HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-06-02 City Council Summary Minutes
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Regular Meeting
June 2, 1997
1. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing
Appreciation to Henrietta Burroughs for Outstanding Public
Service as a Member of the Human Relations Commission.83-305
2. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing
Appreciation to Tina Gutierrez for Outstanding Public Service
as a Member of the Human Relations Commission.........83-305
3. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing
Appreciation to Trina Lovercheck for Outstanding Public Service
as a Member of the Human Relations Commission.........83-305
4. City Council Selection of Candidates to be Interviewed for the
Utilities Advisory Commission.........................83-307
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS........................................83-307
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 18 AND 24, 1997, AND MAY 27 AND 28,
1997 .................................................83-308
5. Ordinance 1st Reading entitled “Ordinance of the Council of
the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 2.40 [Municipal
Elections] of the Palo Alto Municipal Code by Adding Chapter
2.40.070 to Establish a Voluntary Campaign Expenditure Ceiling
for Election to City Offices”.........................83-308
6. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Lucas Concrete for
City Facilities Walkway Improvements and Storm Drain Repair
Project...............................................83-308
7. Resolution 7670 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Approving and Authorizing a Master Agreement for
Federal-Aid Projects”.................................83-308
8. Resolution 7671 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Authorizing the Submittal of an Application to
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for Funds From
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the Transportation Fund for Clean Air Pursuant to Health and
Safety Code Sections 44225 and 44241 for the Palo Alto Caltrain
Station Bicycle Parking Facility and for the Embarcadero Bridge
and Bike Path Extension Project”......................83-309
9. Ordinance 1st Reading entitled “Ordinance of the Council of
the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 22.08 of Title 22 of
the Palo Alto Municipal Code by Adding Section 22.08.380 to
Dedicate 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, Commonly Known as the
Williams Property, as a Park and Reserving the Williams Property
for Park, Playground, Recreation or Conservation Purposes”83-309
10. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Key Turf Irrigation,
Inc. for Interim Golf Course Tees and Greens Project..83-309
11. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Kimley-Horn and
Associates, Inc. for Traffic Signal Timing Project....83-309
12. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation....83-309
12A. PUBLIC HEARING: The City Council will consider a request from
Stanford University to certify a Final Environmental Impact
Report and approve various entitlement requests related to a
set of proposed development projects commonly known as the
Stanford Sand Hill Corridor Projects - Deliberation (continued
from 5/28/97).........................................83-310
13. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the
Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97 to Provide an Additional
Appropriation for Housing for Persons with Developmental
Disabilities at 2700 Ash Street.......................83-328
14. Ordinance 4419 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Amending the Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97
to Provide an Additional Appropriation for Repair and
Maintenance and Purchase of Equipment at the City’s Golf Course
Restaurant Facility”..................................83-330
15. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the
Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97 for Funding of Joint
Construction with Pacific Bell of a Substructure and Increased
Work in Customer Design and Connection CIP-Project 892883-331
16. Council Review of Coordinated Area Plan Ordinance Framework
City Attorney Ariel Calonne referred to a memo from the Palo
Alto Chamber of Commerce (memo on file in the City Clerk’s
Office) which suggested Council delay taking action on the item
until the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) was adopted. He
reminded the Council that the City had a commitment from the
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Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) to substantially fund an
area planning process in the South of Forest Area (SOFA) which
was the driving force behind the timing of the item returning
out of sequence with the Comp Plan....................83-332
17. Council Comments, Questions, and Announcements........83-337
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m.............83-337
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The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the
Council Chambers at 7:13 p.m.
PRESENT: Andersen, Fazzino (arrived at 7:14 p.m.), Huber,
Kniss, McCown, Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
ABSENT: Eakins
SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
1. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing Appreciation to Henrietta Burroughs for Outstanding Public Service
as a Member of the Human Relations Commission
MOTION: Council Member Schneider moved, seconded by Andersen, to
adopt the Resolution.
Resolution 7666 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Expressing Appreciation to Henrietta Burroughs
for Outstanding Public Service as a Member of the Human
Relations Commission”
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
2. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing
Appreciation to Tina Gutierrez for Outstanding Public Service
as a Member of the Human Relations Commission
MOTION: Council Member Schneider moved, seconded by Andersen, to
adopt the Resolution.
