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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03131961City Hall, Palo Alto, California March 13, 1961 The Council of the City of Palo Alto met in regular session, on this date at 7:30 p.m. with Mayor Ball presiding. Roll call as follows: Present: Ball, Bishop, Byxbee, Davis, Evans, Giffin, Haight, Mitchell, Navis, Porter, Rodgers, Woodward, Zweng.= Absent: Marshall, Stephens. The minutes of the meeting of February 27, 1961, were approved as distributed. c:l Camino Annexation No. 4 This was the time and place set for hearing of objections to the proposed annexation of certain territory designated as "El Camino Annexation No. 4", containing 10.694 acres. A` certificate was filed by the City Clerk certifying that notice of this hearing has been given as required by law and that afficiavitsof publication and mailing are on file in the office of the City Clerk. It was reported by the City Clerk that two written,, protests loave been'received. One is a protest from Rebecca Shapiro and the other from Bjarne C. and Eve C. Dahl, property owners in the area proposed to be annexed. The Clerk reported that the Shapiro property has an assessed value of $15,030.00, and the Dahl property is s!aesoed for $12,350.00; and that the total assessed value of land and improvements in the entire area of El Camino Annexation No. 4 is $249,930.00. The hearing was declared open. There being no one present who wished -to speak on the matter, the hearing was closed. A letter was received from S. T. Tan, Youritan Construc- tion Company, owner of property in the area proposed to be annexed., favoring:the annexation. A proposed ordinance approving the annexation of certain uninhabited territory, designated "El Camino Annexation No. 4", to the City of Palo Alto was introduced, and on motion of Byxbee, duly seconded, was accepted for first reading by unanimous voice vote. Cancellation of Taxes on State Pro er A request was received from the State Division of Highways for the cancellation of taxes on two parcels of property acquired by the State for highway pu:-poses,-Parcel No. 27816, Assessment Numbers 6363C and 6363E acquired from Second Sabac, Inc. , and Parcel No. 27811, Assessment Numbers 6403 and 6402B, acquired from Edna A. Wood. It was moved by Navis, seconded and carried by unanimous voicevote that the taxes on said properties be cancelled. Automobile Show A letter was rece ived from Downtown Palo Alto, Inc., advising that the Merchants' Committee of this organization and the 4.8 Palo Alto Automobile Dealers' Association plan to hold an auto- mobile show'in Downtown Palo Alto on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 18, 19 and 20, 1961, and request permission to block off vehicularr traffic on University Avenue from Emer son to Waverley Streets for the period of the. show and to hang banners across University'Avenue to identify the event. granted. It was moved, seconded and carried that the request be Hospital Advisor Commission A letter was received from Howard W. Campen, County Executive, advising that the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County have established a hospital advisory commission to aid in the orderly and effective development of hospitals within Santa Clara County, to review data relative to hospital requirements and proposed hospital projects and programs, and recommend findings to the Board of Supervisors and appropriate county and municipal. agencies. The purpose of the letter was to call this to the Council's attention and to advise that the County's Hospital Advisory Commission is ready to assist the City in any way in connection with the locationand construction of hospitals. Meeting. -with S. F``. 'Water Department A letter was received from the San Francisco Water. Depar,,tment suggesting a meeting be arranged between the manage- ment of the Water Department and representatives of Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Mountain View to discuss mutual problems. It Was moved by Zweng, seconded and carried that the City Manager be authorized to arrange for such a meeting. - Discaraed Library Books A communication was received from Mrs. J. S. Ledger- wood, 2050 Waverley Street, requesting the Council to consider the policy of destroying discarded library boors, an..d, asking a committee be appointed to look into the matter. The City Manager reported that he has discussed this question with the City Librarian, and that the Librarian and the Friends of the Library have worked out a program which he believes. win be satisfactory to Mrs. Ledgerwood and compatible with the City's disposal program for municipal property, whereby