Neighbors and board press safety, parking and scale concerns at Palo Alto ARB study session for 4103 Old Trace Road subdivision

The Palo Alto Architectural Review Board on March 5 held a study session on a proposed subdivision at 4103 Old Trace Road — branded by the developer as “The Oaks” — that would subdivide a 1.02‑acre vacant parcel into eight residential lots with eight single‑family homes and eight junior accessory dwelling units (16 on‑site units), including one deed‑restricted below‑market‑rate unit.

City project planner Nishitha Ghandicopa told the board the applicant submitted a compliant SB 330 filing in 2025 that froze development standards, and the project team is pursuing density‑bonus waivers and an AB 130 CEQA exemption. Ghandicopa said staff is evaluating AB 130 eligibility and conducting required tribal consultation, expected to be complete in April 2026; a vesting tentative map for the subdivision is tentatively scheduled to go to council in May.

Why it matters: neighbors said the site, which sits at the Erastradero Road and Old Trace Road intersection adjacent to Esther Clark Park, relies on a single ingress/egress and narrow local streets that already see high speeds and constrained sight lines. Residents and board members warned the added dwellings, deliveries and guest parking could impede emergency response and daily access for elderly neighbors.

Residents pressed safety and access concerns in a long public‑comment period. Shaillou Shmara, representing a group of neighbors, said the neighborhood’s single ingress and aging population made the proposal untenable: “We’re increasing the number of homes by 55%…it’s untenable in terms of…