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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-23 Parks & Recreation Commission Agenda PacketPARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Tuesday, September 23, 2025 Council Chambers & Hybrid 7:00 PM   Parks and Recreation Commission meetings will be held as “hybrid” meetings with the option to attend by teleconference/video conference or in person. To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate from home or attend in person. Information on how the public may observe and participate in the meeting is located at the end of the agenda. Masks are strongly encouraged if attending in person. The meeting will be broadcast on Cable TV Channel 26, live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/cityofpaloalto, and streamed to Midpen Media Center https://midpenmedia.org. Commissioner names, biographies, and archived agendas and report are available at https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/Community-Services/Other- Services/Commissions/Parks-and-Recreation-Commission. VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE TO JOIN (https://cityofpaloalto.zoom.us/j/99937899745 ) Meeting ID: 999 3789 9745 Phone: 1(669)900-6833   PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comments will be accepted both in person and via Zoom for up to three minutes or an amount of time determined by the Chair. All requests to speak will be taken until 5 minutes after the staff’s presentation. Written public comments can be submitted in advance to ParkRec.commission@paloalto.gov and will be provided to the Council and available for inspection on the City’s website. Please clearly indicate which agenda item you are referencing in your subject line. PowerPoints, videos, or other media to be presented during public comment are accepted only by email to ParkRec.commission@paloalto.gov at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Once received, the Clerk will have them shared at public comment for the specified item. To uphold strong cybersecurity management practices, USB’s or other physical electronic storage devices are not accepted. Signs and symbolic materials less than 2 feet by 3 feet are permitted provided that: (1) sticks, posts, poles or similar/other type of handle objects are strictly prohibited; (2) the items do not create a facility, fire, or safety hazard; and (3) persons with such items remain seated when displaying them and must not raise the items above shoulder level, obstruct the view or passage of other attendees, or otherwise disturb the business of the meeting. CALL TO ORDER   PUBLIC COMMENT Members of the public may speak to any item NOT on the agenda.   AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS The Chair or Commission majority may modify the agenda order to improve meeting management.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES   1.Approval of Minutes from August 26, 2025 CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS Members of the public may not speak to the item(s) 1.Council Liaison Report – 5 minutes 2.Department Report – 20 minutes Staff Presentation BUSINESS ITEMS   3.Approval of Field and Court Use Policy: Updated Tennis Court Policy – 45 minutes Staff Presentation 4.Review and Provide Feedback on Draft Turf Study – 60 minutes Staff Presentation 5.Informational Update on the Cubberley Community Center Project including, Summary of Community Meeting #3, and Provide Feedback on Conceptual Design; and Workplan Update – 45 minutes Staff Presentation COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS Members of the public may not speak to the item(s)   6.Ad Hoc Committees and Liaison Updates (Discussion) – 15 minutes ADJOURNMENT   OTHER INFORMATION   A.Public Comments PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS Members of the Public may provide public comments to teleconference meetings via email, teleconference, or by phone. 1.Written public comments may be submitted by email to ParkRec.Commission@paloalto.gov. 2.Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, click on the link below to access a Zoom-based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. ◦You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in- browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up-to-date browser: Chrome 30 , Firefox 27 , Microsoft Edge 12 , Safari 7 . Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. ◦You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. ◦When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. ◦When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 3.Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Council, download the Zoom application onto your phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the instructions B-E above. 4.Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Council. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. CLICK HERE TO JOIN Meeting ID: 999 3789 9745 Phone:1-669-900-6833 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) It is the policy of the City of Palo Alto to offer its public programs, services and meetings in a manner that is readily accessible to all. Persons with disabilities who require materials in an appropriate alternative format or who require auxiliary aids to access City meetings, programs, or services may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329-2550 (voice) or by emailing ada@paloalto.gov. Requests for assistance or accommodations must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, program, or service. Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report From: Community Services Department Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #: 2509-5218 TITLE Approval of Minutes from August 26, 2025 RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Parks and Recreation Commission review and approve the minutes. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Minutes Item 1 Staff Report Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 5 of 896  1 MINUTES 2 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION 3 Regular Meeting 4 August 26, 2025 5 In-Person & Virtual Conference 6 Palo Alto, California 7 8 Commissioners Present In Person:Chair Nellis Freeman, Vice Chair Jeff Greenfield; Commissioners 9 Amanda Brown, Anne Warner Cribbs, Yudy Deng, Shani Kleinhaus, 10 and Bing Wei 11 Commissioners Present Virtually:None 12 Commissioners Absent:None 13 Others Present:Councilmember Julie Lythcott-Haims 14 Staff Present:Kristen O’Kane, Ben Heistein, Sarah Robustelli, Adam Howard 15 CALL TO ORDER 16 Chair Freeman called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. 17 PUBLIC COMMENT 18 Over the weekend, Roger S. noticed 4 RVs in the Mitchell Park parking lot for the third or fourth 19 time. Roger S. was concerned about kids being in a park with RVs in the parking lot. 20 AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS, AND DELETIONS 21 None 22 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 23 1. Approval of Minutes from May 27, 2025, June 24, 2025, and July 22, 2025 24 MOTION: Commissioner Greenfield moved, seconded by Commissioner Kleinhaus, to approve the Parks 25 and Recreation Commission meeting draft summary minutes of May 27, 2025. 26 MOTION CARRIED: 7-0 27 MOTION: Commissioner Greenfield moved, seconded by Commissioner Brown, to approve the Parks 28 and Recreation Commission meeting draft summary minutes of June 24, 2025. 29 MOTION CARRIED: 6-0-1 (Commissioner Kleinhaus abstained) 30 MOTION: Commissioner Brown moved, seconded by Commissioner Cribbs, to approve the Parks and 31 Recreation Commission meeting draft summary minutes of July 22, 2025. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 6 of 896  32 MOTION CARRIED: 6-0-1 (Commissioner Wei abstained) CITY OFFICIAL REPORTS 1. Council Liaison Report 2. Department Report Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 7 of 896  68 Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) provided a termination notice to end the Field and Court 69 Maintenance and Brokering Agreement effective November 11, 2025. PAUSD seeks to improve field 70 quality and pursue alternative maintenance options. PAUSD will honor existing user group 71 schedules. Staff is working with PAUSD to transfer reservation information and close out the 72 agreement. 73 In June of 2025, the turf study project was launched. The project webpage is 74 www.paloalto.gov/TurfStudy. Focus groups including the PRC Playing Field Ad Hoc, field users, and 75 Sierra Club were held in July of 2025. The draft report was released on August 13. The draft turf 76 study is currently open to the public for comment through September 3. The full report and 77 presentation will be delivered to Council on October 20. 78 On August 21, Valley Water held a public meeting about the Palo Alto flood basin tide gate seismic 79 retrofit project. Valley Water delivered a presentation on the project and addressed community 80 members’ questions. 81 Trail wayfinding signage was installed in Arastradero Preserve. The Greer Park basketball courts 82 were expanded, had acrylic resurfacing, and are now open. 83 The Stanford/Palo Alto Community Playing Fields (Mayfield) turf replacement is underway and 84 scheduled to be completed in December of 2025. A tree buffer is being created to protect trees 85 during this field replacement. A picture was shown of black tarps being used in order to shoot 86 grades because the lasers were having difficulty due to autonomous vehicles driving by. 87 Asphalt resurfacing of Ventura Park has taken place in preparation for acrylic resurfacing. Work 88 started today on new basketball courts. The design for the traffic garden project has been 89 completed and work will begin once the basketball portion is phased. 90 Vice Chair Greenfield inquired if stakeholders were notified of PAUSD terminating the Field and 91 Court Maintenance and Brokering Agreement. Vice Chair Greenfield asked when the traffic garden 92 will open. 93 Ms. O’Kane replied that stakeholders have not been directly notified of PAUSD ending the Field and 94 Court Maintenance and Brokering Agreement. City staff transferred the information to PAUSD for 95 the District to reach out. City staff will make direct contact this week. 96 Ms. Robustelli stated that staff was waiting for a formalized schedule for the traffic garden. The 97 schedule will hopefully be completed in September. Once Ms. Robustelli has the formalized 98 scheduled, she will notify stakeholders and PRC will be made aware. The traffic garden is expected 99 to open in fall of this year. 100 Commissioner Cribbs inquired if there was an update on First Tee. Many elected officials were in 101 attendance at the celebration of First Tee’s 25 years in San Jose, including the State Speaker of the 102 Legislature. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 8 of 896  103 Ms. Robustelli replied that staff has been meeting with First Tee weekly and a lot of progress has 104 been made. An agreement is expected to be ready in October, which will go the PRC at an upcoming 105 meeting and then to City Council. 106 Commissioner Wei was looking forward to the upcoming pancake event and noted it was similar to 107 Menlo Park’s event. Commissioner Wei was in Europe over the summer and saw people 108 participating in a park run at 9 AM. Commissioner Wei learned that the park run started in Austria 109 where people run from one park to another park every Saturday. Liverpool, England also has a park 110 run. Commissioner Wei thought a park run could be considered in Palo Alto as a good way for 111 people to know their park. Commissioner Wei was unsure whether Cities were involved in the park 112 run or if it was volunteer-based. Commissioner Wei liked the bright blue color for the Greer Park 113 basketball court. 114 Ms. O’Kane knew of a weekly or monthly park run at Byxbee Park on Saturday mornings. The City 115 issues a permit for the park run but it was not a City program, so more information can be found on 116 the parkrun website. 117 Commissioner Deng supported the Sunnyvale pet parade last year and she commended staff for 118 Palo Alto having its own pet parade this year. Commissioner Deng asked for further explanation 119 about the problem with autonomous vehicles and the Mayfield turf project. 120 Ms. Robustelli remarked that screening was placed on the Mayfield fencing because it is in an area 121 with very high traffic and a lot of autonomous vehicles. When the contractor used a laser to shoot 122 grades for slopes, the laser had to be reset each time because of interference from autonomous 123 vehicles. 124 Commissioner Brown commented that her child loved the Municipal Service Center Open House. 125 Commissioner Brown talked to friends in Menlo Park and Mountain View who saw the MSC Open 126 House from 101 and thought it looked like a great event. 127 Chair Freeman wondered what feedback was received from the public regarding events. 128 Ms. Robustelli spoke to a lot of community members during the MSC Open House and all the 129 feedback was positive. The Recreation staff had a lot of positive feedback for the cornhole 130 tournament. Ms. Robustelli looked up the Byxbee parkrun and it is every Saturday at 8 AM. 131 3. Ad Hoc Committees and Liaison Updates 132 The PRC was in consensus to move this item to Item 7 on the agenda. 133 BUSINESS ITEMS 134 4. Field and Court Use Policy: Proposed Updates on Tennis Court Usage 135 Adam Howard, Senior Community Services Manager with the Recreation Department, delivered 136 a slide presentation. Staff had not received notification of the PAUSD contract termination Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 9 of 896  137 before this presentation was created, so Mr. Howard will point out the changes and unknowns 138 during his presentation. 139 Staff sought the Commission’s feedback on the following proposed updates to the City’s Field 140 and Court Use Policy of City-owned tennis courts: Establish a minimum residency requirement 141 for USTA team reservations. Explore measures to improve enforcement of the prohibition of 142 private instructors. Formalize court access for Palo Alto-based youth organizations during off- 143 peak hours. These proposed updates were in response to staff noticing an increase in 144 complaints regarding tennis courts, which included residents having difficulty finding open 145 courts because of the many USTA teams, resident USTA captains who were finding it difficult to 146 get court space because of use by nonresident USTA teams, and private instructors not 147 following City rules and utilizing courts for long periods of time. 148 On April 8, 2025, staff and the ad hoc held a community meeting to hear concerns and discuss 149 possible solutions. Approximately 40 participants attended the meeting. Staff produced possible 150 recommendations based on the community meeting, communications from court users, and 151 court data collected. 152 Currently, staff is unaware what the community access policy will be for the 24 PAUSD-owned 153 tennis courts after the PAUSD contract terminates. A list was shown of the City-owned 27 tennis 154 courts, 10 of which have lights. The 3 main usage of tennis courts are: (1) Drop-in play when 155 courts are available. There is a 1 hour and 15 minute time restriction when people are waiting. 156 (2) United States Tennis Association (USTA) match play are sanctioned matches that are given 157 permits for exclusive use of the space. (3) City-approved and operated classes and lessons on 158 Mitchell Park Courts 1 and 2 and Rinconada Courts 5 and 6. 159 The current City policy is to issue permits for USTA teams to reserve up to 50 percent of courts 160 in any one location for match play only. Most USTA requests are for 3 courts at Rinconada or 161 Cubberley. USTA rules require access to a public restroom. In the spring of 2025, 93 USTA teams 162 used Palo Alto courts. There are around 45 USTA teams in the fall. Drop-in players find it hard to 163 find space at Rinconada and Cubberley when half the courts are used by USTA teams and 164 because USTA teams have no residency requirements. There were 59 USTA teams that booked 165 courts in Palo Alto but had less than 25 percent Palo Alto residents. 166 Staff’s recommendation was to establish a 25 percent minimum Palo Alto residency 167 requirement for USTA teams to reserve courts. Teams with higher Palo Alto residency will have 168 priority to select match dates and times. Staff considered allowing any USTA team that had a 169 Palo Alto resident as a captain but felt that may not increase local participation on courts. Staff 170 considered increasing the hourly rate for rentals but thought that would not reduce nonresident 171 teams and could create a financial barrier. 172 No other cities have a residency percentage requirement but Palo Alto may be more convenient 173 for USTA because of groupings of courts, so Palo Alto’s policy may need to be different than 174 other cities. Redwood City has 14 courts with their biggest grouping being 1 site with 4 courts, 175 and recently changed their policy to drop-in access only. Menlo Park has 13 courts with their 176 largest site having 4 courts, and their policy is to reserve 50 percent of any one location. 177 Mountain View has 35 courts, 12 of which are operated by Mountain View Tennis, and City Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 10 of 896  178 policy is to restrict USTA matches to Monday through Friday 9 AM-2 PM and Saturday/Sunday 4 179 PM or 6 PM. There is a USTA coordinator for courts operated by Mountain View Tennis. 180 Sunnyvale Tennis Center has 16 courts operated by Lifetime Activities that have a 2-hour 181 maximum, residents can book 8 days in advance, nonresidents can book 7 days in advance. In 182 addition, Sunnyvale has 11 parks with 2 courts for a total of 22 public courts with no 183 reservations. 184 The current City policy is that no person shall provide or offer tennis lessons for compensation 185 on City-owned tennis courts. Enforcement of this policy can be difficult as compensation needs 186 to be proven. Despite time limits, the community has expressed concern about instructors 187 staying on courts for long periods of time, and instructors often target neighborhood parks with 188 less available courts. 189 Staff offered the following policy suggestions: Change the policy to state “no private lessons” 190 but community members felt this was too restrictive and would impact a parent teaching their 191 kids or a friend teaching a friend. Changing the policy to provide a ball limit on courts would 192 make lessons much harder to perform and was easy for staff and the community to enforce but 193 the community felt it would restrict residents’ normal use. Not allowing ball machines on the 194 courts would make it harder to perform lessons and easy for staff and the community to enforce 195 but the community felt it was too restrictive to the normal use of residents. Adding court clocks 196 to enforce the 1 hour and 15 minute rule does not require a policy update but staff has to 197 investigate the required financial resources. 198 The current practice is to allow local youth groups to book courts during off-peak hours, defined 199 as Monday-Friday before 5:30 PM and Saturday/Sunday 1-5 PM. This applies to local private 200 schools with tennis teams and youth-serving programs offering tennis activities. In the past, staff 201 required groups to register with the USTA. Staff recommended allowing Palo Alto-based youth 202 groups to reserve up to 50 percent of courts during off-peak hours. 203 Public Comment: 204 1. Wenxin H., USTA player and multi-team captain, stated the Mixed Doubles 7.0 team has more 205 than 12 players living in Palo Alto. Wenxin H. thought one reason outside players book the 206 courts was because the City’s reservations fees are very low at $8/hour for residents and 207 $10/hour for nonresidents. Sunnyvale charges $16 for residents and $19 for nonresidents. 208 Wenxin H. suggested Palo Alto increase the nonresident fee to $30/hour to deter outside teams, 209 which would help local players have more matches. If teams include local residents on their 210 roster who do not play, Wenxin H. recommended banning them from using the court for 1 year. 211 Wenxin H. found it difficult to find available courts after work because players come from as far 212 as Morgan Hill to play on Palo Alto’s good-quality courts. Wenxin H. felt that local residents 213 should have a higher priority. 214 2. Leslyn L. and her husband are tennis players and Palo Alto residents. Leslyn L. said school courts 215 were not public courts. Leslyn L. was kicked out from PAUSD tennis courts because the Gunn 216 court was locked and she climbed in. Leslyn L. remarked that “true” tennis players play at 217 Mitchell Park and Rinconada. Mitchell Park Courts 1 and 2 are generally used by City instructors 218 for lessons, leaving Courts 3 and 4 for tennis players. In the last year, Leslyn L. has noticed 219 private instructors spending hours on the courts. Leslyn L. opined the 25 percent residency Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 11 of 896  220 requirement was not high enough. Nonresidents play tennis in Palo Alto because the City 221 maintains the courts with local taxpayers’ dollars. 222 3. Jennifer T. is a USTA team captain for junior team tennis with 100 percent Palo Alto residents 223 who live in the neighborhood near Rinconada Park. Jennifer T. asked if her team counted as a 224 youth program or a USTA team for the purposes of reservation priority. 225 4. Ryan Wang thought the main problem was the high demand for tennis and not enough tennis 226 courts, so adding more tennis courts would solve many of the current issues. Mr. Wang said 227 there was a lot of demand for tennis lessons. To address the issue of private instructors using 228 the City’s courts, Mr. Wang suggested Palo Alto consider improving the tennis offering as in 229 other cities, such as Mountain View Tennis and Sunnyvale Tennis Center where they have high- 230 quality tennis programming. Mr. Wang agreed with the previous comment that school courts 231 are not public courts because there is a lot of restriction. Palo Alto High School often holds 232 events such as football games that prevent people from using the tennis courts, and oftentimes 233 the courts are locked in the summer or randomly on the weekends. The middle school courts 234 are blacktops with basketball hoops and basketball lines. The JLS courts are poorly maintained, 235 slope one way, and have weeds on the sides. 236 5. Mike Alcheck is a Palo Alto resident who captains 3 teams a year in leagues playing January- 237 April, April-June, and August-November. Mr. Alcheck served as a Palo Alto Planning 238 Commissioner for 10 years. Mr. Alcheck spoke of the benefits of organized team tennis and 239 hoped the City’s decision will ensure residents can continue to participate. Mr. Alcheck thought 240 there were not enough tennis courts to meet demand as a consequence of reducing the supply 241 of good-quality tennis courts to accommodate pickleball. Mr. Alcheck believed it was wise to 242 have a 25 percent residency requirement, which would improve access for residents and local 243 teams. Mr. Alcheck suggested nonresident captains pay triple to run a team out of Palo Alto’s 244 courts because they were making it more difficult for residents in the neighborhood to access 245 those courts and Palo Alto residents contribute a lot in taxes. Opening up middle school courts 246 on the weekends would be helpful. 247 Chair Freeman expressed his support for staff’s recommendation. Implementing a 25 percent 248 minimum Palo Alto residency requirement for USTA match reservations was reasonable and 249 strategic. Prioritizing teams with higher Palo Alto residency would help incentivize local 250 participation while supporting regional play. Chair Freeman noted that 6 of the 9 Rinconada 251 courts had lights, which made them more popular; however, Cubberley does not have lights. 252 Chair Freeman asked if the use of clocks would be self-regulated, what was the cost, and if 253 clocks were being used elsewhere. 254 Mr. Howard replied that clocks would allow for community enforcement because people can 255 see how much time somebody has left on the courts, decide if they want to wait, and hold 256 people accountable to the time limit. Palo Alto does not have a staffed tennis center. Mr. 257 Howard has not seen clocks specific to this, so the financial impact is unknown but staff is 258 looking into it. 259 Commissioner Wei thought the policy recommendations were excellent possibilities while 260 keeping in mind inclusivity and equity. Commissioner Wei wondered if the City worked with Palo 261 Alto Tennis Club, maybe volunteers could monitor the usage of courts. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 12 of 896  262 Mr. Howard replied that the City did not have an agreement in place with Palo Alto Tennis Club 263 but assumed they would be open to helping the City boost the use of tennis courts in Palo Alto. 264 If it is not known how long somebody was using the court, it is difficult to have a volunteer tell 265 people they have been there too long. 266 Vice Chair Greenfield generally agreed with staff’s assumptions and options. Vice Chair 267 Greenfield asked if the policy changes under consideration were a staff decision or required 268 Council approval. Vice Chair Greenfield wanted to better understand the USTA team structure 269 and if captains typically played on the team. Vice Chair Greenfield was concerned about teams 270 meeting the residency minimum requirement by having Palo Alto residents on the roster who 271 do not play. Vice Chair Greenfield inquired how staff arrived at the 25 percent residency 272 requirement, which seemed low. Soccer youth clubs have a 50 percent requirement and adult 273 clubs have a 35 percent requirement. Having teams with higher residency percentage receive 274 priority in court selection sounded complicated to Vice Chair Greenfield. Vice Chair Greenfield 275 thought having clocks was a great idea and wondered if the clock would be stagnant or 276 electronic, could the clock be reset, and if the Friends of the Palo Alto Parks could have a page 277 for donations. Vice Chair Greenfield questioned if there was a way to write down the name of 278 who was next in line for the court. Vice Chair Greenfield would like to revisit fees because Palo 279 Alto’s court fees were low compared to other cities. Vice Chair Greenfield asked if there was a 280 City policy on the difference between resident and nonresident fees. Vice Chair Greenfield 281 supported staff’s recommendation for youth group bookings but suggested adding a Monday- 282 Friday start time for clarity and if holidays were treated the same as weekends. 