Planning & Transportation Commission - September 9, 2026

Commission recommends against separate ADU sales

The Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission voted 4-2 to recommend that the City Council reject a draft ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units to be sold separately from primary homes. Allen Akin, Kevin Ji, Todd James and Bryna Chang supported the recommendation, while Bart Hechtman and Cari Templeton voted no.

The commission also advised that, if the council proceeds, separate sales should be limited to residential use on R1 properties and equivalent single-family districts in coordinated area plans. The commission favored no added minimum-size requirement and use of the fee proposed in the supplemental staff report, which staff said would be the city’s existing SB 9 subdivision application charge.

The proposal would establish a voluntary, streamlined process under which an ADU could be separately owned through a condominium arrangement while remaining on the same parcel. Staff emphasized that the process would not increase the number of ADUs allowed. Commissioners raised questions about common areas, access, utilities, homeowners associations, insurance, construction liability and enforcement of below-market-rate housing requirements. Commissioners supporting the motion favored relying on SB 9 lot splits while the city evaluates potential unintended effects and gains more information from other jurisdictions.

Hechtman and Templeton favored approving a limited version, describing separately sold ADUs as a flexible homeownership opportunity that could avoid requiring an SB 9 parcel split. Three public commenters also supported a streamlined ordinance without a minimum lot-size requirement. The City Council will receive the commission’s recommendation, with written and oral public comment available when it considers the proposal.

Staff will examine coordination on Charleston dirt-truck route

Commissioner Bryna Chang asked for follow-up on a prior public concern involving a couple hundred loads of dirt from a Los Altos Hills house project traveling on Charleston. Staff will consult transportation and other city departments about possible coordination with Los Altos Hills on an alternative route. No routing change was approved at the meeting.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting agenda