cc: Neighbor notification list (adjacent neighbors) Attachment: Conditions of Approval Property Owner
August 28, 2025
Thomas Sullivan
530 Barron Avenue,
Palo Alto, CA 94306
SUBJECT: 530 Barron Avenue (25PLN-00021) Individual Review
The Director of Planning and Development Services has conditionally approved your Single-Family Individual Review to allow deconstruction of an existing 924 square foot one-story residence, and to allow the construction of a new 2,528 square foot two story single-family residence with attached one car garage in the R-1 zoning district. A 303 square foot Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit and 497 square foot detached Accessory Dwelling Unit is also shown on the plans and subject to building permit review. This approval was granted pursuant to the Palo Alto Municipal Code Sections
18.12.110 and 18.77.075. The proposed project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Guideline Section 15303 (New Construction). As conditioned, the project meets all five of the Palo Alto Single-Family Individual Review Guidelines and complies with the R-1 Zone District development regulations.
This approval will become effective 14 days from the postmark date of this letter, unless the Planning Department receives a written request for a Director’s Hearing prior to the end of the business day 14 calendar-days after the postmark date. Only an applicant, or the owner or tenant of an adjacent property may request a hearing. As the plans may have been revised since the original submittal, interested parties may wish to review the tentatively approved plans online at the City’s Planning webpage bit.ly/PABuildingEye.
This letter and attached conditions and findings shall be printed onto building permit plans relating to this approval. If the building permit has not been issued and construction commenced within two years from the effective approval date, this approval will expire. A written request for an extension may be submitted prior to the expiration date. The Director may grant a one-year extension of this approval.
Should you have any questions regarding this approval or need help reviewing the plan set, please contact Bhavani Potharaju, Project Planner, at (408) 819-0452 or e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Claire Raybould, AICP
Manager, Current Planning
530 Barron Avenue approval
Individual Review 25PLN-00021
PLANNING DIVISION CONDITIONS:
1. CONFORMANCE WITH PLANS. Construction and development shall conform to the approved plans entitled, " Proposed New 2-Story Home for the SULLIVAN FAMILY, 530 Barron Avenue, Palo Alto,” uploaded to the Palo Alto Online Permitting Services Citizen Portal on June 07, 2025, as modified by these conditions of approval.
2. BUILDING PERMIT. Apply for a building permit and meet any and all conditions of the Planning, Fire, Public Works, and Building Departments.
3. BUILDING PERMIT PLAN SET. A copy of this cover letter and conditions of approval shall be printed on the second page of the plans submitted for building permit. Project plans submitted for Building permits shall incorporate the following changes:
a. Privacy trees as described in COA #12, shall be revised from 15-gallon plantings to a minimum 24-inch box trees as detailed further in COA #12.
4. ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. The proposed ADU and Junior ADU are subject to ministerial review and therefore only shown for informational purposes as part of this plan set. However, as a courtesy the following comment will be required to be addressed as part of any building permit review.
a. In accordance with Housing and Community Development Department guidance and the City’s municipal code, the proposed attached JADU must be revised to show a 6- foot setback from the side yard property line.
5. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS. All modifications to the approved project shall be submitted for review and approval prior to construction. If during the Building Permit review and construction phase, the project is modified by the applicant, it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the Planning Division/project planner directly to obtain approval of the project modification. It is the applicant’s responsibility to highlight any proposed changes to the project and to bring it to the project planner’s attention.
6. OBSCURED/TRANSLUCENT GLAZING. All obscure glazing, as shown on the plan set, shall be permanent in nature and shall remain for the life of the structure. Obscure glazing is either decorative glazing that does not allow views through placed into the window frame or acid etched or similar permanent alteration of the glass. Films or like additions to clear glass are not permitted where obscure glazing is shown. Obscure glazing shall not be altered in the future and shall be replaced with like materials if damaged. If operable, these windows shall open towards the public right-of-way.
7. PRIVACY SCREENING. All screening, as shown on the plan set, shall be permanent in nature and shall remain for the life of the structure. Screening shall be a maximum of 15 percent open.
Screening shall not be altered and shall be replaced with like materials if damaged.
530 Barron Avenue approval
Individual Review 25PLN-00021
8. REQUIRED PARKING. All single-family homes shall be provided with a minimum of one covered parking space (10-foot by 20-foot interior dimensions) and one uncovered parking space (8.5 feet by 17.5 feet).
9. UTILITY LOCATIONS. In no case shall utilities be placed in a location that requires equipment and/or bollards to encroach into a required parking space. In no case shall a pipeline be placed within 10 feet of a proposed tree and/or tree designated to remain.
10. NOISE PRODUCING EQUIPMENT. All noise producing equipment shall be located outside of required setbacks, except they may project 6 feet into the required street side setbacks. In accordance with Section 9.10.030, no person shall produce, suffer or allow to be produced by any machine, animal or device, or any combination of same, on residential property, a noise level more than six dB above the local ambient at any point outside of the property plane.
