The purpose of the North Ventura district is to implement the vision and framework of the North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan (NVCAP) through use regulations and development standards.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   (a)   The North Ventura districts shall apply to properties within the NVCAP and designated as North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan within the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan. Where designated, the regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply in lieu of the comparable provisions established by the underlying zoning district regulations.

   (b)   Refer to the NVCAP for design guidelines related to streets and buildings in conjunction with the regulations contained within this chapter.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   The North Ventura districts shall apply to properties designated on the zoning map by the symbol “NV” in front of the zoning district designation.

   The following zoning districts are intended to create and maintain sites for residential, commercial and mixed-use sites:

   (a)   Single-Family Residential District (NV-R1)

   The NV-R1 single-family residential district is intended to create, preserve, and enhance areas suitable for detached dwellings with a strong presence of nature and with open area affording maximum privacy and opportunities for outdoor living and children’s play. Minimum site area requirements are established to create and preserve variety among neighborhoods, to provide adequate open area, and to encourage quality design. Accessory dwelling units, junior accessory dwelling units and accessory structures or buildings are appropriate. Community uses and facilities are allowed to the extent no net loss of housing would result.

   (b)   Two-Family Residential District (NV-R2)

   The NV-R2 two-family residential district is intended to allow a second dwelling unit, under the same ownership as the initial dwelling unit, in areas designated for single-family use or NVCAP by the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan, under regulations that preserve the essential character of single-family use. Community uses and facilities are allowed to the extent no net loss of housing would result.

   (c)   Medium Density Multiple-Family Residential District (NV-R3)

   The NV-R3 medium density multiple-family residential district is intended to create, preserve and enhance neighborhoods for multiple-family housing with better transition to lower density residential districts. Projects at this density are intended for larger parcels that will enable developments to provide their own parking spaces and to meet their open space needs in the form of garden apartments or cluster developments. While there is no maximum density in the NV-R3 residential district, the NVCAP anticipates realistic development yields ranging from sixteen to thirty dwelling units per acre based on the applicable development standards.

   (d)   High Density Multiple-Family Residential District (NV-R4)

   The NV-R4 high density multiple-family residential district is intended to create, preserve and enhance locations for apartment living at the greater density deemed appropriate for NVCAP. The most suitable locations for this district are along major transportation corridors which are close to mass transportation facilities and major employment and service centers. While there is no maximum density in the NV-R4 residential district, the NVCAP anticipates realistic development yields ranging from sixty-one to one hundred dwelling units per acre based on the applicable development standards.

   (e)   Low Density Mixed-Use District (NV-MXL)

   The purpose of the NV-MXL district is to allow for small-scale commercial and services with limited amount of residential that is compatible with the surrounding development. While there is no maximum density in the NV-MXL district, the NVCAP anticipates realistic development yields ranging from three to seventeen dwelling units per acre.

   (f)   Medium Density Mixed-Use District (NV-MXM)

   The purpose of the NV-MXM district is to allow for a compatible mix of residential and limited commercial. While there is no maximum density in the NV-MXM district, the NVCAP anticipates realistic development yields ranging from thirty-one to seventy dwelling units per acre.

   (g)   High Density Mixed-Use District (NV-MXH)

   The purpose of the NV-MXH district is to allow for a mix of retail, restaurant, entertainment and commercial uses on the ground floor with residential on the upper floors, while maintaining a pedestrian-oriented streetscape. It is intended that the active ground floor retail space required will ensure neighborhood-oriented retail and services are provided within walking distance of high density residential. Ground floor active uses are required along El Camino Real. While no maximum density in the NV-MXH district, the NVCAP anticipates realistic development yields ranging from sixty-one to one hundred dwelling units per acre.

   (h)   Public Facilities District (NV-PF)

   The NV-PF public facilities district is designed to accommodate governmental, public utility, educational, and community service or recreational facilities. Within the North Ventura area, an approximate one-acre portion of the NV-PF district may permit a one hundred percent affordable housing project.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

   (a)   “Street yard” means a yard adjoining a street lot line and may also be a front lot line.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   The uses of land allowed by this chapter in each zoning district are identified in the following tables. Land uses that are not listed in the tables are not allowed, except where otherwise noted. Where the last column on the following tables ("Subject to Regulations in") includes a section number, specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the use; however, provisions in other sections not specifically referenced may apply as well.

