Architectural Review Board - September 19, 2024

Board asks for privacy and design changes to 29-unit project

The Architectural Review Board gave generally favorable feedback on a proposed 29-unit townhouse condominium development at 4335-4345 El Camino Real but asked the applicant to refine privacy protections, ground-floor elevations, roof forms, materials and amenity space. The board took no vote during the study session. A third staff-review round was expected before the project proceeds to a Director's decision, which does not require an ARB recommendation.

The proposal would replace existing commercial and motel uses with five buildings containing three-story attached homes, including four below-market-rate units. Eight units would be built on a smaller parcel and 21 on a larger parcel, with the two sites separated by Cesano Court. The application seeks several deviations from objective design standards, including reductions in side and rear setbacks and adjustments to ground-floor elevation, street-tree and build-to requirements.

Board members recommended more privacy landscaping along the property line with neighboring Mountain View apartments, screening for rooftop decks and reconsideration of the reduced ground-floor elevation along El Camino Real. They also suggested simplifying roof forms, redesigning nonfunctional dormer windows, strengthening color or window details and considering play space for children within the amenity areas.

Members disagreed over whether the two parcels should be treated as one project when considering housing-type diversity and Housing Element density. Staff maintained that the public street makes them separate parcels and that each parcel, being under one acre, requires only one housing type. The board also discussed a missing connection between an existing bicycle or multi-use path and Cesano Court, although the connection is outside the project property and application. Staff said a Class 32 infill-development environmental exemption was being prepared.

Staff reports about 10 Builder's Remedy projects at eight sites

City staff reported approximately 10 Builder's Remedy projects across eight sites and said legal uncertainty remains over how Palo Alto should respond to individual applications, including differences based on when they were filed. The board took no action on the update.

Among the locations staff identified were 660 University, 156 California, 762 San Antonio, 3781 El Camino, 3606 El Camino and 3400 El Camino. Staff also said two projects had submitted SB 330 applications, potentially freezing development standards for six months while leaving open the possibility of later Builder's Remedy filings.

The City Council adopted Palo Alto's Housing Element on April 15, 2024, and the state certified it on August 20, 2024. Staff and city attorneys will continue evaluating the individual applications with the council.

Board considers expanding eligibility for design awards

The board discussed whether future Architectural Review Board Design Awards should include single-family residential projects, but it made no decision. Expanding eligibility would require a bylaw change and a process for considering projects that did not undergo board review.

Current bylaws contemplate awards every five years for outstanding projects reviewed by the board and completed since the previous awards. Staff said the awards scheduled for 2020 were delayed until 2022 because of the pandemic, when six awards and two honorable mentions were presented.

Staff estimated that about 18 previously reviewed but unfinished projects could carry over and that roughly 50 projects per year could produce a pool of 100 to 200 projects for consideration. Members raised the workload involved in compiling a broader residential list. Staff indicated it could return in about a month with a complete list of eligible projects, while board members were encouraged to consider award categories and a possible future bylaw discussion.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet