I hope you are still in the midst of enjoying a long holiday weekend. My husband's family has been staying with us and it's been wonderful having little kids back in the house. My heart (and my stomach!) is full. I am grateful for my family, friends and my Menlo Park neighbors.
This week's special City Council meeting is the culmination of our years-long Housing Element Update process. Tuesday night's one agenda item is about zoning, and what specific zoning changes will need to be made to make good on the commitments outlined in our Housing Element (resubmitted to the State on November 3rd). The content is very detailed and very consequential. As always, thank you for entrusting me to make these monumental decisions. I take the responsibility very seriously.
I also want to make sure you are aware of an upcoming Parkline (SRI Campus) Open House by the developer, Lane Partners. It is scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd from 11am to 1pm. For more information visit https://menloparkline.com/. Note: This is not a City-sponsored event.
Tuesday's Special City Council Meeting contains only one very important public hearing (below is the technical title of the agenda item):
C1. Adopt resolutions to amend the City of Menlo Park General Plan Land Use Element and El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan, and introduce and waive the first reading of ordinances to amend the Zoning Ordinance (Title 16 of the Municipal Code) and zoning map to implement zoning-related programs in the adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element to modify the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) to allow residential densities up to 150 du/ac in combination with State Density Bonus Law; create new opportunities for residential and mixed-use opportunities by modifying certain existing nonresidential zoning districts and combining certain commercial zoning districts to create a new C-MU (Neighborhood Mixed Use) zoning district, increase densities in the R-3 zoning district around downtown and for sites over 100,000 square feet in size and increase lot coverage in the R-3 and R-4 zoning districts, increase densities and modify development standards in the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan area, allow ministerial review of reuse sites, create a new Residential Overlay to create additional residential development potential for certain parcels, allow family day care homes by-right in residential districts, and rezone certain properties associated with the changes as applicable, and determine the proposed amendments are consistent with a previously-certified subsequent environmental impact report under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Given the importance of Agenda Item C1, it is the only topic being covered at Tuesday night's meeting. The public hearing will include resolutions and ordinances that will amend the General Plan and the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan, and that will update the City's zoning map, among other actions. These changes to the City's key planning documents stem from the State-mandated Housing Element and the need to provide additional opportunities and incentives for more housing, and especially more affordable housing.
The staff report and accompanying resolutions and ordinances cover seven housing-related areas:
Update to the Affordable Housing Overlay. If a housing development includes a certain amount of affordable housing, it is eligible for additional units and development incentives. This change expands the number of areas in Menlo Park eligible for this program, and for projects that are 100% affordable, makes possible up 150 units an acre when used in conjunction with State Density Bonus Law.
Creation of new and/or increased residential opportunities in mixed use and previously non-residential zoning districts. This change primarily allows residential development in areas that previously only allowed commercial development and sets the development standards for those areas, mostly being rezoned to "C-MU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)."
Increase of development potential for R-3 (Apartment District). This allows all of the R-3 parcels around Downtown and larger ones to have a higher density, and to allow increased lot coverage for residential developments. It is important to note that the former Flood School parcel at 320 Sheridan Drive, Opportunity Site #38, has a lower maximum density of 20 units per acre (vs. 30 for other opportunity sites) and is exempt from the City's Affordable Housing Overlay (per the first item on this list). This is the fulfillment of the commitment that Council gave in previous discussions about this site.
Modifications to the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan. This change allows for much greater densities in our downtown and along our main transit corridor. In some zoning districts, allowable density at the bonus level (with community benefits) would be up to 100 units per acre and up to 7 stories in height. (Note that all sites in the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan area are within 1/2 mile of transit and are subject to AB 1763 which gives unlimited density and up to three additional stories if projects are 100% affordable).
Ministerial approval of sites being reused from the last Housing Element Update. This change would apply to five opportunity sites, ones that were included in the last Housing Element, but not redeveloped, and allow them to be approved without any discretionary review. This ministerial approval would only occur if at least 20% of the units were affordable to lower income households.
Creation of a residential overlay to allow for housing on seven sites that previously did not allow residential uses. The overlay would enable currently zoned uses to continue.
Allowance of large family day care homes by-right in all residential zoning districts. This is a change in order to comply with state law.
I realize that many of the above amendments are quite significant. It is important to remember that the proposed zoning changes come after a multi-year process related to the Housing Element Update and many discussions around how to comply with state law and how to meet our community's needs. As stated in the staff report, "The City must adopt [zoning] changes by Jan 31, 2024, or be potentially subject to regulations that minimize local control related to housing developments, pursuant to state law." While much of the above changes come out of state mandates, I am optimistic that they also help to move us towards a brighter future for all.
