Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-07-12 City Council (14)City of Palo Alto TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT:CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE DATE:JULY 12, 1999 CMR:308:99 ADOPTION OF REGULATIONS RE HALL BUILDING SUBJECT:PUBLIC USE OF THE CITY This is an information report and no Council action is required. BACKGROUND On September 4, 1997, the City Council amended Palo Alto Municipal Code (PAMC) Section 2.08.050 to enable the City Manager to prescribe and enforce regulations for entry into or use by members of the public of any City real property, building, structure, or other facility. An interdepartmental committee was subsequently created by the City Manager in response to concerns that facilities were at times being used by some members of the public in ways that interfered with City missions and functions and with use by the public at-large. The committee developed regulations for libraries and community centers which were communicated to Council on July 27, 1998 (CMR: 197:98). Staff reports that the regulations have been successfully implemented and are being utilized as a tool to enhance the City’s commitment to customer service. Upon completion of the library and community center regulations, staff turned its attention to the City Hall building and Plaza. This staff report transmits regulations for public use of the City Hall building for the Council’s information. The regulations will be enacted by the City Manager and will be in effect 15 days from the date of this staff report. The regulations affect the parts of the City Hall building defined in the Discussion Section below. A separate staff report (CMR:309:99) is scheduled on the Council’s regular agenda to address regulations for the Plaza area outside of the City Hall building. These Plaza regulations are being suggested as amendments to Chapter 9.60 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code which regulates the Civic Center Block. DISCUSSION City Hall, the central location of Palo Alto City government, is located at 250 Hamilton CMR:308:99 Page 1 of 2 Avenue and consists of the following components: Main, A-Level and Police Lobbies; Office Tower; Council Chambers and Council Conference Room; and Parking Garage. Each of these areas is defined in the attached regulations. The mission of the City Hall building is to provide and preserve public access to City services and functions and for the conduct of City business. City staff has identified a number of inappropriate behaviors on the part of some visitors to City Hall that have interfered with this mission. Staff has developed the attached set of regulations to address these behaviors, which include: obstructing entrances or corridors, engaging in boisterous conduct, and preparing or consuming food or beverages in public areas. A draft of the City Hall regulations was presented to the Human Relations Commission (HRC) on June 10, 1999. In response to the HRC’s comments, several changes were made in the regulations. In general, the HRC suggested that the City make every effort to ensure that the regulations not unnecessarily limit access to City Hall and that accommodations be made, where possible, for special needs. A particular concern was raised regarding regulations that might abridge First Amendment fights of free expression. The HRC was reassured that staff gave careful attention to the protection of such fights. The intent of regulations that address issues such as boisterous conduct and threatening language is to deal with behaviors that disrupt the conduct of City business. The intent is not, in any way, to limit public discourse. RESOURCE IMPACT There is no resource impact associated with the enactment of regulations for public use of the City Hall building. POLICY IMPLICATIONS It is consistent with existing City policy to define and enforce certain standards of conduct in City facilities in order to ensure appropriate use and enjoyment of these facilities for the public at large. ATTACHMENTS Regulation of the City of Palo Alto Regarding Prohibited Conduct in the Palo Alto City Hall PREPARED BY: Audrey Seymour, Senior Executive Assistant CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:~~~ ~ .~ ,~ "tklVI~Y I-~RRI S--~N Assistant City Manager Human Relations Commission CMR:308:99 Page 2 of 2 REGULATION OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO REGARDINGPROHIBITED CONDUCT IN THE PALO ALTO CITY HALL As authorized by Palo Alto Municipal Code section 2.08.050, the fol!owing regulation is adopted, to be effective fifteen days following submission to Council made the date stated below. In order to preserve and provide safe public access to the City Hall Building (hereafter referred to as City Hall) and the many services provided therein, the following conduct which interferes with those services is prohibited. The regulations are separated into sections that address City Hall as a whole as well as its component parts, which include the Main, A-Level and Police Lobbies, Office Tower, Council Chambers, Council Conference Room and Parking Garage. DEFINITIONS City Hall is defined to include the following components of the building at 250 Hamilton Avenue: Main, A-Level and Police Lobbies, Office Tower, Council Chambers, Council Conference Room and Parking Garage. City Hall Lobbies consist of the Main Lobby, A-Level