development stages, which will assist in moving the City towards its vision for the various activity centers.

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1 The urban design character of East Palo Alto is defined by its history as an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, the varied residential neighborhoods that were developed during that time, and its position in a larger, regional circulation network. The regional transportation network largely defines the boundaries of the residential neighborhoods, with University Avenue bisecting the City east/west and Highway 101 separating the Westside from the rest of the City. The intersection of these major thoroughfares has become the Gateway 101 Shopping Center that primarily serves regional clientele. University Avenue serves a dual purpose as a regional connection from Highway 101 to the Dumbarton Bridge and as the Main Street of East Palo Alto with City-serving retail and services located along it. This strong connection to the regional transportation network provides important entry points that are viewed as gateways into the East Palo Alto community. The residential structure of East Palo Alto is made up of individual neighborhoods, whose boundaries are generally defined by their development pattern. Some of the neighborhoods developed as distinct communities, while others developed incrementally over time. Many of these neighborhoods developed under County jurisdiction prior to the incorporation of the City in The variety of regulations under which neighborhoods developed contributed to their different character. The City has a number of neighborhood hubs, or activity centers, that are largely located along major streets or at gateways leading into the City. At many of these hubs, there are development projects in the planning and

2 development stages, which will assist in moving the City towards its vision for the various activity centers. Though the City is short of recreational parks and playgrounds, it has a unique relationship to the San Francisco Bay because of the Baylands and San Francisquito Creek, both of which give the City boundaries their unique natural features. The following section gives an overview of the Citywide urban design issues and character and describes the physical form and character of each of the City s distinctive neighborhoods. Entry and exits points in East Palo Alto are important character-defining features for the City. Most people enter East Palo Alto from Highway 101, which has on and off ramps that direct vehicles into the City via Donohoe Road in the Gateway 101 Shopping Center area, onto University Avenue, and into the University Circle, Willow, and Woodlands neighborhoods. University Avenue is one of the primary gateways into East Palo Alto. From the north, primarily from the Dumbarton Bridge, the entry to the City has little fanfare and official markings as if entering through the back door of the City. From the west, University Avenue provides access to the City across the San Francisquito Creek from Palo Alto. There are a number of secondary gateways, which are mostly used by local residents and those most familiar with East Palo Alto. Newbridge Road, which intersects with Willow Road, is the primary entrance from Menlo Park and a key gateway to the City with a hub of retail uses located at this intersection. West and East Bayshore Road are also gateways into the City. West Bayshore Road meets up with Embarcadero Road and provides access from Palo Alto. East Bayshore Road follows the Palo Alto Baylands Park and provides access to the Palo Alto North Bayshore employment area. Woodland Avenue, which follows the San Francisquito Creek, provides access to the City from the western side. Newell Road is the only other street that crosses the San Francisquito Creek into East Palo Alto. Gateway from Menlo Park at the intersection of Newell Street and Willow Road. Retail along University Avenue. Circulation is an important topic for residents of East Palo Alto. The circulation network helps to define neighborhood boundaries while also connecting the various neighborhoods together and residents to community hubs, shops and services. Streetscapes within East Palo Alto are also a character-defining feature of the community and its public realm. A long-standing issue for East Palo Alto is the level of traffic generated by vehicles travelling through East Palo Alto to access destinations outside of the City. East Palo Alto s proximity to Stanford University and Silicon Valley

3 companies to the southwest as well as direct connection to the Dumbarton Bridge in the north have resulted in many vehicles using the City as a through route. The thoroughfares that contribute to heavy traffic volumes, congestion and safety issues are University Avenue, Pulgas Avenue, Bay Road, Cooley Avenue, and Clarke Avenue during peak commuting hours. There may be opportunities to reduce this cut-through traffic and/or better leverage it to support local businesses. University Avenue is the main vehicular corridor through East Palo Alto and is a significant dividing element in the City. Crossing University Avenue is a challenge both for pedestrians and vehicles. Streets that cross University Avenue tend not to line up at intersections, creating crossings with a jog that reduce walkability and pedestrian safety. The lack of direct connections creates a distinct separation between the neighborhoods on either side of University Avenue along the entire length of the corridor, while giving greater importance to those few streets which do align. Runnymede Street and Donohoe Street on the east and Woodland Avenue on the west are the only streets south of Bay Road that cross University Avenue without a jog, providing direct access to both sides of the City. Highway 101 also acts as a barrier as it separates the Westside with the rest of the City and is difficult to cross, especially for pedestrians. On and off ramps to Highway 101 are located on University Avenue near the Gateway 101 Shopping Center and on Willow Road at the edge of the City. Pulgas Avenue, Cooley Avenue, and Clarke Avenue run north-south and are secondary connections that are utilized as local routes to cross the City. Clarke Avenue turns into Illinois Street crossing Bay Road and is the only street other than University Avenue that provides a direct connection across the entire City. The Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan that includes the area around the Bay and University Avenue intersection (4 Corners), envisions that Demeter Street will eventually be extended to connect to Illinois Street. When complete, this new street will provide an additional access to the Ravenswood community and help alleviate traffic on University Avenue and Bay Road. The Specific Plan also recommends that Bay Road be widened to four lanes east of University Avenue and taper down to two lanes after Tara Road. Pulgas Avenue. The main east-west connections across East Palo Alto are Bay Road/ Newbridge Street, East Bayshore Road, and West Bayshore Road. Bay Road creates a strong connection between the Cooley Landing Nature Preserve and the location of the Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan. Once it reaches Newbridge Street, Bay Road becomes a neighborhood street and the focus shifts to Newbridge Street, which connects to Willow Road and ramps to Highway 101. East and West Bayshore Road are frontage roads, which follow Highway 101. East Bayshore Road provides direct access to employment campuses just south of East Palo Alto. There is no direct access to Highway 101

