Palo Alto ARB recommends approval for Cedar & Sage storefront, outdoor dining and canopy revisions at Stanford Shopping Center

Palo Alto Architectural Review Board members voted 3-0 on July 17 to recommend that the director of planning and development services approve a major architectural review application for Cedar & Sage at 180 El Camino Real at the Stanford Shopping Center.

The vote followed a staff presentation and applicant return visit addressing prior ARB direction on four items: an eight-foot clear exterior walkway, alternatives to gas heating, improved canopy integration with the building, and additional plaster material details. Tamara Harrison, Michael Baker International, told the board that "the Simon team has agreed to relocate the existing bollards" so the project will provide an eight-foot clear path and that switching to electric heaters would require installing new electric service "at the cost of, like, approximately $90,000." Staff recommended the board confirm that the revised project meets ARB direction and "recommend the director approve the project," Harrison said.

Why it matters: the item is a quasi-judicial review that controls the look and access at a high-traffic retail and dining node in the Stanford Shopping Center. The board's recommendation, if confirmed by the director of planning and development services, clears the applicant to move toward construction and tenant build-out while imposing the specified conditions of approval and required findings.

Board and applicant presentations The project, replacing the former Terrain Café in Building DD Suite 1301, returned to ARB after guidance at a May 15 hearing. Applicant Jason Smith (Land Shark Development) said the team had "addressed all the 4 items" and was "chomping at the bit and trying to get going and open before the end of the year." Architect Chris Canney (Arcanum Architecture) described a redesign that follows the building's curve, replacing an existing horizontal awning with a fixed canvas canopy to create a more cohesive façade and a continuous covered patio. Canney said the retractable sunshades between the telescoping window and the canopy remain, but the main awnings are now fixed.

On heating, staff explained the electrical service at the building could only support four electric heaters for the patio, which would be insufficient; upgrading service to support electric heating was estimated at about $90,000, so the applicant is proposing gas heaters while continuing to explore alternatives. The applicant also agreed to relocate bollards closer to the curb to create the eight-foot clear pathway the ARB requested.

Safety and materials discussion Board members pressed the team on the proposed linear fire burner and windscreen. The designers said the burner would be surrounded by a 12-inch glass windscreen and that the glass "easily be upsized" (applicant team) to 18 inches or replaced with a custom glass piece if the board required a larger safety buffer. The board asked the applicant to consider increasing the glass height or adding other buffering details during construction reviews. The applicant showed revised plaster samples and indicated they would refine aggregate texture before final approvals.

Public comment and final action No members of the public spoke on the item. After board discussion and design clarifications, Chair Rosenberg moved to approve, saying he would like to "make a motion to approve the project proposed to the director of planning and development services based on the findings and attachment B and subject to the conditions of approval and attachment C." Vice Chair Chen seconded. The roll call recorded Board Member Hirsch: yes; Vice Chair Chen: yes; Chair Rosenberg: yes. The motion carried 3-0-2 (Board Members Joe Jarth and Adcock absent). The approval was made "based on the findings" and is subject to the conditions included in the project attachments.

What the approval requires next The board's action is a recommendation to the director; staff noted they will update the plan set (including a parking spreadsheet) before final plan approval. The applicant was asked to document final material samples, the final gutter/drain details for the fixed canopy, and any design changes to the fireplace windscreen prior to building permit review.

Quotes "The Simon team has agreed to relocate the existing bollards...which thereby will allow for that 8 foot free and clear clearance around the tenant area," Tamara Harrison said. "We're kind of chomping at the bit and trying to get going and open before the end of the year," Jason Smith said. "I would like to make a motion to approve the project...based on the findings and attachment B and subject to the conditions of approval and attachment C," Chair Rosenberg said.

Ending Staff will finalize plan-set edits and conditions; the director's approval and any building permits will determine the project's next steps and construction timeline.