Chapter 18.30 — (A)

Palo Alto Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-06 · Palo Alto

RETAIL SHOPPING (R) COMBINING DISTRICT REGULATIONS

Sections:

18.30(A).010 Specific Purposes

  • 18.30(A).020 Applicability of Regulations

  • 18.30(A).030 Zoning Map Designation

  • 18.30(A).040 Permitted Uses 18.30(A).050 Conditional Uses

  • 18.30(A).055 Design Standards

18.30(A).060 Special Requirements

18.30(A).070 Waivers and Adjustments

18.30(A).010 Specific Purposes

The retail shopping combining district is intended to modify the uses allowed in a commercial district, where applied in combination with such district, to allow only retail, eating and service-oriented commercial development on the ground floors.

  • (Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).020 Applicability of Regulations

The retail shopping combining district may be combined with any commercial district, in accord with Chapter 18.08 and Chapter 18.80. Where so combined, the regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply in lieu of the comparable provisions established by the underlying commercial district regulations.

  • (Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).030 Zoning Map Designation

The retail shopping combining district shall apply to properties designated on the zoning map by the symbol "R" within parentheses, following the commercial designation with which it is combined.

(Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).040 Permitted Uses

Except to the extent a conditional use permit is required pursuant to Section 18.30(A).050, the following uses shall be permitted in an R district:

  • (a) Eating and drinking services, except drive-in and take-out services.

(b) Personal services, except the following on California Avenue: fitness or exercise studios exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area.

  • (c) Retail services.

  • (d) Retail financial services, except drive-in services.

  • (e) Pet grooming services.

  • (f) Automobile showroom.

(g) All other uses permitted in the underlying commercial district, provided they are not located on a ground floor.

(Ord. 5642 § 3 (part); 2024: Ord. 5637 § 3 (part), 2024: Ord. 5517 § 7, 2021: Ord. 5407 § 3 (part), 2017: Ord. 5358 § 4, 2015: Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).050 Conditional Uses

The following uses may be conditionally permitted in an R district, subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit in accord with Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approval):

  • (a) All other conditional uses allowed in the underlying commercial district provided they are not located on a ground floor.

  • (b) Formula retail businesses on California Avenue.

  • (c) Fitness or exercise studios exceeding 1,800 square feet in gross floor area on California Avenue.

(Ord. 5642, § 3 (part), 2024: Ord. 5637 § 3 (part), 2024: Ord. 5517 § 8, 2021: Ord. 5358 § 5, 2015: Ord. 4826 § 86, 2004: Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).055 Design Standards

The following design standards shall apply in the R combining district:

(a) Exterior windows on the ground floor shall use transparent glazing to the extent feasible. Low-e glass or minimal tinting to achieve sun control is permitted, so long as the glazing appears transparent when viewed from the ground level.

(b) Window coverings are not permitted on the ground floor during typical business hours. Where operations preclude transparency (e.g., theaters) or where privacy requires window coverings, sidewalk-facing frontage shall include items of visual interest including displays of merchandise or artwork; visual access shall be provided to a minimum depth of 3 feet.

(Ord. 5407 § 3 (part), 2017)

18.30(A).060 Special Requirements

The following special requirements shall apply in the R retail shopping combining district.

Lawful conforming permitted uses or conditional use operating pursuant to a conditional use permit which were existing on April 26, 1984 may remain as grandfathered uses and shall not require a conditional use permit or be subject to the provisions of Chapter 18.70. Such uses shall be permitted to remodel site improvements on the same site for continual use and occupancy by the same use; provided, that any such remodeling shall not result in increased floor area, shifting of building footprint or building envelope, or increased height, length or any other increase in the size of the improvement, or any increase in the existing degree of noncompliance. The intentional destruction or demolition of more than fifty percent (50%) of the exterior walls by horizontal linear feet at the ground floor, or, for structures not principally supported by exterior bearing walls, fifty percent (50%) of primary structural elements of an improvement (including columns, and structural frames) shall terminate any right to a grandfathered use or conditional use pursuant to this section, even if the reconstructed improvement does not alter the building footprint, height, length, envelope, size, or degree of noncompliance. If a use deemed grandfathered pursuant to this section ceases and thereafter remains discontinued for twelve consecutive months, it shall be considered abandoned and may be replaced only by a conforming use.

A use deemed grandfathered pursuant to this section which is changed to or replaced by a conforming use shall not be reestablished, and any portion of a site or any portion of a building, the use of which changes from a grandfathered use to a conforming use, shall not thereafter be used except to accommodate a conforming use.

(Ord. 5358 § 6, 2015: Ord. 4826 § 87, 2004: Ord. 4140 § 15, 1993: Ord. 4016 § 29, 1991: Ord. 3519 § 3 (part), 1984)

18.30(A).070 Waivers and adjustments.

(a) The following shall be grounds for a request for waiver or adjustment of this Chapter:

(1) Economic Hardship. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter be adjusted or waived upon a showing that strict application would result in an unreasonable financial burden on the property.

(2) Alternative Viable Use. An applicant may request that the requirements of this Chapter 18.30(A) be adjusted or waived based on a showing that: the permitted retail or retail-like use is not viable; the proposed alternative use will support the purposes of the combining district and Comprehensive Plan land use designation; and the proposed use will encourage active pedestrian-oriented activity and connections.

  • (b) Documentation.

The applicant shall bear the burden of presenting substantial evidence to support a waiver or modification request under this section and shall set forth in detail the factual and/or legal basis for the claim, including all supporting technical documentation. Any request under this section shall be submitted to the Planning and Development Services Director together with the fee specified in the municipal fee schedule and an economic analysis or other supporting documentation. A request under this section shall be acted upon by the City Council.

(Ord. 5642, § 3 (part); 2024: Ord. 5637 § 3 (part), 2024: Ord. 5358 § 7, 2015)