+ What is the Northeast Area Specific Plan?

Since 2015, the City of San Carlos has seen an unprecedented amount of private sector investment and construction in East San Carlos, especially from the life sciences and biotechnology industry. The City wants to be thoughtful about how new growth happens, how this growth can best serve the community, and how to support a thriving economy.

In 2021, the City adopted the East Side Innovation District Plan which created a framework for growth and change in southeast San Carlos.

Recognizing that change is coming to northeast San Carlos, the City Council established a goal to create the Northeast Area Specific Plan. This Plan will plan for change in the northeast area in a way that supports existing and new businesses, residents, and the overall community. The goals of the Plan are to:

• Carefully and creatively plan for new development and construction
• Celebrate the area’s industrial legacy and leverage new opportunities
• Explore the possibility of introducing housing
• Support industrial access and providing ways for people to walk, bicycle, take transit, and drive to and through the area
• Champion district resiliency and thoughtfully plan for the future of both the natural and built environments
• Address environmental needs, including flooding from Belmont Creek; the potential presence of hazardous substances; and other needs

+ Where is the Northeast Area?

The Northeast Area includes the area north of Holly Street, to the San Carlos city limits at Belmont Creek, and between Highway 101 and Old County Road. This area, which has historically been referred to as the Harbor Industrial Area, was annexed into the City of San Carlos city limits in 1997.

The study area will not include the adjacent single-family neighborhood, but will thoughtfully plan for and respect this boundary.

+ What is a Specific Plan?

A Specific Plan is a planning, policy, and zoning document that establishes a vision for a small area or district within a city. A Specific Plan typically establishes policies to guide growth and change in an area, and lays out development standards to guide the construction of new buildings or changes to existing buildings. Specific Plans consider land uses (industrial, commercial, residential, and others), transportation, open space and recreation, infrastructure improvements, and the look and feel of the area. The goal of the Northeast Area process is to create a Specific Plan that will clearly state the expectations and requirements for new development and change in the Northeast Area. The City will use the Specific Plan to guide growth in the area.

+ Why is this process happening right now, and what is the timeline?

Over the last several years, the Northeast Area has received a lot of interest from developers who want to build new buildings for life science and biotechnology companies. Because of this, the Northeast Area will likely see significant change from new development, and the City wants to thoughtfully plan for these anticipated changes.

Since the area was annexed into the City of San Carlos city limits in 1997, there have been very few changes to the land use regulations in the area. To guide new development in this area, the City Council has directed City staff to prepare a Specific Plan, called the Northeast Area Specific Plan. The Specific Plan process is anticipated to wrap up in early 2025.

+ Will housing be addressed in the Northeast Area Specific Plan?

The Specific Plan will explore the possibility of introducing housing into the area, and will ask questions such as:

• How many new jobs will come to the area, and how many new residents should we plan for?
• Where should housing be located?
• What are the best ways to balance housing with the existing industrial businesses?
• How can the City best support the existing businesses so that they can remain and thrive?

While housing is not currently allowed in the area, per the City’s General Plan, the City recognizes the importance of planning for additional housing to serve the community. The City recently adopted a new Housing Element which plans for over 3,000 new housing units at a range of affordability levels. The City anticipates that even more units will be needed in the future. To learn more about San Carlos Housing 2040, the Housing Element Update, visit sancarlos2040.org.

+ How can I get involved?

The City is eager for all to be involved in this process. Visit our Get Involved page for opportunities to share your input.

+ What is the development moratorium?

On April 25, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1581 to establish a development moratorium for the Northeast Area. On May 23, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1582 which extended the development moratorium to April 2024. For more information about the development moratorium, visit the City's website.