Agenda packet — Palo Alto City Council, March 2, 2026 (part 2 of 4)

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Goal B-1: Businesses in Palo Alto that contribute to economic vitality, enhance the city’s physical environment, promote municipal revenues and provide needed local services.

B.1.1.1
Implement and periodically amend an
Economic Development Policy to guide
business development in the City in a
manner consistent with Policy L-1.10.

Planning and
Development
Services & City
Manager's
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues to monitor the office / Research
& Development growth. In 2025, there was a net
loss of 48,543 sq. ft. of office/R&D as of December
31, 2025. This was led by the demolition of 824
San Antonio, demolition of office buildings to
construct a new mixed use building, as well as
3963 and 3977 Fabian (two approximately 14,000
square foot buildings) through an interim urgency
ordinance where we allow early demolition to
clean up a Cortese list site. This cleanup was
directed by the Regional Water Quality Control
Board under a specified schedule.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal B-3: Careful management of City revenues and expenditures so that the fiscal health of the City is ensured and services are delivered efficiently and equitably.

B3.2.1
Administer the City’s Business Tax and
Business Registry programs to ensure
businesses are properly registered and
reporting, generate revenue to support
voter-approved priorities, and collect key
data on business type, size, location, and
number of employees to track the diversity
of Palo Alto businesses.

Administrative
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
The new business tax program is now operational,
with businesses filing and remitting revenue on a
regular schedule. Compliance efforts continue to
improve registration rates and ensure accurate
reporting, strengthening the City’s understanding
of the business landscape and revenue base.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal B-4: The stimulation of diverse commercial, retail and professional service business opportunities through supportive business policies and a culture of innovation.

B4.2.1
Revise zoning and other regulations as
needed to encourage the preservation of
space to accommodate small businesses,
start-ups and other services.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented code
amendment options the Planning and
Transportation Commission in October 2025 and
the Retail Committee in January 2026.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
B4.2.2
Consider planning, regulatory, or other
incentives to encourage property owners to
include smaller office spaces in their
buildings to serve small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and independent professionals.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Yes, All
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 208 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
B4.6.1
Work with local merchants to encourage
Palo Alto residents, workers, and visitors to
buy in Palo Alto.

Planning and
Development
Services & City
Manager's
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues to encourage Palo Alto
residents, workers, and visitors to buy in Palo Alto
through event activations throughout the business
districts.

Yes, Staff
Comments
B4.6.2
Study the overall viability of ground-floor
retail requirements in preserving retail space
and creating an active street environment,
including the types of locations where such
requirements are most effective.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 N/A Complete
The reports were presented to the Planning and
Transportation Commission in 2024. Council
reviewed the report per PTC and Council Retail Ad
Hoc and directed staff to proceed with
recommendations.

Yes, Staff
Comments
B4.6.3
Maintain distinct neighborhood shopping
areas that are attractive, accessible, and
convenient to nearby residents.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No
Goal B-5: City regulations and operating procedures that provide certainty, predictability and flexibility and help businesses adapt to changing market conditions.

B5.1.1
Regularly evaluate ways to improve
coordination of the City’s environmental
review, permitting, and inspection
processes.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No
B5.1.2
Improve design guidelines to reduce
ambiguity and more clearly articulate
compatibility principles to the business
community and to the public.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
Objective Design Standards for housing
development projects and for single-family homes
were approved in 2022. Ongoing improvements
will be made as needed. SOFA CAP zone
regulations will be updated in 2026 to include
objective design standards.

Yes, Staff
Comments
B5.1.3
Simplify the design review process for smallscale changes to previously approved site plans and buildings.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Ongoing Ongoing
Staff is processing more Architectural Review
applications over the counter including sign
applications. These procedures were last updated
in February 2024 to add additional items that can
be processed OTC.

Yes, Staff
Comments
B5.1.4
Revise zoning and other regulations as
needed to encourage the revitalization of
aging retail structures and areas. Encourage
the preservation of space to accommodate
small, independent retail businesses and
professional services.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Partially Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal B-6: Attractive, vibrant retail centers, each with a mix of uses and a distinctive character.

Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 209 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
B6.1.1
Actively work with Downtown businesses,
professional associations and the Palo Alto
Chamber of Commerce to retain successful
retail businesses that contribute to the City’s
goals for Downtown.

Planning and
Development
Services & City
Manager's
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues collaborating with various
stakeholders, including the Chamber of
Commerce, University Avenue Downtown
Businesses, California Avenue businesses,
hoteliers, Stanford, and others to promote a
strong business climate.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal B-7: Thriving business employment districts at Stanford Research Park, Stanford Medical Center, East Bayshore/San Antonio Road Area and Bayshore Corridor that complement the City’s business and neighborhood centers.

B7.2.1
Review policies and regulations guiding
development at Stanford Research Park and
revise them as needed to allow improved
responsiveness to changing market
conditions in a manner consistent with
Policy L-1.10.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
The City Council adopted the Housing Element in
May 2023 and adopted a revised Housing Element
in April 2024 which was certified by the State in
August 2024. Staff meets regularly with Stanford
University regarding land use on an ongoing basis;
including Housing Element program
implementation on Stanford lands.

Yes, Staff
Comments
B7.2.2
Study the feasibility of a “transfer of
development rights” (TDR) program and
other measures that would provide greater
development flexibility within Stanford
Research Park without creating significant
adverse traffic impacts or increasing the
allowable floor area.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No

COMMUNITY SEERVICES & FACILITIES ELEMENT
Goal C-1: Deliver community services effectively and efficiently.

C1.1.1
Based on identified needs, continue to
provide and expand the provision of
multilingual literature, program information
and educational displays at public
community facilities and parks.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. CSD continues to
implement this program to provide and expand
multilingual materials at public community
facilities and parks.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 210 of 711

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C1.1.2
Establish a cross-cultural outreach program
to engage residents of all ages, cultural,
social and linguistic backgrounds in
educational, recreational and cultural
activities offered throughout the City of Palo
Alto.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
The Art Center’s free-admission exhibitions
showcase diverse cultural themes through art,
engaging more than 25,000 people annually. In
2025 the Art Center launched its program
"Centering: Clay and Community," which is
intended to highlight the Art Center's historical
commitment to ceramic art and education. The
series kicked off with a juried exhibition focused
on functional ceramics that included numerous
Palo Alto artists. Thanks to the Art Center
Foundation, the Center hosts free drop-in monthly
air-dry clay workshops inspired by the exhibitions
on view. With the support of the Friends of the
Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, the Children’s
Theatre Produced theatrical works supported by
community collaborations and cross-cultural
exchanges. In 2025, the Children’s Theatre
produced two original commissions in the
theatre’s Playhouse Series for very young
audiences. “One Grain of Rice,” produced in
collaboration with artists from the South Asian
community, is an adaptation of a traditional Indian
folktale and featured a post-performance Holi
Celebration, one of the only Bay Area Holi events
specifically designed to be enjoyed by young
participants (ages 2-6). “Chang’e and the Moon”
was written by two teen theatre participants,
featuring original music, and explores an original
myth that explains the creation of the Chinese
Mid-Autumn Festival, and was produced a second
time in fall. At the Junior Museum, 23% of the
24,500 students served each year by its science
outreach program are from low-income
communities and schools and so participate for
free thanks to scholarships for school programs
and summer camps provided by the Friends of the
Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. Marketing and
educational materials are also available in Spanish,
as are signage provided at on-site exhibit
experiences for visitors. Programs serve children as
young as 3 and their adults to students up to 5th
grade. Two summer camps serve students in 6th
and 7th grades, and the institution's volunteer
program and teen intern program serve middle
and high school students. Adults and seniors are
also engaged as volunteers. Special events and
cultural programs (ex: this year's Lunar New Year
Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 211 of 711

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C1.2.1
Periodically review public information,
outreach and community relations activities
to evaluate effectiveness.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change from previous year reporting. This is an ongoing task. No C.1.2.2
Explore a City solution to help residents and
others to resolve questions and concerns
and navigate the City’s community services
and facilities.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing No change from previous year. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 212 of 711

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C1.2.3
Identify barriers to participation in City
programming and facilities across gender,
age, socioeconomic and ethnic groups and
sexual identity and orientation, as well as
mental and physical abilities, and adopt
strategies to remove barriers to
participation.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Significant Ongoing
Ongoing promotion continues at the Art Center
including promotion of the accessible potters’
wheel and easels. Accessibility offerings are
outlined on the Art Center’s access webpage and
also include social narratives for visiting our
galleries and taking classes in our studios. Thanks
to support from the Palo Alto Art Center
Foundation, the Art Center can offer scholarships
to East Palo Alto youth and low-income seniors to
reduce barriers to access classes and workshops. In
2025, as part of the Children's Theatre's Magical
Series Spectrum and Sensory Friendly offerings,
developed in collaboration with the Magical Bridge
Foundation, the Children’s Theatre offered Magical
Series Sensory and Spectrum Friendly
performances and classes, including acting, dance
and music therapy offerings designed for
differently abled participants. The Children’s
Theatre Main Stage and Summer Hot Dog Series
offered ASL designated performances. The
Children’s Theatre also worked with PAUSD to
offer free theatre classes in summer camps
designed to serve to low-income and traditionally
under-represented communities. The theatre also
worked with Paws for Purple Hearts, to provide
opportunities for the organization to train service
and therapy dogs who support wounded veterans,
improving their lives through canine-assisted
programs. At the Junior Museum & Zoo, the
Friends of the PAJMZ underwrite program cost for
low-income families and schools, providing nearly
$145,000 in funding annually for free school
programs and field trips for Title 1 schools and
community groups (ex. Boys and Girls Clubs), and
summer camps scholarships for low-income
families. All exhibits, programs, and visitor
amenities at the Junior Museum were designed to
support learning of children and adults of all
abilities and those with disabilities, and programs,
and visitor service and educational staff are
trained annually on how best to support the
learning and visitor experience of children with
learning and physical disabilities.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.2.4 Based on identified needs, expand program
offerings to underserved groups.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The Art Center Foundation continues to provide
support to the Art Center to reach underserved
communities. The Foundation provided 19
scholarship tours to East Palo Alto schools, with
Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 213 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
buses, allowing the participation of more than 475
students. Creative Connections, our artists-in-theschools program, was offered in 11 East Palo Alto classrooms to 275 students for FREE thanks to
significant support from the Foundation for
staffing costs, teaching artists, teacher stipends,
transportation and materials. Students explored
flora and fauna, California history and geography,
and the science of pollination, connecting to
cultural studies, social studies, and science
standards. The Children’s Theatre worked with the
Friends of Palo Alto Children’s Theatre to provide
more than $10,000 in theatre field trip
transportation grants to Title-1 schools, as well as
class and camp scholarships to low-income
families, and provided more than $20,000 in paid
hands-on learning opportunity for teens. In our
Therapeutic Recreation section, we were able to
hire the first full-time staff member solely
dedicated to supporting accessibility and
therapeutic recreation programs for individuals
with disabilities in the community. Their primary
responsibilities include managing all
accommodation requests received for Community
Services programs and activities, supporting our
local partners who deliver inclusive programing in
the community, and launching city run therapeutic
recreation programs for all-ability levels. Highlights
from 2025 include creating a new program with
Ability Path for adults with profound disabilities to
volunteer at City of Palo Alto facilities twice weekly
to interact with staff and the community and
engage in meaningful work activities.

C1.3.1
Develop and implement a plan to collect and
analyze data on demographics, use of
community service facilities and needs of the
community as related to parks, open spaces,
recreation, arts and culture.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
No change from previous year reporting. This is an
ongoing task. Community Services Department’s
program areas regularly collect and review
demographic information from program
participants. The Parks, Trails, Open Space and
Recreation Master Plan contains information on
community needs.

Yes, Level of
Effort
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C1.6.1
Establish a program to facilitate continuing
corporate support for community services
through contributions of funds, time,
materials and expertise.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Pending
No change from previous year reporting. A formal
program to facilitate corporate support has not
been established. Corporate sponsorships for
special events have been received.

No
C1.12.1
In cooperation with public and private
businesses, non- profit organizations, and
PAUSD, develop a service program that will
coordinate the efforts of agencies providing
services to families and youth in Palo Alto.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing task. No
C1.13.1
Determine the potential for City shared use
of PAUSD facilities for weekend, summer
and evening use for community uses such as
child care, libraries, recreational facilities,
community meeting space, education,
language education, health care, culture and
computer resources.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Pending This is an ongoing task. No C1.15.1
Support and promote the provision of
comprehensive child care services in Palo
Alto by public and private providers,
including employers.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
City staff and the Early Care and Education
Committee continue to work to support childcare
providers in the community and develop an annual
work plan to address key issues faced by local
Child Care providers. A member of the Early Care
and Education Committee has served on the
Downtown Housing Working Group and will serve
on the upcoming San Antonio Housing Working
Group to ensure that the needs of future families
in the area for childcare will be considered.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.15.2
Utilize the Early Care and Education
Committee to develop and update the Child
Care Master Plan, and to connect providers
and professionals working with families with
young children, explore challenges and
opportunities to programs and services for
young children, and support early education
programs in the community in their efforts
to enhance quality.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 215 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C1.15.3
Collaborate with Palo Alto Community Child
Care (PACCC) to identify, develop, and
promote high quality early learning
environments to serve all families in our
community.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
City staff continues to work collaboratively with
Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC) by
managing service contracts with them in order to
provide the best care possible. In the past year,
PAACCC has updated its "Provider Connection"
resource page which includes educator training
and resources for Early Childhood professionals.

Training is available to any provider in Palo Alto,
not just their organization.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.15.4 Explore opportunities to provide access to
childcare for families of City employees.

Community
Services
Department
After 2027 Standard Ongoing This program is in place and ongoing. No C1.16.1
Identify funding sources for expanded
outreach and increased involvement to
support youth and teen leadership programs
and events.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort and the Community
Services Department's nonprofit partners provide
some support for these programs. The City Council
approved funding for youth mental health support
in the FY26 budget to help support these
programs.

No
C1.16.2
Leverage available funding to pursue
support of teen mental, physical, social and
emotional health programs.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues to support Project Safety Net,
now a 501(c)(3) and Youth Community Service, to
support teen mental health programs. The Human
Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) has
historically funded several organizations focusing
on teen health. The City also funds Youth
Community Service's Youth Connectedness
Initiative. The City Council provided funding in
FY26 in support of youth mental health.

Additionally, the City will partner with local
organizations to provide support, programs, or
services to youth. An example is the Gen Z
Hangout that was provided through a
collaboration with the County, allcove, and CSD.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.17.1
Optimize participation in such programs by
increasing the number of locations where
the programs are provided and by
supporting transportation options to these
locations.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing Free Link rides are available to teens seeking to access places that support their mental health. No
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
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Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C1.17.2
Develop programs and activities for teens
that strengthen leadership skills, encourage
a culture of community service,
inclusiveness, tolerance and acceptance of
others.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City supports Teen Leadership Groups,
including the Art Center Teen Leadership Group
(ACTL), Palo Alto Youth Council (PAYC), Teen
Advisory Board (TAB), Teen Library Advisory Board
(TLAB) and Teen Arts Council (TAC), as well as
overseeing Think Fund, a supportive grant program
for teens, and the makerspace, MakeX. The teen
leadership groups give high school students in Palo
Alto the opportunity to serve the teen community
by acting as a voice toward action and change. The
Art Center continues to provide creative
opportunities for teens through expanded teen
classroom assistants and a larger, more engaged
Art Center Teen Leadership (ACTL) group. In the
past year, ACTL had 29 members. Participants
were primarily from the Palo Alto schools, and
attended artist talks and workshops, made holiday
cards for Avenidas clients, organized and held a
Teen Event with 75 teens in attendance, and
exhibited their art at the Art Center.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 217 of 711

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C1.17.3
Promote a diverse range of interests and
vocations among programs offered to
children, youth and teens.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
The Art Center continues to receive record
enrollments in its class programs for adults and
children. The Center engaged 2,357 students in
after-school and weekend classes throughout the
school year and in eight weeks of summer camps.

Students ranged in age from 3-18 years old.

Classes included drawing, painting, comics,
ceramics, fashion design, jewelry, fiber arts, and
more. The Center’s teen volunteer program
continues to thrive both for our afterschool art
classes and summer Counselor in Training (CIT)
program. The Art Center Teen Leadership group
spent the year planning and holding a large teenonly event as well as participating in several community service projects. In total, over 730
volunteers donated over 9,100 hours last year. The
Art Center hired eight summer interns to support
our summer camps, exhibitions, development and
social media programs. They ranged in age from
rising sophomores in college to MFA graduate
students from Syracuse, Boston, Loyola
Marymount, San Francisco State Universities, Art
Center College of Design, University of
Washington, and University of San Francisco. The
interns worked 2,279 hours over the course of the
summer. The Recreation Division will be hosting a
career fair for teens to introduce them to a wide
variety of career paths. In 2025, the Children's
Theatre opened its Main Stage Season with
Madeline's Christmas, producing 15 sold out
performances, serving 2,884 audience members.

In the Playhouse Series, fairytales for very young
audiences (suggested ages 2-6) are performed by
teen participants. Audiences sit on the floor for the
interactive performances. Productions run once a
month, September to June, and will serve
approximately 9,000 members of the audience. In
2025, the Children's Theatre expanded upon its
year-round schedule of sold-out classes, camps
and workshops to include advanced theatre arts
training opportunities with working professionals.

These Intensives create more opportunities for
young actors who are seeking pre-professional
training in script analysis, auditioning and acting.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.18.1 Develop a program to engage the talents
and skills that seniors possess that would
Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The Art Center continues to engage seniors
through our adult studio program and our
volunteer program. In total, over 730 volunteers
Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
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Target
Completion
Date at
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Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
provide volunteer opportunities throughout
the City.
donated over 9,100 hours last year. The Art Center
Foundation continues to provide funds to offer
free artmaking opportunities to low-income
seniors in Palo Alto.

C1.18.2
Support, promote, and publicize the
provision of comprehensive senior services
in coordination with senior service
providers. Comprehensive services include
addressing senior nutrition, mental health
and transportation.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
City continues to support Avenidas for a wide array
of senior programming/services through a services
Contract. The City also supports senior services
through HSRAP grant funding: Current grantees
are: La Comida for senior nutrition needs, Senior
Adult Legal Assistance for free legal services for
seniors, Vista Center for the Blind and Visually
Impaired for low vision services, Loaves and Fishes
for Meals on Wheels Services , YMCA for
specialized exercise programs for older adults and
AbilityPath for Stroke and Brain Injury Services
through REACH.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
C1.18.3
Establish a support program for caregivers of
seniors and people with disabilities by
partnering with private, nonprofit, faithbased and public community service organizations.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Support for caregivers continues to be a key focus
for Avenidas and support for these services was
included in the new 5 year services contract with
the organization.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C1.20.1
Partner with agencies for support and
improved access so that all can participate as
appropriate in Palo Alto recreational
programs.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Council approved funding for Magical Bridge
Foundation to provide more programming in the
community.

No
C1.22.1
Increase awareness about caring and
compassion for the unhoused and those
who suffer from mental and/or physical
conditions through educational
programming in partnership with
community and business organizations
throughout the region.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The biennial Point in Time Count was held on
January 23, 2025. Over 50 local volunteers helped
with the count, including community members,
city staff and nonprofit partners. In additional,
Human Services staff organized an annual
Resource Fair for Low income and unhoused
individuals on June 11, 2025. This event is also
marketed to the allies of the unhoused in the
community to better inform them of programs and
services that serve this population.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 219 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C1.22.2
Work with Santa Clara and San Mateo
Counties, the State of California, the federal
government, non-profit agencies, business
and other organizations to define roles and
responsibilities in the comprehensive
provision of permanent supportive housing
and temporary shelter, food, clothing and
transportation for those in need.

Planning and
Development
Services / CMO
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing task. The City continues to be
involved with local, regional, State, and Federal
partners in this work.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal C-2: Demonstrate a commitment to excellence and high quality service to the public among City of Palo Alto officials and employees.

C2.2.1
Establish performance review criteria for
City employees that consider the quality of
service provided.

Human
Resources
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
To consider the quality of service provided, staff
updated management competencies to establish
performance review criteria such as customer
service & community engagement, innovation &
continuous improvement communication &
professionalism, accountability & technical
excellence. Staff will continue to update
performance criteria for other employee groups.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
C2.2.2
Periodically perform evaluations of City
service delivery and develop strategies for
continuous improvement. Use metrics and
make information publicly available.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Program participants are asked to complete an
evaluation after each class or program and that
information is used to improve offerings.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal C-3: Recognize the intrinsic value and everyday importance of our parks and community centers, libraries, civic buildings and cultural assets by investing in their maintenance and improvement.

C3.2.1
Develop a proactive Asset Management
Program for infrastructure requirements and
costs.