obsolete and discarded books will be turned over to the Friends of the Library for their book sales, and only badly mutilated books would be destroyed; that any funds raised from the sale of books would be used by the Friends for new books, equipment or other library 'improvements. Councilman Zweng reported that he had received a letter from Mrs. Harry Wilmer on the same subject, and he felt that the program as outlined would be satisfactory to her. Association of Bay Area Governments A report was made by the City Manager on the General Assembly meeting of the Association of Bay Area Governments held in Berkeley on February 24, 1961, when a budget and assessment schedule were adopted, advising that Palo Alto has been assessed $307.97 for 1960.61 in accordance with their schedule based on. population figures. It was moved by Bishop, seconded and carried that the report be accepted and the assessment be paid. Charter ;Amendments The City Manager proposed consideration oil two Charter amendments. One would bring. the City's charter into conformance with the State Law governing General Law cities which was amended in 1959 to permit Cities to lease property for a maximum period of 50 years instead of 25. The City Manager advised that this amend- meat was requested by Committee No. 1 at its meeting of October 5, 1960, and that it seems to be in order to extend the time for.,which City property could be leased The other amendment proposed by the City Manager would provide the Council: with authority for the preservation and continuity of government in the event of disaster, pointing out that there is a State law dealing with this subject which applies to Charter cities unless -local legislation is passed pursuant to an enabling Charter amendment, and that it is important to take some action and would be in the beet interests; of Palo Alto to establish its own regulation instead of; following the State law. It was moved by Haight, seconded by Davis, and carried that the following charter amendments be placed on the ballot at the May 9, 196r municipal election: PROPOSITION 1. That Section 2 of Article VII of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto be amended to read as follows: "Section 7. The Council may lease or sublease real property owned or leased by the City for a period not to exceed fifty Years. Nothing herein shall be deemed to ratify, validate or extend the term of any lease outstanding on the effective date of this section." PROPOSITION 2. That Article III of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto be amended by adding thereto a new section to be numbered Section 23 and to read as follows: "Section 23. . The Council may, by ordinance or resolution, provide for the preservation and continuation of government in the dvent of -disaster which renders unavailable a majority of the• Council." El Camino Real lm rovenient The City Manager presented an agreement between Stanford University and the City of Palo Alto regarding the improve- ment cf El Camino Real. It was moved by Bishop, seconded and carried that -the agreement be approved and that the Mayor be authorized to execute it in behalf of the City. �' �'6a 5�.,,, ••- t - `".�"� hs�' � ^-s'�':ri � :y:'�rrk`���� - w r r .r r 50 A proposed agreement with the State Division of Highways for improvement of El Camino Real was also submitted, and on ;notion of Navis and Bishop, the agreement was approved and the Mayor was authorized.to sign it in behalf of the City. ro"ect 59-4 San Antonio Road Uponrecommendation of the City Manager, and on motion of Haight and Bishop, the period for cash payment of assessments on Project 59-4 for the improvement of San Antonio Road was extended from March 14, 1961 to March 28, 1961. Thereat in Bud4et Appropriations, Water and Gas Funds The City Manager recommended the following increase in budget appropriations due to the El Camino Real improvement project, in order to undertake essential utilities work either prior to or concurrently with the improvement of El Camino Real between University Avenue and Matadero Creek; $42, 100.00 to Account 2347 of the Water Fund, (distribution mains). 5,700.00 to Account 2348 of the Water Fund, (hydrants). 