Steve Emslie brings over three decades of experience in land use planning and urban development in Peninsula, South and East Bay cities. Most recently, Steve served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Palo Alto which included the roles of Director of Planning and Community Environment, from 2002 to 2013. During Steve’s Palo Alto tenure, he represented the City in negotiations for the Stanford Hospital renewal project, the University’s four million square foot hospital re-construction including support services and the School of Medicine. The Development agreement, approved unanimously by the Palo Alto City Council, included over $50 million in community benefits for the City. The $4 billion project broke ground in 2013 with an expected completion date in 2017.

Steve’s experience in Palo Alto also included managing numerous corporate expansions including Facebook’s expansion in the Stanford Research Park, the renovation of the VMware campus, and Hewlett Packard’s consolidation of its Palo Alto headquarters.

Also in Palo Alto, Steve oversaw the modernization of the development review process which included an overhaul of the City’s development code and electronic permit tracking which improved customer service and reduced permit processing times. He also represented the City in negotiations with the California High Speed Rail Authority in Sacramento. The City of Palo Alto took a statewide leadership role in convincing the Authority to revise its plan to retain the at-grade track configuration within the existing Caltrain right-of-way, greatly reducing the impact on peninsula communities.

Prior to Steve’s Palo Alto experience, he was Deputy Planning Director for the City of San Jose from 1999 to 2002. Among other duties, Steve led the City’s code enforcement efforts for the Strong Neighborhood Initiative, a unique partnership between community leaders and the City’s service providers. By way of this program ten San Jose neighborhoods were selected to bring targeted services to the City’s most economically challenged neighborhoods.

From 1991 to 1999, Steve was Planning Manager and Community Development Director for the East Bay community of San Leandro. Notable projects included the development of the Marina Square Auto Mall, Bayfair Mall modernization, and E. 14th Street urban design improvements. Also in San Leandro, Steve managed the formation of the Joint San Leandro/Alameda County Redevelopment area, one of the largest joint project areas in the State at the time.

Steve’s early career from 1980 to 1991 involved leadership of local agencies in both Northern and Southern California. These experiences brought a solid understanding of both land use policy and environmental impacts.

Steve brings a strategic and collaborative approach to resolving land use conflicts. His many years at the local level bring a unique perspective that involves engaging communities in a productive dialogue to ensure that complex projects achieve their objectives and result in superior urban design.

Steve lives with his wife, Patricia, in Palo Alto. He has served on the American Planning Association Northern California Chapter board as well as currently serving on several non-profit boards, including the Palo Alto Family YMCA and the Lytton Gardens affordable senior housing community. Additionally, he is currently the Palo Alto Rotary Club President, and has been a member of the club for twelve years.

A native northern Californian, Steve graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture.