HomeMy WebLinkAbout05091955"„ 1
C.tty Hall, Palo Alto, California
m Y 9, 1955.
The Council of the City of Pa10 Alto met In regular
session on ,this date' at -.7:.30 P.M.', with Mayor Simpson. presiding.
Roar. callaz follows:
Present: Byxbee, Cashel, Corcoran, Cummings, Drysdale,
Hutton, Marshall, Mitchell, Porter, Rodgers,
Simpson,*Wickett.
Absent Bishop, Han1ey,'Rup'pen.thal.
proved-.
The minutes of the:meeting, of April 25, 1955, were ap
Li.brary.Book Budget
A letter from..the League of. Women Voters re<±uestir:g an
increase in the appropriation for library books in the 1.955-56
budget was referred to'Committee. No. 3 for consideration during
the. Preparation of t:e budget for the next fiscal year.
Abandonment of:Portion Lion of First Street
A petition was'received:from Irene M. Jacobs and. from
George L. Smith, Jr. and Virginia C Smith, property owners on
First Street betwe.en'.Maclane Street`'and Dry Creek, requesting
that thi=s section, of First. Street , be, abandoned. This was referred
to the Planning: Comrris'sion for consideration_ and recommendation.
Annexation Petitions
A petition was= received from Joseph L. Eichler for con-
sent. to t:ie commencement of. proceedings for the annexation of in-
habited territory bounded. by W'ldwood Lane, San Francis cuito Creek,
theBayshore Highway:arid Embarcadero Road. This was referred to
the Planning Commissions and the --County Bo;r.dary Commission.
A' petition liras also' r-'ecc ved from property owners in the:
I orroe Park'' area' ;for _ consent ;to the -commencemett of proceedings
for:'the anrexat,' on -of inhabite d„ territory bounded generally as
fol1ov�s :` On the northwest by Adobe Cree', on the northeast by
Alr"a Street,. on the- so;:ztheast by. Sar. Antonio Road, and on the
youthwee;t' by . the City :limits',.of ;Mounta1n View, Los Altos and .Palo,
,Alto.., This was:referrred to thePlanning Commission and the County'
Boundary Commission
Assembly Bills.
..A c,ar municatyon yas received from the. City of South San'
Franctsco?: trarsmitt.ing resolutions' opposing Assembly Bills 859,
860:i-862 and ,2212., and 'asking that the City of Palo Alto also op-,
nose :the passage of these bills. Tire ,matter was referred to Com-
mittee -No 3
Agreement for' -Gas Tax•.-;.Fund6 Major -City Streets
The .City ,Manager presented, a Memorandum of Agreement wit
the State S]ivision, of -Highways for the expenditure of gas tax funds.
for„major city :streets: -for the ,1955-56 fiscal year. The agreement
provides for .the widening of Embarcadero Road on the north side
from. Embarcadero Subway :to El Camino Real:, the construction of a
bridge on Middlefield. Road..at- th+e relocated Adobe Creek, and the
installation of, traffic signals:at: interseetio;ns to be selected
during the coming year,cin audition to street maintenance work.,"
Resolution No 2617 approving the agreement and au--
thorizing,;its execution. by the Mayor and City Clerk was introduced
and -on potion of Porter and;Wickett, was adopted by unanimous vote';
on `roll call
South Palo Alto' Grade Separation (Engineer)
Vice: Mayor -Porter, Chairman .of Committee No '1, reported
that' the Engineer Selection Committee recommends the employment of
De. Leuw, Cat."her :& Company for the purpose of making ' a comprehen-
sive feasibility study, preliminary* engineering dee gn,: and cost
estimate of a South Palo..Alto grade separation. The committee=
also recommended that. the.City Manager be authorized to negotiate;
a contract ,with' thls < f irr.,
On motion. of Porterand Marshall, the report and recom-
mendations were adopted:.
Lease'of Bay Lands ,to Boy Scouts
A report .was:_ received. from Committee No.. 3 recommending.,.
ng
approval and execution ofea lease with the Stanford :A.rea C.ouncil'
ofBoy Scouts of America', for a site of 0.17 acres on the, BaIy. land
fora period of 'five years; the property to be used as a .Sea.. Ex-
plorer Base
0n motion. of Mit.chell, and Rodgers, a resolution a_ pprovin;g this lease and authorizing its execution by the Mayor eras adopted
by' una.nimous:.vote on roll cal
Change of Street`Name -
A resort was received from the Planning Commission recom-
mending adoptsoni- of 411 'ordinance charging the name of Sutter
Court -to Clara Drive The'Proposed ordinance was accepted for::
first reading.
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Amendment to Article 16:of Zoning Ordinance
A report was received from, the Planning CommiSsiOn ecom-
mending approval ofar ordinance amendinx Article 16 of"t'rae
Zoning Ordinance to impose step-by-step time limitations on -the
development of Planned' Community- (P -C) Districts.
0r action cf.Huston and " ickett, the or000, ed ordinance
was accepted fOr f-i,rst reading and re.i"erred to Co"'mitte^ NO ,
`Tentative Subdivision Maps
A "'ee,Ort wa,z suh'nitted by the Punning Cor:rai,s .et;s recors-
^ ending approva'1 of the tentative map of the cutcivisf on oaf Lot
89, Wooster .Subdivision-, subject to construct:Io. of a 6 -foot chain
link fence along Dry Creek of the edge of t ha drainage -easement,
?s recommended by the `City E gineer in Bulletin 55-16, . w%1ch
points outthe difficulty of developing the parcel of land approx -
mately 530 feet deep.. -lying :between this subdivision and the lands
of the School District. TheMap was explained by the planning
Officer. On motion- of Huston and Cummings, the map was -approved
in actor, dance with the rec:ommenda tion < the PlAnnf.ng Commissi.o:±-.
''The Panning Commission recommended approva - of the ten
tative reap„ of. the subdivision, of a portion of Lot 51, Wooster Sub-
divlsion, ;sub jeot to gran Ling public uti?.i v' er, easements as r e
cusred to serve the tract: that the 4.xleting well, '?f; arandoned,
be -,,roperly , s_ea1ed and tl2at street improvements be completed as
required along the r,ew street, also subject to the continuance of
the concrete sidewalk adjacent to Lot 13, and that the driveway
approach: fir om Lot 14 to Lot 13 be increased from 12 to 17 feet
in width,°and that 3; -feet be taken from Lot 13 and added to Lot 14.
After ::explanation_ by the Planning officer and discussion of -the
map, it .was moved, by Huston, seconded by Cummings, and car rte .
that the mal -be approved. ir_ accordance w{ th the recommendation
of the P1anring' Commissior1. Drysdale and Mrs. Corcora, voted ?:o.
on the motion..:
A report was received from the Planning Cornmission recor.:-
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mending approval of the.:tentative map of the subdivision of Lots
95;and .97, Wooster,- Subdi'vislon,.-:.located at Ross ,Road and East
Meadow Drtve, . sub feet - to the reouirernent of a minimum lot size of
7;100 so .; 'ft " :and!` an. average; ; lot' size of 7;500 so . ft.; to the
conditions..recommended:by,the City -Engineer in Bulletin 55-47,' n-
cludxig'.discharge of ` etor-m water. ,,from the subdivision through the
storm ' drai.n to be installed 'by Brown and Kauf fmann, granti ng�' of
required easements .for public utilities and obtaining those out-
side; the,;subd1vis1on boundaries, and payment by the subdivider of
costs of abandonment of certain. easerrients which interfere with
construction, within the tract;. and to.:the following conditions
r; That, the stub, street between Blocks 1 and 2 be eliminated;
Continuation. of the 15 -foot planting and public utilities,
easements along Blocks. 1. and` 2 as indicatedin red on the map;
(3)',That the line along Lot 3 -Of :Block 2 be the same as the car, -
responding lire on the final. map of the Brown & Kauffmann tract
and ---(24) that Lot 34 of Block 3 be turned to provide Lot 35 with
a 60 --foot frontage This proposed subdivision contains 80 lots.
Mr. Ge�rger' Nolte,' engineer for the subdivider, told the.
Council that there are several problems involved which need
clarification, and asked-that'ac.tion be withheld and the map be
referred to Committee No' l,for further study. On motion of
Huston and Drysdale; -action was deferred to the Council meeting
of June 13, 1955, and the map referred to Committee No. 1.
Final Map of, Tract No. 1514, Meadowpark
A report was submitted by the Planning Commission recom--
mendingapproval, of 'the final map of Tract No. 1514, Meadowpark,
a portion of Rancho Rincon de San Francisouito (24 -lot portion
of the 240 -lot Subdivision: map approved by the Council on April
25, 1955), subject -to conditions imposed on the tentative map
and to conditions recommended by the City Engineer in Bulletin'
55-48, including' granting of easements for public utilities as
shown, adjusting.thee--northwesterly line of the drainage easement
to conform to the :City of Palo Alto plan for realignment of
Adobe'Creek, and improgement-of the adjacent portion of this
drainage ditch as Mentioned in Engineering Bulletins 55-12 and
55-33, ;;and to further verification of 1ct sizes by the City
Engineer
Resolution No: 2618, approving map o?' Tract No. 1.514,
was introduced; and on motion of Marshall and Porter, was adopted
on roll, call, with 11 Ayes',>Drysdale'voting No.
(Councilman' Mitchell_ left at this time, 8:15 P.M., and
was absent for part of .the'meeting.)
Final Map of -Tract No. 1513
The ; Planning Commission also .recommended approval of the
final- map of Tract: No. 1513, Wooster ;Subdivision, portion of Lot
110, located at the corner of Louis Road and Loma Verde Avenue,
subject to obtaining a ,5 -foot public: uti'li.ties easement over the
lards of Rohn' to Tract 1+23 as shorn on the map.
Resolution No. 2619 approving the map of Tract No. 1513
was introduced•,., end -on motion of Porter and Marshall, was adopted
onroll s'call, ;with 10 Ayes, Drysdale voting No.
Lot 'Division= Block 23 Go'llege Terrace
A'report bras .received from,the Planning Commission re--
commend�'ng approval of the application: of Chris Bernard fora lot;
division of ' his property , at -`2265 Harvard Street, lots 19 and 20,' .
Bio,ck 2L, College Terrace, with a' 10 -Moot access easement to the;'
rear lot,. :on .^rotor of Cummings and Huston, this lot division
was approved as recommended.
unanimous .vote on roll call.
223
Naming of ""Mitchell Park` and "Cogswell ?laza"
A report 'was': made by Councilman Wickett for the special -
committee appointed by tae Mayor to consider and report to the
Council as to the naming of the park on Lytton Avenue (former
city hall park) and the new 18 -acre park on East Meadow Drive .
The memb.erc of the .special committee were Wickztt, chairman;
Marshal " Rodgers, Cummings and Huston. Mr. Wickett reported
that, the committee had met and discussed the matter. and had .
unarimo: Sly approved the recommendation of the Chamber of Com-
n erce that .the former city, hall park on Lytton Avenue be named
"Cogswell Plaza" in honor of Elinor V. Cogswell, former editor
of the Palo;Alto Times, and that the 18 -acre park be name
"Mitchell Park" in honor of Councilman j. P. ! itchef .
The Counc' l was informed `:het one letter had been re-
ceived by the committee, making the suggestion that the nurse Qf.
Lucie Stern be considered, and the committee had considered this
name, but all the members were in favor of the names selected:
it wa.a mowed by Wickett, seconded by Corcoran:, and
unanimously carried that .the report of the committee be .anoro red
and that the names' of- "Mitehell ?ark" and "Cogswell ?laze be
a:cceoted as recommended,:
Renumbering_Ordinance Sections
0rdinance No. 16lli renumbering and redesig'rating
Lions- 7.Gl to -7.09 of `Codified Ordinance No. 5, was .given;second.
reading,, and on Motion of •Porter and Rodgers, was adopted:by
(C-ou eilmar Mitchell returned at this time, 8=25 a.M
and was present' for the rest; of the r' eet .ng
Amendments. to;- Improvement Procedure Code
A ;;progress report -was made by the City Attorney on tae
preparati On of : aropoet- aTrendmentc to the Palo Alto Impro emen t
Procedure Code.. fie advised that he had prepared an ord rance -
and ;sirs ie'v •.,of _the fact- that Mr. . Ernest Wilson of Ii rkb id .,
ilsen.,.:Harzfeld & Wal'lace, had prepared the original' code and
bad`".hand :ed street improvement proceedings for the City for many,,
'years he hµd' :exit the proposed ordinance to Mr. iii lsor for ,,ug-
gestions, and had Just this date received the ordinance with the
suggested changes -and a=letter on the subject. The City Attorney 1
suggested that tre matter be referred to Committee No. -.„3 for' dis e
cussion ; and study of the - whole question. He advised teat "e gould i
send a copy : a f .the proposed ordinance to Mr. John K. , 3tewart who 1
was:. recommend>ed_. ehangez . in the bond procedure in order, to -imps o re . ,
'tine C� ty's credii"t rating. At_ the request of Councilrnar Mars? sl_l, 1
t' c City ,4ttorne'y advised .that he would send a copy of the pro-
di.nance to al l cOUncil members.
:On motion of Cummings and Marshall, the ;ratter- was rte_
o Committee No -3 and the City Attorney for further study., . Y:
It was then mo ved by Mrs. Corcoran, seconded My Byxbee,
and carried that when= ,this question is discussed by Committee
No. 3 a`public meeting be held and thepublicbe Invited to
listen to the discussion, so they will have a clear picture of the
whole problem.
Claim for Damages (Mason).
A report was' received from the City Attorney concerning -
the claim filed by, Fred A. Mason. in the amount of $101.39 for
damages .to "is: car when it struck a City Bulldozer which was
parked out;into the street'at the intersection of University
Avenue and Chaucer ' Street. The City Attorney advised that after
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investigation of the matter it; was _his opinion that there 1s no
liability on. the part of the Clty;. that the vehicle was standing`
still and could have'be:en seen bythe claimant and avoided by
the exercise;of due care. ."fie:recommended that the claim be denied.:
On -motion of Byxbee a;n.d. Wick.ett, the recommendation of
the= City Attorney was accepted and the claim denied.
Monthly Reports
The monthly report of, the' Controller for April, 1955,.
was . received' and placed, .oi1: file'
The .`monthly report, of the Planning Officer on action
taken in,April. on:'`applicatons for redivision of lots, and the
monthly report .of. the . Zoning Administrator on action taken in
April _on:appli'cations .for variances and use permits, were received
and placed: on file.
Project 52-16, California Avenue Off -Street Parkin
On motion',: of Marshall and Porter, all ratters in connecw:
tion with Project 'No 52-16, Off -Street Parking, California
Avenue Dist*ct, were ,continued' to June 13, 1955.
Leave to "Councilman Drysdale
CouncilmanDrysdale wasgranted permission to leave the
State from May. 16 to June 21, 1955
There being no.further:business to come before the Council:,
the: meeting was declared adjourned at 8:40 P.M.
APPROVED:
(49
Mayo