City Council
Meeting #1
October 6, 2025
Chris Sensenig, Associate Principal, Raimi and Associates Robert Cain, Principal Planner, Long Range Planning (Project Manager) Overview
• Key Findings
• Next Steps
• Discussion
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
What will the San Antonio Area Plan have?
• Land use program (derived from land use alternatives) • Development standards to inform future zoning updates • Policies for mobility, housing, sustainability, and other topics • Recommended public realm improvements and priority projects • Development incentives, implementation strategies, and phasing What is an Area Plan?
3 An Area Plan is a comprehensive planning and zoning tool for a defined area within a community. It establishes the vision and guiding principles for the area with community input; and provides guidance for future development by establishing land uses, implementation policies and projects, and development standards. It is separate from, but must be consistent with, the City’s adopted Comprehensive Plan.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
What is the San Antonio Road Area Plan?
4 A City-led initiative to create a 20-year vision with active community input ENHANCE ECONOMIC VITALITY Attract new businesses, strengthen Palo Alto’s economy, and preserve valued local businesses.
CREATE A MORE LIVABLE COMMUNITY
Encourage residential and mixed-use development, with
housing at all income levels, and access to well-designed public spaces and neighborhood services and retail.
IMPROVE MOBILITY AND SAFETY
Enhance streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit
connections for easier and safer travel for all users.
SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY
Promote development with fewer, shorter commutes,
integrate green infrastructure, increase tree canopy, and build resilience to climate change.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Project Area
5 • The Area Plan covers 275.3 acres along Palo Alto’s border with Mountain View.
• The project area covers most of the Bayshore Alma San Antonio (BASA) Priority Development Area (PDA) boundary.
• Includes 1.8-mile length of San Antonio Road with major intersections at US-101, East Charleston, Middlefield and Alma/ Central Expressway.
• Southern part of the Plan Area is within a half-mile of San Antonio Caltrain station.
• Mix of industrial, office, service commercial and residential uses.
Adjacent neighborhoods in both Palo Alto and Mountain View are residential.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 6
Project Timeline
Workshop (Pop-up TBD)
Online Survey
Walk Audit
CAG+TAG Meetings
Council, Commissions, Boards
Policy
Recommendations +
Draft Development
Standards
Engagement
Strategy,
Materials,
Existing Conditions
Report
Final Area
Plan + EIR
Admin.
Draft Area
Plan + EIR
Land Use +
Mobility
Alternatives,
Preferred
Alternative
ARB + CSTSC + PABAC + PTC + CC
Public
Review
Draft Area
Plan + EIR
ARB + PRC + PABAC+PTC+CC ARB + PRC + PABAC+PTC+CC PTC+CC Adoption Hearings 20282025
Phase 1
Project Initiation +
Existing Conditions
Assessment
Phase 2
Vision + Land Use/
Mobility
Alternatives
Phase 3
Analysis + Policy
Recommendations
Phase 4
Draft Area Plan
+ EIR
Phase 5
Plan Adoption +
Implementation
2026 2027
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Existing Conditions Analysis
7 Nine Analysis Memos by topic + Summary
1. Land use and zoning
2. Housing, growth and displacement risk
3. Transportation and mobility
4. Market and economic analysis
5. Hazards, public safety, and historic resources
6. Parks, open space, and public facilities
7. Noise and air quality
8. Infrastructure
9. Climate and resilience
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Location and Context
8 SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 9
Built Character + Open Space
NORTH
FABIAN WAY
CTI
NEIGHBORH
OOD
NORTH
BAYSHORE
OFFICE
PARK
SOUTH FABIAN WAY/
TAUBE KORET CAMPUS
GREENHOUSE
COMMUNITY
CHARLESTON/
MIDDLEFIELD/
SAN ANTONIO
CORRIDOR
ALMA STREET
CORRIDOR
SAN ANTONIO
ROAD/ AVENUE
CORRIDOR
Character Areas
Built Character
• Diverse mix of industrial,
office, service commercial,
and residential uses.
• Distinct character areas based
on lot sizes, building types,
and built character.
• Individual lots transforming
from industrial/ commercial
to mixed-use.
Open Space
• Access to neighboring parks
but no existing park or
community space.
• Area between Charleston and
US-101 is “park-deficient”,
outside 10-minute walkshed.
Access to Parks
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
10 Zoning + Development Activity
Pipeline Projects
Zoning
• 2023-2031 Housing Element
identifies 53 opportunity sites in
the Plan Area.
• GM and ROLM-zoned districts
within Plan Area designated as
Focus Areas.
• City’s Housing Incentive Program
(HIP) applies to part of Plan Area.
Pipeline Projects
• Recent development proposals,
typically mid-rise multifamily.
• Potential for 750 new housing units
if all proposed projects get built.
1237 San
Antonio Rd
2400-2470
Charleston
824 San Antonio
800,808 San
Antonio Rd
788 San
Antonio Rd
762 San
Antonio RdZoning Map
3997 Fabian Way
3950 Fabian Way
1237 San
Antonio Rd
2400-2470
Charleston
824 San Antonio
800,808 San
Antonio Rd
788 San
Antonio Rd
762 San
Antonio Rd
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Tier 1 Overview
• ½ Mile from Caltrain Entrance
• Allows up to 65 ft in Height
• Densities of 100 du/a
• ¼ Mile from Caltrain Entrance
• Allows up to 75 ft in Height
• Densities of 120 du/a
11 Impact of SB 79
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 12
Existing Housing, Jobs, and Future Potential
Existing Housing
• 802 housing units (about 3% of City’s housing stock), most dating from the 1970s.
• Building types include 2-3 story multifamily rentals and condos, and 2-story townhouses.
• 30% of Plan Area housing is deed-restricted (252 units, including 80 senior housing units) and Byron Street areas has “naturally occurring affordable housing.”
• 40% of Plan Area residents are renters.
Existing Jobs and Businesses
• Limited retail within Plan Area but variety of retail and service amenities within half-mile and one-mile radius. • Has 4.3% of City jobs, but 40% of all manufacturing jobs, concentrated in small office and light industrial spaces in Commercial St/Transport St/Industrial Ave area.
Future Potential
• Strong housing market for both rental and
ownership models.
• Most likely to attract midrise multi-family
housing development.
• Opportunity for housing at a variety of income
levels to meet projected regional growth.
• Potential for local-serving retail, restaurants, and
services near areas of housing growth.
• Prime retail locations with high visibility and
access at intersections of San Antonio with
Middlefield and Charleston.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Identified priorities include improving connectivity,
pedestrian-bike safety, and station access
• Existing bicycle facilities along San Antonio Road limited, with only a short segment between Middlefield and Charleston. • Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis identifies highest stress rating (LTS-4) for segments on San Antonio Road, Alma Street, and Middlefield Road.
• Gaps in the existing pedestrian network limit direct access to key destinations in adjacent neighborhoods and to Caltrain. 13 Multimodal Connectivity
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Identified safety issues need to be addressed
• A total of 143 collisions in the Plan Area over the past 10 years, including two fatal and three severe injury collisions. • Unsafe speeds accounted for 34% of all collisions.
• The Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan’s High-Injury Network (HIN) corridors (prioritized for safety interventions as part of Vision Zero) includes San Antonio Road from Alma Street to Charleston Road, Middlefield Road from San Antonio Road to Lytton Avenue, and Charleston Road from San Antonio Road to Los Palos Avenue.
14 Safety For All Users
Fatal
Severe Injury
Visible Injury
Complaint of Pain
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
The Plan Area can have potential impacts from
climate change and natural hazards
• Part of the Plan Area is located in FEMA flood zone AE, a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) designation.
• Area north and east of Charleston Road has potential to be inundated during an average tide, under a 36-inch sea level rise scenario.
• Portions near the Bay and streams are at risk of ground liquification in a seismic event.
• Plan Area is not located in a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ). • Noise and air quality issues will need to be mitigated as part of future development.
15 Hazards and Climate Change
Zone AE
Zone X
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 16
Development Opportunities
16 NORTH
BAYSHORE
OFFICE PARK
CHARLESTON/
MIDDLEFIELD/
SAN ANTONIO
CORRIDOR
GOOGLE X CAMPUS
(Planned Development)
ALMA
STREET
CORRIDOR
SOUTH
FABIAN WAY
NORTH
FABIAN WAY
CTI
NEIGHBORHOOD
Opportunities
• Active development projects
• Indicate market interest in Plan Area
• Areas actively transitioning into residential/mixed-use • Commercial Street/Transport Street/ Industrial Avenue (CTI) area and adjacent land in Mountain View has significant properties under single ownership
• Intersection of San Antonio Road/Middlefield Road has development potential
• If the Maxar site redevelops in the future, it can be a significant development since the large site area makes placemaking investments more feasible.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 17
Identified Opportunities and Challenges
Opportunities
• Good auto access from US-101
• Proximity to Caltrain
• Diverse mix of existing uses to build on
• Recent development interest
• Zoning initiatives have increased development
potential
• Opportunity to provide housing at a variety of
income levels
• Coordination with the Cubberley Master Plan
• South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity project
Challenges
• Limited pedestrian and bike facilities
• Traffic, pedestrian, and bike safety
• Inadequate access to Caltrain
• Inadequate transit service
• Traffic congestion during peak periods
• Limited existing neighborhood-serving retail and services • No existing park or other community space
• Future development subject to market conditions and
other development uncertainties
• Potential incompatibility in near term between existing and new land uses
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 18
Public Meetings
September and October meetings and engagement events:
• September 9: Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (PABAC) • September 10: Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) • September 18: Architectural Review Board (ARB)
• September 25: City/School Transportation Safety Committee (CSTSC) • October 6: City Council
• October 16: Pop-Up #1
• October 23: Community Workshop #1
Next Phase:
• Sep 2025 to Jun 2026: Land Use and Mobility Alternatives Questions? Click the QR code
to find out more
