and Land Use Bird Island S A N F R A N C I S C O B A Y Foster City Bair Island Belmont Greco Island San Carlos Veterans Blvd. El Camino Real Broadway Middleeld Rd. Menlo Park Woodside Rd. Features El Camino Real Woodside Road Middleeld Road Major Gateways Entrances Base Map Features City Boundary Sphere of Inuence Broadway Veterans Boulevard Figure BE-4: - Corridors Page BE-24 Redwood City General Plan
El Camino Real section and Land Use El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road) originally connected California searliestmissionsfromsandiegotosanfrancisco.today,el Camino Real (State Route 82 in Redwood City) is a regional route connectingsanjoseandsanfrancisco.elcaminorealspansthelength of Redwood City, although the urban form changes significantly along the corridor. Ample development opportunity sites on El Camino Real offer the possibility to replace lowscale, autooriented commercial developmentbuiltforthelandeconomicsofearlierdecades. Our vision for El Camino Real is integrated with the Grand Boulevard Initiative developed by San Mateo and Santa Clara County cities in conjunction with SamTrans. The Grand Boulevard Initiative looks to transform El Camino Real from a suburban, lowdensity strip commercial highway to a vibrant, mixeduse, pedestrianfriendly boulevard that links regional transportation improvements and local economicdevelopmentefforts.throughthisvision,elcaminorealwill truly become a grand boulevard, with renewed importance and improvedquality.inredwoodcity,elcaminorealwillbeupdatedto facilitate walkable linkages between Sequoia High School, the transportationcenteratthecaltrainstation,anddowntownredwood City.Tohelpachievethisvision,ElCaminoRealhasa Boulevard street typology classification (refer to the Circulation Chapter for more details). Maximum Height: 4 Stories Maximum Height: 4 to 6 Stories Note: Not to scale Property Line Property Line Active Street Front with Wider Sidewalks Intersection Bulb-out Bus Transit Residential - High Mixed Use - Corridor Class III Bike Route El Camino Real Redwood City General Plan Page BE-25
and Land Use New development projects will emphasize pedestrian orientation in site and building design,promotingawalkableenvironmentwith active street frontages, wellscaled and designed buildings, and engaging outdoor spaces. New street tree plantings, widened sidewalks, and pedestrianscaled lighting will transform the public streetscape to create a great street experience that communicates the spirit and living quality of Redwood City. The vision for El Camino Real includes development in the form of higherintensity mixed use to provide the appropriate height relative to the width of the street, and increased opportunities to live near goods, services, transit, and entertainment. As such, denserandtallerbuildingsareallowedalongel CaminoReal. Woodside Road Woodside Road (State Route 84) is the city s only major eastwest connection,linkingu.s.101tointerstate280.itisamajorcommercial and residential corridor, and is one of Redwood City s most heavily traveledandhighlyvisiblestreets.woodsideroadprovidesaccessfrom residential neighborhoods to El Camino Real and Downtown, and also servesasanimportantcityentrancefrombothu.s.101andinterstate 280. In2009,usesalongWoodsideRoadincludeneighborhood serving retail and services, and the city s highest concentration of multiunit residential buildings. The Corridor scharacterevolvesalongtheroute,withthemost obvious transition at El Camino Real. Southwest of El Camino Real, Woodside Road is a landscaped suburban arterial, with planted medians, landscaped frontage properties, and special sites such as the historic Union Cemetery.AtElCaminoReal,theWoodsideRoad flyover grade separation divides the neighborhoods and discouragespedestrianaccess.northeastofelcaminoreal, WoodsideRoadcontinuestoseparateneighborhoodswith its freewaylike structure. Higher traffic speeds create difficultiesforpedestrianandbicyclecrossings. El Camino Real in Downtown Redwood City (Villa Montgomery Apartments) Woodside Road s mature trees are fundamental to the Parkway experience southwest of El Camino Real. Page BE-26 Redwood City General Plan
Mixed Use Neighborhood and Land Use Mixed Use Land Uses InrecognitionofRedwoodCity scontinuingevolutionasanurbanplace andthecommunity sdesiretoachievesustainabledevelopmentforms, several Mixed Use land use categories are established. Mixeduse developmentapproachesofferopportunitiesforpeopletolivecloseto workorneartransitstops,towalktoneighborhoodstoresandparks,to enjoy indoor and outdoor entertainment close to home, and to experiencevibrantpedestriandistricts. Mixed Use Neighborhood TheMixedUseNeighborhoodcategoryaccommodatesmoderatescale mixeduse developments that combine residential uses with neighborhoodserving commercial storefronts. Commercial retail and services should serve the immediate neighborhoods and facilitate pedestrianfriendly environments. Singleuse structure heights are limited to two or three stories, as outlined below, and combined use structure heights can extend up to four stories with proper consideration given to the scale and intensity of adjacent residential neighborhoods. Development Standards CombinedUse(CommercialandResidential) o Maximumresidentialdensity:40du/acre o Maximumcommercialintensity:1.0FAR o Maximumheight:4stories SingleUse(Commercial) o Maximumcommercialintensity:0.6FAR o Maximumheight:2stories SingleUse(Residential) o Maximumresidentialdensity:40du/acre o Maximumheight:3stories Redwood City General Plan Page BE-45
