HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 439-07City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY MANAGER
DECEMBER 10, 2007
DEPARTMENT: PLANNqNG AND
COMMUNITY ENWIRONMENT
CMR: 439:07
LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION (LAFCO) REVISIONS
TO THE CITY OF PALO ALTO SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
This is an information report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
The Local Agency Formation Commission of Santa Clara County (LAFCO) was created by State
leNslation in the wake of the 1950s building boom and annexation conflicts to address the
complexity of overlapping jurisdictions and special districts, influence the use of land resources,
discourage urban sprawl, and preserve agricultural and open space resources. A LAFCO operates
in each California county except San Francisco.
Over the years LAFCO established nested boundaries to facilitate orderly formation of local
agencies.
In 1967, LAFCO adopted boundary agreement lines that divide the County into 15 pieces
and indicate the extent to which each city can potentially annex additional land.
¯In the 1970s, LAFCO worked with each city to establish Urban Service Area (USA)
boundaries that show where that city already provides urban services or plans to and has
the ability to provide urban services within 5 years time. In Santa Clara County, only land
within a city’s USA may be annexed.
¯In 1985, LAFCO adopted Sphere of Influence (SOI) boundaries to accommodate State
law which defines SOI as the probable boundaries and service areas of a local agency.
However, this definition is not relevant for Santa Clara County cities where the SOI does
not necessarily indicate that the city. will either annex or allow urban development and
services in the areas. For Santa Clara County cities, the USA is that indicator.
In 2001, the Cortese Knox Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act required LAFCO to
conduct a municipal service review in conjunction with SOI updates. During 2007, LAFCO staff
conducted its review of the northwest county area. The goal was to evaluate the provision of
municipal services and make recommendations to promote the efficient provision of those
services including recommendations for SOI updates. Palo Alto City staff participated
extensively in this review. As a result of this review, LAFCO staff prepared the Service Reviews
CMR:439:07 Page 1 of 4
and Sphere of bTfluence Recommendations for the Northwest Santa Clara County Area. (This
document is available on the LAFCO website: http://www.santaclara.lafco.ca.gov/index.html).
Section 10.0 of this document pertains to Palo Alto and recommends amending Palo Alto’s S0I
to exclude two small unincorporated areas developed with low density residential uses that are
located outside but adjacent to the SOl of Los Altos Hills along Page Mill Road and Moody
Road.
DISCUSSION
On October 3, 2007, the LAFCO Board adopted the Service Reviews and Sphere of Influence
Recommendations for the Northwest Santa Clara County Area. As part of the LAFCO Board
action, two areas were removed from Palo Alto’s SOI: 1) the Altamont Circle area and 2) the
Upper Moody Road area (See Attachments A, B, and C for illustrative maps of these areas.) The
LAFCO Board’s rationale for these adjustments to Palo Alto’s SOI is that if, in the future, urban
services such as sewer were required in this area, Los Altos Hills would be the logical service
provider. These two areas currently receive services such as fire protection (Los Altos County
Fire Protection District), solid waste disposal (Los Altos Garbage Company) and water service
(Purissima Hills County Water District) from Los Altos Hills service providers. The access to
these two areas is through the Town of Los Altos Hills on Altamont Road and Moody Road.
Furthermore, the two areas are not currently adjacent to Palo Alto’s USA boundary, but are
adjacent to the Town of Los Altos Hills’ USA boundary.
After evaluating the information, staff has determined that the effect of these adjustments to Palo
Alto’s SOI is negligible. The primary role of SOI boundaries is to establish annexation potential.
Land must be within both the SOI and USA of a jurisdiction in order to be annexed. Since inter-
departmental discussions within Palo Alto indicated that there is ?virtually no likelihood that Palo
Alto would annex or expand its USA to provide City services (sewer, water, fire, etc.) to either
of these areas in the foreseeable future, the loss of annexation potential for these areas is
considered inconsequential.
The only other role of these boundaries is to establish potential influence on future development.
