HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-10 Planning & transportation commission Summary Minutes_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Planning & Transportation Commission 1
Action Agenda: May 10, 2017 2
Council Chambers 3
250 Hamilton Avenue 4
6:00 PM 5
6
Call to Order / Roll Call 6:04pm 7
8
Chair Alcheck: To order the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) meeting of May 10, 9
2017. Secretary can we have a roll call? 10
11
Yolanda Cervantes, Administrative Assistant: Chair Alcheck, Commissioner Gardias, 12
Commissioner Lauing, Commissioner Monk, Commissioner Rosenblum and Commissioner 13
Summa are out tonight. Five present, two absent. 14
15
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 16
17
Oral Communications 18
The public may speak to any item not on the agenda. Three (3) minutes per speaker.1,2 19
20
Chair Alcheck: Are there any cards for Oral Communications? Ok seeing none… 21
22
Agenda Changes, Additions, and Deletions 23
The Chair or Commission majority may modify the agenda order to improve meeting management. 24
25
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Do we have any changes or… none? 1
2
City Official Reports 3
1. Assistant Directors Report, Meeting Schedule and Assignments 4
5
Chair Alcheck: Then why don't we begin with the Assistant Director’s Report? 6
7
Jonathan Lait, Assistant Director: Thank you, Chair; just wanted to report that the City Council 8
supported the Planning and Transportation Commission’s (PTC) recommendation on the parcel 9
map exception for the Bowman School. And in the process of doing so had a conversation 10
about private schools versus public schools which was a similar conversation that the 11
Commission had and while they didn't want to get into a debate about it that evening they 12
recognize that there probably is a distinction between public schools and private schools and 13
that the Comp Plan tended to perhaps favor that attention toward public schools in 14
consideration of the Comp Plan, but they also looked at the merits of the project and were able 15
to find as the Commission did support for the exception and ultimately the parcel map. And 16
also that evening of course you had your joint session. I don't know if the Chair wants to speak 17
about that, but that's all I have to report on the report at this moment. 18
19
Chair Alcheck: Let me ask a question. We did who, was some, did somebody attend Monday 20
night from our… Today need us for anything? I'm just curious because we had talked about it 21
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
that night about the idea of having moving forward potentially majority and minority 1
representation. 2
3
Mr. Lait: Yeah. 4
5
Chair Alcheck: Not that on that particular issue I think we needed it, but I'm just… 6
7
Mr. Lait: Right. The there didn't appear to be a need for that dialogue and I actually did have a 8
conversation with Commissioner Gardias and we came to the conclusion that it was probably 9
unnecessary to stick around for that item. It seemed like a pretty straight forward. 10
11
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 12
13
Mr. Lait: There was no dissenting perspective and we highlighted some of the perspectives in 14
the staff report. 15
16
Chair Alcheck: Right. Ok, well um… 17
18
Commissioner Monk: And I was there that night. I didn’t hear them discuss it. 19
20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: No, ok [unintelligible] anybody. Alright so with respect to our joint meeting I 1
think it went really, really well. I think in the past people have often wondered what the value 2
is of that meeting because it's only an hour and it's tough to sort of get anything done, but I 3
walked away from Monday's meeting feeling like we accomplished a lot. And I hope that 4
especially for our new Commissioners that you reach out to some of the Councilmen and find 5
time to meet with them on your own and continue to cultivate relationships because 6
unfortunately we don't really get to speak to them that much and we work very closely with 7
them. So I think this was sort of a good icebreaker I guess and I hope that we continue if there 8
were comments that you felt that they were receptive to I would encourage you to continue to 9
communicate those comments to them over the course of the year. Because as we've learned 10
most much of the direction that staff gets to take is Council directed. And having a good 11
relationship with them will aid our endeavor to take on more and to dig deeper and specifically 12
on some of the specific issues that we discussed on Monday night if we really want to talk 13
about specific area plans and I think we can't we have to continue sort of putting it in front of 14
them because it's very easy for them to move on to the 30,000 things they do every week and 15
this stuff get on the back plate. So I think it was a good meeting. I don't know if any of you 16
want to chat about it for a little bit? 17
18
Commissioner Lauing: I just make one comment I think that the there are opportunities on the 19
table that they were reaching out and say do more, take initiatives and we should seize the day. 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Figure out ways to make that happen without having Jonathan and crew have to double the 1
size of their staff for all these issues that have to be managed. So. 2
3
Commissioner Monk: I found it valuable to hear directly from Council that policy is set at that 4
level. I think coming from the Commission offering them alternative policies might be useful as 5
well if that's something they're interested in hearing about. They also emphasized how much 6
they all do review our minutes and appreciate the robust discussions that we have here and 7
that they don't necessarily only look at the outcome in our voting they look at why we voted, 8
our reasons for voting, there’s missing information, things like that versus just whether or not 9
we support or don't support things. So they do enjoy that discussion. I thought that was very 10
helpful to hear multiple Council Members mentioned that. 11
12
And finally at the meeting on Monday night they did, one of them did say that we were 13
“chomping at the bit” for more things to do which I don't think was accurate. So I just want to 14
relay to Council that we want meaningful projects and not just projects in general. Just to 15
clarify that. 16
17
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Thanks. Yeah, I just wanted to add a couple of comments. I came away a 18
little confused about some of the Council guidance on Monday because we heard that they we 19
heard from some I think it was Council Member Tanaka who mentioned that he'd like to see us 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
dig deeper, reach out to stakeholders, etcetera. You know reach out to the public. And I think 1
that on a couple of the issues that we forwarded to them from last year Accessory Dwelling 2
Units (ADU) and impact fees we did all those things. We, I personally participated in 3
stakeholder meetings and public Outreach. I think we had healthy debates at the PTC so I 4
would love to get some feedback if there's some additional things that we ought to be doing to 5
provide a fully vetted fully rounded process. I'd like to hear that because I think those were 6
examples where we did do that. And where the recommendations we made may have fallen 7
on deaf ears I mean if the point of all this is debate it's not to reach compromise and conclusion 8
I think that will pull us apart rather than pulling us together. So I think we just need to be 9
careful about that. 10
11
The other thing that I heard since City Attorney Stump gave us a read out on the Comp Plan 12
process I would actually love to get a non-confidential written analysis because what she read 13
out to us seems pretty different from the plain language reading of the muni code and so if 14
we're looking at something that is contradicting the plan language it's relying on some kind of 15
deep legal analysis I think it would be useful for us to understand that reasoning in more than 16
just a verbal explanation. 17
18
Chair Alcheck: Ok. That's an interesting ask. I’ll let maybe you guys can simmer on that and let 19
us know. Not we don't have to kind of deal with it now, but I think that's an… I don't want you 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
to deal with it now. I'd rather that maybe you communicated that to her first and to City 1
Attorney Molly Stump first and then have a response. I don't want to spend too much time on 2
that. 3
4
It is that does remind me though, just a second, it does remind me that my takeaway, one of 5
my takeaways was that the idea was we would get the Comp Plan in June and they would like it 6
back in August. So I'll just throw that out there that maybe at one of our upcoming pre-PTC 7
meetings we can sort of look at the calendar together and figure out how many meetings we'll 8
be able to stretch it out over and then come up with some rationale on how to review the 9
Comp Plan in anticipation of those (interrupted) 10
11
Mr. Lait: We're actually hoping to do that at the next pre-meeting that you have. 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Perfect. 14
15
Mr. Lait: So we’ll, we can tackle those issues. 16
17
Chair Alcheck: Ok, fantastic. Did you want to make a couple comments? Go ahead. 18
19
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Gardias: I would be interested in pursuing the item of the study of California and 1
Fry’s Electronics area and I'd be interested how this Commission can trigger the process. So 2
that's my ask to the Council. How, what would be the proper trigger? Should we probably have 3
it on the on our agenda and then we would be voting, but this needs to be on the agenda 4
officially probably to move it farther. Would this be the case? 5
6
Mr. Lait: So, so I want to be mindful of where we are least on the agenda right now for this 7
purposes and I feel like I probably am partially responsible for this conversation. We're still in 8
the City Official Reports section which is really me reporting out to the Commission about some 9
things that had happened and if we are getting to the point where you're giving us in dialogue 10
what we might want to do is have that conversation under our Commission, Commissioner 11
Comments and if that question were asked at that time the response would be we can schedule 12
an item for an agenda discussion about it, but I think what I heard from the Council was that 13
the there is an interest in seeing how this all the Comp Plan getting finished and there is a 14
handful, half dozen items that I think we’re gearing up for implementation shortly after the 15
Comp Plan so that we can begin to take this decades long effort of planning and start 16
implementing those key policies. And I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of the ones that rises 17
