HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-12-07 City Council Summary Minutes Special Meeting December 7, 1999 1. Joint Meeting with the City Manager Recruiting Committee re Public Employee Appointment...........................89-231 2. Public Employee Appointment...........................89-231 ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.............89-232 1. PUBLIC HEARING: The City Council will review the South of Forest Area (SOFA) Coordinated Area Plan and the adequacy of the associated Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)89-232 2. Conference with Real Property Negotiator..............89-234 ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m............89-235
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The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers at 6:00 p.m. PRESENT: Eakins, Fazzino, Huber, Kniss (arrived at 6:15 p.m.), Mossar, Ojakian, Rosenbaum (arrived at 6:05 p.m.), Schneider, Wheeler City Manager Recruiting Committee PRESENT: Beecham, Burch, Kleinberg (arrived at 6:05 p.m.), Lytle SPECIAL MEETING 1. Joint Meeting with the City Manager Recruiting Committee re Public Employee Appointment CLOSED SESSION
Members of the public may speak to the Closed Session item(s); three minutes per speaker. 2. Public Employee Appointment Title: City Manager Authority: Government code section 54957 The City Council met in Closed Session to discuss matters involving public employee appointment as described in Agenda Item No. 2. Mayor Fazzino announced that no reportable action was taken on Agenda Item No. 2. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
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Special Meeting December 7, 1999 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers at 7:18 p.m. PRESENT: Eakins, Fazzino, Kniss, Rosenbaum, Schneider, Wheeler ABSENT: Huber, Mossar, Ojakian UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. PUBLIC HEARING: The City Council will review the South of Forest Area (SOFA) Coordinated Area Plan and the adequacy of the associated Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). The City Council will consider directing staff on the preparation of a resolution with appropriate findings for the FEIR and an implementing ordinance to adopt the SOFA Coordinated Area Plan. The City Council will also review the SummerHill Homes proposal within the Plan area in order to consider whether to endorse that plan and direct the preparation of a development Agreement with SummerHill Homes. The City Council will also consider direction on City participation in the implementation of the Plan including the acquisition of parkland, land for an affordable housing site, a financing package and direction to staff on a possible Budget Amendment Ordinance. (continued from 12/6/99) Council Members Huber, Mossar, and Ojakian did not participate in the item due to conflicts of interest. Mayor Fazzino announced that the Council would hear public comment from the remaining speakers and then recess into the Closed Session. Further, the Council would continue the item for discussion to the Council meeting of December 13, 1999. City Manager June Fleming said a public hearing was scheduled for Monday, December 20, 1999 on the issue of weed abatement. Mark Sabin, 4274 Wilkie Way, #C, spoke about the insufficiencies of young families with a combined income of $100,000 to buy a home in Palo Alto. Many people in the community viewed the South of Forest Avenue (SOFA) Coordinated Area Plan (CAP) as an opportunity to live in Palo Alto rather than moving to the East Bay. Palo Alto was not just a City with great homes, great schools, and great participation, but the spirit of a community that knew there had to be a reasonable solution to the problems it faced. Whatever the solution, he hoped it was more inclusive than exclusive. Kurt Borgwardt, 807 Waverley Street, suggested if the City sold
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Scott Park, that it be made into a cul de sac. The same could be done for Kipling Avenue. Any large development as proposed by SummerHill Homes (SHH) should not be fenced away from the community but be more inclusive with the rest of the neighborhood with no fences or gates. Traffic calming should be defined with more quantitative criteria such as the noise level of adjoining streets or speed of an average car on adjoining streets. The SOFA CAP Floor Area Ratio (FAR) was preferred to the SHH proposal. The park would be better situated bordering Waverley Street. He agreed with a former speaker about the shape of the park, preferring to avoid a long, narrow park. John Feldmeier, 942 Waverley Street, said the school system would be affected by the number of new units. The overall look of the