4 from East Bayshore Road. Therefore, cars must travel up Saratoga Avenue and then turn onto Willow Road in order to access Highway 101. Bike facilities in East Palo Alto include Class II bike lanes crossing the City on the two major roads, University Avenue and Bay Road. A Class I bike lane is located along the Bay Trail to the east of the City. Of the proposed 6.8 miles of Class III bike lanes in the 1999 Bikeway Master Plan, none have been implemented. The character of the streetscape plays an important role in reinforcing the role of the street in East Palo Alto. It can send a message to the driver, bicyclist or pedestrian as to the role of the street for the users and the community, and the priority of safety for its residents. As shown in Figure 5-1, the streetscapes in East Palo Alto are a mix of standard City streets with curbs, gutters, and sidewalks and streets with a rural streetscape that were previously developed under County jurisdiction and built without sidewalks. Street conditions vary between neighborhoods, creating an inconsistent pedestrian experience across the City. Although many areas have sidewalks, there are some areas with sidewalks on one side only, or unpaved strips in place of sidewalks. Still others have narrow walks with mountable rolled curbs, which force pedestrians out onto the street when cars are parked mounted on the curb and block the sidewalk. A number of streets in the Palo Alto Park, specifically the Kavanaugh neighborhood, have been upgraded recently with sidewalks added to at least one side of most streets. The variation of streetscape and sidewalk conditions directly affects the character of each neighborhood. The absence of continuous sidewalks can make travelling on foot challenging in terms of route planning and safety. Streetlights are spaced for vehicle movement but provide little support for the pedestrian in many neighborhoods. Street trees are limited throughout the City, as most streets lack planted tree lawns (planter strips) between the street and sidewalk. Unimproved rural condition streetscape without sidewalks. Improved streetscape condition with sidewalk on one side. Pedestrian crossings are signalized at major intersections and typically feature painted road markings. Although most of the busy streets have medians at the intersections, these medians have been designed to function as traffic separators and do not provide mid-block refuge for pedestrians. There are few bike routes, lanes, and paths currently within East Palo Alto except for cross town Bay Road, University Avenue and Bay Trail routes. The City s Bicycle Transportation Plan calls for creating crosstown bikeways on existing streets by adding signage and sharrows (shared use markers).

5 New and expanded bike and pedestrian connections are in the planning stages at four locations. These include: 1) University Avenue/Highway 101 overpass, 2) Newell Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek, 3) Highway 101 Bike/Pedestrian crossing connecting Newell Road and West Bayshore Road to the Home Depot parking lot (Gateway 101 Shopping Center) at East Bayshore Road, 4) Woodland Avenue from University Avenue to Scofield Avenue and West Bayshore Road. Once completed, these new connections will enhance bike and pedestrian access between the Westside and the rest of the City.

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7 There are a number of significant hubs activity centers with clusters of similar or active uses located in close proximity to one another throughout the City. These hubs function as focal points and destinations in the City, and are shown in the City Structure diagram (Figure 5-2). This hub of recreational and social service uses is concentrated at the intersection of University Avenue and Bell Street. It includes the YMCA, Senior Center, a Community Health and Law Center and Bell Street Park. There are also a number of small retail uses along University Avenue, located in close proximity to this hub. Bell Street Recreation Hub. A large number of schools have clustered together at Myrtle Street and Pulgas Avenue. This hub of educational uses includes the Brentwood Elementary School, Ronald McNair Academy, Eastside College Preparatory School, Sequoia High School Alternative Campus, and the Boys and Girls Club. This cluster presents an opportunity to be a community focal point for the various education organizations to work together and share facilities (e.g. sports fields, auditoriums). Located along Bay Road, east of Ralmar Avenue, the service hub of uses includes St. Francis Church, Magnolia Head Start, the St. Vincent De Paul Society and the future Rich May field. This hub of service uses is adjacent to the Cesar Chavez and Green Oaks Academy School site. The uses in this area appear to be disconnected from one another where fencing separates the service uses from the school site. Pulgas Avenue Education Hub. The 4 Corners Civic Hub (University Avenue and Bay Road) is home to the East Palo Alto Library and City Hall. The Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan for the area views the 4 Corners neighborhood as developing into a downtown for the City. Uses in this hub will expand as the area develops. Bay Road Community Service Hub.

8 The Gateway 101 Shopping Center is the main retail hub for East Palo Alto. Uses in this hub include nationally recognized chain stores such as IKEA, Home Depot, PGA Golf, and Office Depot. The center also has many chain food establishments including McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Starbucks and Jamba Juice. There is also a dentist office, restaurant, and grocery store in this complex. This hub is a focal point for the City as well as a regional destination. There is a small retail hub located at Willow Road and Newell Road on the border of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Uses in this area include two markets, a laundromat, salon, taquería, and party supplies store. Although most of the uses are located in Menlo Park, this hub could be an important activity center and gateway into East Palo Alto. Gateway 101 Shopping Center Hub. This hub is located on the Westside of East Palo Alto. It contains the Four Seasons Hotel, office uses, and a couple of small restaurants. The parking structure and wall surrounding the complex creates a strong boundary between the complex and the surrounding neighborhood. This hub does not serve the residents of East Palo Alto as its uses are geared towards the region rather than the local community. University Circle Hub.

