2026-09-28 - Planning Commission

00:01Good evening

00:03and welcome to the September 28th, 2026

00:06meeting of the Menlo Park Planning

00:08Commission. I am Chair Ross Silverstein

00:10and I thank you for joining us this

00:11evening. Established by state law, our

00:14city's planning commission is composed

00:15of seven volunteer residents of Menllo

00:17Park appointed to four-year terms by the

00:19city council. According to state law,

00:21the planning commission shall do all of

00:22the following. Prepare, periodically

00:24review, and revise as necessary the

00:26general plan. Implement the general plan

00:28through actions including but not

00:29limited to the administration of

00:30specific plans and zoning and

00:32subdivision ordinances. Annually review

00:34the capital improvement program of the

00:35city or county and the local public

00:37works projects of other local agencies

00:38for the consistency with the general

00:40plan. Endeavor to promote public

00:42interest in, comment on and

00:43understanding of the general plan and

00:44regulations relating to it. Consult and

00:47advise with public officials and

00:48agencies, public utility companies,

00:50civic, educational professional and

00:51other organizations and citizens. Oh,

00:55generally concerning the implementation

00:56of the general plan, promote the

00:58coordination of local plans

01:01and programs with plans and programs of

01:03other public agencies, perform other

01:05functions as the legis legislative body

01:08provides, including conducting studies

01:10and preparing other uh plans other than

01:12those required and or authorized by this

01:13title. In addition, the commission

01:15reviews development proposals requiring

01:17a use permit architectural control of

01:19variance minor subdivision as well as

01:21the environmental reviews associated

01:23with those projects. When applicable,

01:25the planning commission reviews below

01:26market rate housing agreements

01:28associated with these applications. The

01:30commission is the final decision-making

01:31body for these applications unless

01:33appealed to the city council. The

01:35commission also serves as the

01:36recommending body to the city council

01:38for major subdivisions, resoning,

01:39conditional development permits, zoning

01:41ordinance amendments, general plan

01:43amendments, and environmental reviews

01:44associated with those projects.

01:48We encourage your active participation,

01:49whether you're an applicant or

01:50interested member of the public, and

01:52there will be an opportunity to speak

01:53publicly for each specific agenda item

01:55as well as for general public comment.

01:58With that, I will call the role. Vice

02:00Chair Baruzi

02:04>> present. Commissioner Eric

02:06>> present.

02:07>> Commissioner Farerk

02:08>> here.

02:09>> Commissioner Hedley

02:10>> here.

02:10>> Commissioner Schindler

02:11>> here.

02:12>> Commissioner Sllin

02:13>> present.

02:14>> And I am present. So we have seven

02:16commissioners in chambers which is a

02:18quorum.

02:19Next item on our agenda is reports and

02:22announcements. Miss Sanmire, are there

02:24any staff reports or announcements this

02:26evening?

02:27>> Uh yes. Good evening, Chair Silverstein

02:29and commissioners.

02:31At its meeting tomorrow night, the city

02:33council will hold a study session to

02:35receive a presentation and update on the

02:38financial review of the downtown

02:40development proposals for parking plazas

02:42one, two, and three. And that concludes

02:45my updates. Thank you.

02:48>> Many commissioners have either questions

02:50for staff or reports or announcements of

02:52their own.

02:58Seeing none, we can move to item D,

03:01public comment. Um, under public

03:04comment, the public may address the

03:05commission on any subject not listed on

03:07the agenda. Each speaker may address the

03:09commission once under public comment for

03:10a limit of three minutes. You're not

03:12required to provide your name or city of

03:14residence, but it is helpful. The

03:15commission cannot act on items not

03:17listed on the agenda, and therefore, the

03:19commission cannot respond to non-aggenda

03:21issues brought up under public comment

03:22other than to provide general

03:24information. Please know that if you're

03:26here tonight to comment on one of our

03:28agenda items, you will have a chance to

03:29speak when we get to that item on the

03:31agenda. To learn how to participate, I'm

03:33going to turn it to our clerk this

03:34evening, Miss Roy, and then begin our

03:36public comment period.

