Palo Alto council approves updates to El Camino Real focus area, with changes and recusal votes

PALO ALTO — The Palo Alto City Council on Tuesday approved revisions to the El Camino Real housing focus-area zoning that raise maximum allowable density and change several development standards, saying the updates are designed to speed housing production near transit.

The council voted 5–0 (Council members Venker and Lowing recused) to adopt staff recommendations with several amendments, including direction to staff to study and reduce a 50-foot special setback on Hansen Way to about 20 feet, allowance for certain below-grade parking encroachments subject to environmental and utility constraints, and language directing staff to return with provisions to allow hotel development in the focus area at heights comparable to housing. "The proposal is to expand the focus area, to make some changes to development regulations, and then update the affordable housing requirements based on some changes in state law," said Jean Isberg, Lexington Planning consultant, while presenting the draft ordinance to council.

Why it matters: The focus-area rules were created to steer higher-density housing to El Camino Real,…