Lobby and Police Lobby. The Main Lobby is defined as that area immediately within City Hall accessible via the Hamilton Avenue entrance and extending through the hallway area accessing the elevators and public restrooms and telephones. The purpose of the Main Lobby is to preserve and provide public access to all City services and functions within City Hall and for the conduct of authorized City events and events hosted by other governmental officials or agencies. The A-Level Lobby is defined as that area immediately within City Hall accessible via the A-Level Parking Garage, including the hallway area accessing the elevators and public restrooms. The purpose of the A-Level Lobby is to provide public access to al! City services and functions. The Police Lobby is defined as that area bounded by the public entrance on Forest Avenue and the doors opening to authorized staff areas and the Council Chambers. The purpose of the Police Lobby is to provide public access to City police services. The Office Tower is defined as the offices, public counters and waiting areas and passage ways housed on levels A, i, Mezzanine, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of City Hal!, including the Police Wing, as wel! as the elevators serving these levels and the B and C garage levels. The purpose of the Office Tower is to preserve and provide access to City services and functions and for the conduct of City page 1 business. The Council Chambers is defined as that area on the first floor between the Main Lobby and the Police Lobby in which Council and other meetings are held. The Counci! Chamber Dais is defined as the chairs and desk area at which the Council works. The Staff Area is defined as that area directly in front of the Dais in which staff works during meetings. The purpose of the Counci! Chambers is the conduct of City public meetings, authorized City functions and events hosted by other governmenta! officials or agencies. The Council Conference Room is defined as the meeting room on the first floor accessed by the hallway between the Main Lobby and the Counci! Chambers. The purpose of the Council Conference Room is the conduct of City public meetings, authorized City functions and eve’nts hosted by other governmental officials or agencies. The Parking Garage is defined as that area consisting of the A, B and C parking levels, including general vehicle and bicycle parking, secured storage rooms, secured mechanical areas, stairwells and elevator lobbies. The purpose of the Parking Garage is to provide short term parking for City Hal! and downtown. GENERAL CIVIC CENTER REGULATIONS The following conduct is considered to interfere with the above defined purposes of the City Hall Building and is therefore prohibited. These prohibitions apply to City Hal! as a whole and its component parts, including the Main, A-Level and Police Lobbies, Office Tower, Counci! Chambers, Council Conference Room and Parking Garage. No person shall enter or remain in City Hall after posted closing hours except authorized City staff or other persons attending public meetings or authorized special event functions or assisting City staff as authorized. o No person shall enter restricted areas designated for staff use only except authorized City staff or other persons authorized to enter these areas to assist City staff. No person shall obstruct the entrances, exits or corridors into and within City Hall in any manner which impedes or restricts public access or presents a safety hazard. This restriction shal! not apply to City staff or contractors utilizing City Hall entrances, exits or corridors for maintenance or repair or for loading or unloading material. page 2 o No person shall bike, run, ride skateboards, roller skate, in- line skate or engage in loud or boisterous conduct in City Hall. o No person shall use sound or light generating or amplifying devices within City Hall in any manner which interferes with the conduct of City business or with any in progress meeting or special event. Sound or light generating or amplifying devices emp!oyed by City staff or utilized by persons with authorization to assist with special events in City Hal! are exempt from this prohibition. °No person shall use City Hall public restrooms for bathing (except for the washing of hands and face) or washing or drying of clothes. °No person shall prepare or consume food or beverages (except for water in enclosed containers or medically required food or beverage) in the public areas of City Hal! except at authorized special events. No person shall solicit funds or donations from members of the public or City staff within City Hal!. This prohibition shal! not apply to City-sponsored employee contribution campaigns for charity. No person shall sell, offer to sell, or display for the purpose of sale any commercia! product, service, or device within City Hall. This prohibition shal! not apply to City- issued franchises for food service to City employees. i0.No person shall engage in any threatening or intimidating language or conduct directed at any member of the public or City emp!oyee. CIVIC CENTER LOBBIES REGULATIONS In addition to the General City Hall Regulations, which apply to the Main Lobby, A-Level Lobby and Police Lobby (hereafter referred to as "Lobbies"), the following conduct is considered to interfere with the above defined purposes of the Lobbies and is therefore prohibited. No person shall bring a bicycle, tricycle or similar wheeled conveyance into the Lobbies. This restriction shal! not apply to persons utilizing wheelchairs or similar medically-required devices within the Lobbies. This restriction shall not apply page 3 to persons utilizing children’s strollers or similar conveyances when necessary to transport young children into and within the Lobbies. No person shall post any document, place any object or hang any art within the Lobbies unless approved by the Director of Arts and Culture. o No person shall bring any animal into the Lobbies except service animals assisting individuals with disabilities or animals under the control of a police officer or an animal handler authorized to attend a special event conducted in the Lobbies or other area of City Hall. No person shall use the Lobbies primarily for sleeping purposes as this may unreasonably interfere with the use of the Lobbies by other members of the public or City staff and is not allowed. OFFICE TOWER REGULATIONS In addition to the General City Hall Regulations, which apply to the Office Tower, the following conduct is considered to interfere with the above defined purposes of the Office Tower and is therefore prohibited. The public shall have access from elevators, through passageways and halls to the designated reception facilities for various City services for the purpose of conducting business with the City. The work areas beyond the reception facilities are not public areas and no person except authorized City staff may enter or remain in employee work areas unless authorized by, or in the company of, City staff. o No person shall bring a bicycle, tricycle or similar wheeled conveyance into the Office Tower. This restriction shall not apply to persons utilizing wheelchairs or similar medically- required devices within the Office Tower. This restriction shall not apply to persons utilizing children’s strollers or similar conveyances when necessary to transport young children into and within the Office Tower. o No person other than City staff or other authorized person shall post any document, place any object or hang any art within the Office Tower. 4.No person shall bring any animal into the Office Tower except page 4 service animals assisting individuals with disabilities or animals under the control of a police officer or an animal handler authorized to attend a special event conducted in the Office Tower or other area of City Hal!. COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM In addition to the General City Hall Regulations, which apply to the Council Chambers and Council Conference Room, the following conduct is considered to interfere with the above defined purposes of the Counci! Chambers and Council Conference Room and is therefore prohibited. No person shall use the Council Chambers for any purpose without express prior approval of the City Clerk. o No person shall use the Council Conference Room for any purpose without express prior approval of the City Clerk for meetings after business hours and the City Manager for use during business hours. o No person except Council Members, Commission Members or authorized City staff shal! enter the Dais or Staff Area of the Council Chambers during the conduct of a public meeting unless authorized. °No person shall bring a bicycle, tricycle or similar wheeled conveyance into the Council Chambers or Council Conference Room. This restriction shall not apply to persons utilizing wheelchairs or similar medically-required devices within the Council Chambers or Council Conference Room. This restriction shall not apply to persons utilizing children’s strollers or similar conveyances when necessary to transport young children into and within the Counci! Chambers or Council Conference Room. °No person shall bring any animal into the Council Chambers or Council Conference Room except service animals assisting individuals with disabilities or animals under the control of a police officer or an animal handler authorized to attend a special event conducted in the Counci! Chambers or other area of City Hal!. page 5 PARKING GARAGE In addition to the General City Hall Regulations, which apply to the Parking Garage, the following conduct is considered to interfere with the above defined purposes of the Parking Garage and is therefore prohibited. No person except authorized City staff shall access any secured storage or mechanica! areas in the Parking Garage. o No person except authorized City staff shall enter or remain in the elevator lobbies that provide access to City Hall on levels A, B, and C after City Hall closing time, except when these elevator lobbies are kept open during meetings or scheduled events. ° ° o o No person shall use the public areas of the Parking Garage for any purpose except the parking of vehicles and bicycles. No person shall dispose of any household garbage, yard waste, construction debris, hazardous materials or other waste in the Parking Garage or waste containers provided for City use. No person shall tamper with, damage or vandalize any structural component, equipment or building system in the Parking Garage. No person shall camp within the Parking Garage. No person except for City staff in the conduct of their responsibilities shal! post any document, sign, banner, or object within the Parking Garage. Dated: City Manager page 6