801 Alma St. Affordable Housing Project
On Monday Nov. 9th at 6 PM before the City Council of Palo Alto
in the Council Chambers at City Hall
Who is NFLS2?
A neighborhood group focused on development and community issues in the SOFA 2 Zoning District.
Since 2007, we have actively followed and provided community input to the 801 Alma St. Affordable Housing Project.
801 Alma Project Status.
Eden Housing, an East Bay Developer hired by City Council, supported by City Staff and Council, proposed a poorly conceived, oversized, under parked project. The Planning Commission viewed the Original Project presentation and Staff work unfavorably. It was scaled back in scope. The smaller Revised Project is now being rushed through with unopposed multiple concessions, as an accommodation to the developer.
What is wrong with the current revised project?
In summary, the project, although better, is still 20% too dense, under parked, and has zero private outdoor living space for the family residents. We have compared the Project with Oak Court, which we think is a great project that should serve as a model, along with Karen Holman’s idea of smaller integrated projects, for future development.
The City is rushing through the Project approval, before the newly elected City Council is seated.
The City strongly supports Eden Housing’s effort to have the Project approved as meeting the SOFA 2
RT-50 Zoning Standard. It does not. To the contrary, approval is predicated on overruling City Zoning by invoking concessions under 65915, the State Density Bonus Law. The City’s position is that the project can be approved with limited Architectural Review only, and no discussion of zoning issues.
The procedure is ad hoc and crafted as expedient to get this project approved quickly.
This is the first major project seeking significant concessions under this law. 65915 requires that the City pass an ordinance to codify how projects with an affordable housing component should be handled.
This creates a bad Zoning procedural precedent.
A commercial developer could propose an 8-story, 200,000 sq. ft. project with an affordable housing component, and use the same flawed reasoning to demand similar treatment. By taking this approach the City is leaving SOFA 2 unprotected for building size.
NFLS2 wants to support this Project.
We cannot do so in its present form and certainly cannot do so under the current approach of bypassing proper procedure and not allowing community input.
What does NFLS2 want?
On Monday Nov. 9th at 6 PM before the City Council of Palo Alto
in the Council Chambers at City Hall
Who is NFLS2?
A neighborhood group focused on development and community issues in the SOFA 2 Zoning District.
Since 2007, we have actively followed and provided community input to the 801 Alma St. Affordable Housing Project.
801 Alma Project Status.
Eden Housing, an East Bay Developer hired by City Council, supported by City Staff and Council, proposed a poorly conceived, oversized, under parked project. The Planning Commission viewed the Original Project presentation and Staff work unfavorably. It was scaled back in scope. The smaller Revised Project is now being rushed through with unopposed multiple concessions, as an accommodation to the developer.
What is wrong with the current revised project?
In summary, the project, although better, is still 20% too dense, under parked, and has zero private outdoor living space for the family residents. We have compared the Project with Oak Court, which we think is a great project that should serve as a model, along with Karen Holman’s idea of smaller integrated projects, for future development.
The City is rushing through the Project approval, before the newly elected City Council is seated.
The City strongly supports Eden Housing’s effort to have the Project approved as meeting the SOFA 2
RT-50 Zoning Standard. It does not. To the contrary, approval is predicated on overruling City Zoning by invoking concessions under 65915, the State Density Bonus Law. The City’s position is that the project can be approved with limited Architectural Review only, and no discussion of zoning issues.
The procedure is ad hoc and crafted as expedient to get this project approved quickly.
This is the first major project seeking significant concessions under this law. 65915 requires that the City pass an ordinance to codify how projects with an affordable housing component should be handled.
This creates a bad Zoning procedural precedent.
A commercial developer could propose an 8-story, 200,000 sq. ft. project with an affordable housing component, and use the same flawed reasoning to demand similar treatment. By taking this approach the City is leaving SOFA 2 unprotected for building size.
NFLS2 wants to support this Project.
We cannot do so in its present form and certainly cannot do so under the current approach of bypassing proper procedure and not allowing community input.
What does NFLS2 want?
- The Project should be sent back to the Planning Commission for proper review.
- It should be made 20% smaller.
- Future ramp access through the public parking garage should be limited to the current project.