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ARB gives initial design feedback on 321‑unit El Camino Real housing proposal as neighbors raise traffic and scale concerns
Summary
The ARB provided initial comments on a 321‑unit, seven‑story housing project at 3606 El Camino Real that includes 37 below‑market‑rate units (13%). Staff and the applicant emphasized conformity with the El Camino focus‑area standards and expedited AB 130 processing; residents pressed for traffic analysis, stepped massing toward single‑family neighborhoods and more accessible open space.
The Palo Alto Architectural Review Board on Dec. 4 heard a lengthy presentation and public comment on a proposed seven‑story, 321‑unit housing development at 3606 El Camino Real. Staff framed the proposal as a "builder's‑remedy" project processed under state law (AB 130) and the El Camino Real focus‑area standards, and noted an expedited schedule that begins after tribal consultation.
Staff told the board the proposal would demolish about 13,000 square feet of existing commercial floor area across seven parcels and replace it with 321 units in a podium building that steps down toward the rear. The applicant proposes 37 deed‑restricted affordable units (13% of total) at 50–80% of area median income, internalized parking with EV charging, and 280 bicycle spaces. The project team said it is proposing 391 vehicle parking stalls overall — in part to exceed the focus‑area minimum of one space per unit — and that the building would be roughly 84 feet tall, under…
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