283 Given the overall support, Mr. Howard thought the policy changes would be made at the staff 284 level. Mr. Howard does not know the USTA team structure. Staff can check rosters on the USTA 285 site. People on the roster have to pay a fee to register with USTA. Staff would have to check on a 286 regular basis to make sure the roster was not changed after it was put in. Mr. Howard chose to 287 start with a 25 percent minimum residency requirement after looking at the USTA roster 288 percentages and in recognition of the value of organized sports, to set an attainable minimum to 289 allow teams to participate but high enough to be effective. Currently, court reservations are first 290 come, first served. Staff recommendation was to allow all teams meeting the 25 percent 291 requirement to reserve courts, and teams with the highest percentages would be placed in 292 priority order to boost more residents on the teams. Mr. Howard wanted an electronic clock 293 that counted down from 1 hour and 15 minutes once the players started it. Stagnant clocks 294 were faded out over time because people were not using them. Players can line up using their 295 racquets to designate who is next. 296 Mr. Howard has not performed a comprehensive comparison of court fees in other cities. Palo 297 Alto is at the low end and an increase could be discussed in the future. Other cities charge $5 or 298 $6 more per hour, although tennis centers provide a different level of service. Typically, 299 nonresidents pay a set percentage above the resident fee. Monday-Friday, tennis courts open at 300 sunrise but Mr. Howard will specify a 10 AM start time for youth group bookings. Currently, 301 holiday hours are the same as weekends. Once there is a plan for clocks, staff can look at 302 resources to help offset the cost. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 13 of 896  303 Commissioner Kleinhaus questioned how and who manages the reservations, who will enforce 304 the policy, and how many private tennis clubs and tennis courts are available in Palo Alto. 305 Mr. Howard replied that the Community Services Manager oversees an hourly staff individual 306 who does the reservations. The staff that provide permits are responsible to verify and spot 307 check on the courts that policy requirements are met. Mr. Howard did not know how many 308 private tennis courts were available but he can look it up. 309 Commissioner Deng asked if the soccer and tennis court reservation systems were similar and if 310 there had been consideration of upgrading to an online system, which would be easier to 311 manage and see usage data. Commissioner Deng wondered why the soccer team residency 312 requirement was 50 percent but for tennis it was 25 percent. 313 Mr. Howard explained the current tennis court reservation policy is first come, first served, with 314 no residency requirements, which differed from the field reservation policy. It was preferable to 315 have an online reservation system without staff oversight but it was difficult to find a system to 316 follow the 50 percent rule, confirm it is USTA who was booking, and other policy requirements. 317 The proposed residency requirement for tennis and the current requirement for adult soccer is 318 lower than youth soccer to make it more attainable because it is more difficult to get together 319 groups of adults. Mr. Howard was open to start at 25 percent and increase it in 2 or 3 years. 320 Commissioner Brown agreed with the suggested percentage of Palo Alto residents and 321 modifications could be made after evaluating and revisiting. Commissioner Brown believed fees 322 warranted further evaluation but was not in favor of nonresident fees being 10x or more. Tennis 323 is a regional sport and provided benefits from sales tax and people from other jurisdictions 324 visiting Palo Alto parks. Commissioner Brown suggested having a definition of private lessons in 325 the municipal code. Commissioner Brown thought having a clock was a great idea and she 326 invited additional suggestions from the community. 327 Mr. Howard will return to the Court Ad Hoc and then the PRC with the proposed policy language 328 changes. 329 Vice Chair Greenfield was in support of starting the residency requirement at 25 percent and 330 reevaluating to potentially increase it. 331 NO ACTION 332 5. Discussion of Pickleball Court Usage, and Possible Alternatives to Address Demand 333 Adam Howard, Senior Community Services Manager in the Recreation Department, delivered a 334 presentation. There are 15 lighted pickleball courts in Mitchell Park, 8 of which are dedicated 335 pickleball courts and 7 dual-use courts with 24/7 pickleball priority. The Pickleball Club could 336 provide $100,000 toward additional pickleball courts. Staff performed 37 random spot checks 337 on 12 days over a 2-week period, which revealed pickleball courts were frequently at or above 338 capacity with the highest demand on weekday evenings after 6 PM and weekend mornings. The 339 largest crowds observed were on a Thursday at 8 PM with 52 people playing and 61 people 340 waiting, at which time all the tennis courts were full; and on a Saturday at 6 PM there were 52 Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 14 of 896  341 people playing and 68 people waiting. The current policy allows 2 people to play on a pickleball 342 court. 343 Foster City has 6 dedicated courts. Mountain View has 3 dedicated courts and 6 dual-use courts 344 with specific pickleball priority hours. Mountain View is discussing locations to build dedicated 345 pickleball courts. Sunnyvale has 12 dedicated courts in the Tennis Center, which charges entry 346 fees. Sunnyvale approved $200,000 for pickleball lining to provide free public access but the 347 location has not been selected. Menlo Park has 8 dedicated courts (4 courts in 2 locations). 348 Redwood City has 4 mixed-used courts with dedicated priority times for pickleball. Los Altos has 349 6 dual-use courts with designated priority times for pickleball. 350 Staff provided the following options to address pickleball demand: 351 1. Convert Mitchell Park Tennis Courts 3 and 4 into pickleball courts, which will add 352 capacity for up to 32 players. This idea received the most pushback from the community 353 because it reduced the number of lighted tennis courts, increased demand for the 354 remaining tennis courts, made Mitchell Park carry the pickleball load for the region, as 355 well as increased parking needs, traffic, and noise concerns. This report was released 356 today around 10 AM and staff thus far has received 27 emails, 25 of which were against 357 this option. The 2 emails in support were from the President of the Stevenson House 358 Board of Directors and from AbilityPath, the school behind the pickleball courts that is in 359 an agreement with the Palo Alto Pickleball Club to allow the use of their parking lot after 360 5 PM and on weekends. 361 2. Additional dual-stripe courts for tennis and pickleball use. This is a flexible, low-cost 362 solution; however, staff felt this option would increase conflicts between tennis and 363 pickleball, required use and storage of portable equipment, and concern for noise. 364 3. Limit nonresident use by implementing a key or registration system for residents. This 365 option would reduce crowding without new construction or space and increased access 366 for residents. The negatives of this option were higher administrative cost, inconsistency 367 with the City’s open-access tradition, and it reduced the community atmosphere. 368 4. New construction to build pickleball-specific facilities. This option preserved the current 369 tennis inventory. The downsides were difficulty in identifying sites, potential loss of 370 open space or site amenities, significant financial investment, and a longer-term 371 implementation process. 372 5. Reconfiguration by adding lighting at Cubberley and converting all Mitchell Park courts 373 to pickleball. Fully separating tennis and pickleball was a long-term solution. This was a 374 high-cost option, adding lights was an extensive project requiring a lot of reviews and 375 approvals, had lengthy implementation timelines, and potential parking/noise impacts. 376 Staff requested the Commission’s feedback on whether to pursue additional pickleball 377 resources, and if so, which option(s) should be prioritized for further analysis. Staff will return to 378 the Commission with a proposal based on feedback received as well as more information on 379 PAUSD courts. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 15 of 896  380 Commissioner Kleinhaus was told by the Mountain View Community Director that the City of 381 Mountain View was pursuing a public-private partnership to use non-park areas for pickleball. 382 Private pickleball was available in Sunnyvale and San Jose. Commissioner Kleinhaus wondered if 383 the City of Palo Alto had considered a public-private partnership, and if staff explored areas near 384 101 on Fabian or if potentially a parking lot could be used afterhours. 385 Mr. Howard replied that staff had not looked into a public-private partnership and it was a 386 worthwhile suggestion to explore. Mr. Howard will speak to City of Mountain View staff for 387 further details. 388 Public Comment: 389 1. David S., a resident of Palo Alto and President of the Palo Alto Pickleball Club, spoke on behalf of 390 over 1000 club members, 58 percent of which were Palo Alto residents. David S. commented on 391 the mental and physical benefits, such as addressing the loneliness epidemic as well as helping 392 the City achieve Council’s objective of improving health, wellness, and belonging. The Palo Alto 393 Pickleball Club believed the best alternative for pickleball expansion in Palo Alto was the 394 conversion of 2 tennis courts at Mitchell Park into 8 pickleball courts at no cost to the City 395 because the Club and its benefactors will pay the cost; however, the offer may not be on the 396 table forever. The Cubberley courts were recently resurfaced, providing improved conditions for 397 tennis players. The proposed changes to tennis court policies on reservations and league play 398 will significantly improve access to tennis courts for Palo Alto residents. David S. thought tennis 399 courts were underutilized and waits were short or nonexistent whereas pickleball waits occur 400 daily, most severely during evenings and weekend mornings, and sometimes people play one 401 15-minute game and wait 30 minutes to play again. Expansion will achieve better wait time 402 balance between tennis and pickleball. 403 Davis S. addressed the following issues mentioned in a recent email and petition campaign 404 against pickleball expansion. Mitchell Park parking is crowded at times because of popular 405 activities including pickleball, Ada’s Cafe, library, Magical Bridge, soccer games, Zumba classes, 406 musical events, and movies. The Palo Alto Pickleball Club secured 35 additional parking spots for 407 pickleball players during evenings and weekends. David S. said it was false that neighbors can 408 hear noise with their windows closed because Mitchell Park was far from the nearest residents 409 with trees and buildings in between. The closest residents live at Stevenson House. The 410 President of the Stevenson House Board of Directors wrote a letter asserting there had been no 411 noise complaints and pickleball was an asset to their residents. Complaints about trash in the 412 park generated by pickleball were untrue because the Club installed trash containers on every 413 court at its own expense and was cleaner than anywhere else in Mitchell Park. The petition 414 falsely claimed other cities were not building courts and Mitchell Park was carrying the load for 415 the region. There is activity to expand public pickleball courts in Mountain View, Cupertino, 416 Sunnyvale, Fremont, Milpitas, and San Jose. 58 percent of Club members are Palo Alto residents. 417 Nonresidents provide an opportunity to make friends with a wider variety of players. Many 418 nonresidents work in Palo Alto, supporting and boosting the City’s tax base and our local 419 economy through their consumer spending. David S. offered to meet with Commission members 420 to answer any questions. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 16 of 896  421 2. Alan K. plays tennis and his neighbor introduced him to pickleball. Alan K. opined that hearing 422 noise from pickleball games did not feel like being in a park, whereas tennis had a nice sound. 423 Mitchell Park was meant to be a community park, not a regional sports hub. Alan K.’s neighbor’s 424 petition as gathered about 240 signatures in the neighborhood. At peak times, 60 people are 425 playing while over 100 are waiting, which created increased traffic, constant noise, and a full 426 parking lot. Alan K. urged the City to not convert Mitchell Park Tennis Courts 3 and 4 into 427 pickleball courts. The petition was submitted to staff. 428 3. Debra C. is a Palo Alto resident and beginner pickleball player at the YMCA, where only 429 members can play. Debra C. said the question we should ask ourselves is if Palo Alto should be 430 responsible for expanding facilities for residents to play pickleball or for nonresidents as well. 431 4. Nina H., a Palo Alto resident, believed that expanding pickleball courts at Mitchell Park would 432 result in more crowded parking. Nina H. has played sports in different cities and noticed a fee 433 difference between residents and nonresidents. Nina H. hoped the City would increase tennis 434 and pickleball fees the same as other cities. Nina H. wanted the City to check if the noise level 435 was above the standard of 45 decibels. Nina H. urged the City to preserve balance in 436 recreational space between pickleball, tennis, the Magical Bridge, and other organizations, as 437 well as explore policy that protects the neighborhood’s quality of life and prioritizes pickleball 438 and tennis access for Palo Alto residents instead of being the Bay Area default pickleball center. 439 5. Peter L. played pickleball once and thought it was fun. Peter L. used the practice court for tennis 440 almost every day and noticed the tennis court was always busy. Peter L. stated that Palo Alto 441 had a shortage of tennis courts; therefore, it was a bad idea to convert tennis courts to 442 pickleball. 443 6. Mingxia Z. is a Palo Alto resident, lives close to Mitchell Park, and has enjoyed playing pickleball 444 before. Mitchell Park is a community park, so Mingxia Z. did not want it to be a regional sport 445 center. People coming from other cities every day to the pickleball courts has made Mitchell 446 Park too crowded. Mingxia Z. commented that Los Altos residents rejected to build new 447 pickleball courts because they felt there was no need since Palo Alto had enough pickleball 448 courts and it was similar for Mountain View. Sunnyvale had a petition for no more pickleball 449 courts. 450 7. James F., a Palo Alto resident and tennis player, used to have a USTA team that played on the 451 back 3 courts at either Mitchell or Cubberley but now those courts have been lost to pickleball. 452 Mitchell Park Courts 3 and 4 were the only ones with bleachers, so converting those to pickleball 453 would eliminate the one place at Mitchell where people could watch a USTA match. James F. 454 lives less than half a mile from Mitchell Park and can hear pickleball noise when sitting in his 455 backyard. The existing Mitchell Park paddleball courts were being used for pickleball across from 456 Tennis Courts 1, 2, 3, and 4, so James F. suggested putting down some more concrete to expand 457 the paddleball court area and use it for pickleball courts. James F. asked the Commission to not 458 take away any more tennis courts because there were other options to accommodate pickleball. 459 8. Wenxin H. believed that other cities around Palo Alto knew the drawbacks and did not want to 460 build more pickleball courts because Palo Alto had enough courts for outside residents to play. 461 Wenxin H. practices at night and there were very few lighted courts in Palo Alto, so taking away 462 2 more lighted courts would make access extremely difficult. Wenxin H. urged the City to not 463 take away tennis courts because they are very precious and, as discussed in Agenda Item 4, we Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 17 of 896  464 are already short tennis courts and taking away more was not right. Wenxin H. thought 465 pickleball players were being greedy by taking away the tennis courts. 466 9. Robert C. noted the only option proposed that did not sacrifice other facilities was to prioritize 467 usage for Palo Alto residents, which seemed reasonable and draws a parallel to the previously 468 discussed topic about prioritizing tennis courts for Palo Alto residents. 469 10. Leslyn L. plays tennis 4 to 5 times a week and pickleball once a week at Mitchell Park, so she was 470 familiar with the people playing there and the impact. Leslyn L. emphasized that the only courts 471 decent to play tennis on were Mitchell Park and Rinconada; however, the back tennis courts at 472 Mitchell Park were taken and the front 2 were used for City instructors or the junior league. 473 Leslyn L. said the President of the Pickleball Club’s statement was incorrect because the tennis 474 courts were not underutilized. Leslyn L. believed that getting rid of nonresidents would provide 475 a lot more space. Leslyn L. will follow up with more solutions in an email. 476 11. Randall S. is a Palo Alto resident and represented a group called Racquet Science who have been 477 playing tennis at Mitchell Park for over 20 years. Pickleball is a high-density sport and it was easy 478 for them to organize and represent themselves. Tennis does not have the same representation 479 and ability to fundraise as pickleball players; therefore, Randall S. said the City needed to 480 represent tennis players because they are local citizens. Mitchell Park is a beautiful resource to 481 play tennis, it has restrooms, tall trees provide shade, has stands for spectators, nighttime 482 lighting, and is steps away from Ada’s Cafe. Mitchell Park went from 7 tennis courts down to 4, 483 and is now proposed to go down to 2 that are being used for private lessons, which will increase 484 demand and create issues. Cubberley is a vast asphalt resource with dumpsters behind the 485 buildings. Therefore, not all facilities provide the high quality of life as Mitchell Park provides to 486 the tennis players Randall S. represents. 487 12. Lisa S. had to leave but left her public comment for the record. 488 13. Bing expressed her deep concern about tennis being gradually taken over by pickleball in the 489 past 7 years, despite community survey data from June of 2025, according to Palo Alto Online, 490 showing that pickleball was a low priority for Palo Alto residents, 9 percent deemed it as an 491 important amenity, while 53 percent said it was not too important. The Mountain View Voice 492 found 7 percent of their residents want pickleball courts. Taking courts away from tennis to give 493 to pickleball was the cause of tennis court shortage. It did not make sense to Bing that the 494 previous agenda item included discussion on limiting USTA play by enforcing a residency 495 percentage or limiting private tennis instruction due to court shortage, while the following 496 pickleball court discussion proposed reallocating more tennis courts to pickleball. Bing thought 497 the Pickleball Club should work with the City to find a new dedicated space to build their own 498 courts instead of taking over tennis courts. Bing asked the Commission to preserve the existing 499 tennis courts. 500 14. Juan Z., Palo Alto resident, was against the City converting more tennis courts to pickleball 501 courts for the following reasons: (1) Overcrowding and parking issues. Since the courts were 502 converted to pickleball a couple years ago, Juan Z. observed a large number of nonresidents 503 traveling from surrounding towns to use the courts, which has created parking congestion, 504 safety concerns, and limited residents’ access to local facilities. (2) Loss of recreational space for 505 students and young players who rely on these courts for practice, recreation, and school-related 506 activities. The loss of tennis courts undermines opportunities for student athletes to play and 507 train locally. (3) Existing park congestion. (4) Parking challenges for local residents. (5) Preserving Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 18 of 896  508 balance in recreational use by tennis and pickleball players. Juan Z. urged the City to reject 509 staff’s recommendation and instead work with residents to find a solution to support both 510 sports. 511 15. Jennie C. is a Palo Alto resident who opposed converting Courts 3 and 4 at Mitchell Park. Jennie 512 C. believed there was a huge demand for tennis and not enough tennis courts at Mitchell Park. 513 The Pickleball Club President mentioned tennis courts at Mitchell Park were often underutilized, 514 which Jennie C. stated was not true. Mr. Howard’s report showed Courts 3 and 4 were often full. 515 Per Mr. Howard’s report, there were about 100 pickleball players at a given time, meaning 100 516 parking spaces taken. Jennie C. often goes to the Mitchell Park Library but cannot find parking. 517 The Pickleball Club has about 50 percent nonresidents and they are attempting to buy their way 518 in by suggesting that converting Courts 3 and 4 would not cost the City any money. Jennie C. 519 said the Council should consider the rights of Palo Alto residents to enjoy their own amenities 520 and parking spaces instead of being influenced by money. 521 16. Jingluu is a Palo Alto resident who is against the extension of pickleball. Frequently when 522 walking in Mitchell Park in the evenings along the pickleball courts, Jingluu noted most players 523 were nonresidents and the parking lot was always full. Jingluu supported the suggestion made 524 by a previous commenter about controlling access, maybe installing a lock to allow citizens to 525 play or register. When Jingluu’s kids were young, more than half of the Mitchell Park parking lot 526 was available. Kids need the Magical Bridge Playground and space for afterschool activities. 527 17. Roger S. is a Palo Alto resident who used to play tennis and is a founder of Magical Bridge. Roger 528 S. believed that noise and the Magical Bridge should outweigh anything else under discussion. 529 The report mentioned dual courts but they are never used for tennis, so they were not truly 530 dual. Roger S. paid for the porta potties and did not receive any help in that endeavor. Roger S. 531 has talked to people from San Francisco to San Jose who come to play in Palo Alto because it is 532 free and a great place to play. It was unfair that Santa Clara has 4 pickleball courts for 127,000 533 people compared to 52,000 in Palo Alto. 534 18. Joe D.’s San Jose Pickleball Club was founded in 2020 with a single park and the funding of 535 overlay lines. Since then, pickleball has expanded in San Jose at a highly accelerated rate and 536 now have about a dozen permanent courts installed. Two new courts were put in this year with 537 lights in one of them. In collaboration with San Jose City Council, a $300,000 budget was passed 538 for next year’s renovations of their primary courts. Joe D. stated that San Jose residents were 539 not traveling outside of San Jose to play. The Club has a committee that is an adopt-a-park 540 partner and collaborates with the City and tennis players. 541 19. Mitch P. is a Mountain View Pickleball Club Board Member. Because many people were waiting 542 for courts, the Club recently influenced the Mountain View Parks and Recreation Commission to 543 change the hours to allow more pickleball players, which was done in conjunction with the 544 Mountain View Tennis Club to reach an amicable solution. Mitch P. said that some statements 545 made earlier tonight were incorrect. The City of Mountain View is very committed to building 546 more courts in Mountain View and has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees 547 to review potential pickleball sites. At tomorrow night’s meeting, those consultants will provide 548 an update, seek community input on solutions, and discuss the possibility of using private land. 549 Mountain View’s intention is to finish the design in 2025 and finish the multimillion dollar build 550 in 2026. The Club is committed to help the City of Mountain View and work amicably with Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 19 of 896  551 everyone. Mitch P. hoped that Mountain View can get more pickleball courts and take some of 552 the pressure off Mitchell Park. 553 20. Jennifer L. is a Palo Alto resident who cares deeply about the neighborhood. Jennifer L. does not 554 play tennis or pickleball. Jennifer L. has difficulty finding a parking space when she goes to the 555 Mitchell Park Library. Jennifer L. wanted the City to make decisions for the best interest of Palo 556 Alto residents so they can enjoy our parks, community center, and all the facilities better. 557 People living in the neighborhood do not need to suffer from issues with parking, overcrowding, 558 and noise caused by many pickleball players coming from all over the Bay Area to play in Palo 559 Alto. Jennifer L. strongly urged the City to consider charging fees to nonresidents. Jennifer L. 560 thought there were many simple high-tech ways to make the administrative work easier, such as 561 by swiping a card that would make it free for residents and charge a fee to nonresidents. 562 Jennifer L. encouraged the City to reject the idea of converting the tennis courts to more 563 pickleball courts. 564 21. Emilie D. leads the current efforts for pickleball in Sunnyvale. Emilie D. rejected the claim that 565 neighboring cities were doing nothing to expand pickleball access. Sunnyvale has 12 dedicated 566 pickleball courts operated by Lifetime Activities on land leased by the City. Over the past couple 567 years, those courts were converted from tennis to make them dedicated pickleball courts. The 568 City of Sunnyvale conducted an extensive community outreach in 2024 and 2025 about sports 569 needs in the city and residents identified pickleball as the top request for expansion. As a result, 570 the City of Sunnyvale allocated $200,000 in this year’s fiscal budget to paint pickleball lines on 571 up to 3 tennis courts, yielding an estimated 6 to 9 additional pickleball courts in the next 10 572 months. Sunnyvale is in the early stage of exploring options to build new pickleball courts, which 573 shows that the City is considering not only short term but also long-term expansion of pickleball 574 access. 