and Land Use Mixed Use Live/Work The Mixed Use Live/Work category facilitates a creative mix of residences and lowintensity workplaces. Live/work environments combine residential occupancy with commercial activity in the same building space, generally with the resident using the combined or adjacentcommercialspaceforhisorherbusiness.typicalusesinclude artistlofts,studiospaces,smalloffices,andsimilar lowintensityuses. Creative industrial workspace areas are also permitted, provided that activitieslimitorconfinenoise,dust,andvibrationimpacts.standalone residentialdevelopmentisnotpermitted. Development Standards CombinedUse o Maximumresidentialdensity:20du/acre o Maximumcommercialintensity:2.0FAR o Maximumheight:3stories SingleUse(Nonresidential) o Maximumintensity:2.0FAR o Maximumheight:3stories Mixed Use Corridor The Mixed UseCorridor category allows for the reinvention of key corridorstosupportmajortransitandcomplementarycommercialand residential uses, encouraging transit use, bicycle use, and pedestrian activity. In some places, schools may be necessary and appropriate. Developmentapproachesallowforbothhorizontalandverticalmixed use. Groundfloor retail/service storefronts may be required at designated nodes. Design considerations should include sensitivity to lowerintensity residential neighborhoods behind sections of the corridor,publicandprivateamenities,andtransitaccessibilityfeatures. Theheightofsingleusecommercialandresidentialstructuresislimited to four stories. Combined use commercialresidential structures can extend in height up to six stories, provided privacy concerns of establishedneighborhoodsareadequatelyaddressedthroughsetbacks of upper stories or other design approaches. Structured parking is allowed, provided no parking levels front directly on El Camino Real, Broadway,VeteransBoulevard,orWoodsideRoad. Structures that exceed the applicable height restrictions may be permitted on Broadway or Veterans Boulevards to accentuate city Mixed Use Live/Work Mixed Use Corridor Page BE-46 Redwood City General Plan
and Land Use gateways, provided that any such project respects surrounding developmentandincludessignaturedesignquality. Development Standards CombinedUse(CommercialandResidential) o Maximumresidentialdensity:60du/acre o Maximumcommercialintensity:FAR:1.00 o Maximumheight:6stories SingleUse(Commercial) o Maximumcommercialintensity:FAR:0.5 o Maximumheight:4stories SingleUse(Residential) Mixed Use Downtown o o Maximumresidentialdensity:60du/acre Maximumheight:4stories Mixed Use Downtown TheMixedUseDowntowncategoryappliestoRedwoodCity shistoric Downtowncoreandisestablishedtocreateavibrantcitycenterwith offices, theaters, retail businesses, and restaurants serving the residences, daytime businesses, and nighttime entertainment populations.indowntown,openspacesareprimarilypublicandurban in nature, with extra emphasis on highquality public spaces and traditionalurbanism.parkingisprimarilyintheformofsharedpublic facilities. Uses specifically prohibited in Downtown, due to their incompatibility with a pedestrianoriented mixeduse district, include vehiclesalesandrepair,industrialandmanufacturingbusinesses,and wholesaling activities. Maximum heights Downtown will range from threestoriesattheedges,to12storiesintheverycenter,withmost areashavingan8storyheightlimit. Development Standards 1 Maximum density: No limit on density, with a maximum capacityof2,500additionalunits Height:312stories MaximumIntensity:NolimitonFAR,withamaximumcapacity of586,000squarefeetofadditionalnonresidentialspace 1 Itshouldbenotedthatthefiguresshownhererepresentingmaximumdensityand maximumintensitymayberevisedbasedonfuturedowntownplans.inthisevent,an amendmenttothisdocumentwillberequired,subjecttoapplicableenvironmental reviewunderceqaandanassociatedpublicreviewprocess. Redwood City General Plan Page BE-47
and Land Use GOAL BE-11: Create memorable and engaging retail, residential, and mixeduse destinations andpathsalongthecorridors. PolicyBE11.1: PolicyBE11.2: PolicyBE11.3: PolicyBE11.4: PolicyBE11.5: PolicyBE11.6: SustainabilityFocus SustainabilityFocus Improvethecorridorstocreateanetworkof completestreets thatemphasizepedestrianorientationandsafety,publictransit access,safebicyclemovement,andotherimprovements. Improve the corridors to create a network of green streets thataddresstheenvironmentalimpactsofstreetpaving. Planforandaccommodatemixeduseprojectsalongcorridors, whereasiteorsitesaredevelopedinanintegrated,compatible, and comprehensively planned manner involving two or more landuses.combineresidentialandofficeuseswithcommercial development to reduce automobile trips and encourage walking,andfacilitatecompact,sustainabledevelopment. Promote mixeduse developments that include higherdensity residentialunitsthattransitionsensitivelywithadjacentlower densityresidentialuses. Improve public streetscapes along the corridors, including widened sidewalks and crosswalks, protected crosswalks, regular street tree planting, bus shelters and street furniture, andpedestrianorientedstreetlighting. Provide that buildings located along corridors be designed to define the public realm, activate sidewalks and pedestrian paths,andprovide"eyesonthestreet"inaccordancewiththe followingprinciples: Emphasize pedestrian orientation in site and building design, promoting a walkable environment with active street frontages, wellscaled buildings, and usable site spaces. Minimizethevisualimpactofparkingfacilitiesonallpublic streets. Locate the frontages of buildings directly adjacent to the publicsidewalk. Provide public open spaces for public enjoyment, and include outdoor seating or other amenities that extend interiorusestothesidewalk. Page BE-68 Redwood City General Plan
GOAL BE-12: PolicyBE11.7: PolicyBE11.8: PolicyBE11.9: PolicyBE11.10: PolicyBE11.11: and Land Use Minimize driveways, as they interrupt the continuity of streetfacingbuildingelevations;prioritizetheirlocationto sidestreetsandalleys. Utilize building patterns that mix the heights of elements, and consider adjacent lower scale development as applicable. Provide the appropriate density and intensity of land uses to facilitatehighlevelsoftransitusealongcorridors. Ensure that buildings along corridors are sensitive to adjacent neighborhoods,providingadequatescaletransitions. Encourage pedestrian activity by requiring all groundfloor businesses to include transparent window fronts and, to the greatestdegreepossible,beorientedtowardcommerce. StudythefeasibilityofrebuildingtheintersectionofWoodside Road and El Camino Real as a surface intersection that establishes a stronger linkage between adjacent commercial districtsandresidentialneighborhoods.landcurrentlydevoted to entrance ramps could be developed as new commercial or mixeduse infill development, which may help to finance the improvements. Explore establishing minimum development intensities and/or heightsalongprimarycorridors. Transform the El Camino Real Corridor into a Grand Boulevard that supports walking,transit,bicycling,andeconomicdevelopment. PolicyBE12.1: Integrate land use and transportation planning and PolicyBE12.2: PolicyBE12.3: SustainabilityFocus SustainabilityFocus development to transform El Camino Real to an urban, pedestrianfriendly,andtransitorientedboulevardforresidents tolive,work,shopandplay. Encourage the replacement of older lowscale, autooriented development with welldesigned new projects that offer pedestrianorientation,higherdensitieswithmoreefficientuse ofland,andcontinuedproductiveeconomicvalue. Accommodate the pedestrian in all public and private improvementprojectsalongelcaminoreal. Redwood City General Plan Page BE-69
and Land Use GOAL BE-13: PolicyBE12.4: PolicyBE12.5: PolicyBE12.6: SustainabilityFocus EnhancethevisualcharacteroftheElCaminoRealCorridorby public streetscape improvements, including landscaping, coordinated street furniture and fixtures, and upgraded infrastructure. ProvidevibrantpublicspacesandgatheringplacesalongtheEl CaminoRealCorridor. Strengthen pedestrian, transit, and bicycle connections to provideconvenientconnectivitytothecaltrainstation. EnhancetheWoodsideRoadCorridorasanattractiveresidentialboulevardwith walkable mixeduse neighborhood centers, a pedestrian and transitoriented character,andconsistentdesignelementsthatunifyitsimage. PolicyBE13.1: Promote a comprehensive streetscape and pedestrian improvementeffortforwoodsideroad.designtreeplantingto promote pedestrian safety, comfort and a sense of security from moving traffic, and provide street lighting that focuses lightatthepedestrianlevel. PolicyBE13.2: SustainabilityFocus PolicyBE13.3: PolicyBE13.4: PolicyBE13.5: PolicyBE13.6: Encouragethedevelopmentofmixeduseneighborhoodnodes as pedestrianoriented villages, providing walkable destinationsforshopping,leisure,andenjoymentatdesignated locationsalongwoodsideroad. Increase street tree plantings in medians to strengthen the parkwaycharacterofwoodsideroad,usingnativeanddrought tolerantspeciestothemaximumextentpossible. Support new higherdensity residential development on Woodside Road, while ensuring that new development is sensitivetoadjacentsingleunitresidentialneighborhoods. Require quality infill between existing developments, with buildings and frontage improvements that create a coherent, attractiveboulevardcharacter. Reorient new development along Woodside Road, between El Camino Real and U.S. 101, away from the limited access expressway configuration to a fullaccess boulevard where buildings are oriented toward the street and pedestrians may crosssafely,conveniently,andlegally. Page BE-70 Redwood City General Plan