Administrative
Services
Department/

OMB/PWD
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
The Citywide Facility Condition Assessment (FCA)
and Electrification Assessment (EA) inspections
have been completed. The data from the findings
is being populated into Maintenance Connection.

This data will allow staff to track and plan for
deferred maintenance (catch-up), regular
maintenance (keep-up), ADA Accessibility, Capital
Renewals (New) and Energy and Sustainability
(electrification) for future CIP projects and
budgeting.

No
C3.3.1
Periodically evaluate how parks and
recreational facilities are being used and
develop strategies for improving their use
overall.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. Staff regularly analyze
programs and solicit feedback from program
participants to improve programs and provide
desired amenities.

No
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C3.3.2
Study and recommend methods of private
and public financing for improved park
maintenance, rehabilitation, and
construction of facilities, including those
used for arts and culture.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Staff continue to engage in discussions with
partner organizations and stakeholders for funding
opportunities. A current example includes a
public/private partnership with the Friends of the
Recreation and Wellness Center for the Cubberley
Community Center Master Plan Project. Partial
funding for the Greer Skate park is secured
through Friends of Palo Alto Parks and efforts
continue to identify donors to obtain the
additional funds needed to carry out the project.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C3.3.3
Estimate the costs of retrofitting all park
facilities with water efficient appliances,
fixtures and irrigation systems and develop
an implementation schedule to phase-in use
of non-potable water conservations
measures where and when feasible.

Public Works
Department
and
Community
Services
Department
After 2027 Significant Ongoing
Staff continues to review all park facilities and
determine where to upgrade systems to increase
water efficiency. This includes appliances, fixtures,
and irrigation systems. Once evaluated, staff will
develop an implementation schedule. Non-potable
water conservations measures will be included
where and when feasible.

No
C3.3.4
Periodically assess the need to adjust
parkland dedication or fees in lieu thereof to
ensure they remain proportional to real
estate values in Palo Alto.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Partially Complete
The City issued an RFP in May 2025 for a
consultant to complete an impact and in-lieu fee
nexus and feasibility study. Assessment of the Park
Land dedication or fees in lieu thereof as described
in PAMC 21.50 is included in this scope. The
consultant and staff team are targeting a fee
update for Park Land Dedication by Fall 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal C-4: Plan for a future in which our parks, open spaces, libraries, public art, and community facilities thrive and adapt to the growth and change of Palo Alto.

C4.1.1
Explore opportunities to dedicate Cityowned land as parkland to protect and preserve its community- serving purpose
into the future.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Staff continue to review current parklands and
determine which may be appropriate for future
dedication.

No
C4.1.2
Encourage dedication of new land for parks
through regulations and incentives for new
development and programs to solicit
bequests of land within the city.

Community
Services
Department
and Planning
and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Pending This work has not been started due to staff priorities. No
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C4.1.3
Pursue opportunities to create linear parks
over the Caltrain tracks in the event the
tracks are moved below grade.

Community
Services
Department
and Planning
and
Development
Services
After 2027 Substantial Pending The Caltrain tracks have not been moved underground. No
C4.1.4
Explore ways to dedicate a portion of in-lieu
fees towards acquisition of parkland, not just
improvements.

Community
Services
Department
and Planning
and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Pending This work has not been started due to staff priorities. No
C4.5.1
Use Cubberley Community Center as a
critical and vital part of the City’s service
delivery system while also planning for its
future.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing Significant efforts have been in the master planning process for the Cubberley site.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal C-5: Sustain the health, well-being, recreation, and safety of residents and visitors, and improve the quality, quantity, and affordability of social services for all community members, including children, youth, teens, seniors, the unhoused, and people with disabilities.

C5.1.1
Allocate resources to create and support
initiatives to increase the health and wellbeing of the public.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
All of Community Services Department programs
and services support the health and wellbeing of
the community. A new community center at 445
Bryant is being planned for opening in January
2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
C5.1.2
Establish a community-sourced online
clearinghouse of information and activities
related to health promotion in the
community.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Community resources related to health and
wellness have been provided through the City
Manager’s Office as part of Uplift Local and
communication and on the City's website.

No
C5.6.1
Incorporate health and well-being topics,
including arts and culture, into existing
events and programs at City-owned park and
recreation facilities.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Art Center Family Days in the Fall and Winter
engaged 300 participants in activities and
performances connected to the exhibitions.

Seniors from four low-income housing
communities participated in 36 art workshops
offered free-of-charge thanks to the Art Center
Foundation. Projects included oil pastels,
watercolor, card making, and more. Art Center
teaching artists engaged 250 community members
at City-sponsored events.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C5.6.2
Work with schools and community
organizations to provide programs that
educate residents, workers and visitors on
health and well-being topics.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
The Children’s Theatre Dance in Schools Program
continues to serve all K-3 students in PAUSD
Elementary Schools, reaching more than 2,900
students. This is the gold standard in dance
residency programs and specifically designed for
elementary school students. This eight-week
program encourages children to creatively express
themselves through movement, while achieving
fitness and wellness benefits. The Children's
Theatre also continued to work on-site with six of
Palo Alto’s twelve elementary schools to produce
fully staged theatrical Outreach Productions,
including: production staff with director, musical
director, choreographer, designers and live
musicians; scenery and props; as well as
individually designed and fitted costumes.

Participation is free for participants and every child
who auditions is cast. Additional learning
opportunities are available to children interested
in working on production and backstage crews.

More than 1,600 PAUSD students will be served in
this program. In 2025 the theatre expanded PAUSD
Outreach Programs to include “The Joy of Singing”
classes, a movement and vocal program reaching
all 12 PAUSD elementary schools, serving second
and third grade classes during the school day and
in free after school classes. The Teen Arts Council
(TAC), an initiative of Palo Alto Children's Theatre,
continued to produce a diverse roster of events,
including open mic nights, mural painting, clothing
swaps, an annual film festival, and an annual art
and music festival. TAC added a Pride-Month event
to its upcoming Spring schedule and is currently
collaborating with Palo Alto High School to make a
short film about Healthy Relationships, mentored
by professional filmmaker P.J. Palmer. The film will
be part of the curriculum in a required Healthy
Living class for incoming Freshman.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
C5.9.1
Identify existing and potential indoor and
outdoor locations for community gardens
and farmers markets at City-owned or leased
facilities and spaces.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. The Community Services
Department continues to manage the City's
community garden program. There are currently
five community gardens in the program -
Arastradero Garden is currently a
leased/partnership site with the owner.

GOVERNANCE CHAPTER
Goal G-1: Effective opportunities for public participation in local government.

G1.1.1 Consider making data available at a
transactional level on the Open Data Portal.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No
G1.2.1 Continue to hold regular, Town Hall-style
meetings in neighborhoods.

City Council &
City Clerk’s
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Staff has implemented quarterly neighborhood
town hall meetings in partnership with
neighborhood groups. All meeting materials are
available online at www.cityofpaloalto.org/engage.

There are also other topic-specific community
engagement meetings that occur throughout the
year.

No
G1.2.2
Periodically review the suite of engagement
options used to solicit citizen input and
expertise on policy issues.

City Manager’s
Office
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Staff presented community engagement activities
as part of the adoption of the 2025 Council
Priorities/Work Plans. Staff presented a series of
community engagement approaches and gained
input on the City's overall approach. Several efforts
are underway including hosting Neighborhood
Town Halls as a series in the calendar year. Council
also receives a quarterly update on work
Yes, Staff
Comments
G1.2.3
Continue to rely on neighborhood
organizations, the City website, local media,
online technologies and other
communication platforms to keep residents
informed of current issues and to encourage
citizen engagement.

City Manager’s
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing task and staff continues to implement this goal. No Item 5
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
G1.2.4
Provide access to communications
technologies at City facilities, including
public libraries and City Hall, and explore
innovative locations for communication.

City Manager’s
Office
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
The virtual receptionist in the City Hall Lobby
continues to assist the public with their service
needs and this continues to be available. In
addition to service assistance at the Revenue
Collections which now include a Lobby Admin; and
Utilities service counters. In terms of other
communications focus areas, staff manages an
interactive platform that shares information with
the public and also supports new ways to engage
the community on topic specific efforts including
Fiber and Sustainability. Staff continues using the
lobby screens to share City information,
implemented a process to distribute printed
materials to City facilities for public information,
mailed postcards to residents informing them of
the Neighborhood Town Halls, and during the
storm season in addition to all digital ways to share
information, staff recorded updates on the City’s
public information line to share storm impacts and
updates. Both MSC Open House and the City Hall
Open House were hosted again. Additionally, this
year the City is piloting CityAssist, a new AI chatbot
assistant on the City’s website, an additional 24/7
online tool to complement the City’s website
search engine and to help residents find fast
answers in over 70 languages.

Yes, Staff
Comments
G1.2.5
Continue to release City Council staff reports
to the public up to 10 days prior to Council
hearings to increase public awareness of City
decision-making.

City Clerk’s
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues to release City Council staff
reports up to 11 days prior to City Council
meetings, with the exception of amended agenda
items and late packet items which are provided on
the Thursdays before the meeting.

No
Goal G-2: Informed and involved civic, cultural, environmental, social service and neighborhood organizations and residents.

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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
G2.2.1
Continue to offer the use of City facilities to
non-profit civic, environmental, cultural,
neighborhood and social service
organizations for meetings and events at
discounted or complimentary rates and via
sponsorship programs.

City Manager’s
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort however, the City has
implemented a new program called the
Community Event Grant. This grant allows
residents, non-profits located in the Palo Alto or
non-profits that heavily serve palo alto to apply for
event spaces and funding up to $5k for their
community event. CSD is updating the CoSponsorship Policy to better compliment other programing the City has launched to support local
non-profits and non-profits that heavily serve the
Palo Alto community.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal G-4: Active involvement of local citizens as volunteers.

G4.1.1
Continue and expand volunteer
opportunities and the community’s
awareness of public and nonprofit
organizations serving the City.

City Manager's
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City collaborates with advisory groups to
support policy development and information
sharing. Recent efforts with the Chamber of
Nonprofits have focused on promoting funding
opportunities and serving as a sounding board for
new process rollout and service information
sharing. Moving forward, the City will City will
strengthen communication channels with
nonprofit partners who hold active contracts,
helping to amplify their services to the broader
community.

Yes, Staff
Comments
G4.1.2
Publicly recognize the efforts of individuals,
groups, and businesses that provide
volunteer services within the City.

City Manager’s
Office
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City continues to collaborate with established
advisory groups to enhance policy development
and foster information sharing. To promote
transparency and strengthen communication
channels with nonprofit partners who hold active
contracts, the City will help amplify their services
and volunteer opportunities to the broader
community. The City will also continue to
recognize individuals, groups and businesses that
provide outstanding services and public benefit to
Palo Altans through City Council proclamations.

Yes, Staff
Comments
G4.1.3
Coordinate with the Palo Alto Unified School
District to develop classroom-based
leadership, governance and civic
participation programs.

City Manager’s
Office 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing task. The City regularly meets
with PAUSD leadership and discusses recent issues
of interest to both organizations.

No
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
G4.1.4
Support the transition from school-based
volunteering to civic participation via
outreach to parent volunteers and student
leaders.

City Manager’s
Office and
Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
There is some level of this occurring at the student
level through the city's teen leadership programs
or in an ad hoc manner with parents, such as at
events. Direct engagement with parent volunteers
has not occurred.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
G4.1.5
Coordinate with the real estate community
to develop a welcome package for new
residents, containing City resources,
information and ways to contribute to
livability.

City Manager’s
Office 2022-2027 Significant Partially Complete
No change from last year's reporting. Staff
continues to send digital welcome messages to
new residents and finalize a new welcome
message that is both digital and in print formats.

The City’s website provides a comprehensive look
at resident related information. The website
includes a digital welcome packet and new
resident resources are now available both at
www.cityofpaloalto.org/residents and a new "My
Neighborhood" map that highlights services
available near a resident's home at
www.paloalto.gov/residents/my-neighborhood
Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal G-6: More clearly defined procedures, standards, and expectations for development review.

G6.2.1
Provide clear information across multiple
communications platforms to guide citizens
and businesses through the City review and
approval process.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. Development project
submittal checklists and development procedures
are being updated on a regular basis on the City's
webpage.

No
G6.2.2 Continue and expand customer-oriented
process improvement efforts.

All
Departments
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Continuous improvements to the Online
Permitting System (OPS) including:
- Completed a pilot program for over the counter
residential MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing)
permits
- Integrated online building permit application
form to the online permitting process
- Launched a new instant permit for heat pump
space conditioning systems
- Beginning a Request for Proposal for online
permitting software, currently Accela, to evaluate
options to best serve customers
Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
G6.2.3
Use the pre-screening process to obtain
early feedback from the City Council and the
community regarding ordinance changes
intended to facilitate specific development
proposals.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task N/A Complete This is required by PAMC Title 18 Chapter 18.79. No

LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DESIGN ELEMENT
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
Goal L-1: A compact and resilient city providing residents and visitors with attractive neighborhoods, work L1.6.1
Review regulatory tools available to the City
and identify actions to enhance and preserve
the livability of residential neighborhoods
and the vitality of commercial and
employment districts, including improved
code enforcement practices.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The Code Enforcement Team continues to enforce
the gas-powered leaf blower ban and responds to
frequent calls and complaints related to leaf
blower noise. The team also provides critical
support to residents’ concerns related to building
codes, zoning codes and fence encroachments,
among other topics.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing At this time, no changes to the 1985 land use policies agreement/protocol have been requested.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal L-2: An enhanced sense of “community” with development designed to foster public life, meet citywide needs and embrace the principles of sustainability.

L2.2.1
Explore whether there are appropriate
locations to allow small-scale neighborhoodserving retail facilities such as coffee shops and corner stores in residential areas.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Staff continues to promote neighborhood-serving
retail as part of both current planning and longrange planning projects.No L2.4.1
Amend the Housing Element to increase
housing sites along San Antonio Road
between Middlefield Road and East
Charleston Road and increase residential
densities in Downtown and the California
Avenue.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete Task is complete. No
L2.4.2
Allow housing at Stanford Shopping Center,
provided that adequate parking and vibrant
retail is maintained and no reduction of
retail square footage results from the new
housing.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Per Housing Element Program 1.5 C, outreach has
commenced with Stanford and their lessee (Simon
Properties) to explore the feasibility of multi-family
residential development in the Shopping Center.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L2.4.3
Allow housing on the El Camino Real
frontage of the Stanford Research Park.

Explore multi-family housing elsewhere in
Stanford Research Park and near the SUMC.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The City Council adopted changes proposed by
Staff to permit multi-family residential in Research
Park (RP and RP(5)) zones, excluding properties
that are subject to or impacted by the City's
Hazardous Materials Ordinance. Staff met with
Stanford University representatives to explore the
feasibility of identifying additional sites in the
Stanford Research Park to accommodate multifamily residential development for the next housing cycle (See Housing Element Program 1.5
B).

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L2.4.4
Assess non-residential development
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Council continues to review Planned Home Zoning
(PHZ) prescreening converting commercially used
land to housing. The City approved the following
projects at 70 Encina, 800 San Antonio, 3265 El
Camino Real and 660 University.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented code
amendment options the Planning and
Transportation Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
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 only be used for
residential capacity.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Pending The existing TDR process is being evaluated as part of the Downtown Housing Plan.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L2.4.7
Explore mechanisms for increasing multifamily housing density near multimodal transit centers.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete
The Downtown Housing Plan is underway. The
impact of SB 79 is under review by PDS staff as it
would result in increased density allowances near
all Caltrain stops within or bordering Palo Alto.

Staff is evaluating implementation approaches.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L2.4.8
Identify development opportunities for BMR
and more affordable market rate housing on
publicly owned properties in a way that is
integrated with and enhances existing
neighborhoods.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete
Staff identifies housing opportunity sites on
publicly owned lands in the Housing Element and
through other mechanisms like development
agreements on an ongoing basis. In 2025 the City
into an exclusive negotiating agreement with Alta
Housing to pursue a 5-7 story multifamily
affordable housing project on Lot T. The City is also
evaluated potential affordable housing
opportunities at 340 Portage Avenue next to
Matadero Creek through technical assistance grant
with MTC.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L2.5.1
Collaborate with PAUSD in exploring
opportunities to build housing that is
affordable to school district employees.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
3265 El Camino Real was approved, which has a
component of teacher housing. In conjunction with
the County, the teacher housing project at 231
Grant is anticipated to complete construction this
year.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L2.7.1 Review development standards to
discourage the net loss of housing units.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete Task is complete. No
L2.8.1
Conduct a study to evaluate various possible
tools for preventing displacement of existing
residents.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
In 2024, the City launched its new rental registry
program to collect data on the current rental
market landscape and to inform future housing
policies. The rental registry program is now in its
second program year. In 2025, staff brought a Fair
Chance in Housing draft ordinance to City Council
after bringing a policy discussion before both the
Housing ad hoc committee and the Human
Relations Commission for recommendation. Staff
also brought a rent stabilization policy discussion
to the housing ad hoc committee and plan to
continue this discussion with the Policy and
Services Committee in March 2026. Further, the
City has contracted with Project Sentinel to
provide Fair Housing and Mediation services.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The rental registry program collects key housing
inventory data for rental units on properties
containing three or more residential rental units.

The rental registry program is in its second
program year. City Council will decide if the City
will expand the program to properties with 2 or
fewer existing units.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Staff is available to discuss planned school
expansions with PAUSD based on projected future
need. In 2025, PAUSD did not indicate any
projected need that would require additional
space to accommodate new or expanded school
sites.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 230 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L3.2.1
Evaluate and implement strategies to
prevent conversion of residential and
neighborhood-serving retail space to office
or short-term vacation rentals.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
In Q4, 2025 staff is scoping the City's Housing
Element program (4.2 D and E) to evaluate
approaches for regulating short-term rentals.

Yes, All
L.3.5.1
Develop a program to assess and manage
both the positive and negative impacts of
basement construction in single family
homes on the community and the
environment, including:
-environment, such as potential impacts to
the tree canopy, groundwater supply or
quality, and soil compaction.
-Safety issues such surface flooding
increased groundwater intrusion with sea
level rise, emergency access and egress, or
sewage backflows.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Public Works
Department
By 2022 N/A Complete Task is complete. No
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.

L4.2.1
Study the overall viability of ground-floor
retail requirements in preserving retail space
and creating an active street environment,
including the types of locations where such
requirements are most effective.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented code
amendment options the Planning and
Transportation Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L4.2.2
Evaluate the effectiveness of formula retail
limits adopted for California Avenue.

Develop incentives for local small businesses
where warranted.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented code
amendment options the Planning and
Transportation Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L4.2.3 Explore and potentially support new,
creative and innovative retail in Palo Alto.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented code
amendment options the Planning and
Transportation Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L4.4.1
Study the feasibility of using public and
private funds to provide and maintain
landscaping and public spaces such as parks,
plazas, sidewalks and public art within
commercial areas.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Code:ART 2025 will animate downtown with five
interactive artworks October 16-18 and this year
will also feature three projection mapping
artworks on the front facade of City Hall that will
continue for ten nights. Aleo Landeta, the previous
artist in residence installed their artwork on King
Plaza in June. Kiana Honarmand, the current artist
in residence has begun her community
engagement and will create an artwork for King
Plaza in 2026. The muralists selected for
downtown and Fire Station 5 have been on hold
until SB456 passes, clearing the way for them to be
able to paint without needing a contractor's
license. The bill is on the Governor's desk now and
staff plans to move forward with these murals in
early 2026. Staff is preparing to launch a call for
ArtLift grants to animate Cubberley and our
commercial corridors in early 2026. Artwork for
Boulware Park and the Public Safety Building were
installed in 2025. Artworks under development
include new art for the downtown parking garage,
Fire Station 4, and the California Avenue garage.

The Victor Arnautoff color frescoes were restored
in 2024 and a grant application is underway for the
phase II restoration to take place in 2027.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L4.4.2
Through public/private cooperation, provide
well- signed, clean, and accessible
restrooms.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. In the last year,
construction has been completed and restrooms
opened at Rinconada, Ramos and Boulware Parks
and Cubberley Fields. Staff is currently working on
obtaining approval for a new restroom at Mitchell
Park.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L4.4.3
Collaborate with merchants to enhance the
appearance of streets and sidewalks within
all Centers. Encourage the formation of
business improvement districts and
undertake a proactive program of
maintenance, repair, landscaping and
enhancement.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Public Works Department along with The City
Manager's Office has started working on the
University Avenue and California Avenue
streetscape improvement projects to enhance
economic vitality of the two streets. The goal of
these projects is to reduce congestion, maximize
pedestrian and bicycle use, creation of inviting
outdoor dining/patio places, installing gateway
and wayfinding signages, and develop branding
programs, among other things.

