East Palo Alto City Council S R

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 26

2.

EAST PALO ALTO


CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT

DATE: February 25, 2020

TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

VIA: Jaime M. Fontes, City Manager

BY: Patrick Heisinger, Assistant City Manager

SUBJECT: Study Session Related to the Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and
Associated Development Projects

Recommendation

Provide direction on the Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan, including proposed and
pipeline projects.

Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan

This recommendation is primarily aligned with:

Priority No. 2: Enhance Economic Vitality


Priority No. 3: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency

Executive Summary

Strong recent development interest in the Ravenswood Business District/4 Corners Specific
Plan (Specific Plan) area presents a major opportunity for the City to:

1. Realize the full vision of the Plan, including the Bay Road “main street;”
2. Gain lasting fiscal solvency;
3. Build needed infrastructure and various public amenities;
4. Provide a range of employment opportunities to residents;
5. Work with only a few owners who control most of the developable land in the area; and
6. Negotiate significant community benefits including, but not limited to, infrastructure
improvements, affordable housing, and the creation of community space.

Since the potential growth far exceeds original plans, the City should consider reassessing its
expectations and requirements for future development in order to:

1. Capture a greater share of community benefits;


2. Impose stronger design and character standards; and

Packet Pg. 139


2.2
3. Design for the entire Specific Plan area as a whole.

Background

In 2013, following a multi-year planning process, the City adopted the Specific Plan, covering
350 acres. Please see Attachment 1 – Ravenwood Business District/4 Corners Specific Plan.

The Specific Plan is generally bounded by the Baylands on the east, the old Dumbarton Cut-
Off rail right-of-way on the north, University Avenue on the west, and Weeks Street on the
south. The Specific Plan covers approximately 350 acres of industrial, residential,
commercial, and public uses. The vision for the Specific Plan is to transform the area into a
vibrant, walkable, mixed-use destination with a significant increase in employment and
institutional uses. Key components of the Specific Plan include:

• Transforming Bay Road into a “main street” downtown with ground floor retail and
residential on the upper floors.
• Redeveloping the vacant and underutilized industrial uses into employment and job
generating uses such as light industrial, office and R&D, with the aim of providing job
opportunities for East Palo Alto residents.
• Constructing new community facilities and other uses including a community center, a
health center, and space for social service organizations.
• Developing new parks and open spaces to support the development and enhance
access to the Baylands.
• Preserving existing residential uses and providing an appropriate buffer.
• Enhancing the transportation system to accommodate the new development, including
a proposed “loop road” connecting the Ravenswood Business District to University
Avenue near Route 84.

A map of the Specific Plan land use concept is below.

Packet Pg. 140


2.2

The Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) analyzed new growth of 835 housing
units, 1,235,853 square feet of office uses, 267,987 square feet of industrial uses, and 112,400
square feet of retail. The growth projections represented the assumed amount of development
during the time horizon of the EIR. It was assumed that new development would start to occur
in 2016/2017, and full buildout would be achieved by 2029/2030.

Net New Net New Net New


Growth Projections: Residential Net New Office Industrial
2030 Build-Out Units Retail (sq./ft) (sq./ft) (sq./ft)
Specific Plan EIR 853 112,400 1,235,853 267,987

It should be noted the theoretical maximum buildout of the Specific Plan area (wholesale
redevelopment of most or all parcels to their allowed maximum intensity) was not
studied. The “theoretical maximum” is rarely selected as the preferred alternative for EIR
work.

As the Specific Plan was being completed in 2012, the City initiated the General Plan
update process (“Vista 2035”) to create a new vision for the City. After a multi-year
effort comprised of dozens of community workshops, online surveys, focus groups
and stakeholder meetings, the City Council adopted Vista 2035 on October 4, 2016. The
General Plan did not propose any changes to the overall vision, proposed land uses, and
maximum intensities for the adopted Specific Plan. Rather, the General Plan took the growth in

Packet Pg. 141


2.2
the Specific Plan as a “given” without changes. The total level of growth analyzed in the
General Plan EIR is presented in the table below.

Net New Net New Net New Net New


Vista 2035
Housing Retail Office Industrial
Growth Projections
Units (sq./ft) (sq./ft) (sq./ft)

Amount of Growth 2,519 333,406 1,939,853 267,987

Recent Development in Specific Plan Area

Initially, development interest in the Specific Plan area was limited. Since the adoption of the
Specific Plan in 2011, only a small number of development projects have been constructed in
the Specific Plan area including:

• Relocation of the Ravenswood Family Health Center (across Bay Road);


• DKB Homes 50-unit housing project at Pulgas and Bay Road; and
• Courtyard at 1730 Bay Road apartments (76 affordable units).

In the past few years, the Ravenswood Business District has garnered
significant private development interest because of the robust regional economy, the demand
for office uses, the proximity to Facebook’s campus, and the availability of large parcels of
vacant and significantly underutilized land. This sudden surge of interest has occurred despite
the location’s physical constraints, including environmental contamination on some
parcels, residential adjacency, distance from high-frequency regional transit, and physical
isolation adjacent to the San Francisco Bay. Several projects in the Specific Plan area have
been approved, but not yet constructed:

• 965 Weeks Street (136 affordable units)


• New Primary School (City project)
• EPA Center Arts (24,000 sf of industrial)

Most significantly, more than a dozen separate development proposals are underway
for the Specific Plan area, listed in the table below and shown in the map. Please note, many
of the proposals identified below are in the early stages of planning and therefore the size of
the projects are estimates at this time:
Page Break
Net New Net New Net New Net New
Project Status Residential Retail Office Industrial
Units (sq./ft) (sq./ft (sq./ft)
Job Train Office Pre-Application
- - 100,000 -
Building Received
Pre-Application
4-Corners Hotel - 220,000 -
Received
Sand Hill 4 Corners Pre-Application
5001 40,000 500,000 -
Site Received
Pre-Application
Harvest Properties - 25,000 875,000 -
Received

Packet Pg. 142


2.2
Formal
1201 Runnymede Application 37 - - -
Received
Formal
2020 Bay Road Application - 5,000 1,300,000 -
Received
No Formal
Sycamore/Emerson - - 2,500,000 -
Submittal
Total 337 70,000 5,495,000 -

Analysis

Amount of Proposed Development in the Specific Plan Area

As can be seen in the table below, the amount of development currently proposed and in the
pipeline in the Specific Plan area significantly exceeds the amount of development considered
in the Specific Plan EIR and the amount of non-residential development analyzed in the
General Plan EIR. Furthermore, the 2020 Bay Road project includes 1,300,000 square feet of
office space, which alone exceeds the growth projections analyzed in the Specific Plan EIR.

