668 E 3rd Ave "Gateway“
Eight Story Multifamily Residential Building
PA-2025-025
City Council Public Hearing
May 2, 2026
Liz Gagliardi, Associate Planner
Community Development Department
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
• PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Project History
• Location
• Project Description
• Entitlements
• CODE & POLICY REVIEW
• General Plan, Zoning Code & Local Plans
• State Law
• Affordable Housing
• Design Review
• Impact Fees
• Environmental Review
• PUBLIC NOTICE
• STAFF RECOMMENDATION
PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Pre-Application
• SB 330 Preliminary Application filed
on November 13, 2024
• Neighborhood Informational
Meeting held on March 19, 2025
• Formal Planning Application
• Filed on April 2, 2025
• Refined project design
• Environmental Review – Exempt
from CEQA under AB130
Project History
Location
Project Description
Entitlements
4 Project SiteCaltrain rail
corridor
Downtown Caltrain Station
5 Existing Office (to remain on neighboring parcel)
Existing Gas Station (to remain on neighboring parcel)
Existing Commercial – to be demolished on project site
Block 21
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Project History
Location
Project Description
Entitlements
Project Site
Metropolitan
Block 21
Block 20
222 S. Fremont
Downtown
San Mateo
Downtown
Caltrain Station
Kiku Crossing
Bespoke
Draeger’s
Kiku Garage
Project Site – 668 E 3rd Avenue
0.64 Acres
PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Approx. 169,750 sq.ft. building – residential use
• 128 residential rental units
• 20 affordable units (10 for very-low income, 10 for moderate income) • 8 stories (83’-9” to top plate, 88’-9” to parapet)
• 73 covered parking stalls (includes 1 level below grade parking garage). Vehicle access off of S. Eldorado St.
• Residential amenities – fitness room, amenity deck on 3rd floor, common room & amenity deck/BBQ area on 8th floor
Project History
Location
Project Description
Entitlements
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Unit Mix
128 total units (108 market rate + 20 below market rate) Project History
Location
Project Description
Entitlements
Unit Type BMR Units
(VLI)
BMR Units
(Moderate)
Market
Rate Units
Total Units
Studio 0 1 0 1
Urban 1-
bed
4 2 46 52
1-bed 3 4 30 37
2-bed 2 3 28 33
3-bed 1 0 4 5
Total Units 10 10 108 128
PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Site Plan & Architectural Review (SPAR)
• New multifamily residential building.
• Requires City Council approval (building exceeds
General Plan height limit)
• Site Development Planning Application (SDPA)
• Removal of 9 total trees, including 4 protected trees • Replacement planting (16 trees) and landscape unit in- lieu fees
Project History
Location
Project Description
Entitlements
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
• State Density Bonus Law
• “Stacked” Density Bonus
• 50% Density Increase for providing 15% of units at BMR - Very Low Income
• 50 % Density Increase for providing 15% of units at BMR - Moderate Income
• Up to 3 Concessions
• Unlimited Waivers
• Proposed Project
• 100% Density Increase (128 Units)
• 15% of base density (10 Units) for Very Low Income
• 15% of base density (10 Units) for Moderate Income
• No Concessions requested
• Waivers from Development Standards
• Reduced setbacks & stepbacks
• Increased building height
• Loading zone dimensions & location
• Objective Design Standards
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW • General Plan Land Use – Mixed Use Medium II
General Plan, Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
Mixed Use Medium II Maximum Proposed
Density (DU/acre) 99 (64 units) 200 (128 units)
Height 6 stories 8 stories
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
• Zoning: CBD/S (Central Business District Support)
• Downtown Area Plan: Gateway Sub-Area
General Plan, Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
Other Standards
(Zoning & Local Plans)
Minimum Required Proposed
Setbacks & Stepbacks
• Front
• Left Side
• Right Side
• Rear
Front setback: 15’-20’
• Front Stepback: +8’ for
portion of building over
30’
Left Side: 15’-20’ Right
Side: 15’-20’
• Side Stepbacks: +8’ for
portion of building over
25’
Rear: -
Front: 3.1’
Left Side: 9’
Right Side: 2.5’
Rear: 2.4’
Parking None Required
(AB2097)
73 Stalls
Bicycle Parking 139 (Long Term)
9 (Short Term)
140 (Long Term)
10 (Short Term)
Loading 1 1
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