03:39>> Thank you, Chair Silverstein, planning

03:41commissioners, and members of public. At

03:43this time, if any member of the public

03:46in the Bell Havl Community Campus wishes

03:49to provide a public comment on item D,

03:51please provide me a comment card from

03:53the table left side. Um, if you are

03:57joining via Zoom, please click on the

04:00raised hand button or if you are calling

04:02by phone, please press star 9 on your

04:04keypad and we'll be notified of your

04:06desire to speak.

04:09Please note that this will be the final

04:11call for um public comment on item D.

04:19I'm not seeing any uh comments. So um

04:24Vice Chair Silverstein, you may continue

04:25with the meeting.

04:29>> Thank you. We will now move to item E,

04:32the consent calendar. Um, tonight

04:34there's one item on the consent calendar

04:36which is the approval of minutes from

04:37the September 14th planning commission

04:39meeting. Miss Roy, can you please open

04:42public comment for item E.

04:46>> Thank you. Once again, Chair

04:48Silverstein, at this time we are um

04:51opening public comment period for uh

04:53item E. And if you wish to provide a

04:56public comment on uh this item, please

04:59provide me a comment card from the left

05:01side table. If you're joining via Zoom,

05:04please click on the raised hand button.

05:06If you're calling in, press N on your

05:08keypad and we'll be notified of your

05:10decide to speak.

05:13Please note that this is the final call

05:16for the public comment on item E.

05:23I'm not seeing any hand raised or

05:26commenters. So, chair, you may continue.

05:30>> Thank you. Do any commissioners wish to

05:31pull um item E1 from the consent

05:34calendar?

05:37None. I will take a show of hands vote

05:39to approve the consent calendar.

05:43Passes unanimously.

05:46Uh we will now move to item F1 um

05:51regarding a public hearing uh or which

05:53is public hearing regarding 411 Chester

05:56Street. Um, at this public hearing, the

05:58commission may consider and adopt a

06:00resolution to approve a use permit to

06:02demolish a single existing uh an

06:04existing singlestory single family

06:06residence in detached carport and

06:08construct a new two-story single family

06:10residence on a substandard lot with

06:11regard to lot width and area in the R1U

06:14zoning district and determine this

06:17action is categorically exempt under SQA

06:19guidelines section 15303's class 3

06:22exemption for new construction or

06:24conversion of small structures. The

06:26project includes an attached ADU which

06:28is a permitted use and not subject to

06:30discretionary review.

06:33Toy does staff have any updates or

06:36presentations regarding this project?

06:38>> Um thanks Chair Silverstein. Um one

06:41small update um is that there's an error

06:44in the data table. The height of the

06:47proposed structure is 26.3 feet um

06:51rather than 25.8 ft. Um, otherwise the I

06:56believe there are representatives from

06:58the applicant team both online and in

07:00person today. Um, and they have a

07:03presentation with a slide deck.

07:07>> Thank you. Let's pull that up.

07:33Good evening everyone. Uh this is Shu.

07:35I'm the designer and the engineer for

07:37record for this um project 411 trust

07:40street and this is the owner. Um so we

07:42are trying to construct a um twotory new

07:45single family by demolishing all the

07:48existing structural. So um we already um

07:52being reviewed by planning department

07:54several runs and all current like design

07:56complying with the current zoning code.

07:59Um the reason we need a condition use is

08:02because our um the width of the lot is

08:04like less than the standard requirement

08:07and

08:09>> I I don't if you're speaking um it makes

08:12it hard to hear the presenters. Could

08:14you either can you please keep it down?

08:16Thank you.

08:21didn't mean to interrupt.

