660 University
Planned Home Zoning (PHZ)
Rezoning + Comp Plan
Amendment
Presenter:
Emily Kallas, Senior Planner
November 10, 2025 www.paloalto.gov
2 PROJECT OVERVIEW
A Comprehensive Plan Amendment to allow existing office to be re- established in the MF Designation.
A Planned Home Zoning (PHZ) ordinance to include:
• A new six-story mixed-use building with 1,984 sf of office and 70 residential units, 20% of which will be affordable
• Two levels of underground parking, with 78 parking stalls • A height exception to the 35 ft limit,
• Reduced setbacks, including the Middlefield Special Setback Merges 3 existing parcels
1 PHZ/PC Process
• Prescreening – October 2021
• Formal application – December 2021
• Initial PTC hearing – November 2022
• Initial ARB hearing – December 2022
• Significant redesign – September 2023
• ARB recommendation – April 2024
• PTC hearing – cancelled
• Significant redesign – October 2024
• ARB recommendation – December 2024
• PTC hearing – March 2025
• Significant redesign – July 2025
• ARB recommendation – August 2025
• PTC recommendation – October 2025
• Council decision – November 2025
BACKGROUND / PROCESS
4 BUILDER’S REMEDY APPLICATION
• Tolling Agreement valid through December 29, 2025
• Potential for up to 131 units
• Potential for up to 101,823 sf floor area
• No development standards, including Special Setback, height, daylight plane, parking
• Would require review by the ARB and Council
5 NOTABLE CHANGES SINCE PTC HEARING
• Decreased from 70 units to 66 (slightly decreased FAR) • Added bird safe glass per PTC recommendation
• Removed balconies from tree protection zone per PTC and ARB recommendation
6 PROPOSED PROJECT ELEVATIONS UNIVERSITY AND INTERIOR
7 ELEVATIONS – MIDDLEFIELD AND BYRON
8 KEY CONSIDERATIONS
• Comprehensive Plan Amendment
• Zoning Allowances
• Tree Protection Zone and Balconies
• Future Use of the Special Setback
• Parking and TDM Plan
• Affordable Below Market Rate Units
9 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT
The proposed language is shown in underline below:
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.
As part of a Planned Community zone, or in accordance with retail preservation requirements, existing commercial square footage may be maintained or rebuilt, as part of a housing development project. 10 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT
• Use is limited to new PC/PHZ projects, with existing
commercial space, in the MF Comp Plan Designation
• Approximately 35 properties out of the approximately 1,730 properties in the MF designation have been identified as having a non-residential use.
• Majority existing uses are medical/dental offices
• Majority located on the periphery of downtown areas
11 ZONING ALLOWANCES
The project deviates from the underlying zone district in the following ways:
• Height (71 feet 2 inches where a maximum 30 feet is
allowed)
• FAR (3.05:1 where a maximum 0.5:1 is allowed)
• Density (126.9 dwelling units per acre where a maximum of 20 dwelling units per acre is allowed)
• Useable Open Space (86.2 square feet per unit where a minimum 150 square feet is required)
• Parking (78 parking spaces where 89 are required)
12 ZONING ALLOWANCES
• Setbacks encroachments:
o Middlefield Special Setback – 0 feet below grade where 24 feet is required
o Byron street side yard – 12 feet above grade, 0 feet below grade where 16 feet is required
o University street side yard – 7 feet above grade, 0 feet below grade where 16 feet is required
o Interior side yard – ramp to garage is 2 feet setback where 10 feet is required
• Daylight plane (4th through 6th floors encroach into the 10 foot, 45- degree angle daylight plane adjacent to RM-20 zoned properties).
13 TREE PROTECTION ZONE AND BALCONIES
• Protection of the Coast Live Oak (Tree #10) is a priority • The ARB and PTC both recommended removing the
balconies from within the TPZ
o Urban Forestry staff confirms that the balconies do not affect the health of the tree.
• The applicant has reduced the project from 70 units to 66 to maintain a useable balcony for each unit
• The alternative would be to maintain a 70 unit design, but not provide private useable outdoor space in 6 units.
• Both options result in minor reductions to the total
availability of useable open space on a per-unit basis. 14 FUTURE USE OF THE SPECIAL SETBACK
• Project encroaches into the Middlefield Special Setback below grade • The purpose of the Special Setbacks is for implementation of Transportation Element Comprehensive Plan policies.
• Proposed condition of approval to:
o Dedicate a Public Access Easement over a portion of the 24-foot front yard special setback, including to a depth of 20 feet, for multi-modal transportation improvements
o Any future easement may require the removal of site improvements (parking spaces, interior garage areas)
o Exception for proposed stair and ramp location(s) to remain o May reduce parking from 78 to 72 parking spaces.
15 PARKING AND TDM PLAN
• 8% parking reduction proposed
• TDM plans to reduce trips by 20%
• Within the Downtown Residential Preferential Parking (RPP) • Proposed condition of approval to address spillover parking 16 AFFORDABLE/BMR UNITS
• 20% BMR units provided is the Public Benefit for a PHZ project
• Plan proposes 2 very-low income, 5 low-income, and 6
moderate-income.
• This includes 5 studios, 7 one-bedrooms, and 1 two-
bedroom units.
• Staff recommends this be revised to 4 studios, 7 one- bedrooms, and 2 two-bedrooms.
17 PUBLIC COMMENTS
• Over 50 comment emails received, both in support and with concerns.
• Many neighbors at The Hamilton are concerned about
construction impacts, traffic and parking, noise, and tree protection.
• Assertion that the Builder's Remedy application is no longer valid
• City Attorney has reviewed and determined that the
Builder's Remedy project application ("680 University") can still be amended pursuant to the Tolling Agreement. 18 CEQA
• A Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been
published and was in circulation April 2, 2024 – May 17, 2024
• A Final EIR analyzing 63 units and 9,115 sf of office was published in March 2025.
• Analysis of the project changes was incorporated into a Revised Final EIR published October 1, 2025. The current project would not result in any new or more significant impacts beyond what was assessed in the previously
published Draft and Final EIR documents.
19 RECOMMENDED MOTION
It is recommended the City Council take the following actions:
1. Adopt the Resolution to certify the EIR and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP);
2. Adopt the Resolution amending the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element to modify the allowable uses in the Multiple Family Land Use Designation; and
3. Adopt the Planned Community (PC) Ordinance rezoning the subject property and approving the development plan and uses, public benefits, and
4. Approve the Record of Land Use Action with approval findings and conditions of approval.
EMILY KALLAS, AICP
Senior Planner
[email protected]
650-617-3125