 

   (a)   Office Use Restrictions

      (1)   Conversion of Ground Floor Housing and Non-Office Commercial to Office Medical, Professional, and Business offices shall not be located on the ground floor, unless any of the following apply to such offices:

      (A)   Have been continuously in existence in that space since November 21, 2024 and as of such date, were neither non-conforming nor in the process of being amortized pursuant to Chapter 18.30(I);

      (B)   Occupy a space that was not occupied by housing, neighborhood business service, retail services, personal services, eating and drinking services, or automotive service on November 21, 2024 or thereafter;

      (C)   Occupy a space that was vacant on November 21, 2024; or

      (D)   Are located in new or remodeled ground floor area built on or after November 21, 2024 if the ground floor area devoted to housing, retail services, eating and drinking services, and personal services does not decrease.

         (E)   Along El Camino Real, the office use has a consistent flow of in-person customers visiting the business, such as a dentist or medical office.

      (2)   Size Restrictions on Office Uses in the NV District

         (A)   Total floor area of permitted office uses on a lot shall not exceed 5,000 square feet.

   (b)   Late Night Use and Activities

      Late Night Use and Activities requirements established in Section 18.42.040 shall apply to NV zoning districts.

   (c)   Active Ground Floor Commercial Uses

      The NVCAP requires active ground floor uses along the El Camino Real corridor and encourages active ground floor uses on other designated streets. Active uses are activities and functions that promote social engagement, vitality, and interaction within a community. Refer to NVCAP, Section 2.3 for detailed requirements.

      (1)   Active ground floor commercial uses generally include retail, personal services, neighborhood business service, and eating and drinking establishments. These may also include other active uses such as daycare, building lobbies, spaces accessory to residential uses such as fitness rooms, workspaces, leasing offices, bicycle facilities (Class I) with direct access to the sidewalk. Office uses may be included only to the extent they are permitted in ground floor regulations, are consistent with 18.29.080(a) and have a regular flow of in-person customers.

      (2)   Ground floor commercial uses are required for properties with frontage along El Camino Real, as shown in the NVCAP Section 2.3 (Ground Floor Edges).

      (3)   Ground floor commercial uses shall have a minimum floor to ceiling height of 14 feet.

      (4)   Retail or retail-like at the ground floor is required at the intersections of El Camino Real and Olive Avenue, and El Camino Real and Portage Avenue.

      (5)   100% affordable housing projects are exempt from providing ground floor commercial uses.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   (a)   The following tables specify the development standards that shall apply to NV district properties. Where the last column on the following tables ("Subject to Regulations in") includes a section number, specific regulations in the referenced section also apply to the development standard; however, provisions in other sections may apply as well.

 

 

 

   (b)   Storefront Guidelines

   Where active use and retail frontages are required or located within the NV district on the ground floor, the following design standards shall apply:

      (1)   Exterior windows on the ground floor shall use transparent glazing to the extent feasible. Low-e glass or minimal tinting to achieve sun control is permitted, so long as the glazing appears transparent when viewed from the ground level.

      (2)   Window coverings are not permitted on the ground floor during typical business hours. Where operations preclude transparency (e.g., theaters) or where privacy requires window coverings, sidewalk-facing frontage shall include items of visual interest including displays of merchandise or artwork; visual access shall be provided to a minimum depth of three feet.

      (3)   No more than ten percent of the total street-facing building façade or a maximum of twenty-five feet in width, whichever is greater, shall be dedicated to mechanical equipment rooms, parking garage entrances, exit stairs, and other facilities necessary for building operation.

   (c)   Hotel Regulations

      (1)   The purpose of these regulations is to allow floor area for development of hotels more than floor area limitations for other commercial uses, to provide a visitor-serving use that results in an enhanced business climate, increased transient occupancy tax and sales tax revenue, and other community and economic benefits to the city.

