FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

You can find the universal planning application form in the link here

 For all Accessory Dwelling Unit related information, please navigate to this page. Click here

All Accessory Dwelling Units( ADU's) require a Zoning Clearance from Planning before the building permit applications can be submitted. See more details here. 

 It is highly recommended that applicant meet with Planning staff to discuss plan requirements prior to submittal of application and plans. Should applicant submit the application and plans prior to meeting, the applicant is aware that plans may be deemed “INCOMPLETE” if required materials are missing. It will also be counted as one (1) of the three (3) reviews that are included in the planning review fees. 

Preliminary Design: Before starting a project design, the City of East Palo Alto highly recommends the project team (owners, applicants, planners, architects, engineers, landscape architects, and other design professionals) to review this document link here. 

A Design Review Committee Meeting is an inter-division design review committee comprising of inter-division staff members who review development projects.  This meeting is coordinated by the Planning Division and may/may not include the developer's presence. The inter-agency staff members include but are not limited to Planning, Engineering, Building, Public Works, Fire Protection District, Police Division, Sanitary District, etc. and subsequent stakeholders who are responsible to condition the project review and approvals.

Typically medium projects with public hearing and major projects are taken to Design Review Committee for discussion. 

You can determine the answer to a High-Risk Flood Zone in the web link. Click here. 

Link to East Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 15.52 Floodplain Management here.

Additional questions regarding flood management please contact the Engineering Department engineering@cityofepa.org.

If your fence is over the prescribed regulated height as seen in Figure 3.3, you will require a Building permit with planning oversight. 

More details of regulations on fences, hedges and walls are in the this link to the East Palo Alto Municipal Code. 

Please budget up to 7 days to hear back on a payment for a permit. If you have not heard back by then, write an email with details of the address and permit type to request for an update. 

New mobile vendor process flowchart is linked here

For mobile vendor renewals, contact HDL:

• By email: eastpaloalto@hdlgov.com
• By phone: (650) 223-7740
• Website: https://eastpaloalto.hdlgov.com/

 In addition to the required plans for the project, forms and fees,  you will have to produce documentation to validate the development improvement in the High-Risk Flood Zone location.

Documents required at the time of development submittal in High Risk Flood Zone where the structure is not raised 18" above Base Flood Elevation is below: 

a. Property Appraisal report (not older than 6 months)

b. Construction cost estimate (labor and material separated) 

If you need to be approved for any development in these High-Risk Flood Zones, the substantial improvement (SI) allowed is capped at 50% of the dwelling cost of the structure and proposed improvements. 

The method that City of East Palo Alto is using to calculate SI is detailed below: 

a. The standard appraisal gives the value of the dwelling, and we require that for calculating the project percentage. Only 50% of that amount is allowed to be improved in the High-Risk Flood Zones. 

b. When the project is submitted for development review in High-Risk Flood Zone, we require a construction cost estimate that separates the labor and material. We use the material cost against the overall dwelling cost to make sure it is under 50% SI and award it accordingly.