental Impact Report Addendum entitled “City of Palo Alto Car Free Ramona Street and California Avenue Addendum to the Comprehensive Plan EIR” dated February 2025. This addendum supplements the analysis in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2030 Comprehensive Plan (SCH #2014052101), which the Council considered and adopted, together with the related Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan (MMRP) on November 13, 2017 in accordance with City Council Resolution 9721 and 9722. The addendum did not disclose any new significant impacts that were not previous evaluated and mitigated in the Comp plan EIR, for which a statement of overriding considerations was previously adopted. //
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SECTION 5. This resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
INTRODUCED:
PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:
__________________________ _____________________________ City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
__________________________ __________________________ Assistant City Attorney City Manager
APPROVED:
__________________________
Chief Transportation Official
Exhibit A: Existing Map T-5 of the Transportation Element Exhibit B: Proposed Map T-5 of the Transportation Element "X
"X
§¨¦280
|ÿ82
£¤101
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
S A N
F R A N C I S C O
B A Y
Los Altos
El Camino Real
Foothill Expressway
Oregon Expressway
Embarcadero Road
University Avenue
East Charleston Road
San Antonio Road
Alma Street
Middlefield RoadCalifornia Ave Station
Palo Alto Station
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2013; PlaceWorks, 2014.
M A P T - 5
ROADWAY NETWORK
P A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N E L E M E N T
0 0.25 0.5 Miles
Local/Collector Residential Arterial Arterial Expressway Freeway Railroads "X Caltrain Stations Parks Public Conservation Land Sphere of Influence City Boundary Exhibit A: Existing Map T-5
"X
"X
§¨¦280
|ÿ82
£¤101
Mountain View
East Palo Alto
Stanford
Los Altos Hills
Menlo Park
S A N
F R A N C I S C O
B A Y
Los Altos
El Camino Real
Foothill Expressway
Oregon Expressway
Embarcadero Road
University Avenue
East Charleston Road
San Antonio Road
Alma Street
Middlefield RoadCalifornia Ave Station
Palo Alto Station
Source: City of Palo Alto, 2025.
M A P T - 5
R O A D W A Y N E T W O R K
P A L O A L T O C O M P R E H E N S I V E P L A N
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N E L E M E N T
0 0.25 0.5 Miles
Pedestrian Only Street Community Street Local/Collector Residential Arterial Arterial Expressway Freeway Railroads "X Caltrain Stations Parks Public Conservation Land Sphere of Influence City Boundary Exhibit B: Proposed Map T-5
Exhibit B: Proposed Map T-5
(continued)
Block-level map of the Pedestrian Only Street section of Ramona St. marked in yellow above.