No
L4.4.4
Identify priority street improvements that
could make a substantial contribution to the
character of Centers, such as widening
sidewalks, narrowing travel lanes, creating
medians, restriping to allow diagonal
parking, and planting trees.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing
For University Avenue Streetscape project, per
Council direction in December 2023, staff and its
consultants conducted additional outreach
discussions and Retail Committee meetings to
refine project goals, vision, and design concepts.

Per Council discussion in June 2024, staff
continued with further outreach to Retail
Committee and Stakeholder Working group. In the
next few months, staff plans to refine concepts in
line with Council direction and consensus from the
community to recommend a preferred concept to
Council later this year.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L4.5.1
Revise zoning and other regulations as
needed to encourage the preservation of
space to accommodate small businesses,
start-ups and other services.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented the draft
ordinance to the Planning and Transportation
Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L4.5.2
Consider planning, regulatory, or other
incentives to encourage property owners to
include smaller office spaces in their
buildings to serve small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and independent professionals.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Staff is in process of developing a permanent retail
revitalization ordinance. Staff presented the draft
ordinance to the Planning and Transportation
Commission in October 2025.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L.4.6.1
Explore increasing hotel FAR from 2.0 to 3.0
in the University Avenue/Downtown area
and 2.5 in areas outside of Downtown.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 233 of 711

Page 27 of 86 ends

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The project team published the Downtown
Housing Plan Community Assessment Report in
June 2024 and organized two Community
Workshops, a survey, Community Advisory Group
meetings, and other outreach and engagement
activities through Q3 of 2025. The project team is
currently finalizing a Financial Feasibility Analysis in advance of preparing project alternatives to be
vetted with the community and the City Council in
Q1 of 2026. The feedback received will lead to
preparing the draft Plan document. Staff
coordinated with MTC and received a project
extension in April 2025. This also included a
revised project scope and budget allocation
between tasks.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
L4.8.2 Study the feasibility of converting parts of
University Avenue to a pedestrian zone.

Public Works,
Office of
Transportation
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
Based on additional stakeholder feedback, further
cost evaluation for project alternatives is needed
before advancing the design process. A contract
was approved in September 2025 to conduct this
analysis. The cost evaluation is anticipated to be
completed by the end of 2025, the findings of
which will help determine the next steps.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
L4.9.1
While preserving adequate parking to meet
demand, identify strategies to reuse surface
parking lots.

Planning and
Development
Services &
Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Due to other parking program priorities, there are no substantial actions to report at this time. No L4.9.2 Explore adding additional Floor Area Ratio
(FAR) for retail at Stanford Shopping Center.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Pending Work has not commenced. No
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
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
Avenue area as a well-designed mixed use
district with diverse land uses and a network
of pedestrian-oriented streets.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task N/A Complete
Completed for the North Ventura Area (not for the
area surrounding California Avenue). The City
Council adopted the NVCAP on 8/5/2024.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L4.10.2
Create regulations for the California Avenue
area that encourage the retention or
rehabilitation of smaller buildings to provide
spaces for existing retail, particularly local,
small businesses.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
L4.16.1
Maintain distinct neighborhood shopping
areas that are attractive, accessible and
convenient to nearby residents.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing task. No
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.

L5.1.1
Explore with Stanford University various
development 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 innovationoriented community.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing The City meets regularly with Stanford University regarding land use on an ongoing basis. No
Goal L-6: Well-designed buildings that create coherent development patterns and enhance city streets and public spaces.

L6.1.1
Promote awards programs and other forms
of public recognition for projects of
architectural merit that contribute positively
to the community.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The Architectural Review Board (ARB) awards
event was conducted in May 2025. The Historic
Resources Board (HRB) has started developing its
own awards program. The first award event will be
held in 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 235 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L6.3.1
Develop guidelines for bird-friendly building
design that minimizes hazards for birds and
reduces the potential for collisions.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Staff received the PTC’s recommendation to
forward the draft ordinance to the City Council for
adoption in December 2025; adoption hearing
with the City Council is anticipated in early 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L6.6.1
Modify design standards for mixed use
projects to promote 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.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Objective Design Standards were adopted by
Council in June 2022 for Title 18 zoning districts.

Work on SOFA standards is planned for 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L6.7.1 Implement architectural standards to assure
they effectively address land use transitions.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. The City's Objective
Design Standards provide useful guidance in the
implementation of this program. The recent
update to the Focus Areas standards included
provisions to address transition.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal L-7: Conservation and preservation of Palo Alto’s historic buildings, sites, and districts.

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. Historic resources may consist
of a single building or structure or a district.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Inventory update project began in 2023 with the
Historic Reconnaissance Survey that evaluated 167
properties in total. Community outreach began
with a meeting on April 25, 2023, and continued
with HRB meetings on November 9, 2023,
December 14, 2023, and January 11, 2024, with
property owners notified throughout the process.

As a result, City Council designated 21 properties
following meetings on April 22, 2024, and August
19, 2024, with designations made only for
properties whose owners actively requested
placement in the inventory.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Pending
The 1986 ordinance still needs to be reassessed
since it does not protect properties found eligible
for the National and California Register. Work has
not commenced on this program.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 236 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L7.2
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 inclusion 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.”
Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Historic Review Board (HRB) continues to review
recommendations for nominations of properties to
the local inventory and evaluations for properties
found California Register and National Register
Eligible. A total of 21 properties were added to the
local inventory as a result of the 2023 Recon
Survey update that evaluated properties found
eligible from the 1998-2001 (Dames and Moore)
history survey update.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L7.8.1
Promote and expand available incentives for
the retention and rehabilitation of buildings
with historic merit in all zones and revise
existing zoning and permit regulations to
minimize constraints to adaptive reuse.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Ongoing Staff is looking at incentives for retention and rehabilitation when resources are identified. No
L7.8.2
Create incentives to encourage salvage and
reuse of discarded historic building
materials.

Planning and
Development
Services &
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The Public Works Department and Planning and
Development Services Department are monitoring
the deconstruction ordinance for approved
demolitions.

No
L7.8.3
Seek additional innovative ways to apply
current codes and ordinances to older
buildings. Use the State Historical Building
Code for designated historic buildings.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Staff routinely applies the California Historical Building Code to qualified projects as applicable. No 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.

Planning and
Development
Services
After 2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No Goal L-9: Attractive, inviting public spaces and streets that enhance the image and character of the city.

L9.1.1
Evaluate existing zoning code setback
requirements to ensure they are appropriate
for scenic routes.

Planning and
Development
Services
After 2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L9.3.1
Review standards for streets and signage
and update as needed to foster natural,
tree-lined streets with a minimum of
signage.

Planning and
Development
Services, Office
of
Transportation
& Department
of Public
Works
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing This program is ongoing. There are no updates to report at this time. No
L9.6.1
Analyze existing neighborhoods and
determine where publicly accessible shared,
outdoor gathering spaces are below the
citywide standard. Create new public spaces,
including public squares, parks and informal
gathering spaces in these neighborhoods.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Substantial Partially
Complete
Planning and Development Services analyzes open
space opportunities as a part of its area plans. In
2025, the City began the San Antonio Road Area
Plan which, in part, is seeking to identify new open
space opportunities in areas with limited existing
access.

Yes, Staff
Comments
L9.7.1
Develop a strategy to enhance gateway sites
with special landscaping, art, public spaces
and/or public buildings. Emphasize the creek
bridges and riparian settings at the
entrances to the City over Adobe Creek and
San Francisquito Creek.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Pending Work has not commenced. No
L9.8.1
Establish incentives to encourage native
trees and low water use plantings in new
development throughout the city.

Planning and
Development
Services, Office
of
Transportation
& Department
of Public
Works
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Staff continues to successfully encourage the
planting of native trees and low water use
plantings through the use of the ARB findings
modified in the 2016 code update (including a
focus on regional, indigenous, drought tolerant
species). The new Tree Protection Ordinance (Title
8 of PAMC) and the upcoming Tree and Landscape
Technical Manual include added emphasis on use
of native, drought tolerant and climate adapted
tree species.

No
L9.10.1
Continue the citywide undergrounding of
utility wires. Minimize the impacts of
undergrounding on street tree root systems
and planting areas.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Substantial Pending
On hold. Current focus is on the Grid
Modernization project with a focus on the
overhead system. The focus on the underground
system will begin FY28.

Yes, All
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L9.10.2
Encourage the use of compact and welldesigned utility elements, such as transformers, switching devices, backflow
preventers and telecommunications
infrastructure. Place these elements in
locations that will minimize their visual
intrusion.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Ongoing effort. Yes, Staff Comments L9.11.1
Implement the findings of the City’s
Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Committee and
its emphasis for rebuilding our civic spaces.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Committee’s
findings resulted in City Council’s adoption of the
2014 Council Infrastructure Plan, including ten
priority projects. Implementation of the plan is
underway, with four of the projects completed,
two projects in construction and others in the
design process.

No
L9.11.2
Identify City-owned properties where
combinations of wireless facilities can be colocated, assuming appropriate lease agreements are in place.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities &
Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 N/A Complete Complete No
L9.12.1
Coordinate with regional utility providers on
activities that would impact their
infrastructure and right-of-way.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities,
Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Coordination is ongoing on a project by project basis, as needed. No Goal L-10: Maintain an economically viable local airport with minimal environmental impacts.

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.

Department of
Public Works After 2027 Substantial Partially Complete
Preliminary planning and conceptual layout were
completed in 2024. FAA funding source is no
longer available after June 30, 2025. The project
does not meet the FAA requirements to move
forward to construction.

Yes, All
L10.1.2
Update the Airport Layout Plan in
accordance with Federal Aviation
Administration requirements, as needed,
while ensuring conformance with the
Baylands Master Plan to the maximum
extent feasible.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
Staff worked on reviewing Council Feedback, a
majority of the work was paused while the Airport
focused unleaded fuel transition and noise. The
FAA granted a one year extension to the grant to
allow for additional outreach.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 239 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
L10.1.3
Identify and pursue funding to address
maintenance, safety and security
improvements needed at PAO.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This program is ongoing. There are no updates to report at this time. No L10.3.1
Establish and implement a system for
processing, tracking and reporting noise
complaints regarding local airport
operations on an annual basis,
Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Ongoing
The Airport implemented the software program
and began testing the program to monitor
compliance with the Airport's Voluntary Noise
Abatement Procedures. This program uses ADS-B,
an advanced system that allows aircraft to
broadcast their precise location, to monitor
operations, and this data may become private due
to FAA regulations in the future.

Yes, All
L10.3.2
Work with the airport to pursue
opportunities to enhance the open space
and habitat value of the airport. These
include:
-Maintaining native grasses;
-Reconstructing levees to protect the
airport from sea level rise while
enhancing public access and habitat
conservation; and
-Evaluating the introduction of
burrowing owl habitat.

This program is subject to federal wildlife
hazard requirements and guidelines for
airports.

Community
Services
Department
and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Pending
Staff will review the proposed opportunities and
collaborate to determine potential future
measures.

No
L10.4.1
Continue to provide a bicycle/pedestrian
path adjacent to Embarcadero Road,
consistent with the Baylands Master Plan
and open space character of the Baylands
subject to federal and State airport
regulations.

Department of
Public Works
and Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change from 2024. Yes, Staff Comments

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ELEMENT
Goal N-1: Protect, conserve and enhance Palo Alto’s citywide system of open space, including connected and accessible natural and urban habitats, ecosystems, and natural resources, providing a source of public health, natural beauty and enjoyment for Palo Alto residents.

N1.1.1
Develop Comprehensive Resource
Conservation Plans for the Pearson
Arastradero Preserve, Esther Clark Preserve,
and Foothills Park to steward the protection
of local ecosystems.

Community
Services
Department
2022-2027 Substantial Ongoing
Staff have reinvested staff resources into
completing a plan for the Baylands Nature
Preserve.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 40 Packet Pg. 240 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N1.1.2
Promote and support ecosystem protection
and environmental education programs in
Palo Alto and neighboring school districts.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The Junior Museum and Zoo promote science
learning and offers classes and camps about the
natural environment. Additionally, as part of the
JMZ's recent accreditation by Association of Zoos
& Aquariums (AZA) in September 2025, staff will
next create a field conservation program, which
will be supported by a newly formed Conservation
Committee comprised of JMZ staff, Friends of the
JMZ board members, and local community
members. The first steps of the committee will be
to identify and investigate viable projects and
funding sources. The JMZ also recently landed a
partnership with the Palo Alto Library for a
migratory bird conservation awareness project for
elementary age children in Palo Alto. The Art
Center has been working to promote greater
sustainability practices in our studio program,
working to eliminate glazes and materials that are
environmentally hazardous where possible. The
JMZ also offers EEC through classes and camps at
the Lucy Evans Baylands and Foothills Nature
Interpretive Centers.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.3.1 Work to maintain Williamson Act agricultural
preserve contracts within the City.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The parcels under Williamson Act contract are
reviewed by the City Council every year and
extended for an additional one-year term if the
property owners choses to continue it.

No
N1.3.2
Provide information and support programs
that encourage residents to enhance their
private yards with native plant species and
low impact landscaping.

Department of
Public Works
and Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing program, no significant updates
to report at this time. The updated Tree and
Landscape Technical Manual that is scheduled to
be published in CY25 includes details on the
advantages of using native plants and low impact
landscape designs. Informational handouts
focusing on planting oak trees and caring for native
oaks completed in CY2025.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.4.1
Periodically review California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) thresholds of significance
regarding special status species to identify
changes in listed species recommended by
professionally recognized scientific experts.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 41 Packet Pg. 241 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N1.4.2
Explore the feasibility of expanding the use
of overlay tools such as the Site and Design
(D) Review Combining District or similar
development review and restriction tools to
protect special-status species and their
habitats from development.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
The City Council adopted the Lighting Ordinance
Update (“Dark Sky Ordinance”) in December 2025.

Work has begun on two additional
environmentally focused ordinances: Bird Safe
Design Standards (see also L6.3.1), which is
anticipated for adoption in early 2026; and Stream
Corridor Protection (see also N3.3.1), which will be
considered by City Council.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.4.3
Assess opportunities to expand habitats of
special – status species within publiclyowned open spaces.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing task, there are no changes fromprevious years reporting.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.5.1
Maintain the value of local wetlands as
habitats by ensuring adequate flow from the
Bay and minimizing effluent.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Staff continue to work with Valley Water on the
Baylands tide Gate project which is currently
underway.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
N1.6.1
Continue to coordinate City review,
particularly by Planning, Public Works and
Community Services Departments, of
projects that might impact the City’s foothills
and hillside areas.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No N1.7.1
Examine and improve existing management
practices, including the provision of access
to open space for City vehicles and
equipment, to ensure that natural resources
are protected.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change from previous year reporting. This is an ongoing task. No N1.7.2
Protect wildlife in public open space areas by
improving litter collection, restricting the use
of non- recyclable plastics, prohibiting the
feeding of wild, feral and stray animals in
open space, and enforcing dog leash laws.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Open Space staff continue to enforce the existing
no feeding wild life rules and the dog leash laws.

This continues to be an ongoing task.

No
N1.7.3
Provide information about responsible
behavior in environmentally-sensitive areas
through signage, pamphlets and documents
on the City’s website.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Signage and education are implemented on an ongoing basis as needed.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.7.4
Review and map existing easements and
maintenance roads for potential trails and
trail connections.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Significant Pending Work has not commenced due to staff priorities. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 42 Packet Pg. 242 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N1.10.1
Use City funds and seek additional sources of
funding, including State and federal
programs, to finance open space acquisition,
maintenance or conservation.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Fuel abatement for fire prevention continues
including eucalyptus removal in wildland areas.

Grant funding has been applied for unsuccessfully.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N1.10.2
Create mechanisms to monitor, assess and
respond quickly to land acquisition
opportunities that would expand or connect
the City’s system of parks and open spaces,
and establish a long-term funding strategy
for acquisition that would enable the City to
move quickly when opportunities arise.

Community
Services
Department
By 2022 Substantial Ongoing No change from previous year reporting. This is an ongoing task. No
Goal N-2: A thriving urban forest that provides public health, ecological, economic, and aesthetic benefits for Palo Alto.

N2.1.1
Explore ways to prevent and ameliorate
damage to trees and tree roots by above and
below ground infrastructure and buildings.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No N2.2.1
Periodically update the UFMP and Tree
Protection Ordinance to ensure policies and
regulations remain relevant set leading
standards for tree health practices.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. In 2024 minor changes
to the Tree Protection Ordinance were
recommended and adopted by council. Initial
review and planning for a potential update to the
Urban Forest Master Plan is scheduled to begin in
FY2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N2.4.1
Promote landscape design that optimizes
soil volume, porosity, structure and health,
as well the location, shape and configuration
of soil beds.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing task. Collaborative review with
Urban Forestry staff of major projects is conducted
through Architectural Review Board. Detailed
requirements and best practices for soils on
landscape projects are included in the upcoming
Tree and Landscape Technical Manual scheduled
to be released in March 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N2.7.1
Maintain and irrigate healthy trees in parks,
open space, parking lots, and City rights-ofway, while identifying and replacing unhealthy trees in those areas.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. Summer time watering
of newly planted street trees by city staff
continues to focus on trees planted within the
previous four planting seasons and has been
expanded to water some established trees that do
not have supplemental irrigation. City staff is
conducting a proof of concept succession planting
strategy that could be used in areas with large
numbers of trees approaching the end of viable life
span.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 43 Packet Pg. 243 of 711

Page 37 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N2.7.2
Continue to invest in the care, irrigation and
monitoring of street trees during drought
conditions.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. Annual summer time
watering of newly planted street trees by city staff
continues.

No
N2.7.3
Actively pursue funding for tree planting to
increase canopy cover significantly across
the city, avoid a net loss of canopy at the
neighborhood level, and attain canopy size
targets in parks, open space, parking lots,
and City rights-of-way.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing program, increased penalties for
tree ordinance violations may result in additional
funds for planting trees.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N2.9.1 Increase awareness, severity and
enforcement of penalties for tree damage.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. Urban Forestry staff
have received guidance on violations enforcement
best practices from Code Enforcement staff. Staff
continues to inform building contractors and tree
care companies of the penalties associated with
damage to and unauthorized removal of protected
trees.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N2.9.2
Develop a program for using the City’s Urban
Forestry Fund to replace trees lost to public
improvement and infrastructure projects,
with replanting occurring onsite or as close
to the original site as is ecologically
appropriate.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No N2.10.1
Continue to require replacement of trees,
including street trees lost to new
development.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing requirement as part of the
current development review processes.

Replacement trees are required to ensure ‘no net
loss of canopy’. The method to determine the
required number, size and type of tree
replacements will be updated as part of the Tree
and Landscape Technical Manual to be released in
March 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N2.10.2
As part of the update of the Tree and
Landscape Technical Manual, consider
expanding tree protections to include
additional mature trees and provide criteria
for making site-specific determinations of
trees that should be protected.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 Standard Partially
Complete
The Tree and Landscape Technical Manual is in the
process of being finalized and will be submitted to
the City Manager for review and approval in March
2026. Expanded protections for mature trees are
now included in Title 8 of Palo Alto Municipal
Code.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 44 Packet Pg. 244 of 711

Page 38 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N2.10.3
Consider revisions to the appeals process to
increase transparency regarding tree
removals and expanded opportunities for
community members to appeal the removal
of trees.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
After 2027 N/A Complete Title 8 of Palo Alto Municipal Code includes an appeals process that is now active. No
N2.11.1
Develop a transparent and publicly
accessible street tree removal and
replacement schedule.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Pending
There are no substantial actions to report at this
time. Staff have begun case studies on several
residential blocks to better determine timing and
costs associated with replacing street trees
reaching the end of their lifespan. Progress city
wide will be limited if the program is undertaken
without additional resources.

No
N2.11.2 Develop a program to replace unhealthy
public trees over time.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No N2.12.1
Explore ways to leverage the fact that Palo
Alto’s urban forest alleviates climate change
by capturing and storing carbon dioxide.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Pending There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No N2.13.1
Work with local nonprofits to establish one
or more tree planting programs that are
consistent with the UFMP, and rely on
locally native, resilient species. Review
existing tree planting guidelines to ensure
they achieve these objectives.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Partially Complete
The South Palo Alto Tree Planting Program
continues to be implemented by our non-profit
partner organization. The city has also created a
preferred and restricted species list that has been
incorporated into the Canopy online tree tool to
prioritize locally native and climate resilient
species.