As shown in the table below, significantly more non-


residential development is being proposed for the Specific Plan area than the amount of
development studied and approved in the Specific Plan EIR, particular for office space.

Packet Pg. 143


2.2
Net New Net New Net New
Residential
Specific Plan Growth Retail Office Industrial
Units
(sq./ft) (sq./ft) (sq./ft)
Specific Plan Thresholds 853 112,400 1,235,853 267,987
Approved Development 213 - - 23,814
Proposed Development 337 195,000 5,420,000 -

Delta (remaining capacity) 303 -(82,600) -(4,184,147) 244,173

In addition, the currently proposed development is only a portion of the potential buildout of
the Specific Plan area. As shown in the map below, other parcels are either vacant or
underutilized and thus could be developed in the near future. The redevelopment analysis
below divides the parcels into three categories:

• “High Likelihood of Redevelopment” parcels are vacant or have very little existing
vertical development.
• “Low Likelihood of Redevelopment” parcels are underutilized but have some vertical
development or existing use that reduces the possibility of redevelopment.
• “Stable” parcels are those that have a relatively new building or have a parcel pattern
(e.g., single family homes) that generally restrict redevelopment. Note that the “white”
parcels are those already in the development pipeline.

This analysis shows that the amount of additional development could be up to 1,350 more
housing units and 1,600,000 square feet of non-residential. In other words, the majority of the
area’s total potential non-residential growth is already proposed or soon to be
proposed (80%), while the proposed residential growth lags much farther behind its total
potential (30%).

Low Likelihood of Redevelopment High Likelihood of Redevelopment


Commercial sq./ft Housing Units Commercial sq./ft Housing Units
300,000 250 1,350,000 1,100

Packet Pg. 144


2.2

General Plan Development Capacity

The 2016 General Plan studied total growth of 2,519 residential units and 2,541,000
square feet of non-residential growth (including 1,939,853 square feet office). The total amount
of growth analyzed in the General Plan EIR included the growth in the Specific Plan. Since the
General Plan was adopted, there have been a number of development projects constructed
or approved that reduce the overall capacity of assumed growth in the General Plan EIR.
These projects include those in the Specific Plan mentioned above, as well as other projects
throughout the City, such as the Sobrato project. The following table compares the total growth
assumed in General Plan EIR and the Specific Plan EIR with the total amount of approved and
anticipated development. As is clear from the table, there is significantly more development in
the pipeline than was approved in both of the EIRs. This means that the City will need to revise
the EIRs to evaluate environmental impacts of the new level of development expected in the
City.

Packet Pg. 145


2.2

Net New Net New Net New


Net New
Projection Retail Office Industrial
Housing Units
(sq./ft) (sq./ft) (sq./ft)

Vista 2035
2,519 333,406 1,939,853 267,987
Growth Projection2
Sum of
Approved & Anticipated 1,023 85,000 6,100,500 100,000 
Applications
Remaining Capacity 1,496 248,406 -4,160,647 167,987

Opportunities

The potential development in the Specific Plan area provides a number of opportunities for the
City, including:

1. Main Street Vision. The high level of interest in developing in the Specific
Plan area means that the community’s vision for the area could be realized in the next 5
to 10 years. This includes creating a real “downtown” for the City, increasing the amount
of open space, creating enhanced connections to the Bay, and developing an area that
has been vacant and blighted for more than 30 years.
2. Fiscal Positives. The amount of development could have a significant positive fiscal
impact for the City which, in turn, could increase the level of public services that the
City is able to provide.
3. New Infrastructure. The development could also help to rebuild the City’s aging
infrastructure in and around the Specific Plan area, which has been a long-standing
goal.
4. Community Benefits. Potential community benefits of development in the Specific Plan
area would include, but not be limited to, Measure HH, affordable housing, community
space for gathering/employment, and environmental remediation.
5. Parks/Plazas/Open Space. The developers with projects in the Specific Plan area are
developing concepts to significantly increase the amount of park/open space in the
City. If planned correctly, the City could have one of the largest public waterfront
park(s) in the Bay Area. Planning will also be centered around fully integrating the Bay
Trail and access to Cooley Landing.
6. Potential Establishment of Financing Districts. The developers in the Specific Plan
area have expressed interest and willingness to establish certain financing districts for
infrastructure and maintenance. By doing this, City resources would no longer be
necessary to service most areas of the Specific Plan area. For example, if established
correctly, maintenance of the parks, plazas, and other publicly accessible locations
would not need to be maintained using City resources.

Challenges

Despite the opportunities, there are also significant issues and challenges presented by the
potential amount of development and some aspects of the Specific Plan. These challenges are
listed below.