      (2)   Hotels, where they are a permitted use, may develop to a maximum FAR of 2.0:1, subject to the following limitations:

         (A)   The hotel use must generate transient occupancy tax (TOT) as provided in Chapter 2.33 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code; and

         (B)   No room stays more than thirty days are permitted, except where the city council approves longer stays through an enforceable agreement with the applicant to provide for compensating revenues.

      (3)   Hotels may include residential condominium use, subject to:

         (A)   No more than twenty-five percent of the floor area shall be devoted to condominium use; and

         (B)   No more than twenty-five percent of the total number of lodging units shall be devoted to condominium use; and

         (C)   A minimum FAR of 1.0 shall be provided for the hotel/condominium building(s); and

         (D)   Where residential condominium use is proposed, room stays for other hotel rooms shall not exceed thirty days.

      (4)   Violation of this chapter is subject to enforcement action for stays more than thirty days not permitted under the provisions of this chapter, in which case each day of room stay more than thirty days shall constitute a separate violation and administrative penalties shall be assessed pursuant to Chapters 1.12 and 1.16.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   All projects shall comply with the parking and loading standards in PAMC Chapters 18.52 and 18.54, unless a parking reduction is permitted pursuant to state law. If a reduction in automobile parking is permitted under Government Code Section 65863.2, a project will be subject to the requirement to provide electric vehicle spaces and accessible parking spaces that would have otherwise applied to the development if Government Code Section 65863.2 did not apply.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   In addition to the development standards prescribed in 18.29.050, all Housing Development Projects shall comply with the objective standards outlined in Chapter 18.24, as defined herein. All other developments, and Housing Development Projects that elect to deviate from one or more objective design standards in Chapter 18.24, shall meet the Context Based Design Criteria, as determined by the Director pursuant to the Architectural Review process. In the event of any conflict between the development standards established in this Chapter and those established in Chapter 18.24, the NVCAP standards shall prevail.

   (a)   Multiple Family Context-Based Design Criteria

      Refer to Section 18.13.060 for the Context Based Design Criteria.

   (b)   Mixed-Use and Commercial Context-Based Design Criteria

      Refer to Section 18.16.090 for the Context Based Design Criteria.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   (a)   Housing development projects in the NV Districts may utilize any Housing Incentive Program or Affordable Housing Incentive Program set forth in Sections 18.14.030 and 18.14.040.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   (a)   Office Use.

      (1)   Any office use that is the most recently operating use and any office facility established prior to the effective date of this ordinance may remain as legal and non-conforming use and/or non-complying facility.

      (2)   The legal and non-conforming office use described in subdivision (a)(1) shall be considered abandoned and may be replaced only by a conforming use if it ceases and thereafter remains discontinued for up to twenty-four consecutive months after the effective date of this ordinance.

      (3)   A non-conforming office use which is changed to or replaced by a conforming use shall not be reestablished, and any portion of a site or any portion of a building, the use of which changes from a legal non-conforming use to a conforming use, shall not thereafter be used except to accommodate a conforming use.

      (4)   The legal and non-conforming office use and/or non-complying office facilities shall be permitted to remodel, improve, or replace site improvements on the same site, for continual use and occupancy by the same use, provided such remodeling, improvement, or replacement complies with all of the following:

         (A)   Shall not result in increased floor area.

         (B)   Shall not relocate below grade floor area to above grade portions of the building.

         (C)   Shall not result in an increase of the height, length, building envelope, building footprint or any other increase in the size of the improvement. For purposes of this section, “building envelope” shall mean the three-dimensional shape and size occupied by an existing building. It is not the maximum, buildable potential of the site.

         (D)   Shall not increase the degree of noncompliance.

         (E)   The Director may approve minor changes to the building’s footprint, height, length, and the building envelope through Architectural Review of minor aesthetic architectural improvements and to improve pedestrian-orientation provided there is no increase to the degree of any non-complying feature.

   (b)   Any other uses or facilities rendered non-conforming or non-complying by this Chapter shall be subject to Chapter 18.70, including the schedules for required termination of non-conforming uses under Section 18.70.070.

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)

   A transportation demand management plan shall be required for all new development projects or any projects that meet the conditions listed in PAMC Section 18.52.030(i).

(Ord. 5634 § 2 (part), 2024)