to that list. So it's a question of timing and when do we get engaged I think part of that has to 18
come from the closure part of the maybe not complete closure, but at least direction on Comp 19
Plan. 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Gardias: Yeah, I totally understand, right? But just on our side I see this as 2
triggering the process of asking and directing funds just to develop area plan of California and 3
Fry’s Electronics. It’s going to take at least a couple of months till we get there so say that 4
we've we triggered a process one month from now probably it will start somewhere in autumn 5
when the Comp Plan will be done, right? So that's I'm not talking about overlapping those 6
items. I know that you're busy with other things, but I'm looking forward to this what's going to 7
happen later. 8
9
Mr. Lait: Sure and as the Chair mentioned I mean there's the Council sets our direction and 10
policy, the Commission can certainly submit a letter to the Council saying hey, this is something 11
we want to get started on right away please direct staff to initiate this or we can… I’d have to 12
take a look at the code to see what authority the Commission has for initiating these things, but 13
we can do that. 14
15
Chair Alcheck: Yeah, I want to just follow up on that. I think there were a number of Council 16
Members who were receptive to your suggestions and I think it would be worthwhile maybe to 17
take a look at the minutes from Monday and then… What I've learned over the last five years 18
especially this year is that a large part of our agenda is sort of set in response to Council 19
direction. And asking staff or attempting to initiate something like that at this level I don't 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
know is the most, I don't think is the most effective approach. And what I would suggest [if 1
there at least for] I know Council Member Holman for example responded really positively to 2
that suggestion, right? She said tomorrow isn't soon enough, right? I think that was her 3
response and so what I would do is I'd look at the minutes and then I would direct an email to 4
the Council Member Holman and whoever else seemed very receptive to it. 5
6
Commissioner Gardias: You can copy me. 7
8
Chair Alcheck: [Or] not and just say what's the next step? How can we pursue this? And I think 9
the idea is if we can create a conversation on their level and they make the ask then it then it 10
happens. And that's why these relationships are important because if you want to sort of 11
pursue the most… the things we’re passionate, if you're passionate about really making a 12
difference on this Commission then we need to be empowered and we're learning that those 13
directions have to come from the top. So I really I'm not kidding I really think looping a couple 14
of them in and saying how can we make this happen, we want to work on it, we've got time, 15
what do we do? I don't think they'll ignore it. 16
17
Commissioner Gardias: Yeah, I agree. This is possible avenue (interrupted) 18
19
Chair Alcheck: I don't think relying on (interrupted) 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Gardias: To explore, but you know (interrupted) 2
3
Chair Alcheck: I don't think relying on Planning staff to sort of go between will be as effective, 4
let me just put it that way. 5
6
Commissioner Gardias: That’s right, but I just also want to explore, right, for the future purpose, 7
right, I just want to understand this part of the personal connections that we may have with the 8
Council Members and I want to know what’s this Commission probably need to discuss it 9
officially before one reaches out whoever it is, right? Because it's not going to be my authority; 10
it would have to be agreed upon before somebody reaches out. Me, you, or somebody else, 11
there have to be at least some conversation that there is a consensus of support for this 12
initiative. 13
14
Chair Alcheck: I think you had it. I think you had it. I think I mean my sense was that 15
Commissioner Rosenblum agreed with you. I certainly agree with you that those are 16
[unintelligible] important area to begin studying and I think a number of Councilmen agreed. I 17
just think what's the difference between actually doing it and not doing it? We just somebody 18
has to get the ball rolling and it's got to be at their level. Anyways. 19
20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Lauing: I just had a procedural question. I just had a procedural question; might 1
it be part of the next agenda item are there capital implications? As I recall when we did the 2
Park's Master Plan we had to move up a Capital Improvement Project (CIP) to get funding for 3
the consultant to do the master plan. So it seems to me like it might be a CIP and if we don't 4
bring it up tonight we can bring it up for a year. 5
6
Mr. Lait: Well so I think the City Attorney and I are getting a little uncomfortable with where we 7
are on the City Official Reports and this kind of dialogue. I think we ask that question we get to 8
that item about the CIP and I’m happy to respond to it and then if there's further conversation 9
let’s capture it under this section at the end with comments and questions and… this is what an 10
area where we can schedule future discussions items at the next meeting too. 11
12
Chair Alcheck: Why don’t we table it until the end of this meeting? We’ll have if there's still 13
some energy to talk about it we'll talk about it. You have a clarifying point? 14
15
Commissioner Monk: Just on the… what I stated earlier I didn't mean to imply that I was going 16
to offer policies that countered our Council. So I just wanted to clarified that our role would be 17
to offer scenarios that support their, various scenarios that would support their the policies 18
that they set forth. Just wanted to clarify that and if staff could include any sort of guiding 19
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
principles or policies to extent that they're available as matters come before us I think that 1
would be useful in making our determinations. Thank you. 2
3
Mr. Lait: Ok, thank you. One last final report unrelated to anything we have been talking about. 4
5
Chair Alcheck: Yeah, please. 6
7
Mr. Lait: The City Council also had a prescreening several meetings ago on a for a project at 8
3200 El Camino Real. And this is a project that there is an existing hotel there, the Parmani 9
Hotel. Applicant is or soon to be applicant is requesting a special set back which extends 50 10
feet from Hanson Way be removed it’s a because the whole property is got a width of a 11
hundred feet and so its development is constrained by that 50 foot setback. And so there was 12
support from Council to move forward that project. This Commission will see the legislative 13
aspect of it which is the amendment to the 50 foot setback. So that’s something that will be 14
forthcoming probably I would think by winter this year or winter next year, however that goes. 15
16
Commissioner Gardias: Last, last quick question. So that aspect of Comprehensive Plan 17
differentiating public versus private schools or maybe not putting them on the equal foot will 18
this be, ok can we put it as part of our omnibus review for the end of the year or this need to be 19
directed by Council? 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Lait: Well yeah, I think the Council recognized that there was a policy discussion that 2
needed to take place, but I didn't get the sense that they wanted to tackle it at that time. And 3
we are getting a new Comp Plan by the end of the year so it's maybe there's a question to see 4
whether that even is, needs to be pursued or whether the updated Comp Plan clarifies that in 5
the process. I don’t think there's a need for an immediate dialogue about it. 6
7
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 8
9
Study Session 10
Public Comment is Permitted. Five (5) minutes per speaker.1,3 11
Action Items 12
Public Comment is Permitted. Applicants/Appellant Teams: Fifteen (15) minutes, plus three (3) minutes rebuttal. 13
All others: Five (5) minutes per speaker.1,3 14
2. Review and Recommendation to City Council on Proposed 2018-2022 Capital 15
Improvement Plan and Comprehensive Plan Compliance 16
17
Chair Alcheck: Apologies for running into this, but why don’t we begin with Agenda I Number 2? 18
We're ready for your report. 19
20
Jonathan Lait, Assistant Director: So Chitra Moitra will present the report. 21
22
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chitra Moitra, Planner: Good evening Commissioners, I’m Chitra Moitra, Planner, Long Range 1
Planning Section. Tonight staff requests the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) to 2
find the proposed 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Programs consistent with the 3
Comprehensive Plan and forward the findings to the Finance Committee and the City Council. 4
5
Just a little background on the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) and the budget process here; 6
the CIP book has a list of CIPs which are executed over a period of five years and these are 7
reviewed through public hearings by the Finance Committee, the PTC, and the City Council. 8
And PTC’s role is to review the CIPs for Comprehensive Plan compliance and Section 1904040 of 9
the Palo Alto Municipal Code describes the PTC role for the review of the CIPs and it basically 10
includes commenting on individual projects, suggesting improvements that increase the 11
efficiency in the process, and identify projects that deems to be missing from the CIP list. 12
13
So next is once the Planning staff receives all the list of CIPs Planning staff links individual CIPs 14
with the different Comprehensive Plan elements, sections, goals, policies, and programs. Staff 15
also adds information on the types of boards and commissions review required and what type 16
of environmental review was required and also links it with the City Council priorities of that 17
year. And staff performs analysis based on which element is cited the most, how much of 18
dollar is spent based on the by the elements, etcetera. 19
20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
So this year the CIP book has a total number of 213 CIPs and of that 23 of those are new. And 1
the Commission tonight will be reviewing the CIPs which are new for Comp Plan consistency. 2
And the remainder of the 190 CIPs which are in the book has already been reviewed by the PTC 3
in previous years. The next slide is again the list of CIPs by the Comprehensive Plan elements 4
and here we can see that the Community Services and Facilities Element has been cited the 5
most. The Goal C4 of the Community Services Element which is [on meant any city] and city 6
and community facilities and infrastructure has been cited the most. 7
8