575 22. Andy C. is the tennis coach at Palo Alto High School and a racquet sport professional who 576 promotes all racquet sports, including pickleball. Andy C. wanted to see a win-win solution 577 proposed at this meeting. Andy C. hoped the voices and resources could be consolidated to 578 convert some of the underused PAUSD blacktop basketball courts to well-lit multiuse courts 579 with basketball hoops on the side and pickleball and tennis court lines drawn, which would help 580 everybody present. Paly was in a great position to build additional courts as a long-term solution 581 because it is far away from residences and has a large, empty parking lot in the evenings and 582 weekends. Gunn, Greene, and JLS schools do not have lights because they are close to 583 residences. Andy C. raised his suggestion to the school administration and PAUSD; however, his 584 voice was not enough, so he hoped somebody could speak to the school administration and 585 PAUSD. Andy C. wanted to save 2 hours per day for his team’s practice and allow use of the 586 courts after 6 PM and on weekends by whoever wants to play pickleball or tennis. 587 23. Ted F.’s family enjoys playing tennis and pickleball. Ted F. was playing tennis with his son a few 588 weeks ago when he saw David S. (Palo Alto Pickleball Club President) and his associate walking 589 around with a clipboard and surveying the courts. Out of curiosity, Ted F. asked David S. what 590 they were planning. Ted F. reported that David S. did not acknowledge him and also told his 591 associate to ignore Ted F. The City can come up with a solution to serve the whole community 592 well. Ted F. supported Coach Andy C.’s idea of converting blacktops to multiuse courts because 593 they are not used afterschool, are in the middle of the campus and not near residents, so sound 594 and parking will not be a problem. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 20 of 896  595 24. John W. is a Palo Alto resident, community volunteer, and pickleball player. John W. spoke as 596 the President of the Board of Stevenson House, a nonprofit that houses 160 low-income seniors 597 directly adjacent to Mitchell Park. John W. recently asked their staff whether any residents had 598 complained about noise from the courts and the answer was no. John W. was informed by his 599 staff that a few residents had been playing pickleball at Mitchell Park and others were eager to 600 learn how to get started. Many of their residents do not drive. The proximity to the courts and 601 lack of expensive equipment have made pickleball at Mitchell Park an accessible activity for their 602 elderly residents. 603 25. Yue Z. has played tennis for about 13 years, is a former Gunn High School student, tennis team 604 captain for 2 years, and on the varsity team for 4 years. Yue Z. spoke on behalf of the JV and 605 varsity Gunn and Paly tennis teams. To improve their tennis skills, players organize their own 606 practices during the offseason and on weekends. Yue Z. said Mitchell Park has the only playable 607 courts, although players can easily get injured because the courts are dirty. Cubberley is almost 608 always taken up for USTA adult competitions. Yue Z. had concerns about traffic and he saw 609 about 5 accidents in front of Mitchell Park Library from January to May. Yue Z. has seen more 610 pickleball players crashing out on live television than in tennis, meaning players who throw their 611 racquets at their opponents, smack opponents’ racquets out of their hands, kick opponents in 612 the face, and complain about the ball being flat. 613 26. Curt Kinsky acknowledged the need to expand pickleball in Palo Alto to address the growing 614 demand but staff and the Commission need to find another solution because the absorption of 615 additional tennis courts in Mitchell Park is not the answer. If you stand next to the Mitchell Park 616 tennis courts, you hear children laughing, families celebrating a birthday at the nearby tables, 617 and the occasional roar of a soccer goal being scored. If you were to convert those tennis courts 618 to pickleball and add about 50 people waiting in line plus another 50 people playing, the noise of 619 the pickleball games would ruin the atmosphere of Mitchell Park. The best solution Mr. Kinsky 620 has heard was a private-partnership to use empty parking lots. 621 Commissioner Cribbs cited the benefits of pickleball in fostering community and getting rid of 622 the sense of isolation. Commissioner Cribbs supported the conversion of Tennis Courts 3 and 4 623 to pickleball courts. In the short term, Commissioner Cribbs was in support of further 624 investigation and discussion on multiuse courts, although it caused a lot of conflict when it was 625 done a couple years ago. In the long term, Commissioner Cribbs thought it was important to 626 look for other places in Palo Alto to provide more pickleball courts and tennis courts, including 627 vacant buildings and blacktops in schoolyards. For a long time, the ad hoc has talked about the 628 possibility for temporary lighting at Cubberley but it is expensive. Commissioner Cribbs wanted 629 the tennis and pickleball communities to have regular meetings to collaborate on a long-term 630 solution. Other communities in Mountain View, San Jose, and Sunnyvale are working together to 631 discuss what to do about tennis versus pickleball. 632 Commissioner Wei echoed Commissioner Cribbs’ comments. Commissioner Wei plays pickleball 633 and tennis, and believed the community needed both sports. Commissioner Wei felt it was 634 important for the Palo Alto Pickleball Club and Palo Alto Tennis Club to coordinate and share the 635 usage of courts. Commissioner Wei thought multiuse hubs should be looked into for a long-term 636 solution. Maybe in the Rinconada remodeling, consider whether the tennis court can be used 637 for pickleball as well. As a fast, temporary solution with not much capital, Commissioner Wei Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 21 of 896  638 was in support of converting the tennis courts to pickleball courts because of limited courts, 639 capital concern, noise concern and constraints at other sites, and to balance the demand 640 between Palo Alto residents and equity access for both sports. Staff can look into Coach Andy 641 C.’s solution to use underused school facilities, which presents a challenge because PAUSD will 642 have their own vendor. Swimming pools are managed with cards for residents and nonresidents, 643 which can probably be imposed on tennis courts to allow Palo Alto residents to use the courts 644 more. 645 Chair Freeman wanted the tennis and pickleball communities to work together and help the City 646 come up with solutions that are a win-win for everyone. Chair Freeman has played pickleball 647 and his family plays tennis. Pickleball is a source of physical activity, outdoor engagement, and 648 social connections for residents of all ages. Other sports such as tennis, jogging, or basketball 649 are more demanding. Pickleball is accessible to a wider range of people, regardless of age, skill 650 level, or physical limitations. Pickleball is a vital part of the City’s inclusive Parks and Recreation 651 mission. Chair Freeman thought it was a good thing to have people coming in from other cities 652 to use our recreational activities and shopping. Palo Alto has a population of around 50,000 and 653 the City’s infrastructure was built for more than 100,000. Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Menlo 654 Park are working hard to expand their pickleball access. 655 Commissioner Kleinhaus disclosed she met with David S. at his invitation to see and discuss the 656 pickleball courts. Commissioner Kleinhaus stated pickleball and tennis cannot be judged one 657 versus the other. Pickleball and tennis were equally important, meaningful, and healthy, and 658 provided a sense of community, a feeling of belonging, and social and physical health benefits. 659 Commissioner Kleinhaus thought that the number of people in a court at one time was not the 660 best way to determine how to use the facilities. Instead, Commissioner Kleinhaus believed it was 661 necessary to look at the diversity of uses and amenities the City provides in different parts of the 662 city. Some parts of the city do not have access to certain park amenities but we are discussing 663 potentially evicting a group from an important facility to them. The clustering of more pickleball 664 at Mitchell creates high conflict where there are winners and losers whereas considering 665 different parts of the city for courts was better and more equitable. Commissioner Kleinhaus 666 wanted the community to speak about their own feelings and found it upsetting to hear some of 667 the comments discounting other people’s feelings, sports, and enjoyment. 668 Commissioner Kleinhaus does not live immediately close by but she can hear the noise from her 669 house when sitting outside. Noise impacts residents, park users, and the Magical Bridge, so it 670 cannot be ignored. Expanding the noise sphere will result in people enjoying the park less and 671 some may not come anymore. Commissioner Kleinhaus emphasized the need to know more 672 about the noise impact on the Magical Bridge. Commissioner Kleinhaus spoke to one parent 673 who cannot take their child to the Magical Bridge because the noise is too difficult for their child 674 on the spectrum. Initially, that park was supposed to be for children with disabilities but if they 675 cannot go there, then maybe the City needs to reevaluate how to address pickleball. At a 676 community picnic held last weekend at Ramos Park, one person asked what could be done 677 about the noise because they cannot be outside their home, and others nodded in agreement. If 678 the City expands pickleball availability, it needs to be known whether the noise will remain the 679 same and in which direction the noise travels because maybe noise does not travel to the 680 Stevenson House and instead travels elsewhere. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 22 of 896  681 Commissioner Kleinhaus noted that whenever there was a lot of demand for a limited resource, 682 the City tries to manage it. While options are being evaluated elsewhere, Commissioner 683 Kleinhaus believed that reservations at Mitchell Park was an important first step. Commissioner 684 Kleinhaus suggested doing a pilot with some courts for drop-in and others by reservation only to 685 see if it decreased some of the congestion. Palo Alto cannot provide for a hundred people 686 waiting in line unless the City buys another facility. Neighboring Cities are working on this, which 687 may eventually alleviate some of Palo Alto’s issues. Commissioner Kleinhaus thought there was 688 value in having a diverse community, so she did not know if Palo Alto residents needed to be 689 prioritized. 690 Commissioner Kleinhaus was not supportive of Option 1, expansion in Mitchell Park. 691 Commissioner Kleinhaus did not feel it was right to evict one use with so many people who 692 came to tell the Commission this was important to them. Commissioner Kleinhaus was against 693 Option 2, dual striping additional tennis courts, unless you can do reservations and make sure 694 the court is shared instead of one sport taking it all. Commissioner Kleinhaus thought Option 3, 695 limiting nonresidential use, needed to be studied further. Comments about too many 696 nonresidents playing and residents not having an opportunity to play could be better solved 697 with a reservation system rather than limiting nonresidential use but Commissioner Kleinhaus 698 was not completely opposed to it. Regarding Option 4, new construction is very difficult. 699 Commissioner Kleinhaus did not know where pickleball can be put on blacktops at schools 700 afterhours. Commissioner Kleinhaus was vehemently opposed to using open space for 701 pickleball. Option 5, reconfiguration at Cubberley, Commissioner Kleinhaus needed to find out 702 what this option meant for pickleball and tennis players. 703 Commissioner Kleinhaus reiterated the need to look at other places in the city and not 704 concentrate all the pickleball in South Palo Alto if possible. A public-private partnership or with 705 schools would solve almost everybody’s issues because it accommodates additional indoor or 706 outdoor pickleball while preserving the tennis courts and amenities that people currently use. 707 Pickleball is a hugely growing sport. In Sunnyvale, San Jose, and other locations, private facilities 708 provide pickleball. In Palo Alto, the City has a pool and tennis courts, and schools and private 709 facilities have pools and tennis courts. Maybe the Chamber of Commerce has some ideas on 710 public-private partnerships and potential business opportunities for private facilities to provide 711 pickleball. 712 Commissioner Brown expressed her disappointment with hearing combative comments tonight. 713 Commissioner Brown reminded everyone we are part of the same community; tennis players 714 become pickleball players and vice versa. Commissioner Brown had an all-racquet-sport 715 mentality. When commissioners ask for more information or to investigate alternatives, it is 716 frustrating for the user who expects a resolution. Commissioner Brown’s opinions were based 717 on the information presented tonight, having witnessed pickleball activity at Mitchell Park, 718 meeting with David S. upon invitation, and she grew up playing tennis at Mitchell Park. Drawing 719 conclusions based on discussions with one parent was not representative of how this 720 Commission should solicit community feedback. The City of Palo Alto has done a lot for 721 pickleball in a short amount of time but pickleball has also done a lot for our city. Commissioner 722 Brown saw that pickleball at Mitchell Park was similar to tennis at Rinconada in being a 723 destination, a single use, and creating a community atmosphere. Because the noise of pickleball Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 23 of 896  724 is not as pleasing as the tennis pop sound was not a reason to disallow it in our parks. Some 725 dogs have horrible growls and barks but are still allowed in our parks. Regarding parking, 726 Commissioner Brown has never seen so much outreach and mitigation of impacts as has been 727 done by the Pickleball Club in coordination with neighbors. Commissioner Brown conducted 728 court counts when she served on the ad hoc a few years ago and never had trouble finding 729 parking. 730 Palo Alto Pickleball had a good system to monitor and make sure the courts were used in an 731 efficient manner. Timers and self-policing could be used to manage utilization of City tennis 732 courts as discussed in the previous agenda item. Commissioner Brown agreed that regular 733 meetings between tennis and pickleball stakeholders will yield better solutions moving forward. 734 Commissioner Brown was in favor of evaluating alternative court options in the future or 735 exploring a reservation system but was concerned about the impacts on staff, so the process 736 should be as self-sufficient as possible. Commissioner Brown is supportive of Cubberley lighting, 737 maybe as a partnership opportunity with pickleball and tennis. Commissioner Brown thought 738 Options 1 and 2, restriping or full conversion of Courts 3 and 4, were similar in their probable 739 impact but she saw the demand for making the conversion at this time based on the information 740 presented; however, Commissioner Brown was open to other options and more information as 741 it is presented. 742 Commissioner Deng has enjoyed playing and making wonderful friends through both sports, so 743 she recognized the importance of these activities not just for exercise but for connection and 744 belonging. Commissioner Deng acknowledged the passion and frustration on both sides but she 745 did not see it as one sport against another. This topic was about how the City can balance 746 limited spaces so everyone can benefit. Commissioner Deng needed more information to make 747 a decision, especially about parking. Before adding or shifting court capacity, Commissioner 748 Deng encouraged staff to include a parking impact analysis in any feasibility studies to make 749 sure we are not creating traffic or safety problems for the nearby neighborhood. Commissioner 750 Deng said that expanding or reconfiguring facilities should be explored for the long term. This 751 morning, Commissioner Deng spoke with a Council Member who suggested consideration of the 752 underutilized parkland near the golf course which was supposed to be baseball fields. The City 753 can learn from the JCC’s conversion of their indoor basketball court and gym for dual use with 754 pickleball. Commissioner Deng heard that the JCC had great feedback. A flexible design 755 approach could be possible if we have a new indoor multisport gym at Cubberley. Commissioner 756 Deng thought our guiding principles should remain clear; first is safety for residents, then equity 757 of access and community spirit. Commissioner Deng encouraged all to work together peacefully 758 and give constructive feedback. 759 Vice Chair Greenfield commented on the importance of balancing the community and regional 760 use of our resources as well as balancing the needs of the tennis and pickleball communities. 761 Vice Chair Greenfield used to play tennis and looks forward to playing more pickleball in the 762 future. Vice Chair Greenfield appreciated pickleball’s collaboration with the City. Vice Chair 763 Greenfield recognized the need for pursuing additional pickleball courts because he often passes 764 by the courts at various times of the day on various days of the week and it is regularly bustling, 765 so he thought the counts were higher than reported. The parking lot at Mitchell Park is full. Vice 766 Chair Greenfield echoed Commissioner Brown’s comment about the need for collaboration Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 20 Packet Pg. 24 of 896  767 within the community. Vice Chair Greenfield was dismayed by the tone of a lot of the rhetoric 768 this evening. Vice Chair Greenfield pointed out we are one community, and there was a lot of 769 crossover between pickleball and tennis. Vice Chair Greenfield was concerned about pickleball 770 expansion impacting the infrastructure at Mitchell Park. Vice Chair Greenfield was not convinced 771 that adding a dozen or more new courts was a solution because if you build them, they will 772 come. Vice Chair Greenfield believed that participation from neighboring communities was 773 important and enriching to our community, and it was the fair and right thing to do. Palo Alto 774 had a disproportionate regional burden for pickleball resources. Vice Chair Greenfield was 775 encouraged to hear about plans in neighboring communities. 776 The tennis community has been flexible and given up a lot at Mitchell Park; however, Vice Chair 777 Greenfield believed the request for expansion of pickleball on Courts 3 and 4 was unreasonable 778 given the impact it would have on tennis. Mitchell Park has 4 courts but often 2 of the courts 779 were reserved for lessons or something else, so there was not much availability. Vice Chair 780 Greenfield does not support Options 1 and 2, which were essentially the same. Vice Chair 781 Greenfield opined Option 3, limiting nonresident use, was not the best solution or the most 782 productive. Vice Chair Greenfield thought new construction and reconfiguration should be 783 pursued as medium to long-term solutions. Vice Chair Greenfield stated the best midterm to 784 long-term solution was to better distribute pickleball within the community. It would be great to 785 have another pickleball hub within Palo Alto but it is challenging to find another site for ideally a 786 minimum of a dozen courts to create a feeling of community. Vice Chair Greenfield suggested 787 having at least 6 clean, nice, desirable, lighted tennis courts at Cubberley, and have pickleball at 788 Mitchell Park. Hopefully the environment at Cubberley in the medium-range future will be as 789 similarly inviting as Mitchell Park. 790 Vice Chair Greenfield thought it was important to consider other options. Vice Chair Greenfield 791 said the coach’s idea should be pursued, although it becomes more complicated with the 792 termination of the relationship between the City and PAUSD. Vice Chair Greenfield suggested 793 that staff look into the green strip across the street from Greer Park at the Utility Substation 794 across Colorado at West Bayshore where there is space for 12 to 18 courts, parking is available 795 on West Bayshore, and noise should not be an issue next to Bayshore Freeway. A private 796 partnership such as a parking lot can be a near-term temporary solution to create new pickleball 797 opportunities while we develop a more complete and mature midterm solution and wait to see 798 what happens at Cubberley and Mitchell Park. 799 Chair Freeman mentioned that our broader mission was to promote health, foster community, 800 and ensure equity and access to outdoor spaces and programs. Pickleball is part of the mission, 801 it serves a uniquely broad population, and reflects the evolving needs of our community. Chair 802 Freeman supported Options 1 and 2 as possible short-term solutions to alleviate some of the 803 issues. Chair Freeman noted the pickleball community had done a good job of being organized 804 and come up with ways to eliminate or reduce the parking issue. The City benefits from having 805 people coming into Palo Alto and spending money. 806 Vice Chair Greenfield questioned if the 2 dual-use courts at Mitchell Park were ever used for 807 tennis and if the pickleball nets were permanent. Vice Chair Greenfield advocated for making Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 21 Packet Pg. 25 of 896  808 them permanent pickleball courts unless there was a reason not to. Vice Chair Greenfield asked 809 if any policy decision was ultimately a City Council decision. 810 Mr. Howard included the 2 dual-use courts as pickleball courts in the final count because that is 811 how they are used. The nets were not built-in but they never move. Staff will present the 812 Commission’s recommendation to City Council. The timeline will depend on when staff has an 813 understanding of how the changes to PAUSD courts will affect City court usage or at least know 814 PAUSD’s policies for the availability of courts to the tennis community. Mr. Howard will continue 815 to work with the tennis and pickleball communities, and pursue the idea of private partnerships. 816 Mr. Howard will look into the Utilities space suggested by Vice Chair Greenfield. 817 Commissioner Cribbs advised staff on the importance of including PAUSD’s policy in the next 818 report. Commissioner Cribbs was in favor of the creation of a tennis and pickleball joint 819 community leadership group as soon as possible. 820 NO ACTION 821 The PRC took a break and returned at 10:52 PM. 822 6. Review and Provide Feedback on Draft Turf Study 823 Chair Freeman invited public comment tonight. Due to the late hour, a special meeting will be 824 held at a later date to hear the presentation and additional public comment. 825 Public Comment: 826 1. Manny D., former Planning Commissioner, City Councilperson, and State Legislator in San Jose, 827 spoke as a consultant for TenCate Grass, the largest manufacturer of artificial turf in the U.S. 828 TenCate Grass has its headquarters in the Netherlands and is the leading artificial turf company 829 in the world in innovations, improving turf, making sure it is the safest product available, and 830 having a recyclable product. Manny D. sent a letter to staff. Manny D. highlighted the 831 importance of obtaining accurate information because there were a lot of old studies on this 832 topic. In the last 5 to 10 years, many changes have occurred in artificial turf. In the Netherlands, 833 95 percent of turf fields are recyclable. TenCate Grass has a recycling facility in the U.S. TenCate 834 Grass has a PFAS-free product called Pivot that has been available for a few years, and other 835 companies have PFAS-free products. Artificial turf reduces the City’s overall operating cost of 836 playing fields, and creates more playing time for sport clubs. Manny D. provided Cal EPA’s draft 837 study to staff. 838 2. Sue believed the Lloyd consultant study was carefully structured to support their artificial turf 839 recommendation to the City. The report was biased because it did not include organic 840 management approaches to natural grass fields, which was comparable to artificial turf’s 841 playable hours and weather resilience especially when fields are thoughtfully built or 842 rehabilitated for optimum soil health, drainage, and maintenance routines. Resilience is 843 increased by resolving compaction and drainage issues and creating robust turf. Sue cited the 844 benefits of switching to organic practices at a park in Pennsylvania. Denison University’s organic 845 grass soccer field has experienced no cancellations due to rain, providing playability after heavy 846 rainfall. The organically managed field at Veterans Middle School in Marblehead, Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 22 Packet Pg. 26 of 896  847 Massachusetts, reported 1180 scheduled hours including informal recreation in 2018, and now 848 reached 1360 hours per year. Some fields in the Marblehead District reached over 2000 hours 849 per year for scheduled activities with an estimated total of 2210 hours for all use. 850 3. Sherry Listgarten wondered why Cubberley’s grass and plastic fields were not studied in the turf 851 report. Plastic fields require a lot of raking. Ms. Listgarten lives behind Cubberley and saw 852 gardeners rake about 10 large bundles of green plastic strands a few weeks ago. You have to get 853 rid of the dangerous tufts of plastic grass that stick up. The last plastic field lasted 6 years. The 854 plastic fields shed pellets that spread all over the place, mix in with the leaves and soil, and are 855 not recyclable. After this morning’s exercise class on the plastic field, Ms. Listgarten came home 856 and tracked pellets on her floor. Ms. Listgarten did not understand the 7:1 ratio mentioned in 857 the report. The grass and plastic fields were well used. The grass fields are closed for a few 858 months in the winter but the plastic field is not well used for much of that time. The plastic field 859 is hot and scratchy for players and spectators. Trees can grow in the grass and provide shade. 