HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-06-13 City Council Summary MinutesCITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL ME ETINGSARE BROADCAST LIVE VIA ICZSU- FREOUENCY90.! ON FM DIAL
Regular Meeting
June 13, 1988
ITEM
Oral Communications
Approval of Minutes
Consent Calendar
PAGE
60-109
60-109
60-109
1. Contract with West Valley Construction 60-110
Company, Inc. for a Utility Trench and
Substructure --Park Boulevard to Hansen
Way
2. Contract with Martinez Bay Cal Construc-
tion, Incorporated for Various Traffic
Improvements in the Midtown Area
4. Ordinance 3816 Amending the Budget for
Fiscal Year 1987-88 to Provide an
Additional Appropriation, for the Thermal
Insulation Program of the Gas Utility from
the Gas System Improvement Reserve
5. Council Members Renzel and Fletcher re
Endorsement: San Francisco Bay -Delta
Estuary Protections
60-110
60-110
60-110
6. PUBLIC HEARING: Assessments for 60-115
University Avenue Area and California
Avenue Area Parking Bonds
7 Finance and Public Works Committee Recom-
mendation re Negotiations of a Contract
with Waste Management Incorporated for
Long -Term Disposal Capacity at Kirby
Canyon Landfill in San Jose
8. Council Members Bechtel and Woolley re
Overnight Parking of Recreational
Vehicles
60-119
60-122
Ad)ournment at 9:25 p.m. 60-123
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6/13/88
Regular Meeting
Monday, June 13, 1988
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date
in the Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Avenue, at 7:37 p.m.
PRESENT: Bechtel, Cobb (arrived at 8:05 n.m.),
Fletcher, Klein, Patitucci (arrived at 7:50
p.m.), Renzel, Sutorius, Woolley
ABSENT: Levy
Mayor Sutorius announced that a Special Meeting with the
Visual Arts Jury was held at. 6 20 p.m. in the Council
Conference Room.
GRAL COMMUNICATIONS
1. Ben Bailey, 171 Everett, spoke regarding his right to
know how many complaints received by the Police
Department resulted in disciplinary actions, and the
fact that 18 weeks had elapsed since his original
request.
2, Saskia Boissevain, 410 Cambridge Avenue, announced that
"Mayfield Days," would be held the following weekend.
It was the California Avenue Art and Wine Festival to
re-establish the identity of the area as the Mayfield
Village or the Mayfield District. She thanked Council
Member Fletcher and Mayor Sutorius for their help in the
preparation process.
3. Edmund Power, 2254 Dartmouth Street, spoke regarding the
destruction of the Yacht Harbor and the Sea Scout
facility and Palo Alto City Council accountability.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
'NOTION: Council Member Bechtel moved, seconded by Klein,
approval of the Minutes of lay 16, 1988, as submitted.
NOTION PASS= unanimously, Cobb, Levy absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
NOTION: Council Member Fletcher moved. seconded by ,Erin,
approval of the Consent Calendar, with Item 3 removed by
staff.
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Council Member Patitucci asked to be recorded as voting "no"
on Items 2 and 4.
1. CONTRACT WITH WEST VALLEY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF A UTILITY TRENCH AND SUBSTRUCTURE -PARK
BOULEVARD TO HAN ENS WAY (CMR:307:8) (1101)
Staff is further authorized to execute change orders to the
contract in the amount of $19,800.
2. CONTRACT WITH MARTINEZ BAY CAL CONSTRUCTION, INCOR-
PORATED FOR VARIOUS TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MIDTOWN
AREA (CMR:306:8) (1041-09)
Staff is further authorized to execute change orders to the
contract up to $2,500.
4. ORDINANCE 3816 entitled 'ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR 1987-88 TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR
THE THERMAL INSULATION PROGRAM OF THE GAS UTILITY FROM
THE GAS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT RESER E6 (CMR:309:8)
(701-03/1110)
MOTION PASSED unanimously, Patitucci voting "no," on Items
2 and 4, Cobb, Levy absent.
5. COUNCIL MEMBERS RENZEL AND FLETCHER RE ENDORSEMENT: SAN
FRANCISCO BAY -DELTA ESTUARY PROTECTIONS (CMR:313:8j
X01-04/1041-02) (Continued from 6/6/88)
MOTIONS Council Member Renzel moved, seconded by
Fletcher, approval of the resolution.
