HomeMy WebLinkAbout10011974Special M=eting
October 1, 1974
'TEN PAGE
The Planning Commission, by a vote of 6
in favor (one absent), advises that the
Commission has reviewed the Comprehensive
Plan Impact Report and xecommends the
planning optionE: as recorded in its minutes
of August 14, 1974 and August 20, 1974
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10/1/74
October 1, 197i
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date at 7:30 p.m.
in a special meeting with Mayor Sher presiding.
Present: Bearers, Berwald, Clay, Comstock,
Henderson, Norton, Pearson,
Rosenbaum, Sher
Absent: None
The Planninp[ Cotmz•.issieaa b' a vote of 6
�IafOalYM.'EOItI����
in favor one 3 �SErft a vis84 that the
Commission as reviewed the Crm rehensl.ve
TanIm act Re -art and recom er, s tut
�Taannin o tiers as recorded in its minutes
o� �'�.1 LSSt �� : and Au �.►4t ZQ 1`14
Mayor Sher said last Monday night's meeting had concluded action on
Option Set No. 7 relating to Dumbarton Bridge. Option Set No. 8 relating
to Transit is therefore before the Council. Mayor Sher was prepared to
take a number -of motions which will generally uphold the Planning
Commission recommendations with some changes and following the practice es-
tablished last time, proposed that the entire package under Option Set
No, 8 be outlined first and then take action, on each option proposed
separately, moving them one at a time. First of alt, it seemed clear that
=tome of the Transit options were paired and Council would be adopting one
or the other. For example, 8(a) and 8(b) deal with transit service within
Palo Alto. Either the level of services provided by the county transit •
district is to be continued, which is 8(a), or opt for a higher level of
service, which is' 8(b), - Mayor Sher did not favor making a commitment of
a. , city subsidy in a precise dollar amount, as in impact Report Option f3(b),
in order to achieve the higher level of service, particularly when about
to embark with Stanford and Menlo Park on a $65,000 research and planning
effort aimed at having an improved transportation system begin operation in
the area en 1977. That effort will explore a number of alternative
methods of financing and augmentation of the county system, and the city
subsidy will be one of the possibilities that will be explored. So he was
satisfied with Option 8(b) as the Planning Commission has shortened it,
leaving out the reference to a city subsidy of a given dollar amount per
year. The three periods at the end of the modified 8(b) as adopted by the
Planning Commission means that the Commission has deleted the rest of what
was in the original option in the impact report. Mayor Sher agreed with
Option -8(b) with only one period at the end because of the finality that
the one period will convey.
When this package of motions is passed it would be understood that they
were all intertwined as part of a set, i.e., Option Set 8, "Transit". Op-
tions 8(d) and (e) are another pair relating to mass transit and Council
should either call fen continuation of the present levels of regional tran-
sit which serves the spine of the Peninsula as in 8(d) or an improvement
of service as in 8(e). Because Mayor Sher owns some shares in Southern
Pacific Company, he announced he wouldn e t participate in Option 8(d) or
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Re Option 8(f), as was clearly stated in the Impact Report and in the dis-
cussion by the Planning Commission and staff and the consultants, it cannot
be expected to divert 30 percent of all trips to transit without enacting
at the anme time, some disincentives to the use of the automobile. The
Impact Report suggests on pages 53 and 63, an all -day parking tax that
would not only discourage auto use butcould also pay for improved levels
of transit service. Mayor Sher would like to see the Zoning Ordinance
parking minimums reduced and some maximums set, or was willing to have
major portions of the minimum parking relu4 rements eliminated in return
for funds contributed to improving the transit system. All of that requires
careful thought, study and legal research; so he would propose a new option
8(f) and at the appropriate time would move it, as follows: Institute dis-
incentives to automobile usage..s as --to increase transit ridership.
The intent of that was that staff would examine the feasibility and legality
of a number of different disincentives to the automobile and that those
that are feasible will be included in the draft Comprehensive Plan which the
staff will forward to the Planning Commission for discussion and public hear-
ing.
Councilman Berwald rose to a point of order. Last week, he asked the Mayor
before the meeting to recognize him as the referrer of the Eleanor Park
motion. According to Mr. Berwald, the Mayor told him that he had already
made an agreement with another Councilman to present this motion, He felt
the Mayor was telling him that an arrangement had been made between the
:13yor and Mr. Henderson to present the cotions on the Comprehensive Plan,
a long range plan that has a tremendous effect on the outcome of the City.
`ix. Berwald stated that he had some plans alsl. He continued that he had
great respect for the Mayor and this was not going to be any lasting attack
on him as a person but he thought his practice in handling those things in
that sway was a very bad precedent and that the Council should avoid that
sort of pre -determined motion making.
Mayor Sher ce!iponded that he Aid not feel `Sr. Berwald's point was well
taken. He recalled that last week when the Council first started the Com-
prehensive Plan, he spoke to each and every member of the Council. He
asked them to choose option sets they would like to take the leading role
in moving. After the motions were moved, each of the rest of the Council
would have an opportunity to amend each of those and add any that he or
she wanted. Mr. Henderson did just that, according to Mayor Sher, inform-
ing him as to which option sets he would like to take a leading role on.
No one had approached him about Option Set 8 on Transit. Therefore, to
get the matter rolling, the Mayor thought that he would take the role of
me pg; 564 introducing those first because of his particular situation on Item 8(d)
See pg. 564 and (e) while Mr. Henderson volunteered to deal with those two items.
Mayor Sher stated that he had had communications from others, but none
from Mr, Serwald, as to which of those Option sets he would like to play
that role in regard to. The Mayor continued that he certainly wished to
spread the work around, and had no intention to. cut anyone off. Everyone
would have an opportunity to move amendments to any of the Options that
are moved by the Council member that takes that role. The Mayor felt
really shocked and amazed at what he regarded as a matter they had dis-
cussed at some length.
1
Mr. Berwald felt that the Mayor's response was a good explanation. He did
feel, though, that the Council is adopting s different procedure for hand-
ling Council meetings this evening. That is probably one reason, according
to Mr. Berwald, that he didn't submit a letter in advance. He continued
that if Council members have to submit a letter, they ought to submit it
to all the members of the Council. ?4r. Berwald felt that what really bo-
thered him was the fact that there are agreements made between people and
he would not be a party to those agreements as to who makes the motion.
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Councilman Clay asked what the Mayor was thinking of in the way of
examples regarding automobile disincentives.
Mayor Sher felt he should wait before responding until the Council
gets the precise motions on the floor. It was his idea to have the
person or persons who were going to move the whole set indicate which
options they were going to move.
Councilman Clay stated that his question did not take a position one
way or the other on the disincentives. it was, rather., his intent to.
understand what it was the Mayor vas referring to so that he could
be thinking about it in terms of automobile disincentives.
Mayor Sher responded that the one example he had suggested was the one
the staff had suggested which was the all -day parking tax. There was
also the possibility of cutting down the number of parking spaces that
were required, and would therefore be available in new developments,
with a corresponding contribution to improved levels of transit service.
The Mayor did not wish to propose to specify any examples in particular,
but in a general watt indicate that disincentives ought to be studied in
order to discourage automobile usage and increase transit.
;'ice :. vor Henderson said that he had heard his nane three times and
was going to respond very quickly. He stated that he called. Mr. Sher
a week ago on th Eleanor Pardee Perk item because he had been involved
with it so many times before, and was interested in carrying it through
if no one else had spoken to that point. He called the Mayor again this
week prior to the r.eeting on that item and on the new location for the
Collective, and offered to make the motion, Mr. Henderson really resented
the implication that deals or arrangements are being wade. This practice
of carmine, and asking whether you might present an item had been in effect
the whole time he had been a Councilman, and he did not understand what
this was all about. He then began speaking to the options, and stated
that item S(d) would continue the existing level of regional transit
service provided presently by SP and Greyhound, whereas 8(e) would
support and finance halo Alto's share of the cost of regional rapid
transit :.inks. He would be personally in favor of Option 8(e). He
thought it probably not wise to get into anything in tens of financing
at that point so they would eliminate that part of it and lust speak to
supporting (e), regional rapid transit links.
MOTION: Mayor Sher moved, seconded by Pearson, Option 8(b) as it appears
under the Planning Commission recommendation (but leaving one period
instead of three at the end of the line): To establish a high level of
transit service within Palo Alto in addition to the proposed county service.
Councilman Rosenbaum commented that this gets back to his original
question of what people are going co do with these options or what they
really think they mean. In the staff's set of option: they mention the
number $500,000 for ten buses, which is a pretty accurate figure, given
the transit district's costs these days. In the report, they also
indicated that they would expect these ten buses to carry 2,000 people
a day. The traffic levels the Council is talking about in .he city are
on the order of several hundred thousand a day. Therefore, no one
should make the mistake of thinking that these ten buses represent a
high level of service in terms of having to do with traffic. Councilman.
Rosenbaum stated that if the establishment of more bus service were
considered, it would be for the purpose, primarily, of providing transit
opportunities to people who do not have cars rather than having anything
at all to do with traffic. At some point they may well want to make a
decision along those lines, but they would have to think about whether
they had $500,000, 4e a=sked what ir, aeant by "establish a high level of
transit," when quite obviously, the: is a decision to be made in the
future based on the availability of money and given the fact that it
really has very little to do with the traffic on the streets. He asked
staff if this is seen as a useful planning option in the ;next few months.
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See pg< 564
Mr. Knox responded that initially when they studied the options they
asked that they be made as specific as possible, with some dollar
limits for example, so they could study what the impact would be. At
this point, after having made that study, staff felt that transit
service at an enhanred level is something that will be desirable in
Palo Alto. The nature of the cost of the service and whether subsidy
is necessary is something he felt could be studied in the Menlo Park -
Palo Alto -Stanford transportation project. It is possible that a good
deal of information will be available from that study for use in the
Comprehensive Plan. It is also possible that some of that information
will come only after the Comprehensive Plan is adopted. This would be
something that staff would build into the Transportation Element of
the Plan, and indicate that Palo Alto is striving for a high level of
transit service. The County's long-range program has been discussed
which proposed that thirty per cent of the total number of trips be
diverted to transit by 1990, and it was Stated either in the Impact
Report or in same of the Planning Commission's discussions that that
level of diversion to transit would mean that in 1990, cur trafficways
would be about as crowded as they are now. Option 8(b) as phrased is
quite useful and gives the flexibility to work on what a high level
of transit service means in the period fro 1974 to 1990.
Mr. Blayney, Consultant, said he had heard a number of c_vr..r:ents about
the problems that people` may have with the specific numbers used in the
option report, and hoped th<3t the Council would not let that loom too
prominent in their thinking. 1.e idea was that specific numbers
enabled them to make a specific illustration, and this would be of
use to everyone, rather than a vague generalization. But they did go
ahead, for instance, and say what would be necessary to get half of
the work trips on transit, and that's fifteen million a year. So he
thought what that option said was that transit is no easy solution, and
there is a limited amount of relief that could be obtained for traffic
using transit. He hoped that Council would go ahead and express
themselves with some sense of the prcportion of what could be accomplished,
and not with the feeling that they were committing themselves to any
kind of a number at that time. No matter how hard a push is wanted on
transit, only a certain amount can be accomplished, and the automobile
cannot he eliminated with a good transit system.
Mr. Knox added that Options 8(a) and (b), as the Mayor pointed out, are
part of a pair, and if 8(b) is not adopted, then what is being said is
that the County level of service would be accepted, which would take
one or two per cent of the trips and put them on transit for the
foreseeable future. If something better than that is desired, Option (b)
should be accepted.
Councilman Rosenbaum said that "something better" was represented by tea
buses which mould take from two per cent to three per cent, and doubted
that they would put up a half million dollars to do that unless they
specifically wanted to nave people who had no access to the automobile.
He :suggested a substitute motion because this sort of thing comes up
all the time, and espres!ses the way he viewed whet is being said and
what the Planners might be saying.
SUBSITUTE MOTION: Councilman Rosenbaum moved, seconded by Beahrs, that
8(b) read: Consider establishment of a higher level of transit service
in Palo Alto if County service is not sufficient to meet local needs.
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Mr. Knox commented that one of the things that staff talked about with
the Planning Commission, in reference to these options, was to try to
stay away from wording which said "consider" or "study" or explore"
and they may have varied from that already. They felt that the options
ought to be as precise as possible because the decisions that the Council
are going to make based on Commission recommendations are going to
form thebasisof the framework of the Plan. Use of the wording
"establish a higher level of transit" would he more appropriate, and a
stronger set of words than just "consider" should be used. Staff
could then go ahead and find out what has to be done in the Plan's
Transportation E1ment and the various other elements that tie in with
it, and they world bring that to the Commission in the draft Plan.
Mayor Sher asked Mr. Rosenbaum if he wished to go along with that, or
did he want to retain the word "consider."
Councilman Rosenbaum replied that. "consider" was, to him, obviously
accurate. A half million for ten buses, for a relet ively small improve-
ment, is something to be thought about. Once again, it gets down to his
question of not understanding what they are going to do, not planning
on the basis that they are going to have a higher level of transit in
Palo Alto. That is not known yet, and there is not a half million
dollars to take out of the operating budget. H. was not sure the
people wanted to pay more taxes to do that, and this sort of reasoning
will have to be done at some point.
Mr. Knox responded that it is not kncren at this point that half a
million dollars would have to be taken out of the budget to do that,
and there niav be other sources of funding, such as urban mass trans-
portation funds that are allocated directly or through HTC, funds that
are provided by transfers of utility revenues from the industrial Park
users who may he the beneficiaries of the service, or funds provided
by an all -day parking tax. The fact that there may be no subsidy
necessary is one of -the reasons behind the erasure of the wording in
the left-hand column that referred to "$500,000 per year." Again,
this may sound very technical, but if staff is told to "consider this,"
they may then come back to the Planning Commission with a draft plan
in December or January, and the Commission may ask what happened to
Option 8(h). The staff could then say, they "considered" it and it
was not worthwhile, so they discarded it. But if it is stated to
"establish a higher level because we've looked at •the Impact Report
and the Impact Report says that the county level of service between
1977 and 1990 is not going to be adequate," and if Council, in fact,
votes that and says, "establish it," they could be sure it would be
in the Plan.
Councilman Rosenbaum stated he wouidstay with the wording of his
motion, however.
Councilman Comstock informed Mr, Rosenbaum that his problem with the
motion was that it was a conditional motion. This might be all right
as a policy position for the Council to explore over the year:, but
it would he a little bit difficult to induce that kind of a statement
into the planning process because the first thing the consultant and
Commission would have to do is make some sort of decision about
whether the present level of service is adequate or not. After that
judgment is made, they would apply this consideration of a higher level.
of service. Councilman Com3tock felt there is a choice between 8(a)
and 8(b). He sees &(a) as carrying on as is, and 8(b) as a proposal
for higher levels of service. There would be difficulties in carrying
out the suggestion in the motion, and he felt that what they were
trying to find out was the study process, what the nature and scope
of the community would be if ore of the things that goes back to the
Commission to be considered in this planning process is a higher level
of transit service than business as usual. He said there were other
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considerations, too, such as possible connections with &ART and SP
upgrades, etc. He urged Councilman Rosenbaum to think about his
concerns, and perhaps go for the Commission recomEendation.
Councilman Beahrf, commented that he supported Councilman Rosenbaum's
motion, because in ten years there will be so many different factors and
variations in those that are known today that unless the Council
preserves some degree of flexibility in the general format-, the thing
will be completely obsolete in six months, -given certa-i.n happenings.
Councilman Clay said he understood Councilman Rosenbaum's motion as a
suggestion to wait to see how the County service would work out before
a commitment to a local system, He added that he liked the word "considers"
because it gives a chance to discuss what adequate service means.
Vice Mayor Henderson said he was weighing the opinions of Councilman
Rosenbaum and Councilman Comstock, but felt it should be a more positive
statement than to "consider" something -- that's really what has been
done to date. He said he also planned to amend this motion to add some
specific examples of the type of thing Council would support as additional
service, and would still do that once this item wa3 settled.
Councilman Eerwald said he thought there was a very significant difference
between the motion as steteei earlier and the motion Councilman Rosenbaum
had made, and supported his motion with or without the word "consider" for
that reason. The original intent of 8(b) was to establish a level of
transit service in addition to the proposed county service. He said
just recently our local subsidized transit service was discontinued,
and the people of the County were told that_ the County transit service
under the district would improve transit both locally and in the County.
