Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-18 Retail Committee Summary MinutesRETAIL COMMITTEE SUMMARY MINUTES Page 1 of 11 Regular Meeting June 18, 2025 The Retail Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Community Meeting Room and by virtual teleconference at 9:00 A.M. Present In-Person: Burt, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl (Chair) Absent: None Call to Order Chair Reckdahl called the meeting to order. The clerk took roll and declared 3 were present. Public Comments There were no requests to speak. Agenda Items 1. Economic Development Activity Report June 2025 and Review of Sewer Use and Stormwater Ordinance Updates Impacts to Business Assistant City Manager Kiely Nose introduced the Public Works team. Public Works Assistant Director Karin North said the sewer use and stormwater ordinances will be updated and the new fats, oil, and grease and haul waste ordinances will be brought to Council in August. Watershed Protection Program Manager Julie Weiss stated the mission was to keep water pollution out of creeks and the Bay by complying with regional stormwater and wastewater ordinances. Program Manager Weiss explained that expectations are set forth in regional permits and are codified in the municipal code. Every 5 to 10 years, an update to the ordinance is required to ensure alignment with regional permits. The new stormwater ordinance will require restaurants to comply with new standards for grease control devices and to provide a secondary containment for waste fryer oil. All SUMMARY MINUTES Page 2 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 businesses must continue to comply with the required best management practices. Businesses with on-site storm drains will have new additional trash control requirements. Business outreach included going door-to-door, business utility bill inserts, mailed flyers, newsletters, public meetings, emails providing follow-up for meetings, and the City calendar and website. Fats, Oils, and Grease Inspector Gaba Stauffer explained how grease control devices can prevent cooking and food prep byproducts from getting into the sanitary sewer system. FOG can cause costly backups, corrode pipes, and potentially enter the City right-of-way and become a public health problem or attract rodents. Sanitary sewer overflows can enter the storm drain system which goes untreated into the creeks and the Bay. Changes to grease control devices include the construction material, sizing, and connected fixtures. New GCDs will be required for new restaurants; a kitchen remodel, expansion, or addition of a bar; if a device does not operate properly; or if the restaurant consistently contributes to backups. FOG Inspector Stauffer said alternate compliance options may be available. The proposed effective date for waste fryer oil secondary containment requirements is January 1, 2026. The new requirements address concerns about cleanliness in business areas. Outdoor containers must be locked, labeled, and covered and will cost around $1,000. FOG Inspector Stauffer worked with the Fire Department to avoid permitting and associated costs. The City will collaborate with businesses in space-constrained locations. Program Manager Weiss said properties with an on-site storm drain will be required to prevent trash from entering the City’s storm drain system. Compliance can be achieved by regular upkeep or by installing a trash capture device, which costs about $2,000 plus regular maintenance. Many locations with on-site storm drains have been identified. Program Manager Weiss noted new requirements for mobile businesses which include a new set of best management practice requirements. Any business that hires a mobile business will have shared responsibility. Revised ongoing best management practices can be found on the website. Restaurant and business comments and questions are expected by July 15. Feedback will be in a future staff report with proposed ordinance changes for all 4 new sections later in the summer. Dates for the first and second Council readings will be posted on the website. Outreach will take place after ordinance adoption to ensure community awareness. City Manager Ed Shikada connected the presentation to last night’s discussion about the unintended consequences of outdoor dining. City Manager Shikada felt the issues were important to providing a safe environment for the community. City Manager Shikada noted a consequence of increased food production is dealing with FOG, trash, and potential impacts to the storm sewer system. Ordinance changes were not triggered by outdoor dining but there will be a need for additional oversight, inspections, and maintenance on the part of food preparation facilities. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 3 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 Council Member Lythcott-Haims asked if FOG Inspector Stauffer was busy and the only inspector. Council Member Lythcott-Haims felt the requirement for businesses to comply if the current GCD is inoperable would be difficult to catch and wondered what degree of compliance there currently is and what is expected with the new ordinance. Council Member Lythcott- Haims questioned where the grease gets hauled off to and by whom. Council Member Lythcott- Haims asked if residents were taught about personal obligations regarding FOG. Council Member Lythcott-Haims felt this component of the City effectively does code enforcement and is a well-structured system compared to others but asked about the extent to which compliance can be enforced and how it is funded. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed being the only inspector and was reasonably busy. There is a database to help manage paperwork and keep an eye on restaurants. FOG Inspector Stauffer noted the requirement for new GCDs was 10 years in the making and many were already installed. FOG Inspector Stauffer felt the level of compliance was high but it was difficult to give an exact number. FOG Inspector Stauffer reported the need for total GCD replacements was uncommon and mostly captured through inspection, self-reporting, or reporting by active haulers. FOG Inspector Stauffer explained there were county-accredited haulers that bring FOG to wastewater treatment plants. Assistant Director North said waste fryer oil gets hauled away to facilities that have anaerobic digestors to create energy. The local facility hauls out solids to 2 facilities to be created into Class A biosolids. There will be a public meeting on July 1 to address the current Biosolids Facility Plan. The other type of oil is held in underground grease interceptors that get pumped out and sent to a facility where it can be used to create energy. Assistant Director North said there is an active education outreach campaign to communicate to residents what should not be put down the drain, which includes utility bill inserts around the holidays. Tours of the sewage treatment plant are offered. Program Manager Weiss mentioned partnering with the utilities outreach group and using doorhangers to address neighborhood problem hotspots. Program Manager Weiss said the program is funded through Wastewater. City Manager Shikada explained it is an enterprise fund which enables resources to be allocated based on the cost of maintaining the system. Council Member Burt thought the plumbing connection changes would help reduce what goes into the sanitary sewer system and the rest of the changes addressed the storm water discharge. Council Member Burt felt the new GCD sizing requirements would address the outdoor dining issue by managing mitigations to meet capacity as opposed to implementing restrictions. Council Member Burt asked what bodies were reviewing the ordinance updates. Council Member Burt requested a range in cost for the changes aside from the secondary containment, specifically referencing the new GCD materials, and asked how many restaurants would have to make changes regarding the plumbing fixture connections. Council Member Burt SUMMARY MINUTES Page 4 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 referenced a previous heavy metals program in manufacturing in which the majority of businesses felt it was more cost effective to use better, newer technologies. Program Manager Weiss mentioned holding several public meetings for food facilities and the broader storm water ordinance and wastewater, which included partners and residents. Program Manager Weiss reiterated previous outreach efforts, including going to California Avenue and plans to go to University Avenue. Program Manager Weiss said 6 public meetings will have been held in total. Assistant Director North explained the ordinance change has been ongoing for a decade and is codifying things that have already been taking place. Codifying is necessary to give clear expectations to restaurants and to make things fair. Restaurants are not targeted unless an issue, such as a sanitary sewer overflow, is seen which usually results in a compliance agreement where restaurants are given a timeframe to fix the issue. Assistant Director North confirmed it is not cheap. Assistant Director North reiterated the January 2026 date refers to the secondary containment for waste fryer oil. FOG Inspector Stauffer added that the new GCD materials are more efficient, have a smaller footprint, and typically cost less than gravity grease interceptors. FOG Inspector Stauffer believed the new GCDs would save money because they will be sized by flow rate, meals served, and type of cuisine, which should help extend the maintenance to every 90 days. FOG Inspector Stauffer noted an ongoing enforcement action with a restaurant where a new GCD is required. The allotted timeline is 6 months but can be extended so long as things are progressing. Council Member Burt asked how to manage the issue of mobile residents, such as those in RVs, who dump into sewers and what portion of those discharges get reported. Council Member Burt questioned if sampling was done among certain branch lines of the storm drain system with concentrations of the vehicles to know how big the problem is. Council Member Burt asked on what basis communities were being sued. Assistant Director North expressed empathy for the unhoused and said the public work staff has worked with the City Manager’s office on this issue. Assistant Director North said efforts were made to inform unhoused residents that the waste hauling program can pump out RVs but noted the difficulty in ability to pay for the service. Assistant Director North explained that when the unhoused dump discharge onto the street, the public works team goes out and cleans it which uses a lot of resources and time. Assistant Director North said Palo Alto residents know who to call to report the discharges. Assistant Director North reported similar issues among partner agencies with unsuccessful pilot programs such as mobile pumping or a septic hauling receiving station in Mountain View. Assistant Director North confirmed no sampling was done within branch lines and that doing so could open up litigations and lawsuits. Communities in Mountain View had been sued on the basis of allowing the discharge into the creeks and Bay since it is a violation of the Regional Stormwater Permit. The public works team tries to clean it up before it reaches the storm drain system. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 5 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 Program Manager Weiss added that within the stormwater permit, there is a section for the role in contributing to illegal discharges from unhoused populations. Program Manager Weiss noted regional interest to identify what services can be provided to RVs for free and believes conversations will ramp up further in the permit term. Chair Reckdahl wanted to talk about the mobile septic, noting a previous homeless study session, and asked if pump out services were offered by going door-to-door. Chair Reckdahl wanted to know if more money would be spent offering services rather than cleaning up spills after the fact and if anyone was studying that. Chair Reckdahl queried if there were problems with food trucks spilling trash or oil and who was responsible for cleaning up after farmers markets. Chair Reckdahl asked for more information regarding the City’s collaboration with businesses in space-constrained locations as per slide 9. Chair Reckdahl requested examples of creative solutions if there is not enough space and whether restaurants bring the waste oil bins inside. Chair Reckdahl questioned if there is a community bin at the Stanford Shopping Center. Chair Reckdahl asked if multiple restaurants could use the same bin and felt individual bins were redundant albeit cleaner. The bottom-right picture on slide 10 was referenced. Chair Reckdahl asked who would be responsible in that type of situation and clarified that the trash capture devices were in public drains. Assistant Director North said the City has provided information about a private septic hauler who would pump out RVs but did not know which would be more cost effective. City Manager Shikada felt the discussion was getting off-topic but noted the question of additional regulations and next steps related to RV dwelling would be going to the Policy and Services Committee in August. Program Manager Weiss reiterated the group participates in conversations with the City Manager’s office about providing services to unhoused populations. Program Manager Weiss said the issue is present on the office’s street and that there are near-weekly conversations about the topic. Program Manager Weiss mentioned strict requirements to reduce trash entering the storm drain system by 100 percent this year, which was on track to be met by July. The requirement is met by installing small trash capture devices in public drains as well as other measures like street sweeping and businesses taking responsibility. FOG Inspector Stauffer said there were not many food trucks in the City but mentioned issues at the farmers markets. A new fact sheet was created that targeted mobile food facilities and farmers markets. Outreach was done to provide farmers markets with that material. FOG Inspector Stauffer mentioned plans to double-check the BMPs but felt that area was well- controlled. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed that maintenance crews discard trash and sweep streets after farmers markets. Space-constrained locations typically refer to alleyways where vehicle access is required. Adding secondary containment will increase the footprint of the waste oil bins, therefore creative solutions may be needed to meet the requirement. FOG Inspector Stauffer mentioned physically inspecting and measuring, working with the Fire Department to ensure compliance with regulations, and working with businesses. There are SUMMARY MINUTES Page 6 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 awnings that come out from the building to cover the bins instead of adding a freestanding device. There are heavy-duty tarps that are fitted to the waste oil bin that help prevent storm water runoff. Smaller bins that get pumped more frequently is another option. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed that some restaurants bring the waste oil bins indoors. FOG Inspector Stauffer said most restaurants have an individual bin, however most refuse areas at the Stanford Shopping Center are stored indoors. Individual bins can be smaller which may help space constraints. FOG Inspector Stauffer felt sharing the bins gets muddy but acknowledged it may be necessary in certain situations and therefore would be allowed. Council Member Lythcott-Haimes was concerned the baskets could become a source of clog. Council Member Lythcott-Haimes clarified if reducing the impact of not having the capture device by 100 percent meant there would be a capture device in every drain. Program Manager Weiss said some may be serviced a couple times a year and others more frequently depending on the location and the size of the storm drain. A different group within public works maintains the sites and has a regular schedule depending on the location and city to ensure the baskets are cleaned frequently enough. Program Manager Weiss acknowledged the baskets will not be everywhere because there are other measures to help reduction. The devices were placed in the areas with the biggest trash loading. Different methods, such as periodic or regular trash cleanups, are implemented depending on the location. Chair Reckdahl mentioned trash capture devices for private drains and grease control devices and asked whether the landlord or lessee is responsible. Chair Reckdahl clarified that the GCD is sized for 90-day cleanout and asked how that is determined. Chair Reckdahl questioned if estimated meals per day would include parklets. Chair Reckdahl asked what would happen if a restaurant clogged things up, how many restaurants do maintenance more than every 90 days, and how expensive it was. Assistant Director North said GCDs are typically the lessee’s responsibility but depends on the agreement. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed 90 days is the target. The sizing calculation is based on restaurants submitting the type of cuisine, how many estimated meals per day will be served, and what the pump out period should be. A table ranks the FOG output for types of cuisine. The GCD manufacturer that aligns with the estimated FOG output is then chosen. The minimum pump out period is 30 days and the maximum is 90 days. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed the estimated meals per day included parklets but there would not be retrofitting unless necessary. FOG Inspector Stauffer said if a restaurant needed a bigger GCD due to clogs, the first step would be to see if BMPs and more frequent maintenance would resolve the issue. If not, then an additional or new GCD would utilize the new sizing calculation. FOG Inspector Stauffer noted bigger GCDs usually hit 90 days but smaller grease traps may pump every 30 days. FOG Inspector Stauffer mentioned wanting to extend that period for cost savings. Small traps cost around $75 while the 1,500-gallon gravity grease interceptors cost between $500 and $750. The average cost for smaller units was about $100 a month. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 7 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 Council Member Burt asked if there was an increase in dining over the years, noting more evening dining but less lunch dining. Council Member Burt assumed an increase in dinner dining meant an increase in overall dining. Council Member Burt asked if grease and oil theft was an issue. Chair Reckdahl asked how grease gets into the storm water. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed there had been an overall increase in dining in the past 2 years. FOG Inspector Stauffer felt the increase in dining was positive but wanted to control where the FOG output went. FOG Inspector Stauffer confirmed the increase was averaged with the lower daytime dining. Grease enters the storm water by GCD overflows, by bypassing into the plumbing lines which can clog and come out in sanitary sewer overflows, and by waste oil bins drippings. Grease and oil theft was not an issue. Assistant City Manager Nose said staff had gone over next steps, which include continuing to do outreach and ultimately the ordinances coming before Council for review. Public Comment: 1. Martin B. mentioned the street sweeper comes at 2 A.M. or 5 A.M. in the downtown area. Martin B. noted there were no signs to indicate no parking on the street during that time. San Francisco has a $120 citation for parking during the street sweeping hour. Martin B. wondered if there is anything similar in Palo Alto to ensure people do not park on the streets during the street sweeping hour. NO ACTION 2. Review and provide feedback on Near-Term Streetscape Improvements and Outdoor Activation Standards for Pedestrian Only Ramona Street; CEQA Status – categorically exempt. Project Manager Ashwini Kantak provided context and set expectations for streetscape improvements and outdoor activation standards. The near-term improvements are limited in scope and are designed to complement the historic street. A future phase with a broader scope had been discussed but will require more conversation. The outdoor activation standards differ from the Ongoing Parklet Program due to the pedestrian portion of Ramona Street being only 200 feet long and historic in nature. Many recommendations are based on feedback from the Downtown Stakeholder Working Group and Ramona Street stakeholders. A community meeting will be held next month. The first phase includes modest streetscape improvements and outdoor dining and retail standards. There is a potential phase 2 if there is stakeholder buy-in and funding identified. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 8 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 The Ramona Street Architectural District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in February 1986. The character of the district features handcrafted pavements, wrought iron work, and decorative tiles. The existing architecture will dictate the recommendations. A meeting with the Downtown Stakeholder Working Group and Ramona Street stakeholders was held February 26, 2025. A follow-up survey requested more detailed feedback on streetscape design, wayfinding, and outdoor activation. There was a strong consensus to reflect the Spanish Revival Style and for greater design uniformity and restrictions. The preferences were for stamped and colored asphalt, Flexi-Pave tree wells, minimal signage, vehicle barriers that reflect the historic style, planting trees so that the architecture is not obscured, wrought iron or planter edge treatments, and no permanent roof structures. Feedback regarding furnishing was mixed and the recommended compromise was to have high-quality, commercial-grade furniture with no plastic. Ms. Kantak felt ADA requirements for dining purposes could be met with seating on sidewalks or in arcade spaces. The project was meant to be low cost and would have at-grade dining. Outdoor activation preferences included play areas, interactive art performances, and retail pop-ups. Other feedback included ensuring safety and cleanliness