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HomeMy WebLinkAbout042219571_ 5 City Hall, Palo Alto, California April 22, 1957. The Council: of the City of Palo Alto met in regular session on this date at7:30P.M., with Mayor Porter,presiding.' :Roll call as follows: Present.: Bishop,:Byxbee, Corcoran, Cresap, Cummings, Davis, Drysdale, Giffin, Marshall, Navis, Porter, fiedgers, Simpson. Absent: Mitchell,Ruppenthal. approved. The minutes of the meeting of April 8, 1957, were Project 56-14, University Avenue Street Lighting District This was the. time for continuation of the hearing on Resolution of Intention -No.. 2815 to construct improvements in the University Avenuestreet;7.ighting district, Project 56-1k. The ..Assistant City Manager reported on the "results of a postcard po11 of property owners, which. was taken by -direction of Committee'No. 1.-. The?_ summarization of the replies:contained' the following informatjion: total number of parcels assessed, 296; 123 -parcels in favor, 92onposed, with the owners of 81 parcels not responding. On ' the- basis of front footage, the owners of 8566 " feet, or . 6%,- 'rep.lied in, favor of the project; the owners of 6698 feet,-or�4%, we're opposed.- The total frontage in the district is. 22,278 -.feet. A map showing the parcels whose owners were in opposition to the project was presented. 3 Letters were.;r-eceived from -James H. Armstrong, N. Perry Moerdyke, Jr and _from J'. E. and Georgia P. Shearer, favoring the project. Reference was made to other letters which have been received by the Engineering Department. Reso.ut.ion No..2834, overruling protests on the Resolution :of Intention, Resolution°No. 2835 ordering improvement; and confirm- ing assessment, andResolutt'ion No. 2836 providing for the work to be done by -:tie -City, were introduced, and a motion was made by Cresa seconded by Cummings that these resolutions be adopted. Mr. ArthurBridgett, a member of the vestry of All Saints 'Episcopal Church, owner; -.of property in the assessment district at the corner:of Waveriey.Street and Hamilton Avenue, presented an "objection in behalf of the Church which_ feels that the assessments have rot: been made on an :equitable basis. It was brought out in the discussion -that the.Council 'had' made the decision that the assessments should be uniform over the district except: for,,. the 500 block of University Avenue. which! was. added to the district an& is assessed at a higher rate per front foot. There was: a general discussion of costs' and the proposed type:of lighting, with information and explanation by the :staff Mr.- Linn,Winterbotham, Secretary -Manager of the Palo Alto Chamber of Commrerce,'addressed the Council in support of the project and urged --favorable action. Mr. Fred S. Eyerly spoke of the need' - for improved righting and told the Council the 'merchants favor it. It was noted that 2,17?.5 feet of City property will be assessed for the improvement, at a cost of $3,965.07. Councilwoman Corcoran stated that she felt the Council should not proceed with the project until a larger majority of -property owners are in favor of: ic. Councilman Simpson pointed out that the results of the survey indicate that a substantial majority, both on the basis of front,footage and number of parcels, :are in favor of the'project, and it was his feeling that the Council 7 116 has an obligation to go ahead with the project There being no others in the audience who wished to speak on the matter, the.hearing"was declared closed. Resolutions No. 2834 overruling protests, No. 2835 order- ing improvements and confirming assessment, and No. 2836 providing for the work tobe done by the City, were adopted on roll call, with 11 Ayes Corcoran voting No and Byxbee absent during the roll call. At this time the City Manager made a report on the. maintenance and replacement program -for street lights in the Ulisiness districts and other parts of the City. Conference on Uniform 'Control for: Water Recreation A communication was received from the Modesto City Council inviting membb"rs of the Palo Alto CityCouncil-and any interested persons in this area"to.attend the first state-wide Conference.on Uniform Control for Water Recreation, to be held in Modesto -'on April,25':and 26, 1957. This was placed on file Letters on Capital Improvements and Use of Sales Tax The following letters were received and filed: (1) A letter from Mrs.:=Gertrude "K. Lewis," 2231 Dartmouth Street, object- ing to.the use: of sales tax revenue for any purpose except reduct- ion of;taxes.and utility rates, and stating that she thinks all' major projects should be voted 'on by the people; (2) A letter from,J. D. Armstrong, 2020 Cowper Street, favoring bond issues for -all major capital improvements and'the use of sales tax revenue for reduction in taxes' and utility rates; and (3) A letter from J. E. Muller, 802 Oregon Avenue, urging more study on the proposed underpass before'final action is taken on the question, and favoring the use of -sales tax revenue -for reduction of property taxes." Annexation to Mountain View A notice -from the County Boundary Comthission of the proposed annexation of territory designated as Miramonte No. 17 to'.the City of"'Mountain View was received and filed. ' Annexation of -Bagshore"No T A petition was submitted by Toshio Takamoto.and other_ property owners for the annexation to the City or Palo Alto of uninhabited territory designated as "Bayshore No. 1", a, parcel of approximately /3.5 acres on the"nort.herly corner of the Bayshore Highway and Embarcadero!,Road Resolution No.112837, giving notice of the proposed annexation and setting May 27," 1957, at 7-:30 P.M. as time of hearing, was introduced,; and on motion of Rodgers and Drysdale, was adopted by unanimous vote of all` council members prese,:t. Byxbee-and Simpson `were.'absent during the roll. Call. The question Of the:proposed annexation was referred to the Planning Commission for recommendation on zoning of the area . Rapid Transit A communication was'received from the County Manager of San Mateo County relating to"Rapid Transit Legislation, and, :enclos- ing _a copy of Senate Bill No. 723 as amended relative to the establishment of a West Bay Transit Authority. • Junipero Serra Freeway A letter was received from the State Division of Highways extending an invitation to the Council to attend a public .informatio ;meeting on April 291, 1957, at 8:00 P.M. in the Los Altos High School concerning the proposed Junipero Serra Freeway, Route 239 between the San Mateo County Line: and. Cupertino. Maps and exhibitswill be -displayed at 355:State Street; Los Altos, from April~30th to May 3rd between._ the hours of 1:00 P. M.. and 9 s 00 The Planning Officer reviewed the, two alternate routes ,proposed.by the State for theTJunipero Serra Freeway. It.was pointe out that none of the land involved is inside the city limits of ;Palo Alto. Parking Limit —on Mid -Town Parking Lot Resolution No'. 2838, amending Resolution Ivo. 2788 regulat- ing parking and the use of certain streets, to provide:.for a two-hou parking limit on the Mid -town parking lot, was introduced, and on motion of Cresap'and Cummings,.was adopted on roll call, with 10 Aye '-Bishop not voting on the motion, and Byxbee and Simpson absent durin the roll call. Project 55-11, Middlefield Road et al (Transfer of Funds l The City Manager submitted a report on Project55-11, advising'that the•plans for this improvement had contemplated =saving a center 20 -foot strip in the middle of Middlefield Road for -a distance of 400.feet opposite the Rapp property and about :500 feet at the San Antonio Road end of Middlefield; that these areas have since shown decided failure and it is felt that the attempt to save them should be abandoned, and these areas should be rebuilt:along'with the balance of the work. The cost of this Additional work would be $k,200.00. On motion of Bishop and Cresap, and by unanimous.vote of :all members present, the transfer of $4,200.00 for this purpose ,was authorized from the Special Projects Fund to Improvement Project No. 55-11. Additional Library Personnel A report was :made by the City Manager on the need for additional library personnel.;at this time, in order that prepara- tiore may bemade for moving into the new libraries during the lnext fiscal year, and for'.the selection and ordering of collections to be. added to the new branches. It was recommended that three L-5'positions-(senior librarians) be established for the Library ,Department and that the sumof $1,657.00 be transferred :for this purpose from the Special Projects Fund to Account' 701A It was moved by Drysdale, seconded and carried by unanimou vote on roll call, that the recommendation be adoptedandthe:trans- fer of funds be authorized. TPansfer for Water Main, Page Mill Road The City Manager reported that the work of installing 30 -inch and 12 -inch water mains on Page Mill Road will be under- taken concurrently with the improvement of Page Mill Road, and thatthe mains should be put in before the pavement is constructed; that the cost of this work is estimated to be $50,000.00; that there is $39,520.00 in the budget which can be used for the water main installations, leaving a balance required of $10,480.00. On motion of Cresap and Drysdale, and by unamiuous vote of all. members present, the sum of $101480.00 was transferred from the unappropriated balance of the Water Fund to Account 2347 (Water Mains). 