San Carlos unveils Northeast Area Specific Plan proposing mixed-use district, resilience upgrades and new housing

San Carlos city staff and consultants presented the public draft of the Northeast Area Specific Plan at the City Council study session on May 27, outlining a 20‑year framework to guide redevelopment of the city’s 145‑acre northeast district.

Rendel Bustos, the city’s senior planner, said the plan is intended “to guide intentional development and investment within the 145 acres of the Northeast area so that we’re aligned with the community goals and the city’s general plan.” The proposal preserves industrial and production uses while adding two mixed‑use residential designations (MU‑NE90 and MU‑NE75) in the southwestern corner nearest Caltrain.

The draft codifies zoning, development standards and performance standards across seven plan chapters — land use and urban form; mobility and parking; environmental resilience; and implementation among them — and pairs those rules with a community benefits framework. Mark Aznes, project manager for Perkins & Will, said the plan’s development forecast includes a high‑level projection of approximately 1,890 residential units, and allows a range of nonresidential floor‑area…