11. DAYLIGHT PLANE. The daylight plane must clear the point where the wall plane intersects the top of the roof material.
12. IMPERVIOUS SURFACE. A minimum of 60 % of the required front yard shall have a permeable surface that permits water absorption directly into the soil (Section 18.12.040 (h)). The building permit plan set shall include a diagram demonstrating compliance.
13. REQUIRED IR LANDSCAPING/CANOPY REPLACEMENT TREES. The following landscaping is required to ensure the project’s conformance with the City’s IR Guidelines and/or the City’s tree canopy replacement requirements and therefore must remain for the life of the structure. The required screening trees and shrubs shall be a minimum size of 24-inch box, measure at least eight (8) feet tall at planting, and shall be capable of growing up to 15 feet in height. a. Six 24-inch box trees shown on sheet A5, shall be planted and maintained along rear property line.
b. Seven 24-inch box trees shown on sheet A5, shall be planted and maintained at the left side yard of the property.
c. A total of eight 24-inch box replacement trees are required for removal of tree #2 on the site plan (Tree #1 in the arborist report). Replacement trees shall be planted and maintained on the property to meet City’s no net loss of canopy requirement. Privacy trees in COA #12a and #12b can be counted towards no net loss of canopy requirements. See comment #23 for further details.
14. LANDSCAPING. All existing landscaping shall remain unless approved for removal in the approved plan set. Show tree protection fencing to all trees and shrubs intended to remain on site and for the street trees. The tree protection shall be shown in the plans submitted for building permit, as shown on Sheet A1.4 and shall be installed at the beginning of construction. Landscape planting shall be installed as shown in the approved plans. Modifications to the landscaping plan shall be approved by Planning and Urban Forestry.
530 Barron Avenue approval
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15. FENCES. Fences and walls shall comply with the applicable provisions of Chapter 16.24, Fences, of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC). Heights of all new and existing fencing must be shown on the Building Permit plans.
a. Where an existing fence is non-compliant, a new Code compliant fence shall be constructed in its place.
16. JADU DEED RESTRICTION. Prior to the issuance of any building permit, the applicant shall complete the “OCCUPANCY, LAND USE, AND DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTION AGREEMENT FOR JUNIOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT” (i.e. JADU Deed Restriction Agreement) for review and approval by the Director of Planning & Development Services.
17. PLANNING FINAL INSPECTION. A Planning Division Final inspection will be required to determine substantial compliance with the approved plans prior to the scheduling of a Building Division final.
Any revisions during the building process must be approved by Planning, including but not limited to; materials, fenestration and hard surface locations. Contact the planning department at 650- 617-3117 or email [email protected] to schedule this inspection.
18. PERMIT EXPIRATION. The project approval shall be valid for a period of two years from the original date of approval. Application for a one year extension of this entitlement may be made prior to expiration, by emailing the Planning department at [email protected]. If a timely extension is not received, or the project has already received an extension and the applicant still wishes to pursue this project, they must first file for a new Planning application and pay the associated fees. This new application will be reviewed for conformance with the regulations in place at that time.
19. INDEMNITY. To the extent permitted by law, the Applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless the City, its City Council, its officers, employees and agents (the “indemnified parties”) from and against any claim, action, or proceeding brought by a third party against the indemnified parties and the applicant to attack, set aside or void, any permit or approval authorized hereby for the Project, including (without limitation) reimbursing the City for its actual attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in defense of the litigation. The City may, in its sole discretion, elect to defend any such action with attorneys of its own choice.
URBAN FORESTRY
20. The applicant's project to develop the site with the proposed removal of tree #1 is approvable by Urban Forestry under 8.10.050 B (2). Documents submitted during C3 demonstrate that there are no feasible design alternatives that would preserve tree #1.
21. The replacement value of tree #2 is eight new 24" box trees (two-thirds of the canopy loss) as defined by the Tree Technical Manual in section 3.20 C. table 3.1 of native and drought tolerant species and one-third of the appraised value of the tree as defined by the Tree Technical Manual in section 3.25 in the amount of $31,433 paid via in-lieu fee to the Palo Alto Urban Forestry Fund. (Note the appraised value of tree #1 is $94,300.)
530 Barron Avenue approval
Individual Review 25PLN-00021
22. URBAN FORESTRY GENERAL: The following general tree preservation measures apply to all trees to be retained: No storage of material, topsoil, vehicles or equipment shall be permitted within the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ). The ground under and around the tree canopy area shall not be altered. No waste material or construction byproducts are allowed within the TPZ. Trees to be retained shall be irrigated, aerated, and maintained as necessary to ensure survival.