08:22>> Okay. Thank you so much. Um so um the

08:25owner and my team like we hear some like

08:28feedback from the neighbor. So the

08:30original design u we have like much

08:32larger like opening and then we have

08:34like non like barrier on the side of the

08:37balcony. So after like communicate with

08:40the neighbor several times, we update

08:42the design and then we reduce the size

08:44of the the window and then we left we

08:47decrease the uh percentage of the

08:49opening to provide more privacy of the

08:51the neighborhood from the the rear side

08:54and then we also provide some like uh

08:57materialist for to to make the city

09:00looks nicer you know like more

09:01contemporary design. So um I think then

09:06we we get some like good result from the

09:08neighbor. So that that's the what what

09:10you saw right now is the current latest

09:12one um after we negotiate the neighbor.

09:15So um if you have any question feel free

09:17to ask us and the honest here too. Thank

09:20you so much.

09:22>> Thank you. Do any commissioners have any

09:24clarifying questions for either the

09:26applicant or staff?

09:32I had one clarifying question just to

09:35confirm. Um, can staff confirm that if

09:38this exact same house and project were

09:42not on a substandard lot, then it would

09:45not need to come before the planning

09:46commission. There's not there's nothing

09:49in addition to the fact that it's

09:50substandard that brings it before us

09:51today.

09:53>> That's correct. The trigger is the

09:55substandard law.

10:00Thank you. Seeing no more clarifying

10:02questions, can we please open public

10:04comment for item F1?

10:07>> Thank you, uh, Chair Silverstein. Once

10:09again, at this time, if any member of

10:12the public in the Bell Heaven Community

10:14Campus wishes to provide a public

10:16comment on item F1, please provide me a

10:20comment card from the left side table.

10:22If you are joining via Zoom, please

10:24click on the raised hand button. If you

10:27are calling in, please press star 9 on

10:29your keypad and we'll be notified of

10:31your speaking.

10:35Please note that this will be the final

10:37call for the public comment on item F1.

10:44I'm not seeing any hand raised or

10:46comment cards at this moment. So chair,

10:48if you if you like, you can continue.

10:52>> Great. will close public comment and

10:54move us to commission discussion. Do any

10:57commissioners have anything they'd like

10:59to

11:01commissioner?

11:02>> Thank you. Um

11:06I generally think that this project is

11:10um I I don't see any issues with it and

11:13like we just heard it's only here

11:15because of the lot size.

11:18Since it is before us, I just had one

11:20question.

11:22I think for staff, which is um I know

11:25that the application says that

11:28the ADU is meant to be used by an

11:32elderly member of the household and it's

11:34not being intended to you to be used as

11:36like a a rental unit, which I don't have

11:39a problem with and I know we can't make

11:41any modifications to the ADU. That being

11:43said,

11:44based on discussions we've had here in

11:46the past, I do think it would be nice to

11:48leave open that

11:50opportunity for it to be used as an

11:53independent unit in the future. And I

11:55noticed that in the 3D views,

11:58um, the entrance to the ADU, the

12:02separate entrance is fenced off from the

12:05front part of the property. And I'm just

12:07wondering if that's even something

12:09within our purview to comment on um

12:15tonight

12:17before I go any further.

12:21>> Uh sorry, I just want to make sure I

12:22understand the question is about the

12:24fenced off

12:26um part before the entrance.

12:28>> Yeah, like um well, in the renderings

12:32it's a fence. I don't know if it's

12:33actually a a gate there. Um, I'm looking

12:37at the 3D views on page A19

12:41where it shows the 3D rendering of the

12:44house from like four different angles.

12:48Um, yeah. So, as long as um there's the

12:52exterior door and somebody could get to

12:56that door, um that's what our that's the

12:59only thing our code requires. Um, and

13:04because it's a nondiscretionary item,

13:06that's pretty much the extent of um,

13:09what we would review for at the building

13:12permit stage.

13:13>> Got it. Okay. Um, it sounds like if I

13:19wanted to, for example,

13:21propose that that fence is a gate

13:25instead of a solid fence, that would

13:27like intrude on the non-discretionary

13:29nature of the ADU permit. Is that right?

13:43I'm honestly not sure, but I think it it

13:47could be on the border of of that.

13:52Okay. Well, I'm open to hearing what

13:54other commissioners think about that.

13:56But yeah, other than that, I appreciate

13:57the

13:59project. I appreciate that the applicant

14:01provided um

14:04uh correspondence that was sent to the

14:06neighbors and the um replies and all

14:10that. It looks like community outreach

14:12was definitely done and like we heard

14:14earlier there were even changes made in

14:16response to that. So I appreciate that

14:18being done in advance.

14:22Can I pull on those strings a little bit

14:24more? First, I just want to ask the

14:25applicant whether or not that intends to

14:29be a fence or a gate to allow for

14:33exterior entry into the ADU portion of

14:37the residence.

14:50>> Thank you for the opportunity to

14:52respond. So, uh, we can have a gate for

14:55separate entrance for the ADU. So, we

14:57put the entrance on the side of the, uh,

15:00the house. Yeah.

15:01>> Great. Yeah, because I think it does

15:03need to be accessible to whatever that

15:05definition means.

15:06>> Thank you. Okay. Thank you.

15:08>> Okay. In that case, my concern is

15:12uh not necessary. Thank you.

15:15Commissioner Freick, did you have

15:16something?

15:17It was duplicative to Commissioner Sllin

15:19in terms of um you know so if everyone's

15:22ready I'm happy to make a motion.

15:25>> I think Commissioner Headley had her

15:26hand up.

15:27>> All right.

15:29>> Um thank you. Yeah. I was curious about

15:31the the plans for how you would be

15:33powering the home's appliances if you

15:36were going to go all electric or if some

15:38of the appliances were going to be gas.

15:47But the energy consuming consideration.

15:50So we I think we prefer the stove to be

15:53gas but all the others will try to uh

15:55use the electrical. It depends on the

15:57title 24 calculation when the building

16:00review. So we'll try our best if we need

16:02a solar panel to reduce the uh emission

16:05but we will definitely do that. Yeah.

16:08Thank you.

16:08>> Thank you for that. I guess I just want

16:10to um use this opportunity to educate

16:13the public about like I know a lot of

16:15people have an attachment to their gas

16:17stoves, but the induction cooktops are

16:19so much better for um indoor air quality

16:22in particular. So just encourage you all

16:24to think about that option as you um

16:26proceed. It was the last thing I did

16:27when I electrified my home and I wished

16:30it was the first because my life is so

16:32much better with the induction cooktop.

16:34Thank you.

16:40Commissioner Fareric.

16:42>> Chair, I'd like to make a motion to

16:44approve the use permit for the property

16:46at is it 411 Chester? Okay, 411 Chester.

16:52>> We have a second.

16:53>> I'll second.

16:54>> With a motion and a second, seeing no

16:57further commission discussion, I'm happy

17:01to take a vote.

17:05Vice Chair Bruzzy. Yes,

17:08>> Commissioner Eric.

17:09>> Yes, Commissioner Farerk.

17:11>> Yes,

17:12>> Commissioner Hedley.

17:13>> Yes,

17:13>> Commissioner Schindler.

17:15>> Yes,

17:15>> Commissioner Sllin.

17:16>> Yes.

17:17>> I vote yes. So, the use permit passes

17:21unanimously.

