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February 29, 2024, 07:00 PM
The City of Menlo Park, as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the following application:
Use Permit, Architectural Control, Major Subdivision, Below Market Rate (BMR) Housing Agreements, and Environmental Review/The Sobrato Organization/119, 123-125, and 127 Independence Drive, 130 Constitution Drive, and 1205 Chrysler Drive:
The applicant, proposes to demolish the five existing office and industrial buildings totaling approximately 103,000 square feet and would redevelop the project site with:
- A new multi-family residential apartment building with 316 units (48 BMR units);
- An approximately 2,000 square foot commercial space on the ground floor of the residential apartment building;
- 116 for-sale townhome condominium units in 22 buildings, including 18 BMR townhome units; and
- A total of approximately 475,171 square feet of residential gross floor area, with a total floor area ratio of 134 percent.
The project site is located in the R-MU-B (Residential Mixed Use-Bonus) zoning district. The proposal includes a request for an increase in floor are ratio (FAR), height, and density under the bonus level development allowance in exchange for community amenities. The proposed project includes 48 rental apartment units and 18 for-sale townhome units (15 percent of the total units) affordable to low-income households pursuant to the City’s BMR Housing Program and Guidelines. In addition, the applicant is proposing to provide eight additional rental BMR units affordable to low-income households as the community amenity in exchange for bonus level development, which would result in a total of 74 BMR units (56 rental units and 18 for-sale townhome units). The applicant is requesting concessions and waivers pursuant to the State Density Bonus Law to allow for the development of for-sale affordable housing units as proposed. Additionally, pursuant to Section 13 of the City’s BMR Housing Guidelines, the applicant is requesting modifications to several guidelines. The proposal also includes a vesting tentative map for a major subdivision for parcel management and to create the 316 for-sale townhome units. The project also includes a use permit for storage and use of hazardous materials (diesel fuel) for an emergency back-up generator. The City Arborist conditionally approved the removal of 29 heritage trees. The Planning Commission is the final decision making body on the requested use permit and architectural control permit (including the requested concessions and waivers), and the certification of the EIR. The Planning Commission is a recommending body to the City Council on the major subdivision and BMR agreements.
Previously, a Draft EIR was released on Monday, November 28, 2022, with the public comment period ending on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. A Notice of Preparation (NOP) was released on September 10, 2021, and included a public review period from September 21, 2021 through October 11, 2021, to solicit comments on the scope and content of the Draft EIR. In accordance with CEQA, the certified program-level ConnectMenlo EIR served as the first-tier environmental analysis. Further, this EIR was prepared in compliance with the terms of the Settlement Agreement between the City of East Palo Alto and the City of Menlo Park. The Final EIR includes responses to all substantive comments received on the Draft EIR including any analysis on project changes that might have occurred following the circulation of the Draft EIR. The project location does not contain a toxic site pursuant to Section 6596.2 of the Government Code.
The Final EIR(PDF, 12MB) will be available on the City’s website at menlopark.gov/123independence, starting Friday, August 4, 2023. A hard copy will be available for review at the Main Library, 800 Alma Street, and the Belle Haven Branch Library, 413 Ivy Drive. Interested parties should inquire at the library information desk.
The 10-day comment period runs from Friday, August 4, 2023 through Monday, August 14, 2023. If you would like to submit written comments on the Final EIR, you are encouraged to do so before 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 14, 2023.
The Planning Commission will be conducted as a hybrid meeting, virtually via Zoom and in the City Council Chambers, 751 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025, on Monday, August 14, 2023, beginning at 7 p.m. or as near as possible thereafter, at which time and place interested person may appear and be thereon.
Written comments may be submitted to Contract Planner Payal Bhagat or mailed to:
Payal Bhagat
Community Development
701 Laurel St.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email correspondence is preferred.