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 19
Feedback from Commissions/Boards/CAG/TAG
Planning and Transportation Commission
• How do you improve vehicle flow and infrastructure as well as bike/ped? • Aim big on ped/bike infrastructure
• Work with Mountain View on ped/bike improvements
• Address the RV and unhouses situation
• How do you get the affordable units in addition to market rate? • Are there ways to increase transit in the plan area
• Unlikely to support new office but need to know more. • Minimum 3:1 residential to office floor area need for balance • Worry about redevelopment in flood risk areas
Architectural Review Board
• Project can create a new gateway to Palo Alto
• Go big here, there could be 10,000 units or more. Don’t limit height. • Plan for the next housing element in addition to this one • Would be open to a series of small open spaces instead of a larger park • Look at how the Maxar site may change in the long term City/School Transportation Safety Committee
• Consider where the children going to attend school, and the capacity at these schools
• There will need to be recommended walk/roll routes to those schools Survey Open
• The City launched a public survey to elicit additional feedback • Survey runs from October 2 to October 31
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 20
Feedback from Commissions/Boards/CAG/TAG
Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee
• Improving connections to Caltrain for cyclists and pedestrians • Improving cycling infrastructure preferably separated from vehicle traffic • Reducing crossing times, adding crossings, improving safety • Creating local-serving retail spaces that are nearby
• Mitigating increased traffic from new development and other nearbyprojects such as the VTA 101 interchange improvements
Community Advisory Group
• Need more trees
• Consider future of transportation
• Concern about the RV’s
• How will the growth impact schools?
• Improve access to Caltrain
• Would like to see larger open spaces
• Affordable non-profit space should be included
• How will parking be addressed?
Technical Advisory Group
• Has fire service water been analyzed
• Incorporate Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (SCAP) • Green stormwater requirements may make bike infrastructure moreexpensive • Create more shade along ped/bike routes
• How will future infrastructure and open space be funded? Partner Jurisdictions
• Staff is aware of the importance of coordinating with other jurisdictions and has organized regular meetings with
Mountain View staff
• Coordination with Valley Transportation Authority also underway
• Coordination with school districts (Palo Alto Unified School District, Mountain View Whisman School District, Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District) and Caltrain forthcoming
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 21
Requested Feedback
Vision
What other
opportunities and
challenges within
the Plan Area
warrant further
consideration?
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
Residential Development
The Plan Area was rezoned for the Housing Element Opportunity Sites and the Housing Incentive Program. • The Project Team will explore further scenarios to increase residential capacity at all income levels, including modifications to existing development standards.
• The Project Team will explore incentives, such as additional office floor area, for private developers to fulfill Area Plan goals related to housing and public improvements. 22 Requested Feedback
Outdoor Space
Palo Alto has a wide variety of public outdoor spaces
and community facilities, but the Plan Area has
no parks or community spaces, particularly in the
Commercial Street/Industrial Avenue area, which is
more than a 10-minute walk from nearby parks.
• The Project Team will explore methods to
locate new outdoor space, including parkland
dedication, land acquisition, and public-
private partnerships.
Retail
As the Plan Area adds residential uses, the lack of
everyday retail and services within the Plan Area, such as restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, and personal
services, would need to be addressed.
• The Project Team will explore retail models,
evaluating the benefits of clustered or
distributed retail, including optimal locations.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN 23
Requested Feedback
• The Project Team will explore mobility improvements for all travelers, including redesigning San Antonio Road, creating bike/ped facilities through neighborhoods, and/or utilizing special setbacks.
Mobility Priorities
The project team has identified the following key mobility priorities within the Plan Area:
• Create a safe and convenient pedestrian and bike connection along San Antonio Road to the Caltrain Station.
• Improve pedestrian and bike facilities across San Antonio Road and along E Charleston Street and Middlefield Road to connect to community destinations and open space resources.
• Improve bike connections across US-101 to Baylands nature preserve. • Enable Safe Routes to School through safety improvements.
SAN ANTONIO ROAD AREA PLAN
• Existing Conditions Analysis
• Initial Plan Considerations
o Housing. The plan area will consider scenarios for increased growth including re-evaluation of housing needs allocation capacity in the plan area.
o Office. Alternatives will explore potential to increase office development to support community plan objectives.
o Development Standards. Alternatives will generally look at mid-rise construction types up to 85-95 feet range but will evaluate at least one scenario with taller buildings. o Transportation. Alternatives will explore mobility improvements for all travelers, including redesigning San Antonio Road and creating bike/ped facilities through neighborhoods. o Open Space. Through land acquisition or public-private partnerships, plan will seek to create new opportunities for open space.
o Retail. Retail will be prioritized to be aggregated and co-located with open space and housing to create community gathering “third places.”
24 Requested Feedback: Summary
Thank you!