He thought that the voters felt that the move from a non-integrated transit
system where Palo Alto and other places had local systems, was inferior to
a countywide system. He thought it was perfectly justified to consider
a higher level of transit service if the County does not prove sufficient
to cope with local needs. He felt that that was quite different than
saying the City desires a higher level of transit than the County system.
It does not give much support to the County system. Councilman Berwald
also said that rather than the word "disincentives" he favored the word
"Incentives." He -stated that he would later present a new motion that
would consider incentives that would improve transit. The Planning
Commission and Council are all thinking about service between the shopping
center, Stanford, and downtown, and shuttle services, and so forth.
There are a number of things that can be dent in Palo Alto, perhaps with
other funds to improve the level of service locally. He felt Council
should give the County the options to improve their integrated service.
He felt it would be a step backwards for Palo Alto to once again get
into the transit btsinees. Whatever help can be generated in the Stanford
study, or with Urban Mass Transit Administration help, should be con-
tributed to the County service in support of that service.
Councilwoman Pearson said she supported the Planning Commission's
recommendation, which was to establish a high level of transit in addition
to the proposed County service. She stated that her reason was that
the guarantee by the Comity was only that there would be a system in
Palo Alto, which was only as good as 1.1E had before; there is no guarantee
that it is going to get any better. .Judging from the number of cities
that are clamoring for bus systems as good as Palo Alto had previously,
it is going to be a long time before Palo Alto is going to have a bus
system that is better than it had in the past, She thought that the
people of Palo Alto would really like to have a better system than they
had in the past or have presently, or will have with the County. Shuttle
buses, bus laning, and things like that., means that people are asking
fora higher level of service that cannot come fro the County. If
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shuttle buses and more routes, for instance, are wanted in Palo Alto,
then that means that Palo Alto will have to provide them because the
County is going to have to provide Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Mountain
View, and the rest of the cities, with buses before they provide
additional buses to the City of Palo Alto. She supported what the
Planning Commission recommended.
Mayor. Sher supported the conditional form of th=e -motion, that is,
"establish the higher level of transit service if the County service
is not sufficient to meet local needs," but could not support the
word "consider."
Planning Commission Vice Chairzan Anne Steinberg attempted to clarify
in stating that the Commission's recommendation was really in response
to the large number of people who spoke at the public hearing on the
Plan. Several people had stated, "We want transit. We want some kind of
transit service, and we want it soon." The people of Palo Alto seem to
want more than the kind of service than the County might provide.
This was why they made this kind of recommendation.
Mr. alayney said that the problem steaae partly from trying to consider
options separately. The three key variables that have emerged as issues
are employment, transit and traffic. Obviously, if you reduce employment
you reduce traffic. Or if you increase transit, you reduce traffic.
`.gnat is needed is as :such guidance as possible on priorities, and how
strong feelings are about increasing transit in order to reduce traffic,
or whether reducing Employment should be considered in order to reduce
traffic. He said he wished . paexage could be given so that the three
interrelated things could be considered together, but this could not be
done at this point. Cuidance Is needed now. He said that understanding
Councilman Rosenbaum's concern about the cost effectiveness of the option
as offered, he agreed that what may be decided is that money spent for
transit just buys too little for what is spent, but any wording in the
motion that gives a sense of how strongly Council feels about transit
relative to traffic, and relative to employment, would help in planning.
Councilman Rosenbaum said people do indeed have the impression that when
some buses are put on the road, this will do something for traffic. The
facts are that any reasonable number of buses will make no perceptible
difference in the amount of traffic that flows through town. Ten buses,
at a cost of a half million, regardless of who pays for it, will move
two thousand people a day. That's a fair number, and two thousand
compared to hundreds of thousands of trips is nothing. And yet the
cost is considerable. He continued that people do not recognize this,
and when it would come time for the Council to really make some financial
commitments here, they might well want to stop and think about that.
Councilman Rosenbaum said he would change the wording of hir motion to
leave out the word "consider." This was agreed to by his second, Council-
man. Beahrs.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilman Rosenbaum moved, seconded by Councilman
Beahrs that 8(b) read: Establish a higher level of transit service in
Palo Alto if County service is not sufficient to meet local needs.
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Councilman Rosenbaum stated that if the City allows the County to attempt
to provide eervice, and they observe that the buses are running without
a great many people on them, it is highly unlikely that they would
suggest putting more buses on so they too could run in that fashion.
He thought they would have to keep that in mind as a very likely
possibility with regard to the fixed route part of the bus system
that will start in several months.
The substitute motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: 3eahrs, Berwald, Clay, Norton, Rosenbaum, Sher
NOES: Comstock, Henderson, Pearson
Vice Mayor Henderson feit some examples of the type of additional service
referred to should be given, and this was seen in the Planning Commission
minutes. He said he would rather define some of those things to an
extent, rather than just leave this completely open.
A,.!ENDME F: Vice Mayor Henderson moved, seconded by Pearson, that 3(b)
See pg. 564 be _.n. r,ded to add the words, "included such as (1) shuttle buses running
frequently between activity centers; (2) additional dial--a-bus equipment
serving the shuttle huees; (3) use of exclusive bus lanes; and (4)
special ser': O:os to scnior citizens and handicapped citizens."
fir. gl.ayoey thou;ht these- :ere all fine additions. The biggest hurdle
Is ..-hether you ....ant to take a hard look at automobile disincentives.
;3c felt that would be the only thing that will get up above the two,
three, four, or five per cent cut into the total travel market.
Counct;zaan Nerwaid said he welcomed these four specifics, and would
like to =i.:ggest sor.e others. if there is to b, an impact in the level
of transit service in Palo Vito, then the City has to do something
about peak hour transit. He felt the Council should include incentives
to employers that would encourage the to provide or participate in the
provision of transit modes alternative to the automobile, such as
(i) peripheral parking with shuttle mass transit service from the peri-
pheral parking area to the employer; (2) increased car pooling; (3) the
encouragement of flexible time -staggered working hours; and (4) incen-
tives to decrease areas used for parking.
Mayor Sher asked if he were moving those amendments. Councilman i3erwald
said he would move those asbendments, unless Councilman.Henderson cnred
to add them to his motion.
Vice Ma or Henderson said they were all good points. However, the Motion
before Council was specifically about transit service as such, and
Councilman Berwald was going beyond that. He preferred to see that as
a separate option on its own. He was not opposing what Councilman
Berwald was saying, but felt it was more effective as a separate option.
Mayor Sher said that at the appropriate time he would recognize Councilman
gerwald's motion.
Councilman Comstock said that it was his understanding that what was read
by Vice Mayor Henderson was not necessarily 3 unit ing and exclusive.
Mayor Sher pointed out that the four items mentioned were shuttle muses,
dial--a-bus, special bus lanes, and special accommodations to seniors
and handicapped. He called for the vote on those specifics as an
aTendment to the Option 8(b), which was already adopted.
The amendment passed unanimously.
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Mayor Sher said that disposed of 8(h), and 8(c) can now be considered.
`LOTION: Mayor Sher mooed, seconded by Beahrs, 8(c), as follows:
Improve subregional transit service (e.g., through the Santa Clara
County Transit District by providing connecting service to BART, etc.)
in connection with 8(e).
Councilman Ber.ald said this goes i,ae s: to the comment he made earlier
that he would like to approach 8(c), 8(d) and 3(e) and aleo had an 8(f)
and 8(g), with (g) being the cne he had mentioned,as a kind of integrated
package that would look at short-term, mid-term and long-term methods.
If they could look at others, other than local transit options, in
this light, it would be more compatible to him with the spirit of the
Cenera1 Plan. 1-e indicated that he would go along with 8(c). He also
said he would like to see 8(d) r ec' ui eroded as an interim measure, and
he would like to have a new 5(e) which would consider something that
would reccgnize the impoatar;ce of upgrading SP and support regional
improvements with no::,ioai, if any, public cost. He cc.ilt irucd that 8(f)
would be a little bit different, 3(e) would then he the mid-term, and
the long-term would be the present 8(e) . In other words, they would
have a three -.phase approach to the prober of transit. He stated that
he was going t(' vote for thin, asking to he recognized for the possibility
of additional 1.7-7tions for the ni d-tctr and long-tangtee ones.
�_`.
I ._ motion �'��s�; d .1 ie :l ill ._ iy .
<R''.?yor Shot' said that brought them to 8(e), and asei Vice Mayor Henderson
to hatelle ;f?'it. E;v would no: participate because it has some relation
to the SP.
Mr. Knox said that it would be < iearez direction to the Planning staff in
prep arine this draft t.'";`pri'hen si'e Plan for the Coemissiore to try to deal
with the reco': ndatfo,ts in this set as forwarded by the Planning Commission.
The Mayor pointed out earlier that 3(d) and 8(e) are paired, and they
were, to ose Mr. Berv:ald's term, involved in a mid -range plan looking to
1990; 8(e) is the rnnre cogent oy of looking at the regional transit
service level that they seek, 8(d) is a very short-range interim measure.
He continued that if the Council ;adopted both S(d)and 8(e) the directions
to the staff and to the ?tanning Commission in turn get kind of muddy.
This situation is not just going to occur in. Option Set No. 8. Basically,
the format is that in each option set there is an existing condition
which is like 8(d) and there are levels of additional service which have
been tested for their imparts, and the Impact Report goes into s
detail in describing what these additional levels would provide in the
way of amenities, and how they wonld affect the critical factors, either
positively or negatively. Thrcui5h the Planning Commission's process, they
have come up with a choice in favor of 8(e), and so while he respected
Mr. lierwatd's concern for noting that in the interim they want to maintain
the existing levels of regional transit service an provi?ed by 5P and
Greyhound, the business that they are about in the ;Man is to look at
the 1990 levels. He said he thought in that case they should speak to
8(e) to the complete exclusion of 8(d).
Vice Mayo: Henderson said the point was well taken, and he would go
ahead with the original plan to follow the Planning Commission's recom-
mendations which would bring 8(e) before theta next and then when they
are through with the Planning CORSR SSien'S recommendation, would come
back and entertain any other motions. He would change 8(e) slightly.
It seemed premature to discuss financing. It is possible to have
federal mass transit funds that would take care of an entire transit
link. It may be that they would have propositions foe to them that would
be beyond financing capabilities, and so, they would finance a share of
it. Re said he did not think that was needed at this point.
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MOTION: Vice Mayor Henderson moved, seconded by Rosenbaum, Option 8(e),
as follows: Support a regional rapid -transit link (BART extension or
upgraded SP commute service with direct BART connection) between San
Francisco and San Jose.
Councilwoman Pearson said there was a problem with saying you are willing
to talk about a Bart extension or equivalent upgraded SP commute service
and then saying with direct BART connection between San Francisco and
San Jose. She said she did -not think you could have both - you have
to"have one or •the other, because you are going to use the same corridor,
and if you are going to have an equivalent upgraded SP compute service,
it should be termed "an equivalent upgraded commute service between San
Francisco and San Jose." Or if you are going to have a CART extension,
it should be called a BART extension. She said she feit that you cannot
say you want to talk about one or the other and then you want a BART
connection, so she would like to have the words "with direct BART
connection" deleted.
Vice Mayor Henderson said he was thinking in terms of "with a direct
BART connection," in the City, so that it would run into the
BART station in San Francisco.
Chairwoman Pearson suggested that perhaps t11- word "between" should not
be used at a115 then.
Mr. Knox said the essence of the option is to supt.ort a regional rapid
transit link with a direct BART connection between San Francisco .`n
San Jose. There are various possi bi i i t ie s, and they do not have to.o be
Equivalent to BART, and it might be well to strike the word "equivalent."
PQ.5 The MTC study by Eric Moore shows different levels of upgraded SP
commute service, and direct BSI connections. A menoranrium is being
prepared by staff informing Crlunc i l wh t the `1TC study ays, but is
basically what was curried in the newspapers. There is the possibility
of (1) a BART connection in Daly City, (2) some di;?cussion of a BART
connection into the San Francisco Airport, and (3) possibilities of
an extension of the SP line connecting to BART. It would not be well
to limit this option to just one BART connection at one place.
Mayor Sher suggested that the option lead: Support a regional rapid
transit link between San Francisco and San Jose (BART extension or
upgraded SP comznute service with a direct connection to BART).
Councilman Beahre felt that they should also favor a connection from
San Jose to Fremont. This KART system should connect at the southerly
end of the Bay as well as from San Francisco to San Jose, and it would
be a mistake to omit that connection because in future years it will
become increasingly important just as a San Francisco connection is at
this point.
Councilman Berwald said he could support a motion that had as its intent
to encourage the voters to support a ballot proposition to finance Palo
Alto's snare of a regional rapid transit link between San Francisco and
San Jose. He said he assumed that this would come before the voters,
and that upgrading of SP should not be mentioned in connection, with a
rapid transit system, as it is a mass transit system. He said that
the track gauge is wrong. He said he could support the notion of it
ended with, "the link between San Francisco and San ,lose,"aid if
Fremont is added, that would be fine, but when SP was added, he would
have to vote against it. He felt that was a separate option.
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10/1/74
Vice Mayor Henderson indicated that he would leave the motion as it
stood.
Mr. Blayney cemented that he thought the intent of the Commission was
not to make a judgment as to which was the more effective system, as
all the evidence is not in on that yet.
The motion on Option 8(e) passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Clay, Comstock, Henderson, Norton,
Pearson, Rosenbaum
NOES: 1erwald
ABSTAIN: Sher
MOTION: Mayor Sher moved, seconded by Pearson, Option 8(f), which reads:
Institute disincentives to automobile usage so as to increase transit
ridership.
Mayor Sher said he was not attempting to designate specifics of his
motion at that point. It is a matter that obviously requires careful
study. He stated that legal aspects would nave to be studied, but felt
if there really was to be an impact en automobile traffic and an increase
in mass transit, direction would have to be given &toff and consultants
along those lines.
Councilman Beahrs suggested the Mayor include in the motion t'te words:
"inducement and disincentives."
Councilman Clay said he was bothered by the teen "disincentives," which
connotes that the automobile should go away, and this is not going to
happen. To encourage people to use an alternative to the automobile
seemed to be the goal, rather than imposing constraints. He felt that
the pressure of "disincentives" would have to be very heavy to get an
impact that would be close to what was wanted, and he felt it would be
hardly worth trying.
Mayor Sher responded that he agreed that there ought to be something that
addressed itself to incentives, and that the best way to proceed would
be to allow Councilman Berwald to move his item which did address itself
to the incentives, but he disagreed with Councilman Clay because he felt
what was likely to have the greater impact on cutting down the use of
suto csbilesand increasing the use of public transit was disincentives.
The motion on :{tem 8(f) passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Norton,
Pearson, Rosenbaum, Sher
NOES: Clay
'Mayor Sher then asked if there were any other items to be considered
under the general term transit.
Councilman 8erwald said he wished to move that employers and developers
use the idea of incentives to utilize a number of avenues, such as those
mentioned earlier, plus things as simple as providing a mcre convenient
access from the shelter facility and a less convenient way to get from
the automobile to the. building. He said that on ?ag. 61 of the impact
Report, It states "cotter hour park and ride shuttle operating on the
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Oregon -Page Mill Expressway, and perhaps other places, would serve park
and ride lots at Bayshore and Junipero Serra freeways, California Avenue,
SP Station and Stanford Industrial Park. [his system would attract
in --commute trips on the SP, but probably would not get much use by
freeway drivers unless there: were an all -day parking tax or auto use
disincentive in Stanford industrial Park." He said he was not convinced
the latter part was correct, but he would include that in options that
come under incentives.
MOTION: Councilman Berwald moved, seconded by Comstock, Option 8(g), as
follows: To provide incentives to employers and developers to provide or
participate in the provision of transit as alternatives to the use of the
automobile, specifically (1) peripheral parking with suitable shuttle
service, (b) that would increase car pooling, (c) encourage flexible
timing of working hours, and (d) that would decrease areas used for
parking.
Councilwoman Pearson questioned the reference to reduction of parking
spaces as one of the incentives.
a
See pg. 564
Councilman Berwald responded that he also advocated giving up the "S"
zone. In time, he felt, there mould be the prospect of giving employers
some incentives to increase productive capacity if they would agree tc
do two things: (1) agree to give up sor::a of their parking space for the
productive capacity, and (2) so- of the parking space tor open space.
This might be done in several ways srith_n these options that he has
suggested, or it might even be done by putting their traffic underground
and at least using less surface paved space for parking, and using that
above -ground space for open space. He felt they should try to progressively
reduce, as a long-range goal, the amount of land that is used for parking
individual automobiles. He felt that this approach was better than
taxing since EPA had all kinds of problems in the state of California
with the idea of taxing pacrking spaces.
Councilwoman Pearson stated that she had mixed feelings about the parking.
In San Francisco, for instance, they do not require any parking when
high rises are built, and the incentive there is to keep people from
driving in and using the transit system, but they end up building one
parking garage after another. She continued that in looking at Palo
Alto's off-street parking ordinance where we feel committed to getting
the cars off the street every night, she had a feeling that this might
be contrary to the ordinance. is they were tatting about commercial
and industrial, that would be different than residential and apartment
houses. To build apartment houses without parking would put the cars
on the street.
Councilman Comstock responded to some of the specifics in the motion,
particularly car pools or subsidy for forty -man car pools which some of
the charter buses are, that the City money would be well spent, and it
would require a lot less investment and surface parking. He said they
hoped the Commission would be addressing itself to this typo of incen-
tive, some of which may require City participation on cost effectiveness
but would be a good investment.of the City's money in preference to
a parking assessment district.
Councilwoman Pearson continued,reminding
downtown and California Avenue merchants
implement this portion of the option and
a great deal of problems,
the Council of complaints from
of the lack of parking. To
reduce parking .would stimulate
Vice Mayor Henderson clarified the poisst in saying that the xotion
referred to parking for business and not residential or apartments.
3 fr 4
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Mr. Knox made several observations. He said that on Page 62 of the -
Impact Report, a table shows transit ridership which indicates that San
Francisco gets twenty per cent transit ridership compared to seven per
cent in ACT transit and one per cent in Santa Clara County. Also, he
said there is a need to distinguish between the kind of parking that you
would want to discourage which is the all -day parking of the employee
and not necessarily the shopper in the business district. One person's
incentive is another'sdisincentive -- one Councilman spoke of incentives
to employers to decrease parking and another spoke of disincentives to
the automobile, but both talked about decreasing parking. Councilwoman
Pearson would be correct in there being a need for changing the present
par}.ing ordinance because presently it is required that a specific
number of parking spaces be provided at the time of development. A
review of the ordinance under this kind of direction would give the
staff the guidance to incorporate potential ordinance modifications
in the appropriate transportation element of the plan and then pursue
those revised ordinances.
Mayor Sher added that Council has dealt with parking both under his
motion 8(f) and Councilman Berwal_d's 8(g); in exchange for that, the
money that might otherwise be required to provide these parking spaces
be required rather to go into the public transit area --- as a kind of
trade-off,
The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
Councilman Berwald referred to 8(d), not recc mended by the Planning
t.ommissi.;n, and said chat he and many people ride the SP, and they know
that whichever rapid transit system is ever developed is going to take
a long time. He said chat he would like to see the City Council make
a specific re co =endat icn of support as a short-term measure, as in
Option 8(d) of the Impact Report.
MOTION: Councilman Eerwald moved, duly seconded, 8(d) to read as
See pg. - r 4 follows: Support existing levels and/or impioves9,
regional transit 3€.'I`ViCL
provided by SP and Greyhound (without public cost and without reductions
in service) and support fare structures which in the absence of alternative
transit modes will encourage patronage of these systems.
See pg. 564
Vice Mayor Henderson said he disliked having the word "existing" in the
motion and preferred that it would say "encourage improved levels." He
understood retaining these systems, but he would not like the motion to
state "existing" or"improved," but € ake a push toward improvement of
'the existing system.
Councilman Berwald discussed the language of the motion further, in light
of financing, and whether 8(d) could accomplish anything that 8(e) does
not. He felt the words "SP upgrading" would be considered by MOSE people
as a rather dramatic upgrading of service. Yet he thought his motion was
to protect in the short-term before the SP upgrading "study" and BART
begin to vie for attention, and support financing, to make sure that SP
indeed provides to this area and to Palo Alto residents a significant
transit contribution, which they are doing now.
Councilman Comstock said it seemed to him that there was conflict in
protecting both existing levels of service, and possible upgrading.
Councilmen Berwald replied that the motion was an internee measure to the
resolution of 8(e) and perhaps it should have been stated this way.
Otherwise, five or ten years could go by without a transit system.
Councilwoman Pearson supported the motion because it adjusts itself to
an upgraded SP system, Greyhound, and also the present existing system.
8(e) and 8(d) also say they would like to have rapid transit, as well.
Vice Mayor Henderson suggested placing 8(e) ahead of (d) in which they
express their support for rapid transit Sinks, and then follow that by
an option Chat says, "pending creation of a rapid transit system --
support existing or preferably improved levels of regional transit
service provided by SP and Greyhound, and support fare structures which,
in the absence of alternative transit modes, will encourage continued
patronage of these systems; i.e., SP and Greyhound."
3 b 5
10 1 7
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, 5erwald, Clay, Henderson, Norton, Pearson, Rosenbaum
NOES: Comstock
ABSTAIN: Sher
See -
See
See
Pg.
Pg.
P8•
564
Councilman Berwald expressed concern about possible avante garde measures
that might be taken to decrease the necessity for transit trips for
hysica11y moving one's body f roe: one place to another and substituting
564 that for a communication -type of technology. He asked staff and the
consultant about Cie possibility of designing a system utilizing what
56!4 we have today, and along with some advanced system of communication
technology, to move work to people rather than people to work. He felt
he was mentioning only one one -hundredth of the tip of the iceberg, end
that this should be looked at along with other exciting possibilities.
Staff had already mentioned urban design as the next step to be worked
on and there should be an urban design In which it is less necessary fcs
a person to move long distances to work or even across town -- the person
would perhaps work at home with a computer terminal or communications
terminal.
Council recessed from 9:20 p.m. to c9:AO p.m.
MOTION: Councilman Co: -.stock moved, seconded by Beahrs, approvi of Option
9(a), as rec:."._.�;.:_fc , by the Planning Commission and staff, as follows.
:Maintain present traffic capacities in major crosstown corridors, with the
understanding that this does nr: exclude a gr:;de-separated interchange at
::l t' .-:no and Page Mi11 or any other specific improvements of traffic floes.
Vice Mayor Henderson said he did not like the last part of the notion"or
any other specific improvements of traffic floe." The specific one ex-
cluded is :aioi" and the -anguage of the Planning Commission included
that "minor" improve: -tints would he permitted. He said he would like to
see the motion .a:iendC i to read, "Maintain present traffic capacities in
major crosstown corridors. with the understanding that this does not ex-
clude a 2n2de-separated interchange at El Camino and Page Mill, and does
not exclude minor improvements to facilititare traffic flow."
Councilman Comstock said he agreed with Councilman Henderson, and he
would include the amending language in leis motion.
MOTION RESTATED: Councilmen Comstock moved, seconded by Beahrs, approval
of Option 9(a) as recommended by the Planning Commission and staff as
follows: Maintain present traffic capacities in major crosstown 'orridors,
with the understanding that this does not exclude a grade -separated inter-
change at El (=Amino and Page Mill and does not exclude minor Improvements
to facilitate traffic flow.
Councilman Rosenbaum questioned the meaning of not excluding the inter-
change at El Camino any: Page Mill, feeling that this would hot be a
positive recommenation. Councilman Comstock anticipated that staff would
proceed to develop traffic flow and patterns in the study with the under-
pass in place,and the traffic volumes it represents and its effect on
nearby streets.
Mx. Knox added that they had Base Case 1990 information available tc' show
to Council and that this had been studied in the Impact Report and also in
conjunction with assignments related to College Terrace. He introeiuted Ted
Noguchi, Traffic Engineer.