No
N2.13.2
Provide on-going education for City staff,
residents, and developers regarding
landscape, maintenance, and irrigation
practices that protect the urban forest and
wildlife species.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Pending
There are no substantial actions to report at this
time. Efforts to provide education regarding
landscape, maintenance, and irrigation practices
that protect the urban forest and wildlife species is
scheduled to begin in CY2026 as part of the Tree
and Landscape Technical Manual update outreach.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 45 Packet Pg. 245 of 711

Page 39 of 86 ends

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The Tree Protection Ordinance includes
notification requirements for maintenance of
protected trees. As part of this process, tree
owners are informed of basic tree care best
practices and are provided with links to more
detailed information. The yet to be published Tree
and Landscape Technical Manual includes basic
best practices information on tree and landscape
installation and maintenance. The Tree and
Landscape Technical Manual scheduled to be
released in March 2026.

No
N2.13.4
Cooperate with the Palo Alto Unified School
District, Stanford University, Caltrain,
Caltrans, Pacific Gas & Electric, and other
public and private entities to ensure that
their tree planting, tree removal, and
maintenance practices are consistent with
City guidelines.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Pending
There are no substantial actions to report at this
time. Staff continues to work with Palo Alto
Unified School District, Stanford University,
Caltrain, Caltrans, Pacific Gas & Electric, and other
public and private entities when warranted.

Progress regarding this specific issue will begin in
FY2027.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal N-3: Conservation of both natural and channelized creeks and riparian areas as open space amenities, natural habitat areas, and elements of community design.

Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 46 Packet Pg. 246 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N3.3.1
Update the Stream Corridor Protection
Ordinance to explore 150 feet as the desired
stream setback along natural creeks in open
space and rural areas west of Foothill
Expressway. This 150-foot setback would
prohibit the siting of buildings and other
structures, impervious surfaces, outdoor
activity areas and ornamental landscaped
areas within 150 feet of the top of a creek
bank. Allow passive or intermittent outdoor
activities and pedestrian, equestrian and
bicycle pathways along natural creeks where
there are adequate setbacks to protect the
natural riparian environment. Within the
setback area, provide a border of native
riparian vegetation at least 30 feet along the
creek bank.The update to the Stream
Protection Ordinance should establish:-
Design recommendations for development
or redevelopment of sites within the
setback, consistent with basic creek habitat
objectives and significant net improvements
in the condition of the creek.-Conditions
under which single-family property and
existing development are exempt from the
150-foot setback-Appropriate setbacks and
creek conservation measures for
undeveloped parcels.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
In August 2025 staff was asked by PTC to return
with a revised ordinance. Staff anticipate bringing
back the revised ordinance for PTC
recommendation in Spring 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N3.3.2
Examine the development regulations of the
Stream Corridor Protection Ordinance, with
stakeholder involvement to establish
appropriate setback requirements that
reflect the varying natural and channelized
conditions along creeks east of Foothill
Expressway. Ensure that opportunities to
provide an enhanced riparian setback along
urban creeks as properties are redeveloped
or improved are included in this evaluation.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 47 Packet Pg. 247 of 711

Page 41 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N3.3.3
For all creeks, update the Stream Corridor
Protection Ordinance to minimize impacts
on wildlife by:
- Limiting the development of recreational
trails to one side of natural riparian
corridors.
- Requiring careful design of lighting
surrounding natural riparian corridors to
maximize the distance between nighttime
lighting and riparian corridors
and direct lighting away from the riparian
corridor.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
In August 2025 staff was asked by PTC to return
with a revised ordinance. Staff anticipate bringing
back the revised ordinance for PTC
recommendation in Spring 2026.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
N3.4.1
Develop a community creek stewardship
program to promote existing creek clean-up
days, organize new events, and increase
appreciation of riparian corridors.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
Continue to work with Grassroots Ecology who
manage a creek stewardship and education
program.

No
N3.6.1
Review and update the Grading Ordinance
to ensure that it adequately protects creeks
from the erosion and sedimentation impacts
of grading.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
Stormwater ordinance was adopted on September
29, 2025, but did not include the grading
ordinance.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N3.8.1
Work with the SCVWD to develop a
maintenance, restoration and enhancement
improvement program that preserves flood
protection while preserving riparian habitat,
and identifies specific stretches of corridor
to be restored or daylighted, standards to be
achieved, and sources of funding. Include
provisions for tree and vegetation planting
to enhance natural habitat and shade cover.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Significant Partially Complete
Staff continues to coordinate for SCVWD at various
locations throughout Palo Alto including the Tide
gate and Flood Basin, San Francisquito Creek
projects and maintenance, and winter
preparedness.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N3.8.2
Participate cooperatively in the JPA to
achieve increased flood protection, habitat
preservation, enhancement and improved
recreational opportunities along San
Francisquito Creek.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No Goal N-4: Water resources and infrastructure that are managed to sustain plant and animal life, support urban activities, and protect public health and safety.

Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 48 Packet Pg. 248 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.2.1
Educate customers on efficient water use
(indoor and outdoor), tree care, and
landscaping options.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities &
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City, in partnership with Valley Water, offers a
suite of water efficiency programs including
landscape conversion rebates, indoor and outdoor
survey kits, graywater laundry to landscape
rebates, irrigation system rebates and rain barrel
rebates. The City offers a variety of workshops on
water efficiency and plant care throughout the
year.

No
N4.5.1
Study the supply and quality of local
groundwater aquifers to better understand
their utility as natural water storage.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities &
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 N/A Complete
Council accepted the Northwest County Recycled
Water Strategic Plan in 2020 that included the
characterization of hydrogeologic conditions in the
region. The One Water plan was completed in late
2024 and reviewed by the UAC in January 2025.

The Climate Action and Sustainability Committee
received the report in September 2025.

Groundwater as a supply resource was not found
to meet the cost and reliability criteria developed
in the One Water Plan.

Yes, All
N4.5.2
Work with local public agencies to educate
residents regarding the public health, fire,
and overall quality of life risks associated
with long-term drought.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities,
Department of
Public Works &
Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The 2023 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan describes
the risks from drought and this information is
posted on the City's website. The City also partners
with other agencies to provide webinar and
educational opportunities about droughts.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.6.1 Encourage residents to use rain barrels or
other rainwater reuse systems.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Staff continues to educate residents on this
through the implementation of the Stormwater
Rebate Program (in partnership with Valley
Water), inter-departmental coordination with
Utilities (workshops, outreach efforts). Staff
conducts outreach annually.

No
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.7.1
Support and participate in the work of the
SCVWD to prepare a high-quality
groundwater management plan that will
address groundwater supply and quality,
including, as appropriate:
-An understanding of subsurface hydrology,
-Strategies to reduce depletion,
-Opportunities to recharge groundwater,
including through use of recycled water and
extracted groundwater,
-Methods to ensure that uncontaminated,
toxin-free groundwater is used in a manner
that benefits the community, for example in
irrigation of parks, street cleaning, and dust
suppression,
-An approach to metering extracted
groundwater.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing
City staff continues to work with Valley Water on
the monitoring of groundwater and map the toxic
plumes in our region.

No
N4.7.2
Support the SCVWD and the Regional Water
Quality Control Board (RWQCB) to
implement their mandate to protect
groundwater from the adverse impacts of
urban uses.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, with no updates to report at this time. No N4.7.3
Work with the SCVWD and RWQCB to
identify and map key groundwater recharge
and stormwater management areas for use
in land use planning and permitting and the
protection of groundwater resources.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Staff is implementing the City's Green Stormwater
Infrastructure (GSI) Plan and is evaluating the best
locations for GSI in the future and how to maintain
the features to protect groundwater resources.

No
N4.8.1
Research and promote new construction
techniques and recharge strategies
developed to reduce subsurface and surface
water impacts and comply with City
dewatering policies.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This on hold due to staff constraints. No N4.8.2
Explore appropriate ways to monitor all
excavations and other projects to ensure
that dewatering does not result in recharge
into the aquifer where needed.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 50 Packet Pg. 250 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.10.1
Monitor and implement practices for
reducing water pollution. Examples include
state-of-the-art best management practices
(BMPs), land use planning approaches, and
construction of modern stormwater
management facilities.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Stormwater ordinance adopted late 2025.

Stormwater Program in Environmental Services
addresses implementation of requirements such as
construction of green stormwater infrastructure
and best management practices at businesses.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.10.2
Continue public education programs on
water quality issues, including BMPs for
residents, businesses, contractors, and City
employees.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Staff created multiple new BMP factsheets for
both stormwater and wastewater pollution
prevention. Staff also created new webpages that
host these factsheets and make them readily
available to industries, businesses, and residents.

Targeted mailings are planned for 2026.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
N4.10.3
Implement swift and rigorous spill response,
cleanup, and follow-up investigation
procedures to reduce the impacts of toxic
spills on the city’s creeks and San Francisco
Bay.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Stormwater Program in Environmental Services
manages a spill response investigation program
and coordinates with Fire and Public Works Public
Services to ensure appropriate cleanup and
reporting. Investigations occur the same day work
day or the next work day the spill is observed.

Public Works staff are on call after-hours to clean
spills when called.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.10.4
Increase monitoring and enforcement of
existing prohibitions on materials and
practices known to impact local water
quality, such as use of copper, in the design
and construction industries.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Stormwater ordinance adopted late 2025.

Stormwater Program in Environmental Services
addresses implementation of requirements such
best management practices at construction sites
and existing businesses. Green stormwater
infrastructure must be included in projects with
5,000 SF or more of impervious surface.

Architectural copper was restricted for use in
2003. Staff conducts various types of inspections
to ensure these practices are in place.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.11.1
Evaluate neighborhoods where parking
controls may hinder street sweeping and
recommend any changes that are needed.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Pending Work has not commenced due to other pending items having higher priorities. No N4.12.1
Implement the City’s Integrated Pest
Management Policy with periodic
assessments of pesticide use and use of
BMPs to reduce pesticide applications and
toxicity, and maximize non-chemical control.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Continue to implement the City's Integrated Pest Management Policy No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 51 Packet Pg. 251 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.12.2
Revise the City’s Tree and Landscape
Technical Manual to include stronger
requirements for least-toxic practices in the
landscape permitting process.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Partially Complete
The updated Tree and Landscape Technical Manual
is scheduled to be released in March 2026.

Expanded guidelines for least-toxic practices in
landscape projects will be included.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.12.3
Promote the value of toxin-free landscape
management, and educate residents about
the impacts of common fertilizers,
herbicides, insecticides and pesticides on
local water quality.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. Staff continues to
educate residents and businesses regarding proper
pest control.

No
N4.13.1
Promote the use of permeable paving
materials or other design solutions that
allow for natural percolation and site
drainage through a Storm Water Rebate
Program and other incentives.

No
N4.13.2
Develop and implement a green stormwater
infrastructure plan with the goal to treat and
infiltrate stormwater.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
Currently implementing the Green Stormwater
Infrastructure Plan, including development of a
City GSI Design Specifications Handbook and a
Maintenance Manual for City-owned GSI.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.13.3
Mitigate flooding through improved surface
permeability or paved areas, and
stormwater capture and storage.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Ongoing
Currently implementing the Green Stormwater
Infrastructure (GSI) Plan. Began work on large GSI
project to capture diverted flows from storm drain
system.

No
N4.14.1
Establish a standardized process for
evaluating the impacts of development on
the storm drainage system, including point
source discharge, base flow and peak flow.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Projects that require a building permit are
reviewed by Public Works staff to verify that the
proposed runoff from project sites is equal to or
less than the existing runoff. Any excess flow must
be detained or retained on-site.

No
N4.14.2
Complete improvements to the storm
drainage system consistent with the
priorities outlined in the City's Storm
Drainage Master Plan, as amended.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Storm Drainage Master Plan projects are being
implemented through the Capital Improvement
Program using funding from the Stormwater
Management Fee.

No
N4.15.1
Work with commercial and industrial
dischargers to identify and implement
pollution prevention measures and BMPs to
eliminate or reduce the discharge of metals
and other pollutants of concern.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Staff created multiple new BMP factsheets for
both stormwater and wastewater pollution
prevention. Staff also created new webpages that
host these factsheets and make them readily
available to industries, businesses, and residents.

Targeted mailings are planned for 2026.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 52 Packet Pg. 252 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.15.2
Encourage commercial dischargers to
consistently go beyond minimum
requirements of the Clean Bay Business
Program.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task N/A Complete
This Program was completed and educational
material encouraging businesses to go beyond
minimum requirements for pollution prevention
will continue to be developed and distributed to
continue this encouragement in the future under
Program Number N4.15.1
Yes, All
N4.16.1
Implement approved recommendations
based on the Long-Term Facilities Plan
prepared for the RWQCP.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Construction of the Primary Sedimentation Tank
Rehabilitation Project was completed.

Construction continued for the Secondary
Treatment Upgrades and 12 KV Loop Projects.

Construction began for the Advanced Water
Purification Facility. Designs were progressed for
the Headworks Improvements and Long Range
Facilities Plan - Update Projects.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.16.2
Develop a plan to address ongoing
operations of the RWQCP taking potential
sea level rise and growth in surrounding
communities into account.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Substantial Ongoing
A Sea Level Rise vulnerability assessment is
complete and RWQCP is iteratively raising all
electrical and other equipment to adapt to 100-
year storm and future sea level rise. Sea level rise
adaptation is included in the RWQCP Long Range
Facility Plan Update. Staff will be partnering with
Santa Clara County Office of Sustainability on a
grant that will expand Palo Alto's vulnerability
assessment and develop an adaptation plan. In
addition, divisions within public works and Utilities
are now working on incorporating sea level rise
and shallow groundwater conditions into project
planning.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N4.17.1
Evaluate the expansion of existing recycled
water infrastructure to serve a larger area.

Develop a plan to install “purple pipe” when
streets are opened for other infrastructure
work.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 N/A Complete
Council accepted the Northwest County Recycled
Water Strategic Plan in 2020. A plan to coordinate
the installation of purple pipe when streets are
open has not been developed and is not currently
in the work plan. The One Water Plan was
completed in 2024 and reviewed by the UAC in
January 2025. The Climate Action and
Sustainability Committee received the report in
September 2025. Recycled water expansion was
found not to meet the cost and reliability criteria.

Yes, All
N4.17.2 Evaluate the possibility of using recycled
water as an emergency water supply.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities After 2027 N/A Complete Using recycled water as an emergency water supply is not under consideration.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 53 Packet Pg. 253 of 711

Page 47 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N4.17.3
Investigate ways to reuse non-traditional
water sources including recycled, gray, black
and storm water.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task N/A Complete
Council accepted the Northwest County Recycled
Water Strategic Plan in 2020. The One Water Plan
was completed in 2024 and reviewed by the UAC
in January 2025. The Climate Action and
Sustainability Committee received the report in
September 2025. The report identified several
alternative water supplies that may be
reconsidered in the future. No projects are
recommended at this time.

Yes, All
Goal N-5: Clean, healthful air for Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay Area.

N5.1.1
Provide City input on significant proposals
for air quality legislation and state
implementation plans.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Planning Department works with the City lobbyist to identify issues and provides ideas. No N5.1.2
Implement BAAQMD recommended
standards for the design of buildings near
heavily travelled roads, in order to minimize
exposure to auto-related emissions.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(BAAQMD) standards are implemented through
the CEQA process.

No
N5.1.3
Explore adopting new standards that target
the reduction of very fine particulate matter
(PM2.5), which is associated with increased
impacts on health.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing PM2.5 standards are implemented through the CEQA process. No
N5.2.1
Promote understanding of the impacts of
extended idling on air quality, for residents,
auto-dependent businesses, and schools.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Pending Work has not commenced. No
N5.2.2
Consider adopting and enforcing penalties
for drivers that idle for longer than 3-5
minutes.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Standard Pending Work has not commenced. No N5.3.1
Cooperatively work with Santa Clara County
and the BAAQMD to ensure that mining and
industrial operations mitigate environmental
and health impacts.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Industrial operations are mitigated through the
CEQA process. There are no mining resources
within the City limits.

No
N5.3.2
Monitor particulate emissions at local
California Air Resources Board monitoring
stations and make the information easily
available to citizens.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(BAAQMD) provides monitoring information on
their webpage - http://www.baaqmd.gov/aboutair-quality/current-air-quality.

No
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 54 Packet Pg. 254 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N5.3.3
Promote understanding of the health
impacts of particulate emissions and provide
information to residents and businesses
about steps they can take to reduce
particulate emissions, such as reducing or
eliminating wood burning or using low
emission alternatives to wood-burning
stoves and fireplaces.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Current Planning staff continues to implement
CEQA but does not conduct additional outreach or
education around this topic.

No
N5.3.4
Explore feasible and cost-effective
opportunities to reduce concrete and
asphalt use by the City, in parks and other
public projects.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No Goal N-6: An environment that minimizes the adverse impacts of noise.

N6.3.1
Continue working to reduce noise impacts
created by events and activities taking place
in communities adjoining Palo Alto.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Staff implements the City's noise ordinance. No N6.3.2
Evaluate the feasibility of adopting noise
criteria in the purchase of new City vehicles
and equipment.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Pending
The City continues to take an aggressive approach
to purchasing electric vehicles, which greatly
reduces the noise level of vehicles compared to
gasoline/diesel vehicles.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N6.3.3
Update the Noise Ordinance, as needed, to
provide for clear interpretation of the
regulations, to review the effectiveness of
existing standards, and to ensure that
regulations address contemporary issues.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete Residential portion has been updated to encourage electrification. Yes, All
N6.7.1
Update noise impact review procedures in
the Noise Ordinance and the Zoning Code to
address appropriate requirements for
analysis and thresholds for impacts on
residential land uses and publicly-owned
conservation land.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete Residential portion has been updated to encourage electrification. Yes, All
N6.10.1
Evaluate changes to the Noise Ordinance to
further reduce the impacts of noise from leaf
blowers and residential power equipment.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 N/A Complete
The code enforcement team as completed its
initial goal to enhance the gas leaf blower program
by adopting the ordinance in June of 2023. Moving
forward, the code enforcement has and will
continue to proactive patrol neighborhoods,
respond to complaints and utilize established tools
to accomplish the goal of bringing forth
compliance with banning the use of gas leaf
blowers.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 55 Packet Pg. 255 of 711

Page 49 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N6.11.1
For larger development projects that
demand intensive construction periods
and/or use equipment that could create
vibration impacts, such as the Stanford
University Medical Center or major grade
separation projects, require a vibration
impact analysis, as well as formal, ongoing
monitoring and reporting of noise levels
throughout the entire construction process
pertinent to industry standards. The
monitoring plan should identify hours of
operation and could include information on
the monitoring locations, durations and
regularity, the instrumentation to be used
and appropriate noise control measures to
ensure compliance with the noise ordinance.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Construction noise and vibration are reviewed as
part of the CEQA process. Mitigation measures,
including limited hours of operation, are used to
reduce noise and vibration impacts.

No
N6.12.1
Continue working to reduce noise associated
with operations of the Palo Alto Airport.

Also, ensure compliance with the land use
compatibility standards for community noise
environments, shown in Table N- 1, by
prohibiting incompatible land use
development within the 60 dBA CNEL noise
contours of the airport.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Airport staff have begun using 1200.Aero to track
compliance with the Airport's voluntary noise
abatement procedures. Staff reach out to pilots
that deviate from those procedures which has
added a significant workload.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
N6.12.2
Participate in appropriate public forums and
engage with other governmental agencies
and representatives to ensure that activities
at airports in the region do not negatively
affect noise levels in Palo Alto.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Airport staff continue to review current flight
procedures at the Palo Alto Airport. However, the
airport has limited staffing to review regional flight
patterns not related to the Palo Alto Airport.

No
N6.13.1
Encourage the Peninsula Corridors Joint
Powers Board to pursue technologies and
grade separations that would reduce or
eliminate the need for train horns/whistles
in communities served by rail service.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
For the Palo Alto Avenue (Alma Street) crossing,
the project has transitioned to Public Works for
construction. The City Council awarded the
construction contract in early June 2025, and the
project is now underway. Once construction is
complete, staff will coordinate with the railroad
agencies to implement the Quiet Zone.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 56 Packet Pg. 256 of 711

Page 50 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N6.13.2
Evaluate changing at-grade rail crossings so
that they qualify as Quiet Zones based on
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rules
and guidelines in order to mitigate the
effects of train horn noise without adversely
affecting safety at railroad crossings.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
For the Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive, and
Charleston Road crossings, the Rail Committee has
reviewed the alternatives and provided
recommendations to the City Council. Staff will
bring these items forward for Council review and
seek funding to establish a Capital Improvement
Project for implementation of the required
improvements and the Quiet Zone.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
N6.13.3
Participate in future environmental review
of the California High-Speed Rail (HSR)
Project, planned to utilize existing Caltrain
track through Palo Alto, to ensure that it
adheres to noise and vibration mitigation
measures.

Office of
Transportation
& Planning
Department
By 2022 N/A Complete N/A Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal N-7: A clean, efficient energy supply that makes use of cost-effective renewable resources.

