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Palo Alto Overview
Palo Alto Municipal Code
PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
Title 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS
Title 2 ADMINISTRATIVE CODE*
Title 3 RESERVED
Title 4 BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS*
Title 5 HEALTH AND SANITATION*
Title 6 ANIMALS
Title 7 RESERVED
Title 8 TREES AND VEGETATION
Title 9 PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY*
Title 10 VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC*
Title 11 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCEDURE
Title 12 PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
Title 13 IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE*
Title 14 RESERVED
Title 15 FIRE PREVENTION*
Title 16 BUILDING REGULATIONS*
Title 17 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE*
Title 18 ZONING*
Chapter 18.01 ADOPTION, PURPOSES, AND ENFORCEMENT
Chapter 18.04 DEFINITIONS
Chapter 18.08 DESIGNATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.09 Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units
Chapter 18.10 LOW-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL (RE, R-2 and RMD) DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.12 R-1 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT*
Chapter 18.13 MULTIPLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RM-20, RM-30 AND RM-40) DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.14 HOUSING INCENTIVES
Chapter 18.15 DENSITY BONUS
Chapter 18.16 NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY, AND SERVICE COMMERCIAL (CN, CC and CS) DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.18 DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL (CD) DISTRICT
Chapter 18.20 OFFICE, RESEARCH, AND MANUFACTURING (MOR, ROLM, RP and GM) DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.24 Contextual Design Criteria and Objective Design Standards
Chapter 18.28 SPECIAL PURPOSE (PF, OS and AC) DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.29 NORTH VENTURA (NV) DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Chapter 18.30 COMBINING DISTRICTS
Chapter 18.31 CEQA REVIEW
Chapter 18.32 Affordable Housing Incentive Program
Chapter 18.34 PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT (PTOD) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Chapter 18.36 HOSPITAL (HD) DISTRICT
Chapter 18.38 PC PLANNED COMMUNITY DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Chapter 18.40 GENERAL STANDARDS AND EXCEPTIONS
Chapter 18.42 STANDARDS FOR SPECIAL USES
Chapter 18.44 GREEN DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
Chapter 18.46 REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ACCESSIBILITY
Chapter 18.52 PARKING AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS
Chapter 18.54 PARKING FACILITY DESIGN STANDARDS
Chapter 18.60 ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR STANFORD LANDS
Chapter 18.62 SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITIES
Chapter 18.66 CREATION OF EASEMENTS THROUGH THE EXECUTION AND RECORDATION OF COVENANTS
Chapter 18.70 NONCONFORMING USES AND NONCOMPLYING FACILITIES
Chapter 18.76 PERMITS AND APPROVALS
Chapter 18.77 PROCESSING OF PERMITS AND APPROVALS
Chapter 18.78 APPEALS
Chapter 18.79 DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PRELIMINARY REVIEW PROCEDURES
Chapter 18.80 AMENDMENTS TO ZONING MAP AND ZONING REGULATIONS
Title 19 MASTER PLAN*
Title 20 PRECISE PLANS*
Title 21 SUBDIVISIONS AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAND*
Title 22 PARKS*
ORDINANCE LIST AND DISPOSITION TABLE
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18.30(C).035   Design Standards
Where the GF combining district is combined with the CD-C subdistrict, the following design standards shall apply:
   (a)   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.
   (b)   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 3 feet.
(Ord. 5407 § 4 (part), 2017)
18.30(C).040   Annual Monitoring of Ground Floor Retail Use
A downtown retail vacancy rate and use survey shall be prepared annually in September of each year, and a report shall be prepared conveying that information to the Planning and Transportation Commission and City Council prior to the end of the year. The purpose of the survey is to assess changes in retail use in the downtown zones. The vacancy rate shall address all areas zoned CD-C or GF in downtown.
(Ord. 5407 § 4 (part), 2017: Ord. 5065 § 3, 2009)
18.30(C).050   Waivers and Adjustments
   (a)   The following shall be grounds for a request for waiver or adjustment of this Chapter:
      (1)   Economic Hardship. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter be adjusted or waived upon a showing that strict application would result in an unreasonable financial burden on the property.
      (2)   Alternative Viable Use. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter 18.30(C) be adjusted or waived based on a showing that: the permitted retail or retail-like use is not viable; the proposed alternative use will support the purposes of the combining district and Comprehensive Plan land use designation; and the proposed use will encourage active pedestrian-oriented activity and connections.
   (b)   Documentation.
      The applicant shall bear the burden of presenting substantial evidence to support a waiver or modification request under this section and shall set forth in detail the factual and/or legal basis for the claim, including all supporting technical documentation. Any request under this section shall be submitted to the Planning and Development Services Director together with the fee specified in the municipal fee schedule and an economic analysis or other supporting documentation. A request under this section shall be acted upon by the City Council.
(Ord. 5642 § 4, 2024: Ord. 5637 § 4 (part), 2024)
Chapter 18.30(D)
HOTEL (H) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS
Sections:
   18.30(D).010   Specific Purposes
   18.30(D).020   Applicability of Regulations
   18.30(D).030   Zoning Map Designation
   18.30(D).040   Site Development Regulations.
   18.30(D).050   Special Requirements
18.30(D).010   Specific Purposes
   The hotel combining district is intended to modify the regulations of the research, office and limited manufacturing (ROLM), research park (RP), and general manufacturing (GM) districts to permit hotels in those districts and to develop to specified maximum floor area ratios, upon rezoning to the (H) combining district, and subject to site and design review.
(Ord. 5035 § 4 (part), 2009: Ord. 3890 § 14 (part), 1989)
18.30(D).020   Applicability of Regulations
   The combining district may be combined with a ROLM, RP, or GM district, in accord with Chapter 18.20 of the Zoning Ordinance. Where so combined, the floor area regulations established by this chapter shall apply in lieu of the comparable provisions established by the underlying ROLM, RP, or GM district.
(Ord. 5035 § 4 (part), 2009: Ord. 3890 § 14 (part), 1989)
18.30(D).030   Zoning Map Designation
   The hotel combining district shall apply to properties designated on the zoning map by the symbol "H" within parentheses, following the research, office or limited manufacturing (ROLM), research park (RP), or general manufacturing (GM) designation with which it is combined.
(Ord. 5035 § 4 (part), 2009: Ord. 3890 § 14 (part), 1989)
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