The Los Altos City Council was scheduled at its Tuesday meeting to pass the second reading and adopt a housing element implementation ordinance – a proposal that has prompted residents near Rancho Shopping Center to fret about the fate of supermarkets, coffee shops and other forms of retail.
The item was on the council’s consent calendar for Tuesday’s meeting, indicating that it would be approved without discussion. The meeting occurred after the Town Crier’s Monday print deadline.
A late addition to the ordinance, prior to the council’s Sept. 26 meeting, came when Nick Zornes, the city’s planning services director, proposed two changes that allayed fears of a housing-only future for Rancho: The city found it could require mixed-use zoning, in this case residential and commercial, without objection from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development. The agency oversees approval of housing elements, which are plans for cities to provide their “fair share” of housing.
City officials also found they could impose new floor-area-ratio limitations, after initially removing a 35% restriction that had been on the books since 1989. The new change, also approved Sept 26, would set a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 33% for overall commercial use at Rancho and Woodland Plaza. Both areas are zoned Commercial Neighborhood with building height limits of 30 feet.
The implementation ordinance is a reaction to a state edict to remove “constraints” that could prevent housing production. To satisfy the state while protecting Los Altos’ single-family zoning, officials had to allow for all nonresidential properties to have housing, should property owners want to go in that direction.
There are no projects planned for Rancho or Woodland, and any new development depends on the land owners, not the city. The city’s requirement is to allow such development to occur.
Despite the changes, Zornes noted that a developer seeking to build a residential-only project could appeal to the state and possibly be granted permission with no commercial use. And with state incentives such as density bonus provisions (in exchange for added affordable housing), new development at Rancho could go four to six stories and reach more than 60 feet. Council members Sept. 26 discussed the possibility of incentives for development of mixed-use buildings, such as allowing more height on the ground floor. The council will discuss incentives at a future meeting.
Rancho Shopping Center, located at Springer Road and Foothill Expressway, has been operating since the 1950s. Rancho neighbors have been vocal in their support for maintaining the current shopping center, which they’ve cited as convenient and community building.
Gina Atkinson, representing eight households bordering the shopping center, requested a setback increase from 26 feet to 36 feet to account for the possible rise in building heights. Zornes indicated that including a setback limitation could violate the city’s approved housing element, which the state certified last month.
Anne Paulson wondered about a developer’s incentive to build a mixed-use project when that new development would be expensive and retailers could be hard to find.
Added Councilmember Pete Dailey: “It’s very possible that the constraints that we are adding tonight, requiring retail, will prevent development at this site. … We may have to undo the decision we make tonight, requiring retail.”
Council members approved the ordinance 4-0-1, with Councilmember Lynette Lee Eng abstaining.
“We could do more to potentially address concerns,” she said.
“Every single lot is driven by the property owners,” said Mayor Sally Meadows, adding that some properties not included on the housing element inventory list could be developed, while those on the list may not be.
