Council to consider slowing housing growth Council to consider slowing housing growth (October 07, 2005)

City staff recommends housing as "conditional use" in industrial areas

by Jocelyn Dong

Trying to throw a speed bump in front of Palo Alto's fast-paced housing market, the city's planning department is recommending a more stringent review of homes proposed in industrial areas.

The City Council will consider the issue at its meeting Tuesday night, which has been rescheduled from Monday night due to the Columbus Day holiday.

The recommendation is meant as a "moderate" approach to addressing the city's housing trend, Planning and Community Environment Director Steve Emslie said at a public forum last week. The purpose is not to prohibit new residences altogether but to determine whether the location is appropriate, he said.

Palo Alto is unusual in that it allows housing to be built in any zone in the city, including industrial and commercial. This fact, combined with a housing-construction boom due to favorable economic conditions, has led to an increase in home building -- and to a heightened concern among residents at the possible negative effects additional housing and residents could have on the city.

On Tuesday, the council will consider changes to the portion of the ordinance having to do with office, research and medical zoning, also known as "industrial."

The proposal states that a conditional-use permit would be required for multi-family housing in industrial areas. Those projects would be reviewed by the planning commission and would need the approval of the City Council.

Currently, the only review process for housing proposed for industrial areas examines the design of the building, not whether it should be built in a particular location.

The conditional-use review would allow the city to consider the impact of housing on traffic, adjacent neighborhoods or environmentally sensitive areas, as well as the economic diversity of the area, according to the staff report.

"It's more to give us another level of review to see the impact of the use itself," said John Lusardi, a planning manager for the city.

Recent examples of industrial space turned into housing include two condominium developments on East Meadow Drive and East Meadow Circle, totaling 150 homes, and a proposed development of between 86 and 135 townhouses along West Bayshore Road.

The recommendation is included in an overall update to the zoning ordinance, which has been ongoing for the past year. Also included in this industrial zone update, the council will consider prohibiting single-family and two-family homes in industrial zones.

Emslie indicated the staff would recommend the conditional-use permit for housing in the city's commercial zones at a future date.

Sheri Furman, a resident who helped organize last week's housing forum, called the proposal "an excellent idea. ... It gives the city more leeway to determine if the planned housing is really appropriate for the site instead of having to automatically approve it. It's a good first step toward actually having coordinated area plans."

Community activist Karen White, who has been calling for the preservation of neighborhood retail centers and limiting housing in certain areas of town, agreed.

"It will prevent a hopscotch land-use pattern that won't be viable for our community," she said. "I'm supportive of this kind of common-sense restraint. It's not a restriction. It asks the developer to make a case for housing."

Senior Staff Writer Jocelyn Dong can be reached at jdong@paweekly.com.

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