Mr. Noguchi described the map showing that volume that exists on Page
Mill and the Stanford Avenue and California Avenue, etc., with the inter-
change. The map also showed the flow of traffic if the enterchange were
not built at E1 Camino Real and Page Hill. The increased volume that
might be indicated on Page Mill is not a result of any induced traffic;
rather traffic is diverted from other streets, both 'room University and
Embarcadero and as far south as San Antonio and Charleston. He continued
that some of that traffic is diverted back to Lhe Oregion-Page Mill -
Expressway. More specifically, however, and more localized, is the
reduction in volume in the College Terrace area. One of the areas just
immediately outside the College Terrace area would be Churchill. Avenue
and there is a very significant drop in volume on n Churchill Avenue
3 6 6
10/1/74
Mr. Knox felt that his understanding of the Comstock motion was that staff
would study the alternatives of plans which would both have the interchange
in it and one that would not have the interchange in it. If that were a
correct assumption, the traffic meelei shows construction of the interchange
would remove a great deal of traffic.
Councilman Comstock indicated that he would also introduce a motion which
would read, "In the form that's shown in 9(a) in the Impact Report Option."
What he was saying was that staff catty forward their studies with and
without the interchange and if both motions pass, the Council would not
be choosing an option but rather a study.
Mr. Knox felt this was a time for making decisions and that based on
information in the Impact Report and other information that staff can
bring to the Council, staff would hope that Council decisions at this
time could assist them in the plan making process, Their decision would not
be a final one. Staff, based on the guidance from Council, would carry
this forward into the draft Comprehensive Plan, the planning Commission
would see it, recommendations would be made and brought back to the
Council. He stated that the Ceuncilwould then have a plan that would
show the Page Mill -El Camino Real interchange. If Council felt that this
was incorrect, they ttuld reverse the decision and say they did nut want
the interchange. He said he had taken a quick look at the 1969 agree-
ment, that Mr. Noguchi had talked to the County, and it is the County's
understanding that the City has si nod ere agreement which commits the City
to eventual construction of the full i'.terchangc and he could find nothing
In his non -legal reading of the ,q,, :•E: ent ..'hich would iefute that. He
felt that perhaps the whole dis(uc,s'.oil .s
Slice Mayor Henderson as -ed if the.- present _our lanes on Page Mill handle the
58,000 figure on the d iagr ,. or ate six rifle_ being pt ahed tor, Mr. Noguchi
answered that he had not really ";alt z c paeiti analysis on Page Mill
itself, but it would appear that the interchange, or perhaps an expressway,
r'-
might be able to carry that kind of .'old e, but at this; point he could
not make the determination.
Councilman Fea_hrs tiupporte-d ti.'. Cot,stc k's r.otiou but ereferr_ed the motion
to include the_ chtec ti'ir;;i1 flows in:'olved. felt that there is not tench
that can be done to cut down north-scurh floes on F.iyabore, El Camino Real,
or 280, which are State arterials. Although not much can be done with
Oregon Exeiessway, flows on city streets can certainly be controlled.
M. Marilyn Noreks Sr. rkcst . City Atty., spoke to the point in reference
to the agreement with the County that contracts can be renegotiated and
whatever barrier there is now in the agreement could be removed by -negotiation.
Councilman iierwald asked If rapid transit should be considered in the motion
and Councilman Coostotk responded that he was assuming the antion taken
earlier in Opt inn Set 3 would clearly be related to his motion.
Mr. Blayney said he understood Councilman C_oz stock's motion to refect the
sense of what the Commission wanted done. The Commission was saying they did
not want any more cars flowing between Bayshore and El Camino Real across
Palo Alto, and the staff asked if that meant they could not look at
any kind of improvements. The Commission had responded they did not mean
that and they are willing tc' consider things that would improve the flow
and increase the safety but not cause mote cars to come through the
corridor. He said he felt the interchange was in that category.
Planning Commission Vice Chairwoman hnne Ste?nbecg verified that Mr. Noguchi
had given them. infortrat :on that the County thought the City should include
the interchange because they thought it was city policy.
Mr. 13layney said he did not mean to misconstrue Councilman Comstock's intent,
but said .here are two quest ions to be answered. The first concerns the
capacity and the total number er of vehicles, while the other relates to -
safety and eaee of flow and avoidance of diversion to the neighborhoods,
such as the diagram indicated occurs when you do not have that interchange.
ie continued that if the same number of cars can be brought across town more
smoothly, he assumed this is within the legitimate bounds of the study. If
you were increasing the number of cars, that is out of bounds. The motion
was intended toile sure that options that did not increase capacity at all
'roiere looked at.
3 6 7
10/1/74
The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Rosenbaum, a separate
motion, Option 9(a)-1 to read as fellows: Maintain present traffic
capacities in major crosstown corridors.
Councilman -Comstock commented on.tb.e diagram showiag.projected volumes.
In reading the numbers, Page -hill goes from 35,000 to 49,000 plus and
the comment was made that this pnl.ls.traffic in as far north as University
and this could mean -on other stretches of Oregon as well. He hoped the
Planning Commission wocaid look at this carefully on the basis of the
motion just passed because it may very well take traffic off University
and that what happens on that street may be profoundly affected by the
outcome of the Dumbarton Bridge episode on the one hand and what the
Council finally decides to do about Willow Road on the other hand. There
could be a gigantic exchange of traffic that may put the sum total in the
community at what some people consider undesirable levels. The con-
sequences of not building the interchange need to be carefully examined,
He said when he contemplated the numbers on California Avenue between
Hanover and El Camino Real, they increase by 23,000 care,. The traffic
on E-anover decreases by 4,000 and so there is a swing of 27,000 cars and
yet the upper portions of Page Mill only change by 2,000 (flora 35,000 to
37,000) and that seemed to say some 25,000 cars made a left turn and went
down Hanover and into the parking lot at Eastman Kodak or something else.
He hoped the Commission would look st that very carefully and what the
consequences are in each case, because clearly the effect of the proposed
design in the -motion just passed has one sole function and th t is to
facilitate the floe; of tratfic.on Page Mill and Oregon Avenue. the
turning movements off rage Mill left on to El Camino Real will still be
tricky, so he stressed that the Commission loo;; at the intersection
very carefully.
Councilwoman Pearson said there are a number of things wrong with that
intetchange that were never corrected.
Mr. Noguchi offered that the forecast information is not based on any
specific design of interchange. It merely say;; that there is a separation
and that it will be able to handle certain movements of traffic in a certain
bind of capacity level. He said with or without the interchange, the
traffic volumes and the total number of tripe are the same regardless of
whether one particular alternative or another is picked. The networks are
the only things that are variables; the total trips are the same. It is
a natter of how those trips are assigned to the street network that is
important.
Councilman beahrs asked if it w s contemplated giving a longer traffic
flow interval down Oregon Expressway, for e.tamp1e after the underpass is
made, particularly during peak hours when the traffic night flow through
all intersecting streets as long as five minutes compared to current
intervals. A bottleneck could sain the effectiveness of the underpass.
M. Noguchi replied that he didn't believe the interchange itself was a
panacea; however, he thought that interse:tfons at such streets as
Middlefield do form a constraint if indeed there is a concern about
these traffic flows on Oregon. 1:e felt that those intersections alone
564 do for the constraint for the entire corridor. The intersection itself
will provide a needed safety improvement at the intersection. It cur-
rently has a high accident rate so that is needed for safety reasons in
addition to diverting some of the traffic off the local neighborhood
streets.
Mar. Knox stated his understanding was that a specific plan has been
approved for the interchange and ass agreement signed between the city
and the county. Further, new regulations have been put into being since
that time. The Environmental Impact Report will have to be produced prior r.
to such an interchange being belt and the process similar to that for the
3 6 8
10/1/74
Yacht Harbor would be involved, so there could be a lot of opportunity
for discussion. He said that paragraph 5 does say that "this agreement
may be modified at any time by the mutual consent of the parties hereto"
and it may be necessary for the best results. He suggested that it may
be worthwhile to look at whether El Camino Real should become the through
movement as opposed to Page iii l l . He felt that the city oughe to look
farther down the road and see whether ft can get this very same effect
on the network given the constraint that Mr. Noguchi mentioned at
Middlefield. Mr. Knox thought that Council members should ass►uze that
the blanket acceptance of this design is not part of the Council motion
and that the draft plan would look at variations and attempt to come up
with whatever would be the best way to increase the capacity flow with
the least damage to the environment and the most benefit to surrounding
streets,
Councilwoman Pear°ion recalled that back iu 1969 a vote was taken and a
commitment made to the interchange. She said she did not like the inter-
change but it went through and the votes wanted funds spent eo build
that interchange. She also remembered that the County said this was
really just a concept and that they just wanted to get funding for it and
when the final plans came back'to the city, there would be an opportunity
to look at the plans end the details. She felt many things were left out
of the original plan and maay Council members, at that time, had reser-
vations about the plans.
Mr. Sipel cemented that his recollection agreed with Mrs. Pearson's, with
inflation and present costs, though, this project :light not get underway
for at least four or five years
Councilman Comstock said that Option 9(a)-i lcoked at things like the
interchange and that he would restate his notion.
MOTION RESTATED: Councils an Comstock moved, seconded by Rosenbaum,
Option 9(a) -1 to re -al: Maintain ?resent traffic capacitie'; in major
crosstown corridors including maintaining the El Camino -Page Mill
intersection in its present configuration.
The motion failed on the following vote:
AYES: Comstock
NOES: Beahrs, Berwald, Clay, Henderson, Norton, Pearson,
Rosenbaum, Shea
MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Henderson, that Item 9(b)
be continued before the Council, pending receipt of the Finance and Public
Works Committee report on the Willow Road widening
The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
MOTION; Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Henderson, item 9(e) as
proposed by the Planning Commission: Construct an alternative road systew
for Stanford Industrial Park industries.
Councilman Rosenbaum felt this was another of the problematical items. He
recognized the concern of the College Terrace people, but If it should turn
564 out that this road system is going to cost $400 or $500, which is the
estimate, and the companies involved aren't interested La putting up any
of that money and the decision comes down to the city's putting up that
amount of money to reduce traffic on that stretch of California Avenue, the
City is likely to think twice about it.
AfZPD{ENT: Councilman Rosenbaum moved, seconded by Beahrs, to conduct an
engineering study for an alternative road system for Stanford Industrial
Park industries.
3 6 9
10/1/74
Councilman Clay said he didn't like the word 'construct" in the original
motion and felt something else should be done, College Terrace has
already been discussed and this did relate to that same subject,
AMENDMENT TO AMENDMENT: Councilman Clay moved, seconded by Perwald, to
add that College Terrace residents be protected from industrial Park
traffic intrusion by closure of Hanover at the south side of California,
Mayor Sher said the amendments both relate to Item 9(e) but he felt they
should be voted on separately. He suggested that Councilman Rosenbaum's
amendment to change the language from "construct an alternative road" to
"conduct an engineering study for an alternative road" be discussed first.
Mr. Knox wondered what the intention of the amendment_was in regard to the
work staff would do in drafting the Comprehensive Plan. He asked if Mr.
Rosenbaum's intention in his amendment was that the study would be a part
of the plan and that the plan for the road system would show up as part
of the draft Comprehensive P1.n and would therefore be forwarded to the
Commission, or was he thinking of a separate study to be done outside
the framework of the plan?
Councilman Rosenbaum replied that the Council had already authorized an
engineering study for this purpose. The only intent of his amendment
was to make it clear that the Council was not saying that they were going
to construct an alternative road system. They had authorized an
engineering study and that was as far as they had gone and didn't want
planning to be done to the extent that there is going to be an alternative
road system.
Councilman Comstock asked if there would be traff1.c studies instead of
engineering studies.
Councilman Rosenbaum said authorization had already been given an
engineering study which is independent of the Comprehensive Plan and
Mr. Noguchi, with or without cbnsultants, is going to do this.
Mr. Knox expressed confusion as to the direction to staff and asked
whether Council wanted an alternative road system as part of the Compre-
hensive Plan and an indication of how it would work from engineering and
traffic standpoints and what the costs would be, or whether Council just
wanted staff to study that and bring it back to Council separately.
Mayor Sher clarified the Rosenbaum amendment as saying Council should
defer action on 9(e) until they have the results of that engineering study.
Councilman Rosenbaum agreed, but said it was going to he a year before that
decision would be available to Council.
Mayor Sher repeated Mr. Knox's concern that there was no direction as far
as drawing the draft plan --they would just have to leave the item open
because Council hasn't as yet directed whether it should be in there.
Mr. Knox suggested it might be appropriate to indicate that the alternative
road system should not be a part of the Comprehensive Plan because it is
being studied separately and it does have a one-year time frame attached
to i t .
Councilman Rosenbaum said he did.not feel this was going to have an impact
on the work that staff is going to do. He wanted to clarify that the option
would have some affect on California Avenue traffic.
Mr. Knox stated that it sounded as though Mr. Rosenbaum was saying this
should be excluded from what staff is about to do in the plan -taking process.
It is a fairly detailed item, although perhaps no more than the Page Mill -
El Camino Real intersection.
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10/1/74
Vice Mayor Henderson said he didn't think a General Plan could say,
"Conduct an engineering study" so Council has to go one way of the
other -
Councilman Beahrs asked whether there was any conflict between the
Rosenbaum and the Clay amendment proposals. In other words, the Clay
amendment intended that Hanover be closed and if that were the case,
there r;ould be no teed to consider the engineering study.
Councilman Clay said that his atnandrent was not necessarily precluding
the study, but he did want to preclude the doubt of constructing the
road system. However, even if.the study took place, the character of
the study would be changed by the change he was proposing in the road
system.
Tlie Rosenbaum amendment failed on the following vote:
AYES: Berwald, Clay, Rosenbaum
NOES: Bt ahrs, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Norton, Sher
Councilman Berwald asked if Councilman's Clay amendment was possibly a
substitute motion, especially in ,view of the cowiLlent on page 73 of the
EIR and the knowledge that they had already authorized the engineering
study in the Capital Improvement Program. P.E. felt that this was included
b,ycause of the otrong interest in College terrace. The alternate road
system could be considered as a long-range study or it might be found that
it is not needed.
Councilman Clay, said that in view of the fact that the word "construct"
had not been deleted from the original motion, that his amendment could
be a substitute motion,
Mayor Sher ruled that it was not a proper substitute, but he would recog-
nize Councilman Clay to mov=e it as a separate item under the traffic
options.
See pg. 564
Councilman Clay said he would not challenge the ruling, but that the impact
of his amendment does affect the motion as it stands and that he didn't
think an alternative r-osd system would be looked at in such positive terms
as was stated.
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Bervald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum
Norton, Sher
NOES: Clay
MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Sher, approval of Option 9(f)
to read as follows: Increase protection of residential neighborhoods from
through traffic.
The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Pearson, approval of
Option 9(g) to read as follows: Include in the plan the construction of
bicycle thruway systems for crosstown commuters,
Councilman beahis asked for a definition of a "bicycle thruway." Mr, Knox
replied that there ate a number of lout -way stop signs and it would be
possible at some intersections to provide through movement for the bicyclists
so they wouldn't have to stop. He recognized, though, that this mould not -
take a great number of trips away from automobiles and put them on bicycles.
3 7 1
10/1/74
This bicycle boulevard concept was in the bicycle plan in 1969 and it was
felt the bicycle plan should have another look and should be brought into
the Comprehensive Plan.
Vice Mayor Henderson asked if the bicycle thruway with regard to the Cowper
motion made by him a year ago was still on the staff's list and Mr. Knox
replied that it was.
rite motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Ber:►ald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum,
Norton, Sher
NOES: Beahrs
Councilman Clay said that in view of the statements made in the Impact
Report which stressed the logic of a Willow Road corridor between El
Camino Real and Bayahore, he would make the following motion to be 9(c) .
MOTION: Councilman Clay moved, seconded by Beahrs, to reopen dialogue
with Menlo Park, Stanford and East Palo Alto with respect to Willow
Corridor between Ba1shore and El Camino with emphasis on mass transit
and with the objective of relieving traffic on Palo Alto crosstown
streets -
Council an Co.stock asked ii the motion essentially was to go talk to
these ccc unities and if so, how s.•cuii staff handle this?
Councilman Clay answered that his underlying thought was that there should
be a corridor between the two roads, but the decision is not solely the
Council's. Palo Alto should work with the other Jurisdictions to see what
coos back. He continued that with respect to the possibility of success
of the corridor's ruing approved by the jurisdictions involved, he could
not speak with any confidence. Some might be more receptive today than
before because of increased traffic proble.&.