23. TREE DAMAGE: Tree Damage, Injury Mitigation and Inspections apply to the Contractor.
Reporting, injury mitigation measures and arborist inspection schedule apply pursuant to TLTM Contractor shall be responsible for the repair or replacement of any publicly owned or protected trees that are damaged during the course of construction, pursuant to Title 8 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, and city Tree and Landscape Technical Manual, Section 3.02.
24. TPZ EXCAVATION RESTRICTIONS APPLY - TLTM, Sec. 3.03.6 - B5,6: Any approved grading, digging, potholing, or trenching within the TPZ of a protected tree shall be performed using ‘air-spade’ method as a preference, with manual hand shovel as a backup. (TPZ= 10x the tree diameter at 54" above grade) For utility trenching, including sewer line, roots exposed with a diameter of 2 inches and greater shall remain intact and not be damaged. If directional boring method is used to tunnel beneath roots, then CPA Standard Detail #504 shall be printed on the final plans and the buffer distances in TLTM Table 3-4, Trenching and Tunneling Distance, shall be implemented by Contractor. Contractor must notify the Urban Forestry Section at (650) 496-5953 in advance of conducting any approved excavation within 10-feet of any street trees (or for any protected tree on EVSE projects). Urban Forestry may choose to monitor or review the work for compliance with the City’s Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) excavation standards.
25. TREE PROTECTION COMPLIANCE: The owner and contractor shall implement all protection and inspection schedule measures, design recommendations and construction scheduling as stated in the Tree Preservation Report and/or Sheet T-1 and is subject to code compliance action pursuant to PAMC 8.10.080. The required protective fencing shall remain in place until final landscaping or Urban Forestry inspection of the project is completed.
26. NO NET LOSS OF CANOPY: In order to comply with the City’s no net loss of canopy policy (PAMC
8.10.055; Urban Forest Master Plan Goals 6.A, 6.B, & 6.C; Comprehensive Plan, Natural Environment Chapter Goal N-2) all trees 4 inches DBH and larger are subject to replacement to avoid a loss of canopy at the neighborhood level. Replacement ratios are determined by table 3-1 in the Tree and Landscape Technical Manual, Section 3.02. New landscape tree plantings (24 inch box or larger) count towards the replacement total. Screening trees may also count toward the total depending on size and species selected. If unable to plant the required number of trees on site (our preferred solution) there is the option of paying in-lieu fees per each 24 inch box tree into the forestry fund. [Note: A replacement at ratio of 1:1 for trees listed as exempt species under PAMC 8.10.020 is recommended. Exempt trees may require full replacement on parcels zoned other than R1, RE, R-2, or RMD].
27. PLAN CHANGES: Revisions and/or changes to plans before or during construction shall be reviewed and responded to by the (a) project site arborist, or (b) landscape architect with written 530 Barron Avenue approval
Individual Review 25PLN-00021
letter of acceptance before submitting the revision to Planning and Development Services Department for review by Planning, Public Works, or Urban Forestry.
28. PLAN SET REQUIREMENTS: The final Plans submitted for a building permit shall include the location, DBH, canopy drip-line, and TPZ of all trees 4 inches DBH or greater as well as the following information and notes on relevant plan sheets:
a. T-1 SHEET SET, The building permit plan set will include the City’s full-sized, T-1 Sheet Set (Tree Protection-it's Part of the Plan!), available on the Development Center website. A certified arborist shall complete and sign the Tree Disclosure Statement. b. TREE PRESERVATION REPORT (TPR), if indicated by Tree Disclosure Statement, All sheets of the Applicant’s TPR approved by the City for full implementation by Contractor, shall be printed on numbered T-1 Sheets (T-3, T-4, etc.) and added to the sheet index.
c. TREE PROTECTION FENCING, The Plan Set (esp. site, demolition, grading & drainage, foundation, irrigation, tree disposition, utility sheets, etc.) must delineate/show the correct configuration of Type I, Type II or Type III fencing around each Protected Tree, using a bold dashed line enclosing the Tree Protection Zone (CPA Standard Detail #605)
ZERO WASTE
29. REQUIRED DECONSTRUCTION. In conformance with PAMC 5.24, deconstruction and source separation are required for all residential and commercial projects where structures (other than a garage or ADU) are being completely removed, demolition is no longer allowed. Deconstruction takes longer than traditional demolition, it is important to plan ahead. For more information, visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/deconstruction.
30. SALVAGE SURVEY FOR REUSE. A Salvage Survey is required for deconstruction permit applications. The survey shall be conducted by a City approved reuse vendor. The survey submittal shall include an itemized list of materials that are salvageable for reuse from the project. The applicant shall source separate and deliver materials for reuse. Certification is required indicating that all materials identified in the survey are properly salvaged. Contact The ReUse People to schedule this FREE survey by phone (888) 588-9490 or e-mail [email protected]. More information can be found at www.TheReusePeople.org. Please upload a completed copy to the deconstruction permit.