860 Grass smells good and supports a variety of activities. Dogs play on the grass and sometimes you 861 see rabbits. You can stick a volleyball net in the grass. Ms. Listgarten urged the Commission to 862 think carefully about using plastic. Ms. Listgarten is a parent of a soccer player but she felt it was 863 not good for kids to have year-round soccer. Plastic is not good for the environment. Ms. 864 Listgarten believed that if people were given a choice, they would choose grass. 865 4. Susan H. is a retired aeronautics software manager and software engineer. Susan H. believed 866 that staff needed to reanalyze a few things. Susan H. noted the analysis was flawed in several 867 places. For example, El Camino Field was reported as 3 fields but it is 1 big field. Sometimes the 868 field is split into 2 and each half is scheduled and played on. The hours played on the two half- 869 fields should not be fully added to the other hours. Based on the data from El Camino Park for 870 4.625 years (2021-2024 plus 7½ months in 2025), Susan H. calculated an average of 2050 871 playable hours per year. The Sierra Club provided information to the City about 4 grass fields in 872 Arizona having playable hours between 2172 and 2458 per year. The peak playing hours at El 873 Camino Park are in June and July when there is no rain. The report mentioned it cost 874 $40,000/year to take care of a conventionally managed grass field but a reference was not cited 875 as to where that number came from. 876 5. Cynthia Fan noted the turf study did not include examples of grass fields built and managed in 877 less traditional ways that have been proven to safely support much more use than typical grass 878 fields. The Toxics Use Reduction Institute has published multiple case studies demonstrating 879 that grass fields built and managed organically can support high carrying capacities much 880 greater than conventional fields. The Sierra Club provided case studies of several grass fields 881 with high carrying capacity. Ms. Fan sent the City a case study by a soil scientist where the grass 882 field supported over 2000 hours per year, which is 4x the use of Palo Alto’s grass fields and can 883 be used year-round including the rainy season. The turf study was supposed to be 884 comprehensive, so Ms. Fan was surprised it did not analyze alternative approaches to grass 885 fields. We all knew typical grass fields cannot support the number of hours of play needed at El 886 Camino, so the City did not need to spend money on this expensive turf study to tell us that. A 887 much more valuable use of this consultant is to have them talk directly to professionals who 888 build and manage grass fields with high carrying capacity and translate that into what is possible 889 with Palo Alto’s climate and soils. Ms. Fan urged the City to have this study further developed to Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 23 Packet Pg. 27 of 896  890 include a quantitative analysis of how much carrying capacity a grass field could achieve with 891 alternative field construction and field management methods. 892 NO ACTION 893 7. Ad Hoc Committees and Liaison Updates 894 Vice Chair Greenfield attended the first meeting of the San Antonio Corridor Community Group 895 composed of 15 people, of which about 2/3 were in attendance in addition to 20 or 30 members 896 of the public and staff. There are 5 phases and 6 meetings planned over the course of about 3 897 years. 898 Commissioner Brown reported that Middle School Athletics met to confirm direction. 899 Commissioner Brown is the Aquatics liaison and announced that the weekend open swim and 900 play pool will continue through September and maybe October if the weather stays warm. 901 Commissioner Cribbs mentioned that the funding partners of the Palo Alto Recreation 902 Foundation will hold a meeting at noon on Thursday at Mitchell Park. 903 COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS 904 Sarah Robustelli, Division Manager of Open Space, Parks, and Golf, stated that staff will poll the 905 commissioners in order to schedule a special meeting to hear the turf study presentation that 906 was postponed from this evening. The agenda for the regular September meeting will include a 907 turf study action item, Cubberley update, and possibly an Open Space annual update. Based on 908 tonight’s meeting, Ms. Robustelli does not think pickleball will be ready by the September 909 meeting. The October agenda will include the nature preserve access policy, nature preserve 910 improvement project, and BCCP. 911 Vice Chair Greenfield wondered if staff wanted to move one of the September agenda items to 912 the special meeting agenda unless the turf study was anticipated to be a lengthy item. Ms. 913 Robustelli explained that staff needed to do calendar polling, post the agenda, determine the 914 sequencing of getting back to Council, and the options. 915 ADJOURNMENT 916 The meeting was adjourned at 11:14 PM. Item 1 August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Draft Summary Notes Item 1: Staff Report Pg. 24 Packet Pg. 28 of 896  PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION DEPARTMENT REPORT September 23, 2025 www.paloalto.gov Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 29 of 896  UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 30 of 896  SPECIAL EVENTS RECAP: Pancakes in the Park - New Event! Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 31 of 896  RECAP SUMMER SPECIAL INTEREST CAMPS •51 Special Interest Camps •5 post camps •809 campers •Revenue for Special Interest Camps was $427,983 (30% increase from 2024). Featured photos: Kidszen Camp o Young Mayors – Urban Utopia: Building Cities for the Future! Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 32 of 896  BOARD AND COMMISSION RECRUITMENT Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 33 of 896  CUBBERLEY UPDATES Project Webpage: www.PaloAlto.gov/CubberleyProject Scan the QR Code to sign-up for the project newsletter Community Meeting #3 was held on September 17, 2025 Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 34 of 896  PAUSD ATHLETIC FIELDS AND COURTS UPDATES •Termination Notice: PAUSD notified intent to end Field and Court Maintenance and Brokering Agreement •Effective: November 11, 2025 •District’s Direction: PAUSD seeks to manage their own fields and courts •Transition Commitment: PAUSD will honor existing user group reservations and public access •Next Steps: PAUSD working with user groups to ensure seamless transition; future use governed by PAUSD field and court policies. Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 35 of 896  SLUICE GATE & FLOOD BASIN MANAGEMENT •Valley Water began a seismic retrofit of the tide gate structure September 23 to January 31, 2026. •The Sluice Gate has been inoperable since 2020. •Staff are evaluating flood basin conditions including the need for sluice gate repair. •Basin water level trends over the last 5 years. •Whether marsh inflows offset the loss of sluice gate function. •Presence of wildlife diseases (e.g., avian botulism). •Stability of the plant community and need for added salinity. •Staffing capacity for ongoing monitoring and control. •Opportunities to assess the sluice gate during Valley Water’s project. •Next Step: Return to Commission in Spring 2026 with findings and recommendations. Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 36 of 896  TURF STUDY Project Webpage: www.PaloAlto.gov/TurfStudy Estimated Project Schedule: June 2025: Project Launch July 2025: Focus Groups with Park and Recreation Commission Playing Field Ad Hoc, Field Users, and Sierra Club August 13, 2025: Draft Report Released August 13 – September 3, 2025: Community Engagement Comment Period on Draft Report August 26, 2025: Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting (Item was not discussed, due to timing) September 23, 2025: Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting October 28, 2025: Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting November 17, 2025: Report and Presentation to City Council = Parks and Recreation Commission = completed = current Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 37 of 896  MEMORIAL BENCHES: Summer Intern GIS Project Palo Alto - Open Gis Data •Map now available to public •Searchable by Park and Bench Content •Claimed and Unclaimed •Pictures of bench and view from bench Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 38 of 896  MITCHELL PARK: Directory Signage Installed Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 39 of 896  VENTURA/PACCC: Bike Safety Park Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 40 of 896  VENTURA/PACCC: Resurfacing and Backboards Completed Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 41 of 896  BAYLANDS GOLF LINKS: Repaving Before After Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 42 of 896  STANFORD PALO ALTO COMMUNITY PLAYING FIELDS (MAYFIELD) Turf Replacement Underway Traffic Garden Example •Completed: Headboard replacement •Current: Importing Rock to meet Grade and Compaction Subbase •Up next: Turf Insall Scheduled for Mid -October •Completion: December 2025 Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 43 of 896  BAYLANDS INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE PROGRAM (OS-24001) Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 44 of 896  PALO ALTO HORIZONTAL LEVEE PILOT PROJECT Construction began September 8 Estimated completion: Early 2026 Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 45 of 896  Item 2 Item 2 Staff Presentation Item 2: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 46 of 896  Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report Report Type: BUSINESS ITEMS Lead Department: Community Services Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #:2509-5219 TITLE Approval of Field and Court Use Policy: Updated Tennis Court Policy – 45 minutes This will be a late packet report published on September 18, 2025. Item 3 No Report Report Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 47 of 896  8 2 1 9 Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report From: Community Services Department Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #: 2509-5209 TITLE Recommend Approval of Revisions to Field and Court Use Policy: Updated Tennis Court Policy RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends the Parks and Recreation Commission recommend the City Manager approve proposed updates to the City’s Field and Court Use Policy, including: 1. Adding a resident requirement of 25% for USTA teams to reserve on City of Palo Alto Courts; and 2. Formalizing court access for Palo Alto based youth organizations during off-peak hours. BACKGROUND The City of Palo Alto (City) maintains a Field and Court Use Policy1 to guide the use of City- owned, maintained, and managed parks, athletic fields, and courts. The policy ensures facilities are used for community recreational, athletic, cultural, and educational purposes, prioritizing resident access while supporting a range of activities. Field and court use permits, issued by the Recreation Division within the Community Services Department, are required for exclusive or ongoing organized use, and are subject to fees and security deposits. The City experiences high demand for tennis courts. Increased use, particularly from United States Tennis Association (USTA) match reservations has prompted complaints from residents about the difficulty of finding open courts, so staff began to investigate the issues and evaluate policy updates to balance organized play with public access. The proposed updates in this report apply only to the Tennis Court Usage section of the Field 1 City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/3/community- services/facility-rentals/reservations-community-centers-fields/field-and-tennis-court-reservations/field-court- policy-22.pdf Item 3 Item 3 Late Packet Report Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 48 of 896  8 2 1 9 and Court Use Policy; all other sections remain unchanged. ANALYSIS USTA Match Impact: Large numbers of requests for USTA reservations, especially during weekend evenings and weekend mornings, reduce drop-in availability for Palo Alto residents. Non-Compliant Private Instruction: Residents have expressed concerns about private instructors using courts without following the established rules. 3, meeting and there was consensus for policy updates. 1.USTA Matches Reservation Current Policy Use and Residency Data 3 Parks and Recreation Commission, August 26, 2025, Item #4, SR #2508-5074m https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=17508 Item 3 Item 3 Late Packet Report Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 49 of 896  8 2 1 9 Resident Concerns High volumes of USTA matches limit drop-in availability. Many residents feel that predominantly non-resident teams are given greater access to public facilities than Palo Alto residents. Staff and the Ad Hoc Committee recommend requiring USTA teams to have a minimum of 25% Palo Alto residents to book courts in the City. The redline version of the policy is provided in Attachment B and a clean copy in Attachment C. Key changes include: Require at least 25% Palo Alto residency on USTA rosters to reserve courts. When multiple teams request the same time and location, priority will be given to the team with the higher percentage of Palo Alto residents. Rosters must be submitted with permit requests and include proof of residency (utility bill, ID, tax form, etc.). Rosters will be verified against USTA records prior to the first match. Teams with inaccurate rosters will lose booking privileges for the following season; repeat violations will result in permanent ineligibility. Teams must book at least five home matches. To allow scheduling flexibility, teams may reserve up to seven dates per season, with the two extra dates released before the first match. Playoff dates may be booked during the season. Each match may reserve up to two hours. Teams may reserve no more than 50% of courts at a given location (unchanged). Local youth organizations, including school teams and youth-serving childcare programs, regularly book courts during non-prime hours. This practice is not currently supported in the policy. Staff recommend formally allowing Palo Alto–based youth groups to reserve courts during non- peak hours, while maintaining the 50% maximum at any location. This would formalize existing practice while ensuring availability during peak times. Proposed parameters: Eligible only for Palo Alto–based youth groups. Non-peak hours defined as Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (excluding holidays). Item 3 Item 3 Late Packet Report Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 50 of 896  8 2 1 9 Groups may reserve up to four days per week, for two hours per day. In periods of high demand, staff may reduce hours or days to maximize access. No more than 50% of courts at any site may be booked. Additionally, staff are working to address related issues, including reducing unauthorized contracting and improving waitlist systems for drop-in players. No policy changes are proposed in these areas at this time. NEXT STEPS If supported by the Parks and Recreation Commission, staff will finalize the policy updates and seek City Manager approval. The revised policies would take effect January 1, 2026, allowing current reservations to be completed. Staff will monitor implementation, track court availability and usage, and report back to the Commission with updates. A formal review will occur after one year. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: USTA data Attachment B: Proposed Redline changes Field and Court Use Policy Attachment C: Proposed Clean Copy Field and Court Use Policy Item 3 Item 3 Late Packet Report Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 51 of 896  Spring 2025 Captain's name The Number of Teams Captain For residents non-residents percentage of residents 1 1 7 0 100% 2 3 4 38 0.10% 3 5 14 50 0.28% 4 1 7 8 0.88% 5 2 1 21 0.04% 6 6 17 105 0.16% 7 2 1 37 0.02% 8 2 4 37 0.10% 9 1 0 13 0% 3 16 37 0.43% 10 3 8 66 0.12% 11 2 6 25 0.24% 12 2 2 37 0.05% 13 3 8 39 0.20% 14 5 25 72 0.34% 15 5 21 70 0.30% 16 2 0 41 0% 17 3 3 55 0.05% 18 2 12 21 0.57% 19 1 3 17 0.17% 20 1 1 17 0.05% 21 4 14 51 0.27% 22 4 7 64 0.10% 23 4 17 47 0.36% 24 3 12 37 0.75% 25 1 1 21 0.04% 26 2 2 45 0.04% 27 2 1 40 0.03% 28 5 14 97 0.14% 29 2 3 42 0.07% 30 1 1 17 0.05% 31 1 2 7 0.28% 32 1 0 21 0% 33 2 6 45 0.13% 34 2 3 17 0.17% 35 1 3 17 0.17% 36 3 8 66 0.12% 93 254 1440 Item 3 attachment A - USTA Data Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 52 of 896  1 9 1 9 1 City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy The City of Palo Alto (the “City”) Field and Court Use Policy (and the procedures adopted hereunder) has been established to ensure that City-owned, -maintained and –managed park and athletic facilities, including the fields and courts owned by the Palo Alto Unified School District (the “District”) are utilized for recreational, athletic, cultural, educational, social and community service functions that meet the needs and interests of the community, and that permitted users are fully informed as to the City’s guidelines that govern their use of the park and athletic field facilities. Purpose: To strive to provide all Palo Alto residents with an opportunity to participate in their activity of choice. To establish policies and procedures governing the use of City parks, fields, tennis courts and District playing fields managed by the City of Palo Alto. To ensure Palo Alto residents have priority access to parks and playing spaces. To provide for a variety of activities reflecting the athletic preferences of Palo Alto residents. To contribute a proportionate amount of field use time to regional organizations that Palo Alto residents participate in. To collect fees for the use of spaces, in support of their ongoing maintenance. To ensure that decisions regarding the use of City parks and athletic complexes and District sites are used in the best interests of the neighborhoods, sports organizations and residents of Palo Alto. To ensure that appropriate sports are permitted on appropriate fields. Field use permits are required for exclusive field use or for any on-going seasonal, organized use of athletic fields maintained or managed by the City. In accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code Section, the Recreation and Golf Services Division issues field use permits. The exclusive use of a field or an athletic field requires the making of an advance reservation and is subject to fee and security deposit requirements. Appendix A - Available Facilities and Park Amenities Appendix B - Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines I.Field Use Permitting: Field space usage requests are considered at three separate and seasonal intervals per fiscal year. Field space is awarded on a priority basis at the beginning of each fall, winter/spring, and summer period. After the original requests are processed on a priority basis, the fields are available to other non-priority requests. To apply for an Athletic Field Use Permit, an applicant must submit a field request form to the Field Coordinator/Supervisor. Field request forms are Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 53 of 896  2 9 1 9 1 available: 1. Online at www.cityofpaloalto.org; 2. In person at Cubberley Community Center; or 3. By requesting a form from the Field Coordinator/Supervisor at playingfields@cityofpaloalto.org Fall ~~ The first day of school (mid-August) through December 31. Winter/Spring ~~ January 1 through the last day of school (end of May early June). Summer ~~ early June through mid-August. II. Field Request Form Deadlines: 1. For Fall seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by May 1. 2. For Winter/Spring seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by November 1. 3. For Summer seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by March 1. III. Seasonal Use Priority: Palo Alto resident youth non-profit soccer and football organizations have field use priority on soccer/baseball/football joint use fields during the Fall use period. Palo Alto resident youth non-profit baseball, softball and lacrosse organizations have field priority on the baseball-softball/soccer joint use fields during the Spring use period. IV. Exceptions to Seasonal Priority: District programs have annual priority on District fields only. Palo Alto Recreation-administered programs have annual use priority on all fields. V. Eligibility: The following are the field use guidelines that will be used for priority booking at the start of each seasonal brokering period. Priority will be given in the order below. 1. City and District Activities 2. Palo Alto Youth, non-profit* organizations with at least 51% residency 3. Palo Alto Adult, non-profit* organizations with at least 35% residency 4. Non-profit groups with 25% or more Palo Alto residence will be given priority for any remaining fields 5. Other groups not meeting the 25% requirement or for profit will be considered at staff discretion. *To qualify for non-profit rates, organizations must provide a copy of their letter of non-profit status from the California Secretary of State’s Office with their non-profit ID number indicated thereon, Payment with an organization’s check or charge card is required. Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 54 of 896  3 9 1 9 1 Priority organizations (groups 2 and 3) will have the opportunity to discuss field use needs with City staff facilitating, and attempt to negotiate an agreement on field allocations. The negotiated field allocation agreement must be consistent with section VI Field Allocations below. If two or more organizations are unable to agree with a negotiated field allocation agreement then a round robin brokering system will be used to determine the allocation of fields among organizations. Organizations will receive priority based on seasonal sports first (see Section III), followed by organizations that meet the priority residency requirement above. Adults and youth will broker separately with slots set aside for youth and adults as defined in Section VI. Groups with less than 25% residents and for-profit groups, reserve fields on a first come first served basis as available. If a round robin process is used the first round will be based on the number of residents in each organization. The number of residents will be broken down to equal a number of teams. Each team will then receive two practice slots a week and 0.55 game slots per weekend. The second round will broker for the total number of teams each organization has, less the teams that received fields in the first round. For more information please see Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. VI. Field Allocations: Fields will be permitted for the activities in which the field(s) are intended for, designed for, classified as, or for activities conducted in a manner that does not compromise public safety or field quality and integrity. Youth organizations or leagues that qualify for priority booking will be allocated fields as follows: Two (2) practice slots* per team per week. 0.55 game slots* per team per week Fields will be allocated to age appropriate athletes 7v7 or younger - small fields 8v8 -10v10 - medium fields 11v11 - large fields *Game slots, Practice Slots and age breakdowns are defined based on sport and field When priority booking takes place, slots are reserved for the entire brokering period. Slots brokered do not change because of daylight savings. At the Stanford/Palo Alto Playing Fields, the 8:30-10:00 pm weekday slots will be reserved for adult league play Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 7pm-10pm slots are reserved for adults on Wednesday and Friday. Sunday mornings from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm, at Terman 1 and 2, JLS 1, 2 and 3 and Mayfield will be reserved for adult league play. Adult leagues will be held to a maximum of 1 slot per team every other week. Any additional slots are open to all. Each group that has seasonal priority can reserve all the slots they require based on the number of teams in their organization. Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 55 of 896  4 9 1 9 1 Tournaments: Organizations who receive priority brokering may request one tournament a year; that tournament will be given priority of fields use. Tournament dates must be given in advance of brokering and there can only be one tournament a weekend. All additional tournaments are at staff discretion. Additional information found in Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. A resident is a person residing within the city limits of the City of Palo Alto. Any person owning and paying taxes on real property in Palo Alto, but who is not living in the City, and any person having only a Palo Alto business address, is NOT considered a resident for field use application purposes. Children attending District schools are considered residents for brokering purposes. The City will require identification or documentation of residency. In the event proof of residency cannot be established, the person will be classified as a non-resident and fees and brokering privileges will be adjusted accordingly. VIII. Palo Alto Recreation requires a master league roster complete with players’ first and last names alphabetized, address, phone number, team, and proof of residency. Proof of residency may include: Palo Alto Utility Number Copy of Current driver’s license with Palo Alto Address Copy of current school I.D. card or verification form (provided by city) signed by school (for youth attending PAUSD school) Any group or organization found to be misrepresenting its residency status will have its permit revoked for the season and will be excluded from brokering for the following season. In addition, any group or organization found to be reserving field use for any time period time for another organization (that would otherwise have a lower priority for field scheduling) will be penalized by the revocation of its permit for the season for which the permit is issued and that group or organization will be assigned the last (or lowest) priority for field use scheduling for the immediately following season. IX. All fees are due and payable prior to the issuance of any approved field use permit. The fees and charges for any field use permit are established by the City Council in the Municipal Fee Schedule and are not negotiable; only the Council has the authority to waive fees and charges by amendment to the Municipal Fee Schedule. Fees will be reviewed regularly and adjusted accordingly. Fees can be found in Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. X. 1. A refundable deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00) is required for all single athletic field use reservations. Long term renters are required to provide a $750 refundable security deposit. 