Council adopts zoning changes to implement 2024 housing element, clears Stanford Research Park rule change
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Summary
Council voted to amend Title 18 and Title 21 to implement multiple housing element programs, including permitting multifamily housing in Stanford Research Park as a permitted use (with hazardous-site exceptions) and other code updates; council members with university conflicts recused from the Stanford-specific vote.
The Palo Alto City Council on Tuesday advanced ordinance changes to implement priority items in the city’s 2024 housing element, including an amendment to allow multifamily housing as a permitted use in the Stanford Research Park zoning table (with exemptions for sites impacted by hazardous materials) and adjustments to Title 21 to permit urban lot splits.
Staff presentation: Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Services Director, and senior planner Vishnu Krishnan described multiple program-driven code updates required to meet the housing element’s implementation deadlines. Proposed changes included: permitting group homes by right in residential zones; allowing supportive and affordable housing on higher education and religious lands in zones already permitting multifamily uses; streamlining Architectural Review Board meetings; ensuring replacement housing requirements for demolished units in new development; administrative review of emergency shelter projects in RM districts; and clarifications so farmworker housing is a permitted use in open-space and agricultural zones subject to occupancy limits.
Stanford Research Park amendment and recusals: The ordinance’s Section 2 would change an existing “conditional use permit” requirement for housing in the Research Park to a permitted use, excluding sites within specified proximity to hazardous-material facilities. Because of routine university connections, Vice Mayor Venker and Council Member Shekada recused themselves from the Research Park vote and stepped out during that segment.
Vote on Research Park change: With recusals, the council voted to adopt the Stanford Research Park zoning change (Section 2) by a 6–0 vote; Council Member Burt moved the motion and Council Member Stone seconded. The action removes a prior conditional-use requirement for qualifying parcels in the Research Park, narrowing the remaining review for sites nearer hazardous facilities.
Other amendments and final vote: The council then considered the remaining code updates implementing the housing element programs and related clarifying changes. After discussion, a motion to adopt the full ordinance as presented passed on a subsequent vote with all council members voting in favor.
Why it matters: The amendments are part of Palo Alto’s certified 2024 housing element work plan and are intended to remove local barriers to state‑defined housing types and to expedite several housing‑element implementation programs. Staff said the changes were necessary to meet required timelines and to align local code with state law and HCD certification conditions.
Speakers in this article include planning staff who presented the ordinance language and members of council; a public commenter raised questions about floor-area ratio limits for religious‑land housing under the proposed code language.
