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Title 16 — BUILDING REGULATIONS

Chapter 16.46 — APPROVAL OF PROJECTS WITH IMPACTS ON TRAFFIC IN THE

Palo Alto Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-09-29 · Palo Alto

SAN ANTONIO/WEST BAYSHORE AREA

16.46.010 Declaration of goal and purpose.

The goal and purpose of this chapter is to regulate new development in the San Antonio/West Bayshore Area so as to assure that such new development bears a proportionate share of the cost of capital expenditures needed to provide operational improvements at certain intersections. The San Antonio/West Bayshore Environmental Impact Report (EIR) showed that these improvements are necessary to mitigate the demonstrated significant traffic impacts of such new development.

(Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.020 Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall be in effect:

(a) "Area" means the San Antonio/West Bayshore Area, as shown in Exhibit A attached to the ordinance codified in this chapter, and as generally bounded by U.S. Highway 101, Middlefield Road, Fabian Way and the city limits.

(b) "Gross square feet" means the square feet of all floors of a building, measured to the outside surfaces of exterior walls, and including halls, stairways, elevator shafts, service and mechanical equipment rooms, and basement, cellar or attic areas deemed usable by the building official. Parking facilities accessory to a permitted or conditional use and located on the same site are excluded from gross square foot calculations.

(c) "Operational improvement" means any increase in roadway capacity or other physical change designed to improve the level of service of an intersection or street segment.

(Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.030 Applicability.

(a) This chapter shall apply to the following development in the area:

(1) Any new development of two hundred fifty gross square feet or greater on a site;

(2) Any development of two hundred fifty gross square feet or greater on a site that is converted from an exempt use to a nonexempt use.

(b) The following uses shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter:

(1) An on-site cafeteria, recreational facility, and/or day care facility to be provided for employees and/or their children and not open to the general public;

(2) An accessory hazardous materials storage facility;

(3) Residential uses;

(4) Temporary uses of less than six months' duration;

(5) The replacement of existing square footage of a nonexempt use. "Replacement" shall mean that the new use receives architectural review approval pursuant to Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approvals) within one year of the previous use being demolished;

(6) Uses that have received architectural review approval pursuant to Chapter 18.76 (Permits and Approvals) on or before the date this chapter becomes effective.

(Ord. 4826 § 17, 2004: Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.040 Calculation of transportation impact fee.

(a) Estimated Improvements and Costs. The following operational improvements and their estimated costs were identified in the San Antonio/West Bayshore EIR:

(1) Feasibility study for a second left-turn lane on westbound $ 20,000 Middlefield at San Antonio (2) Right-turn lane on westbound Charleston at San Antonio 250,000 (including feasibility study) (3) Signalized intersection at Ford Aerospace driveway 200,000 (including feasibility study) (4) Interconnections of area traffic signals 70,000 TOTAL $540,000

(b) Estimated Development. Approximately four hundred fifty thousand gross square feet of new nonexempt development is allowed under the zonings established for the area.

(c) Calculation of Fee. In order for all new projects to bear proportionately the cost of the operational improvements in the area, a project shall pay a traffic impact fee of one dollar and twenty cents (five hundred forty thousand dollars divided by four hundred fifty thousand square feet) per gross square foot of development. This per-square-foot fee shall be adjusted on July 1, 1986 and annually thereafter by an amount equal to the change in the construction cost index for the preceding year, as determined by the Engineering News Record, the McGraw Hill Construction Weekly.

(d) Payment. The fee shall be paid as set forth in Chapter 16.64 of this code.

(e) Special Fund. A special San Antonio/West Bayshore Fund shall be established by the city where all traffic impact fees, and any interest thereon, collected pursuant to this chapter shall be held separate from all other city funds.

(f) Use of Funds. The moneys in the San Antonio/West Bayshore Fund shall be eligible for expenditure only for the operational improvements described in subsection (a) of this section or for alternative improvements in the area as determined by the chief transportation official, subject to the approval of the city council. In no case shall any of the moneys be used for regular road maintenance.

(Ord. 5400 § 3, 2016: Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.050 Large projects.

If a project is fifty thousand gross square feet or greater, the city may require a traffic analysis to be prepared to more specifically identify direct adverse traffic impacts generated by such a project. If specific improvements are identified that would mitigate any such adverse impacts, then the chief transportation official may require specific mitigation measures to be funded and/or built by the applicant for the project. If such specific mitigation measures are required, the cost of such measures shall be credited against the required traffic impact fee. If such specific mitigation measures are more costly than the required traffic impact fee, the project shall nevertheless be responsible for the specific mitigation measures.

(Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.060 Penalties.

(a) All remedies provided for in this chapter shall be cumulative and not exclusive.

(b) Violation of any provision of this chapter, including, but not limited to, converting an exempt use to a nonexempt use without tendering the appropriate traffic impact fee to the city, is a misdemeanor punishable as provided in this code.

(c) Each person or entity is guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted by such person or entity, and shall be punished accordingly.

(d) Any person or entity violating any provision of this chapter, including, but not limited to, converting an exempt use to a nonexempt use without tendering the appropriate traffic impact fee to the city, may be liable civilly in a sum not to exceed five hundred dollars for each day in which such violation occurs.

(e) Persons employed in the following designated employee positions are authorized to exercise the authority provided in California Penal Code Section 836.5 and are authorized to issue citations for violations of this chapter: development services director, director of planning and development services and their designees.

(Ord. 5494 § 3, 2020: Ord. 5400 § 4, 2016: Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

16.46.070 Severability.

If any provision or clause of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect any other chapter provision, and clauses of this chapter are declared to be severable.

(Ord. 3665 § 1 (part), 1986)

Chapter 16.47

RESERVED*

  • Editor’s Note: Chapter 16.47, Approval of Projects with Impacts on Housing, previously codified herein, was repealed in its entirety by Section 1 of Ordinance No. 5408.

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▸Contents — Palo Alto Municipal Code
Palo Alto Municipal Code
  1. Article VIII — A. Board of Education
  2. Title 1 — GENERAL PROVISIONS
  3. Title 2 — ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
  4. Title 4 — BUSINESS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS
  5. Title 5 — HEALTH AND SANITATION
  6. Title 6 — ANIMALS
  7. Title 8 — TREES AND VEGETATION
  8. Title 9 — PUBLIC PEACE, MORALS AND SAFETY
  9. Title 10 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC
  10. Title 11 — ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCEDURE
  11. Title 12 — PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
  12. Title 13 — IMPROVEMENT PROCEDURE
  13. Title 15 — FIRE PREVENTION
  14. ▸Title 16 — BUILDING REGULATIONS
    Overview
    1. 16.04 California Building Code, California Code of Regulations…
    2. 16.05 California Mechanical Code, California Code of Regulatio…
    3. 16.08 California Plumbing Code, California Code of Regulations…
    4. 16.09 Sewer Use Ordinance
    5. 16.10 Private Sewage Disposal Systems
    6. 16.11 Stormwater Pollution Prevention
    7. 16.12 Recycled Water
    8. 16.13 Requirements for Food Facilities Related to Water Pollut…
    9. 16.14 California Green Building Standards Code, California Cod…
    10. 16.15 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
    11. 16.17 California Energy Code, California Code of Regulations, …
    12. 16.19 California Historical Building Code, California Code of …
    13. 16.20 Signs
    14. 16.24 Fences
    15. 16.28 Excavations, Grading and Fills
    16. 16.32 Moving and Relocating Buildings
    17. 16.36 House Numbering
    18. 16.38 Certificate of Use and Occupancy for Community Housing
    19. 16.40 Unsafe Buildings
    20. 16.42 Seismic Hazards Identification Program
    21. 16.44 Fallout Shelters
    22. 16.45 Transportation Impact Fee for New Nonresidential Develop…
    23. 16.46 Approval of Projects with Impacts on Traffic in the San …
    24. 16.47 Reserved
    25. 16.48 Reserved
    26. 16.49 Historic Preservation
    27. 16.50 Reserved
    28. 16.52 Flood Hazard Regulations
    29. 16.56 Handicapped Access Regulations - Appeal
    30. 16.57 In-Lieu Parking Fee for New Nonresidential Development i…
    31. 16.58 Development Impact Fees
    32. 16.59 Citywide Transportation Impact Fee
    33. 16.60 Charleston Arastradero Corridor Pedestrian and Bicyclist…
    34. 16.61 Public Art for Private Developments
    35. 16.62 Expired Permits for Residential Construction and Demolit…
    36. 16.63 Small Residential Rooftop Solar Energy Systems
    37. 16.64 Development Fee and In-lieu Payment Administration
    38. 16.65 Citywide Affordable Housing Requirements
    39. 16.66 Hauled Liquid Waste
    40. Chapter 16.04 — CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE, CALIFORNIA CODE OF
    41. Chapter 16.05 — CALIFORNIA MECHANICAL CODE, CALIFORNIA CODE OF
    42. Chapter 16.08 — CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE, CALIFORNIA CODE OF
    43. Chapter 16.09 — SEWER USE ORDINANCE