17:24Great. We can move to item F2

17:28um on the agenda regarding

17:34um

17:36a uh this is a

17:40um use permit at 253 Yale Road. At this

17:43public hearing, the commission may

17:45consider and adopt a resolution to

17:46approve a use permit to demolish an

17:48existing singlestory single family

17:50residence and attached garage with two

17:52and construct a new two-story single

17:54family residence on a substandard lot

17:56with regard to lot width in the R1U

17:58zoning district and determine this

17:59action is categorically exempt under SQA

18:01guidelines section 15303's class 3

18:04exemption for new construction or

18:05conversion of small structures. Um, the

18:08project includes an attached EDU which

18:10is a permitted use and not subject to

18:12discretionary review. Sure, it sounds

18:14familiar. Um, Mr. Toy, as the staff

18:17lead, are there any updates on this

18:19project?

18:20>> Um, there are no updates on the project.

18:22Um, the applicant team is here in person

18:25and has a presentation with slides.

18:27Perfect. Let's pull that up.

18:38Hi, my name is Bob's

18:42presentation. So I would like to just uh

18:46first uh cover page as an elevation

18:49perspective which we

18:51the

18:53street view of the house and for

18:58commission if they have any questions

19:00then we go slide or if we need to. So

19:05basically

19:07there are some questions then we can go

19:09refer to the slides the next slides

19:12other than that so just only answer the

19:16questions.

19:18>> Thank you. Do any commissioners have any

19:21clarifying questions for the applicant

19:23or staff? Commissioner Headley

19:26>> have the same question that I had the um

19:28previous applicant about the powering of

19:30appliances.

19:31>> Yeah. So we have a obviously uh solar uh

19:36system is going to be

19:39every project that we normally build and

19:42uh so we we're going to have the options

19:45optional. So we ran the gas line to the

19:48cooktop while we uh can think about

19:52induction system as well. Yeah. So

19:55previously we have been doing uh

19:58designing some induction options for the

20:00homeowners and they like it. So we are

20:02keep using

20:06convenient.

20:12No further clarifying questions.

20:15Right. Can we please open public

20:17comment?

20:21>> Thank you chair. Once again, at this

20:23time, if any member of the public in the

20:26Bell Heaven Community Campus wishes to

20:28provide a public comment on item F2,

20:31please provide me a comment card from

20:32the left table. If you're joining via

20:35Zoom, please click on the raised hand

20:37button. And if you're calling in, press

20:40star 9 on your keypad and we'll be

20:42notified of your speaking.

20:45At this moment, I have one comment card

20:48with me, so we can move to that. Um, Mr.

20:52Hook McDonald,

20:55um, you can move to the podium and I

20:57will set up your three minute timer.

20:59Please allow me some time to set up the

21:01timer and then you you can begin to

21:04speak. Thank you.

21:05>> I'm at 300 Yale down the street from

21:10Mave's house. And so it's I'm next to a

21:15construction right next to me at 308.

21:20And uh I got to see this ADU put in

21:24which is just about as large as my

21:26house. Uh it's an 800 square feet. I'm a

21:30900 square foot living space and I got

21:33to see it in person happening and the

21:35idea of it being rented out is such a

21:38good idea for students and so forth. But

21:41then somebody told me that it was just

21:43listed on

21:45website uh for 8,500

21:50thousand and I said, "Whoa, what kind of

21:53students going to be able to afford to

21:54live there?" And and it was unclear, but

21:59it seemed like the ADU connects with the

22:01main house. Is that a permitted use that

22:04the ADU connects? I didn't know because

22:07it has a separate door and so forth. Um,

22:11so this just a comment. I know it's

22:14beyond reproach. It sounds like

22:16politicians don't decide on hard topics.

22:20[clears throat]

22:21Uh the 4 foot versus 5 foot um

22:27distance. I was worried about it being

22:29closer to my house, the ADU, because of

22:32fire. And they said there's going to be

22:34a sprinkler. Is that a normal thing

22:35nowadays that houses have to have

22:37sprinkler system? I didn't see the

22:40infrastructure pipes to do that. So, I

22:42was

22:44asking that and also the patio uh in the

22:48flora area space. There's no garden in

22:51the back anymore and hardly just a

22:53little teeny thing. And there's a huge

22:56patio that isn't a fryable one that lets

22:58water through. Is that a permitted use?