standards were incorporated and short-term deliveries and ADA compliance regarding parking were considered. Associate Planner Hannah Chan Smyth explained the color scheme and material quality suggested would complement the Spanish Revival architecture. The color scheme included warm earthy tones with green and blue accents. The materials were inspired by terracotta tiles, cobblestones, decorative ceramics, stucco walls, and wrought iron work. Streetscape improvements include resurfacing Ramona Street between Hamilton Avenue and University Avenue with stamped and colored asphalt in the pedestrian-only portion. Custom decorative planters will be installed at either end of the street. Vehicle barriers will be replaced with permanent retractable or moveable ones. The sidewalk will be repaired where necessary and curb ramps will be installed to provide accessible paths. Staff will update the traffic signage at the University Avenue and Ramona Street intersection, replace existing signage, and install a new pole with a no outlet sign. Staff is looking at reconfiguring parking to include accessible parking, commercial loading, short-term parking, and a red curb for cars to turn around. The full set of draft activation standards was provided in the packet on page 18 and onwards. Car-free Ramona Street will have 4 street zones. The arcade zone is an extension of private buildings which include entryways and recesses set back from the building frontage. The activation zone is the area designated for outdoor dining, retail and merchandise, and noncommercial activity. The 8-foot pedestrian zone provides circulation and access. The fire access lane in the center of the street provides emergency access. Buildings are required to locate the outdoor activation space directly in front of the storefront. Activation is permitted in the arcade and activation zones and cannot obstruct pedestrian or fire access zones, ADA ramps, or setbacks. Any outdoor activation that extends beyond the SUMMARY MINUTES Page 9 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 applicant’s storefront will require a letter of consent from the neighboring ground floor tenant. Outdoor activations must be set back from manhole covers and cannot obstruct storm drain catch basins or utilities. All outdoor activation will be at grade with no platforms permitted. Barrier planters will be required for outdoor dining along the fire lane edge of the activation space. Planters must be consistent with the Plant Palette and will be subject to maintenance standards. Moveable dividers will be required on either edge of the activation area to delineate privately-operated space. The outdoor seating should be arranged in line with the slope of the street and must comply with ADA requirements. Additional standards include solar-powered lighting, propane heating, branding and signage, waste management, and operational standards. Restaurants will be required to comply with the FOG program requirements, including GCD maintenance standards. The outdoor activation areas will be subject to fees. Community feedback is being sought to finalize the outdoor dining standards. This includes the asphalt stamp and color and preferred entry planter designs. There are 2 barrier planter options: low planters with taller grasses and plants, or taller planters with low plants. There are 2 options for the dividers: laser cut metal panels or canvas panels. Feedback on umbrella size, color, and shape is being sought. Ms. Kantak showed a slide depicting the implementation timeline. The goal is to complete all improvements by the end of this year. Ms. Kantak noted the parklets in Ramona will be required to demolish outdoor dining areas and future dining or retail areas will need to comply with outdoor activation standards. Item 2 Public Comment: 1. John S. was concerned about the City’s management and maintenance of the street. John S. hoped the designs chosen will respect the importance of Ramona Street’s historic designation. John S. was worried about activities such as play areas, noting the unsuccessful play area in Menlo Park. John S. felt having overflow restrooms for all was critical. John S. suggested waiting until the work could be completed well and in its entirety instead of having multiple phases and that the retailers on the street should pay for it long term instead of the City. John S. mentioned ADA compliance and felt more access points would be necessary. 2. Greg S., owner of Nola on Ramona Street since 1996, felt the stakeholder feedback was primarily from California Avenue and University Avenue and did not apply to Ramona Street due to differing street orientations, issues of the sun, and natural wind corridors. Greg S. felt the new design would limit the ability to generate revenue in the winter, citing the prohibition of electric heat. Greg S. opined the temporary barriers would need to be anchored into the sidewalk. Greg S. mentioned the roof structure at Nola was essential to year-round dining and the outdoor space earned $2M in revenue. Greg S. did not agree with closing off the street or repaving in October. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 10 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 3. Nancy C., owner of Coupa Cafe on Ramona Street, had spent a lot of money to recover from the effects COVID-19. Nancy C. addressed the issue of consent, saying tenants could be subject to threats, intimidation, and coercion. Nancy C. was concerned about reducing the outdoor space for Coupa Cafe since it is a narrow building. Nancy C. wanted existing restaurants to be grandfathered in. Nancy C. felt the emergency lane would further limit the use of outdoor areas. Nancy C. wanted more effort to actively involve all stakeholders on Ramona and would not like to see the plan go through. 4. Charlie W. felt that prohibiting structures and allowing only umbrellas would make year- round outdoor dining difficult. Charlie W. was concerned about the amount of money businesses had already put into outdoor dining areas and felt it would be a considerable expense to tear it down and have to rebuild. Charlie W. wanted to ensure business was not disrupted during October and November. 5. Martin B. felt Ms. Kantak did a good job at responding to the federal guidelines for national historic districts. Martin B. referenced repaired portions of the sidewalk on Ramona Street and noted it was white concrete as opposed to the tan-colored historic concrete. Martin B. asked if the developers of the plan would specify that any replacement is to be matched or compatible with the historic concrete. 6. Brenda L., representing Osteria Toscana as an owner, was excited that the aesthetic improvements would keep in line with the historical nature of Ramona Street. Brenda L. wanted to hold off on making changes until the plan was more thought out and felt more conversations were necessary to ensure successful long-term execution. Brenda L. opined that October was not a good month to begin and suggested waiting until January or February when businesses were slower. Brenda L. mentioned some businesses already had platforms and thought more discussion regarding the pros and cons of at grade versus platforms was needed. 7. Joseph M. of Ventana Property Services, which manages many buildings along the Ramona Street corridor, felt maintaining cleanliness, sanity, good health, and safety would be a complex issue and encouraged the City to look into the topic. Joseph M. mentioned that the lower level of many historical buildings extend to the curb line below the sidewalks and suggested staff identify which buildings along Ramona Street do so. Joseph M. cautioned the City regarding recently installed, expensive waterproofing systems, noting that breaking up concrete can damage the waterproofing membranes that protect occupied areas below the sidewalk. City Manager Ed Shikada reiterated this was a work in progress, agreed to consider adjusting the schedule, and expressed an eagerness to work with everyone to ensure things are done right. Council Member Burt asked why the HRB and ARB did not have a role in the process and felt the ARB at minimum would be important. Council Member Burt believed parklets contribute to SUMMARY MINUTES Page 11 of 11 Retail Committee Meeting Summary Minutes: 06/18/2025 the vibrancy of Ramona Street so long as they are compatible with the historic character. Council Member Burt opined the utilization of the underground parking structure was down and suggested adding signage to University Avenue so people knew it was available as a public structure. Council Member Burt requested information regarding what portion of meeting attendees were from Ramona Street, were business or property owners, or were members of the public. Council Member Burt asked why electric was prohibited and thought electric should be promoted for GHG reductions and cost-effectiveness. Council Member Burt was strongly inclined to allow well-designed and compatible parklet structures. Council Member Burt referenced the arguments made by University Avenue businesses against allowing spillover dining and said they did not apply to Ramona Street. Ms. Kantak explained that near-term improvements were under the premise of it being a fast- moving project and that including the HRB and ARB would add months to the timeline. A future phase with a broader scope would involve the ARB and HRB. Ms. Kantak expressed a willingness to take direction from the Committee if there is a desire to engage the HRB and ARB. Ms. Kantak had the information regarding meeting attendees and would follow up. Ms. Kantak said it would be difficult to get electrical connections to dining areas because electrical is not allowed to be routed under sidewalks and structures were not envisioned. Ms. Kantak was willing to look into other options. Public attendees confirmed the parking garage is packed. Council Member Lythcott-Haims referenced last night’s Council meeting regarding California Avenue and the value of permanent structures. Council Member Lythcott-Haims felt there were timing issues and wanted to make consistent decisions. The issue of non-electric was highlighted as well as the attempted gas ban in restaurants. Council Member Lythcott-Haims reiterated the importance of involving the HRB and/or ARB. Council Member Lythcott-Haims agreed play areas, interactive art performances, and retail pop-ups were secondary to business needs being met because people are drawn primarily to a great dining experience. Chair Reckdahl wanted to involve the HRB and ARB. Chair Reckdahl felt permanent structures should be allowed so long as they are historic and consistent and wanted to give merchants more flexibility. Chair Reckdahl thought platforms added functionality and accessibility and questioned the planter requirements. Chair Reckdahl noted the inconsistency of electric requirements on California Avenue versus the electric prohibition on Ramona Street. Chair Reckdahl believed the consent requirements should be the same as on University Avenue and did not think the rules should be changed without good reason. NO ACTION Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 A.M.