Resolution 7667 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Expressing Appreciation to Tina Gutierrez for
Outstanding Public Service as a Member of the Human Relations
Commission”
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
3. Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Expressing
Appreciation to Trina Lovercheck for Outstanding Public Service
as a Member of the Human Relations Commission
MOTION: Council Member Schneider moved, seconded by Andersen, to
adopt the Resolution.
Resolution 7668 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Expressing Appreciation to Trina Lovercheck for
Outstanding Public Service as a Member of the Human Relations
Commission”
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MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
Vice Mayor Andersen appreciated having worked with all three members
of the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and thanked them for their
contributions to the community.
Council Member Fazzino said although he did not always agree with
the HRC, it was one of the hardest working, most productive HRCs
during its 30-year existence. He thanked the HRC members for pushing
the Council to think and rethink issues in different ways. There
was no question that the HRC had as its guiding principle the desire
and commitment to represent individuals who did not have
representation at City Hall. He appreciated each member’s
contributions.
Mayor Huber said he had the pleasure of serving as Council liaison
to the HRC for two years, which he had thoroughly enjoyed. He thanked
the HRC members for their good work.
Henrietta Burroughs acknowledged the Resolution and thanked Council
for the opportunity to serve on the HRC for the past six years.
Tina Gutierrez thanked the Council for the honor of serving on the
HRC and remembered Nancy Ritchie, the first person to introduce her
to the HRC. Her first involvement with the City had been with Trina
Lovercheck and former Mayor Gary Fazzino at a Town Hall meeting.
She enjoyed her work on the HRC and was sorry circumstances had caused
her to move from Palo Alto.
Trina Lovercheck thanked the Council for her appointment to the HRC
for three terms. It had been a worthwhile endeavor, albeit
challenging, rewarding, and sometimes frustrating. She was proud
to have been an advocate for human needs and services in Palo Alto.
She acknowledged the dedicated staff of the Human Services Division,
David Martin, Ilene Hertz, and Leah Zaner. She acknowledged all
her colleagues over the years who cared deeply about the issues which
came before the HRC. She was proud to be a member of a group that
was willing to fight for things it believed in, although sometimes
unpopular.
4. City Council Selection of Candidates to be Interviewed for the
Utilities Advisory Commission
RESULTS OF THE VOTING FOR INTERVIEWS FOR UTILITIES ADVISORY
COMMISSION
VOTING FOR DAWES: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
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VOTING FOR EYERLY: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
VOTING FOR GRIMSRUD: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
VOTING FOR JOHNSON: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
VOTING FOR JOHNSTON: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
VOTING FOR MADSEN: Fazzino, Huber, Wheeler
VOTING FOR McFADDEN: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Wheeler
VOTING FOR SORGENFREI: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Wheeler
VOTING FOR ZAHARIAS: Andersen, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss, McCown,
Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler
City Clerk Gloria Young announced that Dexter Dawes, Fred Eyerly,
G. Paul Grimsrud, Karl Johnson, Paul Johnston, William McFadden,
Matt Sorgenfrei, and Michael Zaharias received four or more votes
and would be interviewed on Monday, June 9, 1997.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
T. J. Watt, homeless, spoke regarding air conditioning in libraries
and quasi-educational facilities.
Edmund Power, 2254 Dartmouth Street, spoke regarding civic duty of
Council Members.
Joe Stratton, 205B Edgewood, spoke regarding Shoreline - Youth
Council.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 18 AND 24, 1997, AND MAY 27 AND 28,
1997
MOTION: Council Member Wheeler moved, seconded by Schneider, to
approve the Minutes of February 18, 1997, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
MOTION: Council Member Wheeler moved, seconded by Schneider, to
approve the Minutes of February 24, 1997, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
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MOTION: Council Member Kniss moved, seconded by Andersen, to approve
the Minutes of May 27, 1997, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
MOTION: Council Member Kniss moved, seconded by Andersen, to approve
the Minutes of May 28, 1997, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION: Council Member Wheeler moved, seconded by Fazzino, to approve
Consent Calendar Item Nos. 5-11.