23:05know how that works, but it seems like

23:07it's where the trees that are around

23:08there, which I regard as proper stuff to

23:12have in our neighborhood. Uh where they

23:15can get the water anymore because it's

23:17really really good cement. Really

23:21powerful. But I don't see how the I

23:24don't if they especially if they filter

23:26the water off into the sewage, it's like

23:29where the plants get their food.

23:33Uh so that's a cons concern [snorts] I I

23:35had and it relates to M's house because

23:38the same thing I would ask that question

23:40to try to make some comment but right

23:43now it's for your benefit of having a

23:45person next door who sees and then so

23:49the garden space and the where the cars

23:51go it's

23:53you know if the cars go in the front the

23:55extra car for the ADU

23:58there's I don't know one car versus two

24:01cars where do they Oh, and do they pave

24:03those over and there's even less space

24:05for the water to go

24:08u and 4 foot versus 5 foot. I guess

24:11that's beyond reproach. You can't that's

24:13what the ID is allowed to do by state

24:17order or something like that or is that

24:21I asked an answer for that why that's

24:24happening and or maybe you could point

24:26me to where I could find out because

24:29it's really a lot closer. I mean, I look

24:31out and now there's less sun and so

24:34forth and uh uh it's would be nice to

24:38have it more sun like that. I like the

24:42idea of an ADU. I'm not against it. And

24:44the house is built really strong and

24:46nicely, but uh these questions

24:49>> try to wrap up public comment, please.

24:51>> Okay, I'm done.

24:57>> Are there any further public comments,

24:58Miss Ray? Uh, no. I'm not staying seeing

25:01any hands raised or comment cards. So,

25:03we can close the public comment and go

25:05ahead.

25:05>> Great. We'll move to commission

25:07discussion starting with vice chair.

25:10>> Yeah, I just wanted to respond to a

25:11couple of the items in that public

25:13comment and get staff to maybe make some

25:15clarifying comments. Um, staff, uh, what

25:18I heard was concerns about um,

25:21permeability of like landscaping

25:23permeability and I believe the city has

25:25certain standards about that that you

25:26might be able to speak to. Um and then

25:29if you could maybe also speak to the

25:30setbacks.

25:33>> Um yes, thanks um Commissioner Buzzi. Um

25:37or vice chair I think. Um the uh so the

25:42permeability and um like grading and

25:45drainage are all reviewed through our

25:47engineering team during the planning

25:49permit process as well as the building

25:51permit process for all um new structures

25:55and residential addition or and

25:57additions of 500 square ft or greater.

26:00Um we do also have a water efficient

26:02landscaping ordinance but all of those

26:04items are under the um public works

26:07engineering land development purview. Um

26:10so I don't have a lot of more detail

26:12than that but it is reviewed by that um

26:15division um through the course of the

26:18planning permit and the building permit.

26:20Um the setback the 4oot side and rear

26:23setback is a a state law um that the

26:27city has no control about. So, um,

26:31basically, uh, ADUs have a 4ft side and

26:36rear setback, um, per state law.

26:41>> Thank you. I just wanted to follow up

26:43with one more comment, and this was

26:44about the parking. Um, Milow Park

26:47somewhat uniquely in our area has an an

26:49overnight parking prohibition on the

26:51street and that does tend to induce

26:55residents to either build sufficient

26:57parking on site or have fewer vehicles

26:59that regularly visit them. So, while

27:02it's true that there might be somebody

27:03parking on the street when they're

27:04visiting, they probably won't have

27:06residents who are regularly leaving cars

27:08on the street. Uh, certainly not

27:10overnight. I don't know if that makes

27:12you feel any better, but that's

27:17Okay, thanks.

27:23>> There any other commissioner comments?

