City Council - April 6, 2026

San Antonio growth scenarios draw calls for traffic analysis

Council members called for deeper analysis of traffic, transit, parks and infrastructure before Palo Alto narrows development alternatives for the 275-acre San Antonio Road Area Plan. The study session covered maximum scenarios with capacity for as many as 7,400 homes over 20 to 25 years and possible building heights of 165 to 250 feet in selected areas. Council took no vote, and staff expects to return in June with refined alternatives.

Staff emphasized that the 7,400-unit figure represented a theoretical maximum redevelopment scenario, not a forecast or adopted housing target. Much of the area currently has a 60-foot height limit. Several council comments favored buildings of about 85 to 90 feet across much of the plan area, with lower heights near single-family neighborhoods, while members differed over allowing taller development near U.S. 101, North Fabian and Bayshore areas. One member opposed high-density development east of Bayshore and urged phased or metered upzoning.

Transportation emerged as a central concern. Staff reported that existing intersection counts show Level of Service F conditions and peak-hour queues. Members requested modeling that considers possible future VTA service, cut-through traffic, parking and effects on pedestrians and bicyclists. Staff said the San Antonio interchange remains years away and that analysis of trips generated by the growth scenarios will follow selection of a land-use alternative.

Council members also debated the role of office development, park acquisition and retail requirements. Members supported improving the jobs-housing balance but differed over whether office space should be limited to replacement or resident-serving uses. Several requested analysis of transfer-of-development-rights programs and minimum densities that could help assemble larger parks, including a potential 4.5-acre park at the Maxar site rather than a 2-acre park. Members generally favored ground-floor retail requirements in the primary planning areas but differed over secondary areas.

Nonprofit grant pause remains unresolved amid $14.9 million deficit

Council left unresolved whether to suspend Phase One nonprofit partnership grants for fiscal 2027 after staff recommended a one-year pause because of a projected $14.9 million General Fund deficit and the administrative work required by the program. No motion or vote was taken, and nonprofit funding decisions will continue through the city’s spring budget review.

Staff said 16 nonprofits received about $500,000 in fiscal 2026 Phase One grants. Pausing the solicitation would generally maintain funding for organizations already included in the operating budget but provide no new Phase One awards. Staff did not propose reductions to second-year Human Services Resource Allocation Program awards, emerging-needs funding or ongoing nonprofit service contracts, and estimated that approximately $6.6 million in other nonprofit support would remain without Phase One.

Council members differed over eliminating Phase One awards. Several favored a smaller process focused on new service gaps, emergencies or unusual requests, while others worried that current recipients and longstanding partners could lose support or that reductions would fall unevenly. Members also discussed directing ongoing partnerships to the Finance Committee and budget process and having the Human Relations Commission review and interview applicants. Nonprofit representatives urged the city to preserve the grants or establish alternative partnership mechanisms.

Schneider promoted to police chief in 7-0 vote

Council unanimously promoted Acting Police Chief James Reich Schneider to lead the Palo Alto Police Department. The city manager recommended selecting Schneider without an external recruitment, citing continuity, stability and his qualifications.

Schneider identified community engagement and police recruitment and retention as priorities. All four public speakers addressing the appointment supported his selection, and council members voiced support for the leadership transition.

Primary sources

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