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10 The 1999 General Plan identifies 12 distinctive neighborhoods in East Palo Alto. This existing conditions report suggests some targeted adjustments to those boundaries which could be considered during the General Plan update process. Both the 1999 General Plan boundaries and the possible new boundaries are shown in Figure 5-3. The remainder of this chapter describes the character of each of these neighborhoods in turn, using the possible adjusted boundaries. Most of the neighborhoods in East Palo Alto developed under County jurisdiction long before the area was incorporated as a City. The neighborhoods east of Highway 101 contain the majority of the single-family neighborhoods and land in East Palo Alto, as well as the larger-retail and civic /public facilities. The Westside of the City contains nearly all of the multifamily rental apartments within East Palo Alto, as well as some new office and hotel development at University Circle.

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12 The Weeks Neighborhood began as part of the original Runnymede agricultural community under the County jurisdiction, and remnants of this history remain in the neighborhood in the form of greenhouses, fields with horses, and historic farmstead homes. Overall, the neighborhood has an eclectic feel and, unlike many of the other areas in East Palo Alto, the Weeks Neighborhood has many large, deep parcels. These parcels have created ample opportunity for new development. Many parcels have been developed as church sites resulting in Weeks having more churches than any other neighborhood in the City. Parcels have also been assembled to create pockets of new residential development. These developments tend to be configured as cul-de-sacs with two-story houses and have little connection to the existing neighborhood. While many of the new residential cul-de-sac developments feature small internal open spaces, they tend to function as private green spaces, rather than as community amenities. In addition, the education hub, which is a cluster of a number of different educational institutions, is located to the north of O Connor Street. Aerial view of the Weeks neighborhood. There is no obvious focal point for the Weeks neighborhood; it appears to function using the activity hubs on its boundaries along University Avenue or the Gateway neighborhoods (Gateway and Gateway III/Gardens). The Weeks Neighborhood is defined by Capitol Avenue on the west and Weeks Street on the north. Myrtle Street forms the southern edge and the Baylands form the eastern edge. Slight adjustments to the Weeks

13 Neighborhood boundary could be considered during the General Plan Update process to include residential parcels that are currently part of the University Corridor Neighborhood as they appear to fit better with the Week s Neighborhood residential character. Sidewalk conditions vary throughout the Weeks Neighborhood. While many of the streets have full sidewalks with curb and gutter, others exhibit a rural streetscape condition, which lacks sidewalks. Rural style streets such as Runnymede Street do not have sidewalks and tend to have an unpaved strip where the sidewalk would normally be constructed. In some cases, single properties have sidewalks. However, these sidewalks may be located on private property rather than in the public right of way, which could limit the ability to improve sidewalks or the street. Remnant agricultural uses in the Weeks neighborhood. The Weeks Neighborhood does not have a public park. However, there are many vacant parcels within the neighborhood that provide the City with an opportunity for additional public open space. Completing the sidewalks in this neighborhood would create a safer pedestrian environment and provide a separation between pedestrians and vehicles. There are many informal access points to the Bay Trail that are typically located at the end of cul-de-sacs or roads that end at the levee extending from Stevens Avenue to Daphne Way. Many of these road ends could potentially be used to supplement the neighborhood s open space needs since they have low traffic volumes. Formalizing these entry points would allow for better connections to the Bay Trail, which is an important open space amenity for the neighborhood and the overall community. A number of larger parcels and deep parcels throughout the neighborhood have potential for new infill development. Informal entrance to the Bay Trail.

14 University Village is an established residential neighborhood composed of single story houses with a few two-story houses interspersed throughout the area. Houses are typically enclosed by low fencing, which is ornamental along the street edge and utilizes iron, brick, and stone. Ornamental fencing appears to be a common property upgrade in the area. The blocks in this neighborhood are long and oriented in a north-south grid. Each street within the neighborhood is named after an American university. Aerial view of the University Village neighborhood. Jack Farrell Park (3.8 acres) is the likeliest focal point for the neighborhood due to its location and accessibility from Fordham and Gonzaga Streets. Most of the homes surrounding the park do not have a direct line of sight to the park because fences block visibility from the single story homes surrounding the park on three sides. Views from the private homes on Fordham Street, which serves as the park s main entrance on the fourth side, are obstructed by cars and attached garages. Consequently, opportunities to increase Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles such as natural surveillance should be investigated. The park also has numerous active and passive amenities. Though one might typically think that the Costaño Elementary School would be the community focus, its lack of public presence does not give it physical prominence within the neighborhood. University Village lies east of University Avenue and north of Bay Road. The boundary for this neighborhood was set out in the Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan that was adopted in September 2012.

15 Streets in this neighborhood are built out to include full sidewalks with curb and gutter. Costaño Elementary School inhabits a fairly central location in the neighborhood. However, it is cut off from the surrounding area as it only has one access point, which is located off of Purdue Avenue. Houses back up to the school site on three sides and areas that front the street are lined with chain-link fences. Opportunities exist to increase access to the site and better integrate it into the community to prevent crime through natural access control and natural surveillance. The Specific Plan for the area envisions turning the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct right of way that bisects the neighborhood into a linear park. The Specific Plan proposes the construction of a new loop road around the north and east sides of the University Village neighborhood that will provide a new connection to the Ravenswood area. The entrance to Jack Farrell Park.

