HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-10-05 City Council Action MinutesCITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL
ACTION MINUTES
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Regular Meeting
October 5, 2015
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council
Chambers at 6:07 P.M.
Present: Berman, Burt, DuBois, Filseth, Holman, Kniss, Scharff, Schmid,
Wolbach arrived at 6:28 P.M.
Absent:
Study Session
1. Council Input for the Public Art Master Plan.
Special Orders of the Day
2. Resolution 9550 Entitled, “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Expressing Appreciation to Grant Kolling Upon His Retirement.”
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Schmid
to approve the Resolution expressing appreciation to Grant Kolling upon his
retirement.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
3. United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) Proclamation.
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
None.
Minutes Approval
4. April 13, 2015, April 14, 2015, April 20, 2015, and April 27, 2015.
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Action Minutes: 10/5/15
MOTION: Council Member Wolbach moved, seconded by Council Member
Burt to approve the April 13, 14, 20, and 27, 2015 Minutes.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
Consent Calendar
Council Members DuBois and Kniss registered no votes on Agenda Item
Number 10.
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member
Wolbach to approve Agenda Item Numbers 5-11, with direction to Staff to
explore additional clarifying contract language to Agenda Item Number 9 providing additional privacy protection.
5. Approval of Amendment Number Three to Contract Number
S13149314 With Truepoint Solutions, LLC in the Amount of $290,000
to Provide Support for Accela Software Applications and Blueprint
Initiatives, for a Total Contract Amount Not to Exceed $942,800.
6. Approval of Amendment Number One to Contract Number C14153485
With Canopy, for an Additional Amount of $45,000 for the Second Year
of a Three Year Term, for a Total Amount Not to Exceed $399,630 for
Implementation of Urban Forest Master Plan Programs 1.D.i: 'Analysis
of North-South Palo Alto Canopy Disparity', and 3.B.1:
'Recommendations for Reducing Tree and Sidewalk Conflicts'.
7. Resolutions 9552 and 9553 Entitled, “Resolutions of the Council of the
City of Palo Alto Correcting Clerical Errors in Two Items Previously
Approved as Part of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget.”
8. Approval of a Contract with BKF Engineers for a Total Amount not to
Exceed $538,547 for Design Services for the Embarcadero Road
Corridor Improvements Project and Budget Amendment Ordinance
5348 Entitled, “Budget Amendment Ordinance of the Council of the
City of Palo Alto for Fiscal Year 2016 to Provide an Additional
Appropriation of $337,766 to the Embarcadero Road Corridor
Improvements Project in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) PL-
15001.”
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9. Approval of a Contract With VIMOC Technologies for a Total of
$100,000 to Install Parking Occupancy Sensors and Bicycle/Pedestrian
Video Counters.
10. Ordinance 5349 Entitled, “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Amending Section 2.040.160 (City Council Minutes) of Chapter
2.04 (Council Organization and Procedure) of the Palo Alto Municipal
Code to Require Action Minutes and a Verbatim Transcript of all
Council and Council Standing Committee Meetings, and Delete the
Requirement for Sense Minutes (FIRST READING: August 31, 2015 PASSED: 8-0 Kniss absent).”
11. Council Approval of Appointment of Terence Howzell to the Position of
Principal Attorney.
MOTION FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBERS 5-9, 11 PASSED: 9-0
MOTION FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10 PASSED: 7-2 DuBois, Kniss no
Action Items
12. Comprehensive Plan Update: Comprehensive Plan Structure and
Goals/Vision Statements for Each Element and Related Direction to
Staff and the Citizens Advisory Committee (Part II: Community
Services & Facilities and Land Use & Community Design Elements).
MOTION: Council Member DuBois moved, seconded by Council Member
Filseth to organize the Comprehensive Plan Update:
For the Community Services Element, direct Staff to update the existing
Vision Statement with minor revisions for City Council review and adopt the
following organization of:
A. C1 – Efficient service delivery (Current); and
B. C2 – Customer service (Current); and
C. C3 – Maintaining Parks and Public Facilities (PTC) – CAC to discuss
policy to focus on planning and development of Cubberley Community
Center; and
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D. C4 – Planning for the Future (new); and
E. C5 – Health and Well Being (new).
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the Motion, “Retain Policy C-28.” (New
Part F)
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the Motion, “of Goals” after “the
following organization.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the Motion at the end of Part E, “adding,
‘Improved Quality, Quantity, and Affordability of Social Services, particularly
for all community members including Children, Youth, Seniors, the
Unhoused, and People with Disabilities.’”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to remove from the Motion Part C, “CAC to
discuss policy to focus on planning and development of Cubberley
Community Center” and add to the Motion, “Direct CAC to focus on the
policy of planning and development of Cubberley Community Center.” (New
Part G)
AMENDMENT: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council
Member XX to add to the Motion Part F, “defer decision whether to.”
AMENDMENT RESTATED AND INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION
WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the
Motion Part F at the beginning, “update” and at the end “based on Staff
feedback and the Parks and Recreation Master Plan process.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to replace in the Motion Part G, “direct CAC to
focus on the policy of” with “CAC to discuss the.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the Motion Part C, “C3” after “PTC.”
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INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to replace in the Motion Part D, “new” with “PTC
C4.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to replace in the Motion Part E, “new” with “PTC
C1.”
AMENDMENT: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Council Member
Scharff to add to the Motion, “direct Staff to return to Council for more
substantive discussion of narratives supporting Goals.”
