Hillsdale Mall
Redevelopment
32-acre Mixed-Use Housing Development Project
(PA-2025-052)
City Council Study Session
November 3, 2023
Elaine Ling, Principal Planner
Community Development Department
BACKGROUND & TIMELINEBACKGROUND & TIMELINE
Feb 6, 2025
SB330 Preliminary
Application Submission
March 20, 2025
Pre-App Deemed
Complete
November 3, 2025
City Council Study
Session
July 21, 2025
1st Incomplete
Letter Issued
June 20, 2025
Formal Application
Submission
November 17, 2025
2nd Comment
Letter Due
October 17, 2025
2nd round
resubmission
Preliminary Application Full Application
180 DAYS 30 DAYS 90 DAYS 90 DAYS ……
On August 12, 2025, HCD technical assistance letter
confirmed the project as a housing development project
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Project Site Hillsdale Blvd
Railroad Tracks
North Block to Remain
31 st Ave
El Camino Real
Edison St
Laurel Creek
CONTEXTCONTEXT
Bay MeadowHillsdale Caltrain Station
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Residential
Retail
OfficeHillsdale
Caltrain Station
General Plan 2040 Land Use Designations:
Mixed-Use High
Mixed-Use Medium II
Zoning Designation:
C2-2/Q5
SURROUNDING LAND USES SURROUNDING LAND USES
Barnes & Noble
Hillsdale Mall
(South Block)
Parking Structure
Parking Structure
Bank
Trader Joe’s
Bay Meadows
MASTER PLAN CONCEPT MASTER PLAN CONCEPT
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Retail
Flexible
Commercial
Residential
Residential
PROJECT INFORMATION PROJECT INFORMATION
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Preliminary
Application
Formal Application
1st Submission
Formal Application
2nd Submission
Existing Non-
Residential Floor Area
to be Demolished
1,490,331 sq. ft. 1,490,331 sq. ft. 1,490,331 sq. ft.
Residential Units 1,392 units Up to 1,670 units 1,389 units Residential Floor Area 1,905,000 sq. ft. Up to 2,390,800 sq. ft. 2,029,508 sq. ft.
Non-Residential Floor
Area 2,059,000 sq. ft. Up to 2,056,000 sq. ft. 2,105,866 sq. ft.
Parking 5,390 spaces No Information provided 4,963 spaces Up to 1,670 units identified on Master Plan Document
Up to 2,390,800 sq.ft. identified on Master Plan Document Up to 2,059,000 sq.ft. identified on Master Plan Document
APPLICABLE CODES AND POLICIESAPPLICABLE CODES AND POLICIES 7 of 14
State Law
• HOUSING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HAA)
• HOUSING CRISIS ACT (SB330)
• Density Bonus Law
• AB2097
• SB937
• SB743
Local Plans and Code
• General Plan 2040
• Hillsdale Station Area Plan
• Zoning Ordinance
• Rail Corridor Transit Oriented
Development Plan
• El Camino Real Corridor Plan
• Objective Design Standards
* Other State laws and local codes and policies may be applicable.
HOUSING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT LIMITS CITY DISCRETIONHOUSING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT LIMITS CITY DISCRETION • Applies to “housing development projects” – revised 1/1/25 • HCD: Hillsdale development qualifies under new definition • 50 percent of the net new residential use and >500 Units, etc. • City can require compliance with objective, quantifiable, written standards (e.g., in the General Plan/ Zoning Code) • City cannot deny or reduce project density absent a specific adverse impact on public health or safety:
• a significant, quantifiable, direct, and unavoidable impact, based on objective, identified written health or safety standards 8 of 14
Need Clear Timeline and Phasing Plan
• Applicant’s website – 20 years
• More detail is needed
• Uncertainty – utility capacity analysis, water
supply assessment, and traffic analysis
Staff Working with HCD and Applicant
• In compliance with the state laws and local
regulations
• Support delivery of residential components
concurrently and proportionately with non-
residential components
Review Procedure
• Three rounds of incompleteness review
• 60-day consistency review after the project
deemed complete
ISSUE 1 ISSUE 1
PROJECT TIMELINE PROJECT TIMELINE
AND PHASING PLANAND PHASING PLAN
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Regional Retail and Employment Center
• Hillsdale Station Area Plan supports
maintaining as a regional commercial use
• Legislation Update – Discretionary process
no longer applicable to Housing
Development Project
• City-led Fiscal Impact Analysis
Community Serving Needs
• Up to 1,670 new housing units
• 1,389 units in most recent submittal plan set
• The total amount and type of proposed
retail/commercial space is still undefined
• Should include sufficient space to maintain
retail and commercial services
ISSUE 2 ISSUE 2
REGIONAL REGIONAL
SHOPPING CENTER SHOPPING CENTER
DESIGNATION AND DESIGNATION AND
COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
SEVERING SEVERING
COMMERCIALCOMMERCIAL
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Add a slide (Text only)Pedestrian Bridge
• To maximize TOD and Caltrain station
proximity, a strong connection to Hillsdale
Station is needed
• Would strengthen connectivity for all uses
on west side of El Camino Real
Off-Street Parking
• Subject to AB 2097
• Ground-level parking structures
• Street parking
• Standalone parking structure (C5)
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 3
PEDESTRIAN PEDESTRIAN
CONNECTION TO CONNECTION TO
HILLSDALE CALTRAIN HILLSDALE CALTRAIN
STATIONSTATION
ISSUE 4 ISSUE 4
OFF-STREET OFF-STREET
PARKING PARKING
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ISSUE 5 ISSUE 5
TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC AND
CIRCULATION CIRCULATION
ISSUE 6 ISSUE 6
SITE AND SITE AND
ARCHITECTURAL ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGN STANDARDSDESIGN STANDARDS
Traffic and Circulation
• Subject to SB743 – Streamline VMT analysis
• General Plan 2040 policy requires a site-
specific traffic analysis
• City-hired Consultant to prepare local
transportation analysis (LTA)
Site and Architectural Design Standards
• Tall Building Design Quality
• El Camino Real Edge
• Compatible Architectural Design with
Surrounding Neighborhood
• Ground-level Interfaces
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ISSUE 7ISSUE 7
ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEWREVIEW
Applicant Proposal
• 15183 Exemption – Tier off General Plan EIR
Further Review
• Preparation of technical studies to identify
any potential effects
• Needs to be in compliance with the state
laws and local regulations
PUBLIC NOTICE, AND NEXT STEPSPUBLIC NOTICE, AND NEXT STEPS • 1,000-ft mailing radius, email subscribers, social media, and placards
• Revise based on City Council and public input
• Completeness determination
• Revisions to establish consistency with local plans and codes • Environmental Review with technical studies
• Planning Commission public hearings
• City Council public hearings and decision
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Thank You
Elaine Ling, Principal Planner
Community Development Department
[email protected]
(650) 522-7216
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