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Home My WebLink About2025-05-27 City Council Action MinutesCITY COUNCIL ACTION MINUTES Page 1 of 5 Special Meeting May 27, 2025 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers and by virtual teleconference at 5:30 P.M. Present In Person: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker Veenker Arrived at 5:31 P.M. Present Remotely: Absent: Special Orders of the Day 1.Interview Candidates for the Vacancies on the Architectural Review Board; CEQA Status –Not a Project NO ACTION Closed Session AA1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—POTENTIAL LITIGATION (two cases) Subject: Initiation of litigation in two cases, American Federation of Government Employees v. Trump, US District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 25-CV-03698 and City and County of San Francisco v. Trump, US District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 25-CV-01350 Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4) MOTION: Councilmember Lu moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to go into Closed Session. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 Council went into Closed Session at 6:36 P.M. Council returned from Closed Session at 8:00 P.M. Docusign Envelope ID: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C Page 2 of 5 Sp. City Council Meeting Action Minutes: 05/27/2025 ACTION MINUTES Mayor Lauing announced that the Council directed the City Attorney to take necessary steps to join the case of City and County of San Francisco v. Trump, US District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 25-CV-01350. This challenges federal executive orders and administrative directives that threaten to withhold federal funds and initiate enforcement action against state and local government entities which limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. This is action taken in compliance with the California Values Act. Vote: 7-0 Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions Public Comment Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements Consent Calendar MOTION: Vice Mayor Veenker moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to approve Agenda Item Numbers 2-5. MOTION PASSED: 7-0 2.Approval of Minutes from May 12, 2025 Meeting 3.Approval of Professional Services Contract Number C25193676 With Franklin Energy Services LLC, in the Amount Not-to-Exceed $7,054,863 over a three-year term to Administer Turnkey Home Electrification Program as Part of the Advanced Single-Family Electrification Program and Amend the Fiscal Year Budget Appropriation for the Gas Fund; CEQA Status: -- Not a Project under CEQA Guidelines 15378(b)(5) 4.Adoption of Resolution Suspending the Levy of Assessments on the Downtown Palo Alto Business Improvement District (BID) Assessment for Fiscal Year 2026; CEQA status – not a project. 5.Approval of Contract Amendment Number 4 to Contract #S20178065 with OIR Group, in the Amount of $40,000 and for a one-year extension to continue Independent Police Auditing Services in Palo Alto. CEQA Status – Not a Project. Docusign Envelope ID: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C ACTION MINUTES Page 3 of 5 Sp. City Council Meeting Action Minutes: 05/27/2025 City Manager Comments Ed Shikada, City Manager Action Items 6.PUBLIC HEARING / QUASI-JUDICIAL. 4075 El Camino Way [23PLN-00202]: Recommendation on Applicant’s Request for an Amendment to a Planned Community Zone District (PC-5116) to Allow for Modifications to an Existing 121-Unit Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility. The Additions Would Include 16 Additional Assisted Living Units and 172 Square Feet of Additional Support Space. Environmental Assessment: Exempt from the Provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in Accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Modifications to Existing Facilities). Zoning District: PC-5116 (Planned Community). (Continued from 5/5/2025 - On May 5, 2025, the Council Received Presentations and Public Testimony; the Item Will be Continued to May 27 for Council Deliberation and Action - No Public Testimony Will be Heard on May 27.) MOTION: Mayor Lauing moved, seconded by Councilmember Stone to approve the staff recommendations with the following changes: 1.Implement the Planning and Transportation Commission recommendation for the seven (7)new units - away from rear neighbors; 2.Create a tighter Transportation Demand Management program to ensure compliance and document the process and penalties for non-compliance; 3.Institute and enforce first-priority for occupants who are Palo Alto residents and specifically define this including length of prior residency (minimum one-year). MOTION PASSED/FAILED: X-X SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Lu to refer this project back to the Planning and Transportation Commission for a review of a project between 11 to 13 units that would eliminate the 3rd floor units adjacent to Wilkie Way backyards. SUBSTITUTE MOTION PASSED: 4-3, Reckdahl, Lauing, Stone no Docusign Envelope ID: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C ACTION MINUTES Page 4 of 5 Sp. City Council Meeting Action Minutes: 05/27/2025 7.FIRST READING: Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Palo Alto Municipal Code Titles 18 (Zoning) and 16 (Building Regulations) to Modify the El Camino Real Focus Area, Implementing Program 3.4E of the Housing Element, and Updating the Housing Incentive Program. CEQA Status: the Addendum to the Comprehensive Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Considered by the City Council on April 15, 2024, Analyzed Potential Environmental Impacts of the 6th Cycle Draft Housing Element Including Program 3.4E. Vice Mayor Veenker, Councilmember Lu, and City Manager Shikada recused from Agenda Item Number 7. MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to adopt an ordinance amending Chapters 18.14 and 16.58 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) (Attachment A) to implement Program 3.4E of the Housing Element regarding the El Camino Real Focus Area expansion and modification of development standards with the additional amendments: 1.Modification to the Hansen Way setback to 20-foot; 2.Inclusion of Tier 2 properties a 2905, 2951, and 2999 El Camino Real; a. Direct staff to return to Council with a proposal for Rezoning the property behind 2999 from R1 to an appropriate transition for housing below-grade setbacks 3.Allow below-grade encroachments to PR zone properties within the Focus Area that are subdivided by parcel map; 4.Height for the El Camino Focus Area would be 80-feet for development for housing only or 85-feet for housing with ground-floor retail or hotel development 4.WITHDRAWN FROM THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER FINAL MOTION: Councilmember Burt moved, seconded by Councilmember Reckdahl to adopt an ordinance amending Chapters 18.14 and 16.58 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) (Attachment A) to implement Program 3.4E of the Housing Element regarding the El Camino Real Focus Area expansion and modification of development standards with the additional amendments: 1.Direct staff to pursue modification to the Hansen Way special setback to 20-feet; 2.Inclusion of Tier 2 properties a 2905, 2951, and 2999 El Camino Real; a. Direct staff to return to Council with a proposal for Rezoning the property behind 2999 from R1 to an appropriate transition for housing; Docusign Envelope ID: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C ACTION MINUTES Page 5 of 5 Sp. City Council Meeting Action Minutes: 05/27/2025 3.Allow below-grade encroachments to RP Zone properties within the Focus Area that are subdivided by parcel map; 4.Up to 50% of open space can be fulfilled by area of a natural creek space; 5.Direct staff to allow provisions of up to 85-feet hotel development and increased FAR and to allow hotel on RM Zones within the Focus Area. FINAL MOTION PASSED: 5-0-2, Veenker, Lu recused Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:23 P.M. ATTEST: APPROVED: ____________________ ____________________ City Clerk Mayor NOTE: Action minutes are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) 2.04.160(a) and (b). Summary minutes (sense) are prepared in accordance with PAMC Section 2.04.160(c). Beginning in January 2018, in accordance with Ordinance No. 5423, the City Council found action minutes and the video/audio recordings of Council proceedings to be the official records of both Council and committee proceedings. These recordings are available on the City’s website. Docusign Envelope ID: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 9FFA8108-BC6C-40E5-A110-82691F9A6F4C Status: Completed Subject: May 27, 2025 Action Minutes.pdf Source Envelope: Document Pages: 5 Signatures: 2 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 2 Initials: 0 Christine Prior AutoNav: Enabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) 250 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto , CA 94301 Christine.Prior@PaloAlto.gov IP Address: 165.225.242.87 Record Tracking Status: Original 6/10/2025 8:34:28 AM Holder: Christine Prior Christine.Prior@PaloAlto.gov Location: DocuSign Security Appliance Status: Connected Pool: StateLocal Storage Appliance Status: Connected Pool: City of Palo Alto Location: Docusign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Ed Lauing Ed.Lauing@paloalto.gov Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 67.188.59.65 Sent: 6/10/2025 8:35:33 AM Viewed: 6/10/2025 9:41:44 AM Signed: 6/10/2025 9:42:17 AM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via Docusign Mahealani Ah Yun Mahealani.AhYun@paloalto.gov Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 165.225.242.120 Sent: 6/10/2025 9:42:18 AM Resent: 6/17/2025 9:28:26 AM Viewed: 6/23/2025 12:26:46 PM Signed: 6/23/2025 12:45:03 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via Docusign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 6/10/2025 8:35:33 AM Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Certified Delivered Security Checked 6/23/2025 12:26:46 PM Signing Complete Security Checked 6/23/2025 12:45:03 PM Completed Security Checked 6/23/2025 12:45:03 PM Payment Events Status Timestamps