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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-01-12 City Council Summary MinutesCITY COUNCIL MINUTES PALOALTO CITYCOUNCIL M EETINGSARE BROADCAST LIVE VIA KZSU- FREOUENCY9O.1 ON FM DIAL Regular Meeting January 12, 1987 ITEM Oral Communications Minutes of December 15, 1986 1. Presentation of Slides by Palo Alto Unified School District/Parent Teachers Association re School Finances PAGE 7 9 6 7 7 9 6 7 7 9 6 7 Consent Calendar 7 9 6 8 2. Resolution 6583 Expressing Appreciation to 7 9 6 8 Gilbert ,Joseph Barreiro Upon His Retirement 3. Resolution 6584 Expressing Appreciation to John 7 9 6 8 Robert Peterson Upon His Retirement 4. Resolution 6585 Expression Appreciation to 7 9 6 8 Victor Joseph Williams Upon His Retirement 5. Agreement with Loomis Armored Car, Inc., to 7 9 6 8 Provide Armored Transport Services for the City of Palo Alto 6. Contract with Safety Specialists, Inc., for 7 9 6 9 Disposal of Household Hazardous Wastes 7. Ordinance 3732 Amending the Budget for the 7 9 6 9 Fiscal Year 1986-87 to Establish and Provide an Additional Appropriation for the Library Division and to Provide for Receipt of Public Library Funds from Public Library Foundation and the State Library 8. PUBLIC HEARING: Resolution 6586 Ordering Weed 7 9 6 9 Nuisance Abated 7 9 6 5 1/12/87 ITEM PAGE 9. Solar Energy Program Modifications 7 9 6 9 10. Addition of Engineering Technician III (Solid 7 9 7 1 Waste Compliance Inspector) to Refuse Area Staff 11. Foothill£- Park Dam, Modified Site and Design 7 9 7 4 Review Application 12. Park Use and Overuse 7 9 7 7 Adjournment to Closed Session re Litigation at 7 9 8 8 10:40 p.m. Final Adjournment at 11:00 p.m. 7 9 8 8 r-. 7 9 6 6 1/12/87 Regular Meeting Monday, January 12, 1987 The City Council of the City. of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Avenue, at 7:30 p.m. PRESENT: Bechtel, Cobb, Fletcher, Levy, Patitucci, Rengel, Sutorius, Woolley ABSENT: Klein Mayor Woolley announced the need for a Closed Session re Litigation to discuss Century Federal v. City of Palo Alto, pur- suant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a) to be held after the meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. Van Aarem, 2155 Harvard Street, spoke regarding problems with the Adult/Masters Swim Schedule. 2. Ben Bailey, 455 Forest Avenue, spoke re ` Palo Alto Police Department complaints. 1 MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15L 1986 MOTION: Vice Mayor Sutorius moved, seconded by Cobb, approval of the Minutes of December 15, 1986, as submitted. MOTION PASSED unanimously, Klein absent. 1. PRESENTATION OF SLIDES BY PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRI.CT PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION RE SCHOOL FINANCES Mayor Woolley said the purpose of the slide presentation was to provide some background on the Palo Alto Unified School District's (PAUSD) financial problems and to suggest some alternatives. President of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) Council Trini Lbvercheck thanked Council for the opportunity to make the presen- tation. The PTA Council represented all the PTA units in all of the Palo Alto schools. The presentation was important to help inform the community about the PAUSD's present financial situa- tion. She introduced Debbie Myte:is. :. 7 9 6 7 1/12/87 The slide presentation reflected Palo Alto's reputation as a "lighthouse district." Ninety-nine percent of Palo Alto's stu- dents graduated from high school and eighty-seven percent went on to college. The PAUSD now spent more money per student than it took in. Previously, the deficit was covered by the sales of sur- plus property, but that source was becoming rapidly depleted. Since 1968, enrollment declined by one-half, and further declines in Palo Alto are predicted by the year 2005. Social changes and more single parent families require that more children's needs be addressed in a school setting, and school personnel report an increase of special needs, i.e., physical, emotional, and language development. Those needs cannot be met with the limited funds. Legislative and judicial changes require that equal funds be spent per pupil in all school districts across the state, and Proposition 13 substantially lowered property taxes available to local schools and severely restricted local voters' power to increase taxes. Palo Alto's assessed property values were such that the district now received more local tax income than State funds- but the State still limited the total -tax income the dis- trict received. Parents undertook fundraising activities, and last year raised about $250,000 to support science, math and com- puter labs, motor skills programs, arts presentations, and athletic events the district's budget could not cover. While Education Foundations could help PAUSD revitalize programs, it did not attempt to solve deficit problems. The school district needed community input. (For More detail, see "PAUSD - A District at Risk;" on file in the City Clerk's Office.) CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: Counc i l.e )r Levy moved, seconded by Bechtel, approval of the Consent Calendar. 2. RESOLUTION 6583 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL CITY OF PALO EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO GILBERT H EIRA UPON HIS RETIREMENT" (701-04) ALTO 3. RESOLUTION 6584 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL CITY OF PALO ALTO EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO JOHN PETERSON UPON HiS RETIREMENT O.1-04) OF THE JOSEPH 4. RESOLUTION 6585 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL CITY OF PALO ALTO EXPIesSING APPRECIATION TO VICTOR WILLIAMS UPON HIS RETIREMENT* (301-O4) OF THE ROBERT OF THE JOSEPH 5. AGREEMENT WITH LO iIS ARMORED CARS._ INC. TO PROVIDE ARMORED TRANSPORT SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF PKLO ALT CMR: 4:1TN 7 9 6 8 1/12/87 1 6. CONTRACT WITH SAFETY SPECIALISTS1 INC., FOR DISPOSAL OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES (1440-41) (CMR:107:7) Council further direcs: o Contract not to exceed $90,000; o Staff to seek state legislative immunity for liability associated with handling hazardous wastes; and o If either commercial liability insurance or legislative relief is not available, staff to analyze available alterna- tives and return to Council for a policy decision on con- tinuation . of the program. 7. ORDINANCE 3732 entitled "ORDIN1NCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1986-87 TO ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE LIBRARY DIVISION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RECEIPT OF PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION AND THE STATE LIBRARY" (CMR:106:7) (412-03) MOTION PASSED unanimously, Klein absent. 8. PUBLIC HEARING: RESOLUTION 6586 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO ORDERING WEED NUISANCE ABATED' (CMR:105:7) (1250-01) Mayor Woolley said notice of the hearing was given in the time, manner and form provided for in Chapter 8.08 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code. City Clerk Gloria Young said no written objections were received. Mayor Woolley declared the public hearing open. Receiving no requests .. from the public to speak, she declared the public hearing closed. NOTION; Couneilmember Cobb moved, seconds by SutoriusY approval a! Rselitutiest 4SUti a MOTION PASSED umanimau.Ay, Elgin absent. 9, SOLAR ENERG PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS (CMR:109s7) (1410-01) RESOLUTION 6587 entitled 'RESOLUTION 'OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OP P LO, ALTO AMENDING SCHEDULES E-1 AND E- OF THE CITY OF PALS U ILIT.TES, ATES AND CHARGES ..PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC SERVICE RATES" Councilmember Patitucci asked whether there were any cost savings associated with the program reduction. 7 9 6 9 1/12/87 Solar Program Coordinator Rick McClure said the savings were not yet quantified and would largely depend on public interest. Councilmember Fletcher asked about the rationale for eliminating the financing for solar heating of pools. Mr. McClure said staff rooked at ..solar. heating for swimming pools for many years, and most people could now install a solar system for a swimming pool and have a payback of between two and three years. When the question was first raised a couple of years ago, Council desired to move towards mandatory or necessary uses of solar energy rather than financing more recreational uses. Bob Moss, 4010 Orme, was among the first in Palo Alto to install solar panels for water and space heating and was coseeined about the proposal. He said important factors missing from the staff report were that the 55 percent tax credit had died; the payoff for solar depended largely on a combination of tax credits and reduced costs; and gas prices had stabilized and electricity costs not risen as much as projected. The dollar savings were signifi- cantly less, and it would take about twelve and one-half years at the current rate to pay off the system which cost over $4,700. Then 10 percent reduction in electric utilities continued 12 months a year, but the water heater savings were only significant for six onths a year. He was concerned that reducing the incentive 'could kill -the solar, industry in Palo Alto. He urged Council not to adopt any changes in the incentives to make it less economical to install solar panels, and specifically not to drop the 10 percent credit on the utility bills. Mr. McClure said staff appreciated installations such as Mr.. Moss' which were done at the start of the program. The price of solar systems at that time was significantly higher and the tax credits met a mandatory need to make the installations cost justified. Last year solar systems were installed for between $1,900 and $2,800 and tax credits were available. Staff could not justify maintaining a separate program unless the industry brought prices down in the line of approximately $1,000. Prices at present were attractive for a number but not the majority of customers. The basis for the rationale in cutting back the program was that covering the costs of fulltime staff could not be justified. He believed staff would recommend growth in the program again if solar system prices were to decrease in the near Suture. MOTION. Vice Mayor Sstori we moved, seconded by Pa t i tecc i , to adept staff recommendation that the ,Solar issrgy Program be tran- sitiomed into the City's residential/Snail 004sercial. Progrsa and authorise the modifications to the Solar saergy Program which are ostiiwe:d is the report, and to approve, I.soiwtion i5$7. MOTION PASSIM unanimously, Klein absent. 7 9 7 0 1/12/87 10. ADDITION OF ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN III (SOLID WASTE COMPLIANCE INSPECTOR) TO REFUSE AREA STAFF (CMR:103:7) (500)/, Director of Public Works David Adams said Palo Alto's landfill operated under a self -monitoring system which allowed the opportu- nity to save money and a great deal of capacity. The daily cover put on :he landfill if operated in the normal manner would amount to about 20 percent of total capacity. By properly monitoring various indicators at the landfill and carefully complying with water quality and solid waste regulations, the City could continue with the program. Because of changes in the program and inade- quate inspection, the City was put on notice by the State to improve the operation from a technical surveillance point of view. Staff reviewed other options but believed the only valid way to improve monitoring was to add staff. Vice Mayor Sutorius referred to consultant examination and advice as early as 1977 and to the Caulderon. legislation. He asked when did need become apparent and why the item was not forecasted in the current year's budget or could nnt he postponed until the 1987-88 budget. Mr. Adams said staff was alerted of the possible problem too late in the last fiscal year to add to the budget. In September staff increased the technical state and looked at the possibility of "trading off" a nontechnical for a technical position within the Refuse budget but fc find that would iennardi7P eeve y cash handling, and service to the public. By the time that possibiliti was rejected it was November. Staff did not believe it appropri- ate to delay any further. He noted the Caulderon legislation went into effect in September 1986. Councilmember Patitucci asked how many people were presently in the landfill operation dedicated to solid waste management. Superintendent of Field Operations Mike Miller said 14 people were on staff at the landfill area including the recycling programs. Councilmember. Patitucci asked if there was a way of temporarily meeting the requirement with existing staff and dealing with the matter as a budget item. He wanted to see the item returned to Finance and Public Works (F&PW) Committee, and preferably resub- mitted as part of the budget for the next year so Council could see the context of adding fen additional staff person. Councilmember Levy asked how long it would take to hire the person if the position was authorized Mr. Adams believed someone could be on board by February 1. 