HomeMy WebLinkAbout03141955City Hall, Palo Alto, California,
March 14, 1955.
The Council of the City of Palo Alto met in regular
session: on this;date'at 7:30 P.M.., with Mayor Simpson presiding.
Roll call as follows:
Present:. Bishop, Byxbee, Cashel, Corcoran, Cummings Drys-
dale, Huston,' Mitchell, : Porter, :dodgers, . A x�rs-
Ruppenthal, Simpson, Wickett.
Absent.: Hanley, Marshall.
The minutes of the meeting of February 28, 1955; were
approved
,Abandonment of Easement, Elmdale Unit No. 2
This was the time for a hearing on the proposed aban-
donment of a portion of an easement in Elmdale Drive,_ Elmdale
Unit No. 2, Tract No. 1353, in accordance with Resolution 'of"In-
tention No. 2600. It was reported that the Clerk has filed an
affidavit of ;tee publication of the notice of this hearin
hearing was declared $ ::open. There bein no one 8- The
on the matter, the hearing was closed. present to speak
Resolution No. 2604 ordering the abandonment of the
easement was introduced, and on motion of Porter and Ruppentha1,
was adopted by unanimous vote on roll call,
Barron Park Annexation
A petition for the annexation of the Barron Park area.
to the City of -Palo Alto was presented, with the certificate of
the City Clerk stating that the petition contains the signatures
of 740 registeredvoters residing within the area soughtto be.
annexed, more than 25% of the total number of registered voters
residing in the area.
Resolution of Intention No. 2605 to call anele.ction -on
the proposed Barron. Park Annexation in the territory.•propos-
be annexed, said election to be held on June fixing.
April 11, ' 7, 1955, and fixing
;- 1955, as tine. for -hearing was introduced.'
The City Attorney :explained that the hearing.. is for the
purpose of hearing protests from the owners of real. property "
within the,' territfl est
ry, that the, law provides that all protests
must:: be. in writing and, rust be filed prior to the,: time fixed' for
the hearing, which is 7:30 P.M., April 11, 1955, and must state
the name, or. names .of the owner or owners of the property, and
the -location and -area : of such property in general terms. The
City Attorney ,further stated that at the hearing the Council will
,consider the' protests and if it. finds that
the ow,nex�,s� ..of "a >� majority protests are: ,made_ by ..
y. of the separate parcels of property
within:.the territory, then all proceedings must be terminated..
If there 3s not a majority. protest,''then the election must be
held,._.
On motion .of Mitchell and Drysdale, Resolution of In-
ention No; 2605 was then adopted by unanimous vote ,on . roll call.
OpeneHouse Drill at.Arlory
• .A cos uunieation, was received from Lt, col..:;.He' H. Co111ne
= Commanding.' Officer,•at 'the 149th .Anti -Aircraft Artille
California.: NationaleGUard:, invi,ti o t lion,
ng counci.l members:; to attennddEn
OPere. House~ Drill apt the. Armory , in gesa Recreation Center;.
.Menlo 'Park, oe Sunday,. March' 20, 1955, between 8:00 A.- P1.,> and
4 00 P.M
14
State Policy on Freeway Routes
A letter 'was received from' the. California Highway Com-
mission transmitting 'for information a copy of a resolution re-
defining the policy.and"procedure of the Commission in regard to
freeway routes:; This Was placed' on file' in the City Clerk's office:
Willow • Road Extension'
A resolution was received from the' Palo Alto Citizens'
Association pl"aoing;on record their opposition to the inclusion
of any part of the :.proposed Sandhill-Willow `state highway within
the city ..limits of :,Palo 'Alto,; northeasterly .of El Camino Real.
This communication was referred.to'Committee No 1.
Aletter. wit
.received :received from,`the Oregon Avenue District
Association _favoring the early widening and extension of Willow
Road to facilitate :the .` flow.,. of_ traffic around the north end of
Palo Alto,:; and" "urging' that any proposed extension of Willow: Road
'provide- for an :interchange at El Camino Real. This letter was.;
also'referred .'to Committee No."1.
South Palo Alto "Oracle Separation
A letter was re-ceived' from the Oregon Avenue District
Association asking that the Council proceed slowly with respect
to the, euployment..of an engineer to make studies in connection
with the; proposed South:: Palo.Alto grade separation, and making
several . euggestlons for_ consideration before action is taken..
This 'was 'referred•to=:,,Committee No 1.
Petition for Annexation' ("El Camino Real Annexation No. 2
A petition was presented from Ray E. O' Brien and other
property: owners for the annexation of' uninhabited territory' o-
cated: on the northeasterly side .or -El Camino Real, for a distance
of approximately 1000 feet south of Adobe Creek, the present city
limits line.
,Councilman Mitchell, Chairman of Committee No. 3, re-=
ported -that: the Committee had considered this, matter several. weeks
ago and . had met with one of l..the =property owners and his attorney,
• and had recommended approval 't of the ";annexation of the area
A. resoliition giving notice of the proposed annexation -
of this territory, designated as 'El Camino Real Annexation No. ..2;`
and setting. April 11, 1955, .as.date' for hearing, was introduced.
A .motion was made by Mitchel1, seconded by Drysdale, that the rem
solution .be adopted.
Mrs Corcoran suggested that the proposed annexation
of the area in. question be 'given' careful consideration before
action' is taken, and called attention to problems which may be
created. if the area; it, Made a part' `of'",the Palo Alto School; Dis-
trict:',' particularly; if, further_. annexations are , made. in the terri-
tory' south "of Adobe- Creek .' Councilman Huston stated that he had
voted against, the proposed'- Annexation when the matter was in ,com-
mittee because he. feels' that. Adobe:Creek should be the boundary
line and that problems :mightbe created if this area is taken into
the City.
It .was. pointed: out that development planned by property
owners petiticning for -annexation; will bring in added taxes and
income to the Ci:.y; that the area "is valuable highway frontage.
Attention was called to a previous request considered
last' year for the annexation --of the Monroe Park area and ocher
territory,: south, of Adobe Creek, when the Council refused per-
mission for the .circulation of, a petition to annex to Palo Alto.
Councilmen Hyxbee moved tha:t the:, petition receivedLat- this
meeting ,be referred back to Committee No. 3 for further eensi-
deration'and:study ofthe effects of, the annexationOn-the whole
Monroe Park'"area previously under consideration: Mr Cummings'
seconded'the .mot.ion, with the,comment that he believes such in-.-
aabted areas` as Monroe Park should be incorporated and made a=
dart.: of some 'city:, and' that the annexation of all the area south
-of Adobe.Greek should' be considered'; as a unit.
The motion-'to:refer. the matter back to
for further . study was•carried by voice vote.
Deputy City Clerk for Loyalty Oaths
Mrs: Dorothy Bonde-, secretary in the Personnel Office,
was'.appointed a deputy city:clerk for the purpose of witnessing
loyaltyoaths of city employees..
Saf e'ty `Contest Award
The City Manager'' announced that the City of Palo Alto
was given an" award of merit for the best safety record in _Group
I11, Governmental Agencies Plant' Safety Contest, which'was con-'
ducted by the Santa Clara -County Safety. Council in 195 .'
Fire Rating oi' "El Camino Real Annexation
The City"Manager presented the Rating Reportof the
PacifIC'Fire,RatingT.Hurea0 for the territory in "El' Camino Real-
1nnexation No: 17 which has been given a Class 5 rating since
its`: annexation to Palo Alto.
Hospital Expansion Program
The report of"Rosenfield and Allen, hospital consul-
tanta, on their" second study of the Palo Alto Hospital: program
and -the integration of:'the Palo Alto Hospital with the proposed
-Stanford-:.Medical School and teaching hospital, was presented.
_Ceuncilmary Mitchell, Chairman of Committee No. 3, re-
ported"that'%the Committee has considered the consultants' report
and feels that the Council should take the first step at this
meeting to place the:hospital bond proposition on the ballot again
at 'the May 10th municipal election, and secure the authority of
the; voters to:use the bond funds for a new hospital building on
a site adjacent to the Stanford Medical School.. A report was re-
ceived from Committee Ho. 3 recommending adoption of the necessary
resolution.
Resolution No. 2606, determining that the public in-
terest and; necessity demand the acquisition, construction and com-
pietion'of additional hospital facilities, was introduced, and. on
.motion or:Mitchell and' Porter, was adopted by unanimous vote on
roll call,
The. Mayor:announced that'he has requested:. the steering.
committee of the Citizens' Committee which served in the; -hospital: -
bond election"campaign-in-1951 to serve again for the purpose of
getting; information to`.t.he public regarding the consultants'
aecond::reportand the proposed program under consideration The
Members of thieleemMittee are Warren Cook and Ralph - Cahn, co-
chairmen; Mrs; William dgett, Dr. 0. C. Paciulli and Dr. Harold
Sox.
South Palo Alto 18 -Acre Park Plan
Mr Robert Royston of Eckbo, Royston. ,& Williams, pre-
sented preliminary plans for the development of the 18 -acre park
on East Meadow -Drive and showed slides of . the program He said
that a model is: now 'being,prepared' and will be placed on display
soon.
Lease with Matadero Mosquito Abatement District
A report was received from Committee No. 1 approving.
the •:request of the Idatadero Mosquito Abatement District for ad-
ditional land adjoining their present leasehold on the Bay Lands,.
and recommending that the llayor and City Clerk be authorized to
execute a newlease- covering the present site and additional area
The "Chairman `ofCommittee No. 1 explained that the District is
anxious` to have the use of additional land immediately and it was
felt that it 'would: be satisfactory to lease it to them on condi-
tion that the lease could be cancelled if the City needs the land
for other purposes:
A resolution approving the lease and authorizing its
execution by: the, Mayor: and City. Clerk was introduced, and on
motion .of Porter and Bishop, was adopted bar unanimous vote on
roll call.
General Plan Reports and 'Publicity
A report. was received from Committee No. 1 recommending
that.. the sum of $3053;.00 -be transferred. from the Special Projects
Fund. for the printing' 'of the Interim General Plan, the General
Plan Report, and a publicity:'mailin piece, $2,000.00 of this sum•
to be transferred to.Account 10&13 -(Central Services) and $1053:06
to Account -123, Reports and -Codes.
A motion .was, made- by Porter, seconded by Huston, that
the recommendation be adopted and -the transfer of funds authorized.
There was considerable discussion on the matter..
Councilman Rodgers opposed:'::the'expenditure, stating he felt that
a few 'copies- of., the plan "and report could: be made available for
public inspection at='"the* city. hail' and this would be sufficient.
Mrs:Corcoran suggested that it -might be wise to delay the
printing' of the reports until they. Planning. Commission has finished
.review as there may. sme: o, -changes in details of the plan
durint the next few leeeks ., :,Several; council ,Members expressed the
view that, as much 1nfoxmation as possible should be given to the
ppiblic
The Planning: Officer explained • that the Planning Com-
• . , mission felt that; should be printed and distributed, . to
.the people so they; can.:, be inforaned.,:' and reviewed the proposed-
prograoa which .'provides' for'_the pr1ntin3 of 2000 copies : of the'.
Interim •General. Plan, 500,. copied of the . G'enera.l Plan Report and`:
• 17',000 copies of a: publi ity ,mailing piece to be sent to all,
Palo. Alto utility -customers;., He advized that some revenue; can' be
expected:' from` the • sale of •some of the copies of the Interim`
General, flan and -the:;:General flan. Report.
After further discussion`,: the motion to authornte the
'.transfer. ,of: --funds as recommended by Committee No., 1 was carried:
on roll c:all,'with 12; Ayes Rodgers voting.No.
Transfer. of ::Funds
A report' Was received from "Committee„„ No , 3 recommending
that the: -sum, of - $2;500.`0.0>be transferrredfrom the unappropriated
balance of. the - General: Fund tc ..Account ;123, Refunds, to provide: -
the. .refluld a£:: a deposit guararnteei,ng perfor once in the
movitsg of a building 7 by the;: Cranston:: Company, and that the-.. sum of
:.$5700.00 be transferred from the unappropriated balance of the
General Fund to Accdunt Rio 123., Census, as: authori-zed to be
expended' for a special - census at the Council 'meeting of February
1 11. th.
On motion of..Mitc ell and Wickett, the recommendatiorn.
was adopted, and the transfers authorized by unanimous vote on
roll calf
•
197
Amerdment to',Zoning Ordinance (Article 12,Dry-Cleaning Plants
Ordinance No, .497 amending Section 12.02 of :the
Zoning Ordinance in, regardto dry cleaning plants in C-;3: dis=
tricts., was given aecond reading, .and on;;motion of Porter 'and..
Mitchell, was adopted "by unanimous vote on roll call.
Monthly Reports
The :monthly` report of ' the Controller for February, 1955,
the monthly report of: the Planning Officer on ac:tion.. taken in
February` on, applications for;x•edivision of lob, and the monthly
report of the Zoning Administrator on actlor. taken in February
on variance and Use permit applications were received, and placed
on file.
iY
There being na further business, the Council adjourned
APPROVED:
:
VelM'473 (4, ,