5. Ordinance 1st Reading entitled “Ordinance of the Council of
the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 2.40 [Municipal
Elections] of the Palo Alto Municipal Code by Adding Chapter
2.40.070 to Establish a Voluntary Campaign Expenditure Ceiling
for Election to City Offices”
Resolution 7669 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Establishing the Number of Residents of the City
for the Purpose of Determining the Voluntary Expenditure
Ceiling for City Elections, as Set Forth in Chapter 2.40.070
of the Palo Alto Municipal Code”
6. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Lucas Concrete for
City Facilities Walkway Improvements and Storm Drain Repair
Project
7. Resolution 7670 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Approving and Authorizing a Master Agreement for
Federal-Aid Projects”
Master Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for Federal-Aid
Projects
8. Resolution 7671 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Authorizing the Submittal of an Application to
the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for Funds From
the Transportation Fund for Clean Air Pursuant to Health and
Safety Code Sections 44225 and 44241 for the Palo Alto Caltrain
Station Bicycle Parking Facility and for the Embarcadero Bridge
and Bike Path Extension Project”
9. Ordinance 1st Reading entitled “Ordinance of the Council of
the City of Palo Alto Amending Chapter 22.08 of Title 22 of
the Palo Alto Municipal Code by Adding Section 22.08.380 to
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Dedicate 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, Commonly Known as the
Williams Property, as a Park and Reserving the Williams Property
for Park, Playground, Recreation or Conservation Purposes”
10. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Key Turf Irrigation,
Inc. for Interim Golf Course Tees and Greens Project
Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. C4038586 between the City of
Palo Alto and Amphion Environmental, Inc. for Construction
Management Services for Interim Golf Course Tees and Greens
Project
11. Contract between the City of Palo Alto and Kimley-Horn and
Associates, Inc. for Traffic Signal Timing Project
MOTION PASSED 8-0 for Item Nos. 5 and 7 to 11, Eakins absent.
MOTION PASSED 7-0 for Item No. 6, Rosenbaum “not participating,”
Eakins absent.
CLOSED SESSION
12. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation
Subject: Patricia Babcock v. City of Palo Alto, et al.,
SCC No. CV 760187
Authority: Government Code Section 54956.9(a)
MOTION TO CONTINUE: Vice Mayor Andersen moved, seconded by Wheeler,
to continue the item to the June 9, 1997, City Council Meeting.
MOTION TO CONTINUE PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
12A. PUBLIC HEARING: The City Council will consider a request from
Stanford University to certify a Final Environmental Impact
Report and approve various entitlement requests related to a
set of proposed development projects commonly known as the
Stanford Sand Hill Corridor Projects - Deliberation (continued
from 5/28/97)
a. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT: Recommendation to certify
the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the Stanford
Sand Hill Road Corridor Projects.
b. SAND HILL ROAD EXTENSION AND WIDENING AND RELATED ROADWAY
IMPROVEMENTS: Recommendation to approve the following:
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Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
the Land Use Map and the Street Network Map of the Palo
Alto Comprehensive Plan Relating to Roadway and
Circulation Changes and Changes in the Boundaries of the
Streamside Open Space Area in the Vicinity of the Stanford
Shopping Center
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Various Elements of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan
Relating to Road Improvements in the Sand Hill Road
Corridor
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
the Land Use Element of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan
Relating to the Streamside Open Space Land Use Category
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo alto Amending
Section 20.08.020 (The Setback Map) of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code to Change the Setback Line Along a Portion
of Sand Hill Road
Architectural Review Approval
c. STANFORD WEST APARTMENT HOUSING: Recommendation to
approve the following:
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
the Land Use Map of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan for
Lands of Stanford University Located Generally at 1000
Sand Hill Road (Stanford West Apartment Project)
Site and Design Approval
Variance to Allow On-street Parking Where Off-street
Parking Is Otherwise Required
Variance to Allow Arterial and Special Setback on Sand
Hill Road to be 18 Feet Where 25 Feet is Otherwise Required
Design Enhancement Exception to Allow Side Yard Setbacks
in Some Locations To Be As Small as 0 Feet Where 16 Feet
Is Normally Required
Design Enhancement Exception to Allow Less Private Open
Space for 29 Apartment Units Than Is Otherwise Required
d. STANFORD WEST SENIOR HOUSING: Recommendation to approve
the following:
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Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
the Land Use Map of the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan for
Lands of Stanford University Located at 600 and 700 Sand
Hill Road (Stanford West Senior Housing)
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amend-
ing Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (the
Zoning Map) to Change the Classification of Property Known
as 600 Sand Hill Road and a Portion of 1000 Sand Hill Road
from PF to PC and from RM-30 to PC, Respectively (Stanford
West Senior Housing)
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (the
Zoning Map) to Change the Zone Classification of Property
Located at 600, 700 and 1000 Sand Hill Road from RM-30
to PF and from PF to RM-30
Design Enhancement Exception to Side Yard Fencing
Regulations to Allow No Solid Wall or Fence to be Provided
along the Common Property Line between the Multiple Family
(RM) Zoned Site and the Planned Community (PC) Zoned Senior
Housing Site
e. STANFORD SHOPPING CENTER EXPANSION: Recommendation to
approve the following:
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Section 18.43.050 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code
(Community Commercial District Site Development
Regulations), Relating to the Allowable Floor Area of the
Stanford Shopping Center
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (the
Zoning Map) to Change the Zone Classification of Property
Located at 180 El Camino Real from CC to CC(l) (Stanford
Shopping Center)
Variance to Allow a 3-foot Setback on Arboretum Road for
Two Retail Buildings Where 24 Feet is Otherwise Required
Architectural Review Approval
f. TENTATIVE SUBDIVISION MAP: Recommendation to approve the
following:
Tentative Subdivision Map, with an Exception for Road
Right-of-Way Width
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Street Names, as Recommended by the Palo Alto Historical
Association
g. DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT: Recommendation to approve the
following:
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Approving
a Development Agreement Between the Board of Trustees of
the Leland Stanford Junior University and the City of Palo
Alto
Development Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and
the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior
University
h. ANNEXATIONS: Recommendation to approve the following:
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto
Conditionally Amending Section 18.08.040 of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code (the Zoning Map) by Prezoning as RM-40 a
Portion of a New Parcel to be Created by the Realignment
of Pasteur Drive and by Prezoning as PF(L) an Area of Land
that Will Become Part of Pasteur Drive
Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending
Section 18.08.040 (the Zoning Map) to Change the Zone
Classification of a Portion of a New Parcel to be Created
by the Realignment of Pasteur Drive at Sand Hill Road from
PF(L) to RM-40
Motions were adopted in concept for the Stanford West Apartments
regarding the Deli Market, Stanford Shopping Center, an amendment
to the El Camino Park issue to retain a lease relationship between
the City and Stanford for the Transit Center, and alternative
recommendations regarding the Sand Hill Corridor Future Development.
Further, direction was given to staff to pursue a long-term planning
process with Stanford regarding future development in the corridor.
(Please see the following Certified Shorthand Reporter’s
transcript for actual wording of the motions.)
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RECESS: 8:55 P.M. - 9:05 P.M.
ORDINANCES
13. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the
Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97 to Provide an Additional
Appropriation for Housing for Persons with Developmental
Disabilities at 2700 Ash Street
Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C7091721 between the City of
Palo Alto and Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition to Provide Funds
for the Development of the Page Mill Court Apartments for
Persons with Developmental Disabilities at 2700 Ash Street
Housing Coordinator Catherine Siegel said the request from
Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition (MPHC) was for an additional
$180,400 from Commercial Housing In-lieu funds for the construction
of 24 units of Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) subsidized
apartments for adults with developmental disabilities, bringing the
total contribution to the project to $936,000. The total cost of
the development was $3,674,000. The project would be ready to chart
construction by the end of June 1997, with completion scheduled for
late next spring.
Council Member Fazzino noted that MPHC was asking for a waiver of
school fees and asked the amount of the fees.
City Manager June Fleming said school fees were $33,000.
Council Member Fazzino asked whether the Palo Alto Unified School
District (PAUSD) had waived fees for similar situations in the past.
Ms. Fleming said the issue had been raised at a City/School Liaison
Committee meeting with School Board Members Richardson and Jerome
in attendance. The item scheduled for the PAUSD Board’s agenda for
the meeting of June 3, 1997, was entitled, “Request for Waiver of
School Impact Fees for Page Mill Court/Mid-Peninsula Housing
Coalition Project.” Superintendent Don Phillips had made it clear
in his report that his interpretation of the relevant pieces of
legislation and code was that the Board was required to exempt those
types of projects from development fees.
Council Member Wheeler asked, in the event the $33,000 was not
applicable to the project, whether the amount of funds ultimately
needed for the project would be impacted.
Ms. Fleming said staff would make the necessary adjustment which
reflected the amount recommended from funds that evening.
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Council Member Schneider asked whether the City could waive City
permit fees if the PAUSD Board agreed to waive school fees.
Ms. Fleming said the issue was not a waiver of fees by the PAUSD
Board since the type of project was actually exempt from school fees.
She said City staff was not authorized to waive fees.
Council Member Schneider asked staff to explain the high contingency
fees which had advanced from $50,000 to $117,300.
Ms. Siegel said there were outstanding regulatory issues related
to the HUD funding which required Davis Bacon Prevailing Wage rates
to be paid on the project. HUD was in the process of reinterpreting
its earlier administrative guidelines on what types of contractors
qualified to work on the projects without paying prevailing wage
rates as a sole proprietor. It was unclear if the stricter
interpretation would be applied to the project; therefore, the higher
contingency fee was requested.
Council Member Kniss clarified the amount of the In-lieu Fund would
be reduced and asked whether the Sheridan Apartment project would
be impacted.
Ms. Siegel said the monies would come from the Commercial Housing
In-lieu Fund which by the Housing Reserve Guidelines adopted by
Council, was restricted for use in developing newly constructed
units. The Sheridan Apartment project was an acquisition of
existing housing and would be funded from other sources.
MOTION: Council Member Kniss moved, seconded by Fazzino, to: 1) adopt
the Budget Amendment Ordinance to appropriate an additional $180,400
in Commercial Housing In-Lieu funds to the Page Mill Court Apartments
Project; 2) approve Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with its form
of promissory note and deed of trust between the City of Palo Alto
and Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition providing additional funds for
construction and other development costs and including other changes
related to additional funding and federal requirements; and 3)
authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in substantial
form, and direct the City Manager to administer the provisions of
the agreement and to execute any other documents required to close
the transaction for construction funding for the 2700 Ash Street
project, including an assignment and assumption agreement and a
required subordination agreement with the Federal Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Ordinance 4418 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Amending the Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97
to Provide an Additional Appropriation for Housing for Persons
with Developmental Disabilities at 2700 Ash Street”
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Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C7091721 between the City of
Palo Alto and Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition to Provide Funds
for the Development of the Page Mill Court Apartments for
Persons with Developmental Disabilities at 2700 Ash Street
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
14. Ordinance 4419 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Amending the Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97
to Provide an Additional Appropriation for Repair and
Maintenance and Purchase of Equipment at the City’s Golf Course
Restaurant Facility”
Real Property Manager William Fellman said the request before the
Council was from staff and R&T Restaurants, the new tenant, to
reimburse, repair, replace, and provide equipment for the golf course
restaurant in the amount of $54,000. The equipment request was to
repair damage from the previous tenant, to replace worn equipment,
to replace equipment essential to the operation of the restaurant
which had been owned and removed by the previous tenant after breaking
a verbal agreement to sell equipment to R&T Restaurant, and to provide
equipment to meet new code requirements.
Vice Mayor Andersen noted staff had considered litigation against
the previous owner but had not pursued it. He asked staff to
elaborate on the reasons.
Mr. Fellman said the reason was twofold. The City had received
income intended for the previous tenant for carpeting and had
retained the tenant’s security deposit. Additionally, the wear and
tear on the equipment made it difficult to determine what was or
was not wrong. Those items which were damaged when equipment was
being removed by the tenant staff believed had been recouped from
the income retained.
Vice Mayor Andersen clarified that $9,700 was recouped, plus a
security deposit of $2,000, for a total of $11,700; yet, the
replacement costs totaled $54,000. Clearly, there was wear and
tear; however, the differential was great.
Mr. Fellman said some of the costs were due to code requirements
attributed to a new tenant.
Vice Mayor Andersen asked whether the previous tenant was still in
the area.
Mr. Fellman said Hazard’s maintained several Hofbraus in the area
under the name of Harry’s Hofbrau.
MOTION: Vice Mayor Andersen moved, seconded by Kniss, to adopt the
Budget Amendment Ordinance in the amount of $54,000 to: 1) provide
funds to reimburse R&T Restaurant Corporation (R&T), the City’s
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restaurant tenant, for expenditures necessary for maintenance and
repairs made to the City’s Golf Course restaurant facility; 2) repair
and replace City-owned restaurant equipment; 3) allow the City to
own all the restaurant equipment essential to the function of the
facility; and 4) add new equipment and upgrade certain services.
Ordinance 4419 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Amending the Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97
to Provide an Additional Appropriation for Repair and
Maintenance and Purchase of Equipment at the City’s Golf Course
Restaurant Facility”
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
15. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the
Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97 for Funding of Joint
Construction with Pacific Bell of a Substructure and Increased
Work in Customer Design and Connection CIP-Project 8928
MOTION: Council Member Fazzino moved, seconded by Schneider, to adopt
the Budget Amendment Ordinance in the amount of $300,000, to be taken
from the Electric Fund Rate Stabilization Reserve, to fund joint
construction with Pacific Bell of a substructure along Forest Avenue
and increased work in the Customer Design/Connection CIP Project
No. 8928.
Ordinance 4420 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City
of Palo Alto Amending the Budget for the Fiscal Year 1996-97
for Funding of Joint Construction with Pacific Bell of a
Substructure and Increased Work in Customer Design and
Connection CIP-Project 8928"
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
REPORTS OF OFFICIALS
16. Council Review of Coordinated Area Plan Ordinance Framework
City Attorney Ariel Calonne referred to a memo from the Palo Alto
Chamber of Commerce (memo on file in the City Clerk’s Office) which
suggested Council delay taking action on the item until the
Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) was adopted. He reminded the Council
that the City had a commitment from the Palo Alto Medical Foundation
(PAMF) to substantially fund an area planning process in the South
of Forest Area (SOFA) which was the driving force behind the timing
of the item returning out of sequence with the Comp Plan.
Director of Planning and Community Environment Ken Schreiber said
he had received a letter from PAMF indicating its desire to begin
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the Coordinated Area Planning process, triggering the process as
set forth in the development agreement.
Mayor Huber clarified an ordinance was needed before proceeding with
the SOFA Coordinated Area Plan.
Mr. Calonne said that would be his preference. Procedures could
be created by resolution; however, fee recovery would be difficult.
He strongly advised setting up an ordinance framework for the SOFA.
Council Member Rosenbaum asked for a clarification of fees on page
5, second paragraph under (h) of the Council Review Draft Ordinance
attached to the staff report(CMR:270:97), “It is the intent of the
city council to charge persons....” He.
Mr. Calonne said basic state law under its authorization for Specific
Plans allowed a city to front the cost of doing a Specific Plan and
then establish a fee to assess folks who developed within the plan
area to recover the costs of the planning. The theory was by doing
the advanced planning work, the applicants would save substantial
costs they would otherwise incur. The paragraph was attempting to
allude to that concept in state law.
Council Member Rosenbaum asked whether a fee would be charged if
no savings were to result. From the first paragraph, he understood
there could be a fee anytime and questioned if the second paragraph
modified the first paragraph.
Mr. Calonne said no, the intent of the second paragraph was to be
explanatory. Currently, the fee provisions were conceptual.
Council Member Rosenbaum questioned whether the PAMF agreed to pay
all costs.
Mr. Schreiber said the PAMF agreed to pay two-thirds of the cost
up to $200,000.
Council Member Wheeler asked, assuming an area plan was in place
for a specific area and a project proposal was received which was
in conformance with the area plan, whether no further environmental
work would be required on the part of the applicant, or a
substantially reduced amount of environmental work, thus a cost
savings would result.
Mr. Calonne said there should be a substantial reduction of
environmental work. Presumably, the environmental work was done
with the Coordinated Area Plan. An exception would be if a long
period of time had passed.
