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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-10-07 City Council Summary MinutesCITY COUNCIL SUMMARY MINUTES Page 1 of 15 Regular Meeting October 7, 2024 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers and by virtual teleconference at 5:30 PM. Present In Person: Burt, Kou, Lythcott-Haims, Stone, Tanaka, Veenker Council Member Tanaka Arrived at 5:35 PM Present Remotely: Lauing Absent: None Special Orders of the Day 1. Signing of a Friendship City Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and Narok, Kenya in Celebration of Palo Alto‘s First Friendship City Item Removed Off Agenda NO ACTION 2. Resolution Expressing Appreciation to Amy French Upon Her Retirement Council Member Burt read the resolution and summarized Amy French’s accomplishments during her employment with the City. Amy French expressed her thankfulness for this resolution. Council Member Kou thanked Amy French for her many years of service to the City. Council Member Burt spoke of Amy French’s exemplary dedication and commitment to the community. Vice Mayor Lauing appreciated Amy French’s work with the Planning Commission. MOTION: Council Member Kou moved, seconded by Council Member Burt to approve a resolution expressing appreciation to Amy French upon her retirement. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 Closed Session 3. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Authority: Cal. Gov. Code section 54957(b); SUMMARY MINUTES Page 2 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 Title: City Clerk 4. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS Authority: Cal. Gov. Code section 54957.6; Agency representative: Dan Rich, MRG; Unrepresented Employees: City Attorney, City Clerk and City Manager 5. CONFERENCE WITH CITY ATTORNEY-POTENTIAL LITIGATION Subject: Potential litigation regarding 10 pending development applications that are inconsistent with the City's zoning code and/or Comprehensive Plan land use designations, which the applicants have asserted the City cannot disapprove under Government Code 65589.5(d)(5) Authority: Potential Exposure to Litigation Under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2) 10 cases, as Defendant. Item Removed Off Agenda MOTION: Council Member Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Council Member Veenker to go into Closed Session. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 Council went into Closed Session at 5:42 PM. Council returned from Closed Session at 8:35 PM. Mayor Stone announced no reportable action. Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions City Manager Ed Shikada stated that an amended agenda was issued late last week to reflect the addition of Action Item AA1 related to the Cubberley property. Public Comment Mayor Stone read the rules for public comment. 1. Tom H. is the cross-country and track and field coach at JLS Middle School, as well as the founder and a director of a nonprofit organization supporting middle school athletics in Palo Alto. Tom H’s team of 62 students was blocked from participating in the last two meets of the season. Tom H. emailed City Manager Shikada about this issue. Tom H. asked the City to approve his team’s participation via phone call or email to the league SUMMARY MINUTES Page 3 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 president. Tom H. requested to speak with City Manager Shikada and Mayor Stone during tonight’s meeting break. 2. Executive Director Justine B. spoke on behalf of the nonprofit Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA). In August, PATMA spoke to about 100 businesses on El Camino Real about the Caltrans repaving project. PATMA offers Caltrain passes, bus passes, $5/day for biking to work, and a $10 credit for up to 5 miles with Lyft after hours. Palo Alto Link is $4/ride within Palo Alto. People who do not have a bike and make less than $70,000/year can obtain a refurbished bike through Bike Exchange. As a result of their ongoing efforts, PATMA has dropped off 14 train or bus passes and received requests for five refurbished bikes. In September, PATMA conducted their annual commute survey, asking the following questions: What City do you live in? How do you get to work? If you drive alone, are you open to a sustainable commute? Of the 36 survey respondents who work at a business along El Camino Real, 32 drive, one bikes to work, and three use carpool. The number one reason the survey respondents chose their commute method was travel time and schedule, second was comfort and safety, and third was flexibility. Of the 15 cities where survey respondents live, about half were near a Caltrain station. Silicon Valley Bike Coalition will be encouraging people to bike and will offer bike safety classes through PATMA. 3. Aiden M., sophomore at Palo Alto High School, spoke as a representative of the Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition (PASCC). This year, he joined Palo Alto’s new Youth Climate Advisory Board. He expressed thanks to the Council for not advancing the Palo Alto Airport expansion, protecting the Baylands and wildlife, and for listening to Palo Alto residents. PASCC will be reaching out to schedule meetings with each council member on the airport expansion and to discuss plans for the future. Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements Council Member Veenker, several staff members of the Utilities Department and the City Manager’s Office attended the Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) Annual Conference September 25-27. NCPA supported a renovated dispatch and scheduling center with an estimated project cost of $4.3 million. Notable speakers included the President of the National Public Power Association and the CEO of PG&E. Sunny Wescott, Federal Emergency Response Official Chief Meteorologist with the Department of Homeland Security, delivered an informative presentation. Council Member Veenker encouraged watching Sunny Wescott’s videos on YouTube. Ivo Daalder, who served as ambassador to NATO under Obama, spoke about how geopolitics and geo-economics affect energy markets. Council Member Veenker stated that this weekend was Sibling Cities Connection Weekend. Palo Alto will be welcoming Mayor Kerry Thompson, a staff member and a delegation of community leaders from Bloomington. On Friday, there will be meetings with community SUMMARY MINUTES Page 4 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 leaders and City staff. On Sunday at 1 PM, everyone is welcome to attend a joint town hall at Mitchell Park Community Center where Bloomington Mayor Thompson will talk about how they organized their housing plans and Director Jon Lait will explain Palo Alto’s Housing Element process. Bloomington residents can attend on Zoom. Council Member Burt commented on yesterday’s Bike Palo Alto. Although the triple digits set a record for the hottest Bike Palo Alto, there was an incredible crowd including many new Palo Alto residents who were enthused about their ability to bike in Palo Alto. Regarding the Consent Item on dark fiber, Council Member Burt asked that the next fiber update include how the fiber program was doing and whether it informed how it might do going forward. Council Member Lythcott-Haims commended Director O’Kane and her team, Youth Community Service and others who did a wonderful job on putting together Beyond the Books, a youth mental health event this weekend that was well attended. Local expert Dr. Shashank Joshi gave the keynote address. A Sibling Cities Town Hall was held on democracy. The Town Hall at Mitchell Park Community Center on Sunday, October 13 from 1 to 2:30 PM is titled “Housing, A Home for All?” Council Member Lythcott-Haims remarked that the Human Relations Commission had taken a leading role in putting together a City event called “Creating a Safer Community” on October 15 from 5:30 to 8 PM at Mitchell Park. Mayor Stone will facilitate a conversation with our District Attorney, Captain James Reifschneider, and an FBI agent who will speak about the difference between a hate crime and hate incident, how and where to report hate crimes, resources for victims, and a Q&A session. Council Member Lythcott-Haims urged anybody interested in those topics to attend. Council Member Lythcott-Haims reminded everyone that the election was in four weeks. Council Member Tanaka and Council Member Kou were terming out after eight years. Mayor Stone and Council Member Burt were seeking another four-year term and seven additional candidates were looking to fill four seats. The public was invited to attend a candidate forum tomorrow, October 8 at 7 PM, hosted by the Palo Alto Weekly at the Palo Alto Art Center. Mayor Stone attended Ohlone Elementary’s 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday evening. Many people attended, including teachers, administrators, parents, and former students. Mayor Stone attended the Beyond the Books summit over the weekend. Mayor Stone thanked staff, YCS, Allcove, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services, and Gunn Wellness Center. Mayor Stone was proud of our city’s youth who worked hard to provide tools to help support each other in their mental health journeys. There were workshops and crafts. Mayor Stone made himself a stress ball, a journaling notebook, and learned some tips on how to craft a mental health recipe. Mayor Stone heard an inspiring speech by Maddie Park, a student representative on the Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Task Force and local sophomore. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 5 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 Consent Calendar Public Comment: Regarding Item 12, Nancy C. on behalf of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce asked for the Council to approve an additional $40,000 allocation to support 3rdThursday Cal Ave events for the coming year. 3rdThursday events bring the community together as well as support businesses. Upcoming themes include Dancing in the Streets, Sustainability Fun Fair, ThanksCaring, and Winter Holidays. Council Member Tanaka registered a no vote on Items 8, 10, and 15. Item 8 proposed a natural gas rate increase from $0.25/therm to $0.30/therm. There was a rate increase in December of 2022 from $2 to $4/therm, a $0.055 cent/therm increase in November, and a 12.5% increase in July. These increases were much higher than the rate of inflation. Council Member Tanaka does not agree with another natural gas rate increase. On Items 10 and 15 for fiber to the premise, AT&T, Comcast, and 5G provide high-speed internet, so Council Member Tanaka thought the City was a decade too late and should not fund this type of project. MOTION: Council Member Lythcott-Haims moved, seconded by Council Member Veenker to approve Agenda Item Numbers 6-16. MOTION PASSED ITEMS 6-7, 9, 11-14, 16: 7-0 MOTION PASSED ITEMS 8, 10, 15: 6-1, Tanaka no 6. Approval of Minutes from September 16, 2024 and September 23, 2024 Meetings 7. Approval of Dark Fiber License Agreement No. S24189080 with Adobe Creek Networks to Build and License Dark Fiber in the Foothills, and Approval of a Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Amendment in the Fiber Fund; CEQA Status – Exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 and 15303. 8. Adopt a Resolution Amending Rate Schedules G-1 (Residential Gas Service), G-2 (Residential Master-Metered and Commercial Gas Service), G-3 (Large Commercial Gas Service), and G-10 (Compressed Natural Gas Service) to Raise the Upper Limit on the Monthly Transportation Charge; CEQA Status: Exempt Under Public Resources Code 15273(a) 9. Authorize the City Manager or their Designee to Exercise the Option to Renew the Lease Between the City of Palo Alto and Steve Nash and Dennis Ryan for 4 Months at 975 Terra Bella Ave in Mountain View at a Monthly Rent of $35,587.95 for a Total Not-to- Exceed of $213,527.70 through February 28, 2025; Direct Staff to Explore Purchase of Property to Meet the Future Needs of Grid Modernization and Other Capital Projects; and Approval of an Amendment to Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Appropriation in the Electric Fund; CEQA Status – Categorically Exempt; Sec. 15301. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 6 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 10. Approval of Two Purchase Orders, 4525000111 and S25192604 with ePlus Technology Inc. to procure Data Center Equipment and Implementation for Fiber-to-the-Premises for a Three-Year Term with an Amount Not-To-Exceed $543,134; CEQA Status – Mitigated Negative Declaration Approved June 2024. 11. Adoption of a Resolution to Authorize the Acceptance of Electronic Government Claims 12. Approval of Contract Amendment Number 1 to Contract Number S24191026 with the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce to Increase the not-to-exceed Amount by $40,000 to Provide Support for the 3rdThursday California Avenue Events (to a new total NTE of $95,000); CEQA status - Not a Project 13. Adopt a Resolution to Amend Palo Alto's Baylands Priority Conservation Area to Conform to New Planning Criteria. CEQA: Not a ‘Project’ and is Exempt from CEQA Review. 14. Adopt a Resolution Approving a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Volume I and II and Adopt the LHMP into the City‘s 2030 Comprehensive Plan Safety Element; CEQA status - Resolution 9720, no additional environmental review required. 15. Approval of Amendment via Change Order to Contract Number C22183580 with MP Nexlevel of California, Inc. in the Amount of $1,650,000 for the Fiber-to-the-Premise (FTTP) Pilot Project inclusive of $150,000 in contingency funding for a Revised Total Not- to-Exceed Amount of $11,347,390 From March 21, 2022 Through April 30, 2025; Authorize the City Manager to Execute Change Orders Not-to-Exceed $150,000 for FTTP; CEQA Status – Council action on this item is within the scope of the Final Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Fiber-to-the-Premises Project, adopted on June 17, 2024. 16. Approve Task Order 4.28 Dispatch Center Assessment as Recommended by the Policy & Services Committee; Direct Additional Dispatch Center Work Discussed by Policy & Services Committee Members be Considered When Reviewing the Proposed FY25 Audit Plan; and Grant Authority to the City Manager to Execute any Necessary Privacy-Related Agreements to Implement this Audit; CEQA status – not a project. City Manager Comments City Manager Ed Shikada clarified that Item Number 8 raised the ceiling to reflect actual costs for a pass-through transportation charge not related to City costs for the gas utility, as explained in the staff report. City Manager Shikada stated that there were ballot drop-off locations and voting centers in Palo Alto. The last day to register to vote is October 21. The last day to request a replacement mail- SUMMARY MINUTES Page 7 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 in ballot is October 29. Election Day is November 5. Further information is available at cityofpaloalto.org/Elections. City Manager Shikada announced that the Annual Community Survey was extended two weeks to allow for additional time to provide feedback on quality of life in Palo Alto as well as services and programs. If you received a survey in the mail, you were randomly selected to complete the survey; however, the survey was open to all community members at