8, 250.00 to Account 4347 of the Gas Fund, (distribution mains). It was moved by Zweng, seconded and carried that these appropriations be authorized. One-Wa Streets Mari osa and Castilleja A report was receive, from Committee No. 1 recommend- ing that. the -north-south couplet of one-way streets be imposed on, Mariposa and Castilleja .Avenues iri Southgate, as recommended in Plate 7 of the De Leuw, Lather report, Mariposa to be a one-way street for traffic going north and Castilleja a one-way street going south. The .committee further recommended that the rest of the one-way street plan be not adopted at this time, pending completion - of the General Plan. studies. Resolution No. 3363, amending Resolution No. 2971, to make Mariposa and Castilleja Avenues one-way streets, was introduced, and a motion was made by Woodward, seconded by Rodgers, that the resolution be adopted. Councilman Bishop discussed the matter, stating that the people in the area do not favor one-way streets. A•petition was filed today by Mrs. H-a1en De Pew, 1671 Castilleja Avenue, containing 33 signatures, opposing the proposal to make Mariposa and. Castilleja one-way streets, with the statement that they feel this will not eliminate the traffic problem but would only cause more hazardous speeding on these narrow residential streets. Mr. Lowell Smith, 1601 Mariposa. Avenue, addressed the Council in behalf of residents of the area. objecting to the establishment of orie-way streets which they felt would not solve the -problem but increase traffic. He filed a petition signed by 52 residents, ,requesting the closing of Castilleja Avenue at the junction of Castilleja and Park Boulevard to vehicular traffic. Mr. Albert Weese, 1641 Castilleja, also spoke in opposition to the one-way street proposal.i' merda,tion made to made to the recom made that was d traffic engineers Reference: Chief of Police an very narrow streets, Comiaos ee and 1iti the C which are astilleja Avenue*, which C streets. should be made one-way After discussior- Resolution No. 3363 establishing ., and Castilleja Avenuesay one-way, streets was Mariposa voice Vote by .n.,ajority Inc. Pte„ Develo comer; l ^' Alto Inn t 1 recommend- ing A Committee O. the Planning Officer. A report wa:s_received frox�� 'oy Inc., be . conditions recommendedof Palo Alto Inn, that the eleven . ment Plan addition of a ing proposed P -G Develop vnd with the shall orzection, , structure for the i?xOp minor � achi •, y penthouse stru with. two min n r p " accepted o read: The rn treatment." twelfth condition t given architecture be' ap�xopriately screened or C Development 2`046, approving the P- previous Committee 1, and repealing and on recommended h Commi reading s No. 1814 hy. given second voice Plan as 1823, was �, red by unanimous No. aid Mitchell, was adop Ordinanoes.: and NX` motion of Woodw axd vote . Park Pxo Committee No. 2 recommend- ing from Gomrn any to convey a A report was r Amusement Company for a, park r of `the Bayshoxe A venue to the ny t offer Amarillo A the staff has ir,g that the; property on Am .nasrz�.uch as ark• ofa their p. be rejected, a neighborhood p' portion conditi�ns adequate fox report of under certain rOperty is not adeq that the hop It was moved the', ;econded and carried thatt owed by' 7.Weng� offer be rejected. It was m be: accepted and the Y of the committee visabilit xbee suggested that the ad further fora future park be given Councilman By that consideration time property determined and acquiring the ; that located s other the cost be snow a_ the' land with fund e seed the matter be considerat°n � nixing ; ., Na suggested or the capitalb given to aoq nts. Councilman Naafis cost estimatesthe could improvements. to C eme No. 3 to detr- vcment grog referred property ty and what. S in the capital impro r rn t perry for a park. � iLems o whay. to acenire propexty decision is made and carried be deferred if a ,poxtex, NaVis, seconded by It was' xnvved by 'o. 3. ter be referred to Cornraittee N no definite that the mat noted that Amusement further discussion, it was of the Bay shore Ate' During en, on the application 1 to 13-C for an muserxent d begin oak property from R- a�tion had the Company to rezone development. caxxied that the b Porter, and Rodgers, seconded by by Rodg e be denied. It was m for the zone Changapplication gt�idv� , 3 recommend- ,.?,.(;.,,I.4,,, p'/.1•...............i. �. Committee No. Downtown +�' from Com . the D A report was received •on of the cost of formula. for allocation ir�g that the following =oxm Study be 6% to Downtown 71% to the a University It was pointed out Palotht Alto, Inc . , an �' Avenue Parkin formula it should d 23% to theCity 8 Districts, an intees t the planning be understood that s Paloallocation Alto, for y future cost allocations. only is this cation studies s alto Y and a precedent partici Councilman ,Hai gating in, the v Haigh stated for the voting on this item. record that he is not recommendation eco It was move b mrnendatwa of Committee Navis, seconded and be approved,mend No. 3 be adopted and carried that the the formula Attar It was then Attorney be Iinstructed was then moved, seconded A tome and nst to design' an