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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08271929City Hall, Palo Alto, Calif. August 27», 1929 The Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date at 7:30 P. M. pursuant. to adjournment of August 26, 1929, -with Mayor Christensen presidia. Roll callas follows: Present: Bertsche,, Cathcart, Christensen, 'Hobart, `Johnson, Kelly:, Mosher, Thous, Thomas. 'Absent: Miss Baugh, Lausten, Reynolds, Mrs.. Thomas, W'hisler, Wood. Deport on Rates — for Tatural Gas A re,port :was: received from the City. Attorney. conc.e-rn- ing tae Cityts -petition' to .be furnished with straight natural gas and rates- for same', stating that the hearing. on .the. petition has been continued , to September ..ith, and asking for instructions as to whether the City should ask for consideration for a less rate- than -..40 _ per M. cu..ft. and straight natural 'gas to be furnished to,t21'.6 City as soon as possible. This ratter was discussed and on motion of Hobart and Mosher, the City ,Attorney was 'authorized to continue along the lines suggested in his- report. „- On. motion: of .Thoits and Cathcart, the Board of Works was requested to make proper study on the matter of storage of natural gas. Letter on Sale of Tobacco A communication from the City Attorney referring to the sale of -tobacco ` to minors was referred to Committee No. 2. Letter from Peninsular Railway Co. A, letter was reee? ved from F. ► . ';ebster, President of the Peninsular, Railway Company, stating that the application of said c4,npany to abandon its tracks and service between the Mayfield Junction' and the Southern Pacific station. at Palo Alto was filed w.ith;:the.': ; ailro.a& Commission on August 23: :1929; and further stating that- if such authority is granted, the. service to Stanford University woul:d, be discontinued— Thle matter was discussed, and on motion of. Cathcart and Thomas,, it was directed that the Council give its consent to the removal of the tracks between the Southern Pacific station,in old Palo Alto and the Mayfield Junction, and that at the same time the City Attorney be instructed to :secure. from the Railroad. Commission an order for the immediate removal of the 'eracks on. Vniyersi ty Avenue . A , report was received from Comani ttee No. 1 recommend- ing that the resolution of : intention for opening: alleys in Blocks 46 . and 47,_ College Terrace, and Blocks 1 and 2, `tbeisshaar Addition,` be adopted. Resolution of Intention No. 799, for . opening said alleys, was read, and on motion of Kelly and Bertsche, was passed by unanimous ` vote on roll call. Reques vacate the d the end of t brought up f tion on this was again re in having the the Council, into an agreE and expected the use of ti approxima to lz creek bank, and perhaps Z ty of a bridE point in futta the street ml stated that, b the same pric Hobart to ref Attorney, but 0; this Council .vacated, on c+ rights to the of 20 or 25. ys No. 1 -and the papers and sr.) : Ordinaz A the adoption c and suppressic given , sedond r Cathcart and call, with 7 A ordinance was study. La this ordinance Cathcart and p and Thomas, th except Kelly, Ordinan A: that the propo; which provides and Cowper Str' and discussed. next meeting, Safety, could 1 Ordinary As that the ordin adopted. Ordi Comity Cent 'Rogues t to Vaoate:..Part,'of. Southwood Drive The request •of Hare, Brewer and. Clark thatthe:.°City vacate the dead- end of Southwood .Drive from the turning circle to the end of the . present street .at San Franc.isguito Creek, was ✓'� brought up for farther consideration. The report and recomme.nda- tion on this znatterc'submitted 'by -Committee No.. 1 on August 26th, was again read to- the Coaxinci i . Hare and Mr,.Mr,.-Philip' Lansdale,who wereinterested in having this petition granted, were present at the request 'of the Council, and explained tba~t a:, prospective buyer had entered into .an 'agreement -I -,to purchase'.; the` lot adjoining. Southwood Drive and expeeted:,to build a. `fine: home 'there, provided. he might have the use a,f the portion -of' Southwood, Drive referred to ,, which is approaciznately .65; feet : in lengt r from.. the turning , circle to, the:; creek' bank, for a certain number Of years,; .for parks.-ng purposes and perhaps the installation:'of, a tennis court .or Swiraming, pool. .This matter .:was discussed at length, and the possibili- ty of a bridge being erected over San Francisquita Creek at. this point` in future . years` - was,: cons idered.. - . Suggestion: was made that the street might :."be classed aiid the .land•.so.ld ,or leased., Mr.: Hare / stated that his', company would be:willing .to.buy the land back` at the same pride which'they'had;_paid. for it. .A motion was made by 1obart to .refer. the matter. to Committee o 1 and the City Attorney, but this motion was not seconded. On nt tion'of Thoit:s and Mosher, "it is the sense Of this Council 'that the dead end of Southwood Drive should be vacated,' on condition:. that the owners deed their reversionary: rights :to the City,, and that the City lease this land for a period: of 20 or 25 years,. the term to ne: decided upon, and that .Committee No. ;1 and the City Attorney .be authorized to prepare the necessaryL papers and bring the ..matter. before. the Council at its next meeting-.. Ordinance; on hegx1atior• of Dogs A report was. received from Committee No. 2 recormaending the adoption of the ordinance relating to the regulation of dogs , and suppression • of rsbies Ordinance No. 4'74 on this matter. ,eras given second: 'reading and discussed, A motion was made by Cathcart and: Johnson to.'