cityofpaloalto.org/CommunitySurvey2024. The survey closes on Monday, October 21. Upcoming events and meetings include a Climate Protection Working Group Meeting on October 8 and the Jack-O-Jaunt on October 25. The City Calendar can be viewed on cityofpaloalto.org/OctoberEvents. Effective January of 2025, the new minimum wage of $18.20/hour will be applicable to all employers in Palo Alto. The City will send notifications to all Palo Alto businesses. No City Council meetings will be held on Indigenous People’s Day, Monday, October 14, or on Thanksgiving, Monday, November 25. Upcoming Council agenda items include: Commission Work Plans as well as City Council recommendations for positions on State and local ballot measures on October 21. Multiple Study Sessions and closed session items were on the agenda for October 28. There will be closed session items on November 4 and Policy and Services Committee recommendations related to Council Member technology reimbursement. Several zoning related changes were on the November 12 agenda. The annual discussion with the independent police auditor as well as ordinances from the Planning and Development Services Department will be on November 18. Action Items 17. Approval of FY 2025 Parks and Recreation Commission and Public Art Commission Workplans; CEQA status – not a project Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) Chair Amanda Brown and Vice Chair Nellis Freeman delivered a slide presentation. Key FY 2024 accomplishments included: 1. The Recreation Wellness Center Ad Hoc held weekly meetings and conducted research with the community. On January 17, 2024, the PRC with the Community Services Department (CSD) hosted a community meeting to discuss the proposed Recreation Wellness Center and provided updates on the proposed sites. 2. Playing fields policy review. The PRC supported the development of a synthetic turf replacement strategy for El Camino Park, reviewed use policies, and made recommendations for better stakeholder communications and policy updates. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 8 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 3. Bike and e-bike policy and access. The PRC unanimously recommended policies and regulations for e-bikes and electric conveyances in parks and open spaces. Updated policies on bicycles and e-bike access emphasized safety, ecosystem protection, and public access. Speed limit reduction was recommended. Rangers recently installed 13 new bike racks throughout the preserve and installed 25 signs. 4. Park dedications. The PRC worked with the CSD and Utilities staff to review site constraints related to park dedication and identified next steps. Included in this review was a potential site adjacent to San Antonio Avenue and Ponce Drive for a small park. PRC Chair Brown stated the following FY 2025 goals: 1. Parks, recreation, open space, and trails master plan and review how the Commission and staff utilized the plan for planning purposes, especially as it integrated with the CIP process. The ad hoc will work with staff to review existing policies to inform planning efforts, help interdepartmental coordination, and implement best practices identified as part of the plan. 2. Parkland dedication. Look at the list of priority potential sites and identify new sites to dedicate parkland within the city. 3. Release the Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan and ensure that any gaps were being filled. 4. Ad hoc on Nature Preserve Access Policy along with some stakeholders will review Pearson-Arastradero and Baylands access for bicycles, e-bikes, other electric conveyances, equestrians, and pedestrians. 5. The PRC will work with staff to facilitate progress on the Recreation Wellness Center, including site opportunities and community outreach to hear the needs of the community for such a facility. 6. Playing fields and racquet courts. Staff will evaluate existing field reservation policies and court policies to determine what changes needed to be made. Review and recommend updates to the playing fields, including a synthetic turf replacement. Work with staff on CIP projects related to fields and racquet courts. Based on the PRC’s work on the Recreation Wellness Center, Council Member Lythcott-Haims asked what the city wanted, needed, and deserved. PRC Vice Chair Freeman replied that the ad hoc received input from a neighborhood wellness center group. There were one or two potential locations besides Cubberley with Greer being top of mind. There was a need for a recreation gym facility within the city. The loss of two City gyms created issues for youth finding places to play basketball, afterschool activities, and sport teams going outside the area. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 9 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 Council Member Lythcott-Haims heard some people ask why we needed a gym. Afterschool activities were previously mentioned but Council Member Lythcott-Haims asked for five or six things that might go in a recreation wellness center. PRC Vice Chair Freeman remarked that you cannot have too many gym facilities. Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Monterey, and other cities have a well-run facility open to residents. PRC Chair Brown heard suggestions for aquatics, indoor pickleball courts, therapy pool, and making a more inclusive space. There was high demand, so many community groups could fill up the space with programs. Council Member Veenker noted that the PRC’s work served physical and mental health. Council Member Veenker was eager to see work evolve on the Baylands Comprehensive Conservation Plan. A couple weeks ago, Cal Cities held a meeting event on sea level rise, which intersects with the Baylands conservation efforts. The City will participate in BCDC’s regional shoreline adaptation plan. Council Member Burt remarked that Palo Alto was one of the few cities that did not own a gym. The City leased the 65-year-old dilapidated Cubberley gym. Council Member Burt noted a number of potential park dedication sites had been identified for several years but the PRC ad hoc had not made enough progress. Council Member Burt thought the Council needed to provide direction because some City departments were saying they might need a site for an unidentified or generally identified purpose. Council Member Burt suggested having a Council study session to understand the issues. San Antonio Avenue might have a future transportation impact and Rinconada Gardens had a potential pump station issue; however, those could be solved but those places were not getting dedicated because of potential issues. Council Member Burt asked for an update on the Nature Preserve policy allowing certain forms of pedal-assisted bikes, speed limits, or restrictions on certain types of e-bikes. PRC Vice Chair Freeman replied that the decision was made to continue with the current speed limit, which he thought was 15 mph, and to not differentiate between e-bikes and regular bikes. A lot of signage was posted recently. A couple weeks ago, a ranger made a presentation at the PRC meeting. The rangers were monitoring to see how well people were paying attention to the new signs. The rangers had not observed an increase in e-bike usage in the park. Rangers do not have radar or LIDAR technologies to enforce the speed limit. Council Member Burt asked if the PRC needed Council’s guidance on restricting certain types of e-bikes. PRC Vice Chair Freeman responded that the PRC discussed it but thought it was difficult to determine what class of bike was being ridden. Council Member Burt stated there were clear distinctions and you could get a lot of compliance if there was strong signage. Rangers mentioned to the PRC that 25 signs had been put up in the last few months and it seemed to have made a difference. Council Member Burt was concerned about adequate access for middle school athletics, whether the City had enough capacity for all students to participate, and if the City could provide better support. State law clarified many previous issues. School districts were prohibited from using Cities as a fiscal vehicle to run their middle school athletic programs SUMMARY MINUTES Page 10 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 because the City charged a fee. The City provided discounts for low-income students. Under the State Constitution, school’s extracurricular activities have to be provided to all eligible students free of charge. There was a question as to whether the District was conforming with the updates to the law. Council Member Burt was interested in referring this item to the PRC for them to explore as part of their workplan and to work toward a longer-term solution. Vice Mayor Lauing appreciated the PRC adding a QR code on the Enjoy! catalog to have instant access in many different languages. Vice Mayor Lauing noted the workplan started in June of 2024 but the Council was approving it in October, so he wondered if there were any constraints and if it was optimal to have it approved in June or March. PRC Chair Brown answered that earlier was optimal; however, many of their projects were multiyear. Most of the PRC workplan for the upcoming year was a new iteration of a prior year workplan that the Council had authorized. PRC Vice Chair Freeman remarked that e-bike technology was evolving and the PRC would continue to work on it and seek feedback from the PABAC and others. Council Member Kou stated that rangers informed her how difficult it was to enforce speed limits as there were not enough rangers. Palo Alto’s area is 26 miles. Parklands were very important. Not building anything on parkland, keeping it parkland and procuring large acreage of parkland were difficult. Developments were being considered that border the preserve, so Council Member Kou requested a method for monitoring whether the preserve was thriving or if any natural areas were harmed or deteriorating. Mayor Stone inquired how the PRC viewed their role in the upcoming planning work for a new community center at the Cubberley site and ensuring robust recreational facilities to meet the needs of Palo Altans today and in the future. PRC Chair Brown responded that the PRC had their workplan and ideas, and they listened to what the community