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Council Member Wheeler asked what would happen if a nonconforming
application were received for a development within the area.
Mr. Calonne referred to page 7 of the Council Review Draft Ordinance,
Section 19.10.060, which forbade any permit being issued for an
inconsistent application. One of the issues in the footnote was
whether the Council wanted to create a holding pattern in the
designated change areas of the Comp Plan until a Coordinated Area
Plan was completed in order to prevent an applicant from forwarding
the intent.
Council Member Wheeler understood the Council played a significant
role in launching an area plan. She had a concern regarding a type
of process potentially being used to subvert the Comp Plan and asked
whether the Council needed to make that clear in its instructions
up-front, i.e., the parameters Council presented to the working group
and to the community indicating there were certain elements of the
Comp Plan and certain programs and policies that the area plan needed
to conform to.
Mr. Calonne said staff gave much thought to how specific the list
should be of what the Council should do. He referred to Section
19.10.030 on page 3, paragraph (a) Council Goals and Policies, and
said the list was very general.
Mr. Schreiber anticipated when initiating a particular Coordinated
Area Plan, there would be a staff and Council effort for pubic input
to identify relevant Comp Plan goals, policies, programs, land use
designations, etc., so the Council would have an opportunity to
indicate the boundaries within which the Coordinated Area Plan should
be working in terms of adopted City policy. Situations might occur
where, from a land use designation standpoint, changes would be
appropriate. Housing and Transportation goals and policies would
be reviewed by the Council, and the Council would indicate its
receptivity to considering changes or not. The policy framework
would be clearly defined for the Coordinated Area Plan process.
Council Member Wheeler clarified the process would not be the same
type of open-ended process as the Comp Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC)
process in that definite ground rules would be set up.
Mr. Schreiber said the expectation was there would be ground rules;
however, if the Council wanted an open-ended process, the process
could not be accomplished within the time frame or budget currently
allotted. Staff did not anticipate the process as an open-ended
evaluation of policy alternatives.
Council Member Schneider noted the framework for staff and the
consultants to complete the process was 12 to 15 months.
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Mr. Schreiber said 12 to 15 months was a tight time frame and might
not be precisely achievable, but the basic message was that the
process should not be a long-term, open-ended process. The longer
a process went on, the harder it was for people to keep in touch
with it and the higher the cost for consultant resources.
Patrick Burt, 1249 Harriet Street, represented the University South
Neighborhood Association (USNA), said the group supported the
Coordinated Area Plan process. He was unclear as to when the process
would begin in reference to the 12- to 15-month time frame outlined
in the ordinance. If the process began at the time of the Urban
Lane site ground breaking, which had already occurred, the
development agreement for that called for a 12-month period. If
the Council referred the ordinance that evening to the Planning
Commission, the item would need to be returned to Council in a certain
time frame so that a specific SOFA Coordinated Plan could then be
scoped by the Council. That process would cut into the one-year
time frame. The timing issues needed to be sorted out. In response
to Council Member Wheeler’s questions regarding the Comp Plan overlay
concept, the USNA was supportive of the Comp Plan as the framework
from which the SOFA would proceed and looked forward to how the vision
of the Comp Plan could be implemented in the neighborhood.
Additionally, the potential for the Downtown library to be considered
for a new public safety building was supported and hopefully would
be addressed inside the context of the process. Other issues would
arise such as the composition of the working group. There were major
and minor stakeholders and he queried whether each of those entities
would be represented by one representative, or would a “weighted”
approach take place. The USNA encouraged adoption of the ordinance
when it returned to the Council from the Planning Commission.
Herb Brock, 2731 Byron Street, said the proposal before the Council
that evening was really two different proposals. He believed the
Council should give direction to proceed with one and withhold its
approval of the other. The first issue was the implementation of
the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) project. Having an
ordinance which initiated a Specific Plan for the area being vacated
by the PAMF was a good idea. However, he agreed with the Chamber
of Commerce that it was the wrong time to have a general ordinance
that would implement a Comprehensive Plan not yet adopted. There
was a second difference between the two projects. In the first,
an intense nonresidential use was being replaced by a primarily less
intense residential use. In the Comp Plan, three areas had been
targeted to initiate more intense commercial and residential use.