Packet Pg. 146


2.2

1. EIR Growth Limits. The amount of development proposed and, in the pipeline, greatly
exceeds the level of development analyzed in both the Specific Plan and General Plan
EIRs. In order for development to proceed, both EIRs would need to be amended.
2. Transportation Impacts. Given the isolated location of the Specific Plan area, the
amount of proposed development would likely create significant impacts to the
transportation systems. Without proper mitigation, the already congested roads in East
Palo Alto would see a significant increase in traffic, which would likewise impact
residents.
3. Utility Impacts. The existing utility system, including water, wastewater, and sewage,
would need to be upgraded to accommodate the proposed amount of
development. Utility upgrades would require significant costs, most of which, if not
all, would be borne by the project sponsors.
4. Impacts to Quality of Life, Community Identity, and Affordability. The amount
of potential development in the Specific Plan area will likely impact the quality of life and
overall identity of the community. Adding five (5) million or more square feet of Class A
high-tech office space to the City would change the identity and potentially result in
a negative impact the quality of life for residents. The proposed level of development
could catalyze additional neighborhood transition as new employees could move to the
City and exacerbate already high housing costs.
5. Future Job Mix. Existing project applications focus on the development of high-tech
office and R&D/science/medical office space, to the near exclusion of flex or light
industrial space. These latter industrial uses provide employment that is generally a
better match to the skills and education of local residents, and therefore would be
desirable from the community’s standpoint.
6. Few Community Benefits. When the Specific Plan was developed, there was very
limited private sector interest in developing in the Specific Plan area. The costs of land,
environmental remediation and infrastructure improvements resulted in projects not
“penciling out.” Thus, the City sought relatively minimal community benefits from
development projects in exchange for project approvals or increases in development. If
the City updates the Specific Plan to allow for the total amount of development, it will
miss the opportunity to provide significant community benefits to the residents of East
Palo Alto. Nearby jurisdictions, including Mountain View, San Jose, and Sunnyvale,
have developed or are in the process of developing programs
that associate development to community benefits, including affordable housing, parks
and open space, job training, and the construction of community facilities.
7. Lack of Cohesive and Coordinated Urban Design Vision. The Specific Plan anticipated
that development would occur in a piecemeal fashion over a long period of time. The
result is that, without any changes to the Specific Plan, the area might be developed as
a series of stand-alone projects rather than as a cohesive employment and mixed-
use district. Effective coordination between project applicants is a critical challenge
but is necessary in order to ensure improved connectivity throughout the area and to the
waterfront/Bay Trail, to maintain visual access to the bay, and create new publicly
accessibly open spaces and rooftops.
8. Environmental Concerns. The history and location of the Specific Plan area will pose
issues related to possible flooding, soil contamination, bird habitats, and similar.
9. 2020 Bay Road and Job Train Projects. These two projects have already submitted
applications to the City and are already engaged in the environmental review process.

Many of the challenges referenced above, if done so correctly, could be considered

Packet Pg. 147


2.2
“opportunities” if addressed as part of a comprehensive planning process.

Proposed Approach

The vision in the Specific Plan is sound and represents the community’s direction for growth in
the area. However, the Specific Plan never anticipated the current level of private development
interest. As a result, staff is recommending that the City prepare an amendment to the Specific
Plan, the Specific Plan EIR and the General Plan EIR to study an increased level of
development in the area and the City as a whole. This would not be a wholesale update
to either document. Rather, the process would study the potential for an increased amount of
development in the Specific Plan area and the City. Staff also recommends that the City hire a
Project Manager for the Specific Plan area, given the high level of development interest and
the commitment of existing staff to other projects.

Specific Plan Amendment

Staff proposes that the Specific Plan amendment study the following:

• The total amount of development that is realistic in today’s economic market.


• A fair structure for allocating the additional development rights in exchange for
tangible community benefits. Note that examples from other jurisdictions will be
presented at the Study Session, including the concept of linking non-residential growth
to residential growth.
• District-wide transportation and utility improvements to accommodate new development
and minimize impacts to the community.
• The fiscal benefits from different levels of development to better understand how
development could result in net positive revenues for the City and perhaps solve the
City’s structural deficit.
• A revised urban design plan with a new roadway and open space network designed to
create a cohesive urban district, rather than a series of stand-alone development
projects.

A Specific Plan amendment process would keep many core standards and guidelines of the
existing Plan but include updated economic analysis and a comprehensive analysis of traffic
impacts from all proposed projects. The goal would be to maximize private sector
contributions to transportation/streetscape improvements, ground floor retail/activity, local jobs,
walkability, transportation demand management efforts, etc.

The process would also include an amendment to the Specific Plan EIR and the General Plan
EIR to understand the environment impacts of the proposed development. This would allow
other projects to move forward without needing to complete an amendment to the General
Plan EIR. Finally, as with all projects, additional community engagement would be needed to
ensure that residents can help direct the future of the City. This could include neighborhood
meetings, public workshops, and online surveys.

It is expected that a Specific Plan amendment could take between 8 and 16 months to
complete. During this time, City staff expects that project applications that have already been
submitted will continue to be processed in accordance with the existing Specific Plan. The City
will request that these project applicants participate in the amendment process and conform to
the requirements that are developed, including the provision of community benefits,

Packet Pg. 148


2.2
assessment districts to pay for the costs of infrastructure improvements, and transportation
projects needed to offset the increased level of traffic, among other requirements. Projects that
are not submitted in a formal application would likely be required to conform to the
requirements in the amended Specific Plan.

An amendment to the Specific Plan is not the only option. Other options include:

• Updating only the Specific Plan EIR and General Plan EIR to allow for an increase in
the amount of development allowed in the area, then allowing projects to submit
applications until that development capacity is used up.
• Limiting the development to the existing levels proposed in the Specific Plan and
developing a methodology to allocate this development based on the benefits to the
City.
• Allowing individual projects to prepare EIRs for their specific projects.

Staff notes that allowing less growth with weaker standards/rules may have a
worse overall outcome for the City than allowing more growth with greater mitigations and
community benefits.

Hire Project Manager for the Specific Plan Area

In addition to the proposed development projects, there are a number of public projects that
require oversight and coordination. This includes the Bay Road project, the levee, and
others. Staff recommends that the City hire a person or firm to serve as the central point of
contact for all projects. This work would be funded from developer fees and would not result in
a fiscal impact to the City. Staff seeks approval from the City Council to develop the funding
source and hire a person or firm to assist with these efforts.

Key Questions for the City Council During the Study Session

1. Does the City wish to explore an increased amount of development over the level
approved in the Specific Plan?
2. Should the City develop methods to extract community benefits in exchange for an
increased amount of development, pay for infrastructure improvements, and mitigate
transportation impacts associated with development?
3. Does a Specific Plan amendment make sense as the method to examine additional
development? If not, what are other approaches are viable?
4. What are the issues that should be examined as new development is proposed in the
Specific Plan area?
5. Would the City Council like to see more housing proposed in the Specific Plan area?
6. Should the City hire an individual or firm to serve as the point of contact for the
Ravenswood Business District area?

Developer Commitment to Partnering with the City’s Local Hire/Measure HH Efforts

Staff recommends that the City Council articulate to any project applicant in the Specific Plan
area that the expectation is that the developer will participate in future discussions regarding
the City’s Measure HH program and employment. Rather than simply participating in these
discussions, staff would prefer that the applicants participate with the ultimate goal
of assisting the City in crafting policy that would facilitate local resident access to jobs that are

Packet Pg. 149


2.2
eventually created in East Palo Alto.

Staff wishes to clarify the expectation that the City will establish a robust Local Hire program
prior to the Planning Commission/City Council approval of any large project in the Specific
Plan area. Therefore, it is imperative for applicants/developers to participate in these
conversations to ensure that any adopted policies provide real opportunities for East Palo
Alto residents to secure employment in the new projects.

Staffs Proposed Next Steps

Staff recommends that the City Council solicit community input during the Study Session and
provide direction. Staff will then return to the City Council in late April 2020 with a proposed
workplan for the City Council to consider. The workplan would include:
• Time and cost estimates associated with amending the Specific Plan, and
• A proposal for the Specific Plan area Project Manager.

The items above require commitment and funding support from the applicants in the Specific
Plan area. The City already paid for the costs of completing the General Plan which includes
the Specific Plan. Therefore, the City shall not assume the costs for these additional items.

Study Session on February 25, 2020

At the City Council Study Session on February 25, 2020, representatives from
Raimi + Associates will be in attendance to help facilitate a discussion about the potential
development in the Ravenswood District Specific Plan area with the City Council. In addition to
this staff report, a comprehensive presentation will also be presented to help guide the
discussion.

Public Notice

The public was provided notice of this agenda item by posting the City Council agenda on the
City’s official bulletin outside City Hall and making the agenda and report available at the City’s
website and the San Mateo County Library at 2145 University Avenue, East Palo Alto.

Fiscal Impact

There are no fiscal impacts associated with the items discussed in this memorandum.

Environmental

The action being considered by the City Council is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a “project” pursuant to 15378(b)(4) because it is a fiscal
activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in
a potentially significant impact on the environment.

Attachments
1. Ravenswood Specific Plan

Packet Pg. 150


2.2.a

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9
As development proceeds in the Plan Area, the utility in-
frastructure will need to be improved, and public services
extended. In addition, an augmented water supply will
be needed. This chapter summarizes the modifications
and additions required to support the Specific Plan de-
velopment.

Packet Pg. 291


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
Water Supply
The City’s entire municipal water supply and approximately 90 percent of the
City’s water comes from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
(SFPUC) aqueduct. Two smaller companies serve areas in East Palo Alto out-
side the plan area from private groundwater sources. Eighty-five percent of the
SFPUC water comes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the Sierra Nevada’s,
and the remaining 15 percent comes from Bay Area reservoirs in the Alameda
and Peninsula watersheds. 1

The City and Specific Plan’s water use in 2011 and at buildout was described in
both the 2010 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and a separate 2011
Water Supply Assessment (WSA) for the Specific Plan Area. 2,3 In 2010, the to-
tal water demand was 1,906 acre feet per year (AFY), or 1.7 million gallons per
day (MGD). The total water use was 2,033 AFY (1.81 MGD), which includes
the approximately eight percent of unaccounted water lost in the system due to
leaks. The City has purchased more water from SFPUC than its guaranteed
allocation in several years since 2002. This has been possible only because oth-
er users have not purchased their entire allocation.

As part of the adoption of its Water System Improvement Program in October


2008, SFPUC is limiting its sales of water to each customer until 2018. It has
established an Interim Supply Allocation of 2,199 AFY (1.96 MGD) for East
Palo Alto. In times of drought, this would be less.

The UWMP and WSA included projections for future water demand until
2035. Buildout under the Specific Plan was included in these figures. Table 9-1
shows water demand per sector for the whole of East Palo Alto at five-year in-
crements and total water use for a normal water year, single dry year, and mul-
tiple dry years.

Water demand from the development under the Specific Plan was included in
these calculations as per the totals in Table 9-2. For detailed information on
the phasing that was assumed, refer to the UWMP.

1
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, 2005, 2005 Urban Water Management
Plan for the City and County of San Francisco, page 11.
2
Integrated Resource Management, Inc, 2010. City of East Palo Alto 2010 Urban Water
Management Plan. July 2011.
3
Integrated Resource Management, Inc, 2011. Water Supply Assessment. Ravens-
wood/4 Corners Transit Oriented Development Specific Plan. For the City of East Palo Alto. Final
Draft. August 30, 2011. Note: This used essentially the same estimates for buildout as the Urban
Water Management Plan

134 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 292


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
TABLE 9-1 WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR EAST PALO ALTO IN ACRE FEET PER
YEAR

2015 2020 2025 2030 2035


Normal Water Year

Supply totals 2,199 2,199 2,199 2,199 2,199

Demand totals 2,658 2,780 2,960 3,161 3,400

Surplus or (Shortfall) (459) (581) (761) (962) (1,201)


a
Single or Multiple Dry Years

Supply Totals 2,033 2,033 2,033 2,033 2,033

Demand Totals 2,658 2,780 2,960 3,161 3,400

Surplus or (Shortfall) (625) (747) (927) (1,128) (1,367)


a
Figures are the same for a single dry year or for the first, second and third dry year under
the multiple dry year scenario.
Source: City of East Palo Alto, 2011. Urban Water Management Plan.

