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Belmont council affirms Planning Commission, approves 140‑unit project at 500–580 Masonic amid neighborhood objections
Summary
After more than two hours of staff briefings, applicant and appellant presentations and public comment, the City Council voted 5–0 to deny an appeal and adopt findings approving a 140‑unit by‑right housing project at 500–580 Masonic Way (including 25 lower‑income units). Neighbors raised concerns that the design removes promised ground‑floor active
Belmont’s City Council on Oct. 28 voted 5–0 to uphold the Planning Commission’s decision and approve entitlements for a 140‑unit apartment building at 500–580 Masonic Way, rejecting a neighborhood appeal that said the design violated the Belmont Village Specific Plan’s active‑use requirements.
What the council approved: The project as approved by the Planning Commission and affirmed by council includes a roughly 147,000‑square‑foot, five‑story residential building with 140 units (39 studios, 68 one‑bedrooms and 33 two‑bedrooms), 138 parking spaces and 142 bicycle spaces. The developer intends to provide 25 lower‑income units (roughly 20 percent), generating eligibility for state density‑bonus provisions and by‑right processing under current California law. The staff report and the draft council resolution cite consistency with the General Plan and adopted Belmont Village specific plan as interpreted by staff and the community development director.
Planning and legal background: Deputy Community Development Director Laura Russell told council the project was submitted in August 2023 and met the statutory criteria for by‑right processing because it is a pipeline site in…
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