On Monday, June 10th, starting at about 7:15 PM in Council Chambers, the City Council will hold its hearing on the Maybell-Clemo project- a proposal from the Palo Alto Housing Corporation for a Planned Community (PC) rezoning of the Maybell-Clemo site for 15 units of single family housing along the front of Maybell and Clemo and a 60 unit affordable senior housing building in the rear of the property.
Here are some final documents that you can download and may want to review- the City Manager’s Staff Report and two Traffic Study documents: the traffic study by the company hired by the Palo Alto Housing Corporation, and also an independent 3rd party review of that study commissioned by the Coalition for Safe and Sensible Rezoning.
1) The City Manager’s Staff Report and Maybell FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)- a shorter summary, prepared by the City Staff with Staff Response on 10 of the most common inquiries or issues.
The first part of the City Manager’s Staff Report is similar to the Staff Report presented at the Planning and Transportation Commision (PTC). The new parts are in the Discussion section [Community Concerns] and Other Issues, where the Staff has attempted to address some of the comments and issues that were raised by the community at the PTC meeting.
The Sections of the City Manager’s Staff Report are entitled:
Executive Summary
Background
Residential Units for Senior Citizens
Single Family Housing Units
Previous Hearings
Discussion
Key Planning and Transportation Issues
Impacts Identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration
Community Concerns:
Inappropriate Site for Senior Housing
Inappropriate Site for Increased Density
Traffic Safety on Maybell
Build Under Existing Zoning
Annex the Orchard to Expand Juana Briones Park
Other Issues
City Loans for Site Acquisition
Private Street Requirements
City Traffic Safety Efforts for Maybell Avenue
Planned Community Zone Findings
Policy Implications
Resource Impact
Environmental Review
Appendices
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2) Much of the opposition to the PAHC project centers around the recently increased amount of traffic along Maybell and on nearby streets – which was already an annoyance to residents in the area as well as posing a safety hazard to the large number of bicyclists and pedestrians on that road before and after school hours – that could be exacerbated by the PAHC proposal. The Coalition for Safe and Sensible Zoning commissioned Tom Brohard and Associates to conduct an independent 3rd party review of the Traffic Study commissioned by the Palo Alto Housing Corporation, performed by Hexagon Transportation Consultants, and submitted as part of their project- zone change proposal.
You can download both studies here:
Conclusion: “Without further study and/or modifications, the proposed project may have a significant effect on the traffic and circulation as well as pedestrian and bicycle safety.”
Conclusion: “Residents along Maybell Avenue are not expected to notice a change in traffic as a result of the proposed development.”