Density Bonus Waivers
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
Standard
Loading Berth – SMMC Section 27.64.390
Turning Radii – SMMC Section 27.64.130
Building Height – General Plan 2040 Mixed Use Medium II Blank Walls – ODS 4.1.1
Massing Breaks – ODS 4.4.7.A.3.b
Façade Design – ODS 7.1.1.B
Setbacks – ODS 7.7.1.A.2 & .3
Stepbacks – ODS 7.7.1.B.1 & .2
Residential Entries – ODS 7.7.3.A.1 & 7.7.3.A.3.b
Ground Floor Residential Entries – ODS 4.2.1
Architectural Style & Materials – ODS 7.7.1.D
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
• Housing Crisis Act (Senate Bill 330)
• Preliminary Application- November 13, 2024
• Project vesting date – freezes development standards and fee structure
• Housing Accountability Act (HAA)
• Limits a local agency’s ability to deny, reduce the density of, or render housing development projects infeasible if objective standards are met
• Assembly Bill (AB) 130
• New California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for housing development projects
• Expedited review process
• Assembly Bill (AB) 2097
• Removes minimum parking requirements for projects within one- half mile from major public transit stop
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
City’s Below Market Rate(BMR)
Inclusionary Program
• Projects with 11 or more rental units, must
provide at least:
• 15% of the units for Lower-Income Households; or
• 10% of the units for Very Low-Income Households
• This project exceeds local BMR requirements by
providing:
• 15% of the units for Very Low-Income Households; and
• 15% of the units for Moderate-Income Households.
• The units proposed at the Very Low-Income level
must also meet local requirements for unit size,
type, and design.
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
E. 3rd Ave S. Delaware St.
View of “Townhome Style” Units from East 3rd Avenue
Detailed View of “Townhome Style” Units from East 3rd Avenue
View of Lobby Entrance from corner of East 3rd Avenue & South Delaware St.
View from East 3rd Avenue
View from South Delaware St.
View from corner of East 3rd Avenue & South Eldorado St.
View from South Eldorado St.
Rear (Southeast) Elevation
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
Fee Estimate
Childcare Development Fee $432,000
Park Impact Fee $2.37 million
Wastewater Capacity Charge $920,000
School Impact Fees $4.94 per square foot
Landscape Unit In-Lieu Fee $11,750
Public Art In-Lieu Fee 1.19% of building valuation
Transportation Improvement
Fee
$479,000
CODE AND POLICY
REVIEW
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• Exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public
Resources Code Section 21080.66 (AB 130)
• Effective date: June 20, 2025
• Requires expedited project review & decision
timeline
• Tribal Consultation requirements
General Plan and Zoning Code &
Local Plans
State Law
Affordable Housing
Design Review
Impact Fees
Environmental Review
PUBLIC NOTICE
• Neighborhood Meeting: March 19, 2025
• 40 attendees
• Comments related to parking, traffic & construction impacts, loss of existing business/retail.
• Public Noticing: 10 days in advance of hearing & newspaper notice
PLANNING COMMISSION SUMMARY
• Planning Commission public hearing on February 10, 2026 • Planning Commission recommended City Council approval of the project, by unanimous vote (with one Commissioner
recused)
• Added a recommendation to provide flexibility for the applicant to propose a more colorful decorative tile at the project entry feature.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
Add a new condition of approval to include the following:
DECORATIVE TILE AT ENTRY FEATURE – The applicant may propose an alternative colored and/or patterned tile design for the approved decorative tile at the Project entryway, subject to review and approval by the Community Development Director or
designee.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution to approve the Site Plan and Architectural Review (SPAR), and Site Development Planning Application (SDPA) for the construction of a new multi-family residential building with 128 units and associated site improvements at 668 East 3rd Avenue, and find that the Project is Statutorily Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Assembly Bill 130, based on the findings for approval and subject to the conditions of approval.
Thank You
Liz Gagliardi, Associate Planner
Community Development Department
[email protected]