When development projects occur within a jurisdiction’s SOI, that jurisdiction is eligible to
review and comment on the projects. Regarding this concern, staff’s analysis of the two areas is
slightly different:
The Altamont Circle area is not integal to Palo Alto. Access routes to and from the area
are through Los Altos Hills. The lots are already substantially built out and the structures
are relatively new. Since the likelihood of future development in this area is limited, staff
indicated to LAFCO prior to the LAFCO Board’s action that the City had no objections to
the removal of Altamont Circle from Palo Alto’s SOI.
The Upper Moody Road area is accessible via Page Mill Road along the border of
Foothills Park and is surrounded on three sides by Foothills Park. Initially, Palo Alto staff
raised concerns to LAFCO staff regarding this adjustment because of the potential visual
impacts on the park from any new development. However, after further analysis and
discussions with both LAFCO staff and the County Planning staff, it was determined that:
a.The lots are already substantially built out and the potential for future subdivisions
is very limited.
CMR:439:07 Page 2 of 4
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Any future redevelopment on these lots would likely be within the County’s scenic
corridor along Page Mill Road and subject to design review. As an abutting
neighbor, Palo Alto’s opportunity to review and comment any such projects will be
the same as it is now (plans forwarded to the City of Palo Alto for review and
comment).
Foothills Park serves to physically separate the area from Palo Alto residential
neighborhoods.
Although the lands will be within the Los Altos Hill’s SOI, annexation to Los
Altos Hills would require subsequent LAFCO Board action, specifically an
adjustment to the Town’s USA, allowing for further input by the City of Palo Alto.
Staff therefore did not object to the LAFCO proposals to modify the Sphere of Influence for the
City of Palo Alto. In all other respects, the city’s SOI remains the same.
RESOURCE IMPACT
No costs or resources will be altered by these changes to Palo Alto’s Sphere of Influence
boundary.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
These changes to Palo Atto’s Sphere of Influence boundary do not represent any changes
to existing City policies.
¯These changes do not alter any Comprehensive Plan policies.
¯These changes do require a slight revision to the Comprehensive Map L-2 that will be
reflected in a future Comprehensive Plan Amendment.
ENWIRONNIENTAL REVIEW
This is an informational report and is not a project under the California Environmental Quality
Act. No environmental assessment is required.
PREPARED BY:
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
Director of Planning and Community Environment
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Assistant City Manager
CMR:439:07 Page 3 of 4
ATTACHMENTS
A. Small scale map showing Palo Alto’s USA and SOI
B. LAFCO map showing change (annotated by Palo Alto City staff)
C. Aerial photo imagery of the area
CMR:439:07 Page 4 of 4
The City of
Palo Alto
Legend
County of Santa Clara
County of San Mateo
City of Pa,o Alto
~Urban Service Area
Sphere of Influence
Areas of Unincorporated
Santa Clara County Land
that were removed from
Palo Alto’s Sphere of Influence
by LAFCO Board action on
October 3, 2007
This map is a product of the
City of Palo Alto GIS
O’6000’
Attachment A
Altamont
Circle Area
PALO
ALTO
Upper Moody
Road Area ~
Urban Service Area Boundary (USA)Recommended Sphere of
Influence Boundary (SOI)
Legend Enhancements by Palo Alto Staff
I t Palo Alto
!! Los Altos Hills
]] Unincorporated Land
Additional map layers added by Palo Alto Staff
Palo Alto USA
Los Altos Hills USA
Areas of unincorporated land
removed from Palo Alto’s SOI
Recommended
Sphere of Influence Boundary
for Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills
400 800Feet
July 2007
::LAFCO
Attachment B
Legend
City Jurisdictional Limits (PL):
~ Palo Alto City Boundary
SOl Change Areas
The City of
Palo Alto
2006 Ortho Photo Imagery
of the two areas removed
from Palo Alto’s Sphere of Influence
by LAFOC Board action
on October 3, 2007
This map is a product of the
City of Palo Alto GIS
Exhibit C