HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-04-21 City Council Action Minutes
CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL ACTION MINUTES
Special Meeting
April 21, 2014
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council
Chambers at 6:05 P.M.
Present: Berman, Burt, Holman, Klein, Kniss, Price, Scharff, Schmid,
Shepherd
Absent: None
Closed Session
1. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
City Designated Representatives: City Manager and his designees
pursuant to Merit System Rules and Regulations (James Keene, Pamela
Antil, Lalo Perez, Melissa Tronquet, Joe Saccio, Molly Stump, Walter
Rossman, Nancy Nagel, Dennis Burns, Mark Gregerson, Kathryn Shen, Dania Torres Wong)
Employee Organization: Palo Alto Police Officers Association (PAPOA)
Authority: Government Code Section 54957.6(a)
2. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
City Designated Representatives: City Manager and his designees
pursuant to Merit System Rules and (James Keene, Pamela Antil,
Lalo Perez, Joe Saccio, Kathryn Shen, Dania Torres Wong, Eric Nickel,
Geo Blackshire, Catherine Capriles, Amber Cameron, Melissa Tronquet,
Mark Gregerson, Nancy Nagel, Molly Stump, Walter Rossman) Employee Organization: International Association of Fire Fighters
(IAFF), Local 1319
Authority: Government Code Section 54957.6(a)
The City Council reconvened from the Closed Sessions at 7:05 P.M. and
Mayor Shepherd announced there was no reportable action.
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Study Session
3. Update of the Climate Protection Plan. Special Orders of the Day
4. Resolution 9401 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of the City
of Palo Alto Expressing Appreciation to Eduardo Martinez for His
Service as Planning and Transportation Commissioner.”
MOTION: Council Member Schmid moved, seconded by Council Member
Klein to adopt the Resolution expressing appreciation to Eduardo Martinez for his service on the Planning and Transportation Commission.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
5. Selection of Candidates to Interview for Two Unexpired Terms
(Martinez- October 31, 2017, and Panelli- October 31, 2016) on the
Planning and Transportation Commission.
MOTION: Vice Mayor Kniss moved, seconded by Council Member Berman
to interview all candidates for the Planning and Transportation Commission.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
6. Appointment of Candidates to the Human Relations Commission, Library
Advisory Commission, and Public Art Commission.
City Clerk, Donna Grider, announced that Mehdi Alhassani with 9 votes, and
Daryl Savage with 9 votes, were each appointed to the Human Relations
Commission for three years, with terms ending on April 30, 2017,
City Clerk, Donna Grider, announced that Dog Hagan with 8 votes, Don
McDougall with 7 votes, and June Loy with 5 votes were all appointed to the
Library Advisory Commission for 3 years with terms ending on April 30,
2017.
City Clerk, Donna Grider announced that Amanda Bear Ross with 9 votes,
Dara Olmstead Silverstein with 9 votes, and Nia Taylor with 8 votes were all
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appointed to the Public Art Commission for 3 years, with terms ending on
April 30, 2017.
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Mayor Shepherd to
interview Jim Migdal and Jeanine Murphy on May 13, 2014.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
Minutes Approval
MOTION: Vice Mayor Kniss moved, seconded by Council Member Berman
to approve the minutes of February 24, 2014.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
Consent Calendar
Mayor Shepherd reminded Council that Staff had requested Agenda Item Number 7 be pulled from the Consent Calendar and placed on the April 29, 2014 Council agenda.
Council Member Klein advised he would not participate in Agenda Item Number 12 as his wife in on the Stanford faculty.
Mayor Shepherd advised she would not participate in Agenda Item Number 9
as her husband has an office in the downtown area.
MOTION: Vice Mayor Kniss moved, seconded by Council Member Price to approve Agenda Item Numbers 8-13.
7. Policy and Services Committee Recommendation of Approval of the Updated Guidelines, Procedures and Selection Processes for the City of
Palo Alto Cubberley Artists Studio Program (CASP, formerly the
Cubberley Visual Artists Studio Program) in Preparation for the Spring
Release of a new Application and Selection Process.
8. Resolution 9402 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Establishing a Local Solar Plan to Provide Four Percent of the
City's Total Energy Needs by 2023.”
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9. Preliminary Approval of the Report of the Advisory Board for Fiscal
Year 2015 in Connection with the Palo Alto Downtown Business
Improvement District and Adoption of Resolution 9403 entitled
“Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Declaring its Intention
to Levy an Assessment Against Businesses within the Downtown Palo
Alto Business Improvement District for Fiscal Year 2015 and Setting a
Time and Place for a Public Hearing on May 12, at 7:00 PM or
Thereafter, in the City Council Chambers.
