Welcome to the Northeast Area Specific Plan website for the City of San Carlos.
View the Final Draft of the Northeast Area Specific Plan
The Final Public Draft of the Northeast Area Specific Plan is available below. This milestone moves the project into its final phase, shaped by years of community engagement as well as input on the previous draft issued last spring.
Appendix: Project Requirements from Environmental Impact Report (In Progress)
Public hearings to consider the Northeast Area Specific Plan for adoption will be scheduled for spring of this year, with ample public notice provided in advance. Questions and comments regarding the Final Public Draft may be directed to AdvancePlanning@cityofsancarlos.org.
View the Draft Environmental Impact Report
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), associated appendices, and Notice of Availability are provided below. In compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Draft EIR is available for a 45-day public review period from March 2, 2026 to April 16, 2026. Written comments can be submitted to AdvancePlanning@cityofsancarlos.org and will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on April 16, 2026.
The City also held a public hearing to present the Draft EIR to the Planning and Transportation Commission on Monday, March 16, 2026 at City Hall Council Chambers at 600 Elm Street, San Carlos. Watch the recording of the public hearing and find the meeting materials HERE.
City Council Study Session on September 8, 2025
The City Council held a study session on September 8 at 7 PM to provide direction on potential revisions to the draft Northeast Area Specific Plan. Topics of discussion include residential density, maximum building height, public open space, stakeholder input, and the project timeline. Watch the recording of the Study Session and find the meeting presentation HERE.
City Council Study Session on May 27, 2025
The City Council provided input on the Public Draft at a study Session on May 27, 2025 at 7 PM. Watch the recording of the Study Session and find the meeting presentation HERE.
Planning and Transportation Provides Input at a Study Session on April 2, 2025.
The Planning and Transportation Commission provided input on the Public Draft at a study session on April 2, 2025 at 6pm. The feedback gathered from April 2nd meeting will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration at a future City Council study session. Following both meetings, City staff and the consultant team will continue to refine the Specific Plan in preparation for adoption. Watch the recording of the Study Session and find the meeting presentation HERE.
Thank you for joining us on November 7, 2024 for a Virtual Community Workshop discussing key policies proposed for inclusion in the upcoming Draft Northeast Area Specific Plan.
This virtual Community Workshop was held on Thursday, November 7th, 2024, from 6:30pm - 8:00pm via Zoom.During the workshop, City staff and the consultant team presented key highlights that will be included in the upcoming Draft Northeast Area Specific Plan. Watch the recording of the workshop and find the summary of the feedback received HERE.
City Council Endorses a Preferred Land Use Option for the Northeast Area Specific Plan
Following a recommendation by the Planning and Transportation Commission on January 16, 2024, On Monday February 12, City Council endorsed a revised draft Land Use Option and Urban Design Framework for the Northeast Area Specific Plan. This marks a major milestone in the specific plan process. The Northeast Area Specific Plan aims to create a vision, policies, and standards to guide new development in the northeast area of San Carlos in a way that supports existing and new businesses, residents, and the overall community.
As a next step, staff and the consultant team will start refining the preferred land use and urban design plan based on City Council’s input. The drafting of the specific plan, as well as environmental and technical analysis, will initiate. This will include traffic & circulation, mobility action plan, streetscape design, infrastructure, development & design standards, community benefits, and open space. All these efforts will work towards the development of the first draft of the Specific Plan, anticipated for completion in late Fall 2024. After conducting community engagement and gathering feedback on the draft Specific Plan, a revised draft Specific Plan will be developed in late Spring 2024. The final Specific Plan is planned for adoption in Summer 2025.
Figure 1: Preferred Land Use Option for the Northeast Area Specific Plan
What is the study area for the Northeast Specific Plan, and why is it happening now?
Conceptual map of the Northeast Area Specific Plan in San Carlos
The City of San Carlos is currently creating the Northeast Area Specific Plan to guide anticipated change and new development in this area. See map of the Northeast Area Specific Plan here.
Over the last several years, the Northeast Area has received a lot of interest from developers who want to redevelop the area and 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.
The Specific Plan process is anticipated to wrap up in early 2025.
The Northeast Area, which has historically been referred to as the Harbor Industrial Area, was annexed into the City of San Carlos city limits in 1997. Since then, there have been very few changes to the area. The Northeast Area is defined as the area north of Holly Street, to the San Carlos city limits at Belmont Creek, and between Highway 101 and Old County Road.