27:27I I have one for staff. Um and I I kind

27:31of alluded to it on the on the last um

27:34item F1. I want to talk a little bit or

27:36want to ask staff on a followup um

27:38regarding substandard lots. I know that

27:42we previously had a study session which

27:44included the topic of substandard lots

27:47and um I don't want to get too off topic

27:51for this conversation um but I was

27:55wondering if there is a world in which

28:01we would be allowed to visit

28:05the concept of

28:08allowing substandard lots to go through

28:10ministerial material review as opposed

28:11to a planning commission use permit.

28:21>> Thank you for that question. Um

28:24certainly we had the study session and

28:27um we appreciate the feedback received

28:29from planning commission and public

28:31speakers.

28:32Uh obviously that would be a change to

28:34our zoning ordinance and so that would

28:36be up to the city council to decide.

28:43Um, is it appropriate for me to ask a

28:46follow-up question now or would it be

28:47better duringformational items about

28:50this topic in terms of following up?

28:54>> Um, yeah, maybe duringformational items.

28:58>> I'll put a pin in that.

29:02>> Commissioner Far.

29:03>> Thanks. Um, I just wanted to make a few

29:05comments on the project. I thought it

29:07was thoughtfully designed. I noticed the

29:09second floor window lower heights were

29:12all three feet um and that the stairway

29:15window was obscured glass um in the

29:18design. So appreciate that nod to your

29:20neighbor privacy. Um it's nice to hear

29:23about the sustainability features too

29:24and um one of the things I always look

29:27for is that the proposed project is in

29:31conformance with setbacks and it is. So,

29:35um, just wanted to, you know, make those

29:37comments and if when my fellow

29:40commissioners are ready, I'm happy to

29:41make a motion or you can.

29:46>> We're all happy for a motion.

29:49>> I move we approve this project as per

29:51the staff report.

29:54>> I'll second

29:57with a motion and a second. And seeing

29:59no further commission discussion, I will

30:01call the vote. Vice Chair Brewie,

30:04>> yes.

30:05>> Commissioner Eric,

30:06>> yes.

30:07>> Commissioner Far,

30:08>> yes.

30:09>> Commissioner Hedley,

30:10>> yes.

30:10>> Commissioner Schindler,

30:11>> yes.

30:12>> Commissioner Sllin,

30:13>> yes.

30:14>> I [snorts] vote yes. Motion passes

30:16unanimously.

30:19Um, this now brings us to item

30:22G,formational items. Miss San Meyer,

30:25does staff have anyformational items

30:27they'd like to discuss?

30:31>> Yes. So, the next meeting um will be one

30:34week from now, October 5th. We have uh

30:38one item on that agenda. It's for single

30:41family home use permit.

30:45That concludes my updates. Thank you,

30:48>> Commissioner Farick.

30:50>> I just wanted to note that I have work

30:52travel over the October 19th meeting, so

30:56I will plan to be absent on the 19th. I

30:58will be here next week.

31:03And I mentioned this last meeting, but I

31:05will not be present for the next um

31:08planning commission meeting on October

31:095th.

31:12Love you last time.

31:16Commissioner Eric,

31:18um I had a question and sorry I uh

31:22realize we have had a session on this

31:24but I forget. is um use or is anything

31:28related to this facility part of regular

31:31development reviews that the planning

31:34commission does as part of the meta

31:37u like annual development review

31:43>> and no this wouldn't be part of the meta

31:45DA reviews

31:47>> okay thank you

31:52vice chair

31:54>> can I as part of thisformational items

31:57session. Um when will council be

32:00discussing um the topic that uh

32:06brought up about uh substandard lots and

32:10discretionary versus ministerial review.

32:14>> I don't have specific information at

32:16this point um but I will update the

32:19commission once we know.

32:20>> Okay. Thanks.

32:22My followup on that is during our

32:24previous study session, we discussed the

32:28concept of SP9 and lot splits and

32:34substandard lots in the same

32:36conversation.

32:37Does staff consider those topics to be

32:41intrinsically linked or is there the

32:45opportunity to

32:48extract the concept of substandard lots

32:51in order to be able to push that in

32:54front of the city council uh independent

32:57of any follow-ups regarding the other

33:00topics?

33:02>> Yeah, I think they're they're separate

33:04topics. Um but of course it's up to the

33:07city council um

33:11what what the agenda is

33:13>> and is there

33:15is the path forward on those topics go

33:19through the planning commission again or

33:22is the nature of our study session and

33:26advisory role on the topics of SP9 and

33:30substandard lots um and lot splits

33:34considered complete.

33:36I think um if there are specific zoning

33:39ordinance updates, we that likely would

33:41be brought to planning commission.

33:45>> So if there was a zoning ordinance

33:46update that would allow for substandard

33:49laws to go through ministerial review

33:50that would come before the planning

33:51commission before it was seen before by

33:53city council.

33:54>> I think likely I can't say for 100%. Um,

33:58and I do want to note substandards lots

34:01in the majority of the single family

34:03zones can be developed without a use

34:06permit if it's a one-story development.

34:08>> Are the majority of permits issued

34:11one-story developments?

34:14>> I I know there's a lot of building

34:15permits. I don't have that specific

34:17information.

34:19>> Um, okay. I I guess my my the last thing

34:22I'll say on on this topic is I uh would

34:27love to

34:29not have

34:31potentially the complicated nature of

34:34SB9

34:35development and potential zoning

34:39ordinance amendments related to that

34:42hold up any movement on the concept of

34:45substandard lots. And I know we talked

34:46about them at the same time. Um, but if

34:48there is a reason why staff might be

34:51holding off on one in order for the

34:53other to catch up, uh, then my personal

34:56preference is to, uh, have us push

35:00forward the changes as they're ready.

35:03Um, and it's my opinion that that

35:07specific

35:09amendment, which would allow for

35:12substandard laws to go through

35:13ministerial as opposed to discretionary

35:14review, is relatively straightforward

35:16and would love to see that as soon as we

35:18can.

35:20>> Yeah, thank you. I do want to note this

35:22isn't on the agenda, so we probably

35:24shouldn't spend too much time talking

35:27about these potential code amendments.

35:30Um, but I understand the interest. Thank

35:32you.

35:32>> Sure. Um, yes. I I think we should keep

35:34it on the subject of items that we might

35:38hear in the future, not necessarily our

35:40opinions on set items. Apologies,

35:42Commissioner Eric.

35:44Um, yeah, I just want to address I think

35:46the comment that Miss Sandmeer made

35:48about one story homes. First, I'd like

35:51to say that study session happened I

35:53think more than three months ago. It was

35:55supposed to happen five months ago. And

35:58I understand that staff is busy and I am

36:00not here to criticize

36:02But I do want to note that it's been

36:04several months and I hope that staff

36:05gets to it quickly. Also, since Miss

36:08Sandmeer mentioned the fact that one

36:09story houses can be developed, I just

36:11want to say I do not think that is a

36:13good reason not to pursue this or to dep

36:15prioritize it. And I disagree with what

36:18was I think implied that because you can

36:21develop a one-story home, it's fine. uh

36:25many people in Menlo Park develop two

36:27story homes and so uh I think we should

36:31prioritize it on that basis uh

36:33especially because uh many lots in my

36:36neighborhood are small and people

36:37develop two-story homes that their

36:39family can live there. Thank you

36:44>> through the chair. I just wanted to

36:45clarify what I was saying. I didn't mean

36:47that it's

36:50the one story versus two story was just

36:52kind of a clarification because it

36:54sounded like maybe there was a

36:56misunderstanding that development

36:57required a use permit on a substandard

36:59lot. So it's just a clarification about

37:01the code.

37:05Do any other commissioners have

37:07anyformational items?

37:11With that, we can uh adjourn the meeting

37:14at 7:38