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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-11-05 City Council Summary MinutesCITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 1 of 18 Special Meeting November 5, 2018 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers at 5:09 P.M. Present: DuBois, Filseth, Fine, Holman, Kniss, Kou, Scharff, Tanaka, Wolbach Absent: Special Orders of the Day 1. Recognition of the Palo Alto Firefighters who Responded to the Wildland Fires. Eric Nickel, Fire Chief reported a crew of four Fire Staff was deployed to the Cranston Fire in Idyllwild on July 26, 2018. The State Office of Emergency Services reimbursed the City for expenses incurred in response to calls for mutual aid. For large fires, 70 percent of mutual aid was provided by local fire departments. The same crew was redeployed to the Mendocino Complex Fire on July 29, 2018. Firefighters served 14 days per deployment. Palo Alto firefighters were known for their extensive training. Manny Macias, Palo Alto Firefighter recognized Fire Staff who filled in during the crew's absence. Council Member Holman thanked the firefighters and their families for their service. Council Member Wolbach noted the mutual aid agreement would provide for firefighters, should a wildfire occur in the Foothills. He appreciated Fire Staff's participation in fighting wildfires and covering for those on deployment. Council Member Fine remarked on the courage of firefighters; the mutual aid system was beneficial to all residents. Vice Mayor Filseth welcomed the firefighters home. Council Member Scharff thanked firefighters. Council Member Kou expressed appreciation for firefighters' service to the City and State and for their families' sacrifices. MINUTES Page 2 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Council Member DuBois requested the rationale for sending the same crew to a second wildfire. Mr. Nickel explained that crews served a full 14-day deployment before returning home because of paperwork and safety issues. Fire Chiefs had agreed to a 14-day work-day, prior to deployment. Council Member Tanaka appreciated the firefighters' service. Mayor Kniss inquired about eating and sleeping arrangements. Jeremy Palmitier, Palo Alto Firefighter advised that firefighters ate while they worked. The base camp was set up much like a military base with dining and sleeping facilities; firefighters spent their time off at the base camp. Mayor Kniss recognized the difficulty of deployment. Mr. Nickel clarified that firefighters served 24 hours on the fire line and carried two sack lunches. The base camp could serve 3,000-5,000 people. Study Session 2. Study Session With Senator Hill. State Senator Jerry Hill appreciated the opportunity to share information and to hear the community's and City's opinions regarding issues. Mayor Kniss inquired about the priority of legislative issues in 2019. Senator Hill advised that his priorities were consumer protection, consumer safety and utility safety. He anticipated legislation related to housing, education and local control. He planned on reviewing wildfire issues. Council Member DuBois remarked that one-size-fits-all legislation was difficult for cities on the Peninsula to implement. Some form of congestion relief was needed, and additional trains without grade separation were a major cause of congestion in Palo Alto. Additional concerns were merging the electric grid and unfunded pension liability. Senator Hill was a strong supporter of Caltrain, and grade separations and funding for grade separations were needed to alleviate traffic congestion and carbon emissions. The revenue from a proposed one-eighth cent sales tax increase on the 2020 ballot was projected to be bonded to fund grade separations. He remarked that employees needed options for their pensions. Cities' pension obligations were not sustainable. Expanding the MINUTES Page 3 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 electric grid to other states had advantages; however, an expansion involved federal oversight. Council Member DuBois felt an expansion would increase rates for small utilities because of the cost of transmission lines. Council Member Holman inquired about funding for organizations to prevent wildfires and research for new methods to fight wildfires. Senator Hill noted Cal Fire received $200 million through 2023 for forest health, prevention and fuel reduction. Eleven of the 16 wildfires that occurred in October 2017 were caused by sparks from power lines. He was not aware of research into fire suppression. Council Member Holman asked if legislation required PG&E to better insulate or repair power lines. PG&E was cutting wide swaths of foliage around power lines. Senator Hill related that PG&E's neglect of vegetation management resulted in wildfires. He had attempted to direct the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to change requirements for best practices. Council Member Fine concurred with Council Member DuBois' comments regarding grade separations and congestion management. He hoped Senator Blum's bill for congestion management would be expanded to smaller cities. He inquired about the possibility of the Legislature amending the California Voting Rights Act. He supported Senate Bill (SB) 827 and believed the solutions proposed in SB 827 were needed. Senator Hill had not heard of any interest to amend the California Voting Rights Act. Based on changing demographics, the Legislature needed to discuss whether the Act had accomplished its original goal. With respect to housing, Legislators heard from their constituents regarding the need to grant cities more discretion. He felt amending SB 827 could result in its passage. Council Member Wolbach appreciated Senator Hill's support for privacy in relation to surveillance cameras. He inquired about the State's ability to prevent cities from exploiting the repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Act to limit the production of new housing, if voters supported the repeal of the Costa- Hawkins Act. If repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Act did not pass, he was interested in amending the 1995 date to a rolling date. Cities needed incentives to increase housing stock. State support for Transportation Management Agencies (TMA) was helpful. New thinking was needed to find MINUTES Page 4 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 solutions for grade separations. He asked if the Legislature would consider a Carbon Tax to fund infrastructure needs in preparation for sea level rise. Senator Hill reported that Caltrans was determining where resources were needed to prepare for sea level rise. He anticipated the new Governor would move to implement plans for sea level rise and climate change. Vice Mayor Filseth commented that a holistic approach to grade separations was good. Senator Hill clarified that Vice Mayor Filseth meant a State approach to all 42 grade separations. Each city was able to support a different type of grade separation, and local control needed to be maintained as much as possible. Vice Mayor Filseth suggested a visionary approach for a regional solution could gain support. With regard to the California Voting Rights Act, the concern was the difficulty in defending a claim under it. District elections in small cities did not make sense. He was pleased with efforts to legislate and fund housing. Council Member Scharff appreciated Senator Hill's support of the Northern California Power Association (NCPA) and Palo Alto Utilities. He asked Senator Hill to figure out a way to exempt good school districts from State legislation. Traffic improvements had the ability to mitigate closure of grade crossings and could be less expensive than grade separations. Cities needed to be allowed to determine which would be beneficial and they needed to utilize State funding for their choices. Expanding Caltrain to the Transbay Terminal was highly useful. With the rise of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), PG&E's role was unclear. The Legislature needed to consider the future of CCAs and utilities. Senator Hill advised that CCA’s were working together and would have legislation in 2019. Council Member Scharff suggested CCA’s could morph into city-owned utilities. Council Member Kou appreciated Senator Hill's comments regarding local control of housing. State mandates should be limited to affordable housing or Below Market Rate (BMR) housing. She believed low-income workers should not have to commute three and four hours each day to their jobs. She asked about the Legislature's ability to consolidate the many transportation agencies. MINUTES Page 5 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Senator Hill anticipated strong legislative efforts to mandate housing in cities. Council Member Kou believed the amount of commercial space should be reported with the amount of housing units. Council Member Tanaka hoped Senator Hill would support 401(k) accounts for City employees, regional solutions for traffic issues and elimination of freight trains from Caltrain tracks. Autonomous buses were a possible solution for mass transit problems. Penny Ellson remarked that State funding was needed for grade separations. Funding needed to be tied to transportation activity levels rather than city size. With respect to grade separations, the City needed help lobbying the CPUC for a waiver of height clearances and Caltrain to change the grade of tracks to 2 percent. Council Member Fine requested Staff share the City's letter to Caltrain with Senator Hill. Phil Burton advised that height clearance and maximum grade requirements had the most impact on the cost and length of construction of grade separations. Lowering the height clearance had no practical impact on the Union Pacific Railroad. Caltrain had no issue with a 2 percent grade. Political pressure and probably money were needed to effect these changes. Senator Hill recognized the City of Palo Alto Utilities for its receipt of a diamond-level Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) award. Closed Session 3. CONFERENCE WITH CITY ATTORNEY - EXISTING LITIGATION Subject: A R Automotive LLC dba Anderson Honda v. City of Palo Alto Santa Clara County Superior Court Case No. 17CV320173 Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d) (1). Subject: James Judge Luckey v. City of Palo Alto Santa Clara County Superior Court Case No. 16CV303728 Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(d) (1). CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2) and (e)(1) Four Potential Cases. 4. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS City Designated Representatives: City Manager and his Designees Pursuant to Merit System Rules and Regulations (James Keene, MINUTES Page 6 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Ed Shikada, Kiely Nose, Rumi Portillo, Sandra Blanch, Nicholas Raisch, Tori Anthony, Molly Stump, Terence Howzell, and Michelle Flaherty) Employee Organizations: 1) Service Employees International Union, (SEIU), Local 521; 2) Hourly Unit Service Employees International Union (SEIU-H), Local 521; 3) Palo Alto Fire Chiefs’ Association (FCA); 4) International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Local 1319; 5) Palo Alto Peace Officers’ Association (PAPOA); 6) Palo Alto Police Management Association (PAPMA); and 7) Utility Management Professional Association of Palo Alto (UMPAPA) Authority: Government Code Section 54957.6(a). MOTION: Vice Mayor Filseth moved, seconded by Council Member Wolbach to go into Closed Session. MOTION PASSED: 9-0 Council went into Closed Session at 6:35 P.M. Council returned from Closed Session at 8:57 P.M. Mayor Kniss announced no reportable action. Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions James Keene, City Manager advised that Agenda Item Number 4 - CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS … would not be heard but would be heard on November 19, 2018. City Manager Comments James Keene, City Manager announced the mobility on demand fair value commuting federal grant launched that day. The City was the lead agency for the regional project to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips. A ribbon- cutting ceremony for the 7.7-acre addition to Foothills Park was scheduled for November 10, 2018. Following the ceremony, Grassroots Ecology wanted to share information about its native-plant nursery, and Rangers would lead tours of the site. Transportation Staff planned to hold an open house for the redesign of El Camino Real on November 8, 2018. Waymo's application to test driverless vehicles in Palo Alto and surrounding cities was approved the prior week. Waymo scheduled a public forum for November 27, 2018. The City celebrated Veterans Day and honored veterans the afternoon of this meeting. Artists from the Cubberley art collaborative created and presented a three-book series entitled "Thank You for Your Service." An item on the Consent Calendar pertained to approval of a joint use agreement between the City and the Santa Clara Valley Water MINUTES Page 7 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 District for the new pathway along Adobe Creek as part of the Highway 101 Bike and Pedestrian Bridge. Google and the City had agreed to almost all terms for an easement for the bike bridge. Staff continued to work on finalizing an agreement with Caltrans for maintenance of the new bike bridge. Mayor Kniss advised that the keynote speech for the Veterans Day event would be available on the City's website. Council Member Holman shared an anecdote regarding the Lees' sale of the property that became Foothills Park. Oral Communications Winter Dellenbach stated that public comment was limited to one minute on multiple occasions. Members of the public did not need to be penalized for the Council running behind in their published schedule. Jonathan Erman did not believe the claim that traffic would be worse with Caltrain electrification and no grade separations. One additional train during rush hour did not radically affect traffic patterns. He hoped the City was also considering bike and pedestrian access to grade separations. Consent Calendar Council Member Tanaka registered a no vote on Agenda Item Number 6 - Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase a Portion of the City’s Verified Emission Reductions … . MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member Wolbach to approve Agenda Item Numbers 5-15. 5. Selection of Applicants to Interview on November 27, 2018 for the Architectural Review Board, the Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Planning & Transportation Commission. 6. Resolution 9798 Entitled, “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase a Portion of the City’s Verified Emission Reductions (VER) Requirements From ACT Commodities, Inc. Under Specified Terms and Conditions During Calendar Years 2018-2027, Inclusive.” 7. Approval of Amendment Number 3 to Contract Number C15155378 With Carollo Engineers for Engineering Services During Construction of the Plant Repair, Retrofit, and Equipment Replacement Project (WQ-19002) at the Regional Water Quality Control Plant to Increase MINUTES Page 8 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Compensation by $67,000 for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $358,335 and to Extend the Contract Term Through March 31, 2019. 8. Ordinance 5453 Entitled, “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Title 18 (Zoning) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Amend Requirements Relating to Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (FIRST READING: October 1, 2018 PASSED: 8-1 Kou no).” 9. Approval of new Three-year Operating Agreements With TheatreWorks, Palo Alto Players, and West Bay Opera; and authorize the City to Hold new Revenues Paid by the City’s Resident Theatre Companies in Reserve to Help Fund Facility Improvements at the Lucie Stern Community Theatre. 10. Approval of Amendment Number 1 to Contract Number C18170810C Between the City of Palo Alto and Grassroots Ecology for Habitat Restoration at Foothills Park, Which Approves Assignment of Contract and use of Volunteers. 11. Approval of Amendment Number 1 to the Amended and Restated Stewardship Agreement Between the City of Palo Alto and Grassroots Ecology for the Preservation, Protection, and Enhancement of the Enid W. Pearson Arastradero Nature Preserve Through June 30, 2022. 12. Resolution 9799 Entitled, “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Summarily Vacating a Public Utility Easement at 3001 El Camino Real.” 13. Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2019 Investment Policy. 14. Approval of a Joint Use Agreement With Santa Clara Valley Water District Regarding the Highway 101 Pedestrian/Bicycle Overpass Capital Improvement Project (CIP PE-11011). 15. Approval of Contract Amendment Number 2 With Verizon Wireless Through June 30, 2019, Utilizing the Western State Contracting Alliance (WSCA) Contract, California Participating Addendum, for Wireless, Voice and Broadband Services, Accessories and Equipment. MOTION FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBERS 5, 7-15 PASSED: 9-0 MOTION FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 6 PASSED: 8-1 Tanaka no Council Member Tanaka preferred that the contract be awarded to an American company, specifically a Californian company. The contract's cost MINUTES Page 9 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 per therm was approximately seven times the national average. Apparently the contract did not result from a bid process. Action Items 16. PUBLIC HEARING: QUASI-JUDICIAL: 250 Sherman Avenue, Public Safety Building [17PLN-00256]: Approval of an Application for Architectural Review for a new Public Safety Building, Three Stories Above Grade With 45,400 to 48,000 Square Feet of Floor Area Above Grade, two Basement Levels With Usable Floor Area Within the First Basement Level, Five Surface Parking Spaces Within a Fenced Area and 143 Below Grade Parking Spaces (Including 12 Stalls in Tandem Arrangement), two Operational Site Buildings Accessory to the Public Safety Building, and Site Improvements, With Approval of Adjusted Setbacks and Height per Ordinance Number 5445, and Adoption of a Record of Land Use Action. City Council Certified the Environmental Impact Report and Adopted the Public Facilities Amendment Ordinance on June 11, 2018. Zone District: PF (Public Facilities). Amy French, Chief Planning Official reported that construction of the Public Safety Building (PSB) was to begin in the fall of 2020. Staff held Study Sessions with both the Architectural Review Board (ARB) and the Historic Resources Board (HRB) regarding the PSB design. In October 2018, the ARB approved the project. Brad Eggleston, Public Works Interim Director advised that Staff was evaluating bids for the California Avenue Parking Garage, and the award of a construction contract was tentatively going to be reviewed at the December 3, 2018 Council meeting. Construction of the garage was to begin in January, 2019 and extend into the summer of 2020. With approval of the PSB design, Staff planned on proceeding with design development and preparation of construction documents so that permitting and bidding could occur in early 2020. It was possible that construction of the PSB could begin upon completion of the parking garage. Michael Ross, RossDrulisCusenbery Architecture presented an overview of the project. The PSB contained 48,000 square feet, three stories and two levels of underground parking. The design balanced openness with security. At the ARB's suggestion, the pedestrian and landscape frame was to be a rusticated, artisan, full-brick veneer. Above the second story was a warm- toned, tile-clad, pre-cast wall system. The third floor was designed to be transparent and light with a glass and tile facade, which reduced the overall massing of the building. The corner entry was to be located at the intersection of Sherman and Birch. The single-story multipurpose room was MINUTES Page 10 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 going to front Birch Street and widen the pedestrian realm. The design offered a variety of scales, massing and materials. Walls screened the operational parking lot and accessory buildings from the street. Along Park Boulevard, there was to be bicycle parking and a bike repair station. Street trees were going to frame three sides of the PSB. Landscaping framed the building and emphasized canopy trees, native plantings, drought-resistant plants and varied colors and textures. The communication tower was going to appear as depicted in the photo. Patty Lum, Assistant Police Chief requested the Council not designate the multipurpose room as a community room. The multipurpose room was part of programmed space, and designating it as a community room reduced the building's functionality. The multipurpose room was the largest meeting space in the PSB. Public Safety Staff preferred the space not be utilized as a community room. The Police Department and Office of Emergency Services (OES) projected using the room for 356 events annually. Citizens Academy classes, Chief's advisory group meetings, parent project meetings, regional training events, regional meetings, officer and firefighter on-the-job training, computer training, press conferences, community outreach meetings and OES training and meetings were going to be held in the multipurpose room. Making the multipurpose room more open without additional security measures was counter to threat analysis recommendations and added costs. Adding public restrooms to the multipurpose room was redundant because public restrooms were provided in the adjacent lobby. Regulating public access to the room potentially required significant Staff time. Providing public access required Public Safety Staff to travel offsite and utilize City facilities otherwise available to the public. The ARB subcommittee was going to address the communication tower, specifically the arrangement of attachments. Peter Baltay, Architectural Review Board Vice Chair disclosed that the ARB unanimously endorsed the PSB project and urged the Council to accept the ARB's recommendation for approval. The ARB held five public hearings for the project, listened to testimony from dozens of concerned citizens and offered hundreds of suggestions for improvements. At every step in the process, the PSB substantially improved. The design represented a thoughtful balancing of 21st century requirements and integration into a vibrant commercial area. The ARB determined that the project met all findings required by City Codes. The ARB struggled with the multipurpose room and felt it should be a community-oriented space with ample public visibility. However, the lack of privacy and security made the room less useful for internal Public Safety functions. The ARB felt the single issue should not delay the project. MINUTES Page 11 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Public Hearing opened at 9:42 P.M. Bob Moss noted the specific location of the PSB was not contaminated. A two-level basement would penetrate the underground aquifer; therefore, water extraction, a water seal and a vapor barrier were necessary. Two plume monitoring wells were located on the site. Public Hearing closed at 9:46 P.M. Council Member Holman asked if toxic contamination played into project design and ARB review. Mr. Eggleston answered yes. The issues mentioned in the Staff Report were standard conditions of approval. He was not sure of the status of the monitoring wells. Council Member Holman remarked that the large building footprints impeded the amount of canopy in the area and changed the look and feel of the area. She requested Mr. Ross or Mr. Baltay comment on the third-floor and bird safety. Mr. Ross reported the glass would be bird safe. Council Member Holman stated the brick finish on the ground floor helped break up the mass of the building and improved the appearance of the building. She inquired about public art for the building and making the screening wall more pedestrian-friendly and interactive. Mr. Ross explained that the image of the screening wall did not depict all the landscaping planned for the screening wall. The artist had presented locations for public art, but a selection had not been made. Matt Raschke, Senior Engineer advised that the artist had explored locations along Birch, inside the lobby, and around the plaza for public art. The sidewalk along the screening wall was not heavily traveled and not considered for public art. Council Member Holman asked how public art could be public if it was located inside the building. Mr. Ross clarified that the lobby would be a public space with views from the interior and exterior of the building. Council Member Holman requested occasions for the public to visit the lobby. MINUTES Page 12 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 James Keene, City Manager indicated the public would utilize the lobby for doing business. He inquired about the possibility of public art inside and outside the building. Mr. Raschke explained that multiple pieces could be placed on the site. Plans continued to be developed for public art. Mr. Ross added that public art for the California Avenue garage was still under consideration. Council Member Holman expressed concern that public art would not be integrated into the building design. The City could design a better communication tower than those shown for surrounding cities. Perhaps something could be designed to encompass the attachments and to mask their appearance. Mr. Baltay reported the ARB subcommittee continued to focus on shrouds or screening for the communication tower. The ARB's long-term concern was changes in communication equipment. Council Member Holman suggested adding a condition of approval such that consideration be given to screening future changes in equipment. Ms. Lum agreed to a condition of approval to work with the ARB to shroud changes in equipment. Charles Cullen, Technical Services Deputy Director agreed to review any shrouds for the tower; however, shrouds increased the mass of the tower. Staff was exploring alternatives such as fiberglass antennas to increase the aesthetics of the tower and added that the microwave dishes and antennas could be placed to reduce their obtrusiveness. Council Member Holman requested an accurate depiction of the multipurpose room. Mr. Ross revealed that the height to the underside of the windows along the multipurpose room was 7 feet. At times, the Police Department utilized the room for training with specialized equipment that should not be viewed by the public. Council Member Holman asked about the use of window screening to prevent public view of specialized equipment. Ms. Lum explained that adding more glass, which would be ballistic glass, would increase costs. MINUTES Page 13 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Mr. Ross felt a view of blinds would be less pleasing than a view of the brick veneer. A large band of windows extended from the surface to the underside of the roof. Council Member Holman remarked that window screening could be more pleasing than blinds. She supported the ARB's comments regarding the multipurpose room. Council Member DuBois asked if lights would be located along the sidewalk. Mr. Ross replied yes. The ARB approved vertical fixtures that were night sky compliant and shined down onto the plaza. Council Member DuBois inquired regarding the function of the alleyway for businesses along California Avenue. Mr. Ross understood the current use of the alley would not change. The PSB design did not engage or incorporate any public trash collection. Council Member DuBois interpreted the concern as a conflict with the flow of Staff vehicles into the alley. Mr. Ross reported any conflict between Staff vehicles and garbage trucks would be brief, if conflicts occurred. Council Member DuBois asked if businesses could utilize the alley as a loading zone without conflicting with Staff vehicles. Mr. Ross clarified that early morning garbage pickup should not conflict with Staff vehicles as early mornings were off-shift times for Staff. Mr. Eggleston added that use of the alley as a loading zone would depend on the size of the truck. A large truck was likely going to block the 20-foot- wide alley. Staff was able to investigate the possibility of creating a loading zone near the alley. Council Member DuBois preferred the loading zone remain in the alley so that trucks would not disturb nearby residents early in the morning. He asked if businesses had access to the alley during construction of the PSB. Mr. Eggleston advised that Staff would review construction impacts during design development. Council Member DuBois requested clarification of the Council's approval of an application for Architectural Review. MINUTES Page 14 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Ms. French explained that the project included exceptions to the Public Facilities (PF) zone, and the exceptions needed Council approval. Council Member DuBois asked if the Council should add conditions of approval for use of the alley. Ms. French indicated logistical planning would include that type of issue. Council Member DuBois asked if use of the PSB could accommodate use of the alley after construction. Mr. Eggleston did not believe the Council needed to provide direction for Staff. Mr. Keene suggested the Council separate design of the building from programmatic or operational needs. Council Member DuBois concurred with Council Member Holman's comments regarding shrouding the communication tower. Mr. Keene reported Staff would explore options for shrouding and consider tradeoffs. Council Member Fine favored Public Safety use of the multipurpose room and encouraged Colleagues to consider the space as a function of public safety. Ingress and egress from the PSB into the alley possibly needed to be reconsidered. Public Safety operations were not supposed to impact trash bins or trucks in the alley. He inquired whether Staff had considered allowing vehicles to turn from Park onto Grant. Ms. Lum stated it was not a concern as Public Safety Staff was aware of the issue. Council Member Fine asked if the stop sign at Park and Sherman would remain two-way or be converted to four-way. Ms. Lum indicated a four-way stop might not be appropriate for the bike boulevard on Park. Mr. Eggleston added that traffic consultants did not recommend converting to a four-way stop because of the bicycle boulevard on Park. Council Member Fine asked if the remaining issues would be reviewed by the ARB subcommittee. Ms. French answered yes. MINUTES Page 15 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Council Member Fine encouraged the ARB to finalize the remaining issues in one meeting, if possible, so that the project could proceed. MOTION: Council Member Fine moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Filseth to approve the Architectural Review application for a new Public Safety Building and related facilities that includes modifications to development standards related to setbacks and height and adopt an associated Record of Land Use Action. Vice Mayor Filseth felt the design was consistent with the Council's expectations. Council Member Scharff suggested adding Wi-Fi and tables in the plaza to activate the public space. He requested the City Manager comment regarding the multipurpose room. Mr. Keene believed external doors to the multipurpose room would create problems and be counter to managing the flow of people into the building. Community-oriented meetings with Public Safety Staff would be held in the multipurpose room. Council Member Scharff requested an explanation of approval of the application for Architectural Review. Ms. French explained that the Municipal Code provided a process for presenting an important public project to the Council for approval. The approval also related to exceptions to the PF zone. Council Member Scharff asked if the exceptions were part of the Record of Land Use Action. Ms. French replied yes. Mr. Keene clarified that Council acceptance of the ARB recommendation informed the Record of Land Use Action. The Council was actually working on the Record of Land Use Action. Council Member Scharff asked if there was a document separate from the Record of Land Use Action that the Council would approve. Mr. Keene answered no. Council Member Scharff concurred with the City Manager's comments regarding the multipurpose room. He asked if the project would return to the Council in the future. MINUTES Page 16 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Mr. Eggleston reported Staff would work with the ARB subcommittee regarding the antenna and the multipurpose room. Council Member Scharff noted the Council gave direction regarding the multipurpose room. Mr. Eggleston indicated Staff would present the ARB subcommittee with something consistent with Council direction. Council Member Scharff asked if the current design was consistent with Council direction. Mr. Keene viewed a return to the ARB subcommittee as a direction to Staff to follow up on Council action with the ARB subcommittee. Council Member Scharff requested the items before the subcommittee. Ms. French recounted the items as the tower appendages and lighting. Mr. Baltay listed the items as the communication tower, lighting and a sample of the brick to be used. Council Member Scharff requested reasons for completion of design development in February, 2019 rather than November, 2018. Mr. Eggleston explained that design development involved schematic design for the various building systems. Construction documents were even more detailed than design development. Mr. Ross added that the end of design development was considered 35- percent complete construction documents. Design development engaged a team of engineers to develop the sophisticated systems that were necessary for an essential facility. Council Member Kou inquired about a reason for the signage being located on the interior of the entryway. Mr. Ross clarified that signage would include a monument sign near the street and directional signs. The ARB would review the sign program. Mayor Kniss commended Ms. Lum's argument regarding the multipurpose room. Ms. Lum reported half of Public Safety events would involve the community. Mayor Kniss inquired about the original cost estimate for the PSB. MINUTES Page 17 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Mr. Keene responded $57 million, but the estimated was based on information considered outdated at that time. Mayor Kniss had been told costs were increasing 6 percent per quarter. She requested a reasonably firm estimate for the date to begin construction. Mr. Eggleston replied mid-2020 or upon completion of the parking garage. Mayor Kniss requested the anticipated date for completion of the PSB. Mr. Eggleston answered late 2021 to early 2022. Mayor Kniss asked if $106 million would cover the cost of construction. Mr. Eggleston explained that the $106 million amount contained a 4-percent per year escalation of construction costs through the planned midpoint of construction. In recent years, construction costs had increased by as much as 7 percent. Mayor Kniss expressed concern that $106 million would not cover costs. Perhaps Staff was able to monitor actual cost increases and adjust the amount as needed. Mr. Keene advised that a refined design would inform the cost estimate. As design progressed, Staff wanted to update the Council regarding costs. Mayor Kniss remarked that passage of Measure E would benefit the City. Mr. Eggleston related that Staff, consultants and the architect would be preparing cost estimates at every phase of the project. Staff planned on tracking estimates and updating the Council. MOTION PASSED: 9-0 State/Federal Legislation Update/Action Mayor Kniss noted Supervisor Joe Simitian and Assemblyman Marc Berman would participate in Study Sessions with the Council before the end of the year. She inquired whether Staff had scheduled the City's federal lobbyists to meet with the Council. James Keene, City Manager answered that he would look into scheduling a meeting. MINUTES Page 18 of 18 Sp. City Council Meeting Minutes: 11/05/2018 Council Member Questions, Comments and Announcements Council Member Fine encouraged everyone to vote the following day. Mayor Kniss reported Council Member Fine and she would attend the National League of Cities meeting. Vice Mayor Filseth had participated in a panel discussion and presentation at a Stanford University forum entitled "What's Next for California." Council Member DuBois noted six Council Members attended opening night of a political play. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 P.M.