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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
Chapter 18.77
PROCESSING OF PERMITS AND APPROVALS
Sections:
   18.77.010   Purpose and Scope
   18.77.020   Applications
   18.77.030   Determination of Completeness
   18.77.040   Time Limits for Review
   18.77.050   Review Procedures – Summary
   18.77.060   Standard Staff Review Process
   18.77.070   Architectural Review Process
   18.77.073   Streamlined Housing Development Project Review Process
   18.77.074   Ministerial and By Right Review Process
   18.77.075   Low-Density Residential Review Process
   18.77.077   Over the Counter Project Review Process
   18.77.080   Notice
   18.77.090   Expiration of Approvals
   18.77.100   Duration of Permits
   18.77.110   Revocation or Modification of Approvals
   18.77.120   Reserved
18.77.010   Purpose and Scope
   (a)   The purpose of this chapter is to establish common procedures for the filing, review, and action on applications, notice of public hearings, appeals of decisions, and enforcement of permits and approvals governed by Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approvals)
   (b)   The procedures of this chapter apply to all permits and approvals governed by Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approvals), unless specifically modified by another section of this title (Zoning).
(Ord. 4826 § 118 (Exh. 3 (part)), 2004)
18.77.020   Applications
   (a)   Filing of application and application contents
   All applications pursuant to this chapter shall be filed with the director in a form prescribed by the director. The application form shall contain a list of information that must be submitted in order for the application to be deemed complete. This may include, but is not limited to, information determined necessary by the director to conduct a review of the application pursuant to:
      (1)   State law (including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Section 21000 et seq. of the California Public Resources Code) and the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006, Assembly bill 2987 (Ch. 700, Stats. 2006) (DIVCA), and city compliance with the Political Reform Act (Title 9 of the Government Code, Section 81000 et seq.);
      (2)   The Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan;
      (3)   The Palo Alto Municipal Code; and
      (4)   This title (Zoning).
   (b)   Signature of applications
   A separate application shall be filed for each site, and each application shall be signed by:
      (1)   All owners of the real property included in the site or sites; or
      (2)   A purchaser of the real property included in the site or sites, when acting pursuant to a contract in writing duly executed and acknowledged by both the buyer and the owner of record; or
      (3)   A lessee in possession of the real property included in the site or sites, when acting with the written consent of the owner of record; or
      (4)   An agent of the owner of record of the real property included in the site or sites, when duly authorized by the owner in writing.
   (c)   Receipt of application
   No application shall be deemed received until the following have been provided:
      (1)   All fees for the application as set forth in the schedule of fees established by resolution of the city council have been paid; and
      (2)   All documents specified as part of the application in this chapter or on the application form have been filed.
   (d)   Resubmittal of applications
   If an application is denied, the director or city council may specify that a substantially similar application may not be accepted within 12 months following the date of such denial, unless it is shown that the circumstances surrounding the application have changed substantially.
(Ord. 5432 § 16 (part), 2018: Ord. 4959 § 2, 2007: Ord. 4826 § 118 (Exh. 3 (part)), 2004)
18.77.030   Determination of Completeness
   (a)   Notification of Completeness
   Not later than thirty days after an application has been received, the director shall notify the applicant in writing whether the application is complete. If the application is determined not to be complete, the director shall specify those parts of the application that are incomplete and shall indicate the manner in which it can be made complete, including a list and thorough description of specific information needed to complete the application. Upon receipt of any resubmittal of the application, a new thirty-day period shall begin, during which the director shall determine the completeness of the application.
   (b)   Submittal of Additional Information
   Not later than thirty days after receipt of the submitted materials, the director shall notify the applicant in writing whether the application is complete. The director shall specify those parts of the application that are incomplete and shall indicate the manner in which it can be made complete, including a list and thorough description of specific information.
   (c)   Failure to Make a Determination
   If the director fails to make a written determination within thirty days, the application, together with the submitted materials, will be deemed complete and the application shall be eligible to be acted upon on its merits.
   (d)   Appeal of the Director's Decision – Filing
   Any applicant aggrieved by the director's determination regarding the completeness of an application may file an appeal with the planning division, as set forth in Chapter 18.78.
   (e)   Inadequate Information
   Nothing in this section shall preclude the director or city council from denying the application on the grounds that the information provided is inadequate to demonstrate that the application should be approved in accordance with this title (Zoning).
   (f)   Waiver of Time Limits
   Nothing in this section precludes an applicant from waiving the right to a determination of incompleteness or from extending the period of time for a determination of completeness.
(Ord. 4826 § 118 (Exh. 3 (part)), 2004)
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