appropriate and carried that the:Ci yaLion in t n Palo Alto Inc. i eontraht the City .Downtown formula he casts of the to provide and that the study in a for their behalf of the Mayor be authorized With the City; rized to s _ r ign the contract in Audit'of Accounts A reo recommend- ing acceptance of the proposal received from {forrrrerlY Skinner proposal of Committee No. 3 re and accounts for the currentf s) fortheaaudi of thnd, Ross e Bros. '8 records c Montgomery e cal year, for a City's $ecords On motion of total fee of $4, 300.00, accepted, Navis and Mitchell, the proposal was Amendments to Ordinance � re (Fees) m , recommend- ing approval of prat was. submitted by Committee No. appeals so nd 'zone change applications, ees for the adopt, use a end- ments toed thatpappropriate sections • and the ado permits, explai more an increase in £ of the Zoning Ordinance. of amend- m ents s has g n proposed It was accurately actual. cost, of the work involved to reflect re£), A r involved 24.02 proposed and 2�• U4 of the. amending Certain fees, e: Zoning %Sections 16, 04, 23.04, amounts o was accepted for first reading. change the introduced, and on motion of amounts of Navis and Mitchell, Hos. ital Room Rates ing that there report was received from Committee NO. 4 rec ommend- ing man -af Coxrix�itt m rat commend_ that the attention to the request ee No. 4, Councilman the first of ttenti n al Board made so man Hai rooms.. consider a some time a Haight, from the lie that t}�e committee ' go by the Council e ea d mmittee in the razes for that aL'ats'last received private no action bet meeting, at which year. alcei:u:�til Jul hich t' information July the beginning the Board asked of, the next fiscal It was recommendation of Committee by Haight, ight by Mitchell, Co seconded No. 4 be ado chell, that the. adopted. Councilman Zweng noted that the Council's request made several months ago for a reduction in private room rates was made at the same meeting in which the tax rate for this fiscal year was fixed, the tax rate being increased five cents to help cover hospital costs, and, he urged that a reduction in rates be authorized at this time. He stated that the amount involved is not large since there are, not many private rooms, and should not have much effect on the hospital budget. Councilman Haight advised ' that the amount of reduction, if the rates were changed, might be around $50,000. After discussion, the motion to adopt the recommendation of Committee No. 4 that there be no change, in hospital room rates before the first of July was carried by majority voice vote. Refund Policy on Hospital Bills A report was submitted by Committee No. 4 recommend- ing that no action be taken on the request of Fred W. Kruse, Jr. for a change in the City's policy regarding refund on hospital bills. On motion of Mitchell and Woodward, the recommendation was adopted. Councilman Haight, Chairman of Committee No. 4, advised that this 'natter was discussed at length by the committee and that it referred; the question of elimination of the refund on hospital bills of Palo Alto citizens to Committee No. 3 for considera- tion and recommendation. Zone Change A lication (Aro and Okerman) 2"20-2b40 Middlef e.1TRoad and2572 Webster St, A report was received from the Planning Commission unanimously recommending denial of the application of Aro and Okerman for change of district of Lots 1 and 2, Block 221, Tract 241, Price Subdivision, otherwise known as 2640 and 2620 Middl`' - field Road, from R -3:P to C -2:S, and Lot 4, Block 221, Tract 241, otherwise known as 2572 Webster Street, from R-1 to R -3:P. Mr. Kenneth McDougall. attorney for Aro and Okerman, the applicants, spoke to the Council advising that since the meeting of the Planning Commission they had been in conference with some of the property owners in the area and believed it would be possible to work out a solution which would he satisfactory to the people in the area, the city staff and the Planning Commission. Mr. McDougall asked that the ;Council put this matter over for another month to see if a satisfactory situation can be worked out. Mr. James Herrick, representing residents in the 2500 dock of Webster Street:', asked that the matter be not postponed but that the recommendation of the Planning Commission be upheld. It was moved by Byxbee, seconded and carried that the recommendation of the Planning Commission be upheld and the zone change application be denied. Variance, Toyon Creamery Declaration of Restrictions A report was received from the Planning Commission unanimously recommending that a variance be granted to permit the Toyon Creamery, Inc. to construct a building addition at 2280 El : Cami. o