TABLE 9-2 SPECIFIC PLAN WATER DEMANDS

Acre Feet Water Demand


Land Use Acres Per Acre (Acre Feet)
Residential (Single-Family) 0.75 9.33 7.00

Residential (Mixed-use) 20.12 16.02 322.28

Industrial 23.78 10.19 242.35

Commercial 26.78 7.99 214.19

Municipal (Including Parks) 31.2 1.11 34.49

Total 102.63 7.99 820.31


Source: Integrated Resource Management, Inc, 2011. Water Supply Assessment. Ravens-
wood/4 Corners Transit Oriented Development Specific Plan. For the City of East Palo Alto.

Buildout of the Specific Plan would therefore require 820 acre feet per year of
water. Compared to the current water demand, this is an increase of 41 per-
cent. It would be 60 percent of the total demand increase in 2035. The UWMP
evaluated various options to increase the supply and proposed augmenting it
by pumping and treating from the existing Gloria Bay well, installing new

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 135


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 293


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
groundwater wells, and using recycled water. An increase in the supply by
these or other methods would have to undergo separate CEQA review at the
project level to ensure feasibility and avoid unacceptable environmental conse-
quences.

Utility Infrastructure
The utility infrastructure throughout the Plan Area is inadequate, and much of
it does not meet current minimum standards. A plan for the upgrades required
to serve development under the Specific Plan has been proposed by Wilsey
Ham Engineers in a October 2008 Draft Engineering Plan (DEPLAN) for the
Ravenswood Business District. 4 Although the DEPLAN predates the Specific
Plan, Wilsey Ham has reviewed the Specific Plan’s development projections
and verified that the DEPLAN’s engineering calculations are still valid. 5

The following sections describe the service providers and their role in provid-
ing utilities to the Plan Area, as well as the new infrastructure described in the
DEPLAN. Additional information, including figures showing the pipe layout,
is provided in the Specific Plan EIR, Section 4.15, Utilities and Service Systems.

Water
The water system for the Plan Area is managed by American Water Enterprises
under contract with the City. A new system of 12-inch water pipes would be
required for the Plan Area. This additional system would also provide more
security in the event of damage to the existing system. Water would be sup-
plied under pressure from a new connection to the SFPUC aqueduct at Purdue
Avenue. Water would be used for fire suppression in addition to consumption.
A new 1.8 million gallon water tank would provide much-needed emergency
storage for the City’s municipal water customers, and provide a fire flow of
3,000 gallons per minute, as recommended by the Menlo Park Fire Protection
District (MPFPD).

Planned new water supply infrastructure is described in Table 9-3.

4
Wilsey Ham, 2008. Draft Engineering Plan (DEPLAN) for the Ravenswood Business Dis-
trict (RBD). October 31, 2008.
5
Email from Sean Charpentier to DC&E, January 27, 2011.

136 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 294


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
TABLE 9-3 RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE

Section Location Description


New connection to
SFPUC right-of-way at
SFPUC Hetch Hetchy
Purdue Avenue
aqueduct
Purdue Avenue and
From SFPUC r-o-w to Bay Road 12” main
Demeter Street
From ~400 feet south of 391
Pulgas Avenue north of Bay
Demeter Street property to Bay 12” main
Road
Road
From the current end of Tara
Tara Street 12” main
Street to Bay Road
Tara Street eastern From the northern Plan edge east
12” main
extension to the proposed water tank.
From Clarke Avenue east to Plan
Bay Road 12” main
Area boundary
Pulgas Avenue south of Bay
From Bay Road to Weeks Street 12” main
Road
From Clarke Avenue east to Plan
Weeks Street 12” main
Area boundary
Throughout the Plan Area 6” and 4” pipes
1.8 million gallon
Tara Street termination
storage tank

Wastewater
There is a divide in the drainage system along a line running approximately
east-west at the southern margin of the 391 Demeter Street property. 6 South of
this divide, gravity-driven flows in the sanitary sewer and storm sewer system
are southwards. North of this divide, gravity-driven flows are northwards. Be-
cause of this divide, the Specific Plan area is served by two different sanitary
districts.

Wastewater conveyance and treatment services to the northern half of the Plan
Area are provided by the West Bay Sanitary District (WBSD). Wastewater col-
lected within the WBSD service area is treated at the South Bayside System Au-
thority Regional Treatment Plant (SBSARTP), which is owned and operated by
the South Bayside System Authority. The capacity of the SBSARTP is 29 MGD.

6
The 391 Demeter Street property has a triangular-shaped portion that would be des-
ignated as Industrial/Office Flex under the Plan and an area with wetlands that would be desig-
nated as Resource Management. The triangular shaped portion has also been referred to as the
“Stanford Fill” area.

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 137


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 295


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
Of this total, WBSD is allocated a total treatment capacity of 6.6 MGD for dry
weather flow and 14.4 MGD of peak wet weather flow at the SBSARTP. 7

The East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD) serves the southern half of the
Plan Area, which is where most development activity would occur. Wastewater
collected by EPASD is treated at the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control
Plant (PARWQCP), which is owned and operated by the City of Palo Alto.

