City project
El Camino Real Focus Area
Regulatory focus-area effort for El Camino Real intended to support housing development.
- Current status
- Focus-area zoning amendments were under council discussion.
- Location
- El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA
May 27, 2025 ordinance update
Staff presented proposed expansion areas, revised development and design standards, builder's-remedy affordability updates required by state law, and possible further study of the Hansen Way special setback. Council considered amendments affecting development feasibility, including setbacks, daylight planes, hotel development standards, affordable-unit impact-fee waivers, and expansion to additional parcels.
Read related coverageApril 17, 2025: Focus-area status discussion
The Board discussed the status of the focus-area expansion and agreed it was not a future ARB work-plan item.
Read related coverageMarch 26, 2025 Planning & Transportation Commission recommendations
The Commission recommended the proposed Tier 1 expansion and several development-standard revisions, issued a split recommendation on the daylight plane, and limited AB 1893 affordability standards to existing Builder’s Remedy projects.
Read related coverageDecember 19, 2024 Architectural Review Board study-session feedback
The Board provided feedback favoring simpler, corridor-scale regulations; lot-consolidation incentives or minimum site parameters; revised residential-edge daylight-plane standards; and further evaluation of frontage, loading, open-space, and rooftop-projection standards.
Read related coverageDecember 17, 2024 study-session feedback on expansion and standards
The Commission discussed expansion areas, development standards, low-density-residential transitions, frontage stepbacks, parking, and pedestrian and bicycle access. Staff indicated it would use the feedback, along with Architectural Review Board input, to develop a draft ordinance.
Read related coverage
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