18.20.030   Land Uses
   (a)   Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Land Uses
   Table 1 lists the land uses permitted or conditionally permitted in the industrial and manufacturing districts.
Table 1
Industrial/Manufacturing District Land Uses
[P = Permitted Use   CUP = Conditional Use Permit Required]
MOR
ROLM ROLM(E)
RP RP(5)
GM
Subject to regulations in Chapter:
MOR
ROLM ROLM(E)
RP RP(5)
GM
Subject to regulations in Chapter:
ACCESSORY AND SUPPORT USES
Accessory facilities and activities customarily associated with or essential to permitted uses, and operated incidental to the principal use.
P
P
P
P
Automatic Teller Machines
P
P
P
P
Home Occupations, when accessory to permitted residential uses.
P
P
P
P
Safe Parking
EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ASSEMBLY USES
Business and Trade Schools
P
Religious Institutions
P
P
P
Colleges and Universities
P
P
P
Private Clubs, Lodges, or Fraternal Organizations
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
Private Schools (K-12)
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Ambulance Services
CUP
Convalescent Facilities
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
18.23.100( B)
Medical Office
P
CUP
CUP
Medical Research
P
P
P
Medical Support Retail
P
Medical Support Services
P
MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING USES
Manufacturing
P
P
P
18.23.100( B)
Recycling Centers
CUP
CUP
CUP
Research and Development
CUP
P
P
P
18.23.100( B)
Warehousing and Distribution
P
P
P
OFFICE USES
Administrative Office Services
P
P
CUP
Financial Services
CUP
CUP
Professional and General Business Office
P
P
PUBLIC/QUASI-PUBLIC USES
Service and Equipment Yards
P
Utility Facilities
CUP
Utility Facilities essential to provision of utility services but excluding construction/storage yards, maintenance facilities, or corporation yards
CUP
CUP
CUP
RECREATION USES
Commercial Recreation
CUP
CUP
CUP
Neighborhood Recreational Centers
CUP
RESIDENTIAL USES
Single-Family
Not permitted
Two-Family
Not permitted
Multiple-Family (Housing Element Opportunity Site)
P
P
P
Multiple-Family
CUP
CUP(1)
CUP
CUP(1)
Residential Care Homes
P
CUP
CUP
CUP
18.23.100( B)
RETAIL USES
Eating and Drinking Services, excluding drive-in and take-out services
CUP
CUP
CUP
Retail Services
CUP
CUP
CUP
SERVICE USES
Animal Care, excluding boarding and kennels
P
Boarding and Kennels
CUP
Day Care Centers
P
CUP
CUP
CUP
18.23.100(B), 18.40.160
Emergency Shelters for the Homeless
P (ROLM(E)
Family Day Care Homes
   Small Family Day Care
P
CUP
CUP
CUP
18.23.100( B)
   Large Family Day Care
P
CUP
CUP
CUP
18.23.100( B)
General Business Services
P
Lodging
   Hotels providing not more than 10% of rooms with kitchens
CUP
Mortuaries and Funeral Homes
P
Personal Services
CUP
CUP
CUP
Vehicle Services
   Automobile Service Stations, subject to site and design review in accord with the provisions of Chapter 18.30(G)
CUP
CUP
   Automotive Services
CUP
   Off-site new vehicle storage for auto dealerships located in Palo Alto
CUP
CUP
TEMPORARY USES
Temporary Parking Facilities, provided that such facilities shall remain no more than five years
CUP
CUP
CUP
CUP
TRANSPORTATION USES
Passenger Transportation Terminals
CUP
 
Notes:
   (1)   Adjacent to Bayshore Freeway and generally bounded by East Charleston Road and Loma Verde Avenue (see Figure 1), subject to CUP.
   (b)   Limitations on Medical Support Service and Medical Support Retail Uses in the Medical Office and Medical Research (MOR) Zone
      (1)   The intent of this limitation is to restrict medical support service and medical support retail uses in the Medical Office and Medical Research (MOR) zone in order to preserve and facilitate space for medical offices and medical research facilities.
      (2)   Floor area devoted to medical support services and medical support retail uses in the Medical Office and Medical Research (MOR) zoning district shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the total gross floor area within the district.
      (3)   The director may require a report from the property owner or applicant whenever application is made to the city to develop new space for medical support service or medical support retail uses or to convert existing space to such uses. The report shall identify the gross floor area of buildings on each site within the zoning district and the gross floor area of medical support service and medical support retail uses for each site. The director may, from time to time, establish procedures and standards implementing this Section 18.20.030(b).
   (c)   Automatic Teller Machines
      (1)   Automatic teller machines may be allowed as an accessory use in the MOR, ROLM, ROLM(E), RP, RP(5), and GM districts when incidental to a primary use on the site and when accessible only from the interior of a building.
      (2)   Automatic teller machines may be allowed as a permitted use in the MOR, ROLM, ROLM(E), RP, RP(5), and GM districts when incidental to a primary use on the site and when accessible from the exterior of a building. Staff level Architectural Review is required prior to issuance of a building permit.
   (d)   Emergency Shelters for the Homeless
   Emergency shelters for the homeless may be allowed as a permitted use in the ROLM(E) district on properties located east of Highway 101, subject to the following performance and design standards.
   Performance and Design Standards for Emergency Shelters for the Homeless.
   An emergency shelter for the homeless shall conform to all site development standards and performance criteria of the ROLM(E) zone district except as modified by the following performance and design standards:
      (1)   The construction of and/or renovation of a building for use as an emergency shelter shall conform to all applicable building and fire code standards.
      (2)   There shall be provided one parking space for each three (3) beds in the emergency shelter.
      (3)   Shelters shall have designated smoking areas that are not visible from the street and which are in compliance with all other laws and regulations.
      (4)   There shall be no space for outdoor congregating in front of the building adjacent to the street and no outdoor public telephones.
      (5)   There shall be a refuse area screened from view.
      (6)   Maximum number of persons/beds. The emergency shelter for the homeless shall contain no more than 40 beds.
      (7)   Size and location of exterior and interior on-site waiting and client intake areas. Shelters shall provide 10 square feet of interior waiting and client intake space per bed. In addition, there shall be two office areas provided for shelter staff. Waiting and intake areas may be used for other purposes as needed during operations of the shelter.
      (8)   On-site management. On-site management and on-site security shall be provided during hours when the emergency shelter is in operation.
      (9)   The emergency shelter provider shall submit an operations plan that addresses the standards for operation contained in the Palo Alto Quality Assurance Standards for Emergency Shelters for the Homeless.
      (10)   Distance to other facilities. The shelter must be more than 300 feet from any other shelters for the homeless.
      (11)   Length of stay. Temporary shelter shall be available to residents for no more than 60 days. Extensions up to a total stay of 180 days may be provided if no alternative housing is available.
      (12)   Outdoor lighting shall be sufficient to provide illumination and clear visibility to all outdoor areas, with minimal shadows or light leaving the property. The lighting shall be stationary, and directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way.
   Figure 1: GM/ROLM Housing Element Focus Area
 
(Ord. 5490 § 6, 2020: Ord. 5407 § 10, 2017: Ord. 5381 § 3, 2016: Ord. 5230 § 7, 2014: Ord. 4884 § 2 (part), 2005: Ord. 4883 § 7 (part), 2005: Ord. 5608 § 6, 2024)