RESOLUTION 6698 entitled `RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ENDORSING THE SAN
FRANCISCO BAY -DELTA ESTUARY PROTECTIONS"
Council Member Renzel said stafi did not raise any concerns
regarding the support of standards that protected all bene-
ficial uses of the San Francisco -Bay Delta. She referred to
the clause in the resolution where the City of Palo Alto
urged the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt water
quality standards that assured the protection of the Estuary
before increased diversions or exports were considered. She
understood that meant until standards were established, the
State Water Resources Control ao&rrd would not prejudice the
outcome of the standard setting by approving new structures
and other means of d€version: beyond what currently occurred.
Staff expressed concern that the clause proposed to limit
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6/13/88
the water exports and diversions out of the Delta, ¶which was
true but only until the Delta protection standards were
adopted. Staff also suggested the possibility of a conflict
with evidence presented to the State Water Resources Control
Board, but the City's testimony, presented through the
Suburban Water User's Association, the non -San Francisco
Retch hetchy users, related to present and projected demand
or use for water within each of the jurisdictions. It did
not address other diversions. Staff believed it was pre-
mature to adopt the resolution, but she believed it was the
->roper time to address the water standards. The biggest
impacts on water standards were the diversions to Southern
California and what might happen during the Bay -Delta
process to prejudice the standard setting process. About a
year ago, a staff report responded to several pieces of
legislation to build water structures prior to the end of
the standard setting process. The report indicated it was
in Palo Alto's bests interests to oppose any water legisla-
tion that would affect the normal outcome of the Say -Delta
Water Quality hearings. She did not believe the resolution
was inconsistent with the basic concept that they were
trying to set standards to protect the health and vitality
of the Bay and the Delta without making major changes in the
interim that would bias the process. She did not believe it
was detrimental to the City's interests to support high -
quality standards for the Bay. Many cities and counties
supported the standards. No amount of clean water going
through the pipeline would compensate the City if there was
a murky and dead bay. Whether water was taken up or down
stream, if staff's scenario of having to take Delta water
was clear, the amount of water would affect salinity and it
was highly unlikely that the State Water Resources Control
Board would make major changes in the Retch Hetchy alloca-
tion which was about 1.7 percent of the diversions. It was
fairly speculative to expect there would be a major change
to the Hetch Hetchy system, but the resolution only
addressed the period of time until the standards were set,
which conformed with the court decision that said standards
must be independent of the water rights process. She asked
if staff had any additional information to present.
Director of Utilities Richard Young said the staff's
greatest concern was that the City not get into a battle
over legislation that might force the City into an uncom-
fortable position. Staff was concerned about the fore-
closing options before they were explored. The last
'Resolve' clause in the resolution put a priority on the
adoptiyn of water quality standards before consideration of
their usefulness,_ what the impacts would be, and any
applicable restrictions. Staff proposed that portion of the
resolution be modified or eliminated.
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Vice Mayor Klein said the proposed resolution referred to
increased diversions or exports being considered, and staff
comments implied the resolution referred to present
diversions or exports.
Mr. Young was concerned there was no definition of what the
baseline was in order to deter:mine where the increased
diversion would apply.
Council Member Renzel understood that over the last ten
years the Hetch Hetchy users had used 250,000 to 260,000
acre feet of water and the capacity of the system was on the
order of 300,000 acre feet. The resolution asked the State
Board not to consider any increased diversions or exports
prior to setting its standards. When there were year-to-
year fluctuations in the City's use of the Hetch Hetchy
water, she asked what triggered the need for an additional
permit or review by the State Water Resources Board.
Mr. Young said as far as he knew the only issue that would
trigger such an act would be the need to go above the
allowed capacity.
Council Member Renzel said the City was below the allowed
capacity and as long as it did not exceed approximately
300,000 acre feet, and need to build additional structures
or make some physical modification to the delivery system,
the State Board would not be considering those changes.
Mr. Young agreed, but others could construe it to mean
literally where the water capacity was at today.
Council Member Renzel said the proposed resolution was
directed at the Phase One hearings which set standards.
Phase Two determined potential water rights allocations, and
Phase Three revoewed the environmental impact of any changes
to the allocations of the water rights. She did not believe
Palo Alto was prejudicing itself by saying it wanted to have
a healthier Bay.
Mr. Young said the issue of establishing the standards with
the conditions as indicated in the resolution would preju-
dice the other side where determination was made of rights
and uses.
Council MLgiber Woolley asked if the last lino of the
"Resolve" clause was amended to read, "...before diversions
to new destinations...", would solve staff's concern.
Mr. Young said that had some potential.
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Peter Steinhart, 717 Addison Avenue, representing the
Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation, said the Board of
Directors endorsed the proposed resolution several weeks
ago. The Board was concerned about the declining Bay -Delta
water quality, Staff's objections centered around the
possibility that standards could reduce the amount of Hetch
detchy water that came into Palo Alto. The resolution asked
the Board to set some standards that applied to new
diversions; not to existing ones. The San Francisco Chamber
of Commerce and the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
endorsed the resolution. Palo Alto should endorse the
resolution because it could be its last chance for a while
to set bay water quality standards. It took the State Board
ten years after the resolution -calling for the study to get
around to holding a hearing. It was in the City's best
interests for Council to support the resolution.
Kristina Wood, 16655 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, was a
biologist at Syntex Corporation, and Chairperson of the
Water Resources Committee, Loma Prieta Chapter, Sierra Club.
The shores of the San Francisco Bay -Delta estuary were the
largest in North or South America, and should be the source
of one of the largest shrimp fisheries in the country.
There were a few surviving shrimp fisheries in the Alameda
area, but they were always concerned aoout mercury, lead,
cadmium, etc. showing up in the shrimp. Some of the heavy
metals were neurotoxins which destroyed the nervous systems
and many accumulated in the brain. Some of the highest
levels of silver ever recorded in clams were found in East
Palo Alto. The latest study by the National Marine
Fisheries in Tiburon found that one-third of the more than
3,000 striped bass that they sampled in the Delta weze dead.
Of the remaining two-thirds, one-third had cancerous tumors.
A concurrent study of the East River in New York City,
showed the striped bass were far more toxic. The City of
Palo Alto poured toxic metals into the Bay, in fact applied
for an exemption as part of the South Bay Dischargers
Association to increase its discharge by 25 percent. She
urged Council to support the resolution.
John Mock, 736 Barran Avenue, supported the resolution, and
concurred with Council Member Renzel's remarks. The staff
report (CMR:313:8) stated, "The resolution proposes to limit
water exports and diversions out of the Delta.' He dis-
agreed. The resolution discussed protection of Bay
"...before increased diversions or exports are considered."
Also, staff's objection to the resolution centered around
the possibility that should standards be set, they could
reduce the amount of . Hetch Hetchy water that came into Palo
Alto. The objection was unfounded. In summary, he urged
Council's support for the resolution.
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6/13/88
AMENDMENT: Vice Mayor Klein moved, seconded by Woolley,
to amend the second "Resolve" clause, to read: "AND, BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Palo Alto urges the State
Water Resources Control Board to adopt water quality
standards that assure the protection of the Estuary before
new diversions or exports programs are considered.
AMENDMENT INCORPORATED INTO MAIN MOTION
Council Member Fletcher urged adoption of the motion as
revised. It was clear that the City's water supply would
not be jeopardized by the resolution. The maintenance of
the flushing action of the water that ran into the Bay was
very important to the South Bay as well as people in the
Delta. With substantially increased diversions cr exports,
people would suffer greatly from the increased toxic metals
which were discharged into the South Bay. The League of
Women Voters, Association of Bay Area Government, and Save
the Bay Association also endorsed the resolution, and it was
important for Palo Alto to be on record in support.
Council Member Renzel said there was language in both
Senator Ayala's and Assemblyman Costa's bills to add some
new structures in order to increase diversions under the
existAng programs, and she did not want that to occur. She
queried whether the modification to the resolution allowed
an opportunity to add more structures.
Mayor Sutorius said it was the Council's resolution and
therefore, its interpretation of the language was that it
would not allow additional structures.
Council Member Renzel suggested adding the words "permits
for" prior to the wording "for new diversions or exports
programs," because a permit was needed for any kind of
structure.
THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE MAIN
NOTION THAT THE SECOND RESOLVE CLAUSE READ! AND, BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY OF PALO ALTO URGES THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD TO ADOPT WATER QUALITY
STANDARDS THAT ASSURE THE PROTECTION or THE ES7''5ARY BEFORE
?UNITS FOR MEW DIVERSIONS OR =PORT PROGRAMS ARE
CONSIDERED.
Mayor Sutorius said it was important for the City to express
itself given the extremely long duration of the study and
the phases attached thereto. He felt there would be
analyses, evidence, testimony, and effective critiquing and
evaluation to influence the final decision and not just the
adoption of the resolution.
60'114
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MOTION PASSED unanimously, Levy absent.
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS: ASSESSMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY AVENUE AREA
AND CALIFORNIA AVENUE AREA PARKING BONDS (CMR:304:8)
(710-04/410-02/410-03)
Mayor Sutorius said it was the time and place set for the
public hearing on the Parking Assessment Rolls for the
following projects:
California Avenue Parking Garage Project No. 65-09
California Avenue Area Off -Street Parking Project No.
71-63
University Avemtle Civic Center Parking Project No.
66-08
University Avenue Off -Street Parking Project No. 75-63
University Avenue Lot J Parking Garage Project No.
82-33
California Avenue Keystone Parking Project No. 86-01
The City Engineer had caused to be prepared and filed with
the City Clerk a report providing for the levying of special
assessments within the parking assessments districts created
and established for the projects and under the resolutions
ot intention that were covered in each of the projects. The
report set forte the amounts of assessments proposed to be
levied for the fiscal year 1988-89. The assessments would
be used to pay principal and interest on the bonds issued on
the various projects. The report was an had been open for
public inspection. The purpose of the hearing was to allow
the Council to hear all persons having an interest an any
real property within the parking assessment districts; to
hear all objections, protests, and other written communica-
tions from any such interested persons; to take and receive
oral and documentary evidence pertaining to the matters con-
tained.in the filed report; to remedy and correct any errors
or informality in the report; and to amend, alter, modify,
and correct and confirm the report and each of the assess-
ments therein.
Mayor Sutorius asked the City Clerk if she had received any
written protests.
City Clerk Gloria Young said no.
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Mayor Sutorius declared the Public Hearing open.
Ariel Basse, 555 Glenwood Avenue, Menlo Park, spoke on
behalf of Casa Olga, located at 180 Hamilton Avenue, and was
ccncerned about its assessment. The owners received a
notice that they would have to pay approximately $17,700 for
FY 1988-89. He felt that was an outrageous sum of money for
a facility that did not generate any parking spaces. The
Casa Clga facility should be classified as a residential
facility, and not taxed through the assessment. Casa Olga
had 77 patient rooms, and approximately 120 patients
residing in the facility. If there had been kitchens in the
individual patient rooms, the project would have qualified
as a residential facility and would have been exempt from
the assessment. There was a centralized dining facility,
and no need for individual kitchens. The residents were
almost all elderly and infirm. He asked the City Council to
exempt Casa Olga, and classify it as a residential facility
and therefore exempt from the assessment payments.
Council Member Bechtel asked ebout C.isa Olga's assessment
last year.
Mr. Basse assumed the amount was close to what was
proposed.
Mayor Sutorius asked staff to coiment regarding 130 Hamilton
Avenue.
Assistant Planning Official George Zimmerman said the
assessment was quite similar to last year. - The original
building permit was issued for a hotel.
Mr. Basse said it was correct that Casa O1,ga was built under
o hotel classification. If the City wanted to maintain the
continuity of the permit, the assessment on the hotel would
not be for 200 cars. The assessment according to the City's
ordinance would provide for one space per . room and given the
72 rooms, the assessment would be for 72 cars as opposed to
200.
Mr. Zimmerman said the assessment was based on total floor
area and it was only where the credit applied that it was
based on the parking requirements. The CD regulations were
approved in August, 1986. The parking requirement was a
flat rate of one space per 250 square feet of floor area,
Mayer Sutorius confirmed that any on -site parking regardless
of the usage would ow deducted from the floor area cAlcula -
t Mores .
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Mr. Zimmerman answered yes.
Vice Mayor Klein asked what would happen if the owners of
Casa Olga relinquished their hotel permit and applied for
some other form of occupancy permit.