N7.1.1
Meet customer electricity needs with least
total cost resources after careful assessment
of environmental cost and benefits.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Implementation of the REC Exchange Program
during CY 2024 has yielded approximately $3.4M
in net revenue to be used to fund local
decarbonization programs.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.2.1
Promote the adoption of cost-effective,
renewable energy technologies from diverse
renewable fuel sources by all customers.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
and
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Implementation of the REC Exchange Program
during CY 2024 has yielded approximately $3.4M
in net revenue to be used to fund local
decarbonization programs.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.2.2
Assess the feasibility of using life cycle
analysis and total cost of ownership analysis
for public and private projects, funded by
the project proponent, in order to minimize
the consumption of energy, the production
of greenhouse gases, including GHG
emissions of construction materials and
demolition and costs over the life of the
project.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Staff continue to work with customers to evaluate
efficiency and building electrification projects and
take into consideration upfront equipment costs as
well as bill impact and GHG emissions over the life
of equipment.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.4.1
Continue timely incorporation of State and
federal energy efficiency standards and
policies in relevant City codes, regulations
and procedures, and higher local efficiency
standards that are cost-effective.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task significant Ongoing
Council adopted initial energy and green building
code local amendments in Fall 2025 and is
expected to adopt additional energy code
amendments in the first half of 2026 once the
requisite cost studies have been prepared by the
statewide working group.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 57 Packet Pg. 257 of 711

Page 51 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N7.4.2
Implement cost effective energy efficiency
programs for all customers, including low
income customers.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
For residential customers, Utilities has a 4-year
contract (C23186588) with CLEAResult to provide
general home efficiency phone advisory service;
the contract will expire on December 5, 2026.

Separately, Utilities has a 3-year contract
(C23181953A) with Synergy Companies on to
provide direct installation services for energy and
water efficiency measures for low-income
residents in single family homes and multifamily
(MF) customers through October 3, 2025. Under
this contract, Synergy also provides direct
installation of heat pump water heaters in single
family residences as part of the City's Advanced
Heat Pump Water Heater Pilot. For non-residential
customers, Utilities offers the Business Energy
Advisor program to support small to medium
businesses with cost effective energy efficiency
retrofits and also efficiency and electrification
rebates to all nonresidential customers. Utilities
issued an RFP in Q3 2025 seeking vendor proposals
for business efficiency programs; staff plans to
select vendors and have contract(s) in place by
Spring 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.4.3
Incorporate cost-effective energy
conservation measures into construction,
maintenance, and City operation and
procurement practices.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change at this time. Yes, Staff Comments N7.4.4
Implement gas and electric rate structures
that encourage efficient use of resources
while meeting State law requirements that
rates be based on the cost of service.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
In January 2026 new time-of-use rates are being
introduced for residential customers. These rates
will encourage customers to use electricity during
periods of the day that are both lower cost and
have lower GHG emissions related to electricity
production.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 58 Packet Pg. 258 of 711

Page 52 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N7.4.5
Continue to provide public education
programs addressing energy conservation
and efficiency.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The Home Energy Advisor program continues to
provide efficiency and electrification consultation
to residential customers over the phone at no cost
to Palo Alto residents. Utilities Department
continues to offer workshops throughout the year
on topics ranging from indoor and outdoor water
conservation tips, EVs, rooftop PV systems, energy
storage systems, and home electrification
technologies. Utilities staff also partner with 350
Silicon Valley to table at local community events to
promote home electrification programs and
services throughout the year.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.5.1
Monitor professional and medically-sound
research and studies on light-emitting
diodes (LEDs).

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 N/A Complete Complete No
N7.6.1
Explore changes to building and zoning
codes to incorporate solar energy, energy
storage and other energy efficiency
measures into major development projects,
including City-owned projects.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Ongoing
Council adopted initial energy and green building
code local amendments in Fall 2025 and is
expected to adopt additional energy code
amendments in the first half of 2026 once the
requisite cost studies have been prepared by the
statewide working group.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.6.2
Promote use of the top floors of new and
existing structured automobile garages for
installation of photovoltaic panels and green
roofs.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
This effort is ongoing. The North Ventura
Coordinated Area Plan (NVCAP), which was
adopted in August 2024, includes policies
encouraging green roofs within the plan area.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N7.6.3 Promote solar energy in individual private
projects.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities,
Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Staff at the Development Center continue to
encourage and provide support to customers
interested in adding solar power to their projects,
including a virtual green building assistance help
desk
(https://www.greencarpetservice.com/copa/).

Additionally, the City's green building and energy
reach codes are regularly updated to promote
sustainability features in projects of all types and
sizes.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
N7.7.1
Evaluate the potential for a cost-effective
plan for transitioning to a completely
carbon-neutral natural gas supply.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Staff monitors the market for innovative green
product availability and pricing (e.g., purchasing
Renewable Natural Gas supplies). The Carbon
Neutral Gas Plan using carbon offsets was
reaffirmed by Council in December 2020.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 59 Packet Pg. 259 of 711

Page 53 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N7.7.2
Explore the transition of existing buildings
from gas to electric or solar water and space
heating.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities By 2022 Standard Ongoing
The Business Electrification Technical Assistance
Program, launched in August 2022, provides
technical assistance to support commercial
customers with building electrification projects. As
of September 2025, the program has completed
105 electrification assessments and six
electrification projects, resulting in 22 MT of CO2
savings. There are currently eight electrification
projects in the pipeline, of which six are heat pump
HVAC projects. Interest in the heat pump HVAC
measure continues to grow, supported by the
limited time enhanced incentive offered through
the Business Customer Rebate Program
For residential customers, Utilities launched a fullservice heat pump water heater (FS) program in March 2023 that provides end-to-end service to
replace a gas water heater with a heat pump water
heater (HPWH) through a City installer. In
September 2024, Utilities launched a water heater
emergency replacement (ER) program that offers
to replace a gas water heater with a HPWH within
48 hours. Between March 2023 and September
2025, 652 HPWHs have been installed through the
FS program, the ER program, and the HPWH
rebate program. In September 2024, Utilities
launched an Emergency Water Heater
Replacement program with the dual goal of
restoring hot water to the customer within 48
hours and replacing the gas water heater with a
HPWH. In January 2025, Utilities launched the
Electrification Expert service that offers free online
home electrification assessments and phone
consultations to Palo Alto residents; concurrently,
new home electrification rebates were launched.

Staff is currently planning to launch a turnkey
whole home electrification program by early 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 60 Packet Pg. 260 of 711

Page 54 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N7.8.1
Evaluate energy efficient approaches for the
treatment and reuse of organic waste that
maximize resource recovery and reduce
greenhouse gas generation at the RWQCP
located in Palo Alto and the Palo Alto
Landfill.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Reuse organic waste from the RWQCP; currently
create Class A biosolids products and send a
portion of the organics through an anaerobic
digester to convert organics into a resource.

Started the Biosolids Facility Plan Update that will
re-evaluate treatment of biosolids generated at
the RWQCP and disposal options.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal N-8: Actively support regional efforts to reduce our contribution to climate change while adapting to the effects of climate change on land uses and city services.

N8.1.1
Participate in cooperative planning with
regional and local public agencies, including
on the Sustainable Communities Strategy, on
issues related to climate change, such as
greenhouse gas reduction, water supply
reliability, sea level rise, fire protection
services, emergency medical services, and
emergency response planning.

Office of
Sustainability
and Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Office of Sustainability, Public Works, and Office of
Emergency Services participated in regional
working groups, including Santa Clara County. This
aligns with the Sustainability and Climate Action
Plan (S/CAP) goals and key actions as well as the
2023 - 2025 S/CAP Work Plan.

No
N8.1.2
Pursue or exceed State goals of achieving
zero net carbon for residential buildings by
2020 and commercial buildings by 2030,
without compromising the urban forest.

Office of
Sustainability,
City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Department
and Planning
and
Development
Services
Department
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
On September 8, 2025, the City Council adopted
two emergency ordinances to the California
Building Standards Code in response to state law.

The first amendment addresses definitions and
certificate of occupancy requirements, while the
second introduces new energy reach codes for
single-family homes, focusing on air
conditioning unit replacement and FlexPath
requirements for major remodels. As required by
state law, the ordinances were sent to the
California Energy Commission for review and
approval.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N8.2.1
Periodically update the S/CAP consistent
with the update schedule in the approved
S/CAP; this update shall include an updated
greenhouse gas inventory and updated
short, medium, and long-term emissions
reduction goals.

Office of
Sustainability 2022-2027 Standard Partially Complete
In June 2023, the 2022 Sustainability and Climate
Action Plan was adopted, the Comprehensive Plan
Environmental Impact Report Addendum: Update
to the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan was
certified, and Council accepted the 2023-2025
S/CAP Workplan. Staff completed a 2024
Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which will be brought
to City Council in December 2025. There are no
plans to update the S/CAP in 2025, as it was just
adopted two years ago, however, staff is currently
developing a 2026-2027 S/CAP Workplan, which
will be brought to City Council for Approval in
February 2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
N8.3.1
Protect the Municipal Services Center, Utility
Control Center, and RWQCP from the
impacts of sea level rise.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Substantial Ongoing
A Sea Level Rise vulnerability assessment is
complete and RWQCP is iteratively raising all
electrical and other equipment to adapt to 100-
year storm and future sea level rise. Staff will be
partnering with Santa Clara County Office of
Sustainability on a grant that will expand Palo
Alto's vulnerability assessment and develop an
adaptation plan. In addition, divisions within public
works and Utilities are now working on
incorporating sea level rise and shallow
groundwater conditions into project planning.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
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Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
N8.4.1
Prepare response strategies that address sea
level rise, increased flooding, landslides, soil
erosion, storm events and other events
related to climate change. Include strategies
to respond to the impacts of sea level rise on
Palo Alto’s levee system.

Office of
Sustainability By 2022 Substantial Pending
The City has been working on sea level rise
adaptation efforts for several years.

Accomplishments to date include a completed Sea
Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, online
mapping tools that help City engineers and urban
foresters plan for future sea level rise conditions,
ongoing adaptations and the inclusion of sea level
rise in Long Range Facility Plan update for the
Regional Water Quality Control Plant, and the
2019 San Francisquito Creek Downstream Project
which helps from three feet of sea level rise and a
100-year storm.

In 2023, SB272 (Laird): Sea Level Rise: Planning and
Adaptation became law and requires that all local
governments along the San Francisco Bay
shoreline develop a sea level rise adaptation plan
by 2034. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and
Development Commission (BCDC) administers and
approves plan development. Plans can be
developed locally, or in partnership with other
local agencies as part of a Subregional Shoreline
Adaptation Plan. On September 30, 2025, the
Santa Clara County Office of Sustainability was
awarded a $2.6 million Ocean Protection Council
grant to develop a multi-jurisdictional sea level rise
vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan for
project partners which include Palo Alto and other
Santa Clara County cities and public agencies. The
project will submit a subregional vulnerability
assessment to BCDC in summer 2027 and a
subregional shoreline adaptation plan in 2029.

Yes, Staff
Comments

SAFETY ELEMENT
Goal S-1: A safe community that is aware of risks and prepared for emergencies.

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S1.1.1
Expand public education programs that help
and encourage each household in the City to
be prepared to be self-sufficient, with
enough stored water and food to support
the entire household for at least one week
after a major earthquake, flood, terrorism
event, COVID-19 pandemic or other major
disaster.

Office of
Emergency
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
OES works with the City Manager's Office to
provide community updates periodically across a
number of mediums including City Manager
comments, Uplift Local, Palo Alto Medium blog,
Utility Inserts, and social media posts. The OES
Preparedness webpage also provides this
information. We attempt to expand our public
education to all groups in the Palo Alto
community.

No
S1.1.2 Continue to implement and fund the
Emergency Services Volunteer program.

Office of
Emergency
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
Office of Emergency Services (OES) continues to
manage the ESV program, there are currently over
700 registered volunteers. OES apportions funds
annually to support this program including an
annual community event, monthly training
sessions, quarterly leader meetings, and several
exercises per year.

No
S1.1.3
Conduct emergency hazard drills with key
stakeholder organizations across the
community to improve preparedness for
known threats and hazards.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Throughout the year, Office of Emergency Services
(OES) conducts emergency drills with key
stakeholders that include seminars,
communications tests, table-top exercises,
functional, and full-scale exercises.

No
S1.1.4
Support an annual community public safety
fair to educate and engage the public on
preparedness and offer the opportunity to
buy emergency disaster supplies for home
and vehicle.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
No public safety fairs were planned in this
reporting period, instead OES participated in
several citywide events to promote preparedness
including the May Fete, MSC Open House, PAPD
National Night Out, and the City Hall Open House.

No
S1.1.5
Encourage local businesses and other
organizations to have disaster preparedness,
communication, mitigation and recovery
plans in place.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
OES works with businesses upon request to assist
in preparedness planning. The OES website
includes preparedness-related information for
businesses as well.

No
S1.2.1
Develop accessible, attractive marketing
materials to promote involvement in
community crime safety programs.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task N/A Complete Complete No
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S1.3.1
Explore the use of urban design principles to
increase safety and prevent crime in Palo
Alto.

Planning and
Development
Services &
Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Office of Emergency Services (OES) maintains
expertise and serves as a resource for Crime
Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)
https://www.ncpc.org/resources/homeneighborhood-safety/crime-prevention-throughenvironmental-design-training-program/ and other safety and security best practices, in particular, for
Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CIKR).

OES is assisting City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU)
with site protection and resilience matters. OES is
assisting Department of Public Works and Police
Department with the Public Safety Building.

No
S1.3.2
Support programs such as the Department
of Housing and Urban Development’s Good
Neighbor Next Door, which incentivizes
home purchase for first responders with
discounts.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Pending Staff is not aware of any progress on this program's implementation as of 2025.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S1.4.1
Make data available to maintain an accurate,
up to date, and complete real-time local
crime mapping function to promote
neighborhood safety.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Webpage active. No
S1.5.1
Promote neighborhood security by providing
crime prevention information and training to
residents, and continuing to fund resident
involvement in neighborhood safety
programs such as “Know Your Neighbor”
grants and Block Preparedness
Coordinators.

Police
Department
and Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
OES provides BPC certification courses as part of
our ESV program 3 times a year in which we
encourage Neighborhood Watch activities. OES
also encourages the use of "Know Your Neighbor"
grants by ESV members for block level parties.

No
S1.5.2
Collaborate with the Palo Alto Unified School
District (PAUSD), other school districts in the
city, private schools, businesses, non-profits,
and local faith-based organizations provide
community safety education.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change No
S1.5.3
Encourage the PAUSD to develop secure
school facilities and collaborate with
Emergency Services Volunteers on disaster
preparedness activities; emergency disaster
planning, exercises and drills; and disaster
recovery.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
OES and PAPD maintain contact with PAUSD and
are available to provide support when requested
by PAUSD.

No
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S1.5.4
Continue to support and encourage
participation in Police Department programs
to introduce youth to the importance and
benefits of local law enforcement.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing No plan for program at this time Yes, Status S1.6.1
Enhance public safety department training
for evolving challenges, such as small- to
large-scale human threats, interacting with
individuals with mental illness, and nonlethal alternatives.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Staff is working with Santa Clara County Behavioral
Health Services (SCCO Behavioral Health) to hire a
clinician. One PERT officer working solo.

No
S1.6.2
Support the PAPD in implementing and
maintaining approved technologies for data
gathering, surveillance, and recording
interactions with the public. Incorporate
best practices in use policies with special
consideration in ensuring the programs
protect the public’s privacy rights and civil
liberties, in accordance with current
legislation. Ensure transparency by
communicating new equipment
implementation, usage, privacy
considerations, and retention of data.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing AB 481 report given to Council annually. No S1.6.3
Communicate transparently with the
community regarding adoption of new PAPD
equipment and/or tactics while balancing
the need for operational security.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing AB 481 report given to Council annually. No S1.7.1
Regularly monitor and review the level of
public safety staffing and satellite police
station locations required for efficient local
service delivery.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No change No
S1.7.2
Design the new Public Safety building to
meet essential service standards, the needs
of the public safety departments and be
resilient against known threats and hazards.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy was granted
in August 2025; first phase of move-in occurred in
September 2025 with remaining phased move-in
scheduled to occur by mid-2026.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S1.7.3
Provide community notifications in the event
of emergency using the best available
methods and explore new technologies for
emergency public information and warnings.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
OES remains proficient in the use of the Everbridge
software system, that provides AlertSCC mass
notification functionality. OES also can provide
notifications via Next door, and in working with
City communications managers - proliferate such
messages on other social media.

No
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Office of
Emergency
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete Complete No
S1.9.1
Develop an Infrastructure Master Plan that
projects the future needs of streets,
underground utilities, and all City assets and
plans for the incorporation of new
technology that improves efficiency and
effectiveness.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Substantial Partially Complete
No staff comments were received related to this
program's implementation in 2025. Level of Effort
and Completion status assumed to be the same as
last year.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S1.10.1
Regularly update and make publicly available
the City of Palo Alto Emergency Operations
Plan (EOP).

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
OES has updated the EOP and will request City
Council adoption on 3 November 2025. This
update incorporates new legislative measures,
emergency management, best practices, and
whole community involvement. The updated plan
will be posted on the City of Palo Alto website
once Council adoption is complete.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S1.10.2
Participate in local and regional planning
efforts to mitigate, prepare for, respond to,
and recover from emergencies.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
OES continues to participate in regional planning
efforts including the Urban Area Security Initiative
(UASI), the Mutual Aid Regional Advisory
Committee (MARAC), and Santa Clara County
Operational Area Signatories Committee, and the
Santa Clara County Emergency Managers
Association - among others. OES continues to lead
the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency
Coordination (SFC MAC) group as well as the
Silicon Valley Homeland Security Coordination
Group (SV-HSCG).

Yes, Level of
Effort
S1.10.3
Implement the mitigation strategies and
guidelines provided by the LHMP, including
those that address evolving hazards resulting
from climate change.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Annually, Office of Emergency Services updates
the status of Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)
projects. The City updated the LHMP in 2023, with
Council adoption occurring in October 2024, as
part of the Santa Clara County multi-jurisdictional
planning process.

No
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S1.12.1
Encourage multiagency coordination in case
of incidents that cross disciplinary or
jurisdictional boundaries or coordination
that involves complex incident management
scenarios.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
OES, PAPD, and PAFD implement multi-agency
coordination by integrating agencies into response
efforts through mutual aid systems. This is done in
keeping with the National Incident Management
System (NIMS) and the State of California
Standardized Emergency Management System
(SEMS). This is done for both internal city
departments, as well as for multi-jurisdictional
incidents or events.

No
S1.12.2
Explore the establishment of mutuallybeneficial cooperative agreements between Palo Alto’s police and fire departments and
those of neighboring cities.

Police
Department &
Fire
Department
2022-2027 Standard Ongoing No update to report at this time. No S1.13.1 Identify solutions to add an additional power
line to Palo Alto to ensure redundancy.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities By 2022 Significant Ongoing CAISO approved CPA's submittal and request for a 2nd transmission line.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
S1.13.2
Explore incentives to adopt emerging,
residential off- grid capabilities and
technologies, including back-up power
sources vital in the event of natural disasters
or other threats.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 N/A Complete
Consultant evaluation found that a SolarPV+BESS
based back-up system for homes would be
economical depending on how much value the
resident places have on higher level of resiliency.

The analysis finding suggests that investing ratepayer funds via incentives for such projects at individual homes would not be economical from a
community perspective. The recommendation is to
continue facilitating customer adoption of such
technologies.

Evaluation completed in 2025; evaluation findings
and recommendation was approved by the
Utilities Advisory Commission in December
2025 and is expected to be approved by the
Council in February 2026.

Yes, All
S1.13.3
Continue citywide efforts to underground
utility wires to limit injury, loss of life, and
damage to property in the event of humanmade or natural disasters.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Current focus is on the Grid Modernization project
with a focus on the overhead system. The focus on
the underground system will begin FY28.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S1.13.4
Enhance the safety of City-owned natural
gas pipeline operations. Work with
customers, public safety officials, and
industry leaders to ensure the safe delivery
of natural gas throughout the service area.

Provide safety information to all residents
on City-owned natural gas distribution
pipelines.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing Ongoing effort. Yes, Staff Comments S1.13.5
Provide off-grid and/or backup power
sources for critical City facilities to ensure
uninterrupted power during emergencies
and disasters.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Partially Complete
In 2025 consultants undertook a study to evaluate
the merits of a 7MW/28MWh central
Solar+battery microgrid at the airport to serve the
critical loads at the adjacent WQCP. The analysis
found the capital cost of such a system to be large
and that the incremental resiliency such a system
could provide (over and above the diesel back-up
generation WQCP already operates) may not
justify investing in such an expensive system
Ongoing: if off-grid opportunities arise in other city
facilities, further analysis will be undertaken
Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
Goal S-2: Protection of life, ecosystems and property from natural hazards and disasters, including earthquake, landslide, flooding, and fire.

S2.5.1 Periodically review and update the City’s
Seismic Hazard Ordinance.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Partially Complete
Consultant began work on this effort in May 2025.

Community Advisory Group has been formed and
met twice in 2025. Project updates were shared
with Policy and Services Committee in December
2025. A draft ordinance will be prepared and
reviewed by Policy and Services and Council in
2026.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
S2.5.2
Continue to provide incentives for seismic
retrofits of structures throughout the city,
particularly those building types that would
affect the most people in the event of an
earthquake.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Ongoing
Previously adopted and approved incentives
remain in place; consultant is evaluating additional
incentive options as part of current scope and will
present these to the community advisory group,
Policy and Services Committee and, as
appropriate, the Council for consideration.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.6.1
Encourage efforts by individual
neighborhood or block- level groups to pool
resources for seismic retrofits.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
The consultant preparing the seismic ordinance
update for the City will work with community
stakeholders to identify, share and encourage any
applicable resource pooling opportunities.

Yes, All
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S2.6.2
Continue to use a seismic bonus and a TDR
Ordinance for seismic retrofits for eligible
structures in the Commercial Downtown
(CD) zone.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Staff continues to implement these programs/offerings to encourage seismic retrofits.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
S2.6.3
Evaluate the TDR Ordinance so that
transferred development rights may be used
for residential development on the receiver
sites.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task Standard Pending Copy over the Downtown Housing related response Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.6.4
Study the possibility of revising the transfer
of development rights program to
encourage seismic retrofits.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
The consultant preparing the seismic ordinance
update for the City will consider this as one of
several possible incentives the City could offer.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
S2.6.5
Explore the use of Community Development
Block Grants, Palo Alto Housing Funds and
other sources of funding to support owners
of lower income and senior housing to
retrofit seismically-unsafe construction.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No
S2.7.1
As part of the construction permitting
process for proposed new and redeveloped
buildings in areas of identified hazard shown
on MapS-2, structures that would affect the
most people in a seismic event require
submittal to the City of a
geotechnical/seismic report that identifies
specific risks and appropriate mitigation
measures.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 Significant Ongoing
This effort is linked to Program S2.5.1. See update
on S2.5.1. Additionally, staff continues to require
seismic reports for properties in the subject areas
as noted on the building submittal checklist.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.7.2
Review and update, as appropriate, City
code requirements for excavation, grading,
filling and construction to ensure that they
conform to currently accepted and adopted
State standards.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
The code requirements are currently up to date.

Staff will continue to monitor accepted and
adopted standards and update code as needed.

No
S2.7.3
Utilize the results of Palo Alto’s Seismic
Hazards Identification Program and
inventory of potentially seismically
vulnerable building types to establish
priorities and consider incentives to
encourage structural retrofits.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Building
Services
By 2022 Significant Partially
Complete
Consultant began work on this effort in May 2025
and completed an inventory update in December
2025.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
S2.8.1
Implement flood mitigation requirements of
FEMA in Special Flood Hazard Areas as
illustrated on the Flood Insurance Rate
Maps.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
All private and public development projects within
the Special Flood Hazard Areas are reviewed for
compliance with FEMA regulations.

No
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S2.8.2
Continue participating in FEMA’s Community
Rating System to reduce flood insurance for
local residents and businesses and strive to
improve Palo Alto’s rating in order to lower
the cost of flood insurance.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
City of Palo Alto continues to participate in the
Community Rating System and to evaluate
opportunities to improve the rating.

No
S2.8.3
Collaborate with the San Francisquito Creek
Joint Powers Authority and the Santa Clara
Valley Water District on environmentally
sensitive efforts to stabilize, restore,
maintain and provide one percent (100-year)
flood protection adjacent to San
Francisquito Creek.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The Highway 101 to Bay project was completed in
2018. Newell Road Bridge construction contract
was approved by Council in June 2025. The other
elements of the Upstream of Highway 101 project
are currently in the Design Development and
Entitlements process.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.8.4
Work with East Palo Alto, Santa Clara Valley
Water District and San Francisquito Creek
Joint Powers Authority on efforts to increase
the flows within the San Francisquito Creek
possible solutions include replacing the Cityowned Newell Road Bridge and Francisquito Creek. District-owned Pope Chaucer Street
Bridge.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
Staff received authorization from Caltrans to bid
the project in April 2025 and awarded a
construction contract is June 2025. Staff continues
to work with the San Francisquito Creek Joint
Powers Board (SFCJPA) member agencies to
coordinate other Reach 2 projects with the Newell
Road Bridge replacement project. The remaining
Reach 2 projects (top of bank, creek-widening,
Pope-Chaucer Bridge Replacement) are on hold
pending creek model redesign based on recent
winter storm results.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.10.1 Keep basement restrictions up to date with
changing flood hazard zones.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing Basement constructions are restricted on all FEMA flood zone designated areas.

Yes, Staff
Comments
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S2.11.1
Review development standards applicable in
areas susceptible to flooding from sea level
rise, including east of Highway 101, West
Bayshore and East Meadow Circle, the area
east of San Antonio Road and north of East
Charleston, and implement shoreline
development regulations to ensure that new
development is protected from potential
impacts of flooding resulting from sea level
rise and significant storm events.

Regulations should be consistent with the
Baylands Master Plan, as amended, and may
include new shoreline setback requirements,
limits on lot line adjustments to avoid the
creation of vulnerable shoreline lots, and/or
triggers for relocation or removal of existing
structures based on changing site conditions
and other factors.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Ongoing
This is still an ongoing effort. Development
standards have not been implemented for flooding
due to sea level rise
No
S2.11.2
Study appropriate restrictions on
underground construction in areas outside
of flood zones, as shown on Map S-5, to
accommodate expected higher groundwater
levels due to sea level rise and minimize
consequent flooding of underground
construction.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Pending Appropriate standards and restrictions have not been implemented. No S2.12.1
Work cooperatively with the Santa Clara
Valley Water District and the San
Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority to
provide flood protection from high tide
events on San Francisco Bay, taking into
account the impacts of future sea level rise,
to provide one percent (100-year) flood
protection from tidal flooding, while being
sensitive to preserving and protecting the
natural environment.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The City of Palo Alto continues to work with the
project team to plan for projects such as tide gate
replacement and levee improvements in
anticipation of future sea level rise. Began
coordination of the construction of the Tide Gate
Replacement Project with Valley Water.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.12.2
Work with regional, State, and federal
agencies to develop additional strategies to
adapt to flood hazards to existing or new
development and infrastructure, including
support for environmentally sensitive levees.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Construction started of the Horizontal Levee Pilot Project.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S2.13.1
Regularly review and update the Fire
Department’s operations, training facilities
and programs to ensure consistency with
current standards and Best Management
Practices.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Study extended to next fiscal year due to focus on PSB and Fire Station 4 rebuild.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.13.2
Explore technological tools, such as cameras
or remote sensors, to identify smoke or fires
and initiate response as quickly as possible.

Fire
Department By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing pilot program that will require maintenance and monitoring. Yes, All
S2.14.1
Regularly review and fund updates to the
Palo Alto Foothills Fire Management Plan to
ensure consistency with current standards
and Best Management Practices.

Fire
Department 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing Updated FFMP is complete.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
S2.14.2
Implement the Foothills Fire Management
Plan to balance conservation of natural
resources with reduction of fire hazards
especially in open space areas.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
New 5 year contract with Santa Clara County Fire
Safe Council (SCCFSC) for fuel mitigation
management and public education.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.14.3 Minimize fire hazards by maintaining low
density zoning in wildland fire hazard areas.

Planning and
Development
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No
S2.14.4
Work collaboratively with other jurisdictions
and agencies to reduce wildfire hazards in
and around Palo Alto, with an emphasis on
effective vegetation management and
mutual aid agreements.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing pilot program that will require maintenance and monitoring.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
S2.14.5
Consider implementation of CAL FIRE
recommended programs in educating and
involving the local community to diminish
potential loss caused by wildfire and identify
prevention measures to reduce those risks.

Fire
Department By 2022 Significant Ongoing
New Contract with SCCFSC, annual public
education, roadside clearance work, and annual
WUI inspection program.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.15.1
Evaluate measures for optimal service
delivery to improve efficiency; develop
automatic or mutual aid agreements with
other jurisdictions, including Stanford, to
improve efficiencies.

Fire
Department 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing Made enhancements to our response model to include engine 64 and medic 64 to cross staff.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.15.2 Upgrade fire stations so that all remain fully
functional following earthquakes.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing Fire Station 4 rebuild project is underway Yes, Staff Comments Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 73 Packet Pg. 273 of 711

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Fire
Department 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing project that will take staff and
budget to support. Strategic Plan has been
published and Standard of coverage is part of our
five year goal.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S2.16.1
Provide public education on fire safety,
including wildland and structural fire
prevention, evacuation routes and
guidelines for clearance of landscaping and
other hazards around structures.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Town hall meeting, Fire Prevention Week Open house, Fire Safety Poster Contest
Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal S-3: An environment free of the damaging effects of human-caused threats and hazardous materials.

S3.1.1
Continue City permitting procedures for
commercial and industrial storage, use, and
handling of hazardous materials and
regulate the commercial use of hazardous
materials that may present a risk of off-site
health or safety effects.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program. No S3.1.2
Minimize the risks of biohazards in Palo Alto,
including Level 4 biohazards, by continuing
to review and update, as necessary, local
regulations regarding use, handling and
disposal.

Fire
Department By 2022 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program. No S3.1.3
Strengthen development review
requirements and construction standards for
projects on sites with groundwater
contamination.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Department of
Public Works
By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. No
S3.1.4
Establish protocols to monitor the
movement of hazardous materials on Palo
Alto roadways and respond effectively to
spills via established truck and construction
routes.

Fire
Department 2022-2027 Significant Pending Staff continues to focus on hazardous materials permitting program.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S3.1.5
Work with non-profit organizations to
provide information to the public regarding
pesticides and other commonly used
hazardous materials, environmentally
preferable alternatives, and safe recycling
and disposal practices to all user groups.

Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Pending Staff continues to focus on hazardous materials permitting program.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 74 Packet Pg. 274 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S3.1.6
Continue providing regular household
hazardous waste collection events at the
Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control
Plant and strive to make these programs
more convenient and accessible to residents.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing The City provides input when requested. There are no substantial actions to report currently. No S3.1.7 Continue to allow small quantity generators
to dispose of hazardous waste at cost.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Program continues to be available to small businesses. No S3.1.8
Continue to educate residents on the proper
disposal of pharmaceutical and household
hazardous waste. Encourage proper disposal
of medications through pharmacies or drug
take-back programs rather than flushing.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Advertising pharmaceutical disposal options and
providing locations to residents is a continuous
effort.

No
S3.6.1
Work with the freight industry to monitor
the contents of freight trains intersecting
Palo Alto for potentially hazardous
materials, and to establish accountability for
accidents and spills.

Office of
Emergency
Services
Continuous
Task Significant Pending
No accidents or spills occurred during this
reporting period. OES is able to coordinate with
the local freight carrier, Union Pacific, to identify
the hazardous materials being transported through
Palo Alto in a calendar year. In conjunction with
the Fire Department, we can also work with UP to
schedule training relevant to the risks involved.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S3.6.2
Work with Caltrain and the PAUSD, to
educate students and the public on the
dangers of rail trespass and the benefits of
suicide support services available in Palo
Alto.

Community
Services
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing task. Project Safety Net and its
partners continue to collaborate and educate the
community. The Council approved an agreement
with the JED Foundation for technical assistance,
evaluation and support related to youth mental
health programs.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S3.8.1
Encourage residential and commercial food
waste reduction through incentives,
educational outreach and programs.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
A new outreach campaign on Food Waste
Reduction was launched to meet Zero Waste Plan
initiatives and provide residents and businesses
strategies to minimize food waste and connecting
their actions to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions. This will be an on-going community
education effort. Outreach campaign included
numerous social media posts, articles in the City's
sustainability blog, changes to the Zero Waste
webpage, articles in the newsletters sent to
residents and businesses by the City's contracted
hauler, and advertisements in the local
newspapers.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
S3.8.2 To the extent allowed by law, use refuse rate
structures that incentivize waste reduction.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing task. There are no substantial actions to report at this time.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 75 Packet Pg. 275 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S3.8.3
Continue to work with CalRecycle and the
Department of Toxic Substances Control to
develop and promote long-term solid waste
management, such as environmentally
responsible recycling programs, composting
of food waste and other organics, and
citywide electronics and digital hardware
recycling efforts.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing and the campaigns are cycled
through. In 2025, staff had active participation in
the National Stewardship Action Council working
group focusing on the Plastic Pollution Prevention
and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54)
and with CalRecycle to further influence
environmental programs including reduction of
plastics and international shipping of recyclable
materials.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S3.9.1 Periodically review and update the adopted
Construction and Debris program.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program. There are no substantial actions to report at this time.

Yes, Staff
Comments
S3.9.2
Educate Palo Alto residents and developers
about available incentives to use
environmentally friendly deconstruction
activities to minimize our carbon footprint,
and to save natural resources, as well as
space in our landfills.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No S3.10.1
Support efforts to enforce extended
producer responsibility for solid waste to
reduce waste produced from manufacturing,
shipping, packaging and the entire life-cycle
of the product.

Office of
Sustainability
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing task. No
S3.12.1
Complete an inventory of the City’s digital
infrastructure to locate vulnerabilities and
gaps in system redundancies and develop
recommendations for improved
cybersecurity.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing task. No S3.12.2
Establish criteria for the installation of high
security telecommunications technology in
new local government projects.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities 2022-2027 N/A Complete
The pilot for the electric grid modernization is
completed. Construction for fiber-to-the-premises
pilot is scheduled to be completed by end of 2025.

The pilot has been successful in consolidating the
type of work, sharing costs and resources when
possible, and minimizing construction activity and
disruption in the neighborhoods.

Yes, All
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
S3.12.3
Establish a wi-fi network that will be
available to public safety responders and
Emergency Service Volunteers in the event
of power interruption during an emergency
or disaster.

City of Palo
Alto Utilities
and Office of
Emergency
Services
By 2022 Significant Partially
Complete
OES has expanded the Amateur Radio Emergency
Data Network (AREDN) in 2025 with efforts
continuing in 2026. Phase 1: establishing a
network backbone to cover Palo Alto is complete
which includes Fire Station 8 in the Foothills and
City Hall. Phase 2: create 4 mid-tier mesh nodes
across the City of Palo Alto to provide a limited
mesh network is complete. This includes Mitchell
Park Community Center, The Municipal Services
Center, Channing House, and City Hall. Phase 3:
expansion of the Mesh to provide wifi services has
been accomplished at Mitchell Park Community
Center, Cubberley Community Center, the
Downtown Library, and the Municipal Services
Center. Phase 4: planning, design, and
development is underway in FY2026 to add a nonPart 97 infrastructure that will enable encrypted/encoded data transfer, identifying
additional wifi hotspot locations, and additional
resiliency efforts to improve the backbone service.

Yes, Staff
Comments

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 greenhouse gas emissions and the use of single occupancy motor vehicles.

T1.2.1
Create a long-term education program to
change the travel habits of residents,
visitors, shoppers, and workers by informing
them about transportation alternatives,
incentives, and impacts. Work with the
PAUSD and with other public and private
interests, such as the Chamber of Commerce
and Commuter Wallet partners, to develop
and implement this program.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
OOT staff is hired and focusing on grant-funded
bicycle safety work and micro mobility program.

Palo Alto TMA educates and serves commuters.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
T1.2.2
Advocate for improved connectivity to
transit to serve workers who live in the
South Bay and work in Palo Alto.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort by city staff and
councilmembers appointed to various boards and
commissions.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 77 Packet Pg. 277 of 711

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T1.2.3
Formalize TDM requirements by ordinance
and require new developments above a
certain size threshold to prepare and
implement a TDM plan to meet specific
performance standards. Require regular
monitoring/reporting and provide for
enforcement with meaningful penalties for
non-compliance. The ordinance should also:-
Establish a list of effective TDM measures
that include transit promotion, prepaid
transit passes, commuter checks, car
sharing, carpooling, parking cash-out, bicycle
lockers and showers, shuttles to Caltrain,
requiring TMA membership and education
and outreach to support the use of these
modes.-Allow property owners to achieve
reductions by contributing to citywide or
employment district shuttles or other
proven transportation programs that are not
directly under the property owner’s control.-
Provide a system for incorporating
alternative measures as new ideas for TDM
are developed.-Establish a mechanism to
monitor the success of TDM measures and
track the cumulative reduction of peak hour
motor vehicle trips. TDM measuresshould at
a minimum achieve the following: reduction
in peak hour motor vehicle trips, with a
focus on single-occupant vehicle trips.

Reductions should be based on the rates
included in the Institute of Transportation
Engineers’ Trip Generation Manual for the
appropriate land use category and size:
- 45 percent reduction in the Downtown
district
- 35 percent reduction in the California
Avenue area
- 30 percent reduction in the Stanford
Research Park
- 30 percent reduction in the El Camino
Real Corridor
- 20 percent reduction in other areas of
the city-Require new development
projects to pay a Transportation Impact
Fee for all those peak-hour motor
vehicle trips that cannot be reduced via
TDM measures. Fees collected would be
Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Partially Complete
Has been added to S/CAP workplan but is not
resourced.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
used for capital improvements aimed at
reducing vehicle trips and traffic
congestion.
- Ensure a stable, sustained funding
source to support implementation of
TDM measures.

T1.2.4
Evaluate the performance of pilot programs
implemented by the Palo Alto
Transportation Management Association
and pursue expansion from Downtown to
California Avenue and other areas of the city
when appropriate.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The City Council receives Palo Alto Transportation
Management Association Annual Reports. For
FY26, Council allocated $400K to the TMA for
outreach citywide.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.2.5
Site City facilities near high-capacity transit
and revise existing regulations, policies, and
programs to encourage telecommuting,
satellite office concepts, and work-at-home
options.

Planning and
Development
Services, Office
of
Transportation
& Human
Resources
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
Staff updated the Citywide Hybrid Work Policy was
updated July 1, 2024. Additionally, staff expanded
the commuter benefits program by adding the
BayPass transit pilot program. This pilot program
enhances the use of alternate transportation
throughout the Bay Area.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
T1.2.6 Pursue full participation of Palo Alto
employers in the TMA.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
No change, where appropriate, Planning and
Development Services includes Transportation
Management Association (TMA) membership in
development conditions. The TMA conducts
ongoing outreach to employers, and the TMA's
mode shift survey now serves as an outreach tool.

No
T1.3.1
Develop an electric vehicle promotion
program that identifies policy and technical
issues, barriers and opportunities to the
expansion of electric vehicles.

Office of
Sustainability 2022-2027 N/A Complete
This program was completed in conjunction with
City of Palo Alto Utilities and Office of
Transportation. On August 18, 2025, the City
Council approved an E-mobility Strategic Roadmap
that include electric vehicles.

Yes, All
T1.3.2
Use low-emission vehicles for the Palo Alto
Free Shuttle and work with transit providers,
including SamTrans and VTA, to encourage
the adoption of electric, fuel cell or other
zero emission vehicles. Also work with
private bus and shuttle providers, delivery
companies, and ride services.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Substantial Partially Complete The on-demand transit service vendor is currently
operating electric and hybrid vehicles in Palo Alto. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T1.4.1
Update the Zoning Code to ensure
compatibility with the electric vehicle
infrastructure requirements.

Planning and
Development
Services
Continuous
Task N/A Complete Complete No
T1.4.2
Periodically review requirements for electric
and plug- in vehicle infrastructure in new
construction. Consider and periodically
review requirements for electric and plug-in
infrastructure for remodels. Consider costs
to the City, including identifying payment
options.

Office of
Sustainability
and City of
Palo Alto
Utilities
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This program is ongoing in conjunction with City of Palo Alto Utilities and Planning & Development. No
T1.6.1
Collaborate with transit providers, including
Caltrain, bus operators and rideshare
companies, to develop first/last mile
connection strategies that boost the use of
transit and shuttle service for local errands
and commuting.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Standard Partially Complete
The on-demand transit service vendor is currently
operating electric and hybrid vehicles in Palo Alto.

While staff have received grant funding to convert
the remaining hybrid vehicles to electric, long-term
funding of this service has not been identified.

No
T1.6.2
Continue to work with Caltrain, Amtrak, and
public bus operators to expand bicycle
storage on public transit vehicles and at
transit hubs during both peak and off-peak
hours.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No updates to report at this time. No T1.11.1
Collaborate with Stanford University, VTA,
Caltrain and other agencies to pursue
improvements to the Palo Alto Transit
Center area aimed at enhancing pedestrian
experience and improving circulation and
access for all modes, including direct access
to El Camino Real for transit vehicles.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
VTA is leading a project and coordinating with the
City to develop and release a Request for
Proposals to move forward with near term
improvements. In the mid-term, Stanford, in
coordination with the City, is leading the
implementation of the Quarry Road Transit Center
Connection at El Camino Park.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.11.2
In collaboration with Caltrain and Stanford
Research Park, pursue expansion of service
to the California Avenue Caltrain Station and
creation of an enhanced transit center at the
Station, including connections to VTA bus
service, the Palo Alto Free Shuttle, the
Marguerite, and other private shuttles
serving the Research Park.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Substantial Pending
No updates to report at this time. In the long term,
a California Avenue Transit Center plan is needed
to address this program.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.12.1
Strongly recommend that VTA maintain
existing service and coverage levels in Palo
Alto.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
VTA's Draft 2026 Service Plan provides roughly the
same frequency and coverage as 2025, with some
adjustments for less productive routes.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 80 Packet Pg. 280 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T1.12.2
Work with VTA to expand VTA express bus
service routes to serve the Stanford
Research Park, California Avenue, Stanford
University, and Downtown.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing No change to report. No T1.12.3
Work with VTA to study the feasibility of,
and if warranted provide, traffic signal
prioritization for buses at Palo Alto
intersections, focusing first on regional
transit routes. Also, advocate for bus service
improvements on El Camino Real such as
queue jump lanes and curbside platforms.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing
City staff are participating in the Caltrans
Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan for El
Camino Real that includes VTA and local
jurisdictions. This plan will consider transit, biking, walking, and vehicular users. Transit signal priority,
bus boarding islands, and queue jump lanes are
likely strategies to be included.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.13.1
Investigate a pilot program to subsidize a
taxi, rideshare, or transit program for Palo
Altans to get to/from downtown, including
offering education and incentives to
encourage users.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
The pilot on-demand transit service vendor is
currently operating electric and hybrid vehicles in
Palo Alto and offers fare discounts. While staff
have won grant funds to convert the fleet to allelectric vehicles, long-term funding of this service has not been identified. The Transportation
Management Association (TMA) continues to
subsidize ridesharing and transit for downtown
service workers.

No
T1.14.1
Evaluate the shuttle system in collaboration
with community members, people with
special needs, and PAUSD to:
-Evaluate current routes and ridership;
-Identify potential service improvements,
including new or modified routes; expanded
schedules that accommodate daytime,
evening, and weekend demand; facilitating
transit connections, and improvements to
the safety and appearance of shuttle stops;
-Explore partnerships with other services
that could complement and supplement the
Palo Alto Shuttle;
-Develop clear and engaging materials to
explain and promote shuttle use with the
purpose of reducing barriers to use; and
-Establish a schedule for regular evaluation
and reporting to optimize shuttle system use
and effectiveness.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The on-demand transit service vendor is currently
operating electric and hybrid vehicles in Palo Alto.

This pilot project provides transit service to most
of Palo Alto on weekdays from 7am to 7pm. Fares
for disabled, low income, and senior riders are $2,
and all other fares are $4. The service offers free
rides to teens ages 13 to 18 years old, to specific
Pal Alto destinations identified as supporting teen
mental health.

Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 81 Packet Pg. 281 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T1.16.1
Continue regular surveys of bicycle use
across the city, by collecting bicycle counts
on important and potential bicycle corridors.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Occurred as part of the development of the City of
Palo Alto's Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
Plan (BPTP) Update, as part of the South Palo Alto
Bike/Ped Connectivity Project, and as a part of
Caltran's El Camino Real Bikeways project.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.16.2
Consider marketing strategies such as a
recurring Palo Alto Open Streets program of
events, potentially in coordination with local
business groups, which would include street
closures and programming.

City Manager’s
Office 2022-2027 Significant Partially Complete
Staff leading economic development functions for
the City developed an economic strategy that
Council adopted. Staff meets with reps of the City's
Commercial Dist. regularly to discuss potential
activations and programming. The Council adopted
a parklet program and gave direction to staff to
advance Car Free Street on Cal Ave and Ramona.

Through the budget adoptions, new CSD events
staff was added to assist with furthering this goal.

Staff received feedback to revise outdoor
activation guidance to enable all year, all weather
outdoor dining, develop design standards for
permanent parklet structures and process for
custom parklet designs; enable equivalent area to
existing dining; work with the Architectural Review
Board (ARB) on design and process
recommendations. On March 10, 2025, the City
Council approved the permanent closure of the
car-free portion of Cal Ave. Near-term streetscape
improvements on Ramona need additional CIP
funding and staff are working to advance changes.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.16.3
Encourage private schools to develop Walk
and Roll Maps as part of Transportation
Demand Management strategies to reduce
vehicle trips.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing effort. Gideon Hausner Jewish
Day School developed their own map in 2014. Keys
School has been encouraged to develop a Walk
and Roll Map.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.16.4
Participate in local and regional
encouragement events such as Palo Alto
Walks and Rolls, Bike to Work Day, and Bike
Palo Alto! that encourages a culture of
bicycling and walking as alternatives to
single occupant vehicle trips.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing Coordination with City staff and various event sponsors is ongoing. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T1.19.1
Adjust the street evaluation criteria of the
City's Pavement Management Program to
ensure that areas of the road used by
bicyclists are maintained at the same
standards as, or at standards higher than,
areas used by motor vehicles. Include bicycle
and e-bike detection in intersection
upgrades.

Department of
Public Works 2022-2027 Standard Ongoing
Citywide street surveys are completed biennially
and include pavement inspections of bike lanes
and bike boulevards. Installation of video
detection equipment is included with street
maintenance projects whenappropriate.

No
T1.19.2
Prioritize investments for enhanced
pedestrian access and bicycle use within
Palo Alto and to/from surrounding
communities, including by incorporating
improvements from related City plans, for
example the 2012 Bicycle + Pedestrian
Transportation Plan and the Parks, Trails &
Open Space Master Plan, as amended, into
the Capital Improvements Program.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing This program is ongoing. There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No T1.19.3
Increase the number of east-west pedestrian
and bicycle crossings across Alma Street and
the Caltrain corridor, particularly south of
Oregon Expressway.

Department of
Public Works After 2027 Substantial Partially Complete
The South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project
will determine the location for bike/pedestrian
crossing(s) of the rail corridor south of Oregon
Expressway. The project is ongoing with concept
alternatives presented to the community in Fall
2025.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.19.4
Encourage the use of bike sharing, and the
provision of required infrastructure
throughout Palo Alto, especially at transit
stations and stops, job centers, community
centers, and other destinations.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Partially Complete
OOT staff continues to advance the feasibility
study for a micromobility program in the city.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.19.5
Improve amenities such as seating, lighting,
bicycle parking, street trees, public art, and
interpretive stations along bicycle and
pedestrian paths and in City parks to
encourage walking and cycling and enhance
the feeling of safety.

Office of
Transportation
and
Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Several new bicycle corrals and single racks were
installed this past year, partly due to requests
along El Camino Real and in Downtown and
Midtown. Draft Bike/Ped Plan Update includes
recommendations for bicycle support facilities
along bike routes, such as lighting, bike repair
stations, bike racks, bike rooms to enhance the
experience for cyclists and pedestrians.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 83 Packet Pg. 283 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T1.22.1
Collect, analyze and report transportation
data through surveys and other methods on
a regular basis. Track progress on build-out
of the 2012 Bicycle + Pedestrian
Transportation Plan network.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This program is ongoing. There are no updates to report at this time. No T1.25.1
As part of the effort to reduce traffic
congestion, regularly evaluate the City’s
current Transportation Impact Fee and
modify as needed to implement
transportation infrastructure improvements.

Modifications to the impact fee program
should be structured in keeping with the
City’s desire to require new development to
reduce peak hour motor vehicle
contributions to the provision of transit
services, shuttles, carpool/ rideshare
incentives, and similar programs.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
City is undertaking a fee study across several
departments, including transportation. Target
completion date is in 2027.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T1.26.1
In collaboration with regional agencies and
neighboring jurisdictions, identify and
pursue funding for rail corridor
improvements and grade separation.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing Staff continue to review and apply for funding to secure project funding.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal T-2: Decrease delay, congestion, and vehicle miles travelled with a priority on our worst intersections and our peak commute times, including school traffic.

T2.1.1
Implement computerized traffic
management systems to improve traffic flow
when feasible.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
In-progress and on-going. In 2024/25, the City
upgraded its central management system servers.

In 2026, the City intends to update
communications systems and various Intelligent
Transportation System modules to monitor and
improve traffic flow.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T2.1.2
Implement a program to monitor,
coordinate, and optimize traffic signal timing
a minimum of every two years along arterial
and residential arterial streets.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
In-progress and on-going as staffing
allows. Operations monitoring and timing
optimization and adjustments are continually in
progress; however, corridor specific optimization
efforts are temporarily on hold due to staffing
vacancies.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T2.2.1
Work in partnership with the Palo Alto TMA
and Stanford University to aggregate data
and realize measurable reductions in singleoccupant vehicle commuting to and from Downtown and in the Stanford Research
Park.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This program is ongoing. For FY26, Council allocated to the TMA $400K for citywide outreach. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 84 Packet Pg. 284 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T2.3.1
When adopting new CEQA significance
thresholds for VMT for compliance with SB
743 (2013), adopt standards for vehicular
LOS analysis for use in evaluating the
consistency of a proposed project with the
Comprehensive Plan, and also explore
desired standards for MMLOS, which
includes motor vehicle LOS, at signalized
intersections.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Pending No updates to report at this time. No T2.4.1
Revise protocols for reviewing office,
commercial, and multi-family residential
development proposals to evaluate
multimodal level of service and identify gaps
in the low stress bicycle and pedestrian
network.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Standard Pending
Level of stress analysis occurred as part of the
development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan Update. Next is to determine
how that analysis can inform development review
by staff.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Goal T-3: Maintain an efficient roadway network for all users.

T3.5.1
Continue to use best practices in roadway
design that are consistent with complete
streets principles and the Urban Forest
Master Plan, focusing on bicycle and
pedestrian safety and multi-modal uses.

Consider opportunities to incorporate best
practices from the National Association of
City Transportation Officials guidelines for
urban streets and bikeways, tailored to the
Palo Alto context.

Office of
Transportation
& Department
of Public
Works
By 2022 Significant Ongoing No updates to report at this time. No T3.5.2
Establish procedures for considering the
effects of street design on emergency
vehicle response time.

Department of
Public Works &
Palo Alto Police
Department &
Palo Alto Fire
Department
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing No changes No
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 85 Packet Pg. 285 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T3.10.1
Support increased public transit, traffic
management and parking solutions to
ensure safe, convenient access to and from
the Stanford Shopping Center/ Medical
Center area.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Partially Complete
The Quarry Road Transit Connection at El Camino
Park project was approved by the voters. Project
partners are currently working on a cost-sharing
agreement to finalize the design, secure permits,
and develop construction documents. The Palo
Alto TMA continues to provide Transportation
Demand Management services (transit fare
subsidies) to unbenefited employes at the Stanford
Shopping Center.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
T3.10.2
Implement and monitor Development
Agreement traffic mitigations at Stanford
Medical Center.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
We received the 24-25 Annual Mode Share Report
on time, results get incorporated into an Annual
Report for Council. SUMC met its 2024-5 goal of
33% alternative mode share.

No
T3.10.3
Provide safe, convenient pedestrian, bicycle,
and transit connections between the
Stanford Shopping Center/Medical Center
areas and housing along the Sand Hill
Road/Quarry Road corridors to Palo Alto
Transit Center, Downtown Palo Alto, and
other primary destinations.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T3.10.4
Pursue extension of Quarry Road for transit,
pedestrians and bicyclists to access the Palo
Alto Transit Center from El Camino Real. Also
study the feasibility of another pedestrian
and bicycle underpass of Caltrain at Everett
Street.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing
The Quarry Road Transit Connection at El Camino
Park project was approved by the voters. Project
partners are currently working on a cost-sharing
agreement to finalize the design, secure permits,
and develop construction documents.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
T3.15.1
Undertake studies and outreach necessary
to advance grade separation of Caltrain to
become a “shovel ready” project and
strongly advocate for adequate State,
regional, and federal funding for design and
construction of railroad grade separations.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
Staff is working with Rail Committee for review
and recommendation of alternatives to the City
Council for selection of Locally Preferred
Alternatives. The project is currently advanced into
Preliminary Engineering and Environmental
Documentation phase.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T3.15.2
Conduct a study to evaluate the implications
of grade separation on bicycle and
pedestrian circulation.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing
There are several projects ongoing for study of
bicycle and pedestrian circulation. This includes
bicycle and pedestrian plan update which
considers various project in progress and overall
citywide infrastructure needs and programming.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 86 Packet Pg. 286 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T3.17.1
Complete a Palo Alto Avenue crossing study
to identify potential near-term safety and
accessibility improvements.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing
Construction of Quiet Zone improvements is
currently in progress. Implementation request will
be made to FRA after the completion of
improvements
Yes, Staff
Comments
T3.17.2
Work with Caltrain to ensure that the rail
tracks are safe and secure with adequate
fencing and barriers.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Substantial Ongoing
The fencing project was completed by Caltrain.

Additional safety improvement including
delineators, markers and lidar Rail Sentry system
was installed at Churchill Avenue. Staff is
continuing to work with railroad partner and VTA
to secure additional funding to install
improvements at other crossings in Palo Alto
Yes, Level of
Effort and
Staff
Comments
Goal T-4: Protect local streets that contribute to neighborhood character and provide a range of local transportation options.

T4.2.1
Periodically evaluate residential areas for
traffic impacts and use the results of that
evaluation to prioritize traffic calming
measures.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing Staff evaluates traffic calming requests on first come first serve bases. No T4.4.1
Use landscaping and other improvements to
establish clear “gateways” at the points
where the Oregon Expressway, University
Avenue and Embarcadero Road transition
from freeways to neighborhoods.

Department of
Public Works After 2027 Substantial Ongoing This is an ongoing effort. There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No Goal T-5: Encourage attractive, convenient, efficient and innovative parking solutions for all users.

T5.1.1
Evaluate the need to update parking
standards in the municipal code, based on
local conditions, different users’ needs and
baseline parking need. Allow the use of
parking lifts for Office/R&D and multifamily
housing as appropriate.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Office of
Transportation
By 2022 Standard Ongoing
In 2025, the City Council adopted modified parking
standards in the expanded El Camino Real Focus
area. Parking standards are also being evaluated as
part of the ongoing Downtown Housing Plan.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.1.2
Consider reducing parking requirements for
retail and restaurant uses as a way to
encourage new businesses and the use of
alternative modes.

Planning and
Development
Services
2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City Council approved and adopted an interim
retail revitalization ordinance in December 2024.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.1.3
Work with stakeholders in each commercial
center and employment district to monitor
conditions and determine the appropriate
timing for revisions to parking requirements.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Office of
Transportation
2022-2027 Standard Partially
Complete
Retail revitalization efforts and preliminary
Downtown Housing Plan work are advancing this
program.

No
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T5.1.4
Study the feasibility of unbundled parking
for office, commercial, and multi-family
residential developments (including senior
housing developments) that are well- served
by transit and demonstrated walking and
biking connections.

Planning and
Development
Services and
Office of
Transportation
By 2022 Standard Partially
Complete
Preliminary Downtown Housing Plan and Housing
Incentive Program work may advance this
program. Housing Element Program 3.9B to
examine parking requirements is underway and on
schedule.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.1.5
Consider reducing parking requirements for
multi- family uses as a way to encourage
new multi-family housing and the use of
alternative modes, where reduction in
parking would not impact the neighborhood.

Planning and
Development
Services
By 2022 N/A Complete
An ordinance amending the Housing Incentive
Program and Affordable Housing Incentive
Program was adopted by the City Council in March
2025. The City Council adopted an ordinance
amending and expanding the El Camino Real Focus
Area on May 27, 2025. These efforts included
consideration of appropriate parking standards
and modifications where appropriate.

Yes, All
T5.2.1
Use technology to help identify parking
availability and make it easy to pay any
parking fees.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Substantial Partially Complete
Staff and a consultant will present in March 2026
options for improved permit and fee payment
options.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.2.2
Study and implement pricing strategies for
public parking in commercial districts, taking
into consideration both employee parking
demand and the needs of retailers and
customers. Use pricing to encourage short
term parking on street, long term parking in
parking garages, and the use of alternative
modes of transportation
Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Partially Complete
Staff will present in October 2026 options for a
pilot curb management pricing strategies in select
Downtown parking facilities, on-street and in
select city-owned parking lots.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.2.3
Implement Council-adopted
recommendations from the parking
management study for the Downtown area,
which address the feasibility of removing
color-coded parking zones, and dynamic
pricing and management policies to
prioritize short-term parking spaces closest
to the commercial core for customers,
garage parking for employees, and
neighborhood parking for residents.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Substantial Partially Complete
Staff will present in October 2026 next steps for
potential curb management strategies in select
Downtown parking facilities, on-street and in
select city-owned parking lots.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T5.4.1
Explore incentives to encourage privately
initiated shared parking among individual
property owners when developments have
excess parking that can be available for
other businesses to use.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Standard Pending Work has not commenced. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T5.8.1
Study the feasibility of retrofitting Cityowned surface parking lots to implement best management practices for stormwater
management and urban heat island
mitigation, including green infrastructure,
permeable pavement and reflective
surfaces.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program. There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No T5.8.2
Identify incentives to encourage the retrofit
of privately owned surface parking areas to
incorporate best management practices for
stormwater management and urban heat
island mitigation as well as incentives for the
provision of publicly accessible pavement
and reflective surfaces.

Department of
Public Works By 2022 Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T5.8.3
Update City requirements regarding trees
and other landscaping that capture and filter
stormwater within surface parking lots to
take advantage of new technology.

Department of
Public Works
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program. There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No T5.11.1
Coordinate with neighborhood groups and
local businesses and other stakeholders to
evaluate the need for a residential parking
permit program in areas without existing
programs.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program. There are no substantial actions to report at this time. No T5.12.1
Work with employers, merchants, schools,
and community service providers, to identify
ways to provide more bicycle parking,
including e-bike parking with charging
stations, near existing shops, services and
places of employment.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
This is an ongoing program via 311 requests for
parking in the public Right-of-Ways and through
coordination with the Safe Routes to School
program.

No
T5.12.2
Install secure electronic bike lockers such as
the BikeLink system, at high theft locations,
including transit stations and parking
garages.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No T5.12.3
Assess the need to provide additional bicycle
parking in City-owned parking lots and
rights-of-way.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program via 311 requests for parking in the public Right-of-Ways. No Goal T-6: Provide a safe environment for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists on Palo Alto streets.

Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 89 Packet Pg. 289 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T6.1.1
Follow the principles of the Safe Routes to
School program to implement traffic safety
measures that focus on Safe Routes to work,
shopping, downtown, community services,
parks, and schools, including all designated
school commute corridors.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
Bicycle network planning was done as part of the
development of the 2026 Bicycle and Pedestrian
Transportation Plan Update. In addition, the City
adopted a Safety Action Plan in 2025 to adopt the
Safe System Approach to roadway design.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T6.1.2
Develop, distribute and aggressively
promote maps and apps showing safe routes
to work, shopping, community services,
parks and schools within Palo Alto in
collaboration with stakeholders, including
PAUSD, major employers, TMAs, local
businesses and community organizations.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing
This is an ongoing program. The Palo Alto bike
route map was recently updated (2025) and is
posted on the City website. School Walk and Roll
Maps and the Walk and Roll to Libraries Map are
posted online, updated as needed, and distributed
at libraries, schools, and community events.

No
T6.1.3
Address pedestrian safety along Alma Street
between Embarcadero Road and Lytton
Street.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. No T6.1.4
Address pedestrian safety on shared-use
paths through the use of signs, pavement
markings, and outreach to users,
encouraging them to be safe and courteous.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T6.2.1
Regularly collect severity and location data
on roadway collisions for all modes of travel,
including fatalities and severe injuries, and
use this data to make roadway design
decisions. In collaboration with Santa Clara
County, develop an up-to-date, public
database for this information.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T6.4.1
Consider the Adopted School Commute
Corridors Network and adopted “Walk and
Roll” maps when reviewing development
applications and making land use and
transportation planning decisions.

Incorporate these requirements into City
code when feasible.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T6.4.2
Establish standards and procedures for
maintaining safe bicycling routes, including
signage for warnings and detours during
construction projects.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing The Traffic Control Plan Guidelines were updated in 2016 and are regularly reviewed. No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T6.4.3
In collaboration with PAUSD, provide adult
crossing guards at school crossings that
meet established warrants.