The DEPLAN reviewed the capacity of the existing wastewater system of the
Plan Area and described plans for upgrades that are within the jurisdiction of
EPASD. 8,9 No upgrades are included for the northern part of the area under
the jurisdiction of WBSD. Planned new sanitary sewer infrastructure for the
southern part of the Plan Area is described in Table 9-4.

The proposed new Ravenswood Business District sewer system would be gravi-
ty-driven and connect with the existing EPASD system at the eastern end of
Weeks Street. Sewage would then flow to an existing pipe in the levee to the
Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant, south of the Palo Alto Air-
port. Replacement of the pipe in the levee may not be necessary for several
decades until sufficient development has occurred to warrant it. The timing of
this replacement would be determined by the East Palo Alto Sanitary District.

Stormwater
In most of the Plan Area, south of the topographic divide that is approximately
at the southern boundary of 391 Demeter Street, stormwater flows southwards
into the Runnymede Storm Drain System. Since the 391 Demeter Street prop-
erty drains northwards and cannot be connected to the gravity-driven system
of the rest of the plan area, development of this property would require a sepa-
rate storm drain system.

Stormwater infrastructure within the Plan Area is currently inadequate and is


one of the causes of flooding in the Plan Area. Currently many of the streets in
the Plan Area do not have storm drains, and those that do are unable to handle
stormwater during peak events.

7
San Mateo LAFCO, 2009, Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Update
for the West Bay Sanitary District, page 5.
8
During the planning process, EPASD was consulted in detail and supports the cur-
rent planned improvements to the wastewater system.
9
City of East Palo Alto, 2009, City Staff Report on Draft Engineering Plan for the Ra-
venswood Business District (RBD), page 5.

138 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 296


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
TABLE 9-4 RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS TO SANITARY SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE

Section Location Pipe Diameter


Demeter Street From Purdue Avenue to Bay Road 8"
Pulgas Avenue north
From the new connector road to Bay Road 8"
of Bay Road
From the current end of Tara Street to Bay
Tara Street 8"
Road
From Clarke Avenue east to Pulgas Ave-
Bay Road 15" to 18"
nue
From Pulgas Avenue to 200 feet west of
Bay Road 8" to 12"
Plan Area boundary
Pulgas Avenue south
From Bay Road to Weeks Street 21"
of Bay Road
From Clarke Avenue east to Pulgas Ave-
Weeks Street 8"
nue
From Pulgas Avenue east to Plan bounda-
Weeks Street 21"
ry
Weeks Street to Treatment Plant south of 18" to be upgraded
Levee
Palo Alto Airport later to 21"

The DEPLAN reviewed the capacity of the existing storm sewer system in the
southern portion of the Plan Area and proposed construction of a new, addi-
tional, Ravenswood Storm Sewer System to join the Runnymede system at the
point of discharge into the existing surface channel at the end of Runnymede
Street. The channel runs parallel to the levee to the O’Connor pumping sta-
tion, where the water is pumped over the levee back to the Bay. Components
of the new Ravenswood Storm Drain System are described in Table 9-5.

In addition, the stormwater channel from the end of Runnymede Street to the
detention basin on O’Connor Street would be dredged, graded, and culverted
next to the levee to take 100-year flows. A berm would be built along the west
side of the length of the detention channel to restrict the main channel over-
flows and allow water to back up from the pumping station and be held in the
channel. The detention basin would also be dredged and enlarged to provide
additional storage capacity. The City is already moving forward with the off-
site improvements associated with the Runnymede Storm Drain Phase II Pro-
ject, which include the channel and pond improvements. 10

10
City of East Palo Alto website. http://www.ci.east-palo-alto.ca.us/planningdiv/
runnymede.html, accessed September 1, 2011.

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 139


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 297


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
TABLE 9-5 RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS TO STORM SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE

Section Location Description


From ~250 feet south of Purdue Avenue to Storm drain force main
Demeter Street
~200 feet north of Bay Road 18” to 36”
Pulgas Avenue From the new connector road to ~200 feet Storm drain force main
north of Bay Road north of Bay Road 18” to 36”
From the just north of the connector road to Storm drain force main
Tara Street
Bay Road. 18” to 36”
From near Plan boundary for approximately Storm drain force main
Bay Road
600 feet 18” to 36”
From ~600 feet east of Tara Street to Pulgas
Storm drain pipe
Bay Road Avenue and from Demeter Street to Pulgas
42” to 54”
Avenue
Pulgas Avenue Storm drain pipe
From Bay Road to Weeks Street
south of Bay Road 66”
From halfway between Clarke Avenue and
Pulgas Avenue to Pulgas Avenue, and from Storm drain pipe
Weeks Street
the current termination of Weeks Street to 24” to 42”
Pulgas Avenue
Pulgas Avenue
Storm drain pipe
south of Weeks Weeks Street to Runnymede Street
66”
Street
Runnymede Street Pulgas Avenue to levee 2, 3’ x 5’ box culverts
Dredging, grading,
Channel next to Runnymede Street to detention pond and
culverting. Berm added
levee O’Connor Street Pumping Station
on western side.

The new system would be designed to protect most of the Plan Area for which
redevelopment is proposed from flooding as a consequence of storm drain
back-up. The system would be designed to cope with the largest storm that
could realistically be expected once every 25 years (the 25-year storm).

Electricity, Phone, Cable, and Internet


The Plan Area would continue to be served with electric, gas, telephone, cable,
and internet service from private companies serving the City, as detailed below
(see Table 9-6).

The DEPLAN also considered provision of electricity and gas lines, as well as
telephone and fiber optic cables. Existing overhead electric lines would be re-
moved and undergrounded on major streets. Several electricity transfer sta-
tions would be built along the underground lines. Some of the buried conduits
would be placed in joint trenches carrying electrical power, cable TV, phone,
fiber optic, and gas lines. Table 9-7 describes the changes and additions to the
existing system.

