Amendment to the General Plan 2023-2031 Housing Element
Summary
SCH Number
2025120534
Public Agency
City of Los Altos Hills
Document Title
Amendment to the General Plan 2023-2031 Housing Element
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/11/2025
Document Description
The Project consists of an Amendment to the General Plan 2023-2031 Housing Element. The Amendment would specify the proposed maximum densities on sites to be rezoned from the R-A zoning district to multi-family; specify a total multi-family rezoning area of 19 acres; include updates reaffirming property owner interest in redeveloping the multi-family rezoning sites and additional feasibility analysis conducted to demonstrate viability of housing development; and make other non-substantive, clerical revisions. The Housing Element Amendment facilitates the Town's proposal to rezone sites from the single-family R-A district to multi-family and continues to implement the housing strategies, goals and programs of the 2023-2031 Housing Element. It is intended to provide clarity and maintain internal consistency across governing land use and planning documents.
Contact Information
Name
Jay Bradford
Agency Name
Los Altos Hills
Job Title
Community Development Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Los Altos Hills
Counties
Santa Clara
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
N/A
Zip
94022
Total Acres
34
Parcel #
Multiple
State Highways
SR-82
Railways
N/A
Airports
N/A
Schools
Various
Waterways
Various
Base
MDM
Other Location Info
The Town of Los Altos Hills is located in the northwestern portion of Santa Clara County, within the larger San Francisco Bay region. The Cities of Stanford and Palo Alto are located to the north/northwest; unincorporated Santa Clara County lands are to the south and northwest; the Cities of Los Altos and Mountain View are to the northeast/east; and the City of Sunnyvale is to the east. The Town is approximately 9 square miles in size. Regional access to Los Altos Hills is provided by Interstate 280 (I-280), which runs north-south, bisecting the Town. This “Planning Area” contains some 14,000 acres, approximately 5,400 of which make up the Town of Los Altos Hills. Specifically, the proposed Project would affect three groupings of parcels totaling approximately 34 acres within the Town boundary. The parcels are herein respectively referred to as the Twin Oaks site (in the northwestern portion of Los Altos Hills), Foothill College site (in the south-central portion), and St. Nicholas School site (in the southeastern portion).
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
PRC Section 21080.085
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed Housing Element Amendment is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 21080.085 of the Public Resources Code as CEQA does not apply to a rezoning that implements the schedule of actions contained in an approved housing element pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65583 of the Government Code. The Housing Element Amendment is in support of the proposed rezoning action that implements Program A-1 of the Town’s adopted and state-certified 2023-2031 Housing Element pursuant to Government code section 65583(c), which the City Council has, by separate ordinance, determined that the proposed rezoning is statutorily exempt pursuant to Section 21080.085. The Housing Element Amendment is proposed to achieve internal consistency and in support of the rezoning action, and thus similarly exempt on the same grounds. The amendment does not approve any development projects, or issue any entitlements, but are regulatory actions taken by the Town for internal horizontal general plan consistency. The proposed Housing Element Amendment is also not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed amendments may have a significant impact on the environment. The proposed amendments are to achieve internal consistency across land use documents and do not approve any particular project. They also would not impact the physical allowances for development projects. As such, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed Housing Element Amendment does not have a significant impact on the environment.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed Housing Element Amendment is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 21080.085 of the Public Resources Code as CEQA does not apply to a rezoning that implements the schedule of actions contained in an approved housing element pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 65583 of the Government Code. The Housing Element Amendment is in support of the proposed rezoning action that implements Program A-1 of the Town’s adopted and state-certified 2023-2031 Housing Element pursuant to Government code section 65583(c), which the City Council has, by separate ordinance, determined that the proposed rezoning is statutorily exempt pursuant to Section 21080.085. The Housing Element Amendment is proposed to achieve internal consistency and in support of the rezoning action, and thus similarly exempt on the same grounds. The amendment does not approve any development projects, or issue any entitlements, but are regulatory actions taken by the Town for internal horizontal general plan consistency. The proposed Housing Element Amendment is also not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed amendments may have a significant impact on the environment. The proposed amendments are to achieve internal consistency across land use documents and do not approve any particular project. They also would not impact the physical allowances for development projects. As such, it can be seen with certainty that the proposed Housing Element Amendment does not have a significant impact on the environment.
County Clerk
Santa Clara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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