    44. Chapter 16.10 — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
    45. Chapter 16.11 — STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION
    46. Part 2 — General Provisions
    47. Part 3 — Development Projects
    48. Part 10 — Copper Controls
    49. Part 3 — Development Projects
    50. Part 4 — Required Best Management Practices for All Dischargers
    51. Part 5 — Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination and Mobil…
    52. Part 6 — Pesticides Toxicity Control
    53. Part 7 — Trash Load Reductions
    54. Part 8 — Mercury Controls
    55. Part 9 — Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Controls
    56. Part 10 — Copper Controls
    57. Chapter 16.12 — RECYCLED WATER
    58. Chapter 16.13 — REQUIREMENTS FOR FOOD FACILITIES RELATED TO WA…
    59. Part 6 — Rooftop Grease Containment System Requirements
    60. Part 11 — Food Facility Closure or Ownership Change
    61. Part 3 — Authority to Inspect and Enforce
    62. Part 4 — Prohibited Discharges, Devices, and Connections
    63. Part 5 — Grease Control Device Requirements
    64. Part 6 — Rooftop Grease Containment System Requirements
    65. Part 7 — Waste Oil Management Requirements
    66. Part 8 — Spill Response Requirements
    67. Part 9 — Best Management Practices for Existing Facilities
    68. Part 10 — Mobile Food Facilities
    69. Part 11 — Food Facility Closure or Ownership Change
    70. Chapter 16.14 — CALIFORNIA GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS CODE,
    71. Part 1 — General
    72. Chapter 4 — RESIDENTIAL
    73. Chapter 7 — INSTALLER AND SPECIAL
    74. Part 7 — Local Modifications to
    75. Chapter 5 — NONRESIDENTIAL
    76. Part 9 — Local Modifications to
    77. Part 1 — General
    78. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
    79. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
    80. Chapter 3 — GREEN BUILDING
    81. Chapter 4 — RESIDENTIAL MANDATORY MEASURES
    82. Chapter 7 — INSTALLER AND SPECIAL INSPECTOR QUALIFICATIONS
    83. Part 7 — Local Modifications to
    84. Chapter 5 — NONRESIDENTIAL MANDATORY MEASURES
    85. Part 9 — Local Modifications to
    86. Chapter 16.16 — CALIFORNIA ELECTRICAL CODE, CALIFORNIA CODE OF
    87. Chapter 16.17 — CALIFORNIA ENERGY CODE, CALIFORNIA CODE OF
    88. Chapter 16.19 — CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL BUILDING CODE, CALIFORNI…
    89. Chapter 16.20 — SIGNS
    90. Chapter 16.20 — Table 1
    91. Chapter 16.20 — Table 2
    92. Chapter 16.20 — Table 2
    93. Chapter 16.20 — Table 3
    94. Chapter 16.24 — FENCES
    95. Chapter 16.28 — GRADING AND EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
    96. Chapter 16.32 — MOVING AND RELOCATING BUILDINGS
    97. Chapter 16.36 — HOUSE NUMBERING
    98. Chapter 16.38 — CERTIFICATE OF USE AND OCCUPANCY FOR COMMUNITY
    99. Chapter 16.40 — UNSAFE BUILDINGS
    100. Chapter 16.44 — FALLOUT SHELTERS
    101. Chapter 16.45 — TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE FOR NEW NONRESIDENTIAL
    102. Chapter 16.46 — APPROVAL OF PROJECTS WITH IMPACTS ON TRAFFIC I…
    103. Chapter 16.48 — RESERVED
    104. Chapter 16.49 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION
    105. Chapter 16.50 — RESERVED
    106. Chapter 16.52 — FLOOD HAZARD REGULATIONS
    107. Chapter 16.56 — HANDICAPPED ACCESS REGULATIONS - APPEAL
    108. Chapter 16.57 — IN-LIEU PARKING FEE FOR NEW NONRESIDENTIAL DEV…
    109. Chapter 16.58 — DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES
    110. Chapter 16.59 — CITYWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
    111. Chapter 16.60 — CHARLESTON ARASTRADERO CORRIDOR PEDESTRIAN
    112. Chapter 16.61 — PUBLIC ART FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS
    113. Chapter 16.62 — EXPIRED PERMITS FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND
    114. Chapter 16.63 — SMALL RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
    115. Chapter 16.64 — DEVELOPMENT FEE AND IN-LIEU PAYMENT ADMINISTRA…
    116. Chapter 16.66 — HAULED LIQUID WASTE
  15. Title 17 — HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STORAGE
  16. Title 18 — ZONING
  17. Title 19 — MASTER PLAN
  18. Article 7 — AUTHORITY FOR AND SCOPE OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLANS.
  19. Article 8 — PROCEDURE FOR ADOPTION OF MASTER OR GENERAL PLAN.
  20. Chapter 19.06 — SPECIFIC PLANS
  21. Chapter 19.10 — COORDINATED AREA PLANS
  22. Title 20 — PRECISE PLANS
  23. Title 21 — SUBDIVISIONS AND OTHER DIVISIONS OF LAND
  24. Title 22 — PARKS

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