Architectural Review Board - March 19, 2026

Board favors housing capacity and connected parks in San Antonio Road plan

The Architectural Review Board took no formal action but generally favored substantial housing and mixed-use capacity in the North Fabian/Maxar and Commerce, Transport and Industrial areas as Palo Alto refines the San Antonio Road Area Plan. In advisory feedback, members also called for publicly accessible open space, stronger bicycle separation and transitions in building scale near lower-rise homes and Adobe Creek.

The 20-year plan covers 275 acres in South Palo Alto that currently contain about 800 residential units. Depending on the alternatives ultimately selected, the area could have capacity for 3,800 to 7,400 additional homes. Staff anticipates completing the plan by early 2028.

Members differed over maximum building heights. Some supported allowing taller buildings near U.S. 101 and an adjacent Mountain View proposal, while another favored generally retaining a 90-foot limit. The discussion included potential 60- and 90-foot limits, but the board adopted no consolidated height recommendation.

At the Maxar site, members favored a major publicly accessible neighborhood park and connections among parks, open spaces, retail nodes and pedestrian and bicycle routes. For the CTI area, they supported flexible development rules and incentives for lot consolidation while seeking block connections and publicly accessible open space in larger projects. The discussion also considered whether ground-floor retail should be required, optional or retail-ready, and whether it should be concentrated near parks and activity nodes rather than along the San Antonio Road truck corridor.

Members generally supported stronger separation between bicycles and vehicles on San Antonio Road but noted tradeoffs involving parking removal, trees, easements, deliveries, garage access and trash collection. Staff will use the feedback to narrow alternatives and develop further analysis, policies, zoning and development standards before returning to the board in a later phase.

Staff reports Council approvals for King Road project and bird-friendly rules

A city official reported that the City Council earlier in the week approved the builder’s remedy townhouse project at 2100 King Road, a planned-community rezoning at 4075 El Camino Way and a bird-friendly design ordinance. No Architectural Review Board action was recorded on the report.

Staff also anticipated bringing the Lot T Streamline Housing Development Project and the California Avenue outdoor activation item to the board on April 16.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet