COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT

Current Status The City Council has deemed the Commercial Zoning Ordinance Update (CZOU) a high priority project, and work on it commenced in late April, 2006. The project is currently on hold pending the resolution of the El Camino Real/Downtown Visioning and Planning Process. City staff and the project consultant welcome ongoing comments regarding this project. Please contact Thomas Rogers at throgers@menlopark.org or 650-330-6722 if you have any comments regarding this endeavor.

Project Description The Menlo Park City Council has established as a high priority project a comprehensive update of the commercial use categories and regulations in the Zoning Ordinance. The objective is to develop a clear set of commercial use classifications, and to classify each use as being permitted, administratively permitted, or conditionally permitted in every district where the use is allowed. Ultimately, this would translate into a user-friendly document that aligns the City's fiscal, community, service, and land use goals, and reduces uncertainty for business owners and other users of the Zoning Ordinance. The current work represents Phase III of a multi-stage project. Information about the work previously completed is available in the City Council Staff Report dated August 16, 2005.

Required Review The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments will require review and recommendation by the Planning Commission and review and approval by the City Council. The Zoning Ordinance Amendments also require review for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Working Group The Working Group is an advisory committee which reviews the project's progress and provides guidance. The Working Group composition is as follows: Rick Ciardella (Chamber of Commerce) Lou Deziel (Planning Commission) Kelly Fergusson (City Council) Al Filice (Business Community - Downtown) Patti Fry (Resident) Honor Huntington (Resident) David Johnson (Business Development Manager) Hank Lawrence (Resident) Spence Leslie (Business Community - M-2 Area) Justin Murphy (Development Services Manager) Lorie Sinnott (Planning Commission) Mickie Winkler (City Council) The Working Group met on June 29, July 13, August 17, and September 14. These meetings were open to the public, and included opportunities for public input.

Working Group Meeting 4 Thursday, September 14 Agenda Proposed Changes to Title 16, Zoning Ordinance (revised 9/27) Proposed and Existing Use Regulations

Working Group Meeting 3 Thursday, August 17 Agenda Draft Use Regulations Standards for Specific Uses Annotated Outline of Proposed Changes to Zoning Ordinance Supplement: List of Major and Minor Arterials

Working Group Meeting 2 Thursday, July 13 Agenda Issues and Options Proposed Use Classifications

Working Group Meeting 1 Thursday, June 29 Agenda Presentation Summary Report on Stakeholder Interviews and Community Workshop Comparison of Peer Cities' Commercial and Industrial Zoning Regulations (summary) Comparison of Peer Cities' Commercial and Industrial Zoning Regulations (table) Summary of Existing Use Regulations Acres of Land by Zoning District Existing Land Uses and Zoning Districts

Community Workshop On May 24, 2006, the consultant and staff held a workshop to introduce the project to the public and solicit general guidance on what types of uses should be permitted, and in which locations. Approximately thirty members of the community attended the workshop, and viewed a short presentation on the project's background and current status. The community members then participated in breakout sessions facilitated by staff, in which specific uses were considered in relation to specific zoning districts, with categories (permitted, limited, and prohibited) assigned to each use. Each group subsequently presented their findings to the workshop participants as a whole. A summary of this workshop is available at the following link: Summary Report on Stakeholder Interviews and Community Workshop

Stakeholder Interviews On May 15, 2006, the consultant conducted a series of interviews to gather detailed feedback from a wide range of regular users of the Zoning Ordinance. These code-users, or "stakeholders," included business owners, property owners, developers, architects, and residents. These small group sessions were intended to generate an open and frank discussion, with comments not attributed to specific attendees. A summary of these interviews is available at the following link: Summary Report on Stakeholder Interviews and Community Workshop