16 Typical streetscape in the University Village neighborhood. The defining feature of the Gateway area is the regional retail and commercial center that is adjacent to Highway 101. This auto-oriented development contains a number of big box stores including Home Depot, PGA Golf and IKEA, as well as junior anchors including Office Depot, and Nordstrom Rack. Smaller uses include the Firehouse Grill restaurant, Jamba Juice, and Starbucks. Three fast food restaurants a McDonalds, a Pizza Hut and Taco Bell are also located on the site. Although the majority of uses in the center are nationally recognized chain stores, there are also local establishments including a dentist office, and the Mi Pueblo Food Center, which is a grocery store. A new mixed-use office development is planned on Donohoe Avenue between University Avenue and Cooley Street, across from the IKEA. Capitol Avenue, which previously provided an auto connection to Donohoe Avenue, has been closed off as part of this project. This area also includes three parcels on the western side of IKEA, which are currently for sale, the Ravenswood School District bus yard, and a gas station and pharmacy on University Avenue. It is anticipated that this property will be proposed for development in a similar manner to the University Plaza, however no entitlements are in place. There are two main entries to the Gateway area. Cars arriving at the site from Highway 101 exit onto a ramp that is on the western side of IKEA. Cars arriving from the western side of East Palo Alto enter the area from University Avenue or Highway 101.

17 The Gateway 101 Shopping Center is the focus of the neighborhood. It draws people from the local area and region to the services in the center. Once the mixed-use office project is completed, it is possible that the focus of this neighborhood will shift. Highway 101 and East Bayshore Road on the south, Euclid Avenue on the west, and Clarke Avenue on the east define the Gateway area. The neighborhood boundary could be adjusted to include the proposed mixed-use office development, the Ravenswood bus yard, and the three vacant lots on Donohoe Street, as these properties have the potential to develop similar land uses or at a similar scale and character as other Gateway area developments. The Gateway area is auto-oriented in nature with wide streets that incorporate multiple turning lanes at intersections. The speed of cars entering/exiting the highway is an issue for pedestrians. There are sidewalks throughout the area. Intersections are signalized and there are crosswalks on the major streets. A pedestrian overpass connection over Highway 101 is planned and, once completed, it will improve access to this area for residents who live on the western side of Highway 101. There are limited pedestrian connections from the shopping center to the residential neighborhoods to the east. There are three vacant parcels to the west of IKEA. The parcels are currently for sale and contain vacant houses. The Ravenswood School District bus yard is a potential candidate for new development. The size of the site, and its proximity to the Gateway 101 Shopping Center and the new mixed-use office development, could make it profitable for the school district to relocate the bus yard use.

18 Views of the Gateway 101 Shopping Center area.

19 The Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan anticipates that the area will transition into an employment center with expanded office and industrial uses by Currently, the area is a collection of utilitarian warehouses and large floor plate buildings that contain a variety of commercial and service tenants. Uses in the area include job training, a dentist office, a discount store, storage facilities, warehouses, an auto salvage yard, and a public health center. There are also two small office buildings in the area. The community process that was conducted as part of the Specific Plan development process revealed that residents of East Palo Alto want to preserve the views from the area to the Baylands, improve circulation north of Bay Road, and ensure that the streets in the area are accommodating for business and vehicular traffic as well as pedestrians and cyclists. Aerial view of the Ravenswood Industrial area. The Specific Plan views Bay Road as the focus of the neighborhood, connecting Cooley Landing Nature Preserve and the downtown area that the Specific Plan envisions for the 4 Corners neighborhood. Ravenswood is defined by Bay Road in the south and Demeter Street in the west. The remaining edges are adjacent to the Baylands. The boundary for this neighborhood was set out in the Specific Plan. Currently there are no sidewalks in the Ravenswood industrial area, with the exception of Demeter Street and part of Bay Road. However, the

20 Specific Plan calls for upgraded streetscapes and an improved pedestrian connection along Bay Road to the Cooley Landing Nature Preserve. The Specific Plan envisions that many of the current industrial uses will remain and that new uses, including research and development (R&D), office, and light industrial, will develop alongside them. In order to provide a separation from nearby residential uses, the Specific Plan proposes light industrial along Demeter Street and Weeks Street and office use near Purdue Avenue and Demeter Street. The Specific Plan also proposes an extension of Demeter Street north to University Avenue. This will provide a new connection into the Ravenswood area and help alleviate traffic on Bay Road. Industrial streetscape in the Ravenswood area. Retail uses in the Ravenswood area.

21 During the General Plan Update process, the City could consider creation of a new 4 Corners Neighborhood centered on the intersection of University Avenue and Bay Road. It could take the place of what is called the University / Bay Corridor neighborhood in the 1999 General Plan, and also could include some areas along Bay Road. Commercial and office uses have clustered around this intersection in the form of small neighborhood stores with parking in front. These uses include markets, taquerías, a laundromat, a phone store, and a McDonalds. The East Palo Alto City Hall and the San Mateo County Library are located to the north of this intersection in the San Mateo County Government Center. There is also a large lot on the north corner that remains vacant after the demolition of a shopping center. To the south, a new high-density housing development with approximately 115 homes and 15,000 square feet of retail and service uses is entitled along Bay at University where the post office currently is located, creating the opportunity for an activity hub envisioned in the Ravenswood/4 Corners TOD Specific Plan. The south side of Bay Road has been developed with new multi-family housing that includes duplexes, triplexes, apartment buildings, and townhouses. Many of these projects have been provided with affordable rents. There is also a taquería and a market at the intersection of Illinois Street and Bay Road. The Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan anticipates that this neighborhood will develop into a thriving downtown with a mix of multi-story residential buildings with ground floor retail or community facilities. The Specific Plan also calls for upgraded pedestrian facilities, parks and plazas along Bay Road, and an expanded library and public health clinic at the intersection of Clarke Avenue and Weeks Street. Current aerial view of the 4 Corners area.