He believed the two issues needed to be separated, and an ordinance
should only be initiated for a Specific Planning process for the
PAMF.
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David Jury, 330 Town & Country Village, Real Estate Manager for the
Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), said the PAMF joined the
neighborhood in supporting the concept of the Coordinated Area Plan
as described in the draft. The PAMF opposed the Chamber of
Commerce’s recommendation to delay action on the item. The
neighborhood had waited long enough, the people had been patient
while the PAMF went through its agonies on El Camino Real, and it
was time to look at the Downtown campus. He referred to page 5 of
the Council Review Draft, Section 19.10..030, paragraph (g)
Amendments, which stated “An ordinance adopting a Coordinated Area
Plan may establish procedures for amendments,” suggesting the
paragraph read “shall” establish procedures and perhaps spell out
the procedures in advance so the ground rules were known from the
beginning of the process. He appreciated the efforts on the Council
Review Draft.
Mayor Huber clarified the draft ordinance before Council was a
generic ordinance for Coordinated Area Plans. He said Mr. Burt was
specifically talking about a time frame for SOFA and asked what the
timing was between the two.
Mr. Calonne said he was not prepared to give the “drop dead” date
out of the development agreement for PAMF. The discussion
internally had been to attempt to refer the item to the Planning
Commission prior to Council’s vacation.
Mr. Schreiber said the development agreement had a provision which
triggered the Coordinated Plan for no later than September 1997.
Mr. Burt might be referring to a provision in the development
agreement which indicated that after the PAMF started substantial
construction on the Urban Lane site, it lost the right to use the
existing Specific Plan approved in the early 1990s. He did not
believe that to be a particular concern. During the PAMF review
process, it was noted that there would likely be an interim period
under which the PAMF could not do anything to the property even if
the site had been vacated and the PAMF had moved to the Urban Lane
site. He did not believe there was a time conflict between what
was currently before the Council and the PAMF process.
Mr. Calonne reinforced the need to have procedures spelled out,
either in the ordinance or in each area plan, and did not oppose
the word change from “may” to “shall.”
MOTION: Council Member Schneider moved, seconded by Wheeler, to
direct staff to proceed to the Planning Commission for a
recommendation on the actual Municipal Code revision with an
amendment to Section 19.10.030(g) to change the word “may” to
“shall.”
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Council Member Wheeler hoped representatives from the Chamber of
Commerce would share the extensive comments on their review of
coordinated area plans, preferably at the Planning Commission
Meeting. In the formative stages, ordinances might leave out some
important considerations, and the Council would like to have any
serious issues addressed. She was not concerned about passing an
ordinance outside the Comprehensive Plan process. Given the work
plan, workload, and staffing considerations of the Planning
Division, there would not be a preponderance of Coordinated Area
Plans in succession. The SOFA had been talked about for many years.
By the time the opportunity came to have the next Coordinated Area
Plan, the Comprehensive Plan would have been adopted. Having been
exposed to the semi-coordinated planning effort in the Midtown area,
she believed new methods were needed to deal with larger neighborhood
issues. The framework before the Council was a little bold, a little
risky, but headed for success. She commended staff.
Mayor Huber suggested the appropriate time to work out the time frames
referred to by Mr. Burt would be when the item went before the Planning
Commission to ensure everyone would be clear on whether or not under
the proposed ordinance there would be enough time to do a SOFA area
plan if in fact the SOFA area plan were done based on the ordinance.
He believed the ordinance would be another work-in-progress because
one had not been done before. His main concern was not to front-load
it, resulting in directing the working group as to what should be
done. There needed to be enough flexibility to let the folks in
the neighborhood, who knew something about it, make it happen.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Eakins absent.
COUNCIL MATTERS
17. Council Comments, Questions, and Announcements
Council Member Wheeler said she and Mayor Huber would prepare a staff
report to be placed on the agenda for the Monday, June 9, 1997, City
Council Meeting regarding the prospect of an election for the
Stanford Sand Hill Corridor Projects for the November ballot.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m. in honor of the birth
of Vice Mayor Andersen’s grandson.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor
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