and stakeholders want. The PRC was looking to Council for formal direction and referral if the Council had specific ideas for the PRC to evaluate. The PRC envisioned a wellness center, community center, and gathering place. PRC Vice Chair Freeman suggested holding another community event to receive feedback on what the community wanted in a community center. Mitchell Park pickleball was well renowned and PRC Vice Chair Freeman wanted a community center that would be echoed in the same fashion. Mayor Stone opined that the City could do a better job on investing more in community events, gathering opportunities, and connecting Palo Altans to each other and to various services, so he would like that embraced more in the workplan. PRC Chair Brown explained that the workplan contained specific projects for the Commission but there were many liaison roles not listed on the workplan. Staff does a lot of work and informs the PRC. The teen center and teen activities are included in a department report at PRC meetings. Evaluating recreation programs and SUMMARY MINUTES Page 11 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 ensuring they meet the needs of the community is part of looking at the masterplan not only as it relates to the CIP process but also programming within the department and ad hoc. Council Member Tanaka asked about the 62 JLS students who were unable to participate in meets. Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane replied that students could choose to participate in the City’s middle school athletic program at JLS, which was the only program allowed to compete in the league. Council Member Tanaka understood the City’s program was more expensive. Director O’Kane spoke with the league president, who informed her that only one team per school was allowed to compete. They were not aware of the other team forming until a few weeks before the season started. It was made clear at the beginning that only one team, the City team, was able to compete in the meets. There was no limit on the number of kids accepted on the City team, especially if there were enough coaches for cross-country. Basketball was limited by space, so the City had waiting lists for basketball teams. MOTION: Council Member Veenker moved, seconded by Council Member Lythcott-Haims to approve the Parks and Recreation Commission Fiscal Year 2025 Workplan and the additional direction to: 1. Evaluate the middle school athletic programs and recommend approaches to align the current program with universal access for students and State Law and evaluate outsourcing middle school athletics to local nonprofits. 2. Request staff agendize a study session on park dedication status and updates. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 Public Art Commission Chair Loren Gordon stated their priorities included building community, social justice, and public art education. Prior year’s accomplishments included Code: ART 2023, Nate Mohler installed interactive tree sculptures for “Questions for the Curious Orchard” on King Plaza, and the Cubberley Mural. The Commission hosted three Code: ART events, an interactive media art festival in King Plaza, Lytton Plaza, several alleys, and public spaces. Statistics showed that in 2023, 73 percent of attendees visited a downtown business and 88 percent of those made a purchase. Of those at the event, 60 percent came specifically for Code: ART. The arts drive tourism and revenue to local businesses. California Avenue Murals Festival in 2023 was a success. Maintenance projects included reinstalling Susan Narduli’s “Conversation,” cleaning the “Homage to Silence” red sculpture, fixing the “Excel” light sculpture, and reinstalling the Poetry Wall. Priority projects for 2024/2025: Code: Art 2025 will have a large 3-D projection piece on the front of City Hall. There will be urban interventions at Lytton Plaza and four other sites around University Avenue and City Hall. King Artist Residency for 2024 is Alma Landeta. Murals will go up Downtown at Mac’s Smoke Shop, the Pacific Art League, and on the side of All Saints Episcopal. Fire Station 5 will get a new door. The California Avenue parking structure will have a new banner. Utility boxes throughout Palo Alto were being painted. Further public art projects for CIP include Fire Station 4, three projects for the Public Safety Building, and Boulware Park. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 12 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 Public art in private development projects for 2024/2025: A huge mosaic artwork will go on the 3200 Park Boulevard front building (previous Fry’s site). The external artwork includes a totem that will serve as a monument dedicated to Thomas Foon Chew and his legacy. Within the retail space, there will be detailed history of the region, cannery, and Mr. Chew. The mosaic will showcase the history of the family, employees, cannery, technology, and agriculture at the time. The Castilleja School’s three artworks from international artists will probably not be finished next year. 660 University Avenue, which is an entry point to downtown, will have a large art