22 The 4 Corners Neighborhood hub, which currently has a library, County services, and City Hall, will gain importance over time because the Ravenswood/4 Corners TOD Specific Plan for the area envisions it developing into a downtown area and focal point for the City. On a larger scale, Bay Road is also a focal point, as the Specific Plan identifies it as the main street for the downtown and it connects through the Ravenswood Industrial area to the Cooley Landing Nature Preserve. The 4 Corners Neighborhood is defined by Weeks Street to the south, Gloria Way on the west, and Demeter Street on the east. The boundary for this neighborhood was set out in the Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan. The intersection of Bay Road and University Avenue is signalized with painted crosswalks. There are thin medians on University Avenue and on the eastern side of Bay Road. The median on Bay Road offers a mid-block refuge for pedestrians that are crossing, but the raised curb prevents it from being used by strollers or wheelchairs. Because this intersection is quite busy, it is a challenging place for pedestrians to cross. There are additional crosswalks along Bay Road, which are indicated by changes in the surface treatment, but they are not signalized. Multi-family residential buildings in the 4 Corners area. The large vacant lot at the intersection of University Avenue and Bay Road is a prime opportunity to develop a key project that will benefit from significant visibility and help define the future character of the neighborhood. Additional multi-family projects could be developed along University Avenue and Bay Road to help enclose the streetscape and to bring additional people to the neighborhood. Typical retail buildings in the 4 Corners area.

23 The University Corridor area supports a number of retail and community services. These uses are clustered around the intersection of University Avenue and Bell Street and include the Country Time Market, Three Brothers Taquería, a realtor, a Metro PCS phone store, a pharmacy, and a fire station. There is also a YMCA, Senior Center and Bell Street Park which form a hub of recreational uses. The remainder of this linear area, which follows University Avenue, is primarily residential. Aerial view of the University Corridor neighborhood. The focus of this neighborhood is at the intersection of University Avenue and Bell Street. This junction is significant due to the proximity of the Bell Street Recreation hub that includes the YMCA, Senior Center, and Bell Street Park, and the fact that there are a number of commercial uses located at this intersection. The University Corridor follows University Avenue from Donohoe Street to Weeks Street. With few exceptions, the area is composed of parcels that have frontage on University Avenue. The existing neighborhood boundary includes properties that face onto Euclid Avenue, Capital Avenue, and Cooley Avenue. Because these properties have been developed as single-family homes, it is unlikely that they could be assembled for future development that would contribute to the character of the University Corridor. Accordingly, these parcels could be allocated to other neighborhoods that are residential in nature. The name of this area was previously the University/Bay Corridor. With the creation of the 4 Corners neighborhood in the Ravenswood / 4 Corners TOD Specific Plan, the area no longer has frontage on Bay Road and the area could be renamed University Corridor.

24 University Avenue has a significant amount of traffic utilizing the corridor as a direct route to and from the Dumbarton Bridge. At peak hours traffic moves slowly and there is congestion at key intersections. University Avenue has sidewalks, signalized intersections, and crosswalks. There are boulevards with medians in several areas along the corridor; however, they are not designed to act as mid-block refuge points for pedestrians. Properties along the corridor have C-1 zoning, which allows for both residential use and neighborhood businesses. Developing a series of retail uses clustered at intersections will focus on the connections between the neighborhoods on either side and create walkable destinations for pedestrians. University Avenue is a key street within East Palo Alto. This area has the potential and visibility to support an increased number of retail and service uses which could motivate traffic to stop in East Palo Also as a destination, rather than simply passing through. The University Avenue streetscape is an essential element and character-defining feature of East Palo Alto for residents to enjoy on a day-to-day basis, and for the image of the City. View of the market at University Avenue. Typical homes on University Avenue.

25 The Gardens I neighborhood includes residential developments with different community character and design. University Square, which is a fairly new residential development, sits in the north. This particular project has wide sidewalks with green-planting strips and two-story single-family houses that surround Joel Davis Park. This part of the neighborhood is popular with high tech employees that reside here. The Palo Estates mobile home community and the Light Tree Apartment complex are located in the southern portion of the neighborhood and front onto East Bayshore Road. The Garden Super Market and a tax preparation service are the closest commercial uses and they are located on the corner of Pulgas Avenue and East Bayshore Road. Aerial view of the Gardens I neighborhood. One of the focal points of this neighborhood is Joel Davis Park, which is in the center of the University Square development. This park is well-situated and easy to access. East Palo Alto s Community Development Department is located on the northern side of the park in a building intended to serve as a community center. Although the Gateway 101 Shopping Center is adjacent to this neighborhood it is not a focal point because there is no direct access from the neighborhood to the Shopping Center. Myrtle Street in the north, Pulgas Avenue in the east, East Bayshore Road in the south and Clarke Avenue in the west define the Gardens I neighborhood. The 1999 General Plan identifies this area as part of the Gardens/Gateway III neighborhood. The 1999 General Plan neighborhood boundaries could be reconfigured to create two new neighborhoods Gardens I and Gardens II as

26 the character of each is different. The Gateway 101 Shopping Center acts a boundary to the proposed Gardens I neighborhood as it backs onto Clarke Avenue and there is no direct access to the Shopping Center. Sidewalks are present throughout the neighborhood. The streets in the newer part of the area have wide sidewalks with green planting strips. The older areas have narrower walks and no planting strips. There are a few small areas that do not have sidewalks. The parcels at Pulgas Avenue and East Bayshore Road where the market and tax service storefront are located could be upgraded. Sidewalks could be added to the few areas that are currently without them. A view of the University Square development. The Light Tree apartment complex.

