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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-21 City Schools Liaison Committee Agenda PacketBIG CREEK ELEMENTARY Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) City of Palo Alto Todd Collins, Vice President Lydia Kou, Council Member, Chair Jennifer DiBrienza, President Alison Cormack, Council Member Staff Jim Novak, PAUSD, Chief Business Officer, Staff Liaison Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison 1. Oral Communications 2. Approval of Minutes for the December 13, 2018 City/School Liaison Committee Meeting 3. Review of Recent City Council and PAUSD Board Meetings a. CITY: Council Retreat and 2019 Priorities, Study Session With City’s State Lobbyist Related to the 2019 Legislative Session, Fire Safety Month Poster Award Recognition to PAUSD Students b. PAUSD 4. City and District Comments and Announcements 5. Grade Separation Update 6. Cubberley Master Plan Update 7. Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP) Update 8. City School Liaison Committee Format Discussion 9. Update on Key Events: Including the Palo Alto 125th 10. Future Meetings and Agendas Thursday, February 21, 2019 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM Palo Alto City Hall Community Meeting Room 250 Hamilton Avenue, Ground Floor City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Agenda Page 1 of 10 Special Meeting December 13, 2018 Chairperson Holman called the meeting to order at 8:03 A.M. in the Community Meeting Room, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, California. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Karen Holman, Council Member, Committee Chair Eric Filseth, Vice Mayor Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Todd Collins, Board Member, Board Vice President Ken Dauber, Board Member Jim Novak, District Chief Business Officer, Staff Liaison Absent: 1. Oral Communications None Minutes Approval 2. Approval of Minutes for the November 15, 2018 City/School Liaison Committee Meeting. MOTION: Board Member Collins moved, seconded by Board Member Dauber to approve the minutes for the November 15, 2018 City/School Liaison Committee Meeting. MOTION PASSED: 4-0 3. Review of Recent City Council and PAUSD Meetings: a. CITY: Utilities Smart Grid Assessment, 2018 Comprehensive Plan Implementation/Housing Ordinance, Meeting with Assembly Member Marc Berman; b. PAUSD City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting DRAFT Minutes DRAFT MINUTES Page 2 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Vice Mayor Filseth reported the Council had initiated a discussion of the Housing Work Plan. The intent of the Housing Work Plan was to spur housing growth by improving the economics of development. Studies indicated parking requirements may contain slack. If the parking requirements were reduced and if the requirements did contain slack, then the economics of building housing would improve. The Council reduced Citywide parking requirements for various sizes of housing. Allowing higher unit densities without increasing the size of buildings could also spur housing growth. The Council was not focusing on spurring housing growth based on income level. The Council's recent actions pertained to Citywide standards and the Downtown area. Future Council actions would pertain to the California Avenue area and the El Camino Real Corridor. The Council approved a five-year contract with Team Sheeper for management of the Rinconada Pool complex. During the trial period, Team Sheeper provided a significant improvement in utilization and service delivery, while the City reduced its costs. The Council was scheduled to hold a Study Session with Supervisor Simitian on December 17. Supervisor Simitian would likely discuss the Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP). The City Council and the Pets In Need Board of Directors had approved a tentative contract for Pets In Need to operate the Animal Shelter. The City adopted the Smart Grid deployment plan. The project should be revenue neutral but provide a significant upgrade. The Council also approved a design for the Public Safety Building (PSB) on California Avenue. Board Member Collins requested the address on California Avenue for the PSB. Vice Mayor Filseth indicated the PSB would be located on Sherman Avenue near the Courthouse. Chair Holman added that a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bike Bridge over Highway 101 was scheduled for Monday. Supervisor Simitian would probably discuss his plans for teacher housing during the Study Session. Board Member Collins inquired regarding the topic of the Study Session with Supervisor Simitian. Chair Holman related that the discussion would be general. Board Member Collins advised that Jennifer DiBrienza was elected as the new Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education (Board) President, and Todd Collins was elected as the Board Vice President. The Board approved a Resolution requesting specific measures related to the Stanford University GUP, in particular per student funding, a purchase of real property for a school site, and funding to support the school. He urged the DRAFT MINUTES Page 3 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Council to consider approving a Resolution that encompassed other issues or that supported the Board's Resolution. The Board hired in-house counsel, who would begin work on January 1. The Board approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Palo Alto Police Department (PAPD). The Board also approved an amendment to the contract with Concordia regarding the Cubberley Community Center Master Plan. The amendment added the two adjacent sites to the planning effort. The Board received an update regarding Title 9 processes. The Title 9 Coordinator had provided training to every one of PAUSD's 2,000 employees. In addition, the Board reviewed Public Record Act (PRA) compliance. The Board held a Study Session regarding the budget and directed Staff to review programs and spending and recommend significant changes to cost structures, particularly pension liability. A PAUSD faculty member recently died in an officer-involved shooting in Redwood City, and another employee was involved in the shooting. 4. City and District Comments and Announcements. Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, reported that the Rail Committee would update the Council on December 17 regarding grade separations. The preferred solution for the Churchill crossing appeared to be closing the street to cars with an underpass available for bikes and pedestrians. Board Member Collins inquired whether the closure would be all or part of each day. Mr. de Geus advised that the closure remained under consideration. A traffic study would be conducted to determine the impact of circulation. There was some interest in thinking about the Palo Alto Avenue crossing differently than the other three crossings because of its location in the Downtown area. There was also some interest in preparing a Coordinated Area Plan (CAP) for the area. Three alternatives for the Charleston-Meadow crossing were being evaluated. Members of the public and the Community Advisory Panel had presented a fourth alternative for study. Board Member Collins disclosed that Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) buses parked at Palo Alto High School and exited the yard at Churchill Avenue; therefore, the closure of Churchill Avenue could materially affect the bus fleet. Don Austin, PAUSD Superintendent, indicated three schools were directly impacted by the death of the faculty member in Redwood City. PAUSD Staff was close to presenting options for teacher housing to the PAUSD Board of Education (Board). As the Board moved from reviewing options to preparing concepts, City Staff was invited to participate in discussions. DRAFT MINUTES Page 4 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 5. Emergency Preparedness Update. Kenneth Dueker, Office of Emergency Services Director, reported a great deal of background material was available on the internet. One of the most important things a community could do was participate regularly in updating the risk and hazards assessment. The Office of Emergency Services (OES) focused on highlighting preparedness and developing and training volunteers. Victoria Geen-Lew, Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Risk Manager, advised that PAUSD had prepared a template for school principals to provide data for safety posts and offered ongoing training. First aid was incorporated into lockdown training. Lockdown training was required each year for each school and the PAUSD Office. All radio equipment was maintained and serviced annually. Emergency supplies at each school site and the PAUSD Office were replenished annually. Chair Holman inquired whether annual replenishment was sufficiently frequent. Ms. Geen-Lew related that PAUSD purchased a shipment of water that would last for 30 years. The lifespan of food products was five years. Jim Novak, Chief Business Officer, added that an inventory of supplies was also conducted. Chair Collins suggested Staff sample the water to ensure it was fresh. Ms. Geen-Lew clarified that the water was stored in stainless steel containers, and the containers were vacuum-sealed. Staff also performed a communications test recently. Mr. Dueker noted two-way radios could provide communications when all other systems failed. Tony Becker, Palo Alto Police Detective Sergeant, explained that School Resource Officers (SRO) visited schools daily and interacted well with school staff. SROs trained regularly with school staff and students. Nathan Rainey, Office of Emergency Services Coordinator, commented that he participated in PAUSD's assessment of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC). He had offered PAUSD Staff some suggestions to increase efficiency. Ms. Geen-Lew disclosed that training would be provided to new personnel. DRAFT MINUTES Page 5 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Mr. Dueker stated PAUSD's EOC was designed to be a management system in case of a crisis. The City's EOC was utilized daily for threat assessments and situational awareness in support of public safety. PAUSD, the City, and stakeholders collaborated frequently regarding disaster preparedness. An ongoing task was ensuring online maps and computer-aided dispatch were up-to-date. There could be opportunities for PAUSD EOC members to embed with City Staff. Chair Holman commended Staff for better coordination of events and training. Board Member Collins believed emergency preparedness at schools was a real concern with the rise of school shootings. The priority for emergency preparedness and safety at PAUSD would increase. THE COMMITTEE HEARD AGENDA ITEM NUMBERS 6 AND 10 TOGETHER. 6. North Ventura Coordinated Area Plan Update. 10. Cubberley Master Plan Update. Jonathan Lait, Planning & Community Environment Interim Director, reported the boundaries of the Coordinated Area Plan (CAP) were generally El Camino, Page Mill Road, Park Boulevard, and Lambert. Board Member Collins asked if the CAP extended to Wilton or Ventura. Mr. Lait replied no. Board Member Collins stated the CAP contained primarily the Fry's site. Mr. Lait clarified that the CAP comprised approximately 60 acres. The City received a Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) grant that required the process to be complete within two years. The area was one of the few sites that provided opportunities for additional housing. There was a strong interest in improving pedestrian and bicycle connections, connecting the street grids, moving people from the area to Caltrain and adjoining areas, improving infrastructure, and preventing disruptions and displacement that could occur through redevelopment. The challenge was encouraging property owners to redevelop their properties while the City met objectives to create housing and retail. The working group would begin developing a vision for the CAP. A community meeting would be held in January or February, following which the City Council would meet with the working group. DRAFT MINUTES Page 6 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Board Member Collins advised that the Ventura and North Ventura area was poorly served by a neighborhood school. The area was bounded by very busy streets and contained no schools. A significant amount of new housing would produce a significant number of kids. Children in the area were zoned to attend Barron Park Elementary School. The former Ventura school site was owned by the City and utilized for various community projects. Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) had an option to buy the Ventura school site from the City. PAUSD could build a school in North Ventura by exchanging a four-acre site in Ventura for a similar site in North Ventura. Schools should be considered throughout the planning process. Mr. Lait invited PAUSD Staff and Board of Education (Board) Members to attend meetings of the working group and provide input. Board Member Collins suggested City Staff liaise with Mr. Novak. Board Member Dauber wished to ensure City Staff was aware of Board concerns and the need to include a school in the CAP. Chair Holman inquired whether a PAUSD representative could be added to the working group. Mr. Lait explained that the Council would have to make that determination. The Municipal Code provided the maximum number of working group members, and the Council appointed a full complement of members. Chair Holman inquired whether a PAUSD representative could be an ad hoc member of the working group. Mr. Lait indicated City Staff could engage with and share information through the PAUSD liaison. He would discuss the potential land swap with the City's consultant for the CAP. Board Member Collins understood the City had a process for the working group, but he wished to include a PAUSD representative in the working group. Mr. Lait requested additional information regarding the former Ventura school site. Board Member Collins would discuss it with Mr. Lait following the meeting. Board Member Dauber emphasized the importance of considering a school for the Ventura area in discussing the CAP. DRAFT MINUTES Page 7 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Kirsten O’Kane, Community Services Assistant Director, reported the consultants for the Cubberley Master Plan were consolidating information obtained during the most recent community meeting and developing more detailed conceptual designs. The following week, the City Council and the Board were scheduled to consider an amendment to the consultant's contract to include the Greendell School and 525 San Antonio Road sites in the scope of services. The next community meeting was scheduled for January 24. The final community meeting was scheduled for May 9. Robert Golton, Bond Program Manager, added that PAUSD Staff was moving toward student meetings at Palo Alto and Gunn High Schools. Board Member Collins noted the contract amendment was listed on the Board's Consent Calendar and should be approved. It would be useful for the planning process to intersect with the Board's discussion of teacher housing. Chair Holman commended the consultant's promotion of community meetings as the attendance had been good. 7. Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP) Update. Jonathan Lait, Planning & Community Environment Interim Director, expected the release of the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP) either the day of the meeting or the following day. Comments regarding the FEIR could be submitted; however, the County of Santa Clara (County) was not obligated to respond to comments. The comment period would likely end in early January. The County formed a subcommittee regarding the Development Agreement. City Staff was discussing high-value areas of interest and how they intersected with Stanford University's interests. In January, Staff planned to present the Council with a letter outlining issues the County should discuss with Stanford University. Public hearings would be held before the County Planning Commission in March and April and before the Board of Supervisors in May and June. Development Agreement discussions were scheduled to conclude around mid-February. Chair Holman suggested City Staff request an extension of the comment period. A community meeting regarding the GUP was held in Palo Alto and was well attended. Supervisor Simitian was planning a community meeting in Palo Alto with the complete Board of Supervisors because the GUP would heavily impact Palo Alto. Board Member Collins understood the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education's (Board) priority items would be outside the DRAFT MINUTES Page 8 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements but would fall under the Development Agreement. Any support from the City and the Council would be appreciated. Chair Holman suggested the lack of an identified school site would require an addendum to the FEIR. Board Member Dauber noted Supervisor Simitian had articulated the principle of full mitigation, which was extremely encouraging. The Board and the City should repeat the principle as an expectation. Board Member Dauber left the meeting at 9:17 A.M. Board Member Collins disclosed that Jean McCown, a Stanford University representative, met with Parent Teacher Association (PTA) people. Ms. McCown stated adamantly that Stanford University would never agree to pay any funds for any unfunded students. Stanford University contributed far more to PAUSD than other universities contributed to their school districts. Stanford University had not proposed any mitigations. Housing provisions of the GUP could generate 1,500 students for PAUSD. THE COMMITTEE HEARD AGENDA ITEM 9 AT THIS TIME. 9. Parks and Recreation Update – May Fete Parade, Job Shadow Day. Chair Holman suggested the 2019 May Fete Parade should be promoted heavily as 2019 was the City's 125th Anniversary. Increasing participation and attendance at the parade required coordination with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) to prevent conflicting events. The parade would be a good opportunity to introduce Pets In Need. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Assistant Director, advised that the 2019 May Fete Parade would honor the City's 125th Anniversary with a theme of "Celebrate Our Shared History." She requested suggestions for a May Fete Parade Grand Marshal. THE COMMITTEE HEARD AGENDA ITEM 8 AT THIS TIME. 8. Ways for the City and School District to Work Together More Effectively to Accomplish Shared Goals, e.g., Shared Use of Facilities, Cost of Services. Chair Holman had requested the item so that Council Members and Board Members could share and understand the other's point of view. DRAFT MINUTES Page 9 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Rob de Geus, Deputy City Manager, provided a list of City services that supported Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) either directly or indirectly and costs of those services. City Staff was compiling a list of services that the City provided to other entities. In January, the new City Manager would conduct a listening tour in the community. The City needed to understand the cost of the services and ways to share the costs or find new sources to pay for services. Staff estimated the full cost of services was more than $5 million. Chair Holman inquired regarding a timeline for Staff to assign costs to each service and for PAUSD to provide its list of services to the City. Mr. de Geus hoped to have the list finalized by the end of January. Jim Novak, Chief Business Officer, stated the City's timeframe would be appropriate for PAUSD. Chair Holman remarked that the lists could increase efficiencies and cost sharing. Board Member Collins concurred. Transparency and understanding between the City and PAUSD was the path to effectiveness and efficiency. PAUSD and the City communicated to an overlapping set of constituencies; yet, each utilized different channels of communication. Coordinating communications more effectively would provide unified messages to more people. PAUSD had many channels to reach families and children, but PAUSD did not promote the May Fete Parade. The City had channels that could effectively reach people who shared PAUSD's concerns regarding the Stanford University General Use Permit (GUP). Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Assistant Director, advised that Mr. Novak had assisted her with Job Shadow Day. Working together would benefit both parties. 11. Future Meetings and Agendas. Chair Holman remarked that developing a process for City Staff and Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Staff to share information regarding park improvements was an important accomplishment during the year. Board Member Collins commented that the effectiveness of the City/School Liaison Committee had improved under Chair Holman's leadership. Jim Novak, Business Manager, requested the date and the location of the January meeting. DRAFT MINUTES Page 10 of 10 City School Liaison Committee Meeting DRAFT Minutes: 12/13/2018 Chair Holman suggested Staff discuss the details of the January meeting. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 A.M.