Mr. Sipes said that if Council wanted them co assume that a Willow corridor
existed, they can put that in the plan. However, it was his impression
that they wanted the staff only to talk with the communities involved.
If so, the corridor shouldn't be in the plan. It should take the form of
a sense motion to get the staff working on that.
Councilman Beahrs said he supported the motion because he felt the possibility
of Willow corridor should be borne in mind in all planning. He felt that
ultimately this would be a practical necessity ---15 or 20 years from now --
and unless the assumption is made now to test all the traffic flow stud es
against it, he didn't feel the general plan studies of traffic flow would
have any validity.
Councilman Comstock agreed that one could assnne a four -lane corridor with
substantial volumes of traffic moving in, connecting Willow Road with
Willow :toad extension ar.-d the Campus, and measuring the effects of the
study would probably show some profound effects on University and
Embarcadero+, Oregon -Page Mill. He felt that if this is carried forward
as a base assumption in the plan, it could lead to a lot of conclusions
about residential -nonresidential development intensity and the action and
decisions that ought to be made in favor of various kinds of transit. He
said it was hi!) concern that if you construct a lot of work and action and
have decisions based on that and then the whole thing falls down, a lot of
time and effort has been lost. If talking with these people is started
now, the amount of time consumed to resolve that would probably be in ex-
cess of the amount of time to complete the plan or the answer eight be very
brief in summary and the whole muter would be resolved within 30 days. Re
was very concerned because he felt it was a very powerful assumption is the
plan and would have a significant effect Batt a number of other areas in the
plan.
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10/1/74
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilman Rosenbaum moved, seconded by Comstock,
that item 9(c) be referred to the Finance and Public Woeks Committee
for discussion when the Willow Road widening is discussed.
Vice Mayor Henderson made a point of order because he thought the subject
tonight was the Comprehensive Plan Impact Report and therefore they should
not be dealing with items for referral to Committee.
Mayor Sher agreed and ruled the motion out of order,
Councilman Berwald said he supported Councilman Clay's motion because it
reinforced the staff's contention that traffic is really a regional
problem. The Council should consider the regional significance of this
issue and talk to the neighboring c•:mmunities. He stated that they are
talking about mass transit and Councilman Clay's motion on mass transit
was certainly something that deserved consideration,
Councilwoman Pearson said she had a large file on the study of the Willow
corridor with East Palo Alto, Stanford and Menlo Park, Santa Clara County,
San Mateo County, Flood Control, Army Corps of Engineers and others. She
feic the motion was wishful thinking which raised false hopes and was
totally impractical. First of all the Council in Menlo Park is always
willing to talk about Willow freeway as long as it goes through Palo Alto.
Secondly, the people of Menlo Park would net go for any corridor, and
finally, neither would the people in Palo Alto.
Councilman 1<eahrs agreed with Counci1wer-,,n Pearson so far as this point in
time, but said that given 15--20 ~.ire years of r:ht ing on traffic, people
would change their minds.
Mr. Knox said that the language used by Councilman Clay was "corridor" and
on the map displayed, the Willow "corridor" is at least a mile wide. The
Willow corridor inc10 es traffic on U:iv>ersity, Ravenswood and Santa Cruz.
Staff suggested that when they showed the slide at the last session, other
improvements in the Willow corridor were needed. Ere felt that Menlo Park
needed to do its part on the Willow -Ravenswood -Santa Cruz connection, and
Stanford needed to do its part on the Campus Drive extension. He said
that what Mr. Clay raised tonight was the question of El Camino Real to
13ayshore. He believed that kind of motion does not belong in the Plan
because staff wouldn't know what to do with it. He would not like to be
precluded, though, from talking with colleagues in neighboring, communities
about' possibilities that exist for sharing some of the traffic loads, since
the map tonight showed thzet Palo Alto is taking all the traffic load. He
hoped that it would be understood that staff was free to discuss with
counterparts in neighboring cities traffic improvements and would not be
See pg. 564 constrained from doing so, no mater what the Council decides with regard
to the Clay motion.
The motion failed on the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Berwaid, lleahrs, Norton
NOES: Rosenbaum, Henderson, Pearson, Comstock, Sher
MOTION: Councilman Clay moved, seconded by Beabra, to protect College
Terrace residents from Industrial Park traffic intrusion by closure of
Hanover at the south side of California Avenue.
Vice Mayor Henderson said he didn't feel they should be putting a specific
barrier like that into the Comprehensive Plan and urged voting against
this item as they already had the general one about residential traffic.
Councilman Norton said he disagreed with Vice Mayor Henderson. He felt
Councilman Gray's intent was to show this as a supplement or an alternative
to 9(e) and that this concept would alleviate or greatly change the
magnitude of any alternate road system in the Stanford Industrial Park.
He felt they were related.
3 7 3
10/1/74
Mr. Noguchi said that the driveways to those industries now front on
California Avenue and even if Hanover is closed on the south side of
California, traffic would still have to have access to those industries
via El Camino Real.
See pg. 564 Councilman Rosenbaum reminded the Council about the previous discussion
regarding the availability of fire protection north of California Avenue.
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Norton
NOES: Henderson, Rosenbaum, Pearson, Sher
MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson moved, duly seconded, to oppose widening of
Bayshore to 8 lanes, but if it is widened, the two new lanes would be used
exclusively for transit.
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum,
Sher
NOES: Beahrs, Norton
MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson moved, seconded by Henderson, to support the
construction of walls or other buffering along freeways and thruways to
alleviate noise pollution.
The motion passed on a unanimous vote.
MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson moved, seconded by Comstock, to support near
uses for street space other than strict automobile carriers, such as
traffic: barriers, recreation, neighborhood square concepts.
Councilman Rosenbaum asked what staff would do with this in regard to the
General Plan.
Mr. Knox replied they would talk to the urban design consultants. This
idea had been around for some time. Streets have been defined as having
a function of moving traffic and people, storing vehicles and providing
open space. Traffic engineers have said if you want a street to function
for moving traffic, you ought not to store vehicles on it and vice versa.
He felt there would be room for looking at this conceptually and that
they would not necessarily have to identify which streets would be used
at this times
Vice Mayor Henderson said Council was simply making overall policy state-
ments and eventually there would be direction to do this when the proper
time came.
Mr. Knox said they were going to have a plan which would have at least two
forms to it. The first form would be a ap on which certain plan elements
will appear and the second for would be a text in which certain state-
ments are going to be made. Some things the Council passed tonight will
only be able to appear in the text, such as an interim policy maintaining
a certain level of SP and Greyhound service. New uses for street space
can also be explored in the urban design element.
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum,
Sher
NOES: Beah:Y, Norton
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10/1/74
4,2144",
City Cle
3 7 3 (b)
10/1/74
MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson moved, duly seconded,
of Page Mill/Foothills interchange from Palo Alto's
oppose the concept of a four -lane Page Mil? Road to
which is in the County plan.
to support deletion
General Plan end
Skyline Boulevard,
Mr. Knox said insofar as the Plan is concerned, Page Mill to Skyline is
outside of the Plan boundaries in many locations.
The second part of the motion (oppose the concept of a four -lane Page
Mill Road to Skyline Boulevard, which is in the County plan) passed on
the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum,
Sher, Norton
NOES: Beahrs
The first part of the motion (support deletion of Page Mill/Foothills
Interchange from Palo Alto's General Plan) passed on the following vote:
AYES: Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum,
Sher, Norton
NOES: Beahrs
MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Berwald, to continue
with Option Set 5, "Parks" and then Set 1, "Population" and Nos 2, 3
and 4.
The notion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson,
Rosenbaum, Sher
ABSTAIN: Norton
MOTION: Mayor Sher moved, seconded by Comstock, to schedule another
special meeting to be devoted to these items on October 15 and thereby
cence1 the regular meeting of that evening.
The motion passed on the following vote:
AYES: Beahrs, Clay, Berwald, Comstock, Henderson, Rosenbaum,
Norton, Sher
ABSTAIN: Pearson
MOTION TO ADJOURN: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Norton, to
adjourn to a Special Meeting on October 15, 1974.
The motion passed unanimously.
ATTEST: APPROVE:
JL4‘44"V
Mayor