Real provided: a) An additional area, sufficient for at least 20 automobiles, is acquired and used to provide parking within three years, or b) This location'is included in the California Avenue Parking District. The matter was reviewed by the Planning Officer. The City Attorney recommended that, if a variance is granted, a bond or some guarantee should be required so that there would be some assurance that -the owner would provide additional parking within three year's or become a part of the Parking District. The City Manager pointed out that if b) is adopted, no more parking space would be provided; that the owner would only be helping to pay for the parking already provided in the district. Mr. John Donegan, attorney for Toyon Creamery, urged the Council togrant the variance without any condition requiring a bond, and to amend the Declaration of Restrictions previously filed to eliminate the parking requirement from the"area required for the building addition. Mr. Donegan pointe' out that the variance is necessitated by the widening of the highway which is taking a portion of the existing building. (Councilman Evans left at this time, 8:50 p.m., and was absent for the rest of the meeting.) After.di:scussion, it was rnoved by Porter, seconded and care+ed that a variance be granted to permit the Toyon Creamery to'construct a=bmilding z dditio~---\t 2280 El Camino Real, provided that an additional, rea_ suffic._• for at•least 20 automobiles, is acquired and used to:,provide •parking within three years, and that a satisfactory bond guaranteeing the aceuisition of•such parking area in thy; form satisfactory to the City Attorney be filed with the City Clerk. The City Attorney presented Resolution No. 3364 rescinding the Declaration of Restrictions regarding off-street parking, executed by the Toyon Creamery, Inc. on April 7, 1959, and authorizing execution of a new Declaration of Restrictions. It was moved by Mitchell, seconded and caeri ed by unanimous voice vote that the resolution be adopted. Lot. Division, 4285 Miranda Avenue A report was received from. the Planning Commission unanimously recornmending approval of a lot division for the property of.,Norman B. Baldwin at 4285 Miranda Avenue, being a portion of Lot 7, Briones Partition, subject to: a) Dedication of right-of-way to provide a 40 -foot with,. street (Miranda Avenue). b) Granting 'of public utilities easement as shown in red on map. c) Payment or segregation of Assessment No. 10, Project 59-10, and • d), Furnishing evidence of payment of all payable city and county taxes. If: was moved by Zweng, seconded and carried that this lot division be approved in" accordance with the recommendation of the Planning Commission. • Zone Change and Development Plan (Channing House) Ordinance No 2007, amending the Zone Map to change the zoning of theproperty at 850 Webster Street from R-4 to':P-C (Retirement Center) and approving the P -C Development Plan, was given second reading, and on motion duly seconded, was adopted by unanimous voice vote. Speed Limit on Embarcadero' Road Ordinance No. 2008, amending Section 19. 152 of Codified Ordinance No. 5 to establ .sh the speed limit on Embarcadero Road'easter.ly of_Bayshore Highway at 35 miles per hour, was given second reading, and on motion of Navis, duly seconded, was adopted by unanimous voice vote. zaMonthl or Re ta p. The monthly report of the Planning Officer on action taken in February on applications for redivision of lots, and the monthly report of the Zoning Administrator on action taken in February on applications for variances and use permits, were received and filed. Project 59-4, -San Antonio Road Quite la Dee to weenez The City Attorney advised the Council'of an erroneous description in a conveyance of property for street purposes from Martin J. and Helen M. Sweeney to the City (Parcel 21, Project 59-4); that a new deed had been received containing a correct description and recommending that the Mayor be authorized to execute a Quitc•?,aarn='Deed for and on behalf of the City for the property described in'the original deed. It was moved, seconded and carried that the Mayor be authorized toexecute this Quitclaim Deed. Embarcadero Road Parkin Restrictions At the suggestion of Councilman Davis, the staff was asked to make a study and report.on the possibility and advisability of prohibiting parking on the north side of Embarcadero Road from 7:00 to 9:00 A.M. and on the south side of Embarcadero Road from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M., between Alma Street and Newell Road. There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was declared adjoyrned at 9:05 P.M. ATTEST: l APPROV City Clerk Mayor