HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-12-03 Ordinance 5173Ordinance No. 5173
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Approving and
Adopting a Park Improvement Plan for the San Francisquito Creek Joint
Powers Authority Flood Protection Project Impacting Palo Alto
Municipal Golf Course and John Fletcher Byxbee Recreation Area
The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1. Findings. The City Council finds and declares that:
(a) Article VIII of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto and Section 22.08.005 of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code require that, before any substantial building, construction, reconstruction
or development is commenced or approved, upon or with respect to any land held by the City for
park purposes, the Council shall approve and adopt a park improvement ordinance and a plan
describing the proposed project;
(b) San Francisquito Creek is located within the Santa Clara Valley Water District's
Lower Peninsula Watershed and San Mateo County's San Francisquito Creek Flood Control zone.
The City of Palo Alto and Stanford University border the Creek on the ~outheast; the Cities of Menlo
Park and East Palo Alto border the Creek to the northwest;
(c) The San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (JPA) flood protection
project (Project) would provide significant public benefit, including: improving flood protection,
enhancing ecological habitat and recreational opportunities within the Project reach, and protecting
properties and infrastructure between East Bayshore Road and San Francisco Bay;
(d) The City intends to authorize certain improvements for the San Francisquito
Creek Joint Powers Authority Flood Protection Project including, without limitation, the following
(Project components are summarized in Exhibits "A-1" and "A_2"):
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(1) Increasing the Creek's capacity from San Francisco Bay to East Bayshore
Road.
(2) Degrading a portion of an unmaintained levee downstream of the
Friendship Bridge to allow flood flows from the creek channel into the
Palo Alto Baylands Preserve (Faber Tract) north of the creek.
(3) Excavating sediment deposits Within the channel to maximize
conveyance.
(4) Rebuilding levees and relocating a portion of the southern levee to
widen the channel to reduce the influence of tides and increase channel
capacity.
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(5) Constructing floodwalls in the upper reach to increase capacity and
maintain consistency with Caltrans' enlargement of the U.S. Highway
101/East Bayshore Road Bridge over San Francisquito Creek.
(6) Constructing an overflow terrace at marsh elevation adjacent to the
Baylands Preserve.
(7) Constructing an extension of the Friendship Bridge via a boardwalk
across new marshland within the widened channel.
(e) The Council hereby approves the Plan for the San Francisquito Creek Joint
Powers Authority Flood Protection Project impacting the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course and the
John Fletcher Byxbee Recreation Area and hereby adopts the Plans attached hereto as Exhibits "A-
1" and "A-2" as part of the official plan.
SECTION 3. The Council finds that an Environmental Impact Report for this project was
adopted by the JPA Board on October 25, 2012.
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SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be effective on the thirty-first day after the date of its
adoption.
INTRODUCED: November 13, 2012
PASSED: December 3, 2012
AYES: BURT, ESPINOSA, HOLMAN, KLEIN, PRICE, SHCARFF, SCHMID, SHEPHERD, YEH
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
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APPROVED:
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