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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01211935I City Hail, Palo Alto, California, January 21, 1935. Me -Council of the City of Palo Altomet on this date at 7:30 p.m.., pursuant to adj..urnment of January 14,'1935, with Mayor Thomas presiding. Roll call as follows: - Present: 'Blois, Bonham, Cathcart, Collins, Crandall, Green, Judson, Kelly, laosher, Thoits, Thomas. Absent: atchell, Stephens, Wood. approved. Petition from Palo Alto Horseshoe Club A petition was received from the Palo Alto Horseshoe Club, with 168signatures, asking the Council to consider the construction. of horseshoe courts in Rinconada Park. This was referred to the Community Center Commission for consideration and report, and also to the elanning Commission as to a suitable location for such courts. The minutes of the meeting of December 10, 1935, were Letter from Mrs. C hr'i s t e n s e n A letter was received from sirs. C. Christensen and family expressing grateful appreciation for the sympathy and. thoughtfulness shown by the ,Council at t -;e time of the death of. Councilman Christensen. Study of Hospital insurance The iaayor called attention to the experiment now being made by the use of a hospitalization fund to assist local residents in paying hospital charges, in an effort to make the hospital more available ` to people of moderate means. He recommended tea; the Special Hospital Committee be asked to take up its studies on this matter again with a view to determining the future policy of the city with regard to hospital insurance, and tomake definite recommendations to the Council not later than the first of April, the committee to be the same as the former one, composes of Councilman ` Thoits, chairman, and Councilmen Collins, iitcheli, Wood and Judson, with the addition of another member, Counciim n Cathcart, to the committee. On motion of Judson and Kosher, the recommendations of the Mayor were adopted. Pubs-ic y`torks Pro; eets The ` 'ayor read a communication which he had prepared, calling attention to the fact that the Federal Government will probably launch a new public works grogram in the near future, and that it seemed desirable that the City prepare plans and estimates 'for :worth -while projects so that it might tak<_- advantage of federal aid when and if it is offered. The Mayor submitted the following list of desirable projects: -- Self--i ig.uidating Projects for immediate Consideration: 1. Water Supply, including connection with Hetch supply; construction of storage facilities and possible construction of a filter. plant. Construction of a ga-s holder in the. Aayfiela Disririct. 3. 4. 2. 3. 4. uth4 1. 2. 3. B 4. D t A 10. Di 11. .h 12. Cc 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Tne to prepare plan, desirability an with the Planni On motion of Ca and it was so a Mr. iii Real Estate Eoa: of signs on the claiming that t] inadequate. J also present an( . corn East Palo Alto C erection ofincc installation of The C had given carefu 3. Completion of the: Bay Shore ` Park Swimming Pool. 4. A steam rower ;generating plant to produce al:i of the electric energy for Palo Alto, or alternative project of extending transmission lines to sub -station of the Retch Hetchy .power development at Newark. 5. A new dog pound. Non -income Producing- Projects of immediate Importance: 1. Grade crossing elimination. at.Embarcadero Road and at Palo Alto Avenue. 2. Extension of Willow Roadand construction of necessary bridges to connect ;with Palo Alto Avenue underpass. 3. 1iterations and .additions to present City Hall, or possible construction of a new City Hall. 4. complete and modern street lighting system. .Jther projects for consideration are: 1. Opening of certain new streets, including California Avenue, Colorado Avenue, Webster Street, and Cowper Street. 2. Repaving of Alma Street, Bryant Street, diddlef'ield • Koad, etc. 3. New paving on Palo Alto Avenue, Stanford Avenue, Park Boulevard, California Avenue, Third Street and Boyce Avenue. 4. Drainage= Extending drainage :;culvert on. Alma Street to Aatadero Creek. 5. Additional development of parks and playgrounds. 6. Construction of bridges at Pope Street and Newell Road 7. raditional airport facilities. 8. Street widening, : 'including Embarcadero Road, Newell Road Extension and Colorado Avenue. 9. .Drainage facilities in the. Oregon Avenue-Embarcadero Road Distr ictl i:nclud :ng widening and dyking at Matadero Creek. 10. Drainage of Bayshore lands. 11. harbor Developments: Dredging. 12. Construction of a golf course on Bayshore ions. Tree Mayor recommended that the Board . of Works be asked to prepare plans and estimates in the order of the relative desirability and importance of these projects, in collaboration with the Planing Commission and other boards interested, 3n :notion of Cathcart and Kelly, this recommendation was approved and it was so ordered. ins on ba_vsizore- highway Mr. W. A. Kelley ; was present on behalf oithe Nato Alto Real Estate Board and requested the Council: to re -open the matter or signs on the Baysnore ' zighway, mark,ing entrances to Palo Alto, ,:la ing that . the reflector type signs recently installed are . i�mnadequate. Mr. W n. Breisker of the Chamber of Commerce was a{so present and made the same complaint of the present signs. A communication was received on this.. subject from the gas t Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce - , protesting against the erection of inconspicuous reflector signs, and recommending the installation of large illuminated entrance.' signs. The Chairman of Committee ;=ivo l stated that his committee :.a g given careful consideration to this Matter before recommending. .r. the installation of the present signs, and pointed oat that the Bayshor e Highway is under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Comm:is;siori. grid that the signs installed are trie only ones permitted. -by the State Highway Co.mmission,, that if large i.Lluminated signs are erected they would have to be placed on private property. This matter was referred to the hoard of Public Safety, and the representatives of interested organizations were asked to cooperate pith the Board of Safety .in the Consideration of rti �P cle' on Municipal Credit Attention was invited by the mayor to an entitled ftMunicipal Credit in National Affairsn by City Chamberlain of New York City, a copy of whicn to each council member for :his information. Resignation from Advisory Board A commzani cation was received from .ndrs. ;rtha. S. Hansen presenting her resignation from the=dvisory Board on Commercial Amusements. On motion of Thoits and Collins, the resignation was accepted and the Clerk was instructed to express the appreciation of the Council for her services. The Mayor nominated Mrs. James McIntosh as a member of the Advisory Board to fill the vacancy created by Mrs. Ha.nsen f s resignation. On ' motion of Mosher and Bonham,,` this nomination vlas confirmed article A. A Berle, was presented Councilman Wood came at 8 p.m. and was present during /the rest of the meeting. Legislative 'uiletins from League Legislative Bulletins boos. 1 any 2 were received from the League of California municipalities concerning the Legislative Bureau. of the League which has established offices in the :motel Senator' at Sacramento, and relating to activities of the 1935 session of the State Legislature. These bulletins were placed .a file. Qperation of Trucks of Community Kitchen communication from, C. VU. Marwedel, Chairman_ of the Mayor f s Committee of Unemployment Belief, concerning the operation of trucks used by the Community .Kitchen, was referred to Committee AO.. 3, Interest on Meter Deposits A letter was received from D. Vv. Buchan, Manager of t o Bank of America, requesting that the interest rate on the special meter deposit of :425,375.00 be fixed at two per cent per annum. A communication was received from the Chairman of the Board of Works on -this matter, recommending that an emergency ordinance be passed amending the present ordinance governing the rate or meter deposits so that the rate would be the same as the prevailing interest rate for saving deposits. A proposed ordinance amending Sec. 567 of Codified Ordinance. No. 3 relating to interest on deposit was read, ana a moti.on was .made ; by losher and Kellythat it be adopted as an :emergency ordinance. After discussion, the ,motion w.as.. wi t zdra n and:t,be ;pa opos:ed'ordinance was referred to Committees No L, er.Ac ARM Real - Commi ssi Communi for the ] Community { Municipal] year 135 and that,l additional recommend' vote on r� Utiiities� League foi and estima the amoun� same meter special re in the Co:m exceed $.53 for this o� 1935. a this re.lue from the u was approve on roll call Cens� x under the s project had requested bj Transf� n' recommend1nj in the Stair be trans fern approved by considered b Committee No xy: or. A. that an addi development matter then 1 .4.s been recE He o: t e informing the Request for Furnishings of : Community Center ti communication was " received from the Community Center Commission: concerning the needs of the new Ruth Stern wing of the Community Center, and " requesting an appropriation of $4,243.41 for the furnishing and equipping of this unit of the new Community Center. This was referred to Committees No. 3 and No.4 BUJ. for League ,Dues A bill was received from the League of California unicipaiities in the amount . of ` .495.00 for dues for he calendar year 1935. Committee; No. 4 recoamended that the bill be approved, and that, as only $75.00 was budgeted for this purpose, the additional 420.00 be taken.from : the Contingent Fund. This recommendation was approved and the bill allowed, by unanimt us vote on roll call. utility Dili ox Women's Service League A communication was ;received from the Director of utilities concerning the :utility bill of the Women's Service aea.bue for the period, from November 26th to December 26, 134, and estimating the amount actually used by the Service League and. the amounts which should be charged to other groups using the same meters. This was referred to Committee No. 5. Telephone for S.E.R.A. '. f ce X communication was received. from Col. R. N. Hayden, special representai.ive of the :ayor, concerning the S.F,.7.... office in the Community House, and: requesting an appropriation not to exceea $50.00 to pay for the installation and use of a telephone for this office for the period from the present time to June 30, 1:;35. r report was received from Committee No. 4 approving. this re;uest and recommending that the appropriation be allowed from the unappropriated balance of the General : nd. On motion of Thoits and .Judson, this recommendation was approved and the appropriation authorized, by unanimous vote on roil call. Census Project Disapproved It was announced that theProposed census of Palo a.1to under the supervision of the .:Eealth Department, as an S.L.R.... protect had been disapproved, and ,therefore the appropriation requested by the Health' Officer for this purpose was not necessary. Transfer from Stairway. fund A report was received from the Board of eublic corks recommending that the bal:ance of:, approximately 4195.00 remaining in tae Stairway I und.` and Special Tread: Fund for Warehouse Na. 2 :e transferred to the City Hall Maintenance tenance Fund. Taus was approved by Committee No 4. 4,,S the: matter has not yet been co.;sidered by Committee No." 1, action was deferred until Coamittee No. 1 makes a report on the: subject. repropr. ation for Park ev.el o merit A report was' received from the Board of Works recommends: .at an additional appropriation of $1500.00 be made for park 4eve l opment work. This was .referred to Committee No. 1, the .A :ter then to be cunsider~.ed by Committee No. 4 after a report ras been received from Committee No. 1. Lt.2Jrt of Planning Commission on Playgrounds A report was received from the Planning Commission —.forming the Council tnat, "inasmuch as the Commission has made study of. the: reque t of the Parent -Teachers Association for the use of vacant playgrounds and finds., that there are no vacant lots of` suf:ficrent size available for " this purpose,'. the -Commission, suggests that further use be made of the school taaygro,UndS This was placed oh file, and the_ Mayorannounced that -he: wovld-'in.form. the £arent--eachers ssociation of the recommenda;t:ion -of ;the Planning commission. o:ntracts for Service Connections Licen A report was received from Committee Na. 1 recommending that the :;Board of Works put;. into effect a system oz contracts for : service ."connections in accordance with the application provided for in Section 562 of Codified Ordinance Ao. 3. This was : referred to the Board of Works. ..Clerk to="R"eply to Hayfield Service Club report was received from Committee No. 1 recommending that the City Clerk be instructed to. answer the letter of the Mayfield Service Club," under date of December 3, 1934, setting forth the facts : in the matter of the complaint of Mrr. S. M. Cuthbertson. The recommendation was approved and itwas so ordered. Responsibility of Land.ora for Tenants' bills A report was received from Committee No. 1 pointing out that in regard to the mot•ioo of the Council on November 13, i34, asking the committee to investigate the ordinances making a landlord responsible for the utility bills of tenants, the committee finds that the ,ordinances do not so provide. Ordinance on House „ ovi l A report was submitted by committee loo. the adoption of an ordinance, as submitted by the amending. Chapter 46 of the building code relating This ordinance was given first reading. otter from H.P.Hansen A communication was received from xi, r . Hansen oc Son, plumbers, concerningovertime parking tags rheyhaveereceived for parking th;r service truck near the premises where work is being done, and asking that a moaifica tion of the traffic is ordinance be made ;to permit - parking. This was referred to Committee No. 2''. .Correspondence re Citation .1,1/ .nst Consul, of Uruguay 1 recommending committee, to House A&oving. i-. communi,ca:tion was received from. the Police Judge transmitting.. correspondence on the subject of a citation against Hon. Manuel vera,, "Consul of Uruguay, for speeding, asking tha.t this' be; :referred ' to the Secretary of State for such aispositron as die' may deem proper. This matter was referred to Committee -;No`. .2 and t:he City Attorney. f.e for Maps, report wa:s: received from Up,nm& ttee No. 1 recommending that h 'report . of Cammitt.ee .6o. 5 recommending the purchase 01 a safe cabinet::;for, tte:'storage of engineering block maps be approvad• o ittee . No . 4 reported that it. has considered z m id-ered this matter and =recommends, in.;p a:ce of the previous plan of photo stating maps for, which X1.50.-00, had been appropriated, that $175.0'y additional be ap.prdp :iated for the .pur:chase: 'of a fireproof :abinet for tYhe storaige of maps, this to be taken from the Continge at: l'und. Un :totion of Mosher and Collins, this- recotam.endation. �wa.s : adopted; a.nd: the appropriation nut hor 4zed from t`ne Contingent: Fund,, by unanimous vote on ro4.1 call. that the r an agreeme; the City t: City's roa4 r, who stated for this ak of Tnoits was author] that the V. by unanimoi Ut�f._� it 1J �, A it looks wi utilities f definite ac• premises wn; Re that an app mace to pay recou:mend;-o similar ap ,z amount to be 1 257 Byron St further, tha as much as e of Kelly and to pay the u period, not roll call. Adminis l that an apprc balance for e Unemployment recommendatic unanimous vo t h r that w5.4O be on personal p of Tnoits and on roll call, r Or a ina nc, Ora: Court from 11 motion of Cali roll call. xQduci pr 50 cents the. nts w...s g License Agreement with Southern Pacific A report, was received from Committee iNio. 1 recommending that the report of the Board of ,Works, approving the execution of an agreement with the Southern Pacific Company covering .right of the City to cross railroad property,:from University Avenue ' to the City's road to, the City, :Corporation Yardbe approved. The license agreement" was read by the City Attorney, who stated that a payment of 15.:00 is to be made by the Cit for this agreement, covering t ; an indefinite period. On motion of Thoits and Judson, this agreement was approved and the Mayor was authorized to execute same.. for the :City, and it was directed. that the $5.00 license "fee be paid from the Contingent Fund, this by unanimous vote on roll call. Utilities for housework' Practice house A report was received from `.Committee No. 3 stating it looks with favor upon the scheme of the City's providing. utilities for a Housework Practice -douse, but suggests . that definite action be withheld until a report is available as to the premises vrri ch. have been granted for the use of the undertaking. Referring to this : ;matter, Committee mo. 4 recommended. that an appropriation of _45000 per month for three months be mace to pay utility ` bids of the proposed Practice house, as recommended by the Community ;Center :Commission, contingent :upon a similar approval and recommendation of Committee No. 3 this a amount to be taken from the: unappropriated balance. '" The Director of Utilities 'reported that the premises a 257 Byron Street are now being used as the Practice house, and further, that he believed the utility' bills would not amount to as :ouch as expected ,This-. matter was discussed, and on motion of Kelly and.'Bonham, theaCouricil approved of th,erecommendation to pay the utility for, this;,: enterprise for .a three-rzonthsa period, -noi, to' exceed $25.00 ;per..mont:h, ethis by unanimous vote, on roll call. Administrative xper. s,es of Unemployment Committee A report was received'from Committee No. 4 recommending that an appropriation. of $150:.00 be. made from the unappropriated balance for administrative expenses of the .mayor e s Committee on Unemployment Relief. cn motion. of 'Collins and Judson, this recommendation was approved and the appropriation authorized, by unanimous vote on, roll- cai1. A report was received from Committee vo. 5 recommending that 4.5.40 be, refunded to' Mr. A., W. filler for taxes overpaid on personal property in the years 1931-32 and 1932-33. on motion of Taoits and posher,' -this; refund'' was allowed by unanimous vote oa roil call, ; the amount to; :be taken from the Contingent Fund. 3r airance. Clanging, Setback Line Ordinance iio, 641, changing the setback line on Whitman Court from 11 feet to '5 feet, was given second reading, and on Notion of Collins and Mosnes, . was adopted by unanimous vote on roll call, ordinance Amending Plurabing Code proposed ordinance amending the numbing Code by reducing the fee for replacement -of water heaters from $1.00 to 5C) cents was given first reading and referred. Lo Committee ivo. 1. Tax Penalties The Mayor , ,referred to a request made of the City Attorney at a ;:previous meeting to .investigate the matter of tax penalties The • City Attorneyreported that the City is complying with the state law. with 'respect to tax penalties, and that he would havea written report on this matter to present to the Council at its next. meeting. Reports of. Officials The. reports of the Department of Public Works, the Department of ` Public Safety, the Auditor and Treasurer,, for the month of Iii�c;ember,:.1934:,. were received and placed on file. Bills Un motion of. Mosher and Collins, the following bilis approved and` warrants authorized in payment of the same: J meriean Trust Company $ 10.00 Chas. R. $adley Co. 4.89 Bare,Brewer a Clark, Inc. 469.80 Professional Building, inc. 25.00 Stanford University 1.24 Mayor Earl C. Thomas 25.00 Travelers Insurance° Co. 138.90. The American City Magazine 2.00 City of Palo Alto (Mayor' sCommit ee 400.00 City of Palo Alto 51.75 Palo Alto nospiVa1 1143.50 Interpolation in The. City :Attorney brought up the matter of .the Lease Agreement Vith,,tne':Associated. Air Services, Ltd., appioved by the Council' oh December 10,, 1934, which has been executed byloth parties, ;with -the. understanding that the words "for the use and occupation -of .Lessee" be interpolated in the third sine of Section VII . on -:Pabe 3. an motion of Cathcart and Thoits, this interpaia- tion was ratified by the Council by unanimous vote on roll Call. On motion of Mosher and Bonham, the Council adjourned. Approve session on Roll call Prese., Absent were aporo ';� association, constructic, .teal f ro.1i L- a letter fro that applica S. .R.ti pro office. A deed to the certain term: Committee �o , �e:tter AJ President of concerning ti for cases i'os administer he of. Supervisor dental supple Office of the the establi_: use of i di gE re;juestea to Supervisors w acmjnistrati Supervisors £ t ter A a Peninsula was referreu A c Peninsula Div. Francisco on Divisions of • bills now bef, xhe complete file