.. -adopt. the ordinance, which was lost on roll call, with '7 Ayes and:, 2: Noes:, Kelly. and 'hcmas voting No. The ordinance wag then referred_ back. to Committee No. 2 for , fstther study.. Later, a motion was made: by Councilman Thomas that this ordinance. be• re -considered. The motion was seconded- by Cathcart' .and passed. 1 After reconsiderat-ion, on motion o f Mosher. and . Thomas, the ordinance was :adopted on roll call, all voting Aye except': Kelly, who. voted. -No:. Ordinance on 11 Turns A report'',was x',eceived from. Committee No . 2 recommending that •-the proposed :ord n?axxce o t p' ,turns be adopted. This ordinance which ,provides that 'U:;: turns shall' not be made between the Circle and Cowper Street cn Universi'ty Avenue,was given second reading and diacussedp- Action on. this ordinance .was deferred until the ext Meeting,' i.n order' that fir. Seale, chairman of the Board of Safety, , could be present -to explai:n.;it to the Council. Ordinance on.Commin sty- Center Commission A report waa received' from Committee No. 2 recommending that .the ordinance, relating to :"Community Center Commission be. adopted. Ordinance No. 475, covering thee establishment of a Community Center and the powers : and duties of the commission, was given second reading, and on motion of Bertsehe and Thomas was passed byunanimous vote on roll call. Report onHydrocarbon Ordinance A report was also received from Committee No. 2 recommending that the Council do not pass the ordinance relating to storage of hydrocarbons. On motion of Hobart and Mosher, this report was approved. Report on ' Traffic. Matters Referring to certain recommendations made by the Palo. Alto .Residents' Catttb, Committee No. 2 -submitted ,a report recommending that .no action be taken at the present time relating to diagonal parking or parallel parking. on University Avenue; further, in view of the absence of provision in the budget for Stop and' =go ' signals, that no action ;be taken on this ,subject at the present time. On motion of Thoits and Bertsche, this report was approved. A report was a .so received from Committee No. 2 recommending that the Council request the Board of Safety to make a study of the whole tatter of traffic contfol at the Circle. On motion of Cathcart and Thoits, it was directed that the Council make this request of the Board of Safety. A recommendation was submitted by Committee No. 2 that the matter of the desirability of an additional traffic officer referred to the Board of Safety for investigation and recommendation. On motion of Cathcart and Bertsche, this report was approved On motion of Thomas and Mosher, the Board of Safety was requested to study the matter of installing some sort of traffic control at the intersection of El Camino Real and University -`Avenue and consider the possibility of having Santa Clara County and Stanford .University cooperate in installing a system of traffic control at this point and bearing the costs of same. Ordinance on Workmens Compensation A report was received from Committee. No. 5 recommend- ing that the ordinance relative to workmen's compensation be adopted as sal emergency ordinance, in order that outstanding claims may be expeditiously passed. Ordinance No. 476', relating to workmen's compensation, was read, and certain provisions differing from the previous ordinance, were explained by the deputy city attorney. On motion of `jhoits and Johnson, this ordinance was adopted as an emergency ordinance by unanimous consent on roll call. Resolution on Widening Crossing Action on a resolution authorizing application to be' made to the :Railroad Commission. for widening the crossing . of the Southern. Pacific Company at University Avenue was . deferred to the next Meeting, at the suggestion of the City- Attorney. Ordinance on Creating Planning Commission An ordinance was presented for creating a City :Planning :Commission_ , and providing for the appointment and removal of its members, as :provided . by Chapter 838 of the Statutes of 19'29, ,kuoe n';as the Planning Act, this Act having taken the place of the Planning Act' of `1927 under which the. Commission is now organized. On' motion ' of Kelly and Mosher, a committee was appointed, to study 1 Resc heretofore is ended, of Palo A3 and 12, B1 on July 12 charitable that there This resol further,di the s t ruc t• adopted by Attest: r 425 appointed,; compos.;sd ct, Councilmen Thomas, Cathcart acid iiobart, to study this: ordinance. and' report back to the Council. Resolutionkslatin& to -..;Lots in Block 89 ting Resolution No 800, declaring that a certain trust heretofore created in reference to Lots 11 and 12, Block 89, is ended, was read. Thls resolution_ refers to a deed to the City of Palo Alto- "dated Feb:- ,4, 1920, conveying to the City Lots 11 and 12, Block 89, and ter '" a resolution passed. by the City Council on July 12, 1920, dec.;la 1ii`g .that said. lots were subject to a charitable trust .cont nue:-until" such time as the Council finds t that there is no longer.` any necessity for .such trust to exist. This resolution declares ,that this_ charitable trust is ended, and t f furtherr,direets the Board of 'Works to take steps to demolish the structures on these lots now, used for residential purposes. moval lace On motion: of Thoits. and Mosher, this resolution was adopted by unanimous vote on roll call. On motion -of Hobart and Thoas , the Council ,'adjourned. Approved: