Palo Alto planning panel backs permanent car‑free designations for parts of California Avenue and Ramona Street

The Planning and Transportation Commission on Feb. 12 recommended that the Palo Alto City Council consider environmental findings and adopt two resolutions to make portions of California Avenue and Ramona Street permanently car‑free.

City staff and consultants described the item as “a critical step in the potential permanent closure of portions of California Avenue and Ramona Street to vehicular traffic,” and recommended amending the Comprehensive Plan transportation element to reclassify the segments as car‑free streets and to add glossary definitions to the plan, staff said.

The proposal would reclassify the longer segment of California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street as a “community street” restricted primarily to pedestrians and bicycles, with emergency, city utility and maintenance vehicle access and a process to allow commercial vehicles for special events. A short roughly 200‑foot segment of Ramona Street between University and Hamilton would be reclassified as a “pedestrian street,” where mounted bicycles would be temporarily restricted to create a primarily pedestrian zone, staff said.

“California Avenue would be reclassified as a community street,” the staff presentation said, “and that would mean being restricted to pedestrians and bicycles.” Heather Gerwitz, a consultant with the m Group, explained outreach and agency coordination and said the team had not reached out to Caltrain: “we did not reach out to Caltrain.” Steve Guagliardo, assistant to the city manager for economic development, added that the proposed permanent classification would help the city process encroachment permits with Caltrans for near‑term intersection improvements: “One of the things that we are working on with Caltrans is encroachment permits for near term improvements at the intersection of California Avenue and El Camino Real.”

Staff said an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan Environmental Impact Report shows no new or substantially more severe significant effects compared with the original EIR and that no new mitigation measures are proposed. Staff also described multi‑phase streetscape improvements, with a first phase planned for the current calendar year if council approves the permanent closure.

Commissioners asked about coordination with transit agencies, accessibility and alleyway access for deliveries and circulation. Commissioners pressed staff about whether Caltrain had been notified because California Avenue provides pedestrian access to a nearby Caltrain station. Staff and consultants said they had contacted Caltrans and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and engaged in tribal consultation; they confirmed they had not conducted a formal outreach to Caltrain, and staff agreed to consult Caltrain before the item reaches council.

Commissioners also asked staff to review potential impacts on parking and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, and to consider alleyway improvements and pedestrian circulation from nearby parking. Staff said traffic analysis found decreased vehicle volumes in the area since the temporary closure began in 2020 and that impacts are covered in the traffic study included with the packet.

After discussion, Commissioner Heckman moved to forward the staff recommendation to council, giving staff latitude to make changes to the draft resolutions based on the comments heard and to consult with Caltrain before council consideration; Commissioner Suma seconded. The commission amended the motion on the floor to ask staff to consider whether the city can avoid net loss of ADA parking and to examine alleyway and path improvements. The motion passed, 5‑0.

The Planning and Transportation Commission’s recommendation asks council to consider two actions: (1) an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan transportation element (including glossary definitions for “community street” and “pedestrian street”) and (2) a resolution approving the proposed street closures and the provisions for allowed uses within the closed portions. If council approves, staff said the city would proceed with phased street improvements and develop permanent outdoor activation standards.

The item now moves to Palo Alto City Council for consideration, with staff targeting a March or early April council meeting for the permanent‑closure decision.