installation. Maintenance on the collection continued to be a focus. Two professional restorers were working on the Roth Building frescoes. Council Member Burt noticed a corroded, ugly mailbox. Although it was not City owned, Council Member Burt wondered if the U.S. Postal Service allowed mailbox decoration. Public Art Commission Chair Gordon doubted it but she would find out if it was permitted. Council Member Burt was interested in other council member’s thoughts about referring near- term and long-term direction for Cubberley to the Art Commission and Cubberley Ad Hoc, whether the Council wanted the Art Commission to add to their workplan artistic activation of Cubberley and include Cubberley artists. Council Member Kou asked if the mural was going on the outside or inside of the former cannery building. Public Art Commission Chair Gordon answered that the mural would be outside of the building on two sides, wrapped around the corner. Council Member Kou expressed her thanks for keeping it authentic as a tribute to Mr. Thomas Foon Chew. Council Member Lythcott-Haims was in support of the workplan including in the immediate- term how to bring enhanced presence of art into Cubberley including the Cubberley artists. Council Member Veenker expressed her appreciation for the impressive Code: ART. Mayor Stone saw one of the recently painted utility boxes and thought it was a wonderful addition. Mayor Stone agreed with Council Member Burt’s recommendation to include Cubberley in the workplan. Council Member Burt checked and the Postal Service allowed mailbox art. Council Member Burt thought the mural focus in the community was resonating, whether it was the utility boxes or the wall murals. Council Member Burt was concerned that the mural on the street at Birch and California Avenue was temporary and he did not think the community wanted to lose it. Council Member Burt encouraged the Commission to see how the mural could be retained. SUMMARY MINUTES Page 13 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Mayor Stone to approve the Public Art Commission Fiscal Year 2025 Workplan and the additional direction to pursue a plan for extensive artistic activation of the Cubberley space in collaboration with the artists. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 AA1. Authorize Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Palo Alto Unified School District for the Purchase and Lease of Land at 4000 Middlefield Road, Informally Known as the Cubberley Site; CEQA Status– Not a Project City Manager Ed Shikada and Community Services Director Kristine O’Kane were thrilled to bring this item to the Council this evening. Director O’Kane summarized the Memorandum of Understanding included in the Council packet. The terms were for the City to purchase 7 acres of District-owned land at Cubberley for $65.5 million based on a valuation of $60.65 million escalated over three years for purchase in 2027. The sale was contingent on voter approval of a bond measure in November of 2026. The MOU included a commitment that by March 2026 the City would complete a concept plan and the District would develop a plan for how they would use the proceeds to improve PAUSD schools. The current lease expires at the end of this calendar year. There was a need and interest to continue using PAUSD property at Cubberley for City programs and services, including the fields; therefore, the City will execute a five-year lease beginning in January of 2025 at $2 million/year. The District occupied some of the buildings on their portion of Cubberley. When the District vacates their space at Cubberley, the lease would increase to $2.5 million/year. The City was responsible for maintenance of the leased spaces and common areas, including walkways, landscaping, and parking lots. Public Comment: 1. Alison Cormack thanked the members of the ad hoc committee, staff negotiators, and everyone else who assisted in reaching this agreement. She acknowledged Shounak Dharap’s role since 2018. She offered special thanks to Jennifer DiBrienza. She recognized the people who formed the Friends of Cubberley, under the leadership of Deborah Simon. Alison Cormack suggested that the new community center be a specific Council priority for 2025. 2. Anne C. spoke as President of the Friends of the Palo Alto Recreation and Wellness Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2022. She was not speaking on behalf of the Recreation Commission. She congratulated the Council, PAUSD, and the ad hoc committee. The Friends envisioned the wellness center as a public-private partnership, and looked forward to supporting and building the first phase of the new Cubberley plan with the community. 