7 9 7 1 1/12/87 Councilmember Levy asked whether preliminary work i.e., adver- tising and interviewing, could be done in advance if Council authorized the position as part of the budget process and it became available as of July 1, 1987. Mr. Adams said normally the Personnel Department would not process any applications for recruitment until;, a ftev the budget was approved. Occaaionally there were preliminary searches, but a position authorized in the budget was not usually filled until September or later. The position would cost approximately $44,000 annually. City Manager Bill Zaner said the position was covered in the Refuse Fund and had no effect on the General Fund. The increase was relatively small in a budget which remained stable and the total cost was eventually covered in the rates. If the City did not make the required changes, it stood to lose a substantial advantage because it would have to change to a different kind of operation, which would cost approximately $100,000 in cash since the City would have to buy more cover in addition to the capacity used. He recommended Council authorize the position. Precise figures could be forwarded to Council in the next packet. Councilmember Patitucci asked_ how Council knew the request was justified. Mr. Zaner said the budget in 1985-86 was over $5 million and the total cost of the added position of $44,000 or $45,000 was less thanone percent. If it was a matter of purchasing a piece of equipment or buying some additional unanticipated fill, etc., Council_ would never see the request. A less than one percent increase in the cost of an operation of such magnitude was insie nificant to keep a $5 million operation going. In terms of how Council would know whether the expenditure was appropriate, staff was careful where .attempting to add staff. He fought, long and hard with Mr. Adams about the position which was why it hook three months to get to Council. He was convinced another body was needed to run the sanitary landfill. He could not possibly review all of the technical .requirements for each of the types oiser- vices provided and heavily relied upon the experts in various departments. Many requests of department heads never made it to the Council because they did not get past him. In the profes- sional judgment of the City staff, the additional cost of less than one percent was a reasonable amount of money to increase the account in order to properly provide the service. IMMO' O' C uncilaeab r Fletcher moved. seconded by 'easel, to adopt the staff recommendation authorising the addition of an Eagim..r Techaieiaw III is the Refuse budget effective Pebraary 1. 19$7, 7 9 7 2 1/12/87 0 A Councilmember Fletcher said the State waived the requirement about the daily dirt cover which saved $100,000 a year. Staff saw the need for better monitoring to ensure a safe and sanitary opera- tion, which if not done, could cost the City a lot more to clean up in the end. The $16,000 between then and the and of the fiscal year was an infinitesimal increment compared to the savings being realized in relation to the total landfill budget. She commended staff for bringing the matter to Council. Councilmember Bechtel concurred with Councilmember Fletcher; how- ever, Councilmember Patitucci's questions were good ones; and she encouraged staff in the future to take any staff increase to the F&PW Committee prior to going to Council. She would support the motion. Councilmember Renzel agreed with the comments of Councilrnembers Fletcher and Bechtel and also with Councilmember Patitucci with respect to mid -year budget amendments and new personnel. She would support the motion because the 20 percent capacity of land- fill that would be used for daily cover was more valuable than the dollars. talked about, but she would not be so inclined to go along with compelling changes in the future if they continued. Councilmember Levy said while the general feeling was the sub- stance of the proposal was worthwhile, he believed Council needed the specific information that led the City Manager to approve and bring the item before Council. Also, because of other financial questions raised about City operations he found himself unwilling to approve\, other . budget amendments, particularly because a new personnel position was permanent and would be reflected in future budgets. MOTION TO Wear Counc i l eember Levy reeved, seconded by Patitucci, to refer the it•a to the Finance and Public Werke. Coaaittee.p Councilmember Patitucci was persuaded by the City Manager's com- ments that Council should take .up the item out of the normal budget cycle, but he was not prepared to vote in . favor of the position on the available Information. He supported the motion to refer. Vice Mayor Sutorius asked when the item could.. be agendized for the F+&PW Committee. Mr. saner said the item could be agendized for January 20, 1987, but wasconcerned, about the ia+ae constraints of that meeting. Vic* Mayor Sutorius understood the differences of opinion but was heartened by the City Manager's com nta, and he believed the amount of money cospated to the savings of the preferred status 7 9 7 3 1/12/87 was favorable to the City and the continued use of the landfill. While the percentage of a $5 million budget seemed hardly measur- able, one person added to a force of 14 was not insignificant as a percent increase in total. force. The problem with the addition in a fiscal year was that it had a habit of becoming the base for the new fiscal year. He favored the motion to refer and asked if the process could be sufficiently expedited that Council could con- sider an approval, review for the addition with the understanding that the addition was not considered as permanently endorsing a force level of 15 for the segment of the operation in the future. Mr. Zaner said Council had the prerogative of looking at the organization of any of the funds at the start of the budget pro- cess and establishing the manpower table at a different lever He was concerned that the manpower position would be the same on July 1, 1987. Vice Mayor Sutorius Said he would vote for the motion to refer. NOTION TO REFER PASSED by a vote of 7-1, Fletcher voting "not" Klein absents 11. FOOTHILLS PARK DAM, MODIFIED SITE AND DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION (CMR 1.01. '7 `and CMR:1 O9: r 1.32 1412 ) ORDINANCE FOR FIRST READING entitled "ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVING AND ADOPTING PLANS FOR THE SEISMIC REINFORCEMENT OF FOOTHILLS PARK DAM Director of Public Works David Adams said in November Council instructed staff to proceed with submitting a revised design for Foothills Dam repair for site and design review, .referred to as the alternate embankment design concept. Staff asked Council to approve the site and .design review as submitted with the condi- tions and finding+ indicated in the report (CMR.1O1:7), and to adopt a park improvement ordinance authorizing the construction. IOTIOWi Couecilmember Cobb moved, seconded by Patitucci, to adopt staff recommendation approving Sit* and Design review appli- cation including firdisgs that 1. U. project, as mitigated, will not have any significant eoviroasental impacts, as the project is desigsod to minimise the visual aid physieal impact of the proposed grading. Graded areas will tut trod to a natural -appearing state, The pra►pss.l deeign will orderly, barsae*Iaus, Sad compat- ible with existing orpeteatial main, as measures h&ve bees incorporatnd let the projeet diatom to minimise visual impact within the pert mod ea adjacent property; MOTION CONTINOMD 3. The project will maintain desirability of investment in the same or ad jaceat areas, in that the construction impacts adverse visual impacts will be temporary; 4. The proposed de sign will observe sound principles of environ- mental design and ecological. balance, in that measures incorporated in the project will minimise erosion and help offset visual impacts. Topsoil from graded surfaces will be replaced and reseeded, and fish and duck populations will be replaced after construction; 5. By reducing seismic risk due to petentiai dam failure in the event of an earthquake, this pro jest will comply with the pro- visions of Compr•heasive Pian-Poiicy 14i "Measurer to lessen risk to human life and property . shoald focus upon identified areas of population concentrations and- keyed to areas of greatest natural hazard and areas of known or suspected struc- tural hazard fe' and Applying the following conditions to the projects 1. All project plans and specifications for the improvements to the dan *hall b t reviewed and approved by the State Department Division of Safety of Dans (DSOD) and City staff prior to con- struction. All construction taking place shall be subject to inspection by City consultants and City staff. 2. All project plaaas and specifications for the borrow and . drying areas shall comterm: to the appropriate City and State standard specificatieme for earthwork, excavation, and embankment con- struction and be reviewed and approved by City staff prior to constructions *ll= comastructioa. shall= be subject to inspection City L...-.. .n.�..�..� �.,�i..�.. wad City staff; by ti i t j i..r+.�..i t:a wad C a t j rs to a f j 3. £cC•ss to the park shell be provided during .the construction. peg. iodt as est.lin ' is Public $Orks Memorandum dated November 5, 1lg5a Bray *Cedes* will be provided for fire a ratus at all. i& ti* . Further modifications to park access ding the censer.cti.lmis p*riatit isbai l *object to the approval of the Director Of Pahlie Worksand the Vim Chiefs and �. .0 16:464nattYieste esrresa identified in thou environmental ass sswost • AA'4$, es amended? shall he incorporated into this projeote Astor also to $$-MII►w6$ for additional mitigs- tiosdiet ` a) Topsoil from graded area* sell be stockpiled and replac."a upon completion of prediaq = 7 9 7 5 1/12/87 NOTION CONTINUED b) Final contours of graded areas shall resemble natural forms and blend with existing topography; c) All graded areas, other than tha lake bed, shall be sta- bilised and reseeded with a mixture of native type grass seeds, fertiliser, wood. Libor .Aslcb, and soil tackifierf prior to the onset of center.. rains (October 1S); d) ill uffacted areas in the soil. drying location shall be restored to their previosa ; _s.ta to after completion of drying operations. Areas which have been conpactsd, as a result of construction wheel loads, will be scarified as required prior to any necessary reseeding; e) ConstrsOtion contract shall provide for dust control sea- suram, including tram aprayisg, .frequent watering of borrow and fill sites and haul ros.tes, and cleaning of paved roads. Frsquency of vaterisgicloaning and tree spraying may be increased at the request of the Public Works Departm+ast; f) Construction contractors shall bs held responsible for clean-up and all haul spills and for repair of any damage sae to pieblic roads by coutruction vehicles; 9) Erosion control slotting and wattling shall be installed along the seals above the soil drying site, as indicated on shoots 1.4 and L5 of the project plans; h) All construction activities shall comply with the provi- sions of tha City's Noise Ordinance. All construction .qui nt shall hawk proper mufflers; ) Lake ootfall shall provide adequate drainage of lase daring winter storms; Safety masers* including, but not limited to, posting of notices and patrolling aI ng the glom road shall be incor- psrwted into tho project to provide for public safety during tho construction period; k) Tho construction ooM*rect shall . provide for a . !ligwidatsd damage clause," meowing damage to tree bark or treeem which ars identifi . tC be *eyed, The torso of this clause shall be dstorsimod by the Public Works De t, j) 7 9 7 6 1/12/87 NOTION CONTINUED 1 1) A public information program shall be adopted by the City of Palo Alto to inform the public abort the proposed proj- ect and should include a graphic display at the Park; ■) A contingent plan, including specific erosion control, slope stabilization, end public safety measures, shall be developed end implemented should cons.truction\ delays pre- vent completion of the pro j4ct prior to the onset of winter rains. City staff shs11 incorporate such provi- sions into the project plans and specifications= and n) Relocated fish and bird populations shall be returned to the lake after the lake is filled. Councilmember Cobb saidthe poll clearly showed the public wanted to move ahead, and he commended staff for a solution Council could live with both in terms of the economics and mechanics. H+ believed Mr. Zaner's recommendation of a temporary entrance fee was a good one, and he trusted the `,idea wouldbe before Council in the future. Councilmember Menzel seconded Cuncilmember Cobb's statement and comme ided staff for not only finding a more economical way to pre- serve the lake but also for a more environmentally -sound way than previous proposals. NOTION PASSED unanimously, Klein absent. 12. PARK USE AND OVERUSE (CMR:102:7) (1321) Councilmember Cobb said some_. of the steps outlined in CMR:102:7 seemed to have the effectof reducing the non -Palo Alto traffic in the parks in the north part of the City, but was .concerned that such steps would exacerbate the situation at Mitchell Park. Director of Recreation Paul Thiltgen said Mitchell Park was included in the supervision and the reservation system to try to offset the problem. Councilmember Cobb asked if there were plans to ensure that Mitchell Park did not got into an untenable situation as a result of any actions taken on the item. M:. Thiltgef said yes 7 9 7 7 1/12/87 Councilmember Cobb asked for clarification of the purpose of the advertisements to run as far away as Oakland and San Jose, Mr. Thiltgen said the impression was that a great number of out-of-town people used Rinconada Park, and advertisements would inform them of the changes in the rules and regulations. Vice Mayor Sutorius said new picnic tables at Rinconada were listed as . $6,000 in the annual cost and $6,000 in the 1986/87 cost. He asked if that was just a $6,000 expenditure. Mr. Thiltgen clarified the tables would be put in that year and the total cost was no more than $6,000. The $6,000 should not have been listed as an annual cost. Vice Mayor Sutorius was interested in an overview of the current reservation policy and procedure applicable to park sites. Mr. Thiltgen said at present only group areas were reserved. Reservations were not taken on individual picnic sites, and only Palo Alto residents could reserve group areas. Those areas we*•e basically filled up for the whole summer by the end of May or early June at. both Rinconada and Mitchell Parks. The new proce- dure would add individuals to the reservation basis and give residents first priority at reserving the individual areas. Any unreserved individual areas would be open to anybody on the day of use. Vice Mayor Sutorius asked how the two-hour limit on the use of bowls would affect events such as the annual Japanese festival at Mitchell Park. Mr. Thiltgen said the limit would not affect those events at all. The Recreation Department could reserve the area for the whole day for a City -sponsored event. The two-hour limit was for recrea- tional private -type use and was an on -site situation similar to the tennis court use. Councilmember Renzel asked if individual picnic areas could be reserved by people from out of town. Mr. Thiltgen clarified that individual picnic areas could not be reserved in advance by people from out of town but could be used if tables were available on that day.. Prior; reservations were by residents only. Councilmember Fletcher asked if the recommendations meant an addi- tional ranger and park staff would have to ,be hired. Mr. Thiltgen said yes. 7 9 7 8 1/12/87 1 Councilmember Patitucci asked for clarification of the costs, e.g., under_ Park Supervision the estimated annual cost was $ 12,000 to cover a six-month period. He asked if that was $1,000 per month per person for two people. Mr. Thiltgen said yes, for part-time, seasonal employees paid on ean hourly rate. Councilmember Patitucci clarified the situation was the same for all positions recommended. Mr. Thiltgen said yes, and the four recreation staff were at a cheaper hourly rate. Ron Eadie, ,877 Sharon Court, complimented City staff on the most recent meetings held on December 3 and 10, 1986, for Rinconada and Eleanor Parks and commended the staff work, and the staff report (CMR:102:7). He believed staff was sincerely looking at the over- use and overcrowding of the parks. The history section of the report was accurate and clear. He referenced the five-year old City of Mountain View Recreation Department facilities and barbe- cue reservation program which was almost identical to the 15 items. Mountain View's program worked like a jewel and brought balance between residents and nonresidents back into the parks. He recommended a modest reservation fee to help defray costs. He did not believe a reservation system was needed for the cement bowl The solution was to plug the holes for volleyball. Kathryn Christy, 1186 Greenwood Avenue, addressed the issue of the multi -use cement bowl. Eleanor Park was a small, neighborhood park and did not have the problems of over use and sanitation until the bowl attracted a large group of volleyball players, i.e., a minimum of 25. The disadvantage was that the volleyball players were . very energetic, stayed every evening until dark with their families and almost all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Before the volleyball group, the bowl was used by small neighbor- hood children who would not approach a large group, and the reservation system would not discouragethe group from monopoliz- ing the park, She mentioned the sanitation problem as there were no restrooms in the park. The bowl should be removed from the reservation system and used like th.e tiny tot area. Marikka Rypa, 1175 Greenwood Avenue, lived between Rinconada and Eleanor Parks and used the parks almost every weekend. She was afraid the proposed measures would cut back drastically on the variety and richness in the parks. They lived in a multi -racial, multi -cultural society and the solution to problems did not lie in systematically excluding people, who were different. She had sees abuse of the parks by residents and contended the abuse should be addressed and not particular groups of people. She attended the neighborhood meeting and sympathized with the concerns expressed 7 9 7 9 1/12/87 by her neighbors and was in general agreement with measures such as more trash bins and increased patrols butewas most disturbed by the measure refusing reservations for all tables for nonresidents until the day. Some people supported a compromise to leave a small portion of those tables without reservation or for reserva- tion by nonresidents. She urged Counciul to reconsider the recommendations. Bob Moss, 4010 Orme Street, sympathized with the concerns of neighbors around Rinconada and Eleanor Parks and believed the sug- gestion that portable grills not be allowed was a step in the right direction. He hoped some 'of the people who staffed the parks would be bilingual. Several years ago he collected signa- tures of Palo Alto residents on a. petition at Mitchell and Rinconada Parks. At Rinconada Park he found between 75 and 80 percent of the people were nonPalo Altans, and at Mitchell Park the ratio ran between 80 and 85 percent. At Foothills Park, only 20-25 percent were from outside Palo Alto. The general thrust of the staff recommendations was the way to go. Reservation systems were not new, and staff approach towards abuses was reasonable. John Lovas, 650 Coleridge Avenue, lived on the border of Rinconada Park for 19 years. -His three sons were raised in the park, he jogged there regularly, had coached soccer, etc., and it violated his sense of experience that the problems based in Eleanor; Park were attributed to Rinconada Park. He could not find any' data base that staff .used on which to base the recommendations on. Most of the discussion happened since the heavy use the previous summer, giving no opportunity for careful, systematic study. The data base was anecdotal, and a number of the solutions were not warranted by the data. He believed some of the claims were exag- gerated. He supported establishing supervision in the park and building a data base to find out to what extent there really were the problems claimed. He did not believe there was a racism issue, but believed they should be sensitive to a question of "cla5sism." 57,000 people worked in the community but did not live there, and many of the nonresidents might be people who worked in Palo Alto. Steve. Brock, 1275 Cedar Street, lived two doors from Rinconada Park for 12 years and had seen a gradual increase in the number of people- who used the park. Staff did a tremendous research job, but he believed it was overkill to begin with. He supported a monitoring system for keeping down abuse of the park, and a reser- vation system for groups over 20. Taking away and reorienting tables in a small park would take away a lot of the open area much to the detriment of the total park system. He found it nice that people used the concrete bowls.. Eliminating portable barbecues would help cut down abuse. Sanitation facilities should be put if sanitation was a problem, otherwise the park was limited to very narrow usage by people within easy ;walking distance. 7 9 8 0 1/12/87 Dr. Bill Brastow, 1175 Greenwood Avenue, went to Eleanor Pardee and Rinconada Parks frequently in the past ten years. He believed the staff proposal was vast overkill for what he observed in the park and viewed by people outside of Palo Alto as an attempt to exclude which was a dangerous precedent. He underlined that there was little actual data involved. The City had not made a careful study of the situation, and he saw little evidence of. overcrowding except in specific situations such as the bowl in Eleanor Pardee Park. The City should make a careful study and make moves tai- lored to the situation in the individual parks. More trash cans were certainly in order. Howard Randall, 1140 Parkinson Avenue, lived a block from Rinconada Park. He disagreed with some of the speakers in that he and his daughter tried to use Rinconada Park on weekends and it was extremely overcrowded, and it was apparent that a lot of the people were not residents of Palo Alto. He agreed it would be nice to have a wide diversity of people visiting the parks, but it was essential for Council to address the issue of who the parks were fore If they were for residents of Palo Alto, the proposed measures were totally inadequate and would perpetuate the existing situation. He suggested taking a survey to provide a data base of the people visiting the parks, and that the swimming pool at Rinconada Park be restricted to Palo Alta residents, at least to a certain time. Other suggestions were restricted admission to parks or fees to nonresidents, restricting overflow parking in the neighborhoods, and forming committees of park neighbors to discuss the issues longer. Peter Ta-skovich, 751 Gailen Avenue, was concerned that restricting the use of Rinconada Park would have an effect on Mitchell Park, especially the group picnic areas which were already booked up by May. The issue of replacing the group picnic areas somewhere should be seriously addressed. Overall, .the proposal by the Recreation Department was a good one because it was fair, did not really exclude nonresidents, but gave residents priority which was fair because residents supported the parks through taxee Some type of sanitation facility . should be considered. His family had never had a problem findinga picnic table when needed. William J. Boyle, 860 Center Drive, lived directly Eleanor Park and viewed the multi -purpose bowl from He thanked staff and Mr. Eadie for paying attention his wife and he sent to the City Manager a year ago. tistics for the past few weeks for the hours the reduced group of about 20 people used the park. He did not want to monitor bath- room activities but did not see the group leave the park during the length of hours. With great reluctance, he concluded he would like to see the volleyball banned from the multi -purpose bowl becausethe problem became acute when the volleyball activities moved from the grassy area to the bowl. He was convinced that would solve the problem. across from his window. to a letter He had sta- 7 9 8 1 1/12/87 Cathy Humphers, 344 Addison Street, became concerned recently when neighbors talked about supporting the proposed regulations because she heard racist undertones to those regulations, and some of that evening's comments also rang of that. Sheloved the diversity of people and multi -generational families at Rinconada Park and believed it was irrelevant whether they were residents. People -might be employees in Palo Alto, and there were people from less affluent areas eqlo shopped in Palo Alto and supported the tax base of the City. Palo Altans enjoyed parks in other areas. She sym- pathized with the neighbors who dealt with the public --residents and nonresidents --urinating and defecating in the parks,' but there were other ways to control the abuse without excluding people of other color. Millie Nelson, 1801 Newell Road, observed Rinconada Park at close hand since 1949, and her children worked in Rinconada and other parks. The abuses of the parks were not .exaggerated. The overuse of the picnic facilities was ongoing for a number of years and had nothing to do with race, but the acreage would not support the numbers of people from outside. On warm -weather weekends, her neighborhood was excluded from the park because they did not have the time or inclination to stake out tables at 6:00 a.m. and be joined by hordes of people. She favored most of the recommenda- tions but would object to having to pay to reserve a table but would do so occasionally. She appreciated the staff time spent on the issue. Councilmember Bechtel commended staff on an excellent job. Sev- eral residents not present that evening told her how much they appreciated the excellent staff report. She also agreed with some of the comments made by speakers surrounding Rinconada Parka She lived about two blocks from Rinconada Park and jogged through it every morning. She agreed the trash receptacles were inadequate o.n the weekends and knew of the crowds of people; however, she was not prepared at that point to close down: ;and move the group picnic areas and would .like Council to defer on that issue. The rest of the recommendations were excellent, end her only other concern was the reservation system. She asked if the reservation system was to be strictly by someone walking in and picking up a permit, Monday through Friday at regular office hours. She asked how someone working out of the area could reserve a picnic site if the reservation system was strictly walk-in at regular office hours. Mr. Thiltgen said the reservations would be walk-in during the week, and on the weekends could be on site for unreserved tables, and people on staff would be able to handle sign --ups All systems were handled that way at present. Councilmember Bechtel believed that system would make it difficult for residents who could not plan that far ahead. She had mixed feelings about that part. She hoped that staff did not plan to prune trees and shrubs so extensively that they would regret it. 7 9 8 2 1/12/87 Mr. Thiltgen did not believe the City would regret it, 1 1 MOTION: Councilmember Bechtel moved, seconded by Pletcher, to adopt staff recommendation approving the Action Plan for implemen- tation is spring of this year, with the revision that the budget amount of $19,500 be changed to. $13,500 for the 1lg6-t7 budget for funding the project, and under Item 4, PacilitChaa, , of the Action Plan, remove the first paragriaph. Councilmember Fletcher- was also impressed with the staff report and recommendations. The overcrowding at Rinconada Park had been an issue for many years, and she believed the residents gave up making themselves heard until recently because nothing ever hap- pened. In regard to reserving the bowl, she asked for a response to the suggestion of eliminating volleyball use at Eleanor Park. Mr. Thiltgen said the reservation of the bowl was primarily in response to the concerns by the residents in the area of people tying up the bowl up all day. At the time staff believed the reservation system would break that down but were willing to try sealing off the volleybowl holes and not installing the sign to see if that measure worked. Councilmember Fletcher believed the use of the bowls by neighbo- rhood children was more appropriate. AMENDMENT: Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Levy, to *mend the Action Plan to eliminate reservations for the bowls and direct staff to eliminate organized sports from occurring on the bowls. Councilmember Levy believed the thrust of the amendment was all organized games using the bowls be eliminated and the method of doing so should be left to staff. Councilmember. Fletcher agreed that was the thrust of the amend- ment but did not want to eliminate children's games. Ar. Zaner believed staff understood Council's direction and would arrange it so that organized volleyball would not be in the bowls. Councilme her Patitucci asked if it would still be possible for a group to reserve the bowls for an afternoon for a roller skating contest, for example. Mr. Thiltgen said that process would not be eliminated. AUSIONEXT PASSED .. umenisously, Klein absent. 7 9 8 3 1/12/87 8 Councilmember Cobb concurred that eliminating the group areas at Rinconada would create a bigger problem at Mitchell Park which was already too crowded. If the advertisement appeared in newspapers as far away as Oakland, San Jose, etc., it needed to be thought out very carefully lest it send the wrong message. It might encourage people of the wrong kind to test the rules. He did not believe the advertisement was needed, and what would achieved the needed results was to ensure through enforcement procedures that everyone who used. the park, regardless of where they came from, etc., was a good citizen. If that was done with a strict, hard- nosed attitude it would satisfy the objections from both sides of the issue heard that evening. Councilmember Patitucci asked for staff comment on how important the elimination of the tables was to the overall thrust of the proposal. Mr. Thiltgen said staff knew there was a consistently heavy use of Rinconada Park on high -season weekends, and had tried to deal with it in the past by supervision. Staff finally realized there were too many large --use facilities and eliminating the group picnic area pulled about 250 people out of the park, and it seemed the only logical way of attacking the base problem of the high number of people in the park. Councilmember Patitucci asked if the reservation system would counter that solution. Mr. Thiltgen said the City already had a reservation system for the group picnic areas. The reservation system would counter as far as individual uses, but would not counter the activities of people just using the lawn and park. Staff was trying to take a volume of people out of the park to reduce the number there by taking out the group picnic areas. Councilmember Patitucci could not see much sentiment for taking out the group picnic areas, at least immediately. He appreciated the points made about the lack of data on the subjects and hoped, along with the kind of enforcement mentioned by Councilmember Cobb, the City would also make an effort to collect some data to help mike the next round of decisions. He attended the meeting on December 3, 1986, heard the proposals presented, and listened to ther blic response.. He believed Council had a good set of recom- mendations for a first phase. Ile commended the staff for good work, wanted to support the proposal, and hoped for a more pleasant summer in the parks. Vice Mayor Sutorius said what concerned him most about the reser- vation system was that it was' walk-in system in advance of the date, and if one arrived on ,the date without a reservation, the luck of the draw might provide that a facility was available. 7 9 8 4 1/12/87 He did not hear an answer for the nonresident because the likeli- hood of being able to go into Palo Alto during the week to ask for the use of the facility on Saturday was inconvenient. He under- stood the priority on Saturday was for Palo Alto . residents. Mr. Thiltgen clarified the first person to arrive on a Saturday could use an available table, whether resident or nonresident. vice Mayor Sutorius said potentially 100 percent of the tables could be reserved during the week in advance, and no table would be available for a party arriving on Saturday. Mr. Thiltgen said that was correct. AM9f9MENTs Vice Mayor Sutorius moved, seconded by Renzel, to amend reservation requirements to apply to 60 percent of the indi- vidual table facilities rather than across-the-board. Vice Mayor Sutorius said the idea of something so restrictive and regimented was not proper, fair, nor necessary. Councilmember Fletcher clarified the group picnic areas were pres- ently only reservable by residents and asked what percentage of the tables at Rinconada were group. Mr. Thiltgen said Rinconada had about ten individual tables which accommodated 80 people. The group areas accommodated 250 people. Councilmember Fletcher did not believe any substantive changes were being made, especially if the amendment passed. There was a real problem and she ,preferred to take action to alleviate it. She was willing to putoff making a decision on the group picnic areas for at least a year, but the amendment would eliminate the thrust of what Council was trying to accomplish. Mayor Woolley shared Councilmember Fletcher's concern about sheer numbers because Rinconada and Mitchell Parks were different because the pool attracted a large number of people. She was not so concerned about the individual tables because 60 percent of 80 people was a relatively small number. Councilmember Bechtel ,said -i t . would help for Palo Alto residents to have a shot at the tables as staff recommended. She had mixed feelings about the matter. Rinconada Park was especially diffi- cult because there was no offstreet parking. She sepported the staff recammenda-<ion .on that point. Councilmember Renzel believed they could compromise on concerns about retaining some of the group areas and at the .same time making more individual tables available both` to Palo Altans and to nonresidents. 7 9 8 5 1/12/87 All UDlgENT TO AMENDMEWTs Councilmember Reasel moved, seconded by Sutorius, that one group area be converted to individual picnic areas. Councilmember Bechtel encouraged her colleagues to vote "no" on the amendment to the amendment. The item was becoming too cumber- some. Councilmember Cobb opposed both amendments. Council was starting totinker with a proposal that staff spent a lot of time working out. If Council wanted to tinker with the numbers, he suggested the motion should be to refer the matter to Policy and Procedures (P&P) Committee with some direction. Councilmember Renzel supported both the amendment to the amendment and the amendment, and agreed with Vice Mayor Sutorius that visiting a park on a nice day with some reasonable possibility of a table on a short decision was an important aspect of the relief parks provided from the stress of everyday life. The 60 percent reservation system accommodated Palo Alto residents who wanted to plan ahead for a.space in the park and, at the same time, allowed those residents who decided on a particular day to have a picnic in the park a fair chance of finding a'table. Likewise, people from outside the community who traveled to Palo Alto for a picnic would go to other parks. She was persuaded the group areas might be too restrictive of less -organized park use. Mayor Woolley agreed with Councilmember Cobb that Council was get- ting into an inappropriate area. By referring the issue back to P&P Committee, there was time before the summer season started for the matter to return to Council. Council might want to move more slowly, primarily with the group picnic areas. She opposed the amendment to the amendment. MS ID I r TO AMOIDMEMT FAILED by a vote of 3-5, kennel, Sutoriuli Fletcher voting "aye," Klein absent. A SM [QIIT PAILRD by a vote of 3-5, Reasel, Levy, Sutoriaus voting 'aye,* Klein absent. MOTION TO REFER: Mayor Woolly moved, seconded by ;Cobb, to refer Item 4, the matter of the group facilities and individual tables, tb the P&P Committee. Councilmember Cobb asked if the particular issue could be put through P&P Committee, receive additional iput from people in the community, and return to Council for final decision in ample time to implement for the summer. 7 9 S 6, 1/12/87 Mr,. Thiltgen said the timing would be tight but could probably be done as long as staff could be hired to start the monitoring in advance of April. Councilmember Cobb was troubled by the new elements, and assumed staff could work out something with the community that made sense and gave staff a chance to think about the points raised. Mr. Zaner asked for clarification of the instructions. If staff returned to have community meetings and discuss the issue, they would not make P&P Committee and return to Council by spring. Councilmember Cobb understood the P&P Committee was a public meeting and provided the opportunity for community input. Councilmember Levy opposed the referral. Council had a lot of input from the community and staff and understood the reasoning. Council would not have the answer to the situation until the pro- gram was tried, and he suggested moving ahead. Councilmember Bechtel agreed with Councilmember Levy. The issue could return to the P&P Committee if necessary in the fall, and Council could see how the program worked during the spring and summer season. She opposed the amendment. Councilmember Patitucci asked if the main motion was still the same., except the element of item was to he referred to the P&P Committee for additional discussion. He also heard Council speaking to changing the reservation system' along with the mix of tables. The question of whether to spend the $6,000 on rearrang- ing the tables could be dealt with as a separate item, and he was not opposed to referring that item to. the P&P Committee, but was opposed if a referral slowed down the remainder of the proposal. Mayor Woolley clarified the reservations system went into effect on April 1, 1987, and believed it was not unreasonable for the item to return to Council by then. Therefore, the process would not be slowed up. Councilmember Patitucci could support the amendment if Council could move ahead withthe motion as made, and refer Item 4 held out of the original proposal to the P&P Committee. Mr. Zaner clarified the motion was the staff recommendation except for Item 4 pulled out by Councilmember Bechtel. The reservation system was the subject of another amendment already defeated. Mayor Woolley said no, the mnt:jon was to refer back to P&P Committe*= the group picnic tables and the reservation system for all picnic tables. 7 9 8 7 1/12/87 Councilmember Pa titucci opposed the referral. MAKER AND SECOND WITRDREN NOTION TO REFER Councilmember Levy said the overuse of Rinconada Park was one of the first items before Council eight years ago. One aspect was the proper use of the parks by residents or nonresidents, and staff dealt with that aspect by increased police park patrols and supervision. The second issue before Council was access to the park by residents. Residents believed they were unwelcome at the City's parks, particularly during high -use summer weekends, which issue could be dealt with by a park reservation system. He agreed that any change in policy should not be advertised in major news- papers. He opposed any budget amendments, but would make an exception because the issue had been under study for a long time and was finally ready for Council approval. NOTION DIVIDED pox PURPOSES OF VOTING FIRST PART or MOTION NOT INCLUDING PARK RESERVATION SYSTEM PASSED unanimously„ Klein absent. SECOND PAST OP NOTION RE RESERVATION SYSTFN PASSED by a vote of 6-2s Russel, Sutorius voting "no,! Klein absent. Councilmember Renzel supported some degree of a reservation sys- tem. MOTION TO REFER s Mayor Woolley waved, a ct.nde by C. -;bb, to refer the matter of group picnic tables to the P&P Committee. NOTION TO REFER PASSED by a vote of 7-1, Levy voting 'no," Klein absents ADJOURNMENT TO CLOSED SESSION Council adjourned to a closed session re litigation at 10:40 FINAL ADJOURNMENT Final adjournment at 11:00 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVED: P.