Here are some helpful resources for downtown property owners and anyone interested in downtown Los Altos. LAPOD does not necessarily endorse any positions or opinions expressed in these documents. If you have suggestions for other links to add, please email them to propertyownersdowntown@gmail.com.

DOWNTOWN LOS ALTOS BACKGROUND MATERIALS

Existing City Plans Relating to Downtown

• 1993 Los Altos Downtown Urban Design Plan
• 2009 Downtown Design Guidelines
• 2009 Public Parking Plazas Opportunity Study
• 2009 Civic Center Master Plan - Community Center redesign update in progress
• 2013 Downtown Parking Management Plan
• Undated: History and Documentation of Downtown Parking Needs
• Undated: Downtown Land Use and Economic Revitalization Plans (summarizes above plans)

Helpful Property Owner Resources

• Downtown Employee Parking Permit Program (a.k.a. The "White Dot" Program)
• Downtown Outdoor Display Permit Guidelines
• Signage Code Requirements for Downtown Building Signage

Other Downtown Community Groups

• Los Altos Village Association
• Los Altos Chamber of Commerce
• Los Altos Community Foundation
• Los Altos Forward
• Los Altos First Fridays
• GreenTown Los Altos

RESEARCH & PRESENTATIONS

Presentations & Articles

Nov. 2017 Downtown Property Owners Perspectives on Downtown Vision Scenarios

Oct 2014 Position Statement Re: Downtown Parking Management Plan Next Steps & Parking Structure

• Statement to Los Altos City Council Oct 28, 2014

Jun 2014 "A Theater and Parking Garage for Downtown Los Altos"

• Presentation by King Lear to Los Altos City Council, 6/10/14
• Follow-up presentation to Council 10/28/14

Jun 2014 "Chamber Parking Subcommittee Report: Downtown Los Altos"

• Presentation by Ron Packard & Barry Groves to LAPOD (also same to LAVA, Chamber, Council)
• Follow-up presentation to Council at Study Session 10/14/14

Jun 2014 "Santa Cruz Downtown Master Plan - Lessons Learned"

• Presentation by Charlie Eadie to LAPOD (open to public)

Dec 2013 "Is Los Altos Planning Ahead?"

• Presentation by Bill Maston to Los Altos Forward Community Conversations

Jun 2011 "City Design and Urban Innovation for the Knowledge Economy"

• Presentation by Michael Freedman to the Local Government Commission, Mountain View, June 23, 2011.
• Summary: innovation economy & creative class are leading to downtown reinvestment, shift from auto-centric to amenity-centric development patterns, e.g. public open space, mixed use zones.

More Los Altos Community Conversations archived here

Downtown Specific Planning

• What is a Specific Plan vs Master Plan anyway?
• 2013 San Bruno Downtown Specific Plan
• 1991 Santa Cruz Downtown Recovery (Specific) Plan

Parking

• Los Altos City-Wide Parking Committee meetings

  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - March 18, part one

  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - March 18, part two 

  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - April 1, part one
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - April 1, part two
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - April 15, part one
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - April 15, part two
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - May 6, part one
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - May 6, part two
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - May 20, part one
  • 2015 Parking Committee meeting - May 20, part two
• White paper by the GreenTown Los Altos Sustainable Land Use Group
• Parking Plaza 10 Re-Striping Analysis - by Ted & Jerry Sorensen, coming soon
• Downtown Alternative Parking Plan - by Ted & Jerry Sorensen, coming soon

Ideas for Downtown Los Altos

• 2009 A Vision for Revitalizing Downtown Los Altos
  • GreenTown Los Altos Sustainable Land Use Workgroup presentation