Police
Department
Continuous
Task Significant Complete Two intersections added to the contract in 2024 per Council direction.

Yes, Status
and Staff
Comments
T6.6.1
Periodically evaluate safety on roadways and
at intersections and enhance conditions
through the use of signal technology and
physical changes. Consider the construction
of traffic circles for improved intersection
safety.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
In 2025, the City Council adopted the Safe Streets
for All Safety Action Plan that provides strategies
for eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious
injuries by 2035, a date chosen by Council.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T6.6.2
Continue to provide educational programs
for children and adults, in partnership with
community-based educational organizations,
to promote the safe walking and safe use of
bicycles, including the City-sponsored bicycle
education programs in the public schools
and the bicycle traffic school program for
juveniles.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T6.6.3
Work with PAUSD and employers to
promote roadway safety for all users,
including motorized alternatives to cars and
bikes such as mopeds and e-bikes, through
educational programs for children and
adults.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Significant Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No T6.6.4
Complete a mobility and safety study for
downtown Palo Alto, looking at ways to
improve circulation and safety for all modes.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Partially
Complete
The City recently (2025) adopted a federallyfunded Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan that identified a High Injury Network and
systemic transportation network changes to
improve safety for all road users citywide.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T6.6.5
Identify and construct safety improvements
for pedestrian underpasses, including on
Embarcadero Road.

Office of
Transportation After 2027 Substantial Pending Work has not commenced No Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 91 Packet Pg. 291 of 711

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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
T6.6.6
Improve pedestrian crossings by creating
protected areas and better pedestrian and
traffic visibility. Use a toolbox including bulb
outs, small curb radii, high visibility
crosswalks, and landscaping.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The City recently (2025) adopted a federally
funded Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan that
identified a High Injury Network and systemic
transportation network changes to improve safety
for all road users citywide. It includes a toolbox of
roadway safety strategies. In addition, the City's
Draft 2026 Bike/Ped Plan Update includes
Pedestrian Districts and a toolbox of
improvements to install in these high-pedestrian
activity areas.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T6.6.7
Establish a program to educate residents to
keep sidewalks clear of parked cars,
especially on narrow local streets in
neighborhoods with rolled curbs. Survey for
compliance annually.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Pending Work has not commenced. A rolled curb parking flyer is available on the City website. No T6.7.1
Evaluate the performance of safety
improvements and identify methods to
encourage alternative transportation modes.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing This is an ongoing program, no updates to report at this time. No Goal T-7: Provide mobility options that allow people who are transit dependent to reach their destinations.

T7.1.1
Expand transportation opportunities for
transit- dependent riders by supporting
discounts for taxi fares, rideshare services,
and transit, by coordinating transit systems
to be shared by multiple senior housing
developments, and by maintaining a
database of volunteer drivers, and other
transit options.

Office of
Transportation 2022-2027 Significant Partially Complete The on-demand transit service vendor is currently
operating electric and hybrid vehicles in Palo Alto.

This pilot project provides transit service to most
of Palo Alto on weekdays from 7am to 7pm. Fares
for disabled, low income, and senior riders are $2,
and all other fares are $4. The service offers free
rides to teens ages 13 to 18 years old, specific Palo
Alto destinations identified as supporting teen
mental health.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T7.1.2
Coordinate with social service agencies and
transit agencies to fill gaps in existing
transportation routes and services accessible
to transit-dependent riders no matter their
means and design new bus routes that
enable them to access those services.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
The on-demand transit service vendor is currently
operating electric and hybrid vehicles in Palo Alto.

This pilot project provides transit service to most
of Palo Alto on weekdays from 7am to 7pm. Fares
for disabled, low income, and senior riders are $2,
and all other fares are $4. The service offers free
rides to teens ages 13 to 18 years old, specific Pal
Alto destinations identified as supporting teen
mental health.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T7.1.3
Pursue expanded evening and night time bus
service to enhance mobility for all users
during off-peak times.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Pending
This program is not pursued in VTA's 2026 New
Service Plan as post-pandemic transit funding is
limited.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 92 Packet Pg. 292 of 711

Page 86 of 86 ends

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, 2025
Program
Number Program Text Lead Department
Target
Completion
Date at
Comp Plan
Adoption
Level of
Effort to
Complete
Completion
Status Staff Comments Changes from 2024
Goal T-8: Influence the shape and implementation of regional transportation policies and technologies to reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

T8.1.1
Continue to participate in regional efforts to
develop technological solutions that make
alternatives to the automobile more
convenient.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Ongoing
The Dumbarton Forward Project has been
completed by AC Transit. The draft Bay Area
Transit Priority Policy for Roadways by MTC seeks
to improve the transit rider experience by
enhancing travel times and reliability.

Yes, Staff
Comments
T8.3.1
Advocate for provision of a new southbound
entrance ramp to Highway 101 from San
Antonio Road, in conjunction with the
closure of the southbound Charleston Road
on-ramp at the Rengstorff Avenue
interchange in Mountain View.

Office of
Transportation By 2022 Standard Ongoing
With grant funding, VTA is leading work effort to
identify and analyze project alternatives. Public
engagement is forthcoming.

No
T8.7.1
Work with regional transportation providers
to improve connections between Palo Alto
and the San Francisco International Airport
and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose
International Airport.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Standard Pending No updates to report No
T8.8.1
Identify and improve bicycle connections
to/from neighboring communities in Santa
Clara and San Mateo counties to support
local trips that cross city boundaries. Also
advocate for reducing barriers to bicycling
and walking at freeway interchanges,
expressway intersections, and railroad grade
crossings.

Office of
Transportation
Continuous
Task Substantial Ongoing
Caltrans recently (2025) installed a separated bike
lane along El Camino Real, a regional road,
connecting to neighboring jurisdictions, creating
one continuous path.

Yes, Staff
Comments
Item 5
Attachment A - Comprehensive Plan
Implementation Program Status, 2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 93 Packet Pg. 293 of 711

Page 1 of 29 ends

2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status PROGRAM 1: MAINTAIN SITES
Program 1.1: Adequate Site Program

1.1A Amend the Comprehensive Plan and zoning districts as needed for properties identified to meet the City’s
RHNA obligations. The amendments include changes to
allow increased residential densities shown in Appendix D in developments and relevant development
standards to accommodate increased density, and
modifications to allowable uses to permit multi-family
residential uses where it is not currently allowed.

Examples of possible changes include adjustments to
building height, lot coverage, floor area ratios, ground floor landscaping requirements, and parking, as
discussed in Chapter 4, Analysis of Land Use Controls.

This also includes zoning updates to create the El
Camino Real Focus Area, which would allow up to 4.0
FAR and 85 feet in height in exchange for the provision of 20 percent inclusionary housing on site. Located
between Page Mill Road and Matadero Avenue, this
location has excellent access to services, shopping,
California Avenue, jobs, Stanford, and transit.

The rezone/upzoning shall include the following
provisions of Government Code Section 65583.2(h) and
(i) for specified sites accommodating lower incomes: (1) By-right development of multi-family developments in
which 20 percent or more of units are affordable to
lower-income households; (2) Accommodation of at
least 16 units per site; (3) Minimum density of 20 units per acre; (4) Because 50 percent of the lower-income
need cannot be accommodated on sites designated for
residential use only, a portion shall be accommodated
on sites zoned for mixed uses that allow 100 percent
residential use and require that residential use occupy at least 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project.

The rezoning includes the following requirements for
these Stanford-owned properties:

Complete by January 31, 2024 The City will amend the Comprehensive Plan or zoning designation of 291
properties located in commercial,
industrial, or residential zoning districts,
which together will generate a realistic
yield of 4,063 housing units.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 94 Packet Pg. 294 of 711

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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status

1.1A.i For the housing opportunity site located at the corner of Pasteur Drive and Sand Hill Road and the adjoining
property at 1100 Welch Road, as an alternative to the
State Density Bonus law, amend zoning regulations to
allow approximately net new 425 units up to 85 feet in
height; redevelopment of the Welch Road property
shall comply with the replacement housing provisions
of the Housing Crisis Act, which will substantially
protect tenants from displacement.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

1.1A.ii For the housing opportunity site located at 3128 El Camino Real (McDonald’s), as an alternative to the
State Density Bonus law and as part of the El Camino
Real Focus Area, amend zoning regulations to allow at
least 144 housing units with a maximum height of 85
feet; allow a minimum of 315 housing units if combined
with an adjacent property, and require 20 percent
inclusionary housing.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

1.1A.iii For the housing opportunity site located at 3300 El Camino Real, as an alternative to the State Density
Bonus law and as part of the El Camino Real Focus Area, allow up to 200 housing units, up to a 4:1 floor area
ratio (FAR) with a 20 percent inclusionary housing
requirement. Commercial office approved or permitted
on this property is inclusive of the total floor area
allowed for this site.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

1.1B Rezone ROLM and GM zoned properties to allow multifamily residential housing with a density of 90 dwelling units per acre for properties nearest Bayshore Freeway
and generally bounded by East Charleston Road and
Loma Verde Avenue. This action will require additional
changes to the related development standards to
accommodate higher-density development. Examples
of specific changes to development standards are
discussed in Chapter 4, Analysis of Land Use Controls.

Complete by January 31, 2024 The City will rezone approximately 146 sites in the designated area, including the
already identified housing inventory sites,
to allow for development at
approximately 90 dwelling units per acre.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

1.1C Maintain an updated inventory of housing sites and actively promote sites available for lower- and
moderate-income housing development to potential
developers, private and non-profit organizations, and
other interested persons. Post information on the City’s website and update as necessary to maintain accurate
information.

Post information on the City’s
website by June 2024 and
update annually, or more
often if needed.

Support the development of 1,556 units
for very-low income, 896 units for low
income, 1,013 units for moderate income,
and 2,621 above-moderate households
during the planning period.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. The City
maintains an updated
inventory of housing sites
and continues to
communicate availability of
site for lower- and
moderate-income housing
to potential partners.

Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 95 Packet Pg. 295 of 711

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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status

1.1D Provide technical assistance and information on parcels available for lower-income developments to private or
non-profit housing developers. Technical assistance
includes land development counseling by staff planners.

Develop technical assistance
program by December 2024
and set/publish regular hours
for assistance on the City’s
website.

Support the development of 1,556 units
for very-low income, 896 units for lowincome households during the planning period.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. City staff
regularly provide technical
assistance to developers.

1.1E Engage owners of parcels owned by faith-based
institutions to educate them on legislation (SB 4) that streamlines the residential development process for
religious institutions, and funding opportunities for this type of development. Because the outreach,
engagement, and site design will take time, the City
anticipates that the majority of production will happen during the second half of the planning period. To track program implementation, monitor faith-based
community interest and production. By 2027, halfway
through the planning period, if less than 35 percent of the Quantified Objective (i.e., 48 affordable housing
units) has been entitled, update the Site Inventory to
identify new opportunities to achieve the Quantified
Objective in this program.

Initiate discussions in 2025
and then annually.

Support the development of 135 units on
sites owned by faith based institutions
during the planning period
In Progress In Progress. Staff has
initiated discussions with
interested faith-based
institutions about SB 4 and
potential development
opportunities
Program 1.2: Site Inventory Monitoring Program

1.2A Maintain an updated inventory of residential housing developments that have been submitted and acted
upon.

Update inventory annually
every April.

Management of site inventory through
the Annual Progress Report to HCD.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. The City
maintains a regularly
updated site inventory.

1.2B Maintain an updated inventory of residential housing developments that have been submitted and acted
upon.

Conduct review of sites
inventory annually and report
findings in housing element
progress report; correct any
deficiency within 180 days if
identified.

The City will maintain a sufficient number
of reserve housing inventory sites to
remain compliant with State law. In the
event the City falls short of that
requirement, it has committed to adding
or rezoning additional properties within
180 days of noticed shortfall of units.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. City staff
monitor the status of the
sites inventory to ensure a
sufficient number of reserve
sites.

1.2C Actively promote, through outreach and discussions, sites available for lower- and moderate-income housing
development to potential developers, private and nonprofit organizations, and other interested persons and organizations.

Update inventory annually
every April.

Conduct a minimum of four (4) meetings
annually with potential developers about
lower- and moderate income housing
sites.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. City staff
continues to discuss housing
sites with interested parties.

Program 1.3: Site Used in Previous Housing Cycle
Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 96 Packet Pg. 296 of 711

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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status

1.3A The City shall rezone or amend its Municipal Code to allow by-right approval on non-vacant sites included in one previous housing element inventory and on vacant
sites included in two previous housing elements and
designated for lower-income housing, provided that the
proposed housing development consists of at least 20
percent lower-income housing units.

Complete by January 31, 2024 Complete rezoning and amend development standards for qualifying
sites to enable a projected realistic
housing yield of 390 housing units.

Complete Complete. Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan update
were adopted by City
Council in November 2023.

Program 1.4: City-owned Land Lots and Downtown Housing Plan Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 97 Packet Pg. 297 of 711

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1.4A Any future project on the six City-owned surface
parking lots identified in Appendix D for redevelopment shall include replacement public parking and provide
100% affordable housing units serving households
earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or
for workforce housing for City employees and Palo Alto
Unified School District (PAUSD) employees. The City will prepare a request for proposals to solicit interest in a public/private partnership for redevelopment of one or
more sites in the City’s University Avenue Downtown
area. The City will comply with the provisions of the
Surplus Lands Act, ideally by using the streamlined
provisions for affordable housing dispositions under
Government Code Section 37364.

The City will take a phased
approach to developing these
lots. An RFI was issued in
2023 with the intent to select
a development partner in
2024 and solicit feedback
from community partners.

The City will assist its
development partner in
securing tax credits and other
financing, with the goal of
awarding construction
contracts on both the housing
project and replacement
public parking in 2026. Based
on the results of the initial
effort, the City will issue one
or more additional RFIs or
RFPs for any remaining units
no later than 2026, with the
goal of selecting development
partners in 2027. The City will
coordinate with development
partners and community
partners, to ensure units are
entitled during the planning
period. The City anticipates
that the majority of
production will happen during
the second half of the
planning period. The City will
monitor progress during the
planning period. If the City is
not on track to meet the
Quantified Objective by 2027,
halfway through the planning
period, the City will remove
these sites and identify
alternate sites with zoning
sufficient to accommodate
any shortfall of units, likely
resulting from the Downtown
Housing Plan by December
31, 2027. Any additional
selected sites will meet the
requirements of Government
Code Section 65583.2.

Develop 50 lower income units through
the initial RFI process, with the intent to
develop the remaining 240 units that can
be accommodated on City-owned sites
through one or more separate efforts to
follow during the planning period
In Progress In progress. The City entered
into an Exclusive Negotiating
Agreement with Alta
Housing in June 2025 and
anticipates a formal project
application submission in
2026.

Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 98 Packet Pg. 298 of 711

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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status

1.4B Upon completion of the Project Homekey project, the City anticipates that sufficient transitional housing
capacity to serve Palo Alto’s needs will be available. If additional capacity for interim or transitional housing is required, the City will examine City owned parcels and
other sites based on availability, size, access to services and related metrics. If additional parcel(s) are
identified, pursue partnerships and funding
opportunities to build interim or transitional housing.

If additional capacity is
needed, complete site
identification within 180 days
of identification of need.

Subject to identification of suitable sites
and formation of public/private
partnership; provide transitional housing
opportunities for 75 or more beds during
the planning cycle.

In Progress In progress, construction
completion anticipated early
2026. City staff are
monitoring progress.

Program 1.5: Stanford University Lands

1.5A Remove the Conditional Use requirement for
residential uses in the Research Park zone district,
which is specific for the Stanford Research Park, except for properties subject to or impacted by the City’s
hazardous materials ordinance. Sites included in
Appendix D will have the Conditional Use requirement
removed under Program 1.1.

Complete by January 31,
2025.

This will remove a governmental housing
constraint that may encourage greater
residential uses in the Stanford Research
Park.

Complete Complete. The ordinance
update to remove the CUP
for residential uses within
the RP and RP5 zones except
for sites that are subject to
or impacted by the City's
hazardous waste ordinance
was adopted by Council in
January 2025.

1.5B Engage Stanford University in a dialogue about future multi-family housing opportunities within the Stanford
Research Park, including consideration of a new
neighborhood along Foothill Expressway. Identify
locations suitable for housing and mixed-use
development and zoning modifications and housing
incentives as appropriate for consideration in the
Seventh Cycle Housing Element Update
Initiate conversations with
Stanford University, Simon
Properties, and other
stakeholders prior to
December 31, 2025.

If Stanford University and long-term lease
holder are receptive to future residential
development, establish a memorandum
of understanding with appropriate
stakeholders that identify the location and
amount of future housing at these
locations by the end of the planning
period.

In Progress In Progress. Staff has
initiated the conversation to
identify housing opportunity
sites in Stanford-owned
lands specifically in the
Research Park in fall 2025.

1.5C Engage Stanford University and long-term leaseholder Simon Properties for possible residential
redevelopment opportunities at the Stanford Shopping
Center for consideration in the Seventh Cycle Housing
Element Update.

Initiate conversations with
Stanford University, Simon
Properties, and other
stakeholders prior to
December 31, 2025.

In Progress In Progress. Staff has
initiated the conversation
with representatives from
Stanford on the possible
residential redevelopment
at the Stanford Shopping
Center in fall 2025.

PROGRAM 2: AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Program 2.1: Affordable Housing Development
Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 99 Packet Pg. 299 of 711

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2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, 2025
Program
# Implementing Objective Time Frame Quantified Objective Current Status 2025 Status

2.1A Use funds available through the City’s residential and commercial affordable housing fund to provide gap
funding for qualifying affordable housing projects.

Housing funds are derived from development impact
fees, in-lieu inclusionary fees and proceeds from a local business tax approved by the voters in November 2022.

The City will continue to seek funding sources, including supporting the ongoing development of the Bay Area
Housing Financing Authority (BAHFA).

Annually review fund
balances and if sufficient
funds warrant, prepare a
Notice of Funding Availability.

The fund balance will vary
over time based on
development activity and for
the business tax, first
collection is anticipated to
start no sooner than January
2024.

Over the planning period, the City
anticipates it would generate
approximately twenty million dollars ($20
M) for use toward affordable housing and
homelessness projects. Based on this
projection, the City would expect to be
able to support gap funding for the
production of 55 affordable housing units
during the planning cycle or support other
housing priorities.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. The City
regularly monitors available
funds and funding
opportunities.

2.1B Prepare an updated nexus and feasibility study and adjust the residential and commercial housing
development impact fee as appropriate, to support
affordable housing production, while ensuring that the
fee is set appropriately to maintain project feasibility.

As part of this study, the City will engage local
developers and building industry stakeholders to gain
feedback on impact fees and will incorporate feedback
into the study.

Initiate study prior to
December 31, 2025 with
implementation of adjusted
impact fees, if needed, by
January 2026.

Use the study to adjust impact fees as
necessary to support continued
contribution to the City’s affordable
housing fund without burdening housing
production with excessive fees that
cannot be supported by the City’s
development standards.

Pending Pending .The City issued an
RFP in May 2025 and
expects Council approval for
a consultant contract to
perform this work in
December 15, 2025.

2.1C Partner with qualified housing developers to identify affordable housing development opportunities with
emphasis on promoting housing choices that serve the
needs of special needs populations, including seniors,
homeless, female-headed households, large families,
low-income, and/or persons with disabilities.

Opportunities along Alma Street, Embarcadero Road
northeast of Highway 101, and the South Ventura
neighborhood should be prioritized to provide
additional opportunities where special needs
populations are located. Meet annually throughout the
housing cycle.

By December 2024 initiate
meetings with housing
developers to discuss
affordable housing
opportunities.

Through annual meetings, identify with
partners at least three affordable housing
opportunity sites and facilitate project
approval and permitting to realize
implementation.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. Staff meets
with interested parties to
identify affordable housing
opportunities which can
serve the needs of special
needs populations.

2.1D Research and identify additional State and federal funding opportunities for affordable housing projects.

Disseminate information on funding opportunities on
the City’s website and/or to potential developers during technical assistance meetings and meetings with
housing developers.

Ongoing task as part of
meetings with housing
developers.

Support the development of 1,556 units
for very-low income, and 896 units for
low-income households during the
planning period.

Ongoing Ongoing/Standard
Operations. The City
continually shares
information about
affordable housing funding
opportunities with
developers.

Program 2.2: Below Market Rate (BMR) Program
Item 5
Attachment B - 2023-2031 Housing
Element Implementation Programs,
2025
Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 100 Packet Pg. 300 of 711

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Palo Alto City CouncilMarch 2, 2026

Palo Alto City Council
March 2, 2026