Community Development Department

2020–21 Highlights

• Continued transition and implementation of Accela, the City's new permit tracking and land data management system, to increase functionality and better manage workflows while providing improved tools and transparency to the public.

• Conducted ongoing inspections of large construction projects such as Springline (formerly Station 1300), the Guild, and 500 El Camino Real.

• Issued occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy for several large projects in the Bayfront Area and El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan, including Menlo Gateway – Phase II, Facebook Campus Building 22, 650 Live Oak Avenue, 1125 Merrill Street, 1275 El Camino Real, 1285 El Camino Real, and 506-556 Santa Cruz Avenue.

• Received and processed over 3,000 building permits, which was an increase of approximately 40% from the previous fiscal year.

• City Council approved an increase in BMR funding to MidPen Housing's 1300 Willow Road project from $6.7 million to $9.331 million for the development of 140 units of affordable housing.

• Released Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for approximately $10 million in BMR housing funds to support the preservation or production of permanent affordable housing.

• Awarded $5.5 million in BMR housing funds for the purchase and preservation of a 14-unit apartment building restricted for low-income households.

• Continued to lead and support the Menlo Park Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), which consists of staff from the Housing Division, Police Department and community based organizations that provide homeless outreach and support services. City staff work closely with community based organizations and the San Mateo County Human Services Agency to coordinate and target outreach and referral services, with the goal of ending homelessness in Menlo Park.

• Concluded a public engagement and outreach process on the evaluation of short term rentals and recommended compliance and enforcement of the City’s existing municipal transit occupancy tax.

• Issued request for proposals, identified HouseKeys as the new vendor and successfully transitioned BMR housing administration significantly reducing costs while improving and expanding services to the City and the community.

• Finalized the inclusionary housing study (BAE), which evaluated a 2% increase to the existing inclusionary housing requirements and feasibility analysis of developments at various sizes and locations.

• Awarded a $160,000 SB2 grant to support projects that accelerate housing production, including tools to encourage the development of accessory dwelling units and a $150,000 Local Early Action Planning (LEAP) grant to assist with the preparation of the Housing Element for the RHNA 6 cycle.

• Continued processing of large projects within the El Camino Real/Downtown Specific Plan Area and the Bayfront Area, including pending projects that could add approximately 3,250 net new residential units, 880,000 square feet of net new office and life science uses, 230,000 sf of retail/commercial use and 350 new hotel rooms.

• Approved first bonus level development in the Bayfront Area, which includes four additional below market rate housing units and a café space as its community amenity.

• Initiated Housing Element Update project, including updates to the Housing and Safety Elements and preparation of an Environmental Justice Element to plan for approximately 3,000 housing units, address potential risks from environmental hazards, and help ensure that all people can enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and have equal access to the decision-making process.

• Initiated updates to the community amenities process in the Bayfront Area to better align with community interests.

• Created an interactive development projects map showing all pending and approved development projects, as well as projects under construction and those recently completed.

2021–22 Budget and Initiatives

The Community Development Department expects a high level of development interest primarily driven by the adoption of long range planning documents. To meet this increase in projects, the Building Division has requested 3 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions as well as service level increases in contracted services to meet demand. The majority of planning review, building permitting and inspection services are self-supporting through fees set to recover service costs.

Department goals and initiatives for fiscal year 2021-22 include:

• Implement SB 2 Grant to support projects that accelerate housing production, including tools to encourage the development of accessory dwelling units.

• Continue preparation of Housing Element Update project, including a broad and inclusive outreach and preparation of an Environmental Impact Report and Fiscal Impact Analysis, for adoption by December 2022.

• Coordinate and complete the building permit review for the Menlo Park Community Campus project.

• Review of large, complex residential, life science, office, and mixed-use development projects located within the Specific Plan and Bayfront Areas, including a 60-acre master plan (Willow Village), plus a 63-acre master plan of the SRI campus (Parkline).

• Pursue ongoing construction management, inspection and occupancy of major residential and mixed-use developments.

• Continue to augment Accela to enhance customer experience and employee efficiency.

• Respond to continued increase in anticipated building permit demand.

• Update the existing BMR Guidelines including modifications to the preferences, maximum household size, homebuyer program and other administrative articles.

• Administer BMR housing funds released as part of the 2020 NOFA to implement preservation and production of affordable housing.

• Continue to execute Climate Action Plan Strategy #1 to explore policy/program options to convert 95% of existing buildings to all-electric by 2030.

• Establish “gatekeeper” process for reviewing community amenities and establish a new community amenities list for bonus level development in the Bayfront Area.