The Barron Park Association

Jun 072013
 

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

 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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.”

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