27 Gardens II is an established residential area composed of curvilinear streets and cul-de-sacs with a few long linear blocks in the northern part of the neighborhood. The character of the area is defined by its street pattern and the sidewalk treatment, which consists of mountable curbs on both sides of the street. Houses in this area are primarily one story single-family residential with ornamental fencing in the front yard. East Bayshore Road, which runs alongside Highway 101 on the southern border of this area, is home to a gas station, two public storage facilities, and an auto body repair shop. There are also two churches in the neighborhood that are located across from one another on O Connor Street. Aerial view of the Gardens II neighborhood. Martin Luther King Park is the main focus point of this neighborhood. The park has a range of both active and passive amenities. The Gardens II neighborhood is defined by Sage Street in the north, Pulgas Avenue on the west, and East Bayshore Road on the south. The eastern edge is bordered by the Baylands and San Francisquito Creek. The 1999 General Plan identifies this area as part of the Gardens/Gateway III neighborhood, but those neighborhood boundaries could be reconfigured, if desired, to make this a new separate area due to its unique and distinctive character. Streets in this area are narrow and lined on both sides with sidewalks and mountable curbs. Cars tend to park on the mountable curb, which

28 interrupts the sidewalk for pedestrians, forcing them onto the street and creating an inconsistent walking experience. The only formal access point to Martin Luther King Park is from Daisy Lane, although it is possible to access the park by cutting across the naturalized area from the Bay Trail. The possibility of creating an additional entrance, perhaps from Beech Street, could be discussed during the planning process. There is a single access point to the Bay Trail on the southern part of the neighborhood that consists of a narrow opening in a fence. This access point is in need of improvement. The entrance to Martin Luther King Park.

29 The Palo Alto Park and Kavanaugh areas are similar in character and may be best considered a single larger neighborhood. Each area is composed primarily of one story single-family homes with a few two-story houses scattered throughout the area. Most of the houses are fenced along the street. Some of the fences are chain link while others are ornamental with some featuring small statues of lions. Many of the homes along Alberni Street are smaller than those in the rest of the neighborhood. This area has a significant number of large canopy trees. Two of these trees add to the unique character of the neighborhood as they are growing near the center of the street on Ralmar Avenue and Addison Avenue. The area is laid out as a street grid with a few exceptions. Palo Verde Avenue and Oakdale Avenue break this grid, creating a unique street configuration within the neighborhood. This configuration can disorient people passing through, and also appears to separate the neighborhood from University Avenue. Newbridge Street and Bay Road cut through the grid at an angle and converge at the site of the triangular Pocket Park, which is the only public park in the neighborhood. Bay Road functions as a neighborhood street from Saratoga Street to Newbridge. After this point, it becomes a more significant corridor as traffic uses Bay Road and Newbridge Street to connect to Willow Road and access Highway 101. There is a small retail cluster at the intersection of Newbridge Street and Willow Avenue on the border between East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. Uses in this area include a market, taquería, laundromat, salon, and a party supplies store. There are also convenience stores along East Bayshore Road. Aerial view of the Palo Alto Park/Kavanaugh neighborhood.

30 The Bay Road community service hub falls within this neighborhood and is the focal point of the area. The hub includes the Cesar Chavez Middle School, the Green Oaks and Los Robles Elementary Schools, East Palo Alto Head Start and two soccer fields (a third soccer field is planned). Although these uses are central to the neighborhood, the school site has only one automobile access point, which is off Ralmar Avenue in Menlo Park. Non-motorized users, including bicyclists and pedestrians, enter through Bay Road during school hours or when an athletic field is open. The City s only Catholic Church, St. Francis of Assisi, abuts the site and increases the hub s visibility and central neighborhood role. The 1999 General Plan viewed Palo Alto Park and Kavanaugh as two separate neighborhoods. However, because the characters of the two areas are similar, the existing conditions report discusses them together. A final boundary between the two areas if desired could be considered during the General Plan Update process. The boundary of the possible combined area could be defined by East Bayshore Road in the south and Willow Road on the west. The eastern boundary would follow University Avenue, Gloria Way, and Euclid Avenue. The northern boundary would follow Alberni Street, Ralmar Avenue, and Kavanaugh Drive. There is a wall behind the homes along Kavanaugh Drive and Alberni Street, which separates this area from the City of Menlo Park. Streets north of Bay Road have been built with complete sidewalks. Many of the streets south of Bay Road have recently been upgraded to have sidewalks on one side and mountable/rolled curbs on the other side. Most of the streets south of Garden Street are rural in nature with no sidewalks or curbs. Ralmar Avenue and Addison Avenue both have large canopy trees that are growing close to the middle of each street. Bay Road and Newbridge Street have painted crosswalks and there are medians in key places. There are no signalized intersections except at Newbridge Street and Willow Road at the border of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. East Bayshore Road, is a one sided street paralleling Highway 101. It has a variety of business fronting it, and homes siding it.