The next slide is on the budget which has been invested on City Council [pride] by City Council 9
priorities and we can see the most of the budget is invested in infrastructure and transportation 10
improvements. The next slide is on as the pie chart is on how the individual elements have 11
been the budget invested by the individual elements and we can see that here about 45 12
percent of the budget is now invested in the Natural Environment Element and about 29 13
percent on the Community Services Element. 14
15
Following are some visual images of the type of new CIPs which are added. This is a picture of 16
the Caltrain corridor video management system installation. And the next one is on the CIP on 17
airport runway and [taxiway] construction. So in short we can see that on the proposed new 18
CIPs are in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan and staff requests PTC to forward this 19
finding to the Finance Committee and City Council. And this concludes the staff presentation. 20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Lait: Great, thanks and Chair in our pre-meeting we had a brief conversation about the 2
Commission's role in reviewing this and I think Chitra summarized it on the third page of the 3
slide. And ultimately what your review results in is in a letter that gets transmitted. Staff will 4
prepare it and we’ll send it to the Chair for signature that memorializes the conversation that 5
takes place here this evening. And that a primary review is assessing the new items on the list 6
and I think there was 23 new ones for conformity with the Comp Plan. The all the other ones 7
have already been reviewed for conformance by a previous Commission. 8
9
And then there was this idea about the suggestion or there was a question about priorities. Is 10
the Commission involved in priority setting. And that's not the Commission's role at this point 11
to set priorities. The Council is doing that through its effort of adopting the five year plan, but 12
there is an important consideration about the improvement in economy or efficiency. If you 13
see things in this plan that could be sequenced differently or combined differently that might 14
be beneficial that's the kind of information that we'd be, we’d like to learn about and I can tell 15
you an example from another community where situations where you might go and pave a 16
segment of roadway with a new asphalt, rebuild a section of the road and then the next year 17
the utilities get torn up to put in a new sewer line or something like that. That would be 18
something we’d want to try to avoid and make sure that the sequencing was right. Let's do the 19
infrastructure improvements and then we do the paving here. That would not happen in Palo 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Alto under our current administration I'm quite certain. And so and then finally if there was 1
improvements that do not appear in the program that would be an opportunity to suggest 2
those on to Council. So thank you and we look forward to your comments. 3
4
Chair Alcheck: Ok, thank you. I will like to begin on the end and we'll work our way down and 5
yes. And if you have comments or questions let's discuss them and… 6
7
Commissioner Gardias: So since I have to begin so thank you very much for coming and 8
presenting this to us. It's always awfully nice to see you as well as Chitra. Chitra comes to us 9
more often, but I know that when you come with the capital, with the CIP review I know this is 10
always spring ends and summer is coming. 11
12
Mr. Lait: And I’m sorry we, excuse me for just inter… I mean we should probably introduce this 13
is Brad Eggleston? Eggleston. Just wanted to make sure I got that right. Yeah and so Brad's the 14
Assistant Director for the Public Works Department and some new faces may not recognize him 15
as he's a primary contact for all these public improvement [unintelligible] and we also have 16
some additional staff from Administrative Services Department (ASD) as well. And mostly just 17
ASD? Ok, thank you. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Gardias: Very good. So there is a couple of question I want to ask. So if I can 1
direct you to the page we discussed before the meeting 2272 with the El Camino Real 2
Pedestrian Safety And Streetscape Project and I recognize of course that this is the intersection 3
that is in need of the speedy improvement because of the safety reasons. I was wondering if 4
there is this is done in some conjunction with some other biking study because I don't 5
remember if there is any consideration of the biking routes or some other larger streetscape or 6
some other a larger plan for this area. 7
8
Brad Eggleston, Assistant Director of Public Works: Thank you Commissioner Gardias. Again, 9
Brad Eggleston, Assistant Director of Public Works. I believe this project was not part of the 10
City's Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan so there's a whole separate project for implementing 11
that $20 million worth of projects essentially that's part of the Council Infrastructure Plan. This 12
is another opportunity for work on El Camino that was identified recently by the transportation 13
group in Planning and that they applied for a grant for this project which they received. 14
15
Commissioner Gardias: Ok. Thank you for the this information and I see that the majority of the 16
work is going to be done in 2020. 17
18
Mr. Eggleston: That's correct. 19
20
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1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Gardias: So (interrupted) 1
2
Mr. Eggleston: There's a design process that still needs to take (interrupted) 3
4
Commissioner Gardias: Of course, like with any other (interrupted) 5
6
Mr. Eggleston: Also has to do with the availability of the grant funds. 7
8
Commissioner Gardias: Exactly. So if there is any biking or some other street designing project 9
will there be any opportunity for eventual adjustments in regards to the grant? I’m talking 10
knowing that how progressively Josh Mello’s department moves across the City I would not be 11
surprised if he put something around this area in terms of the biking lanes or some other traffic 12
improvements. 13
14
Mr. Eggleston: Well I’d just say I'm not aware of any other planned improvements in this 15
general area along El Camino. There's a number of other bicycle boulevard projects that are 16
taking place. I believe about probably $16 or 17 million worth of bike boulevard projects the 17
first major kind of set of which is slated to begin this summer. So the Transportation group is 18
already going to be very busy over about the next two to two and a half years implementing 19
those major construction projects. 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Gardias: Thank you. So I’d like to now switch the topic and just point you to 2
some project that's not in this binder and then ask you if this could be consider or maybe 3
Council would consider this. So if you remember a couple of years ago the bridge over one of… 4
Embarcadero Bridge over 101 was broadened with adding a sidewalk. So now a few years ago 5
it was impossible to pretty much to pass over the using Embarcadero pedestrian would not be 6
able to pass to the toward the Baylands because there was just a curb. There was no sidewalk. 7
Today there is a sidewalk because the bridge was widened and then sidewalks were added on 8
both sides. And then but this was done only this was done in a vacuum without improvements, 9
without any improvements to the sides. There is a still a sign that directs to another overpass 10
bridge over 101 misleadingly, but people I think know that there is an access from the south 11
side of 101 to the north side of 101 and they are using this bridge. 12
13
Also during some events when I was there last Sunday I just noticed that there was a 14
handicapped black woman probably living in the apartments that are nearby and she was trying 15
just to cross east of Bayshore toward that toward the bridge and then because there is no ramp 16
on one side, there is ramp on one side of the East Bayshore when East Bayshore crosses 17
Embarcadero I don't know if you're familiar with this intersection then there is a ramp on one 18
side so that the bike or some handicapped person may access the may pretty much get on the 19
on the sidewalk, but there is no ramp on the other side. There is also no pedestrian crossing so 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
pretty much it's just an art of maneuvering among the vehicles if somebody wants to get from 1
one side to the other. So during events this is usually guarded by police and some other safety 2
personnel, but if there is no event then there is number of bikers including myself or some 3
other pedestrians that use this. So my recommendation is that if it's possible just to consider 4
this as a CIP with installing the right ramps to the sidewalk, removing and installing the right 5
signs, and then also allowing for pedestrian crossing across East Bayshore. 6
7
Mr. Lait: So Chair we will take that note and we’ll restate that for you at the end. I think what 8
might be helpful if we do get a few of these different recommendations from Commissioners to 9
formulate a Motion of the Commission that sort of itemizes these things because we’ll want to 10
put these in a letter to reflect the will of the Commission of items to be added. So we’ll make 11
note of it, of this one and other ones that come up and at the end… Exactly. Thank you. 12
13
Chair Alcheck: So I'm not interrupting I just want to suggest that at some point tonight if there 14
is a suggested change we should attempt articulate that and then vote on it. And if there's 15
consensus then we'll add it to the memo that we have to draft and sign for the Council. Ok, so 16
just make a note that you want to articulate that in some fashion that will resemble a Motion. 17
Sorry, you can continue. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Gardias: No, thank you for now. I have one more comment, but I will pass it on 1
my colleagues. 2
3
Commissioner Lauing: Ok, thanks. So with the stated objective and the purview of what we're 4
trying to do tonight in terms of opining on the consistency with the Comprehensive Plan those 5
23 new projects are our focus and because so many of them are with parks and open space I've 6
had intimate years of experience working on these. I'm delighted after all those years of hard 7
work. [It sees] that you can really get stuff done and a number of those we spent a lot of years 8
in ad hoc committees and so on working on that with staff to get it there. So 16 of the 23 I feel 9
like I'm real up to speed on and they definitely meet up with a Comprehensive Plan. And the 10
other seven that I've reviewed I would also agree that they meet the standards so with respect 11
to the Motion that we’ll make tonight I would be fully supportive of that and as I say very 12
