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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03311959V"' March 31, 1959 The Council; of the ,City of Palo Alto met on this date at 7 30 P.M., pursuant to adjournment of March 23, 1959, with Vice Mayor Marshall presiding Roil call as follows: Present: Byxbee, Corcoran, Cresap, Giffin, Marshall,. Mitchell, Rodgers, Ruppenthal, Stephens, Woodward. Absent: Bishop, Davis, Evans, Navin.,. Porter. The minutes of the meeting of March 23, 1959, were approved as distributed.. Foothills Annexation No. 2 This was the tiine andplace set for the hearing of,objec- tions. and protests' to the proposed annexation.. of=territory designated 'as "Foothills No. 2 "+: The:; City Clerk reported that she had filed a letter certifying that notice of the: hearing had been given by.publica lion as required:by law and that an affidavit: -of publication is onfile; also that aenotice Of.the hearing had..been mailed to.'ownersof interest who had requested a notice in writing, as required by law. The ;City Clerk reported' that the only written communica- tion received is a:lett'erfrom A. W. Kantletzki, Executive Secretary` of the Barron Park'-Maybel:leIxnprrovement Association, requesting that he and Mr.rJack" Silvey,:,"' P.resident_ of the organization, be - permitted to speak in protest to the proposed annexation as represen _e m - tatives of property owners who ar ei bers of•:this Association. The City Clerk also reported:-thata statement had been filedgy the;City- Assessor certify ng-that he had examinedthe official records of Santa Claza:County which indicated that the total assessed valuation of.-t'he land within the boun-aries of the proposed annexation 'is $708, :7"50.00 The City -Attorney advised that as yet no legal protest has, been filed, that the letter from the Barron Park-Maybelle Improve - • ment Association can riot be considered at a legal protest as it does not set forth any ownership : and i8 not signed by any property owner in:. the area: I'he hearing as d'eclar'ed open. Mr. Silvey, President of the ,Barron Park-Ma�sybelle: improvement Association, addressed the Council, stating that he represented the owners of the L'Ome Iette • Restaurant property it 4170° El Camino Real and the property Of Mrse, Peter Mullen'at 4'192,E1 Camino :Real ti -at: they were.never asked if they wished to have their::properties annexed to Falo Alto and that they do not wish to be; included in the annexation. Mr Sxlye indicated that no protests would have been made if the original map of the annexation area, which did, net include the L'Ornelette and: Mullen:properrties, had: not -been revised. Mr.. Kandetzki, Executive Secretary of the Barron Park Maybelle Ixnprovernent Association, also spoke on the matter, objecting particularly to the inclusion of the property on El Carxiino Real, pointing out that the Barron-/: •11': Fire ,District `does not wish; to be deprived of the taxes fro m such 'property. . -ie askedthaat the original map be adhered to, and stated that the Association would cooperate in the anneation program,if the-L'Omelette' and Mullen properties are deleted from the annexa- tion.inap 1 r.. "5ohn CY911," _4173 Hubbartt,'Drive Chairman of'the Foothxlls` No i.: Citxzens for' Annexation, asiureel the Counci1, that the proponents in':the.area are _still very desirous: of,,annexation to 'Palo Alto ;and are; 'eager ,and rwa1lxng to,-put._in the:: time and effort to carry on a successful' campaign for the annexation election. Mr. Walter :Vdler, 4031 Arnaranta Avenue, also spoke in :favor of the annexation The Gity: Attorney advised that the law requires an ;additional ten days in Which.- :protests nnayebe filed, and that the only ;action the,Courcil,. can take -at this time, .s to•cortinue the hearing to • thenext r.egtilar ineeting on April'13,' 1.95:9, that the statements made„ at this:` meeting ;cannot:be-:considered as 'an. official: protest and that to date `no -legal protest has -been filed; by'a property :owner inthe. ;area,`;that,any,.further .protests: must be in writing and must be filed ;within ;ten' days,; and at the next .meeting on April 13, 1959,,' a"definite ',report,: can bye made to'tbe,Council.ds "o any -protests filed and:; the ;amount of assessed valuation represented by such >protests ' The heaxing;was: then`continued to the next regular_ meeting, of: the Council.:to be held on `:April' 13, 1.959, at 7;30 P.M. Metre;Pclxtare Cuover inient The Council`gay..e furthercons;id'eration to correspondence from the;' League of California Cities and the League's Statern'ent of 4Prxnc pies on Metropolitan -Problems. After discussien, it was ;moved by Cresap„ seconded try ,Mrs. Corcoran, that a resolution. :incorporating the`ba'sic thoughts. expressed in he sections 'headed 'Preamble' and "General: Principles" be adopted. The vote on roll rcall was as follows: Ayes: l3yxbee, Corcoran, Cresap, Giffin, Marshall, Stephens, >Woodward. Noes: Rodgers, Ruppenthal. Councilzrian Mitchell was absent from the room during the voting The resolution, failing to receive the necessary 8 votes, 'was declared lot. Cancellation of Taxes (State P.ro prt A communication was received from the State Divisi'on`of Hig -ways requesting cancellation of taxes on certain properties, acquired by the State from 'L C. Smith and Edgar A. Morgan for highway purposes. On motiain of:'Byxbee and Woodward , the taxes on said properties were cancelled:. .Cancellation of: Taxes-. Flood Control District Pro ertv) •�: A letter was received from the Santa Clara County Flood >4: 'T, Control ;Control District requesting cancellation of taxes on certain properties acqui;red-by.the District f< fiood control purposes, being the ;properties of the North, Los Altos Water Company and. Tsukagawa on 'Adobe Creek. On m.otaon=of •Byxbee.and ;Redgers., the taxes on said properties= were cancel.led.. (Councilman Mitchell returned a.t this time and was . present `for the rest of the meeting; ); • aseek. A re.ment with Southern Pacific .= The City Manager •1ecommended`approval of an easement: agreement between :the City -,of Palo Alto and the Southern Pacific, Company for the. construction, reconstruction, maintenance and operation of a .16. -inch :water, pipe line within a 24 -inch casing beneath the tracks _and property of.;the Southern Pacific Company, in connec - • tion:w"ith:the :Lytton pumping; station. A. resolution approving this easement agreement and :authorizing its execution by the Mayor was introduced, and .on inotiori ' of Ruppenthal- and Rodger/Sy/as adopted by unanimous vote on,roll call, Amendment 'to.Buildin Code Si ns) Ordinance No. 1842 amending Chapter 46 of the Building Code regulatingadvertising devices, - signs and billboards, was presented for *ec.ond -reading in a revised form as prepared by the City Attorney. The changes in various sections were reviewed by the City Attorney, who advi's'ed that he had;also prepared a:definitaon' for "Sign Area.",`in the event the Council wished to include this in the i ordnance.. On motion: of Mitchell and ,Rodgers, and by unanimous vote;;. on roll call, the ordinance was adopted as amended, including the definition of "sign area''. Suit Against Meter Reader Lo�ez ; A report was received from the City Attorney regarding the case-of:Wood v.- Edward Lopez, a.m.eter` reader for the City, in which it was asserted that he had attacked and injured,a. dog 'belonging to the',plaintiff ;whoasks damages in the amount of. some $2620,00. The: -:City Attorneyadvised :that the City is not named as a defendant, andionly'Mr." Lopez' personalliabilityis involved. He :_pointed out that neither the"Viartex nor, the Administrative Code includes 'a statement as to representation of employees against." whom ,personal liability is asserted for activities occurrrng during the course of employinent; that he is willing to represent Mr. Lopez. but ;believes the "Council should .consent. to it: In this ;connection the. City Attorney -brought to the Council's attention the advisability of amending Section, 202 of the Adaninistra- ;lave Code to provide that the City, Attorney represent erriployees in canes arising out the performance of their 'dutie$, and of;amending' the cla i ms procedure:provisions of the 'Cede, :Section 408, to provide'.; thata:,auit against an.•employee'.individualtY should also.:require:. a veri:-fied claim with the employee within the carnetune iixnits as is 'now necessary in a;cla ni against the City. On',motion .of Rodgers and Cresap, the Council gaee its • consent to the Gity Attorney to represent Mr. Lopez in this suit: It was moved by Rodgers, seconded by Byxbee, and carried that the .City Attorney .draft. 'proposed_ amendments to Sections 202: and 408 of. -.:the. Administrative Code as he suggested in his report, and 'refer Sucharnendments to. Committee No 3 for consideration. 4 '.A Claim for Dama3es (Cuthbertsoe ) A report was received from the City Attorney concerning claim filed by William H. Cuthbertson in the sum of $76.16 for damages involving an alleged dangerous and defective condition consisting of an open trench during the process of construction by the Peletz Construction Cornpany. The City Attorney advised that the company has paid the claim and has obtained a release for the City. He recommended denial of the claim. On motion of Mitchell and Rodgers, the City Attorney's report was accepted and the claim denied. Claim for- Damages (Windsor ) A report was submitted by the City Attorneyconcerning claimfiled by Eugene A. "Windsor in the amount of $14.00:. for asserted damages when employees of the urban Construction Company, working under a contract with `the City, moved claimant's. car without his knowledge and in so doing,` a door latch of the car was broken;,, The City Attorney advised that no city employee was in any way involved and there is no `reaponaibility on the; part of the City He recommended denial of the _claim. On motion:_ of Rodgers and Mitchell, the City Attorney's report was accepted and the claim denied. Claim for Dasnagea (Sissingh) The City Attorney submitted a report concerning claim filed by Gerhard J. Sissingh for damages in the amount of $23.95,' assertee have resulted from an automobile accident at Colorado Avenue and Louis Road on February 12, 1959 involving a police car. The City Attorney advised that the facts indicate that the acci dent. was not caused by the negligence of the police officer, and he there- fore recommended denial of the. claim. On motion of Byxbee and Mitchell, the Attorney's report was accepted -and': the claim:;denied. Therebeingno further business to come before the Council, the meeting was declared adjourned at 8;30 P.M. Vice yor •