10. Resolution 9404 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the
City of Palo Alto Refunding Accumulated Net Revenue from the
Suspended Full Needs Portion of the PaloAltoGreen Program to
Program Participants”. 11. Resolution 9405 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of
the City of Palo Alto Establishing the PaloAltoGreen Gas Program
Using Certified Environmental Offsets and Approving Three New Rate
Schedules: Residential Green Gas Service (G-1-G), Residential
Master-Metered and Commercial Green Gas Service (G-2-G), and
Large Commercial Green Gas Service (G-3-G).” 12. Approval of Stanford University Medical Center Annual Report and
Compliance with the Development Agreement. 13. Resolution 9406 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Summarily Vacating Public Easements Which have been
Relocated at 888 Boyce Avenue.”
MOTION PASSED for Agenda Item Numbers 8, 10-11, and 13: 9-0
MOTION PASSED for Agenda Item Number 9: 8-0 Shepherd not
participating
MOTION PASSED for Agenda Item Number 12: 8-0 Klein not
participating
Action Items
14. Council Review and Direction on the P&TC Recommended Draft
California Avenue Area Concept Plan and Authorization to Submit an
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Application for the Valley Transportation Agency Priority Development
Area Planning Grant Program for the Preparation of a Master Plan for
the Fry’s property, as Identified in the Concept Plan.
MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Council Member
Holman to: 1) take up the California Avenue Concept Plan tonight, 2)
schedule an additional Council meeting specifically on the Concept Plan, and
3) allow for a vote to take place tonight on the VTA grant.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council
Member Price to move forward focusing on VTA grant, with 5 minutes discussion
per Council Member, and decide to continue the discussion with a hard stop at
10:45 P.M.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION PASSED: 7-2 Holman, Schmid no
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Mayor Shepherd to
authorize Staff to submit an application for a priority Development Area
Grant to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority for the preparation
of a master plan of the Fry’s property.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0 15. Public Hearing - Council Adoption of an Ordinance Modifying: (1)
Chapter 18.16 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) to: (a) Address
Sidewalk Width and Building Setbacks (Setback and “build-to” Line
Standards, and Context Based Design Criteria) Along El Camino Real,
and (b) Reduce the Allowable Floor Area Ratio on CN Zoned Sites
Where Dwelling Units are Permitted at 20 Units Per Acre; and (2)
PAMC Chapter 18.04 to Adjust the Definition of Lot Area and Add a
Definition for “Effective Sidewalk”. Environmental Assessment:
Exempt from the provisions of CEQA per section 15305 (Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations) (STAFF REQUESTS ITEM BE
CONTINUED TO APRIL 29, 2014)
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member
Price to defer this item until after May 5, 2014 or later.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Council Member Klein moved, seconded by Council
Member XXX to hear this item on April 29, 2014.
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SUBSTITUTE MOTION FAILED DUE TO THE LACK OF A SECOND
MOTION PASSED: 8-1 Klein no
MOTION: Mayor Shepherd moved, seconded by Council Member Price to
continue Agenda Item Number 15 to June 2, 2014.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
Inter-Governmental Legislative Affairs Discussion and Action
16. Resolution 9407 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto
in support of Measure AA (Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Bond).”
MOTION: Council Member Holman moved, seconded by Council Member
Price to adopt the Resolution in support of Measure AA on the June 3, 2014
ballot.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
17. Discussion and Approval of Caltrain Draft Environmental Impact Report
Comment Letter.
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member Klein
to approve the Draft Environmental Impact Report comment letter with the
following changes: 1) taking a look at ridership estimates up and down the
peninsula, 2) clear and demonstrative language (should to shall), and 3) the
future impacts of High Speed Rail.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to: 1) add centerfold alternative, support for the Catenary
system in the middle, 2) further attention to appropriate procedures for
trimming trees, 3) protection of El Palo Alto tree, and 4) analyze affects if CA.
Supreme Court rules to end High Speed Rail.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to evaluate fixed location/wayside horns to reduce
noise impacts.
AMENDMENT: Council Member Holman moved, Council Member Schmid seconded to add in the 1st paragraph, line 3 of the letter that "impacts can
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be eliminated or effectively mitigated".
AMENDMENT FAILED: 2-5 Holman, Schmid yes, Berman, Kniss absent
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to: 1) make grade separation language stronger and not lost
within point on, 2) any discussion of grade separation should ensure that the
electrification project would not preclude potential improvements to the corridor,
and 3) all opportunities created for additional pedestrian access should
emphasize safety for the public.
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 7-0 Berman, Kniss absent
16. Discussion and Direction to Staff on Additional Action the City Should
Take on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Proposed
Changes to the Regional Measure 2 Program Specifically Related to
Dumbarton Rail Funding.
MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Council Member Scharff to
authorize the Mayor to send a letter to include two elements to the letter: 1)
funds should serve the Peninsula Corridor and 2) funds should be evaluated for
purposes that would increase the capacity of Caltrain including platform
lengthening. Substitute the word “modernization” for “electrification”.
MOTION PASSED: 7-2 Berman, Kniss absent Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements
None
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12:34 A.M.
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