31 Completing the network of sidewalks will improve the pedestrian experience and provide a consistent walking surface. The retail cluster at Newbridge Street and Willow Road is made up of small buildings that are set back from the street with parking in front. This area could be upgraded and additional uses added. The land of the Palo Alto Park Mutual Water Company is underutilized and at the center of the Palo Alto Park neighborhood. Retail uses on Newbridge Street at the intersection with Willow Road. Newbridge Street streetscape.

32 The Baylands is a large marshland area that is well known for bird watching and cycling. The Cooley Landing Nature Preserve is located in this area at the terminus of Bay Road. To the south of the Cooley Landing Nature Preserve is the larger Faber-Laumeister Land Tract that is part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. To the north of Cooley Landing is the Ravenswood Open Space Preserve. The Bay Trail also runs through this area. The trail can be accessed from various points along the eastern edge of East Palo Alto. Formalized entries with signage and seating are located at Bay Road and on Beech Street. View of the Baylands area. View of the Baylands area.

33 The Westside includes the area to the west of Highway 101. University Avenue segments East Palo Alto into two distinct neighborhoods on the Westside. The Willow neighborhood is northwest of University and encompasses the University Circle hotel and office complex and the housing to its north. The Woodlands neighborhood is south of University Avenue and is bounded by San Francisquito Creek and West Bayshore Road. Aerial of the Westside study area. The 1999 General Plan Land Use Map shows the Westside focused around a General Commercial zone on University Avenue and bounded by Manhattan and Cooley Avenues, with a Neighborhood Commercial zone buffer to the north of Manhattan Ave. The rest of the 1999 General Plan designations are generally consistent with existing conditions (Figure 5-4). The 2008 Zoning Map does not reflect the 1999 General Plan designations. It more closely represents the existing land use conditions, with the exception of different allowable heights and the multifamily housing parcels on the north side of the block bounded by Cooley Avenue, West Bayshore Road, and Newell Road which have a R (Single Family Residential) designation, even though they are multifamily housing projects. The allowable building heights range from 60 in R-M-1000 and 75 in R-M-500 zones. The majority of the built projects in the R-M-1000 and R-M 500 zones are two to three stories in height. There are no buildings in those zones that are more than four stories.

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36 The character of the Westside, is generally dominated by the University Circle hotel and office development. The five to six story office project is one of the most prominent developments along the Highway 101 corridor and creates a strong gateway to Palo Alto while it hides the East Palo Alto Willow neighborhood behind it. The Woodland neighborhood is also hidden from public view behind an unassuming three-story apartment complex and the dense growth along the San Francisquito Creek. While being very prominent on Highway 101 and University Avenue, the University Circle project is set back from the street and buffered by landscaping and surface parking along both University and Woodland Avenues. The setback nature of the project and the walls created by the structured parking on Manhattan Avenue sets the project off from the rest of the Westside neighborhoods. The structure and development pattern of the Westside, outside of the recently developed University Circle project, follows historical patterns of development. Prior to the construction of Highway 101, in the Willow neighborhood, O Connor Street and Donohoe Street fed into the retail core on University Avenue with single-family homes with orchards behind. During a period of strong growth, O Keefe Street was added between the streets, and multi-family housing was developed in the open orchard land. The Woodland neighborhood had much less development prior to the construction of Highway 101 and consisted of houses located along Woodland Avenue and mainly agricultural lands east of Cooley Avenue. When the agricultural lands developed, Newell Road was extended to Bayshore Road. West of Cooley Avenue, a single-family neighborhood extended to the previous alignment of University Avenue. This neighborhood largely remains intact and has been infilled with a variety of multi-family apartment projects. The building types in the Willow and Woodland neighborhoods are a mix of single-family homes and two-to-three story multi-family buildings. The multifamily buildings are a mix of tuck-under or podium buildings with a few larger developments in the Woodland neighborhood that have surface parking, and a few alley-loaded developments on the Manhattan block in the Willow neighborhood. The densities of many of the multi-family apartment buildings are in excess of 40 dwelling units per acre, with some parcels having densities over 70 dwelling units per acre. The quality of the buildings and associated open space varies greatly from property to property. Some projects have considerable open space, including shared courtyards and pools. Some projects have virtually no common open space but include larger covered private balconies. Recently, much of the multi-family housing has been cosmetically updated with fresh paint. All properties owned by Equity

37 Residential have a prominent placard with the address and phone number of the management office. The majority of the multi-family housing buildings on the Westside have open tuck-under parking. There have been concerns in the community that the existing apartment housing stock may be susceptible to damage or even structural failure in an earthquake, due to open parking on the ground floor. This soft story is considered susceptible to earthquakes due to lateral movement and the lack of shear walls within the story of parking. It appears that at least seven of the wood frame structures with tuck-under parking have been reinforced with structural steel seismic bracing. However, the level of structural enhancements for other Westside buildings is unknown at this time Aerial of Willow Neighborhood (from Google Earth).

38 The streets within the Willow and Woodland neighborhoods are a mix of city streets, built to City and County standards. Some streets developed under prior County jurisdiction have not been completed with curbs/gutters and sidewalks. In summary, East O Keefe Street is wider and has sidewalks on each side of the street, and lighting and power lines as well. Manhattan Avenue and Euclid Avenue are fully constructed, with curb, gutter and sidewalks. Donohoe Street, Green Street, and other side streets (Oakwood Drive, Addison Avenue and Ralmar Avenue) have not been fully improved with new curb and gutter; they have only limited sidewalks and street lighting. Similarly West Bayshore Road has not been improved with sidewalks, curb and gutter. The variation of the streetscapes changes the character of the neighborhood, making for a more rural, or less urban, quality to the neighborhood. Though this could be considered positive, it makes walking and biking potentially more dangerous, with narrow driveways, and no designated pedestrian or bike pathways. The lack of lighting also makes security and safety a greater issue as lighting of the street is limited by tree coverage that blocks light from taller posts. In the Woodland neighborhood a similar pattern exists. West Bayshore Road, Cooley Avenue, Newell Road and Clarke Avenue are mostly improved, while Woodland Avenue along the creek, and Scofield and Capitol Avenues are not completed. The condition of the streets has the single greatest effect on the feel or character of the area.

39 The Willow neighborhood is constructed of three main building types and characters. The University Circle hotel and office complex, formerly a small commercial street, is now set apart from the rest of the Willow neighborhood by a tall masonry wall and parking structure to the west. The complex is a series of four, five-to-six story office and hotel buildings around a central plaza. The plaza is set back from Woodland Avenue and University Avenue by surface parking. West of University Circle, Manhattan Avenue, Euclid Avenue, and East O Keefe Street are a mix of mostly two-to-three story apartment buildings with structured parking at subgrade or one-half subgrade. The housing is of mixed type and quality, and ranges from 20 to over 70 dwelling units per acre. A small market/taquería and laundromat is located at the corner of O Connor Street and Manhattan Avenue. The remainder of the Willow neighborhood north of East O Keefe Street up to Highway 101 is a mix of single-family and multiple single-family lots on unimproved streets. There are no public parks in the Willow neighborhood. Aerial view of the Willow neighborhood. There are two areas of focus in the neighborhood. The market/taquería and laundry businesses at the corner of Manhattan Avenue and O Connor Street serve the residential community. Another retail and shopping area with small market and restaurants is located on Willow Street, about one-half mile from the Willow neighborhood in Menlo Park. The second neighborhood focus is the University Circle complex that has two small restaurants and a larger restaurant and bar associated with the Four Seasons Hotel.

40 The Willow neighborhood is bounded by Menlo Park at Menalto Avenue to the west, the south side of parcels facing E. O Keefe Street and Woodland Avenue to the south, University Avenue to the east, and Highway 101 to the north. The wall and parking structure of the University Circle hotel and office project creates a strong barrier between the complex and the rest of the Willow neighborhood. Much of Woodland Avenue lacks sidewalks. Manhattan Avenue (the segment outside the Four Seasons) has narrow sidewalks adjacent to the curb with landscaped building setbacks. Many of the street trees along the southern portion of Manhattan Avenue are particularly beautiful and well-shaped. The east side of Manhattan Avenue consists of a four foot sidewalk adjacent to the curb and a mix of landscape leading up to a foot wall with a mix of utility enclosures, entrances to surface and structured parking, and some street trees. Manhattan also continues through the Four Seasons property as a primary access road a driveway with a mix of streetscape and sidewalk amenities. East O Keefe Street has an approximately 10 foot wide sidewalk zone with intermittent street trees and/or planting strips. Other streets in the Willow neighborhood are unimproved with a mix of parallel and perpendicular parking. A market in the Willow neighborhood. Housing in Willow neighborhood. Improve the connection of the Willow neighborhood to University Avenue and the rest of East Palo Alto. Improve the streetscape of Euclid Avenue and Donohoe Street by adding sidewalks.

41 The Woodland neighborhood is a mix of single-family homes, many of which are rental properties, two-to-three story apartment buildings, and a walled townhouse condominium project. The neighborhood character is defined by its very strong boundaries, Highway 101 to the north and San Franscisquito Creek to the south. There are only three access points to the neighborhood. The character of each property varies widely, with some parcels having wellestablished street frontages with mature trees, and others hidden behind walls and fences. Aerial view of the Woodland neighborhood. The neighborhood s main focus area is a 7-Eleven convenience market and Three Brothers Taquería, with a parking lot serving these uses, and adjacent housing at the corner of Newell and West Bayshore Roads. Other than a small laundromat one block to the east, this is the only retail in the area. A new pedestrian and bike overpass is planned at the intersection of Newell Road and West Bayshore Road which will connect to the Gateway 101 Shopping Center. A larger shopping center is located just over one-quarter mile southeast, where West Bayshore Road intersects Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto. The Woodland neighborhood is bounded by University Avenue, Highway 101, and San Francisquito Creek, which gives it much of its unique character.

42 Streetscapes vary widely throughout the neighborhood. Most streets are unimproved with no curb, gutter or sidewalk, and many have cars perpendicularly parked. Newell Road is the one street in the neighborhood with consistent sidewalks and curbs. Woodland Avenue is edged on the creek side with a low retaining wall and occasional street parking. The width of the street varies widely along its length, with a few very wide areas that are used as unauthorized parking lots. Improve Woodland Avenue, the creekside road, as a pedestrian and bicycle route. Expand the community hub at Newell Road and West Bayshore Road to take advantage of the planned pedestrian and bike overpass. An apartment on Woodland Avenue. Woodland Avenue at the creek edge.