Mr. Zimmerman said under the current regulations if the
owners wished Casa Olga to be classified as a group of
residential units in a multiple -family structure, then the
owners would have to provide kitchens in the units. A pro-
vision in the Zoning Ordinance required that if Casa Olga
became a residential facility, and then wished at some later
point to convert back to commercial, the current parking
regulations in the CD District would require full provision
of on -site parking.
Mr. Basse asked that Casa Olga be exempted from the perking
assessment district on the basis that it was a residential
facility and not a commercial enterprie.
City Attorney Diane Northway said if the Council was inter-
ested in pursuing any of the ideas that Mr. Basse mentioned,
the only appropriate way to do so would be to rezone the
property, which could not be done as part of the procedure
that evening. The action would be prospective.
Council Member Renzel asked how many employees were at Casa
Olga.
Mr. Basse said there were approximately 15 employees during
any one shift.
Norman Rosenblatt, 520 Cowper, was a general partner of the
Garden Court. He was not aware the assessment was calcu-
lated strictly on the basis of square footage. Given the
four uses at 520 Cowper, e.g., the hotel, restaurant and
businesses, there was a total assessment for 264 spaces
minus the 64 the hotel provided itself, which he believed
was extremely unfair. The hotel only had 61 rooms and only
43 percent of the guests arrived in cars.
Council Member Renzel asked if there was a charge for
parking at the hotel.
Mr. Rosenblatt said yea. The charge was $5 a night for
hotel guests.
Council Member Renzel asked how many employees there were.
Mr. .Rosenblatt said there were approximately 7f employees.
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Mayor Sutorius declared the Public Hearing closed.
Senior Engineer Jamey Harrington said since the filing of
the assessment roll with the City Clerk in mid -May, staff
had received and investigated -several inquiries, and six of
the properties were identified in Exhibit F, and in
addition, there were two additional changes which were
identified in Addenda *6. Staff formerly submitted the
changes to the City Clerk for inclusion in the amended roll
to be included in the resolutions confirming the Engineer's
Report for the parking assessment districts.
MOTION: Council Member Bechtel mowed, seconded ty
Rcnzel, approval of the resolutions as amended with the
revisions to the assessment rolls.
RESOLUTION 6699 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - CALIFORNIA
AVENUE PARKING GARAGE PROJECT NO. 65-09 FOR FISCAL
YEAR 1988-89"
RESOLUTION 6700 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - CALIFORNIA
AVENIM OFF-STREET PARKING PROJECT NO. 71-63 FOR
FISCAL YEAR 1988-89"
RESOLUTION 6701 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - UNIVERSITY
AV UE .IVIC CENTER PARKING PROJECT NO., 66-08 FOR
FISCAL YEAR 1988-89'
RESOLUTION 6702 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - UNIVERSITY
AVENUE AREA OFF-STREET PARKING PROJECT NO. 75-63
FOR FISCAL YEAR 1980?89"
RESOLUTION 6703 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - UNIVERSITY
AVENUE LOT J PARKING GARAGE PROJECT NO. 82-33 FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR 1988-89*
RESOLUTION 6708 entitled *RESOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO CONFIRMING
ENGINEER'S REPORT AND ASSESSMENT ROLL - CALIFORNIA
AVENUE KEYSTONE LOT PARKING PROJECT NO. 86-01 FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR 1988-89*
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Council Member Cobb asked staff if there weLe any other
situations similiar to Casa Olga where }here was a disparity
between the amount of parking generated and the size of the
assessment.
Mr. Zimmerman said there were no similiar uses to Casa Olga
in the assessment district within the CD District Downtown.
MOTION PASSED unanimously, Levy absent.
7. FINANCE AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIO1 RE
AUTHORIZING STAFF TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS OF A CONTRACT
WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED FOR LONG-TERM
DISPOSAL CAPACITY AT KIRBY CANYON LANDFILL IN SAN JOSE
(CMR:296:8) (1072)
Council Member Patitucci said the item came before the City
Council on May 16, and the Council discussed whether to
grant the staff the authority to negotiate the contract
under the guidelines proposed in their memorandum
(CMR:279:8). The item was referred to the Finance and
Public Works (F&PW) Committee and its task was to evaluate
the methodology and the information used by staff to
determine if in fact the decision had been made in an
acceptable manner. The F&PW Committee reviewed the
methodology, heard from the contractors dealing with only
the significant points.
MOTION: Council Member Patitucci for the F&PW Committee
moved that the City Council authorize staff to begin
negotiations of a contract with Waste Management
Incorporated for long-term disposal capacity at Kirby Canyon
Landfill in San Jose under the guidelines presented in the
staff report of May 12, 1988 (CMR:279:8) , attached to the
staff report of May 26, 1988 (CMR:296:8 )
LETTER OF INTENT FOR LONG-TERM DISPOSAL
OF SOLID WASTE FROM NORTH COUNTY CITIES
Council Member Patitucci pointed out the authorization to
negotiate would be in combination with two other
communities --Sunnyvale and Mountain View, which constituted
three of the seven communities in the county that were
looking at a waste management solution. Three of the com-
munities were leaning towards Waste Management and the four
others were leaning towards BFI.
Vice Mayor Klein said although the City of Mountain View's
City Manager Bruce Liedstrand had recommended the City
contract kith Waste Management Incorporated, their City
Council had not made that final decision.
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City Manager Bill Zaner said the Mountain View City Council
would meet the next day on that particular item.
Vice Mayor Klein referred to Council Member Pa titucci's
remarks at the F&PW Committee, and asked if he would want to
reconsider if Mountain dew's City Council decided not to go
forward with Waste Management Incorporated.
Council Member. Patitucci said it would be a reason for the
City Council to take another look at the proposed con-
tract3r, but he did not think it was a reason not to act on
the item that evening.
Council Member Cobb asked if Palo Alto staff would change
its view if the Mountain view staff decided to go in the
other direction.
Mr. Zaner said the real question was whether it would change
the costs proposed by Waste Management. If Waste Management
held its prices and proposal, then the staff would be in the
same position. If, however, one of the members dropped out
for whatever reason, and Waste Managemnt found it necessary
to revise its package, then staff would need to look at
that.
Council Member Woolley asked about BFI's suggestion that
Palo Alto build its own transfer station.
Director of Public Works David Adams said the option as
presented by BFI included other cities. Staff previously
looked at the aspects of a transfer station, and concluded
it was not practical because of the economy of scale.
Mayor Sutorius referred to the economy of scale, and asked
if the transfer station would be used for Palo Alto's waste
stream only.
Mr. Adams said that was correct, and that was BFI's proposal
also.
Mr. Zaner said it was important to remember that in an
effort to solve what amounted to a region -wide problem, a
number of alternatives were reviewed, one of which was a
transfer station in Palo Alto. In the first go around, Palo
Alto offered to host a transfer station at the north end of
the county. and have another transfer station somewhere
around Sunnyvale or Santa Clara. As other communities made
decisions about where they wanted to go, it made less sense
to have a transfer station at the north end of the county.
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6/13/88
David Gavrich, 55, Almaden Boulevard, San Jose, was the
Director of Resource Recovery end Recyling for BFI. He said
there culd still be regional cooperation by lining up a
disposal capacity together and tailor how the material got
to the facility. He said a month ago that a $40,000 savings
was being overlooked in the analysis. Staff presented its
report to the F&PW Committee, and BFI's analysis of the
report found the $40 million error. Staff felt there were
inconsistencies in BFI's transportation numbers, but BFI's
staff felt there was a $40 million gap. The irony was even
if the transportation numbers in the staff report were
accurate, .A would make a very strong argument for not
shifting Palo Alto's waste to the City of Sunnyvale for 30
years, and it would make a strong argument for maintaining
control in Palo Alto. The proposal that was before the
Council was a terrific deal, but it was a terrific deal for
Sunnyvale. He urged the Counci: to take a long hard look at
the other alternative for transferring from the Palo Alto.
Tim Flanagan, 2099 Gateway Place, Suite 200, San Jose,
represented Waste Management Incorporated. He said the
issues was not new, and had been under review since 1976
when the City first formed a Joint Powers Agency (JPA) to
begin an investigation for long-term disposal capac.�.:.y.
Waste Management had several attractive proposals for the
City of Palo Alto. Kirby Canyon was an environmental state-
of-the-art landfill and was constructed in 1986. The
landfill design had minimal or no ground water underneath
the site fat potential -contamination. Kirby Canyon also had
24 million tons of capacity available for the cities of Palo
Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale. One of the major bene-
fits that would come. out of the proposal with Waste
Management was that the more recycling of materials that
took place, the greater the benefits would be to the parti-
cipating cities. The City of Palo Alto was only committed
to move its garbage to the City of Sunnyvale, and then it
was Waste Management's obligation to take the garbage to
Kirby Canyon. He felt the City would get a strong environ-
mental commitment from Waste Management Incorporated. There
was an extremely rigorous enforcement within the company to
ensure compliance with state and local regulations. If the
City of Mountain View did have a problem complying with the
proposal, Waste Management, Incorporated would make sure
that the same price was maintained for Palo Alto and
Sunnyvale.
Mr. Zaner clarified the so-called "royalties" the City of
Sunnyvale would collect were payments to help awortize the
cost of the land that Sunnyvale would contribute to the
project. Palo Alto would continue to have substantial
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control over the refuse. The compost area would remain
open, the recycling center would remain open or the City
could take advantage of , the offer Mr. Flanagan alluded to,
and more importantly, the residents would still have access
to the Palo Alto landfill at all times. The landfill would
not close, but staff wculd be gearing the landfill down
which would extend its life substantially. Having a trans-
fer station in the community was a two-edged sword.
Mountain View had assessed an inconvenience fee against the
cities that were :,sing its dump. It was not entirely with-
out some benefit that the transfer station was being placed
somewhere else.
Council Member Cobb referred to the comment by Mr. Gavrich
with respect to a $40 million cost.
Superintendent of Field Operations, Mike Miller, said when
staff assessed the costs, they took the current costs and
prorated theca given the mileage and hours. When staff cal-
culated the costs, they rolled in everything that could
potentially increase the costs over time. In order to
verify the costs, staff looked at a number of different
reports, scenarios and calculations. The City of Santa
Clara's staff report showed average costs for a seven mile
one-way or fourteen mile round trip to Newby Island ranged
between $7 and $13 a ton. Based on information from the
other cities, information generated internally, and the
BFI's model, staff felt that the costs they projected were
accurate.
NOTION PASSED unanis+ou.:ly, Levy absent.
8. COUNCIL MEMBERS BETSY BECHTEL AND GAIL WOOLLEY RE
OVERNIGHT PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES (10 6)
Council Member Woolley said in 1981 the issue of banning
overnight parking was before the City Council. Council's
action limited the overnight parking ban to recreational and
commercial vehicles, which wart.* defined in the code. More
recently Council tightened up the ordinance in relation to
commercial vehicles. She and Council Member Bechtel
believed the ordinance needed to be tightened even more in
relationship to recreation vehicles. For commercial vehi-
cles, there was no hardship provision; but for recreational
vehicles, there was a hardship provision which said if a
resident did not Pave a place to park the vehicle on his or
her property, the resident could apply for a permit to park
on the street at a cost of $20 per year. She felt it was
reasonable to have some hardship provision, but a permit
parking place at $20 a year on the _street was too generus.
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MOTIOfi TO REFER: Council Pember Woolley moved, seconded
by Bechtel, to refer the revision of the hardship provision
of the overnight parking of recreational vehicles to the
Policy and Procedures Committee; and that after August 1,
1988, staff be directed to issue permits for a maximum of
four months.
Council Member Woolley said staff had the discretion to
issue a permit for any period up to one year. She suggested
the period for next year be limited to four months with the
idea that Council would have taken some action by that
time.
John Mock, 736 Barron Avenue, suggested Council be very
careful about restrictions on overnight parking particularly
in RM zones. The 3800 pounds unladen weight might be a good
legal definition, but it was hard to understand. Clearly, a
large recreational vehicle was a blight in a residential
neighborhood, but the term "recreational" vehicle was not
clearly distinguished between Winnebago -type vehicles and
conventional passenger -type vehicles that have been adap�ed
for camping purposes. In particular, the City should not
discriminate against residents in rental units where off-
street parking was limited and where compact only parking
spaces were available. Those residents should not have to
go to City Hall two or three times a year to get a parking
permit to enjoy what the affluent resident,; enjoyed on a
routine basis. He did not want to see Palo Alto go any
further towards banning overnight parking.
MOTION PASSED un*nimously, Levy absent.
ADJOURNMENT
Council adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
ATTEST:
APPROVED:
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