31. SOURCE SEPARATION FOR RECYCLING. The applicant shall source separate deconstruction materials into specific categories for recycling. Additional staging areas for source separated materials will need to be considered. All materials shall be delivered to one of the City approved materials recovery facilities listed in Green Halo, all records shall be uploaded to www.greenhalosystems.com.
For more information, refer to www.cityofpaloalto.org/deconstruction
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PUBLIC WORKS CONDITION OF APPROVAL
The following shall be addressed prior to issuance of a Building Permit, Excavation and Grading Permit, Certificate of Compliance, Street Work Permit and/or Encroachment Permit.
32. PUBLIC WORKS STANDARD CONDITIONS SHEET: The Department of Public Work’s full-sized "Standard Conditions" sheet shall be included in the improvement plans and the applicant shall comply with all conditions listed in the sheet. The sheet can be obtained at the following link:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/public-works/engineering- services/webpages/forms-and-permits/pw-conditions-sheet-alternative-update-8.7.18.pdf
33. SIDEWALK, DRIVEWAY, CURB & GUTTER: The applicant shall meet with a Public Works inspector by calling 650-496-6929 to determine portions of sidewalk, curb, gutter, and driveway approaches that shall be replaced along the project frontage. These portions shall be indicated on the site improvement plans. In addition, a Site Inspection Directive sheet shall be completed, signed by the inspector, and scanned onto the plan set. The sheet can be obtained from a staff member of Public Works Engineering Services or at the following link:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/public-works/engineering- services/webpages/forms-and-permits/other-guidelines/pwe-site-inspection-directive_rev- 2021.pdf
34. DRIVEWAY APPROACHES: The applicant shall comply with all regulations in PAMC Chapter 12.08 for driveway approaches. A summary of those regulations can be obtained at the following link:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?t=69580.09&BlobID=66035
35. STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION SHEET: The City's full-sized "Pollution Prevention - It's Part of the Plan" sheet shall be included in the improvement plans. The sheet can be obtained at the following link:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/publicworks/engineering- Services/webpages/forms-and-permits/rwq_stormwater_plansheet_final_bw.pdf
36. IMPERVIOUS SURFACE AREA WORKSHEET: The applicant shall fill out the Impervious Area Worksheet for Land Developments at the link below. The sheet shall be both emailed to [email protected] and included with the building permit submittal:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/public-works/engineering- services/webpages/forms-and-permits/impervious-area-worksheet-fillable.pdf
37. GRADING & DRAINAGE PLAN: The improvement plans shall be compliant with the “Grading & Drainage Guidelines for Residential Developments”. The sheet can be obtained at the following:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/public-works/engineering- services/webpages/forms-and-permits/grading-drainage-residential-guidelines.pdf
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38. C.3 STORMWATER REGULATIONS: This project creates or replaces over 2,500 square feet of impervious surface area. The applicant shall implement one or more of the following site design measures on improvement plans:
a. Direct roof runoff into cisterns or rain barrels for reuse. b. Direct roof runoff onto vegetated areas.
c. Direct runoff from sidewalks, walkways, and/or patios onto vegetated areas. d. Direct runoff from driveways and/or uncovered parking lots onto vegetated areas. e. Construct sidewalks, walkways, and/or patios with permeable surfaces. f. Construct driveways, and/or uncovered parking lots with permeable surfaces.
39. STREETWORK PERMIT: All improvement plans shall include the following note adjacent to proposed work in the public right-of-way. “Any construction within the public right-of-way requires an approved Street work Permit from Public Works Engineering”.
40. DEMOLITION PLAN: The following note shall be placed adjacent to all affected trees on the Demolition Plan: “Excavation and trenching is restricted within the Tree Protection Zone (refer to T-1 Tree Protection Sheet) or as approved by the Urban Forestry Division at 650-496-5953. Any changes shall be approved by the same”.
41. CONSTRUCTION STAGING: All improvement plans shall include the following note on the Site Plan and the Grading & Drainage Plan. “All construction materials and equipment shall be staged, stored, and stockpiled onsite and not on any public street”.
42. BARRON PARK: This project is located in Barron Park and shall comply with regulations for unimproved street areas. The guidelines can be obtained from the following link:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/2/public-works/engineering- services/webpages/forms-and-permits/other-guidelines/paving-of-parking-areas-adjacent-to- the-edge-of-the-pavement-in-unimproved-street-areas-2021.pdf
GREEN BUILDING & ENERGY REACH CODE REQUIREMENTS:
43. The proposed project shall conform with PAMC Section 16.14 (Green Building code) Information, ordinances and applications can be found at
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/ds/green_building/default.asp. If you have any questions regarding Green Building requirements, please call the Green Building Consultant at (650) 329-2179 or send an email to [email protected].