118 ,Bids on Pool House in Rinconada Park. A report was made by the City. Manager on the bids received 'on April 19, 1957, -,for the construction of a pool house in Rinconada Park, with the information that the low bid was 08,500.00 submitted by J. D. Harms and the second;low bid,was $48,682.00 from Thomas 0. ' Cole'. The reportcalledattention to Addendum No. 9 which made a differentiation between pressure treated lumber in concealed places and pressure treated lumber in exposed places,, and pointed out that the original specifications and the specifications as altered ,by 'Addendum No. 9 both call for pressure:treated lumber in concealed places, It was reported that some confusion resulted among the bidders in the method of bidding;;that since it was the recommenda- tion of the architect:that the pressure treating of exposed lumber be eliminated, the base bid of ali.'idders can be assumed to be on an:equal basis providing for pressure treating of lumber in concealed places only. The staff recommended that the bid of J. D. Harms be accented, in the amount of $38,500.00 and cost plus 10% for changes. A le,ter was received from the second low bidder, Thomas 0. Cole, stating he believed Mr. Harms' bid was incomplete because he did -not include an additional figure on Addendum No. 9.0 The City Manager advised that the architect's estimate was. from. $38, 000.00 to 40, 0'00.00: Tie City Manager reported that there will be additional work involved in relooating.uti,lities, estimated to cost $2500.00 for__ gas mains and $1900.00 for water main,:, plus additional funds of $880.00 for:'pu;rchase of a„ cash. register. It was moved by Drysdale, seconded by Byxbee, and carried by unanimous vote on mile a31., that.the'recommendation.for award of contract, to J. D. Harms in accordance with his bid be adopted; that the Mayor. be authorized to_sign the contract, and that, a - trans fer of,t?tee additional funds needed in the total amount of $16,530.00 be authorized from the Special projects Account to Account 826 ($11,250.00 for the Pool b.uilding,,: $`4,100.00 for utilities reloca- tion, and:. $880.00 for cash register)) . Proposed PG & E =Electric Rate -Increase The City Manager reported that the Public Utilities Commission has set May 15, ' 1957, as date for hearing o:: the' applica-= ti:on`of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company for an electric rate increase. He requested authority to represent the City of Palo Alto in opposing the rate increase, -in conjunction with other members of the Northern'California Municipal Electric Association. On motion of Nevis and Drysdale, the City Manager was,. authorized to represent the City 'of Palo Alto at the rate hearing. Golf Course,' Monthly Cards The. City. Manager reported that the golf course is again operating as an 18 -hole course. He pointed out shat during the period:when only'nin e holes were=open, monthly cards were'available to non-residents ofPalo Alto as well as residents, and asked the Council to determine the policy- as to whether this privilege should be continued to be, extended to non-residents. It was moved by:.Drysdale`, seconded by Davis, and carried that'-the'Council-establish.the,p_olicy:that outside residents may continue to use -the golf course on thesame terms and conditions as Palo`Alto residents until such time aS the City Manager brings to the Council -information tha-t,` the course is needed to a greater extent by residents of the City, at which time the question would be given further consideration. Tentative Map, Portion Lot`..6 Wooster Sub. A report was: received_ from the Planning Commission unanimously recommending approvaI'of the tentative map of a portion 1 .l 9 of.Lot.76, Wooster Subdivision, located on.the northeasterly side of MiddlefieldRoad between Loma Verde Avenue and Matadero Canal, subject to granting of.,publ-ic'.utilities easements and providing other, easements as: required for sanitary and storm drainage':= The Planning Officer reported that since; the Planning. 'Commission took action:on the map, he had received some information which made itadvisable to give the matter further consideration, and: requested"that;" the map be returned to the Commission.. It was moved: by:Cresap, seconded and carried that this tentative map be referred, back to the Planning Commission for ,further consideration: Project 56-.8, Wilkie Way et al Resolution No. 2839 of Prelimary Determination, Project 56-8, Wilkie,Way et. al, was introduced, and on motion of Navis-, duly seconded, was'adopted by unanimous vote or roll call. This'resolution provides fora hearing to be held on the project- on May 27, 1957, at 7:30'.. . Resolution No. 28k0., requesting the consent of the Board - of :Supervisors to., the construction of improvements, ` was introduced and on motion,of Nevis, duly seconded, was adopted by unanimous .vote on roll call. Project 57-1, Page Mill-Rbad - Resolution.No..2841, authorizing -the execution of an Indemnification Agreement to the County of Santa Clara, in connection with Project a7-1, Page Mill Road improvement, was introduced, and on motionof Byxbee,-duly seconded, was adopted. by unanimous vote -on roll -call. - Removal of "S" ]Districtfrorn Project 56-7 Resolution No. 2842, removing the "S" District from property within Project. 56-7, Middlefield -Colorado Parking District, was. introduced,• and:on motion of Byxbee and Navis, was: adopted on' roll -call, with 12 Ayes, Bishop not voting -On the •motion. Cancellation of Taxes Resolution No. 2$13; cancelling taxes on certain • _properties,acquiredby the City for public use, was introduced, -and on motions of Byxbee:'and Simpson, was adopted by unanimous vote on -roll call. Amendment to Setback Map. OrdinanceNo. 1742, amending:the Setback Map as it applies to 11,'3 P and R-;4 Zones on University Avenue,'was given second reading,. and-on:motion of Navis and Byxbee, was adopted on roll call, with 12 Ayes, Corcoran voting No. Amendment to Building Code Ordinance No. 17&3, amending Sections 3102 and 3303, and Table 5-A of Chapter --5 of'the Palo Alto Building Code, was given second .reading, and on motion of Navis and Byxbee, was adopted on ;roll call, with 12 Ayes,; Corcoran voting No. Sale of Improvement Bonds (Library and Parks) Ordinance No. :1744, providing for the issuance. and sale of $1,000,000 City of Palo Alto Municipal Improvement Bonds of. 1956, Series "C", for library purposes and for parks, playgrounds and .recreational purposes,, was introduced, and on motion :of Byxbee, duly seconded, was adopted by unanimous vote on roll -call. This ordinance'provides that proposals for the purchase of said bonds' will be received at 3:00 P. M. ion May 13, 1957. Election Ordinance A certificate waa eub.mitted by the City Clerk certifying: that the following candidates have been notlinated in accordance with the city ordinances for the: office of Councilman for the six. year term: Stanley W. Bishop Prentiss I. Cole Robert H. Cummings Stanley R. Evans. Donn V. Graves Stephen 0. Gray James G. Marshall William D. Sauers Carl S. Stephens Bertrum B. Woodward, Jr. Ordinance No. 17k5, providing for a general municipal election to be held on Tuesday, May, 14, 1957, for the purpose of electing; five councilmen as members of the Council of the city of Palo Alto and for the purpose 0f1voting upon one advisory proposi.- tion, was introduced, and on motion'of Rodgers and Byxbee, was adopted by unanimous:vote on' roll cazl. Budget Information Counciljrrocnan Corcoran called attention to the request she made -at the last/,neeting that information on the amount of receipts and expenditure.; -'for the preceding two years be included in the preliminary budget. At her request, Committee No. 3 was asked to discuss this matter and'consider the feasibility of including this_ information in the preliminary budget. Earthquake Insurance for Hospital Councilman Navis , a member of the Hospital Board of Directors, reported:,that: the'b6arcl.isconsidering a revised insurance prograrflfor the present Palo Alto Hospital and would like.a recommendation and-aavice from the City Council as to Whetter a: policy for earthquake, insurance should be carried on the building and contents. It was :pointed out that earthquake 1nsu•rance has never been carried oh the present hospital. After discussion, it was.moved by Byxbee, seconded.by Bishop and carried. that: the Suggestion of carrying earthquake insurance on- the hospital be rejected:. There being no'further business to come before the CcSunci1, the meeting was. declared` -adjourned. at 9:30 P.M. :ATTEST:- : '