involved the detail. 13
14
The next point is just a I guess a procedural one and if we should talk about it later we can, but 15
if there are things that are called needed improvements which do not appear in the program 16
that's why I'm interested in something like a Fry's study or a California Avenue planning is going 17
to require a CIP. As I recall it did when we put together the master plan for parks so but maybe 18
it doesn't now, but it did then so. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Mr. Eggleston: I think I can speak to that a little. Typically in the capital budget we're 1
implementing projects that are capital improvements. A specific area plan in and of itself 2
wouldn't be a capital improvement. Now there are times where we also do studies, 3
assessments or master plans, but if they're budgeted in the capital budget that's generally 4
because they are plans that help derive specific capital improvements that the City would 5
budget for in the future. So I think that would be the difference between the idea for 6
budgeting the specific area plan versus something like the Parks and Open Space Master Plan. 7
8
Commissioner Lauing: Ok, excellent clarification. 9
10
Mr. Lait: Property ownership probably has something to do with it as well. That was a public 11
project the Parks Master Plan. The Fry’s site is a private entity and that's it kind of raises some 12
other issues. 13
14
Commissioner Lauing: Ok. Great, great feedback on both points; just want to kind of briefly on 15
something that’s slightly off of our purview, but it's the transmittal letter just to say appreciate 16
having that in the context of what's happening here and all the work that went into it including 17
Brad's noted by the Mayor, I'm sorry, by the City Manager the in the thank you columns there 18
and everybody's work to put this all together. There was a comment that some of these things 19
aren't funded which is true relative to the Parks Master Plan, but some of the ones that are 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
getting approved here are now being funded so, but I was also looking at the futures. We're 1
betting a lot on the futures with the transport, I mean the what do you call? The hotel tax and 2
things like that and that's pretty aggressive. On the other hand it was balanced by we could 3
have a recession and we could not make those numbers so this is all subject to change. So I 4
really appreciated that tone and talk about both sides of the possibilities here. That's it for me. 5
6
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Great, thank you. It's a great report. There's a lot information here and a 7
lot of projects. Just as a point of clarification let's go to Page 120-121 which is the new Cal Ave. 8
area parking garage. Two questions relative to this since this seems to be the continuation of a 9
of some work that's already started I guess this was previously approved in was it last year's CIP 10
budget or two years ago? 11
12
Mr. Eggleston: About two years ago. 13
14
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Yeah, so just a couple comments. One is that when we think about 15
what's new what the new projects are in this process this is something which I think is going 16
through some study phase and maybe some preliminary design, but we haven't… I suspect 17
there's one more vote that will happen before we pull the trigger on launching it. I'm not quite 18
sure on the process so maybe you could clarify that, but also the number here the $10.3 million 19
number that's reflected in here is great. That's great news if that's the real number, but I just 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
think that if anybody's looking at this might be slightly confused by a status, process, and cost 1
on this. So just anything you could say about that would be helpful. 2
3
Mr. Eggleston: Yeah so I think I can comment on both of those areas. So to the PTCs purview 4
over the project it will go through the City site and design review process. So in fact June 1st 5
we have a preliminary Architectural Review Board (ARB) hearing with the ARB and they'll be 6
looking at some design concepts. As far as that City approval process and the California 7
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process the California Avenue parking garage and 8
Public Safety Building are going through as one project. And you’ll probably recall we had a 9
scoping meeting at the PTC maybe three or four weeks ago. So you will have a chance to have a 10
hearing I think sometime this summer or early fall on both of those projects. You’ll be seeing 11
those. 12
13
As far as the estimate of the roughly $10 million that's pretty far outdated so this is one of the 14
nine projects that are part of the 2014 Council Infrastructure Plan which originally was about 15
$126 million estimate in total for all those projects. Since that time costs have increased quite a 16
bit primarily due to construction cost escalation and the fact that these were based on old 17
estimates in some cases from 2010, 2011, 2012. So construction cost escalation is a big factor 18
since then. And then part of the escalation has to do with things like recent decisions by the 19
City Council to increase the scope of the two public parking garages and make them 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
considerably larger and at higher cost. So there's been kind of a conscious decision at this point 1
at least in this proposed budget document that with these draft project cost estimates that we 2
had for all of these infrastructure plan projects we didn't yet go in and try to update all the 3
information and assign new cost estimates to them. And instead the way this budget 4
document deals with that is it's got a large contingency of I believe $56 million for all of the 5
infrastructure plan projects that hasn't yet been allocated out into the projects. 6
7
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Ok that's helpful. And then is the hypothesis then that since these are 8
likely to be debt financed that they won't impact the other aspects of the CIP budget or the City 9
budget or what's… I’m just trying to understand how I should think about this (interrupted) 10
11
Mr. Eggleston: So [unintelligible] big picture of it is that with the current project cost estimates 12
that we have on all of those nine infrastructure plan projects that costs are about $196 million. 13
We have about $171 million in funding that's already identified. So there is a current gap which 14
is part of the reason we're reluctant to just take current estimates we have right now and drop 15
them into these project pages as if we decided those are for certain the numbers because we're 16
still working on those estimates. And currently the way that the budget document deals with 17
that it creates this contingency fund that's large enough to fund all the projects, but the net 18
result of that is it causes the capital fund balance to go negative in some of the years. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: But is that a 2018 issue that we became (interrupted) 1
2
Mr. Eggleston: [Unintelligible] problem on 2019 and I should probably turn around and look at 3
Kiley our Budget Manager to make sure she's comfortable with the things that I’m saying. 4
[unintelligible-Woman off microphone speaks]. 5
6
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Yeah, no I'm just a little troubled by this because if we say I mean it 7
sounds like there's probably another final decision point when the final numbers come into and 8
when the final bids come in and I'm just not I'm trying to follow how this process works. 9
10
Kiely Nose, Budget Manager: I don't know that this is on, but cool. So what Brad's trying to 11
articulate I think is probably best illustrated on Page 70 of the document. This is and by the 12
way I'm Kiley, I'm the Budget Director for the City. Sorry, I should introduce myself first. 13
14
I understand your concern and I actually share it and I think we as a City share it. With the 15
escalating basically construction costs for the Infrastructure Plan we are seeing this gap widen. 16
And we've seen it widen essentially year after year. And so to Brad's point in this budget if you 17
look on that Page 70 at that total ending fund balance you'll see it actually goes negative 18
starting in Fiscal Year (FY) 19 and I, the City Manager, the City in general is very aware of this. 19
And that's probably one of the primary reasons why we didn't allocate all the new costs to all 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
the projects because we're going to have to really evaluate both the Infrastructure Plan and 1
scope of each of the projects as well as the entire General Capital Fund Plan and either figure 2
out if we need to do more debt financing, if we need to value engineer projects, if we need to 3
find new funding sources elsewhere in the City to ensure we fully fund the $196 million 4
estimate. Other options are reprioritizing projects in this fund in those out years. 5
6
We are also very, very aware of new projects coming on board that are not yet in here that I 7
think some of you guys have articulated. With the Parks Master Plan coming up I think there's a 8
study session later on this month with our Council to go over the findings of that Parks Master 9
Plan. I guarantee you there will be new projects in there that they're going to want to add to 10
this. So over the course of the next year I guess my response to all of this is we're very aware of 11
where the funding of this the Infrastructure Blue Ribbon Commission (IBRC) [essay] 12
recommendations are for the Infrastructure Plan as well as all of these additional initiatives the 13
Council wants to take on and over the next year really need to strategize on where the 14
priorities are and how we're going to balance this fund. But to another Commissioner’s point as 15
you read in the front of the letter we are aware of this and if Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) 16
revenues increase, wonderful. If projects get delayed that might allow additional funding. So 17
we need to strategize on how to deal with this as an organization. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Great, thank you very much. It's helpful to get the point out to Page 70 1
out of what is I think is a 600 page report. 2
3
Ms. Nose: It is! 4
5
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: So it's always helpful to get a guide to which page has the answer. Thank 6
you. 7
8
Ms. Nose: Of course. 9
10
Chair Alcheck: So I have a quick question before I move on. Is it [unintelligible], indulge me for 11
a minute. I mean how common is it for municipalities to essentially be in that same position 12
that our Budget Director described? 13
14
Ms. Nose: How common is it to have a five year CIP that shows these? 15
16
Chair Alcheck: That shows the negative. That I mean my assumption is that it's really common 17
and that there is this process by which we have to prioritize which doesn't necessarily happen 18
at this level. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Ms. Nose: Right. 1
2
Chair Alcheck: But that essentially our eyes are always bigger, I shouldn’t say it like that. That’s 3
not appropriate. Our eyes are always bigger than our wallets if you will. 4
5
Ms. Nose: Of course and that is consistent not only on the capital side, but the operating side as 6
well and I think one of the reasons why it's a little bit different and we chose to display it this 7
way this year is it is a five year CIP. So from a Council perspective the five years are a plan and 8
right now what we wanted to articulate is, is the plan needs some work. As we go through this 9
whereas we do still have both on the operating and capital side a balanced budget in FY 18. So 10
we will stay within all of our charter requirements. We will obviously be responsible in our 11
fiscal management, but we are articulating that we need to do some work. But you're right; 12
every city always has a larger appetite than typically the resources available. 13
14
Chair Alcheck: Is it safe to assume that there is like a process where 2018, FY 2018 projects that 15
would essentially become ongoing are, I don't know I just I kept [unintelligible] I’m assuming 16
that there's a I'm curious to know if there's a process by which we track those sort of ongoing 17
commitments as we incorporate sort of future projects into our Capital Improvement Fund so 18
sent like… There are a number of things you, there's a number of ways you can put this 19
together that we don't essentially run out, but if you make certain moves then those become 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
ongoing costs because they're not just single year projects. I don't know, how does that, I'm 1
curious to know if there's a process by which those are weighted differently when you do a 2
single year budget or is? 3
4
Ms. Nose: I’m going to try and answer this. Tell me if I get to the point that I think you're trying 5
to hit on. So couple of things, ongoing [ONM or O&M?] associated with projects so as buildings 6
as facilities brick and mortar come on board and are go live we do account for the ongoing 7
[ONM] implications, but it does switch from this capital budget to our operating budget. So we 8
will do that every year as things go live and the use budgets this capital budget project by 9
project outlines what those ongoing [ONM] implications are as you get closer and closer to the 10
current year they get more and more finite so that we can actually make the physical switch 11
over the next year. In terms of prioritizing projects (interrupted) 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Hold on, let me stop you there. Maybe I can ask this question a little differently. 14
When you when they move into like current operating budget do they represent sort of a single 15
year estimate of what the costs were going to be or are going to be or do they represent sort of 16
a net present value of what the three year… do you see what I'm saying? 17
18
Ms. Nose: You’re talking about like the asset value anything (interrupted) 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Yeah, like if a project for example is X dollars over three years when it goes into 1
your operating budget for the year does it only is the amount that sort of allocated only what 2
you would anticipate spending that year or does it represent the sort of the three year goal? 3
4
Ms. Nose: The operating budget is a one year budget and so only moves the first year. So it’s a 5
if you looked in FY 18 I, I’m trying to think of a good project that’s over a couple years, but 6
whatever is in the FY 18 column in this five year CIP only that component moves into the 7
operating budget for FY 18. All the out years 19, 20, 21, 22 will all be reevaluated as part of the 8
budget process next year based on the where the status of the projects are which is why Brad’s 9
so key to this, the priorities of the City and then funding levels basically. 10
11
Chair Alcheck: So I'm just again this is to satisfy my curiosity. Is there are there projects that we 12
began that are multi-year that we’ve stopped? That we've abandoned? 13
14
Ms. Nose: That we stop or abandon? I actually don't know that I’m probably the best one to 15
answer that considering I've only been here for about a year. I'd say it's abnormal, but I would 16
definitely say we do value engineer things and so we will change the scope over the course of a 17
project as necessary or as deemed appropriate by our administration and Council. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Ms. Eggleston: I could add to that and say a couple other types of instances there's occasionally 1
projects where we need regulatory approvals. Say we begin a design process we kind of hit a 2
brick wall with regulatory agencies and find out it's not likely to be successful projects like that 3
from time to time we've cut funding on. And then maybe more to your point Commissioner 4
[Note-Chair] Alcheck there's instances where perhaps we budgeted funding for a project in the 5
fourth or fifth year of the five year plan as we get closer for the types of reasons we're 6
discussing there's budgetary constraints and we've reprioritized and removed funding for that 7
project. 8
9
Chair Alcheck: Yeah, ok. Did you want to? 10
11
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Yeah. Just a as a point of clarification on this I think I saw this on utilities 12
before, but if you take something like the Public Safety Building (PSB) which is carried as a Page 13
65 is carried as a $52.25 million expenditure in FY 2019. Can you just clarify my understanding 14
was that we’ll take whatever the bid price is in that year and transfer that into a, that money 15
into a special fund that then gets spent then gets transferred into the operating budget over 16
the course of construction or is that incorrect in how we do this? 17
18
Ms. Eggleston: I think the better way to view it would be that the CIP projects themselves in a 19
sense could be viewed as small funds within the capital budget. So there's an allocation of 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
funds into the CIP project that would be used to construct the project. If there's funds left over 1
those would eventually go back into the capital budget. 2
3
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: But the point is that we're not let's say that out of I mean let's say it was 4
$52 million and that year one was $17 million and year two was $35 million. The point is that 5
we, we’re reserving that second years $35 when we at inception. I mean we're not relying on 6
that to… is that correct? 7
8
Mr. Eggleston: When if the specific question is about awarding a construction contract, yes. So 9
let's say we finish the design on the PSB. I think we plan to start constructing it the summer of 10
2019. So typically even though it might take two years to build if we have a bid for say $40 11
million to construct it we would need to lock in that amount of funding at the time that we 12
award the construction contract. 13
14
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: That was the clarification I was looking for. So there's no risk that we 15
would build a shell and say whoops (interrupted) 16
17
Mr. Eggleston: No. 18
19
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: We’ll stop here and watch the wind blow through. 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Chair Alcheck: Ok. Did you want to make any comments or questions? 2
3
Commissioner Monk: I don't know if this was answered by our Budget Director Kiely, but in 4
regards to our obligation to suggest any needed improvements I just want to ask as we go 5
forward how is our soon to be adopted Comp Plan programs being accounted for? 6
7
Mr. Lait: The to the extent that there's any well… 8
9
Commissioner Monk: Just to what I'm asking about is the fact that there's 102 new programs 10
about a third of them go to safety so we're looking at the CIP today on the existing Comp Plan, 11
not on the soon to be Comp Plan. 12
13
Mr. Lait: Right. 14
15
Commissioner Monk: So is there an accounting for the new programs that are in the proposed 16
Comp Plan? 17
18
Mr. Lait: No and principally because that is draft and has not received an official action from the 19
City as far as adoption. So this is all existing policies and programs. 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Monk: Ok, so and then in, thank you. So I did review the 23 projects. There was 2
one edit I'd like to go over with you afterwards. In regards to the FY 18 through [222 – means 3
2022?] the CIP and it does appear to be consistent with the Comp Plan in existing and as well as 4
our proposed plan from what I know about it in that most of what we're looking at deals with 5
the general upkeep, maintenance, and safety. I just had a couple clarifying questions on just 6
two of the items, the first one being the video surveillance and that's on Page 230-231. Can you 7
just kind of give an overview of what's happening there and how it'll be different from the 8
existing safety measures? That's Caltrain (interrupted) 9
10
Mr. Eggleston: Yeah, it’s the Caltrain corridor video management system. So what's happening 11
is that the City’s currently allocating about $1.7 million a year for the track guards that are 12
there at the I think it's five locations that we have them at. So the City’s been working with the 13
Project Safety Net group and a means restriction group looking at best practices for safety 14
along the Caltrain corridor and there's plans being made that are going to the City Council soon. 15
It's actually in the budget to start to make some reduction to that track guard budget in FY 18 in 16
combination with this new camera monitoring system that would be in place at each of those 17
crossings and would be able to watch the corridor and would be monitored at an offsite 18
location 24 hours a day. So the plan in FY 18 is that once that new system is in place then 19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
strategically there would be there would start to be a drawdown at least at certain times and 1
less impactful locations of the current track guards that are place. 2
3
Commissioner Monk: So from a fiscal standpoint we're going from $1.7 per year to $1.5 for the 4
next five years. Is that correct? 5
6
Mr. Eggleston: Well the $1.5 cost is a one-time capital cost to install the system. 7
8
Commissioner Monk: So it doesn't include the person monitoring it and all of that additional 9
cost, correct? 10
11
Mr. Eggleston: Right. So in the operating budget there's additional funding for the offsite 12
monitoring which we're still evaluating what those costs will be. I think the total that's in the 13
operating budget is maybe at around $500,000 per year. That's probably high. $600,000. 14
15
Commissioner Monk: So when this goes to Council I would imagine that you’d give them the 16
total cost savings of the existing system and this new system. And is this new system one that’s 17
supported by Project Safety Net? Is that what you said that it was anticipated that we would go 18
to this system? 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Mr. Eggleston: Supported? 1
2
Commissioner Monk: [Correct]. 3
4
Mr. Eggleston: We have been having discussions with the Means Restriction Advisory 5
Commission about best measures. So essentially what's going to happen in FY 18 is we're going 6
to get this system in place, there's going to be a time of overlapping, the plan is to have to start 7
to have some scaling back and then to be assessing how well that's working in conjunction with 8
the that Means Restriction Advisory Committee. 9
10
Commissioner Monk: And then how would someone monitoring at a distance prevent any 11
injuries to individuals crossing the tracks versus having the guard there? 12
13
Mr. Eggleston: Well, I would say that the track guards that are there their current function is 14
that they see something call 911. They're not authorized to physically interfere and there are 15
issues with them as well. They're there at night time, it's dark. They can see 15 to 25 feet. The 16
technology that's going to be there is going to have a thermal imaging cameras that will be able 17
to see hundreds of feet down the right of way. 18
19
Mr. Lait: [Unintelligible-off microphone]. 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Eggleston: Yes and the monitoring so essentially in terms of calling 911 the monitoring 2
center would do that same thing and potentially interact with Caltrain as well and the work 3
we're doing on this is also looking at having audio capability at the sites. 4
5
Commissioner Monk: Ok, so it's more than just a visual that's good to know. 6
7
Mr. Eggleston: Right. 8
9
Commissioner Monk: Just curious about it. The other question I had had to do with the 10
improvements for pedestrian safety and streetscape on El Camino in between Sheridan and 11
Stanford. So I checked out that area today and I'm guessing the issue is crossing over, going 12
across El Camino and not north/south on those streets. Is that or are they accidents 13
happening? 14
15
Mr. Lait: Can you give us a page number? 16
17
Commissioner Monk: Oh so this is Page 273, the El Camino Pedestrian Safety and Streetscape 18
Project. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Mr. Eggleston: I believe that's true that the primary concern is crossing El Camino Real. 1
2
Commissioner Monk: So given that this is a main arterial connection between all the peninsula 3
cities is the plan to… how will this plan impact the flow of traffic? And obviously safety will 4
outweigh that, but I'm just curious. 5
6
Mr. Lait: Ok, so I'm sorry, Commissioner. Can you repeat your question on that? 7
8
Commissioner Monk: I was curious as to what impact this will have to traffic flow while 9
obviously balancing pedestrian safety and minimizing accidents to pedestrians. 10
11
Mr. Lait: Right and I think part of that is to be determined. As I'm understanding this project 12
there is a design component that would come into play that we would do in 20, FY 2019. As 13
part of that design improvement we would also evaluate and assess the traffic impacts or 14
understand the implication of the project, but we don't have a design yet so it's hard to predict 15
what kind of implications that may have. 16
17
Commissioner Monk: Ok, thank you. That’s it. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Ok I have a question. I'm just curious is there a process by which members of 1
the community can suggest opportunities for value engineering projects? I'll give you an 2
example, [I’ll give you] a hypothetical. There is a park and they want a dog run out or 3
something. Is there I mean is there is it possible for community groups to participate in the 4
process, suggest value engineering opportunities, and I don’t know, be a part of the workload? 5
6
Mr. Eggleston: I'd say kind of depends on the project. I mean we receive many even unsolicited 7
suggestions on projects. The example you gave of a dog run and Commissioner Lauing was 8
mentioning we've had this Parks Master Plan where we've been in combination staff and the 9
Parks and Recreation Commission soliciting input from the community over a period of three 10
and a half years now on many, many occasions to develop suggestions for what should happen 11
in various parks and open space areas in the City. And then the other type of issue on many of 12
our projects we do have a community engagement process particularly in projects that the 13
public tends to be more interested in so for instance we don't generally have community 14
meetings to discuss which street segments we'll choose for repaving and resurfacing in a given 15
year. But another example of projects that have gone on recently the Baylands Interpretive 16
Center renovation which was just completed we had public meetings at the Parks and 17
Recreation Commission and several kind of standalone community meetings to get input and 18
suggestions on that. Just last week I believe we had a community meeting about the Baylands 19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
boardwalk replacement. So those are examples of typical projects the community is most 1
involved in where we do solicit input. 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Ok and then I had another question about just again satisfying my curiosity here, 4
the this Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) replacement project are all like the 5
equipment acquisitions sort of inside the CIP? Are those typical, is this unique for some reason 6
or is this just this year's? 7
8
Ms. Nose: This is it's... it is appropriate for certain equipment purchases to go through a capital 9
budget as opposed to an operating budget. One of the main or some of the main indicators of 10
this are if the asset is going to be depreciated, if it has a value to the City verses it's I don't know 11
if I'm just maintaining a park land right that's just… the park itself building it is the asset and so 12
that's what will be a capital project, but if we’re watering the lawns and maintaining play 13
structures that's going to be an operating cost. So these SCBAs are an actual piece of 14
equipment that theoretically could have a resale value if we wanted to at some point in time. 15
So that's why this is budgeted in the capital budget. 16
17
Chair Alcheck: Got it. So like if we acquired a new fire truck it would be in the CIP? 18
19
Ms. Nose: Correct. And it is actually in the (interrupted) 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Chair Alcheck: But helmets wouldn’t be? 2
3
Ms. Nose: Probably not, correct. 4
5
Chair Alcheck: Ok. Alright. Does anybody else have any comments or questions? Ok. Does 6
anybody have a Motion to add anything specific to this recommendation? 7
8
Commissioner Gardias: Yeah, I had a… if you don't mind I'd like to propose a Motion? 9
10
Chair Alcheck: Please do. 11
12
MOTION #1 13
14
Commissioner Gardias: So I'm fine with all the recommendations and I’d like to propose a 15
Motion including also consideration of the item that I mentioned, but not for this FY, for the 16
following year. I don't believe that this meets the priority and that like California Avenue 17
crossing it’s lower priority, but I think that Council should consider. So the Motion would stand 18
like this that pretty much I'm moving to propose to recommend the proposed 2018-2020 19
Capital Improvement Program that it's consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and also add 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
verbiage and consider safety improvements of pedestrian and bike crossing from East Bayshore 1
Road to West Bayshore Road in the CIP of 2019 to 2023. 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Do I have a second for that specific Motion? Ok, seeing none does anybody else 4
want to make a Motion? 5
6
MOTION #1 FAILED 7
8
MOTION #2 9
10
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: I’d like to make a Motion to support the staff recommendation for the 11
2018-2022 Capital Improvement Plan. And if you want to propose that as an amendment we 12
can certainly discuss that. 13
14
SECOND 15
16
Chair Alcheck: [Unintelligible] do have a second for that Motion? Thank you. 17
18
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT #1 TO MOTION #2 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Gardias: So with this I will propose an amendment to include in the 2019-2023 1
Capital Improvement Plan a safety crossing from East Bayshore to West Bayshore for 2
pedestrian and biking. 3
4
Chair Alcheck: Ok so trying to follow the procedures here do you accept that as a Friendly 5
Amendment? 6
7
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Let's just take it as an Unfriendly. 8
9
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT #1 REJECTED 10
11
UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT #1 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Ok. So I need a second for that? Do I need a second for an Unfriendly 14
Amendment? Ok, I’ll I for the sake of clarity here… 15
16
SECOND 17
18
Commissioner Monk: I’ll second the amendment. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Ok so just to keep things a little clean Commissioner Monk has seconded the 1
amendment. Would anybody like to discuss this? 2
3
Commissioner Lauing: Yeah, I would just like to say since it doesn't impact this first year at all 4
I'm not sure why it actually has to be part of this Motion as opposed to a separate 5
recommendation to staff that this be considered next year as the 18 to 24 whatever is comes 6
into play. It seems like it doesn't actually have to be on here now relative to its magnitude. 7
8
Chair Alcheck: I’ll ask a question too and maybe you can answer both. And this is to anybody 9
really. What would be the process for a recommendation like this? How could Commissioner 10
or anybody for that matter communicate this? 11
12
Mr. Eggleston: I think (interrupted) 13
14
Chair Alcheck: I should say effectively. 15
16
Mr. Eggleston: To me it seems entirely appropriate that it could be part of this Motion. We 17
probably prefer language like assess the feasibility of making improvements rather than just a 18
Motion that includes that it be included in the next budget, but it seems entirely reasonable to 19
me that that's something we could investigate for next year. 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Monk: I have an addition to the Motion. Is that something I could do? I would 2
also request to assess the feasibility of making improvements to (interrupted) 3
4
Chair Alcheck: I’m sorry, hold on. Are you suggesting a an additional item? 5
6
Commissioner Monk: It could be. 7
8
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 9
10
Commissioner Monk: Well it's similar; it’s just in a different location. So would that be different 11
(interrupted) 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Oh, alright. Why don't you see if this works between the two of you? 14
15
Commissioner Monk: Well if he’s a cyclist [he might] agree with it; to assess the feasibility of 16
making improvements for pedestrian and bicycle safety at the intersection of El Camino and 17
University Avenue. 18
19
Commissioner Gardias: Could you be more specific? 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Lait: I think that that sounds like a separate (interrupted) 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Yeah. 4
5
Commissioner Monk: Ok, [unintelligible]. 6
7
Mr. Lait: Amendment that we should maybe just table for a moment and (interrupted) 8
9
Chair Alcheck: Do them one at a time. 10
11
Mr. Lait: Well, yeah. 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 14
15
Mr. Lait: So you had a Chair you’d asked a question about process, the process and it sounds 16
like it's unlikely to get embedded into this program, but it’s one that we can study for the next 17
years’. 18
19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Why don’t in lieu of staff’s response do you want to reword the amendment and 1
re-suggest it? 2
3
Commissioner Gardias: Well I, but actually I'm quite receptive to the to including this in this in 4
the single (interrupted) 5
6
Chair Alcheck: Sorry, let me rephrase. 7
8
Commissioner Gardias: In the single Amendment. 9
10
Chair Alcheck: I mean do you want to reword your proposal to reflect the suggestion that staff 11
made about language encouraging an assessment rather than an inclusion? 12
13
UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT #1 RESTATED 14
15
Commissioner Gardias: Yes, of course. Yes. So with this proposal pretty much it would be 16
assessment safety, safety of the crossing, assessment of the safety crossing for pedestrians and 17
bikers from East Bayshore to West Bayshore in 2019-2023. And then I would accept adding also 18
Commissioner Monk's addition to this same amendment if she would agree with assessment as 19
well? 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Commissioner Monk: Thank you. 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Ok, why don't we do this, again everybody turn to Page 16 in their packet real 4
quick. 5
6
Commissioner Lauing: 60? 7
8
Chair Alcheck: 16; the agenda packet. So essentially at the conclusion of this item we'll have 9
articulated a statement to which we will address to Council so what I guess what I would really 10
like to do is flesh out how we would articulate what it is that you would like to add. And then I 11
don't know how to do this best because are you comfortable with an approach… I should direct 12
this at staff. Staff, are you comfortable with an approach to this Motion that you have to 13
wordsmith later or do you want us to spell it out? 14
15
Mr. Lait: Well, I think we’re trying to work with it now. And pardon my unfamiliarly with the 16
area is there an existing bike and pedestrian path at this area or is it just... 17
18
Commissioner Gardias: No it's not. So that there’s the problem that I articulated with this area 19
is that the bridge was widened with adding sidewalks, but it was when it was widened then it 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
connected to some sidewalks that were going to the bridge. But bridge before never had the 1
sidewalk itself, but then before widening the bridge there were signs and that area was 2
inaccessible. And then for different signs this area is still inaccessible; however, pedestrian and 3
bikers cross the bridge because we know that it’s crossable because it has been wider. But then 4
it wasn't the improvement wasn’t extended to East Bayshore and West Bayshore so there are 5
no pedestrian crossings, there are no ramps, there are no cuts in the sidewalks, there are no 6
ramps, there are no signs for pedestrians, there are still signs that they are directing traffic to 7
different overpass. 8
9
Mr. Eggleston: And you're referring to two pedestrian and bicycle facilities to cross East 10
Bayshore and West Bayshore and connect to them? 11
12
Commissioner Gardias: From East Bayshore to West Bayshore. 13
14
Mr. Lait: East to west, ok. So the next FY is going to be 2019-2023. Alright, so just if you can 15
give us a moment Chair to sort of get this… 16
17
Commissioner Lauing: Chair Alcheck while they’re writing things can we have further 18
discussions? 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Well let me ask you a question Assistant Director Lait. Is, could we draft the 1
letter like this, similar to the one on 16, and then include an attachment of Commissioners 2
suggested opportunities for assessment list or something? My ask is because this is not quote 3
unquote a very, this is a very specific request and if we can't build consensus here it may still 4
have some merit and my lack of familiarity with the specifics of what he's talking about may 5
preclude me from… I don't have a lot of familiarity with the area that you're talking about. And 6
so does there really need to be consensus for us to have an attachment that may just articulate 7
some Commissioner generated suggestion? 8
9
Mr. Lait: So I well I guess what we would do is we would communicate the letter and maybe 10
there is a few lines in this staff report that goes to the Finance Committee and Council that just 11
quickly summarizes the PTC's discussion that it found consistency and that there was this 12
additional item that was identified, but there was not a Motion to move it forward. I mean we 13
could certainly highlight it in a staff report, but I also think if we just spend another minute or 14
two on it we might be able to craft the language and present it as a something for the 15
Commission to consider. I mean it sounds at the end of the day it's trying to improve 16
pedestrian bike access in an area where it's difficult to do that and the request is to assess the 17
feasibility and if it's feasible to include that in the planning. 18
19
Chair Alcheck: Include it in this year's plan? 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Lait: Not this year's plan, but it would be for the next year’s plan. 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Ok. 4
5
Mr. Lait: And if so if I can just continue along those lines for a minute Commissioner Gardias you 6
had mentioned a couple of examples of what you were looking for like signage and curb ramps. 7
Was there any other types of examples that you were (interrupted) 8
9
Commissioner Gardias: Pedestrian crossing. There may be also cleaning up of the brushes 10
when cars are incoming from the 101 ramp up to the bridge then it pretty much they are 11
invisible to the, pedestrians are invisible, pedestrian and bikers are invisible to the cars. So 12
that’s the risk area. It's pretty much the cars don't stop. There is a yield sign over there so do 13
cars don't stop. There is a risk that pretty much some pedestrian or biker may be hit. 14
15
Mr. Lait: Ok. 16
17
Commissioner Gardias: Even during the day. So there is number of the pretty much of the 18
improvements throughout from West Bayshore to East Bayshore to make this safe passage. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Mr. Lait: Ok. So if I… 1
2
Commissioner Gardias: Given that there is athletic center, there is a number of the runners 3
every Saturday and Sunday, there are some events. So I think it's just a reasonable request. 4
5
Mr. Lait: Ok. So what how we've interpreted the request is that the Motion could include or 6
the proposed amendment reads “Assess the feasibility of improving bicycle and pedestrian 7
access from East Bayshore Road to West Bayshore Road for FY 2019-2023 Capital Budget Plan 8
with improvements such as signs, curb ramps, pedestrian crossings, landscape maintenance.” 9
10
Commissioner Gardias: That's correct. 11
12
Mr. Lait: Ok. 13
14
Commissioner Gardias: That’s correct. And then now we can spend maybe a moment a few 15
minutes on articulating Commissioner Monks’ request. 16
17
Chair Alcheck: Director Lait do I need, do we need procedurally should we vote on this 18
Unfriendly Amendment? I’ll repeat myself. Should we vote on this Unfriendly Amendment at 19
this time? Is that (interrupted) 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Mr. Lait: Yeah did so did (interrupted) 2
3
Commissioner Monk: [Unintelligible] have any information how do we vote on it if we don’t 4
know the… 5
6
Mr. Lait: Well, so (interrupted) 7
8
Commissioner Lauing: That's part of the problem with this whole process to me is that I'm 9
anything that makes our citizens safe I want to support, but I don't even understand like Chair 10
Alcheck exactly what we're talking about here and I don't understand the materiality of that. If 11
anybody has access to put things into next year's capital improvement plans for the Planning 12
Department we do. So just by noting this now and by whatever you're going to say noting it 13
now it already is through the ears of the Assistant Director of the Planning Department to get 14
high consideration for next year which is what we're talking about. 15
16
Commissioner Monk: Right. So if that's the case then I’m good. 17
18
Commissioner Lauing: Right so I don't understand why we would sort of complicate the process 19
of approving what's on the table when we're really at the front end of a funnel for 19 right now 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
and making suggestions for things for the Planning Department to be considering for 19 CIPs 1
onward. So it just seems out of phase. No disrespect at all to the specifics of it, but relative to 2
the materiality and the timing of it I just don't think it's necessary and this way we get sort of a 3
“clean” bill in terms of the Chair’s letter to the Council which is what they want to know about 4
kind of going from 18 forward. 5
6
Commissioner Gardias: If I may just say the reason? If that is how the process is going to work 7
out for me it’s fine? So the reason why I just mentioned this and I thought that would be good 8
to articulate this as maybe the assessment that Commissioner Monk would propose, because, 9
from my perspective, this fall fell off the radar screen. And as I was happy a few years ago when 10
the bridge was widened, but then I noticed that there were no other improvements in this area. 11
And then it just made me thinking that nobody's noticing this passage. So for this reason I 12
thought that it would be reasonable to articulate it and just point it to the Council and to the 13
Capital improvement department. Thank you. 14
15
Mr. Lait: Ok so two comments. One is so Albert informed me I think maybe more of the 16
essence of what you were Chair trying to communicate which was you do your approval letter 17
Page 16 and then the attachment to that is here's some other ideas and suggestions from 18
individual Council Members [note-Commissioners] that we want to communicate on to the 19
Council. I think that's a perfectly fine approach and then you don't have to vote and have 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
consensus as to what it is. So that’s a path that you can do and go and go forward with. In 1
addition this comment is one that we can also communicate to our Chief Transportation Official 2
and explore and maybe it's something that we can work out even in advance of a CIP effort so 3
these are the types of things I mean the City is consistently making improvements along areas 4
and not everything that's identified in… right? In the… 5
6
Mr. Eggleston: There's plenty of improvements occurring all the time that are not specifically 7
identified in this document. 8
9
Mr. Lait: And perhaps that could be one if it's things like signage I mean that’s an easy thing for 10
us to take care of and ramps and things like that. 11
12
Commissioner Gardias: That would be fine with me. 13
14
Chair Alcheck: Ok why don't I do this then, are you comfortable with me inviting any of the 15
members of this Commission if they articulate something in the next several days to email you 16
something specific or do we need to define those attachment items tonight? 17
18
Mr. Lait: Yeah, so... tonight would be ideal. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Ok, alright. Then why don't we do as you suggested. It sounds like you've 1
written that one down. So we’ll add that to an attachment and instead of voting on it why 2
don't we just present it as well, I guess you could cite the individual Commissioner or you could 3
just suggest that it came up during Commission discussion. Well what a… yeah. So are you 4
comfortable withdrawing the amendment and then treating it as a just an attachment like a 5
rider? 6
7
UNFRIENDLY AMENDMENT #1 WITHDRAWN 8
9
Commissioner Gardias: Yes, I'm comfortable, but I think that the language was already captured 10
by Assistant Director so I also just there was also a proposal from Commissioner Monk so. 11
12
Chair Alcheck: Just hold on a second. You don't want the attachment or you do? 13
14
Commissioner Gardias: No, no, I'd like to have an attachment. 15
16
Chair Alcheck: Ok, ok so I'm going to say that amendment is withdrawn. 17
18
Commissioner Gardias: That's fine. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: And let me just sort of query is anybody uncomfortable with the idea of this 1
attachment? Ok, so then I don't think we really need to vote on that. We have a Motion on the 2
floor on the table. Is there anybody that wants to make an amendment? Ok. Going once, 3
seeing none. 4
5
Mr. Eggleston: Chair? I think it might be helpful to if we're going to have the attachment to 6
have that be a part of the Motion that the attachment will be included. We don't have to, you 7
don’t have to vote right now on exactly what's going to be in the attachment, but right now the 8
Motion is just us to forward the letter. We'd like to have a direction to have the attachments as 9
well from this body. 10
11
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT #2 TO MOTION #2 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Ok, so I'm going to make a Motion that we, I’m going to make an amendment 14
that we include a reference to an attachment and an attachment to the letter that will be 15
drafted to articulate the Motion on the table and that that attachment would include 16
Commissioner Gardias’ stated suggestion for the 2019 CIP budget. Do I have, is that acceptable 17
to you guys? I'm going to start with that one and then if there's any additional, I first want to 18
make sure that we're all on board with the attachment concept and the item that is currently 19
being discussed to be attached. Are you comfortable with that as a Friendly Amendment? 20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: Yeah. 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Ok, alright. So the current Motion of the table is that the item before us is 4
consistent with the general plan and it will include a attachment that contains some 5
recommendations that were discussed during our meeting and currently that recommendation 6
is single Commissioner Gardias has articulated and I believe Assistant Director Jonathan Lait has 7
down. Are there any other items that any Commissioner would like to add to this attachment 8
of recommendations? 9
10
Commissioner Monk: I would just add to assess the feasibility of making improvements at 11
University and El Camino looking at collision history and safety for bicycles and pedestrians. 12
13
VOTE 14
15
Chair Alcheck: Fantastic. Are you guys are comfortable with that as a attachment, a friendly 16
attachment item? Ok, alright. Are there any others? Ok, seeing none I’d like us to vote on the 17
Motion of the table. I'm not going to repeat it I think we've all got it. All those in favor please 18
raise your hand and say aye. Great. It’s a unanimous vote. Five in favor with two absent 19
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Commissioner Rosenblum and Commissioner Summa not present. Ok, that concludes Item 1
Number 2. 2
3
MOTION #2 PASSED (5-0-2, Commissioners Rosenblum and Summa absent) 4
5
Commission Action: PTC recommend to the City Council and Finance Committee that the 6
proposed 2018-2022 Capital Improvement Programs (CIPs) is consistent with the 7
Comprehensive Plan. Motion made by Vice Chair Waldfogel, seconded by Commissioner 8
Lauing; motion passes 5-0 (2 absent) 9
Approval of Minutes 10
Public Comment is Permitted. Five (5) minutes per speaker.1,3 11
3. April 12, 2017 Draft Planning & Transportation Commission Meeting Minutes 12
13
Chair Alcheck: Item Number 3 is an approval of the minutes. Can I have a Motion to approve 14
the minutes from the April 12, 2017, Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) meeting? 15
16
MOTION 17
18
Vice-Chair Waldfogel: So moved. 19
20
SECOND 21
22
Commissioner Summa: Second. 23
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
1
VOTE 2
3
Chair Alcheck: Great. All in favor of approving the minutes from the April 12, 2017, PTC 4
meeting raise your hand and say aye. Thank you. That's a unanimous vote with Commissioners 5
Rosenblum and Summa not present. 6
7
MOTION PASSED (5-0-2, Commissioners Rosenblum and Summa absent) 8
9
Commission Action: Motion was made by Vice Chair Waldfogel to approve the minutes 10
from the April 12 PTC meeting. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lauing. 11
Motion passes 5-0 (2 absent) 12
Committee Items 13
Commissioner Questions, Comments or Announcements 14
15
Chair Alcheck: Ok, at this time are there any Commissioner questions, comments, or 16
announcements? 17
18
Commissioner Lauing: I have a question to staff. We were supposed to originally had been 19
forecast to be discussing the parking for the first time and that has dropped off, but it's 20
dropped off entirely and I know that that's not the intent because it was specifically referred by 21
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Council and they mentioned it again Monday night. The Mayor actually mentioned it and it's 1
not in anywhere projected on our agendas. 2
3
Jonathan Lait, Assistant Director: June 28. June 28. 4
5
Commissioner Lauing: Is that on there? 6
7
Mr. Lait: No. 8
9
Commissioner Lauing: Oh, ok. [Unintelligible] seen that before. 10
11
Chair Alcheck: He wanted you to ask that, wanted to be ready for the answer. Ok, so in I'm 12
going to just ask on more time are there any comments or questions? Considering the 13
conversation we had at the beginning of this meeting does anybody wish to continue that 14
conversation? 15
16
Commissioner Gardias: I'm going to per our conversation earlier I’m going to take it as my 17
action item to reach out to the Council Members that were in support of a area plan for 18
California and Fry’s. 19
20
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Chair Alcheck: Ok, I'll just make a quick request to the Commissioners if you know you're going 1
to be on vacation this summer it might not be a bad idea to shoot an email to staff and myself 2
letting us know. I know there some people will be traveling and it's always good to have a 3
heads up in terms of quorum requirements. So if you know you’re going to be traveling shoot 4
us an e-mail. Alright, I think that concludes our meeting. The time is 7:35. Meeting adjourned. 5
6
Adjournment 7
7:35pm 8
_______________________
1. Spokespersons that are representing a group of five or more people who are identified as present at the meeting at
the time of the spokesperson’s presentation will be allowed up to fifteen (15) minutes at the discretion of the Chair,
provided that the non-speaking members agree not to speak individually.
2. The Chair may limit Oral Communications to 30 minutes for all combined speakers.
3. The Chair may reduce the allowed time to speak to three minutes to accommodate a larger number of speakers.
Palo Alto Planning & Transportation Commission 1
Commissioner Biographies, Present and Archived Agendas and Reports are available online: 2
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/boards/ptc/default.asp. The PTC Commission members are: 3
4
Chair Michael Alcheck 5
Vice Chair Asher Waldfogel 6
Commissioner Przemek Gardias 7
Commissioner Ed Lauing 8
Commissioner Susan Monk 9
Commissioner Eric Rosenblum 10
Commissioner Doria Summa 11
12
Get Informed and Be Engaged! 13
View online: http://midpenmedia.org/category/government/city-of-palo-alto or on Channel 26. 14
15
Show up and speak. Public comment is encouraged. Please complete a speaker request card 16
located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers and deliver it to the Commission 17
Secretary prior to discussion of the item. 18
19
Write to us. Email the PTC at: Planning.Commission@CityofPaloAlto.org. Letters can be 20
delivered to the Planning & Community Environment Department, 5th floor, City Hall, 250 21
Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Comments received by 2:00 PM two Tuesdays preceding 22
the meeting date will be included in the agenda packet. Comments received afterward through 23
2:00 PM the day of the meeting will be presented to the Commission at the dais. 24
25
Material related to an item on this agenda submitted to the PTC after distribution of the 26
agenda packet is available for public inspection at the address above. 27
Americans with Disability Act (ADA) 28
It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a 29
manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an 30
appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, 31
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24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. 34