3. Kenneth Horowitz was thrilled. At many Council meetings, he advocated for this day to happen. He thanked the two chairs, Council Member Lythcott-Haims and Jennifer SUMMARY MINUTES Page 14 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 DiBrienza, and the Palo Alto School Board. He hoped the MOU would be approved by the Council tonight and by City residents in November. Council Member Lythcott-Haims, ad hoc chair, expressed gratitude to City staff, City Manager Shikada, City Attorney Molly Stump, Director O’Kane, Lauren Lai, Kiely Nose, Meghan Horrigan- Taylor, Chantal Cotton Gains, Sunny Tong, Tim Shimizu, and other staff. Envisioning what is next is led by Brad Eggleston, Mike Wong, and Dennis Huebner. Council Member Lythcott-Haims recognized the entire Council, particularly her ad hoc colleagues and Council Member Veenker, as well as prior Council Members who worked hard to try to make this happen, most recently Council Member Cormack. Council Member Lythcott-Haims was grateful to elected members and staff at PAUSD, especially Shounak Dharap, Jennifer DiBrienza, and Don Austin. Council Member Lythcott-Haims acknowledged the members of the public, including the Friends of Cubberley. Council Member Veenker echoed comments made by the public and her colleague. Council Member Veenker voiced gratitude to the many people who came before and laid the groundwork for this agreement. Council Member Veenker was grateful to be part of the Council, and was grateful that the School Board expressed interest in a potential sale. Council Member Veenker thought the economic terms were good, it was a win-win, and was a model for how the City and PAUSD could work together. Council Member Veenker was excited about the future. Council Member Veenker suggested choosing a new name. Council Member Kou was excited. Council Member Kou appreciated the working groups from the 1990s and 2019. Council Member Kou emphasized that the land purchase price was negotiated with fiscal responsibility and diligence. This will be on the November 2026 ballot. Construction costs have to be factored into the bond. This project needed to happen because the building was not in good condition. This will give the community some space for socialization, much needed gym space, play space, wellness space, and space for nonprofits to operate. Council Member Kou thanked staff for their great job. Council Member Burt stated that the Council, staff, and PAUSD should be proud and pleased to reach this major milestone. Council Member Burt commended this Council for having a pattern of getting many things done. Among the Council’s accomplishments were having the Quarry Road extension on the ballot after being held up for about seven years, approving the Housing Element, three affordable projects were under construction and six more projects were in the pipeline, and restoring community services through Measure K. Mayor Stone agreed with Council Member Burt. This was a pivotal moment in the City’s shared history with the School District and for the entire community, past, present, and future. This deal was the culmination of 33 years of effort and collaboration with the City and PAUSD working together to meet the diverse needs of the community. Once approved by voters through the bond in 2026, the exciting new chapter for Cubberley can begin. This plan will strengthen Palo Alto schools, create vibrant new spaces, and demonstrate the commitment to work together for the benefit of everyone. Mayor Stone extended his gratitude to all who have SUMMARY MINUTES Page 15 of 15 City Council Meeting Summary Minutes: 10/07/2024 contributed to this achievement, especially ad hoc committee members, the City Manager, staff, past and present Council Members, and engaged community members who have worked tirelessly on this for years. Mayor Stone looked forward to working with everyone to deliver a Cubberley Community Center that will be a cornerstone for learning, recreation, and cultural enrichment for generations to come. Vice Mayor Lauing acknowledged the seriousness of this accomplishment. Vice Mayor Lauing appreciated Council Members and public commenters. Vice Mayor Lauing congratulated staff and the ad hoc. City Manager Shikada anticipated returning to the Council. As directed in this year’s mission statement, there would be an opportunity to discuss the ad hoc’s work in 2025. The ad hoc’s new mission statement would include next steps. MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Mayor Stone to authorize the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD or District) for the purchase and lease of land at 4000 Middlefield Road, informally known as the Cubberley site and direct staff and a Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee to proceed with next steps including but not limited to resumption of master planning for the Cubberley site and undertaking the development of formal agreements including a new lease agreement and a purchase and sale agreement. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 Mayor Stone spoke about Roy Clay Sr., who passed away last week at the age of 95. Roy Clay Sr. was a technology pioneer who led the Computer Division at Hewlett Packard in the 1960s and contributed to the formation of Intel and Compaq. Roy Clay Sr. became the first African American to serve on the Palo Alto City Council and later as Vice Mayor. Mayor Stone will work with staff to agendize for a future meeting a more specific recognition of Mr. Clay’s accomplishments. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned in honor of Roy Clay Sr. at 10:45 PM.