retail – Palo Alto Matters – Community voices for sustainable solutions

Rising costs won’t shrink California Avenue garage

by paloaltomattersJanuary 23, 2018Leave a comment

Despite escalating budget, City Council votes to stick with the plan for a six-level garage

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner, January 23, 2018

California Avenue merchants scored a political victory Monday night when Palo Alto officials reaffirmed their plan to construct a garage with two basement levels and more than 600 parking stalls on a Sherman Avenue lot.

By an 8-1 vote, with Adrian Fine dissenting, the City Council voted to reject a staff recommendation to eliminate one of the basement levels as part of a strategy to contain the project’s rapidly rising costs.

California Avenue merchants called the proposed reduction “nothing less than a breach of faith with the business community that has worked collaboratively with the City for so many years on this project.”

Planned Cambridge Avenue development meets opposition

by paloaltomattersDecember 27, 2017January 23, 2018Leave a comment

Residents and business owners raise concerns about proposed three-story building

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner / December 27, 2017

Karen Price, a massage therapist with a practice on Cambridge Avenue, believes the three-story building on her block won’t just change the character of the surrounding area.

It will also, she said Thursday, threaten the character of the city by accelerating the displacement of small, community-serving businesses like her own by tech companies with a global clientele.

Price was part of a group, which included area businesses and residents, who attended the Dec. 21 meeting of the Architectural Review Board to speak out against the project in the California Avenue Business District.

Commission pans parking meter plan

by paloaltomattersOctober 12, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by Gennady Sheyner / October 12, 2017

Proposal to overhaul downtown’s parking scheme criticized as premature

Downtown Palo Alto’s move toward parking meters hit an unexpected turn Wednesday night when the city’s Planning and Transportation Commission voted against implementation.

By a unanimous vote, the commission rejected all four options that were presented by transportation staff for overhauling downtown’s parking system. Citing uncertainty about the impacts of parking meters on downtown retail, the commission recommended that the council hold off on approving any plans, pending more outreach to area businesses.

Big changes coming to El Camino Real

by paloaltomattersSeptember 12, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Daily Post – Opinion by Editor, Dave Price / September 12, 2017

In Palo Alto, 2018 will be the year of El Camino Real.

City Councilwoman Lydia Kou recently rattled off a list of 11 projects that are in the works for the King’s Highway.

Most of these projects would result in more housing stacked up against the street, 50 feet tall (the city’s height limit). If Palo Alto isn’t careful, El Camino will become a canyon with a street on the bottom and 50-foot walls on either side.

For College Terrace Market, a shaky start

by paloaltomattersAugust 11, 2017December 19, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by Sue Dremann / August 11, 2017

Mandated grocery store faces hurdles of competition, signage

College Terrace Market, the longed-for grocery store at 2100 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, finally opened on June 14, but the hoped-for crowds of customers have been slow to materialize.

Palo Alto’s brick-and-mortar retailers face steep challenges

by paloaltomattersJuly 27, 2017September 25, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Weekly – by Sue Dremann / July 27, 2017

Downtown Palo Alto stores are struggling with high costs, difficulties in finding employees who will work for minimum or low wage and a parking shortage, among other problems, a panel of business owners said Wednesday morning during a discussion on the future of retail….

Retailers want more parking

by paloaltomattersJuly 27, 2017September 25, 2017Leave a comment

Palo Alto Daily Post – by Matt Niksa / July 27, 2017

A shortage of parking is hurting retailers and restaurants in downtown Palo Alto and in the California Avenue district, not only because it reduces the number of customers but it is also making it hard to keep workers, panelists said at a discussion on local retail issues yesterday.

Local business rents

by paloaltomattersJanuary 29, 2017August 28, 2017Leave a comment

I own a fitness club that has been in business for 14 years that was doing fine until our rent was raised 30 percent last year. The landlord wanted to raise it 50 percent and we spent four months negotiating it down. He told us he was “doing us a favor.”

I have seen many small businesses disappear over the last few years because they simply cannot survive in this environment. The entire character of our downtown is changing and it will continue to do so unless something like rent control can happen.

– resident and Downtown business owner

Notable Upcoming Action

Click here for full calendar

January 13, 2020

Weed Abatement: Council will hold a public hearing on objections to weed abatement and vote to adopt a resolution ordering the abatement of weed nuisances in the city. Beginning at 6:35 pm (City Hall). Click here for staff report.

State ADU Requirements: City Council will vote to adopt an interim urgency ordinance to implement state legislation effective January 2020. Beginning at 6:50 pm (City Hall). Click here for staff report.

New Priority Development Area and Priority Conservation Areas: City Council will vote to adopt resolutions designating a new PDA in Downtown/University Avenue and new PCAs in Baylands and Foothills Park. Council will also consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation to expand the PDA to all parcels adjacent to El Camino Real. Beginning at 8:00 pm (City Hall). Click here for staff report.

Overnight Safe Parking Pilot for Vehicle Dwellers: City Council will vote to adopt an interim ordinance to temporarily allow overnight safe parking as an ancillary use to churches and religious institutions and establishing temporary regulations related to safe parking. Beginning at 9:00 pm (City Hall). Click here for staff report.

January 16, 2020

788 San Antonio Avenue: The Architectural Review Board will provide input on a design plan to replace a 12,000 square foot commercial building that currently includes the popular Studio Kicks martial arts studio, with a four-story mixed use building with limited underground parking. The proposed project includes 102 residential units and 1,780 square feet of commercial space. Sixteen of the units would be Below Market Rate. A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the project is expected in late February. Meeting begins at 8:30 am (City Hall). Click here for staff report.

January 21, 2020 – Tentative

City Council is tentatively scheduled to hear an update on grade separations and discuss the Housing Workplan.

January 27, 2020 – Tentative

Council is tentatively scheduled to discuss the preferred alternative for improvements to the San Antonio Road and East Charleston Road Intersection, consider polling results and public outreach regarding a possible 2020 tax measure.