140 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 298


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
TABLE 9-6 OTHER UTILITY PROVIDERS
Electricity Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)

Gas PG&E

Telephone AT&T + others

Cable TV and Internet Comcast, AT&T + others

TABLE 9-7 RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS TO ELECTRICITY, GAS, PHONE, AND


FIBER OPTIC LINES

Section Location Description

Overhead electric wires to be


From Purdue Avenue to Bay
Demeter Street removed and undergrounded in
Road
proposed joint trench
Overhead electric wires to be
Pulgas Avenue north From the new connector road
removed and undergrounded in
of Bay Road to Bay Road
proposed joint trench
Overhead electric wires to be
From just north of the connect-
Tara Street removed and undergrounded in
or road to Bay Road
proposed joint trench
From ~300 feet north of Bay Overhead electric wires to be
East of Tara Street
Road to Bay Road removed and undergrounded
Overhead electric wires to be
From near Plan Area boundary
Bay Road removed and undergrounded in
to Pulgas Avenue
proposed joint trench

Phasing
The DEPLAN included a preliminary phasing plan to ensure that utilities are in
place as the street network is redeveloped. Development of the necessary area-
wide utility infrastructure is anticipated to be completed in five phases (Phase I
and Phases IIa through IId), as discussed below.

Phase I would include buildout of Bay Road from University Avenue to Tara
Street. In order to build out the complete utilities and roadway improvements
of Bay Road, the gravity utilities must be constructed in Bay Road and south of
Bay Road on Pulgas Avenue, Weeks Street, and Runnymede Street, and the
dredging of the new 2,100-foot channel to the detention pond at the O’Conner
Pump Station must also be completed. Additionally, all of the utilities down-

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 141


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 299


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
stream of Bay Road need to be installed for the Bay Road drainage and
wastewater system to maintain positive flow to the existing downstream con-
nections. Since trenching will be taking place for the gravity utilities, the re-
maining utilities will be required to be installed during this phase so that the
roadway can be reconstructed after all of the utilities are in place.

The timing and order of the remaining phases (IIa, IIb, IIc, and IId) have not
been determined. Implementation of these phases will depend on the timing of
new development.

Public Safety
In the Plan Area, public safety services are primarily provided by the East Palo
Alto Police Department (EPAPD) and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District
(MPFPD). Chapter Ten, Implementation discusses these issues further by de-
scribing the fiscal impacts associated with new development anticipated in the
Specific Plan Area.

Police Services
New growth resulting from the Specific Plan could increase the citywide popu-
lation by approximately ten percent. Assuming that current law enforcement
needs were to increase proportionately to the population, there would be an
additional need for police personnel, equipment, and/or police facilities.

However, this increase would occur gradually over time. It will be possible to
assess the need for additional personnel and equipment on an ongoing basis,
and to address these needs at the appropriate time to ensure that the law en-
forcement needs in the community are addressed.

Fire Protection Services


New growth resulting from the Specific Plan would increase the demand for
fire protection and emergency services in East Palo Alto such that new fire pro-
tection facilities, personnel, and equipment would be needed and response
times could be reduced.

East Palo Alto’s MPFPD station would need to be expanded, and additional
equipment and approximately 2.7 additional personnel would be needed to
accommodate the proposed growth. Although the MPFPD currently has plans
to expand this station, the expansion did not take into account the Specific Plan
and other recently proposed projects within the jurisdiction of the MPFPD.
Since the Specific Plan would contribute to the need for the expansion of East

142 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 300


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
Palo Alto’s fire station, the MPFPD expects that new development would con-
tribute to the expansion costs.

Cultural, Institutional, and Civic Uses


This Specific Plan’s Vision and Concept proposes a number of new facilities
and buildings for cultural, institutional, and civic uses. These facilities will
contribute to creating a desirable living environment in the Plan Area and will
help fulfill the community’s desire to establish Ravenswood/4 Corners as the
cultural hub of the City. Although the Vision and Concept identifies a number
of possible locations for these uses, it is likely that they will also be able to locate
in other parts of the Plan Area, depending on the exact nature of each use.

As the Specific Plan is implemented, the City will work diligently to encourage
developers to provide space in their buildings for cultural, institutional, and
civic uses. The City may also choose to undertake some projects on its own,
such as the construction of a performing arts center. However, this can occur
only if a funding source is identified for the new facilities.

The Vision and Concept also proposes that San Mateo County public library
services be expanded in the Plan Area. The City’s current library is located in-
side the San Mateo County East Palo Alto Government Center, also known as
City Hall. If feasible, the library could expand within this building, enlarge the
existing building to allow for expansion, or relocate to another property near 4
Corners.

Schools
East Palo Alto, including the Plan Area, is served by two school districts: Ra-
venswood City School District and Sequoia Union High School District.

The Ravenswood City School District would not have adequate capacity for the
new students that would be generated by the projected buildout of the Specific
Plan. However, the Sequoia Union High School District would have adequate
capacity for the new students that would be generated.

Future development under the Specific Plan would be required by existing


State law to pay development impact fees to each school district at the time of
the building permit issuance. These fees will be used by the school districts to
mitigate long-term operation and maintenance impacts on school facilities as-
sociated with new development.

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 143


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 301


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
In addition to the existing schools within these two school districts, a school
could potentially be developed east of Clarke Avenue and south of Bay Road, as
stated above in the Cultural, Institutional, and Civic Uses discussion.

Parks, Open Space, and Trails


Parks, open space and trails are an important component of East Palo Alto’s
identity. They provide a variety of recreational opportunities for the enjoy-
ment and well-being of the city’s residents.