complex, particularly in Block ΑB,≅ was important. The very massive proposal was not in the character of the existing neighborhood. Twenty units less would not make a big difference in the community. Don Fitton, 821 Waverley Street, spoke about the history of the need for the CAP and said the process was appreciated in the neighborhood. SHH was appreciated for the way it came into the neighborhood to discuss what was being considered. A creative solution was possible for the problem. The design of the block building seemed monolithic and was more appropriate located near the railroad tracks rather than in the heart of the City and on the way into Professorville. Commissioner Litsie Indergand, 336 Ely Place, member of the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and the Affordable Housing Subcommittee said the HRC was not given an opportunity to discuss the SOFA CAP and, therefore, had no position. The HRC would probably support the plan as presented in June 1999. Marlene Prendergast, an expert on building affordable housing, had made significant comments the previous evening. She urged the Council to return to the June 1999 plan. Irvin Dawid, 753 Alma Street, #126, said five and seven-story buildings could remain in character with the neighborhood; character was based on design, not size. He urged the Council to allow for more density than many of his neighbors desired. Crowding was essentially people per room, but density was units per acre. The area of Queens in New York was currently faced a serious crowding problem because the area saw huge numbers of immigrants in single-family homes. The infrastructure was unable to accommodate more people. Density added to the vibrancy of the area. He urged the Council to retain open space. Russell C. Phillips, representative of the Channing House Residents Association, 850 Webster Street, #620, was sympathetic toward the goal of calming the traffic on Homer and Channing Avenues. The Working Group (WG) expected traffic to slow with a two-way flow
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because of Αconflicts≅ with cars turning maneuvers. He agreed with seeking other alternatives to the two-way traffic flow. Steve Player, Channing House Board Member, 1874 Guinda Street, supported the other speakers urging the City to seek alternatives others than the two-way conversion on Homer and Channing Avenues to calm traffic. John Fredrich, 1565-B West Dana Street, Mountain View, was a former resident of Palo Alto who lived in public housing for many years in the Terman Project and supported affordable housing, particularly for teachers, public employees, and emergency staff. He was concerned with the combination of housing proposed and whether or not the process and procedures were in place to effectively accomplish the aims at such a late date. If reduction in the amount of parkland was needed, a surcharge for single-family houses being built was a good way to raise the money. An aggressive use of zoning policies was advocated to protect public purposes. The vision to accomplish the greatest number of aims was lacking, recommending caution. Stephanie Muñoz, 101 Alma Street, was concerned with the wasting of facilities, land, open space, beauty, and history that other people
could and would enjoy. She suggested Block ΑB≅ be made into a park with a garage underneath. Mayor Fazzino closed the public hearing. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Herb Borock, P.O. Box 632, spoke about the Closed Session. RECESSED TO A CLOSED SESSION AT 8:00 P.M. 2. Conference with Real Property Negotiator Authority: Government Code section 54956.8 Property: Up to approximately 2.04 acres located within the boundaries of Waverley and Ramona Streets and Homer and
Channing Avenues, including the ΑRoth≅ Building located at 300 Homer Avenue. Potential Negotiating Parties: Palo Alto Medical Foundation and SummerHill Homes Subject of Potential Negotiation: Price and terms of payment (continued from 12/6/99) The City Council met in Closed Session to discuss matters involving public employee appointment as described in Agenda Item No. 2.
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Mayor Fazzino announced that no reportable action was taken on Agenda Item No. 2. MOTION TO CONTINUE: Vice Mayor Wheeler moved, seconded by Kniss, to continue Item No. 1 to the Council Meeting of December 13, 1999. (Public Testimony Closed) MOTION TO CONTINUE PASSED 6-0, Huber, Mossar, Ojakian absent. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor NOTE: Sense minutes (synopsis) are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code Sections 2.04.180(a) and (b). The City Council and Standing Committee meeting tapes are made solely for the purpose of facilitating the preparation of the minutes of the meetings. City Council and Standing Committee meeting tapes are recycled 90 days from the date of the meeting. The tapes are available for members of the public to listen to during regular office hours.
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