AMENDMENT PASSED: 7-2 Kniss, Wolbach no
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the Motion, “incorporate reference to
the Urban Forest Master Plan in a policy.”
AMENDMENT: Mayor Holman moved, seconded by Council Member XX to
replace in the Motion Part C, “Customer Service” with “Service the Public or
Community Service.”
AMENDMENT RESTATED AND INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION
WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to add to the
Motion, “Staff will address tension between customer service and public
service.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to replace in the Motion Part E, “particularly for”
with “inclusive of.”
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to replace in the Motion Part E, “including” with
“particularly.”
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 9-0
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member
Kniss to continue the Land Use & Community Design Element to a date to be
determined by City Staff and to continue public comment to those who have
not spoken.
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MOTION PASSED: 9-0
13. PUBLIC HEARING: Adoption of an Ordinance Making Permanent the
Interim Measures to Eliminate Certain Parking Exemptions Within
Downtown by Amending Municipal Code Chapters 18.18, Downtown
Commercial (CD) District and 18.52, Parking and Loading
Requirements; the Planning and Transportation Commission
Recommended Adoption.
Public Hearing opened at 10:39 P.M.
Public Hearing closed at 10:45 P.M.
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member
Kniss to adopt an Ordinance to amend PAMC Chapters 18.18, Downtown
Commercial (CD) District, and 18.52 (Parking and Loading Requirements), to
permanently eliminate certain parking exemptions within the downtown area
previously adopted by Council via Interim Ordinance No. 5214 that will
otherwise “sunset” on November 4, 2015 with the following modifications:
A. Section 1, Subsection I. “Unless a new ordinance is adopted to
permanently establish these provisions, these zoning code
amendments shall ‘sunset’ on November 4, 2015;” and
B. Section 4, Subsection (4), “however, square footage which was
developed for nonresidential purposes or which has been used for
nonresidential purposes but which is not used for such purposes due to vacancy at the time of the engineer's report shall be included in the
amount of floor area qualifying for this exemption. No exemption from
parking requirements shall be available where a residential use
changes to a nonresidential use, except pursuant to subsection (2).”
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
14. Resolution 9551 Entitled, “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Combating Human Trafficking, Including Staff Training, Assistance
in Identifying Vulnerable Populations and Legislative Advocacy.”
MOTION: Council Member Kniss moved, seconded by Mayor Holman to
adopt a Resolution indicating our support for combatting human trafficking,
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additional Staff training, and identifying vulnerable populations, as well as
promoting legislative advocacy.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
Inter-Governmental Legislative Affairs
Jim Keene, City Manager updated the Council on Assembly Bill 744 -
Planning and Zoning: Density Bonuses which awaits the Governor’s
signature. The legislation would obligate the City to reduce parking
requirements to 0.5 spaces per unit for 100 percent affordable housing
projects located within one half mile from transit. The City is drafting a letter for the Mayor to sign requesting the Governor veto this legislation.
This legislation runs counter to the Council’s legislative guideline promoting
local legislative control.
Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
Council Member Kniss attended the California League of Cities Annual
Conference and Expo. She felt the Conference as a whole was worthwhile
and highlighted two keynote talks, one from Greg Lucas, State Librarian
highlighting the continued importance of libraries and one from Cam Marston
from Mobile, Alabama providing tips for working with employees from
different generations. During an emergency preparedness session, it was
stated that the quality of emergency preparedness in Palo Alto and Mountain
View is exemplary. Palo Alto in particular utilizes social media effectively. She appreciated Council Member Burt’s attendance when she was elected as
President of the Peninsula Division.
Council Member Wolbach attended the League Conference session on drones
and the City Attorney Conference on surveillance technology. He attended a
session covering emerging issues in law enforcement. He appreciated
prompt responses from Staff relating to Agenda Item Number 9. Numerous
people praised the work of City Manager Jim Keene, City Attorney Molly
Stump, Fire Chief Eric Nickel, and Police Chief Dennis Burns as experts in
their fields.
Vice Mayor Schmid attended a Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation
Agency (BAWSCA) meeting. Member cities have conserved water at rates
ranging from 24 percent to 31 percent. Data combining warmth and
wetness around the Hetch Hechy Reservoir has been collected for 100 years.
The last four years have been the worst over the past century.
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Council Member DuBois also attended the League Conference, including
sessions on drones and labor negotiations. He will share information with
the City Manager about two companies which specialize in attracting retail
businesses. He would like to schedule a Council Study Session to discuss
impacts of the 2016 Super Bowl, including opportunities for businesses and
potential law enforcement and AirBnB challenges.
Council Member Scharff reported on the potential for the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission (MTC) to cease funding the Association of Bay
Area Governments (ABAG). ABAG may not have sufficient funding to continue without the support of MTC. ABAG is more representative of cities
the size of Palo Alto than MTC. It is difficult for Council Members to gain
appointment on MTC. Each city has an ABAG representative. He requested
Council Members provide him with their thoughts. He requested Staff
provide an update on infrastructure funding and planning in particular
related to the increase in Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) this past
November.
Council Member Berman supports Staff further researching the ABAG/MTC
issue. He also supports additional information regarding infrastructure. He
highlighted the effort and initiative of Human Relations Commissioners
Mehdi Alhassani and Greer Stone in organizing the Veterans Summit this
past Friday. Santa Clara County has the largest percentage of unhoused veterans in the county.
Mayor Holman highlighted the Senior Summit held by the Human Relations
Commission last year and announced the Domestic Violence Summit next
month, also held by the Human Relations Commission.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:19 P.M.