As shown in Chapter Four, Vision and Concept, several new parks, open space
areas and trails are recommended for the Plan Area. The Vision and Concept
shows potential park opportunities in several locations, including at the en-
trance to Cooley Landing; south of Weeks Street in the southeast corner of the
Plan Area; at the corner of Pulgas Avenue and Bay Road; and as part of a larger
redevelopment project at the 391 Demeter Street site, near the terminus of De-
meter Street and Purdue Avenue. Additionally, it is envisioned that a new pub-
lic open space or plaza would be included as a focal point as the 4 Corners in-
tersection is redeveloped.

The Vision and Concept also includes the development of a cohesive system of
pedestrian connections and trails that would link activity nodes, parks, and
open spaces together. Potential connections are shown in several locations in
the Vision and Concept, including a trail that connects University Avenue to
the Bay Trail along Purdue Avenue and eastward into Ravenswood, as well as a
pedestrian and bicycle trail alongside the proposed loop road. Additional pe-
destrian trails are also shown along a former rail spur south of Bay Road be-
tween Clarke Avenue and the Bay Trail.

These park and trail locations are conceptual only—the exact locations and
programming of each potential new park, open space and trail are unknown at
this time. However, the general locations and orientations shown in the Vision
and Concept will form the basis for the City’s efforts to strengthen the Plan Ar-
ea’s park, open space and trail network.

The following sections discuss the various park, open space and trail opportu-
nities that are a part of the Specific Plan.

Cooley Landing Park


A plan for Cooley Landing Park calls for the existing Cooley Landing open
space area to be transformed into one of the primary park spaces in East Palo
Alto. The approximately 11.5-acre Cooley Landing site is located at the eastern

144 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 302


2.2.a

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES 9

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
terminus of Bay Road in the cities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park and bor-
ders tidal marshlands and mud flats at the edge of the San Francisco Bay.

The proposed park will accommodate low-impact recreational uses such as


walking, bicycling, picnicking, bird watching, water access, and nature study.
Public access for pedestrians and bicyclists would be allowed on Cooley Land-
ing from sunrise to sunset seven days a week. The park will also provide an air-
boat launch location for the Menlo Park Fire Protection District.

Because Cooley Landing Park is addressed in a separate plan, this Specific Plan
does not address the proposed park in detail. However, the Specific Plan pro-
vides for enhanced connections to Cooley Landing. Bay Road is envisioned as
the heart of East Palo Alto and will ultimately terminate at the Cooley Landing
site. Future development and streetscape improvements near Cooley Landing
should connect to the park as well.

Public Plazas
Public plazas should be accommodated in the Plan Area, both in private devel-
opment and as public improvements. Public plazas can serve as a neighbor-
hood-wide amenity. Smaller plazas should also be incorporated into private
development where possible, particularly where they can be made accessible to
the public. These spaces will provide focal points and gathering places for Ra-
venswood and 4 Corners. Furthermore, during special events, these spaces can
be used to accommodate market stalls, stages, or other temporary improve-
ments and uses.

Neighborhood and Community Parks


Several neighborhood and community park opportunities are shown on the
Vision and Concept as green spaces. Community parks can serve as regional
destinations as well as amenities for those working and living within the Plan
Area. For example, community parks could include a variety of open fields,
exercise areas, play fields, educational opportunities, playgrounds, and other
similar features. In contrast, neighborhood parks generally include a smaller
selection of amenities that are chosen to meet the needs of the surrounding
neighborhood.

In addition to Cooley Landing Park, several neighborhood parks could be pro-


vided within the Plan Area. New parks will help to respond to increased de-
mand created by new residents; provide focal points and gathering places for
employees and residents; and contribute to the aesthetic quality of the commu-
nity.

RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN 145


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 303


2.2.a

9 UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Attachment: Ravenswood Specific Plan (1126 : Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan and Associated Development Projects)
SFPUC Right-Of-Way Park
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) right-of-way for the
Hetch Hetchy pipeline, located in the University Village neighborhood, pre-
sents a prime opportunity to provide a new active park within the Specific Plan
Area. Please refer to Chapter 4, Vision and Concepts, for a detailed concept
plan for the SFPUC right-of-way. This plan is only conceptual. The exact pro-
gram and configuration of the park would be determined in a future process.

The SFPUC site is approximately 80 feet wide and 1,400 feet long, with an area
of approximately 2.5 acres. It runs between two stretches of single-family
homes on Fordham and Georgetown Streets. Because the site runs between the
backyards of homes, access is extremely limited. Access is available from the
intersection of Rutgers Street and Tulane Avenue to the north, and from Pur-
due Avenue to the south. A small piece of the easement is located adjacent to
Costaño Elementary School just south of Purdue Avenue.

This area is currently vacant above ground, but there is potential for park uses
to be developed on the site. A new park at this location could provide a com-
plementary green space to Jack Farrell Park, creating a improved balance of
green spaces within the neighborhood.

Uses for the park could include a multi-use path, a 40-plot community garden,
a dog run, and play areas for two different age groups. A school garden could
be located in the portion of the easement south of Purdue Avenue. Finally,
each neighborhood access point could be articulated by a small entry plaza.
Because of the easement’s location adjacent to single-family homes, a ten foot
wide buffer could be located between the site uses and the property lines along
both sides of the easement.

Any improvement or park uses created at this location would need to be under-
taken in coordination with homeowners and residents in this neighborhood to
ensure that their vision is taken into account and their needs are addressed.
Opportunities should also be explored to provide additional access to the site in
addition to the two endpoints.

Open Spaces at Bay’s Edge


Open spaces and trails should be provided at the San Francisco Bay’s edge to
the extent feasible, as depicted in the Vision and Concepts. This type of public
amenity would likely be developed in conjunction with private development.
By providing a continuous pedestrian path along this edge, development would
be buffered from natural resource preservation areas to the east, educational
opportunities could be created, and pedestrian circulation could be optimized
within the Plan Area.

146 RAVENSWOOD / 4 CORNERS TOD SPECIFIC PLAN


CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO

Packet Pg. 304

You might also like