2. The City reserves the right to deduct from the security deposit any and all additional charges relating to, but not limited to, janitorial services, maintenance/repair services, staff time, or emergency services that are required as a result of the field use. 3. Forfeiture of all or part of your security/damage deposit may occur for any of the following Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 56 of 896  5 9 1 9 1 reasons: a.Damage to facility; b. Misuse of the facility; c. Inadequate cleanup by the permit holder, requiring additional custodial/staff time following the permit holder’s use; d. Violation of field use rules 4. If additional fees due and payable exceed the amount of the security deposit, the permit holder will be billed for the balance due. Payment will be due and payable within thirty (30) days of the date of invoice. Fees that are not paid will be assigned for collection to a collections agency and the user group will be ineligible to apply for field use until the unpaid amount is settled in full. Insurance Liability A valid insurance certificate is required for use of any City or District field. The insurance certificate must afford one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of general liability coverage per occurrence and contain the following information: ￿General liability coverage (property and bodily injury) as evidenced by an insurance certificate with an endorsement naming the City of Palo Alto (CPA) AND the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) as ADDITIONAL INSURED, and guaranteeing 30 days prior notice to change or cancellation of the policy. Use of fields will not be permitted unless a valid insurance certificate has been received by not later than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled date of use of the field or other facility. 1. The permit holder shall be responsible for any and all damage to the City’s or the District’s premises, turf, equipment and/or property. If additional maintenance is deemed necessary (in excess of normal services/time) to restore the premises, turf, equipment and/or property to reasonable use by others. the permit holder shall be charged accordingly. 2. The City and the District disclaims responsibility for any accident, injury, liability, loss or damage to person or property as a result of unauthorized field use. 3. The permit holder will be responsible for all actions and omissions that result in damages that are caused by their attendees. XII. Court Usage 1. Courts are available for reservation for Palo Alto Tennis Club, and USTA tournament/match use only, and Palo Alto based youth groups. Mitchell Park Courts 6,7 are available for reservation by Pickleball organizations but only for tournaments and only during Pickleball hours. 2. The City brokers all City and District tennis courts and pickleball courts (district courts available weekends, holidays and after 4pm on school days) . 3. Only 50% of the available courts at any location can be reserved at the same time and date unless permitted by the Recreation Department for special requests/tournaments/programs. All other courts will remain open to the general public. 4. Courts are not available for reservation by individuals for private use, including private lessons, and individual play. No person shall provide or offer tennis lessons for compensation on City- owned tennis courts except as part of and approved as a City-sponsored program. 5. Courts are available for individual use on a first-come, first-served basis. Each court use is Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 57 of 896  6 9 1 9 1 subject to a one-hour time limit whenever there are others waiting to use the court. Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 58 of 896  7 9 1 9 1 6. Courts are for racquet sports only unless expressly allowed via permit issued by the Community Services Department. No rollerblades, skates, skateboards, or pets are permitted on any court. 7. No individual may solely occupy and use a court if other individuals are waiting to play on that court. 8. Only non-marking soled shoes are allowed on the courts. A: Locations: courts are available at the following locations: o Cubberley Community Center (6) o Mitchell Park (4) o Rinconada Park (9) o Hoover Park (2) o Peers Park (2) o Terman Park (2) o Weisshaar Park (2) o Gunn High School (7) o Palo Alto High School (7) o JLS Middle School (6) o Jordan Middle School (4) B) Multi striped courts Mitchell Park courts 6,7 are striped with Tennis and Pickleball lines. These multi use courts are prioritized for pickleball 7 days a week from 8am-10pm. Tennis can use the space if vacant but must surrender space for pickleball play.  B: Court Fees for reservation: Residents: $5.00-$10.00 per court per hour Non-residents: $7.00- $20.00 per court per hour XII. USTA Rentals Rules 1.Require USTA teams to have a minimum of 25% Palo Alto Resident to book courts in Palo Alto 2.If multiple teams request the same space, priority will be given to the team with a higher resident percentage. 3.Draft of USTA team Roster must be included with request for permit. Rosters must include proof of residency for Palo Alto Residents. 4.Palo Alto Residency can be confirmed with current utility number or any official documents with name/address matching (ID, utility bill, tax forms) 5.Rosters will be confirmed on USTA website before the first date on the permit and must match 6.If rosters are found to not be accurate, team will forfeit the ability to book the following season, if the issue happens a second time, team can no longer book courts in Palo Alto. 7.USTA teams are required to book 5 homes matches, to allow some flexibility in scheduling, each team is allowed to book 7 dates per season. The two additional slots must be released by the date of the first match. Playoff dates will be allowed to be booked during the season. 8.Each match date can book up to two 2 hours. o Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 59 of 896  8 9 1 9 1 XIII. Pickleball Court Rules Courts are available on a first come, first served basis for both doubles and singles play. •If all courts are full and players are waiting, court time is limited to 20 minutes. Players can rotate back onto courts as many times as they desire. •When courts are full, waiting players may place paddles next to the net of a game in play. When the game is over, players will relinquish the court to those waiting, as follows: •4 paddles down: all players leave court to those waiting. •2 paddles down: the winning team may stay on, or the waiting players may choose to play singles. •Double stacking of paddles (playing a game while having a second paddle waiting on another court) is not allowed. XV Palo Alto Based Youth Groups Palo Alto based youth groups are allowed to book tennis courts in Palo Alto during non- peak hours Non-peak hours are defined as Monday-Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday/Sunday 11am- 3pm. Excluding holidays Groups are allowed to book 4 days a week for 2 hours each day In case of high demand, days/hours may be reduced to accommodate as many groups as possible. This is up to staff discretion. Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 60 of 896  9 9 1 9 1 ￿ City Permits and Recreation Programs have priority over drop in play •An individual may not hold a court when players are waiting. •Court shoes only, no cleats allowed. •No wheeled vehicles allowed inside fence. •No private lessons for compensation permitted. Locations: Pickleball Courts are located in Mitchell Park XIV. Permit Rules & Regulations 1 Permits cannot be transferred or assigned to any other person, group or organization for any reason. 2 Users must pick up and remove any trash generated by their activity. 3 The misuse of City or District facilities or the failure to conform to facility regulations, established policies (including the Wet Field Policy) and procedures or any other Federal, State, or local law, rule regulation or ordinance shall be sufficient grounds for the immediate revocation of the permit and/or the denial of any future applications. No refund will be granted. 4 Permit holders shall restrict their use to only those fields or courts specifically reserved and paid for, as designated in their permit. Other fields or courts may be scheduled by other groups and may not be available. Permit holders must be in possession of their Use Permit in case there is a need to address the question of who has priority use or reservation for the field or court in question. If the permit holder cannot use a field or court due to unauthorized use by another party, the permit holder should contact the Palo Alto Police Department at 650-329-2413. Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to the permittee’s activity noise level, litter and debris, and/or disregard of parking regulations could lead to the cancellation of the permit or reservation, the forfeiture of the security deposit, and the denial of facility use in the Future. See Good Neighbor Policy XV. Permit Rules & Regulations 5 Permits cannot be transferred or assigned to any other person, group or organization for any reason. 6 Users must pick up and remove any trash generated by their activity. 7 The misuse of City or District facilities or the failure to conform to facility regulations, established policies (including the Wet Field Policy) and procedures or any other Federal, State, or local law, rule regulation or ordinance shall be sufficient grounds for the immediate revocation of the permit and/or the denial of any future applications. No refund will be granted. 8 Permit holders shall restrict their use to only those fields or courts specifically reserved and paid for, as designated in their permit. Other fields or courts may be scheduled by other groups Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 61 of 896  10 9 1 9 1 and may not be available. Permit holders must be in possession of their Field Use Permit in case there is a need to address the question of who has priority use or reservation for the field or court in question. If the permit holder cannot use a field or court due to unauthorized use by another party, the permit holder should contact the Palo Alto Police Department at 650-329-2413. 9 Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to the permittee’s activity noise level, litter and debris, and/or disregard of parking regulations could lead to the cancellation of the permit or reservation, the forfeiture of the security deposit, and the denial of facility use in the future. See Good Neighbor Policy XVI. General Rules & Regulations All City of Palo Alto Municipal Codes/Regulations apply to all City and PAUSD fields. 1. No activity other than softball is permitted at the El Camino Park and Baylands Athletic Center softball fields, unless such activity is expressly allowed by permit. 2. The City reserves the right to cancel an approved reservation due to maintenance needs, overuse of facility, unsafe conditions, or due to a conflict with a City or District event. In these cases, all attempts will be made to provide a minimum of 15 days advance notice and to provide an alternate location for the group’s scheduled practice, game or activity. In the event of an emergency, when only short or no notice can be provided, groups must cooperate with the request to not use the facility or risk loss of current permit and denial of future use. If there are no alternate facilities available, the City is not obligated to provide an alternate facility. In case of such event, a full refund will be given. 3. No person shall use an athletic field which is posted as being closed, whether the closure is for excess rainfall or for field maintenance or other reason. 4. All motor vehicles must park in marked stalls in the parking lots or legally on side streets, or be subject to citation. No unauthorized vehicles shall enter park premises, drive on turf, grounds, playfields, or paved walkways. 5. All dogs must be on a leash and owners must clean up after their dogs. 6. For guidelines regarding facility hours of operations, see Appendix B. 7. No portable BBQ’s are permitted at any time in any facility. 8. No golf is permitted at any park or sports complex, with the exception of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. 9. Baylands Athletic Center is closed on Mondays for maintenance. 10. No alcohol or tobacco products are allowed on any District property at any time. 11. Athletic fields may be lined prior to a group use. Water soluble spray paint is the only permitted means of lining a field. No fields are permitted to be lined by means of Round Up, Dolomite or other herbicide, which can permanently burn lines into the field. Different color lines should be used for different sports. Soccer shall use white, rugby shall use blue and lacrosse shall use yellow. 12. Vending at a field is permitted only if the vendor is associated with the activity and has received the prior approval of the City’s representative. 13. Gambling is prohibited at all City and District property. 14. Soccer goals must be anchored at all times when they are located on the playing fields. When goals are not being utilized for play, they must be secured off the playing fields in a manner which will not permit tipping or create any hazardous condition that could cause injury to any person. The City of Palo Alto and District are not liable for accidents, injuries or loss of or damage to individuals or property. Should any goal left on site be found not secured and locked up properly, Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 62 of 896  11 9 1 9 1 the permittee will be subject to a fine of $250.00. A subsequent violation will result in revocation of the current field user’s permit. 15. The City of Palo Alto encourages partnerships and volunteerism to improve field quality and maintenance; however, in the absence of a written agreement, donations and/or contributions of time does not give any organization priority at any facility. Groups wishing to make alterations to facilities must submit these improvement requests in advance to the City. No groups will be allowed to make any alteration to any facility without first obtaining the City’s approval. XVII. Field and court releases Field and court releases and refunds shall follow guidelines below. Weekday Slots: ￿ Field releases done before the start of the permit will receive a full refund. ￿ Field releases done after the start of the permit must be done by the 7th of each month and will receive a 50% refund All refunds done after the 7th will receive no refund Weekend Slots: Weekend slots can be released up to 3 weeks after the publication of the league game schedule for a full refund. Releases after 3 weeks of the publication of the league game schedule can be done by the 7th of each month for a 50% refund. All releases done after the 7th will receive no refund. Users who are found to not be using the field and court space and not releasing can be subject to losing field space for the following brokering period.  XVIII.Wet Field Policy No refunds will be given for field closures due to rain. Field slots can be rescheduled. Athletic use of wet or saturated fields may cause extensive damage resulting in field closure and costly renovations. Groups shall abide by the Wet Field Policy and preserve the life and condition of the fields by not playing on them in wet conditions.The following policy applies to a period of rainfall, over-watered fields and/or irrigation breaks. The “rainout” condition hotline is 650-329-2697. All grass fields are deemed closed to use during rainfall. Play will be allowed during a light mist if the ground is hard and relatively dry at the time field use is considered. In the event of rainfall (any precipitation that is greater than a light drizzle on a dry field), the fields will be deemed closed after the cessation of precipitation. A failure to abide by this policy may result in the revocation of the permit and/or elimination for priority brokering for the following season. Individuals who violate this provision may also be Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 63 of 896  12 9 1 9 1 subject to a $100 fine in accordance with the Palo Alto Municipal Code. Please see Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines for additional information XIX. Field Preservation: The City will aim to maintain fields uniformly and at the highest possible quality. Your cooperation is needed to preserve the fields on City and District fields by following these guidelines: 1. Limit the use of cleats. Cleats longer than one-quarter inch (¼”) are prohibited for use on any synthetic turf playing fields. 2. Field use, especially sports practices, should be conducted in a manner that play will take place on different sections of the turf, thus reducing excessive turf wear and damage to any one area. 3. Rotate use of areas (i.e.: use middle of turf area for drills one day and sides of the field the following day), and when possible, stay off of the fringe or bare areas to limit erosion and further damage. 3. Replace turf divots at the end of each day to help re-root the grass. 4. Do NOT use the fields during or after heavy rain, or when wet or muddy, for at least 48 hours 5. Soccer practices shall NOT be held on the infield area of a softball or baseball diamond. 6. Softball, baseball, and T-ball practices shall be held only on designated ball fields in order to prevent injuries to other park users. 7. Remove all equipment at the conclusion of use each day. This includes soccer goals. No equipment shall be allowed to be left unattended on City or District property without the prior approval of the Fields Coordinator. 8. Do not overcrowd fields by scheduling multiple games in areas reserved. Allow a safe distance between fields for safe passage of spectators and participants. 9. Water soluble spray paint is the only approved method of applying lines to the fields. Burning of lines with chemicals or cutting lines into turf areas is not allowed. 10. Report hazards on City property to the Parks Division office at 650-496-6962. 11. Report emergencies (e.g., broken water lines, gushing sprinkler heads, etc.) promptly to Palo Alto Communications at 650-329-2413 who will summon the appropriate personnel. When you make the call, be prepared to fully identify yourself, your location, and the specific nature of the emergency. 12. Do not drive or park cars, motorcycles, or other motorized vehicles on turf areas. 13. Bicycles are prohibited on all synthetic turf fields. 14. No food or beverages, with the exception of water, will be permitted on any synthetic turf field. XX. Good Neighbor Policy The purpose of this policy is to ensure that decisions regarding the use of City fields, parks and athletics complexes and District sites are used in the best interests of the neighborhoods, sports organizations, and citizens of Palo Alto. The City has established the following rules and regulations to govern the use of the City’s and the District’s facilities for the safe and pleasant enjoyment of participants and neighbors. Every person is expected to abide by these rules or be subject to forfeiture of the security deposit and/or loss of the privilege of future use of the facilities. 1 All litter and debris that may occur as a result of your event must be picked up and deposited into trash receptacles, where provided, or removed from the premises. 2 All groups are responsible for the condition in which they leave the facility. Any excessive Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 64 of 896  13 9 1 9 1 clean-up required by City or District crews following your use will be cause for forfeiture of all or part of your damage deposit. 3 No amplified music, use of musical instruments, radios, or Public Address System testing or use allowed before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. and is allowed by permit only. In all parks, care shall be taken so that speakers are not directed at residences. 4 Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to noise level, litter and debris, and disregard for use of parking regulations could result in cancellation of your reservation, forfeiture of security deposit, and denial of future facility use. 5 No person shall park a motor vehicle in such a place or manner as would block or obstruct any gate, entrance, or exit or resident driveway. Item 3 Attachment B -redline- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 65 of 896  1 9 1 9 3 City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy The City of Palo Alto (the “City”) Field and Court Use Policy (and the procedures adopted hereunder) has been established to ensure that City-owned, -maintained and –managed park and athletic facilities, including the fields and courts owned by the Palo Alto Unified School District (the “District”) are utilized for recreational, athletic, cultural, educational, social and community service functions that meet the needs and interests of the community, and that permitted users are fully informed as to the City’s guidelines that govern their use of the park and athletic field facilities. Purpose: To strive to provide all Palo Alto residents with an opportunity to participate in their activity of choice. To establish policies and procedures governing the use of City parks, fields, tennis courts and District playing fields managed by the City of Palo Alto. To ensure Palo Alto residents have priority access to parks and playing spaces. To provide for a variety of activities reflecting the athletic preferences of Palo Alto residents. To contribute a proportionate amount of field use time to regional organizations that Palo Alto residents participate in. To collect fees for the use of spaces, in support of their ongoing maintenance. To ensure that decisions regarding the use of City parks and athletic complexes and District sites are used in the best interests of the neighborhoods, sports organizations and residents of Palo Alto. To ensure that appropriate sports are permitted on appropriate fields. Field use permits are required for exclusive field use or for any on-going seasonal, organized use of athletic fields maintained or managed by the City. In accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code Section, the Recreation and Golf Services Division issues field use permits. The exclusive use of a field or an athletic field requires the making of an advance reservation and is subject to fee and security deposit requirements. Appendix A - Available Facilities and Park Amenities Appendix B - Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines I.Field Use Permitting: Field space usage requests are considered at three separate and seasonal intervals per fiscal year. Field space is awarded on a priority basis at the beginning of each fall, winter/spring, and summer period. After the original requests are processed on a priority basis, the fields are available to other non-priority requests. To apply for an Athletic Field Use Permit, an applicant must submit a field request form to the Field Coordinator/Supervisor. Field request forms are Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 20 Packet Pg. 66 of 896  2 9 1 9 3 available: 1. Online at www.cityofpaloalto.org; 2. In person at Cubberley Community Center; or 3. By requesting a form from the Field Coordinator/Supervisor at playingfields@cityofpaloalto.org Fall ~~ The first day of school (mid-August) through December 31. Winter/Spring ~~ January 1 through the last day of school (end of May early June). Summer ~~ early June through mid-August. II. Field Request Form Deadlines: 1. For Fall seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by May 1. 2. For Winter/Spring seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by November 1. 3. For Summer seasonal use dates, request forms must be submitted by March 1. III. Seasonal Use Priority: Palo Alto resident youth non-profit soccer and football organizations have field use priority on soccer/baseball/football joint use fields during the Fall use period. Palo Alto resident youth non-profit baseball, softball and lacrosse organizations have field priority on the baseball-softball/soccer joint use fields during the Spring use period. IV. Exceptions to Seasonal Priority: District programs have annual priority on District fields only. Palo Alto Recreation-administered programs have annual use priority on all fields. V. Eligibility: The following are the field use guidelines that will be used for priority booking at the start of each seasonal brokering period. Priority will be given in the order below. 1. City and District Activities 2. Palo Alto Youth, non-profit* organizations with at least 51% residency 3. Palo Alto Adult, non-profit* organizations with at least 35% residency 4. Non-profit groups with 25% or more Palo Alto residence will be given priority for any remaining fields 5. Other groups not meeting the 25% requirement or for profit will be considered at staff discretion. *To qualify for non-profit rates, organizations must provide a copy of their letter of non-profit status from the California Secretary of State’s Office with their non-profit ID number indicated thereon, Payment with an organization’s check or charge card is required. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 21 Packet Pg. 67 of 896  3 9 1 9 3 Priority organizations (groups 2 and 3) will have the opportunity to discuss field use needs with City staff facilitating, and attempt to negotiate an agreement on field allocations. The negotiated field allocation agreement must be consistent with section VI Field Allocations below. If two or more organizations are unable to agree with a negotiated field allocation agreement then a round robin brokering system will be used to determine the allocation of fields among organizations. Organizations will receive priority based on seasonal sports first (see Section III), followed by organizations that meet the priority residency requirement above. Adults and youth will broker separately with slots set aside for youth and adults as defined in Section VI. Groups with less than 25% residents and for-profit groups, reserve fields on a first come first served basis as available. If a round robin process is used the first round will be based on the number of residents in each organization. The number of residents will be broken down to equal a number of teams. Each team will then receive two practice slots a week and 0.55 game slots per weekend. The second round will broker for the total number of teams each organization has, less the teams that received fields in the first round. For more information please see Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. VI. Field Allocations: Fields will be permitted for the activities in which the field(s) are intended for, designed for, classified as, or for activities conducted in a manner that does not compromise public safety or field quality and integrity. Youth organizations or leagues that qualify for priority booking will be allocated fields as follows: Two (2) practice slots* per team per week. 0.55 game slots* per team per week Fields will be allocated to age appropriate athletes 7v7 or younger - small fields 8v8 -10v10 - medium fields 11v11 - large fields *Game slots, Practice Slots and age breakdowns are defined based on sport and field When priority booking takes place, slots are reserved for the entire brokering period. Slots brokered do not change because of daylight savings. At the Stanford/Palo Alto Playing Fields, the 8:30-10:00 pm weekday slots will be reserved for adult league play Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 7pm-10pm slots are reserved for adults on Wednesday and Friday. Sunday mornings from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm, at Terman 1 and 2, JLS 1, 2 and 3 and Mayfield will be reserved for adult league play. Adult leagues will be held to a maximum of 1 slot per team every other week. Any additional slots are open to all. Each group that has seasonal priority can reserve all the slots they require based on the number of teams in their organization. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 22 Packet Pg. 68 of 896  4 9 1 9 3 Tournaments: Organizations who receive priority brokering may request one tournament a year; that tournament will be given priority of fields use. Tournament dates must be given in advance of brokering and there can only be one tournament a weekend. All additional tournaments are at staff discretion. Additional information found in Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. A resident is a person residing within the city limits of the City of Palo Alto. Any person owning and paying taxes on real property in Palo Alto, but who is not living in the City, and any person having only a Palo Alto business address, is NOT considered a resident for field use application purposes. Children attending District schools are considered residents for brokering purposes. The City will require identification or documentation of residency. In the event proof of residency cannot be established, the person will be classified as a non-resident and fees and brokering privileges will be adjusted accordingly. VIII. Palo Alto Recreation requires a master league roster complete with players’ first and last names alphabetized, address, phone number, team, and proof of residency. Proof of residency may include: Palo Alto Utility Number Copy of Current driver’s license with Palo Alto Address Copy of current school I.D. card or verification form (provided by city) signed by school (for youth attending PAUSD school) Any group or organization found to be misrepresenting its residency status will have its permit revoked for the season and will be excluded from brokering for the following season. In addition, any group or organization found to be reserving field use for any time period time for another organization (that would otherwise have a lower priority for field scheduling) will be penalized by the revocation of its permit for the season for which the permit is issued and that group or organization will be assigned the last (or lowest) priority for field use scheduling for the immediately following season. IX. All fees are due and payable prior to the issuance of any approved field use permit. The fees and charges for any field use permit are established by the City Council in the Municipal Fee Schedule and are not negotiable; only the Council has the authority to waive fees and charges by amendment to the Municipal Fee Schedule. Fees will be reviewed regularly and adjusted accordingly. Fees can be found in Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines. X. 1. A refundable deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00) is required for all single athletic field use reservations. Long term renters are required to provide a $750 refundable security deposit. 2. The City reserves the right to deduct from the security deposit any and all additional charges relating to, but not limited to, janitorial services, maintenance/repair services, staff time, or emergency services that are required as a result of the field use. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 23 Packet Pg. 69 of 896  5 9 1 9 3 3. Forfeiture of all or part of your security/damage deposit may occur for any of the following reasons: a.Damage to facility; b. Misuse of the facility; c. Inadequate cleanup by the permit holder, requiring additional custodial/staff time following the permit holder’s use; d. Violation of field use rules 4. If additional fees due and payable exceed the amount of the security deposit, the permit holder will be billed for the balance due. Payment will be due and payable within thirty (30) days of the date of invoice. Fees that are not paid will be assigned for collection to a collections agency and the user group will be ineligible to apply for field use until the unpaid amount is settled in full. Insurance Liability A valid insurance certificate is required for use of any City or District field. The insurance certificate must afford one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of general liability coverage per occurrence and contain the following information: ￿General liability coverage (property and bodily injury) as evidenced by an insurance certificate with an endorsement naming the City of Palo Alto (CPA) AND the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) as ADDITIONAL INSURED, and guaranteeing 30 days prior notice to change or cancellation of the policy. Use of fields will not be permitted unless a valid insurance certificate has been received by not later than two (2) business days prior to the scheduled date of use of the field or other facility. 1. The permit holder shall be responsible for any and all damage to the City’s or the District’s premises, turf, equipment and/or property. If additional maintenance is deemed necessary (in excess of normal services/time) to restore the premises, turf, equipment and/or property to reasonable use by others. the permit holder shall be charged accordingly. 2. The City and the District disclaims responsibility for any accident, injury, liability, loss or damage to person or property as a result of unauthorized field use. 3. The permit holder will be responsible for all actions and omissions that result in damages that are caused by their attendees. XII. Court Usage 1. Courts are available for reservation for Palo Alto Tennis Club, USTA tournament/match use only, and Palo Alto based youth groups. Mitchell Park Courts 6,7 are available for reservation by Pickleball organizations but only for tournaments and only during Pickleball hours. 2. The City brokers all City tennis courts and pickleball courts 3. Only 50% of the available courts at any location can be reserved at the same time and date unless permitted by the Recreation Department for special requests/tournaments/programs. All other courts will remain open to the general public. 4. Courts are not available for reservation by individuals for private use, including private lessons, and individual play. No person shall provide or offer tennis lessons for compensation on City- owned tennis courts except as part of and approved as a City-sponsored program. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 24 Packet Pg. 70 of 896  6 9 1 9 3 5. Courts are available for individual use on a first-come, first-served basis. Each court use is subject to a one-hour time limit whenever there are others waiting to use the court. 6. Courts are for racquet sports only unless expressly allowed via permit issued by the Community Services Department. No rollerblades, skates, skateboards, or pets are permitted on any court. 7. No individual may solely occupy and use a court if other individuals are waiting to play on that court. 8. Only non-marking soled shoes are allowed on the courts. A: Locations: courts are available at the following locations: o Cubberley Community Center (6) o Mitchell Park (4) o Rinconada Park (9) o Hoover Park (2) o Peers Park (2) o Terman Park (2) o Weisshaar Park (2) B) Multi striped courts Mitchell Park courts 6,7 are striped with Tennis and Pickleball lines. These multi use courts are prioritized for pickleball 7 days a week from 8am-10pm. Tennis can use the space if vacant but must surrender space for pickleball play.  B: Court Fees for reservation: Residents: $5.00-$10.00 per court per hour Non-residents: $7.00- $20.00 per court per hour XIII. USTA Rentals Rules 1.Require USTA teams to have a minimum of 25% Palo Alto Resident to book courts in Palo Alto 2.If multiple teams request the same space, priority will be given to the team with a higher resident percentage. 3.Draft of USTA team Roster must be included with request for permit. Rosters must include proof of residency for Palo Alto Residents. 4.Palo Alto Residency can be confirmed with current utility number or any official documents with name/address matching (ID, utility bill, tax forms) 5.Rosters will be confirmed on USTA website before the first date on the permit and must match 6.If rosters are found to not be accurate, team will forfeit the ability to book the following season, if the issue happens a second time, team can no longer book courts in Palo Alto. 7.USTA teams are required to book 5 homes matches, to allow some flexibility in scheduling, each team is allowed to book 7 dates per season. The two additional slots must be released by the date of the first match. Playoff dates will be allowed to be booked during the season. 8.Each match date can book up to two 2 hours. o XIV. Pickleball Court Rules Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 25 Packet Pg. 71 of 896  7 9 1 9 3 Courts are available on a first come, first served basis for both doubles and singles play. •If all courts are full and players are waiting, court time is limited to 20 minutes. Players can rotate back onto courts as many times as they desire. •When courts are full, waiting players may place paddles next to the net of a game in play. When the game is over, players will relinquish the court to those waiting, as follows: •4 paddles down: all players leave court to those waiting. •2 paddles down: the winning team may stay on, or the waiting players may choose to play singles. •Double stacking of paddles (playing a game while having a second paddle waiting on another court) is not allowed. XV Palo Alto Based Youth Groups Palo Alto based youth groups are allowed to book tennis courts in Palo Alto during non- peak hours Non-peak hours are defined as Monday-Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday/Sunday 11am- 3pm. Excluding holidays Groups are allowed to book 4 days a week for 2 hours each day In case of high demand, days/hours may be reduced to accommodate as many groups as possible. This is up to staff discretion. ￿ City Permits and Recreation Programs have priority over drop in play •An individual may not hold a court when players are waiting. •Court shoes only, no cleats allowed. •No wheeled vehicles allowed inside fence. •No private lessons for compensation permitted. Locations: Pickleball Courts are located in Mitchell Park XV. Permit Rules & Regulations 1 Permits cannot be transferred or assigned to any other person, group or organization for any reason. 2 Users must pick up and remove any trash generated by their activity. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 26 Packet Pg. 72 of 896  8 9 1 9 3 3 The misuse of City or District facilities or the failure to conform to facility regulations, established policies (including the Wet Field Policy) and procedures or any other Federal, State, or local law, rule regulation or ordinance shall be sufficient grounds for the immediate revocation of the permit and/or the denial of any future applications. No refund will be granted. 4 Permit holders shall restrict their use to only those fields or courts specifically reserved and paid for, as designated in their permit. Other fields or courts may be scheduled by other groups and may not be available. Permit holders must be in possession of their Use Permit in case there is a need to address the question of who has priority use or reservation for the field or court in question. If the permit holder cannot use a field or court due to unauthorized use by another party, the permit holder should contact the Palo Alto Police Department at 650-329-2413. Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to the permittee’s activity noise level, litter and debris, and/or disregard of parking regulations could lead to the cancellation of the permit or reservation, the forfeiture of the security deposit, and the denial of facility use in the Future. See Good Neighbor Policy XVI. Permit Rules & Regulations 5 Permits cannot be transferred or assigned to any other person, group or organization for any reason. 6 Users must pick up and remove any trash generated by their activity. 7 The misuse of City or District facilities or the failure to conform to facility regulations, established policies (including the Wet Field Policy) and procedures or any other Federal, State, or local law, rule regulation or ordinance shall be sufficient grounds for the immediate revocation of the permit and/or the denial of any future applications. No refund will be granted. 8 Permit holders shall restrict their use to only those fields or courts specifically reserved and paid for, as designated in their permit. Other fields or courts may be scheduled by other groups Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 27 Packet Pg. 73 of 896  9 9 1 9 3 and may not be available. Permit holders must be in possession of their Field Use Permit in case there is a need to address the question of who has priority use or reservation for the field or court in question. If the permit holder cannot use a field or court due to unauthorized use by another party, the permit holder should contact the Palo Alto Police Department at 650-329-2413. 9 Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to the permittee’s activity noise level, litter and debris, and/or disregard of parking regulations could lead to the cancellation of the permit or reservation, the forfeiture of the security deposit, and the denial of facility use in the future. See Good Neighbor Policy XVII. General Rules & Regulations All City of Palo Alto Municipal Codes/Regulations apply to all City and PAUSD fields. 1. No activity other than softball is permitted at the El Camino Park and Baylands Athletic Center softball fields, unless such activity is expressly allowed by permit. 2. The City reserves the right to cancel an approved reservation due to maintenance needs, overuse of facility, unsafe conditions, or due to a conflict with a City or District event. In these cases, all attempts will be made to provide a minimum of 15 days advance notice and to provide an alternate location for the group’s scheduled practice, game or activity. In the event of an emergency, when only short or no notice can be provided, groups must cooperate with the request to not use the facility or risk loss of current permit and denial of future use. If there are no alternate facilities available, the City is not obligated to provide an alternate facility. In case of such event, a full refund will be given. 3. No person shall use an athletic field which is posted as being closed, whether the closure is for excess rainfall or for field maintenance or other reason. 4. All motor vehicles must park in marked stalls in the parking lots or legally on side streets, or be subject to citation. No unauthorized vehicles shall enter park premises, drive on turf, grounds, playfields, or paved walkways. 5. All dogs must be on a leash and owners must clean up after their dogs. 6. For guidelines regarding facility hours of operations, see Appendix B. 7. No portable BBQ’s are permitted at any time in any facility. 8. No golf is permitted at any park or sports complex, with the exception of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. 9. Baylands Athletic Center is closed on Mondays for maintenance. 10. No alcohol or tobacco products are allowed on any District property at any time. 11. Athletic fields may be lined prior to a group use. Water soluble spray paint is the only permitted means of lining a field. No fields are permitted to be lined by means of Round Up, Dolomite or other herbicide, which can permanently burn lines into the field. Different color lines should be used for different sports. Soccer shall use white, rugby shall use blue and lacrosse shall use yellow. 12. Vending at a field is permitted only if the vendor is associated with the activity and has received the prior approval of the City’s representative. 13. Gambling is prohibited at all City and District property. 14. Soccer goals must be anchored at all times when they are located on the playing fields. When goals are not being utilized for play, they must be secured off the playing fields in a manner which will not permit tipping or create any hazardous condition that could cause injury to any person. The City of Palo Alto and District are not liable for accidents, injuries or loss of or damage to individuals or property. Should any goal left on site be found not secured and locked up properly, Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 28 Packet Pg. 74 of 896  10 9 1 9 3 the permittee will be subject to a fine of $250.00. A subsequent violation will result in revocation of the current field user’s permit. 15. The City of Palo Alto encourages partnerships and volunteerism to improve field quality and maintenance; however, in the absence of a written agreement, donations and/or contributions of time does not give any organization priority at any facility. Groups wishing to make alterations to facilities must submit these improvement requests in advance to the City. No groups will be allowed to make any alteration to any facility without first obtaining the City’s approval. XVIII. Field and court releases Field and court releases and refunds shall follow guidelines below. Weekday Slots: ￿ Field releases done before the start of the permit will receive a full refund. ￿ Field releases done after the start of the permit must be done by the 7th of each month and will receive a 50% refund All refunds done after the 7th will receive no refund Weekend Slots: Weekend slots can be released up to 3 weeks after the publication of the league game schedule for a full refund. Releases after 3 weeks of the publication of the league game schedule can be done by the 7th of each month for a 50% refund. All releases done after the 7th will receive no refund. Users who are found to not be using the field and court space and not releasing can be subject to losing field space for the following brokering period.  XIX.Wet Field Policy No refunds will be given for field closures due to rain. Field slots can be rescheduled. Athletic use of wet or saturated fields may cause extensive damage resulting in field closure and costly renovations. Groups shall abide by the Wet Field Policy and preserve the life and condition of the fields by not playing on them in wet conditions.The following policy applies to a period of rainfall, over-watered fields and/or irrigation breaks. The “rainout” condition hotline is 650-329-2697. All grass fields are deemed closed to use during rainfall. Play will be allowed during a light mist if the ground is hard and relatively dry at the time field use is considered. In the event of rainfall (any precipitation that is greater than a light drizzle on a dry field), the fields will be deemed closed after the cessation of precipitation. A failure to abide by this policy may result in the revocation of the permit and/or elimination for priority brokering for the following season. Individuals who violate this provision may also be Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 29 Packet Pg. 75 of 896  11 9 1 9 3 subject to a $100 fine in accordance with the Palo Alto Municipal Code. Please see Field and Tennis Court Use Guidelines for additional information XX. Field Preservation: The City will aim to maintain fields uniformly and at the highest possible quality. Your cooperation is needed to preserve the fields on City and District fields by following these guidelines: 1. Limit the use of cleats. Cleats longer than one-quarter inch (¼”) are prohibited for use on any synthetic turf playing fields. 2. Field use, especially sports practices, should be conducted in a manner that play will take place on different sections of the turf, thus reducing excessive turf wear and damage to any one area. 3. Rotate use of areas (i.e.: use middle of turf area for drills one day and sides of the field the following day), and when possible, stay off of the fringe or bare areas to limit erosion and further damage. 3. Replace turf divots at the end of each day to help re-root the grass. 4. Do NOT use the fields during or after heavy rain, or when wet or muddy, for at least 48 hours 5. Soccer practices shall NOT be held on the infield area of a softball or baseball diamond. 6. Softball, baseball, and T-ball practices shall be held only on designated ball fields in order to prevent injuries to other park users. 7. Remove all equipment at the conclusion of use each day. This includes soccer goals. No equipment shall be allowed to be left unattended on City or District property without the prior approval of the Fields Coordinator. 8. Do not overcrowd fields by scheduling multiple games in areas reserved. Allow a safe distance between fields for safe passage of spectators and participants. 9. Water soluble spray paint is the only approved method of applying lines to the fields. Burning of lines with chemicals or cutting lines into turf areas is not allowed. 10. Report hazards on City property to the Parks Division office at 650-496-6962. 11. Report emergencies (e.g., broken water lines, gushing sprinkler heads, etc.) promptly to Palo Alto Communications at 650-329-2413 who will summon the appropriate personnel. When you make the call, be prepared to fully identify yourself, your location, and the specific nature of the emergency. 12. Do not drive or park cars, motorcycles, or other motorized vehicles on turf areas. 13. Bicycles are prohibited on all synthetic turf fields. 14. No food or beverages, with the exception of water, will be permitted on any synthetic turf field. XXI. Good Neighbor Policy The purpose of this policy is to ensure that decisions regarding the use of City fields, parks and athletics complexes and District sites are used in the best interests of the neighborhoods, sports organizations, and citizens of Palo Alto. The City has established the following rules and regulations to govern the use of the City’s and the District’s facilities for the safe and pleasant enjoyment of participants and neighbors. Every person is expected to abide by these rules or be subject to forfeiture of the security deposit and/or loss of the privilege of future use of the facilities. 1 All litter and debris that may occur as a result of your event must be picked up and deposited into trash receptacles, where provided, or removed from the premises. 2 All groups are responsible for the condition in which they leave the facility. Any excessive Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 76 of 896  12 9 1 9 3 clean-up required by City or District crews following your use will be cause for forfeiture of all or part of your damage deposit. 3 No amplified music, use of musical instruments, radios, or Public Address System testing or use allowed before 9:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. and is allowed by permit only. In all parks, care shall be taken so that speakers are not directed at residences. 4 Complaints from surrounding neighborhood residents as to noise level, litter and debris, and disregard for use of parking regulations could result in cancellation of your reservation, forfeiture of security deposit, and denial of future facility use. 5 No person shall park a motor vehicle in such a place or manner as would block or obstruct any gate, entrance, or exit or resident driveway. Item 3 Attachment C clean- City of Palo Alto Field and Court Use Policy Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 31 Packet Pg. 77 of 896  PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Field and Court Use Policy Proposed Updates on Tennis Court Policy September 23rd, 2025 www.paloalto.gov Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 32 Packet Pg. 78 of 896  RECOMMENDATION Staff is asking the Parks and Recreation Commission recommend the City Manager approve proposed updates to the City’s Field and Court Use Policy, including: 1.Adding a resident requirement of 25% for USTA teams to reserve on City of Palo Alto Courts 2.Formalizing court access for Palo Alto based youth organizations during off -peak hours. Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 79 of 896  Policy Background •Policies governing court usage in Palo Alto are found in the Field and Court policy. •Policies guide the use of City -owned courts •Policies are used to ensure spaces meet the needs and interested of the community, and that permitted users are fully informed to city guidelines. Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 34 Packet Pg. 80 of 896  BACKGROUND •Staff noticed an increase in complaints regarding tennis courts •Residents notifying staff it was difficult to find open courts because of so many USTA teams. •Resident USTA captains who were finding it difficult to get court space. •4/8/25: Staff and the Ad Hoc Held a Community Meeting to hear concerns, gather feedback, and possible solutions •40 participants attended the meeting •8/26/25: Staff brought policy recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission. • 5 public comments supporting resident priority • General support from commissioners •Since the August 26th meeting, staff have worked with the ad hoc to produce policy changes Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 81 of 896  Tennis Courts In Palo Alto Court Locations Tennis Courts Lit Courts Notes Cubberley 6 0 Mitchell Park 4 4 Rinconada Park 9 6 Hoover Park 2 0 Peers Park 2 0 Terman Park 2 0 Weisshaar Park 2 0 Total -27 Total - 10 Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 82 of 896  USTA Match Play •Current policy- USTA teams can reserve up to 50% of courts in any one location for match play only. •Spring of 2025 - 93 USTA teams used Palo Alto Courts •USTA teams have no residency requirement 59 of the teams that booked in Palo Alto had less then 25% palo alto residents Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 37 Packet Pg. 83 of 896  USTA Teams and Residency Captain's # of Teams Captain For residents non-residents percentage of residents 1 1 7 0 100% 2 3 4 38 9.50% 3 5 14 50 21.80% 4 1 7 8 46.00% 5 2 1 21 4.50% 6 6 17 105 13.90% 7 2 1 37 2.60% 8 2 4 37 9.70% 9 1 0 13 0% 3 16 37 30.20% 10 3 8 66 10.80% 11 2 6 25 19.30% 12 2 2 37 5.00% 13 3 8 39 17.00% 14 5 25 72 25.70% 15 5 21 70 23.00% 16 2 0 41 0% 17 3 3 55 5.10% 18 2 12 21 36.00% Captain # of teams captain for Residents Non-residents Resident percentage 19 1 3 17 15.00% 20 1 1 17 5.50% 21 4 14 51 21.50% 22 4 7 64 9.80% 23 4 17 47 26.50% 24 3 12 37 24.50% 25 1 1 21 4.50% 26 2 2 45 4.20% 27 2 1 40 2.40% 28 5 14 97 12.60% 29 2 3 42 6.60% 30 1 1 17 5.50% 31 1 2 7 22.00% 32 1 0 21 0% 33 2 6 45 11.70% 34 2 3 17 15.00% 35 1 3 17 15.00% 36 3 8 66 10.80% 93 Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 38 Packet Pg. 84 of 896  Policy Recommendation – USTA match play •Require at least 25% Palo Alto Residents on USTA rosters to reserve courts •If multiple teams request the same time/location, priority will be given to the team with the higher percentage of Palo Alto Residents •Rosters must be submitted with the permit request and include proof of residency •Utility bill, ID, Tax forms, Etc •Rosters will be verified against USTA records prior to the first match •Teams with inaccurate rosters will lose booking privileges for the following season •Repeat violations will result in permanent ineligibility Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 85 of 896  Policy Recommendation – USTA match play •USTA rules dictate teams' book 5 home matches. To allow scheduling flexibility, teams may reserve up to seven dates, but must release two dates once schedule is finalized. •Each match may reserve up to two hours •Teams may reserve no more then 50% of courts at a given location (unchanged) These policy changes would still allow for USTA teams to book but insure residents use of courts Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 40 Packet Pg. 86 of 896  Policy Recommendation – Youth Groups Current Practice - Local youth organizations, including school teams and youth-serving childcare programs, regularly book courts during non-prime hours. This practice is not currently supported in the policy. Recommendation - Staff recommend formally allowing Palo Alto–based youth groups to reserve courts during nonpeak hours, while maintaining the 50% maximum at any location. This would formalize existing practice while ensuring availability during peak times Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 41 Packet Pg. 87 of 896  Policy Recommendation – Youth Groups Policy Changes •Eligible only for Palo Alto- based youth groups •Nonpeak hours defined as •Monday – Friday 10am -5pm •Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm •Excludes Holidays •Groups may reserve up to four days per week, for 2 hours per day •In periods of high demand, staff may reduce hours or days to maximize access •No more then 50% of courts and any one site (unchanged) Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 42 Packet Pg. 88 of 896  Next Steps •If supported by Parks and Recreation Commission •Staff will finalize policy updates and seek City Manager approval •Staff would aim for new policy to be effective January 1st, 2026 •Allowing current reservations to be completed •Staff will monitor implementation, track court availability and usage, gather feedback from the public and report back to the Commission with updates •A formal review will occur after one year Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 43 Packet Pg. 89 of 896  Presented by: Adam Howard, Senior Community Services Manager Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 44 Packet Pg. 90 of 896  Tennis Courts In Palo Alto Court Locations Tennis Courts Lit Courts Notes Gunn High School 7 0 Available after 4pm, weekends Palo Alto High Schol 7 7 Available after 4pm, weekends JLS Middle School 6 0 Available after 4pm, weekends Greene Middle School 4 0 Available after 4pm, weekends Total -24 7 Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 45 Packet Pg. 91 of 896  Local USTA rules City # of courts Policy Notes Redwood City 14 courts, 10 with lights Drop in Access Only One site with 4 courts. Menlo Park 13 courts, 10 with lights Reserve 50% at 1 location Largest site has 4 courts Mountain View 35 courts, 20 with lights USTA matches restricted to M-F 9am-2pm and Sat/Sun 4pm or 6pm 12 courts operated by Mountain View Tennis Sunnyvale (tennis center) 16 courts 2 hour max, resident 8 day advanced booking, NR 7 days Operated by Lifetime Activities Sunnyvale public courts 22 courts No reservations 11 parks with 2 courts Item 3 Item 3 Staff Presentation Item 3: Staff Report Pg. 46 Packet Pg. 92 of 896  Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report From: Community Services Department Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #: 2509-5208 TITLE Review and Provide Feedback on Draft Turf Study RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Commission review the Draft Turf Study and provide feedback to inform the preparation of the final document. BACKGROUND The City of Palo Alto’s Community Services Department manages natural and synthetic athletic fields citywide, including El Camino Park, Stanford-Palo Alto Playing Fields (Mayfield), and Cubberley Community Center. The synthetic field at El Camino is near the end of its lifespan and requires replacement. A Capital Improvement Project (PG-24000) to replace El Camino Park’s synthetic turf was included in the FY 2024 Adopted Capital Budget. However, at the Finance Committee’s May 21, 20241 recommendations, the City Council directed that additional study be conducted to make informed decisions on future field selection. A study on the environmental, health, safety, and cost impacts of synthetic vs. natural turf was incorporated into the FY 2025 Budget2. Additionally, the replacement of El Camino Park’s synthetic turf was placed on hold pending the study’s findings. Replacement of the Stanford-Palo Alto Community Playing Fields (PG-26000) was approved June 9, 20253, and is currently underway. This phased approach helps maintain 1 1 Finance Committee, May 21, 2024; Agenda Item #1; SR# 2402-2664, https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=543c404f-2b05-4cbb-b9df-75ffb768545d 2 City Council, June 17, 2024; Agenda Item #28; SR# 2406-3140, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=82926&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 3 City Council, June 9, 2025; Agenda Item #9; SR #2501-3998, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83440&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 4 Staff Report Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 93 of 896  Item 4 Staff Report Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 94 of 896  field availability while the study progresses. The goal is to provide the City Council with the necessary data needed to make informed decisions about future field installations and renovations. The report covers the following information: 7. The scope of work was adjusted to incorporate the County’s findings on environmental and health impacts. The community engagement and maintenance components were conducted by in-house staff. 8, however due to the late hour public comment was only heard, and this item was placed the following months agenda. ANALYSIS 7 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, January 28, 2025, Agenda Item #13, SR# 122722; https://sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=16789 8 Parks and Recreation Commission, August 26, 2025, Agenda Item #6, SR# 2508-5075 https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=17508 Item 4 Staff Report Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 95 of 896  The Draft Turf Study11 is linked here and provides a comprehensive evaluation of athletic field surface options in Palo Alto, including natural grass, synthetic turf, and hybrid systems. Key findings are summarized below to help inform the Parks and Recreation Commission’s discussion and feedback. Field Demand and Capacity Athletic fields in Palo Alto are heavily programmed year-round by youth leagues, adult sports, schools, and community recreation. Natural grass fields frequently exceed sustainable use thresholds, resulting in closures and deferred maintenance. By contrast, synthetic turf fields at El Camino Park and Mayfield support up to 3,000 hours of annual use and remain playable in wet conditions. Hybrid systems offer moderate performance improvements but still require rest cycles and higher capital and operational investment. Playability and Safety 11 Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced-size-for-posting- paloalto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pd Item 4 Staff Report Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 96 of 896  reduced products, organic infills, and recycling practices. Hybrid systems combine advantages and disadvantages of both natural and synthetic fields but are less studied. Utilize synthetic turf at high-demand, high-capacity fields such as El Camino Park. Retain natural grass in lower-use parks and locations where environmental benefits are prioritized. Explore hybrid systems cautiously, as they provide limited benefit in municipal settings relative to cost. Prioritize PFAS-free/reduced or recyclable turf products as industry standards emerge. Enhance natural grass maintenance programs, including agronomy expertise and performance testing. Use field demand data to guide capital reinvestment, with targeted renovations every 1–2 years at high-use sites. Continue community engagement to ensure equitable access. No single field type is universally optimal. A tiered approach, synthetic turf for high- demand sites and natural grass elsewhere, offers a balanced strategy consistent with Palo Alto’s sustainability, safety, and recreation goals. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT Item 4 Staff Report Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 97 of 896  REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON DRAFT TURF STUDY Parks and Recreation Commission September 23, 2025 www.paloalto.gov Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 98 of 896  BACKGROUND Community Services manages four synthetic fields at three locations •El Camino Park (1) •Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields (Mayfield) (2) •Cubberley (1) Turf replacement projects •El Camino – Design - 2024/Construction – FY26 (Construction Deferred) •Mayfield – Design/Construction (In construction; Estimate Completion: Dec 2025) •Cubberley – 2028 Council directed staff to pause El Camino Park Turf Replacement Project and redirected project funding for a turf study. 2 Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 99 of 896  3 TURF STUDY Study objectives •Evaluate turf for athletic fields •Focus on environmental and health considerations (Santa Clara County Public Health), cost, and usability •Case Study: El Camino Park Combination of staff and consultant expertise provides a balanced approach of local knowledge and comprehensive analysis. Overall, the study will provide support for data-driven decision- making for future athletic field replacements. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 100 of 896  TURF STUDY SCHEDULE Project Webpage: www.PaloAlto.gov/TurfStudy Estimated Project Schedule: June 2025: Project Launch July 2025: Focus Groups with Park and Recreation Commission Playing Field Ad Hoc, Field Users, and Sierra Club August 13, 2025: Draft Report Released August 13 – September 3, 2025: Community Engagement Comment Period on Draft Report August 26, 2025: Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting (Item was not discussed, too late in the evening) September 23, 2025: Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting October 28, 2025: Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting November 17, 2025: Report and Presentation to City Council = Parks and Recreation Commission = completed = current Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 101 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY PURPOSE OF STUDY •Assessment of five turf system types •Life cycle cost modeling over a 20-year horizon, playability and performance assessments, environmental and health impact analysis, community engagement, and benchmarking against peer agencies. •El Camino Park case study to ground recommendations in local context. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 102 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | PLAYABILITY AND CARRYING CAPACITY •The City’s fields are heavily programmed throughout the year for youth leagues, adult sports, school use, and community recreation. Natural Grass vs. Synthetic Turf. •Natural grass fields carrying capacity; maximum amount of use a field can sustain before its condition declines to a level deemed unacceptable for safe or quality play, while the synthetic turf fields remain within their carrying capacity. •Hybrid Systems are best suited for high performance, sand -based fields, currently absent in City’s current inventory. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 103 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | COST EFFICIENCY •Over a 20-year period, synthetic turf provides the lowest cost per hour of use at approximately $79 per hour when fields are fully programmed •Although natural grass systems are less expensive to construct, their limited playable hours and continuous maintenance result in higher per-use costs, ranging from $179 to $203 per hour. •Hybrid turf systems have the highest combined installation and maintenance costs among all field types. Overall synthetic turf fields are more expensive to own but offer a lower cost per hour due to their increased carrying capacity. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 104 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | ENVIRONMENTAL & HEALTH IMPACTS •Natural grass contributes to carbon sequestration, stormwater absorption, and biodiversity, but requires significant amount of water and regulated chemical inputs such as chemical and or non-chemical and/or non-chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. •Synthetic turf eliminates the need for irrigation and reduces pesticide and chemical use, but it introduces embodied carbon, microplastic release, and concerns related to PFAS (Per - and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances). •Hybrid systems offer both advantages and drawbacks of natural grass and synthetic turf. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 105 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | MICROPLASTICS & PFAS •Microplastics in synthetic turf originate from both the turf fibers and the rubber or plastic infills. These microplastics enter the environment in three primary ways: (1) by adhering to athletes and equipment, typically in the form of infill; (2) through maintenance activities such as grooming and sweeping, with collected material often disposed of as regular refuse; and (3) via environmental forces such as rain and wind. •Natural or organic (non -plastic) infills can measurably reduce microplastic migration into the environment. •PFAS thresholds are still being evaluated and cover a wide range of products. Currently there is not an industry standard for PFAS thresholds, thus “PFAS reduced” or “PFAS free” rely on testing scope, detection limits, and definitions provided by the certifying body or manufacturer. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 106 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | MAINTENANCE & OPERATIONS •Palo Alto’s Current Maintenance Program aligns with industry standards •Long-Term Durability, Safety, and Equity in Athletic Field Access require ongoing adjustments Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 107 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | COMMUNITY INPUT •Engagement included focus groups, meetings, and written comments. •Sports organizations tended to favor synthetic turf for its reliability and scheduling flexibility, especially during winter months. •Environmental stakeholders emphasized the importance of reducing plastic use and managing stormwater quality. •Residents expressed support for matching surface type to field usage intensity, reinforcing a tiered approach to field investments. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 108 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY KEY FINDINGS | EL CAMINO PARK CASE STUDY •The synthetic turf field, originally installed in 2015, has reached the end of its service life. •The field will need to be resurfaced with synthetic turf or converted to a natural grass field. •If the field is converted to natural grass, the City should strongly consider adding six to seven additional native soil natural grass fields to its inventory to accommodate the approximately 4,300 annual hours of displaced use. •If synthetic turf is selected, then they should strongly consider PFAS reduced products and natural or organic infills (non-plastic). Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 109 of 896  PALO ALTO TURF STUDY GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS •Use synthetic turf at high-use, high-capacity fields, while maintaining natural grass at lower -use parks. •Prioritize certified PFAS reduced products, natural or organic (non -plastic) infills, and products which can be recycled or transformed at end of life. •Risk Mitigation Measures (RMMs) into future projects. Maintain synthetic turf in accordance with best practices. •Increase performance of the natural grass fields; Engaging agronomy experts familiar with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices; and incorporating performance testing to support maintenance decisions and better ensure long -term field quality. •Use field demand data to prioritize capital reinvestment in locations. Consider renovations every 1 -2 years such as complete resodding, releveling, and irrigation audits for these high use fields. •Continue to solicit community feedback to guide field investments and ensure equity in access and distribution. Item 4 Item 4 Staff Presentation Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 110 of 896  From:Manny Diaz To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Jessica Flagg; Erica Rumpke; Pete Carrillo Subject:August 26th Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting on Draft Turf Study Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 3:38:57 PM Attachments:TenCate Letter to Palo Alto Parks Rec Commission-1.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commissioners, During this community engagement comment period on the draft turf study prepared by consultant Lloyd Sports + Engineering, on behalf of TenCate Grass (a global artificial turf industry leader) we would like to submit written comments via letter. Attached for your consideration is a letter from TenCate CEO Joe Fields highlighting advancements made by the artificial turf industry that address safety and sustainability. Also, we plan to attend your August 26th public meeting to provide additional comment on the efforts of the industry that address many of the concerns previously raised by community stakeholders. Thank you for conducting this turf study and the opportunity to comment. Best regards, Manny Diaz Consultant for TenCate Grass Manny Diaz & Associates Inc. c(408)204-1407 mannyjdiaz@yahoo.com This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 111 of 896  August 20, 2025 Parks and Recreation Commission Palo Alto City Hall 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, California 94301 RE: Draft Study on Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields Dear Parks and Recreation Commission members, Thank you for your consideration and the thoughtful approach you’re taking in evaluating the best surfaces for Palo Alto's municipal park system. We appreciated the opportunity speak with Lloyd Sports + Engineering as they prepare their study on synthetic and natural turf athletic fields. In response to the publication of the draft report, we wanted to follow up and reiterate the immense value of artificial turf and the recent technological advances that ensure the health and safety of the athletes and communities that use synthetic turf, which the study included. These are important factors that we hope the Commission will consider as the turf study process continues. TenCate’s Leadership and Commitment to Safety and Sustainability 1. Established Track Record TenCate Grass is the largest manufacturer, distributor, installer, and recycler of artificial turf in the United States—and a global industry leader. We recognize and respect the concerns surrounding artificial turf, and in response, we have devoted significant resources to developing more sustainable turf systems. Numerous independent studies and comprehensive research reviews have repeatedly demonstrated the safety of artificial turf. Our continued work reinforces these findings and ensures that our products meet or exceed health, safety, and environmental standards. 2. Advanced Turf Solutions & Research Our latest innovations exemplify our dedication to safer and more environmentally friendly turf systems. Below are some key updates: • PFAS-Free Since October 2023: We proactively eliminated the use of PFAS in our turf manufacturing processes to address public health concerns. • No Performance Infill Required: Our newest turf, Pivot®, requires no sand or black crumb rubber. By removing traditional infill, primary microplastics pollution is eliminated and the surface can be 30–50 degrees cooler than turf systems using rubber and/or conventional abrasive materials. Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 20 Packet Pg. 112 of 896  • Equivalent Injury Rates: Independent studies by the NFL and NCAA demonstrate no difference in injury rates when comparing artificial turf to premier-quality natural grass stadium fields. Indeed, research shows that turf can be significantly safer than regularly used grass fields, such as those used by high schools and community parks. • Recyclability: Turf systems can be recycled. TenCate has a turf recycling center in Louisiana where we have processed a number of fields from California—including a field recently removed from Stanford University. In 2019, TenCate also led the way by establishing recycling capabilities in the Netherlands where now over 95 % of turf fields are recycled. • Water Conservation: Artificial turf uses significantly less water than natural grass fields— an important factor in water-sensitive regions. • Chemicals: Unlike natural grass fields, artificial turf fields do not require the use of any pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides (many of which contain PFAS or are classified as PFAS) – all of which contaminate the soil in and around natural grass fields and can find their way into our water. • Increased Playability & Equity: Artificial turf dramatically increases playing availability compared to natural grass fields, enhancing community access. Conclusion We value the feedback from environmental and community groups and acknowledge the importance of ongoing engagement with all stakeholders. Thank you for the opportunity to share the facts about artificial turf and for the thoughtful approach the City of Palo Alto has taken thus far. TenCate remains committed to working with you, your staff, and all stakeholders to ensure that residents benefit from the proven advantages of artificial turf while safeguarding public health and the environment. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss these topics further, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to the opportunity for continued collaboration. Thank you for your consideration. Very sincerely, Joe Fields CEO Americas, TenCate Grass Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 21 Packet Pg. 113 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:P&R Comm mtg item 6 — Request Inclusion of Dr. Battam’s Methods in Turf Study Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 5:11:52 AM Attachments:2025 08 26 - Request Inclusion of Dr. Battam’s Methods in Palo Alto Turf Study.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Hi Parks & Rec Commissioners, The attached PDF has my feedback on the turf study draft report, the report you’ll be discussing as item 6 of tonight’s meeting. Please request that staff bring back to the next commission meeting a revised draft report that includes a comprehensive analysis of the science-based approach to grass field construction and management being used by soil scientist Dr. Mick Battam, quantifying how much those methods he uses could improve the playability of grass fields here in Palo Alto. I’d also be grateful if one of you could please acknowledge receipt of this message and the attached PDF to reassure me they did not get misfiled by the City’s spam filters again. Thank you, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 22 Packet Pg. 114 of 896  Subject: P&R Comm mtg item 6 — Request Inclusion of Dr. Battam’s Methods in Turf Study August 26, 2025 Hi Parks & Rec Commissioners, At this evening’s meeting, item 6 (https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=17508) is a discussion of the turf study draft report. (https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced-size-fo r-posting-palo-alto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pdf) I urge you to request that staff have the turf study consultant reach out directly to Dr. Mick Battam, an agronomist and soil scientist specializing in sports fields, to evaluate how many hours of use per year a grass field could support in Palo Alto if built and managed via the science-based methods he uses. Dr. Battam has a case study demonstrating that a grass field built and maintained with these methods can support far more hours of safe use than traditional methods allow. Please take just 4 minutes to watch the ABC news segment on it at https://tinyurl.com/abc-news-sydney-oval which shows how skeptical sports leagues were shocked and thrilled by the long-term durability and high playability of their renovated grass field. Initially, like many here, they were under the mistaken impression that only artificial turf could handle heavy use and rain. They were wrong. The problem with traditional grass fields isn’t grass—it’s the way those grass fields have been built and managed. For more information, see the details and citations I sent to staff last week summarizing Dr. Battam’s research and case study (https://tinyurl.com/2025-08-21-fan-to-palo-alto). Here are some facts and recent developments related to artificial turf and microplastics that together will underscore for you why it’s time to be open-minded about alternative grass field construction and maintenance methods: ● Artificial turf is plastic carpet. ● Researchers have specifically identified that artificial turf carpet fibers make up a significant source of microplastic pollution in river and sea surface waters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122094 ● Artificial turf fields create permanent obligations: 20-40 tons of plastic carpet must be disposed of approximately every 8-12 years for every (standard-sized) new or replacement artificial turf installation (https://tinyurl.com/40-tons-of-virgin-plastic). ● Because demand for repurposing these used carpets is relatively low, the carpets from most fields get landfilled or incinerated. Both disposal methods generate microplastic pollution. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37235990/; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666911025000097) Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 23 Packet Pg. 115 of 896  ● Although manufacturers have been reassuring buyers for many years that industry is on the cusp of scaling up artificial turf carpet recycling solutions, to date there is still no evidence that artificial turf carpet recycling actually takes place at scale anywhere in the U.S. It is theorized that, because recycling these carpets at scale is not an economically viable business model, manufacturers have only recycled a relatively small number of fields and they’ve done so purely so they can cite those fields while marketing to eco-conscious communities. Challenge the City’s consultant to find evidence to the contrary. (Some manufacturers claim they aim to scale up “advanced recycling.” However, according to California Public Resources Code §42355.51, our state does not even classify “advanced recycling” as recycling. That terminology refers to a polluting, incineration-like transformation process known as pyrolysis.) Scaling up artificial turf carpet recycling isn’t desirable anyway, because it turns out that plastic recycling is, according to new research, a major contributor of microplastic pollution. https://www.smart.unsw.edu.au/news-events/news/study-reveals-extent-microplastics-po llution-australia ● Microplastics are already found in drinking water, agricultural soils, the air, human blood, lungs, hearts, and placentas. Diseases are increasingly being linked. ● Globally, despite support from over 100 countries, legally binding caps for plastic production failed at UN negotiations this month, influenced in large part by Trump’s withdrawal and fossil fuel industry lobbying. (https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/15/climate/global-plastics-treaty-pollution-failure-un) Threatened by the transition to alternative energy sources, the fossil fuel industry is aggressively pushing plastics, a derivative product, to protect its profits (https://tinyurl.com/ff-industry-pushing-plastic). ● We can not afford to wait for global or federal action on plastics. We must take more action at the local level. Reducing our use of plastic bottles, bags, and straws is a great start, but we need to find additional ways to role model reducing society’s dependence on non-essential plastics. The City should strive to stop installing artificial turf carpets because of the significant, hazardous microplastic pollution generated during and after the carpet’s relatively short-lived period of service to the community. Since not many of us were aware of all this until relatively recently, artificial turf was an appealing option to avoid having to work on overcoming the problems of status quo grass fields. By status quo grass fields, I’m talking about your typical public grass field. It’s either in safe condition because field use is quite limited or it’s in unsafe condition and this is, inappropriately, blamed on an inadequate budget and/or overuse and/or inherent limitations of grass. However, now that scientists have raised alarm over the environmental consequences we risk with artificial turf fields, it’s time to examine additional grass field options. Therefore, one of the most critical priorities for this turf study is to explore whether grass fields can be done better than the status quo. Can grass fields be built and managed in a way that offers significantly more hours of use, suffers little interruption due to rain, and does this all without significantly greater lifecycle costs? As I introduced to you above, there is evidence this is indeed feasible. Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 24 Packet Pg. 116 of 896  This is why it’d be invaluable for the City to task its consultant with analyzing Dr. Battam’s work, communicating directly with him if possible (and I believe it is.) Even if the City’s turf study consultant is unable to find any of Palo Alto’s peer cities doing what Dr. Battam has done, that’s not enough reason to dismiss his compelling evidence and the potential for his science-based methods to yield similarly impressive results here. It’s worth a proper investigation into whether Palo Alto could increase the playability of its grass fields with his methods, potentially even four-fold and at about half the cost of artificial turf. Before Council approved the turf study, I had sent to them and the City Manager information about Dr. Battam’s work (https://tinyurl.com/2025-04-21-fan-to-palo-alto). Therefore when Council approved a “comprehensive” study of grass and artificial turf, surely the Council members assumed approaches like Dr. Battam’s would be covered in the report, under the grass section. At that time, all of us — meaning Council, you, the soccer clubs, the environmentalists — already knew that status quo grass fields aren’t going to support community usage needs. So opting to undertake this formal study anyway was an acknowledgment that Palo Alto prides itself on being a community of open-minded, critical thinkers. We were logically anticipating this study would dig deeper than status quo grass fields by investigating options we are less familiar with and can’t easily evaluate ourselves via a Google search or a ChatGPT query. Please request that staff bring back to the commission a revised draft report that includes a comprehensive analysis of Dr. Battam’s science-based approach, quantifying how much it could improve the playability of grass fields here in Palo Alto. This could ultimately better serve Palo Alto athletes, save the City millions of dollars, and model to other communities a way to help reduce unnecessary microplastic pollution. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration, Cynthia Fan Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 25 Packet Pg. 117 of 896  From:Robert Hall To:kane@paloalto.gov; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah Subject:Public comments: Synthetic turf and natural grass field study7 Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 4:00:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Just in case I didn’t submit my public comments on the synthetic and natural grass turf study, please accept these comments. Robert Hall Thank you for the opportunity to comment. As Palo Alto considers the future of its athletic fields, it is essential to align field material choices with the City’s sustainability goals, public health obligations, and the diverse ways our residents use and value shared spaces. While the wear and tear of natural grass is visible when it turns brown, artificial turf’s hidden wear is far more concerning. Beneath the permanent green surface, the plastic deteriorates, shedding microplastics and chemicals into our environment. These hidden costs are not captured in the “cost-per-hour” calculations, which also omit the intangible benefits of grass. Natural fields provide ecosystem services, passive recreation opportunities, and community amenity value: you can picnic on grass, bring your dog, host fireworks, or play informally— uses that artificial turf simply doesn’t allow. Independent research reveals troubling impacts of synthetic turf. Studies have identified microplastics, PFAS “forever chemicals,” and significant carbon emissions across every stage of an artificial field’s lifecycle. Turf fibers break down into microplastics, contributing to pollution already exceeding global averages in the San Francisco Bay, according to the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Turf also creates public health risks: peer-reviewed studies, including a review by the NFL Injury and Safety Panel, found a 67% higher rate of ACL injuries and more ankle sprains compared to grass. In addition, turf burns, heat stress, and bacterial contamination (including MRSA) are real dangers for children and athletes. Artificial turf also becomes unusable at the times of highest demand. On warm days, it can reach 150–180°F—50–70 degrees hotter than the air temperature—forcing closures or requiring water just to cool the surface. The claim of “more playable hours” is misleading; turf fields also need downtime for safety, repairs, and heat. Extreme use shortens their lifespan and accelerates microplastic shedding. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 26 Packet Pg. 118 of 896  By contrast, modern grass management shows that natural fields can meet high-intensity use. Sand-capped grass fields, like those used in professional sports and at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields, drain quickly and can host hundreds of events annually. Advances in irrigation, soil engineering, and grass varieties have proven that natural fields can match the play hours of turf—without the environmental and health costs. Moreover, grass provides multipurpose community benefits that extend beyond sports. Grass fields store carbon, cool neighborhoods, absorb stormwater, and provide habitat for pollinators and birds. Families use them for picnics, walking, and informal recreation. These community- wide values should count when evaluating “hours of use.” Finally, cost and equity must be considered. Artificial turf requires millions of dollars upfront and hundreds of thousands more every 8–10 years for disposal and replacement, often into landfills. For the same investment, Palo Alto could maintain more natural grass fields across neighborhoods, increasing access for more residents and spreading the benefits equitably. It is also worth noting that Lloyd Sports + Engineering, the consultant for this study, is not a scientific or health-focused organization and lacks the expertise to fully evaluate artificial turf’s impacts on environmental health, public safety, and climate resilience. Their scope should not be treated as the final word. Palo Alto has the chance to lead by example—choosing natural grass solutions that protect our environment, safeguard public health, and provide true community value. Grass, managed with modern practices, can meet the City’s play needs while avoiding the many hidden costs of plastic turf. Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 27 Packet Pg. 119 of 896  From:Dashiell Leeds To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah; James Eggers; Mike Ferreira; Gita Dev; suewalt@comcast.net; Sue Chow Subject:Request to redo the "Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields" study with transparent and accurate analysis Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 5:41:43 PM Attachments:SCLP Response Re_ Palo Alto Draft Comparative Turf Study.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Nellis Freeman, The Sierra Club Loma Prieta expresses its concern about the Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields commissioned by the City. While the report may be copious and well-written, in a grammatical sense, it falls short as a serious analytical study needed for the staff and council to make an informed decision. It presents information selectively, relies on questionable and outdated data, particularly in relation to natural grass care, and often lacks transparency in sourcing. A meaningful and conclusive decision on this matter cannot be made until the report is properly revised and corrected. Please read the attached letter for our full comments. Sincerely, Susan Hinton Chair, Plastic Pollution Prevention Team Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Sue Chow Co-Chair, Peninsula Regional Group Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Gita Dev Chair, Conservation Committee Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Email sent from account of Dashiell Leeds Conservation Coordinator This message needs your attention This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 28 Packet Pg. 120 of 896  Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 29 Packet Pg. 121 of 896  SAN MATEO, SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES September 2, 2025 Palo Alto Community Services Department and Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission 250 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto, CA 94031 Email to: kristen.o'kane@paloalto.gov, ParkRec.commission@paloalto.gov, CC: Sarah.Robustelli@paloalto.gov Subject: Request to Redo the “Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields” study with Transparent and Accurate Analysis Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Nellis Freeman, The Sierra Club Loma Prieta expresses its concern about the Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields commissioned by the City. While the report may be copious and well-written, in a grammatical sense, it falls short as a serious analytical study needed for the staff and council to make an informed decision. It presents information selectively, relies on questionable and outdated data, particularly in relation to natural grass care, and often lacks transparency in sourcing. A meaningful and conclusive decision on this matter cannot be made until the report is properly revised and corrected. 1. Lack of Source Transparency The report frequently provides numerical estimates without adequate citations or calculations. For instance, the claimed annual maintenance cost for natural grass ($42,000 to $65,000, noted on pages 98 and 153), a critical piece of information, is not linked to any specific sources or breakdowns and is therefore questionable. The references for Chapter 7 are a list of broad websites, making it impossible to trace the origins of specific figures [1]. For Chapter 10, references are merged with Chapter 9, which only adds to the general confusion. Several URLs in the reference list (pages 164 – 171) are either broken (page 165, https://www.epa.gov/smm/greenscapes, and page 170, sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 1 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 122 of 896  https://www.unep.org/resources/pollution-solution) or incorrectly formatted (page 168, http://www.synturf.org/images/Cost_Artifi). Even some that appear valid do not link to relevant content (page 170, after translating to English, there is no microplastic reference, https://www.miljodirektoratet.no. This indicates either carelessness in submitting a report which is not expected to be used and for which Palo Alto residents have paid good money, or a lack of diligence in verifying sources to confirm whether statements in the report are actually supported by evidence. 2. Misinterpretation of Field Usage Hours A major problem with the report lies in the misleading field usage hours for the Mayfield site and, separately, the miscalculated usage hours for the El Camino Park synthetic turf field. The report states that the Stanford/Palo Alto Mayfield site (two fields in Mayfield Park totaling 5.9 acres) accommodate "3,000+ hours annually" (page 139) and, separately, synthetic fields in El Camino Park can accommodate “up to 3,000 hours” per year (page 158). But these figures are misleading: the 3,000 hours at the Mayfield site refers to two fields, meaning each field supports about 1,500 hours. Google Maps view of the El Camino Park Turf field. With El Camino Park, the report treats the North, South, and Large Fields as entirely separate, summing hours as if they’re independent when in fact they overlap. For example, if one group reserves the North Field and another reserves the South Field during the same 4-hour block, that block should count as 4 total hours, not 8, since both groups share the same overall space. sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 2 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 31 Packet Pg. 123 of 896  Spreadsheet averaging El Camino Park income and hours-of-use over 4.625 years. Using data obtained via Public Records Request for 2021 through mid-August 2025 (4.625 years) for El Camino Park, and calculating properly: Average annual synthetic field usage = (Large Field hours + ((North + South hours) ÷ 2)) ÷ 4.625) = ~2,051 hours/year This is significantly less than the report’s implied 3,000 hours and highlights the need for careful review and accurate methodology. 3. Synthetic Turf vs. Grass Usage During Rainy Seasons On page 28, the report claims that “rainy seasons often delay league use of natural grass fields.” However, data from El Camino Park shows that synthetic turf field usage also dips during the rainiest months (December–February), suggesting that leagues often apparently choose not to play in heavy rain regardless of field surface. Graph averaging El Camino Park hours-of-use by month over 4.625 years. sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 3 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 32 Packet Pg. 124 of 896  A comparative chart of typical annual synthetic turf field and adjacent natural grass softball field usage between 2021 and 2025 shows that both fields experience similar seasonal usage trends. This undermines the argument that players demand year-round play on synthetic turf. 4. Underreported Grass Field Capacity The report claims (pages 53, 63, 79, and especially the chart on page 81) that natural grass fields can only support 600 – 1,200 hours of play per year. However, real-world examples show otherwise. In Gilbert, Arizona, having a harsher climate than Palo Alto, four sand-based fields at Desert Sky Park each host more than 2,000 hours of annual use, with some exceeding 2,400 hours. [2] These fields are irrigated with reclaimed water and managed with a hybrid organic/traditional approach. Gilbert officials, including Parks Superintendent Sean Carlin, are open to sharing their management practices. Unfortunately, Palo Alto’s consultant appears not to have contacted them, which is another missed opportunity. Other cities in the U.S. and Australia have successfully implemented organic-only natural grass care programs, yet the report does not include or evaluate these models, despite their relevance to sustainability and long-term cost savings. [3][4][5] 5. Cost Comparison: Synthetic Turf vs. Grass It is vitally important to also examine the cost, using actual field revenue and maintenance cost estimates given in the report. a. El Camino Synthetic Turf Field Revenue (2021–2025, 4.625 years): ● Total revenue = ~$446,254 ● Average annual revenue = ~$96,487 Over 10 years, projected revenue is $964,870. b. Maintenance costs: Synthetic turf requires a new carpet layer around year 10, estimated at $842,000 (page 29). This leaves only $122,870 in net gain. If we instead assume the highest natural grass maintenance cost from the report—$65,000/year—the 10-year cost would be $650,000, leaving a net gain of $314,870. sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 4 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 125 of 896  Therefore, grass wins on maintenance costs over time. Even if leagues paid a discounted rate of 70% to use a grass field (i.e., $67,541/year), the 10-year revenue would be $675,410, still yielding a net surplus of $25,410, even at the report’s highest estimated maintenance cost. Therefore, the information in the report clearly shows that grass is less expensive. Please also note that using more sustainable, organic methods that grass fields allow may reduce maintenance costs even further. [3][4][5][6] Conclusion There is much in this report that calls for re-evaluation. From flawed calculations and broken references to unsupported assumptions and missed opportunities to consult real-world examples, the draft does not meet the standard of analysis required for a multi-million-dollar policy decision. While the prose is polished, good writing cannot compensate for poor analysis. We owe it to the public to base decisions on accurate, well-sourced, and clearly explained data. We respectfully urge the City to reject this draft and commission a new, truly comparative and transparent study. Sincerely, Susan Hinton Chair, Plastic Pollution Prevention Team Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Sue Chow Co-Chair, Peninsula Regional Group Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Gita Dev Chair, Conservation Committee Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter References: [1] All references for Chapter 7 on page 164 - specific web pages or quotes are not provided in the Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields: https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/ https://www.fifa.com/ https://www.nflpa.com/ https://www.astm.org/ sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 5 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 34 Packet Pg. 126 of 896  https://www.epa.gov/ https://www.cast-science.org/ [2] https://www.sierraclub.org/loma-prieta/palo-alto-turf-study [3] https://www.gba.org/organically-managed-grass-athletic-fields/ [4] https://youtu.be/4gDs9Z4kQME?feature=shared [5] https://www.turi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Factsheet.BuildinganOrganicMaintenanceP rogramforAthleticFields.April2021.pdf [6] https://www.turi.org/natural-grass-playing-field-case-study-springfield-ma/ sierraclub.org/loma-prieta ~ 3921 East Bayshore Road, Suite 204, Palo Alto, CA 94303 6 of 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 127 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Subject:Synthetic Turf and Natural Grass Turf study - Draft Report - Please incorporate lead standards Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 1:09:59 PM Attachments:TigerTurf-Championship-Plus-1.625-in-56-oz-Spec-Sheet.pdf Pivot specs.pdf Brown lead n1782_astroturf_cj,_final-signed (1).pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and RecreationCommission Chair Nellis Freeman, With regard to the Turf Study Draft Report, please include lead in this draft report and set a standard that either requires artificial turf products have ZERO lead in them or that they at least have <50ppm (less than 50 Parts Per Million). The only reference to lead that I can find in this entire draft report is in the appendix in a County of Santa Clara, Office of The County Executive communication to the Board of Supervisors. See pages: - 663 (& 739 where the same document is repeated) where there is reference to the fact there is no safe level of blood lead. - 701 (& 777 again in repeated document) where lead was found in tire crumb infill above CA DTSC levels and EPA regulatory limits. This is disturbing because lead has been a huge issue for artificial turf in the past and it should not be left to fall completely off the radar. (Lead issues do not only apply to the tired crumb rubber infill so removing this as an infill option doesn't necessarily remove the lead risk.) Lead was found in artificial turf at dangerously high levels and as a result a standard for artificial turf was set in 2009 by then Governor Brown limiting lead in artificial grass carpet to <50ppm from 2010 (with an exception ONLY for field lines of <100ppm). However, some companies apply <100pm to their entire product and at times even equate this to "lead free". As a concerned parent and consumer, I would expect "lead free" to mean ZERO lead. Anything other than that should be transparently defined to allow informed consumer choice. Likewise, anyone using the final version of this draft report should be able to make a fully informed This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 128 of 896  judgement and decision. Some products are confusing when it comes to lead content. For example, TenCate, who have been promoting their latest product, Pivot, have lab reports simply stating that Pivot has <100ppm lead content. This doesn't meet the <50ppm standard set by Governor Brown. In the event that the Pivot product actually has less than 50ppm, Tencate were asked months ago to define exactly how many ppm of lead the Pivot product has but no answer was received. Likewise, Tiger Turf is marketed as lead free and yet lab reports simply state <100ppm lead content. Always Green Company even inaccurately states the standard to be <100ppm with a certificate stating Tiger Turf to be "Lead Free" but the certificate itself defines this as no "detectable" traces of lead. Does this just mean no lead detected over 100ppm since lab reports simply state the lead level to be <100ppm? This alone would not meet the <50ppm standard. We all know that lead is a huge problem when it comes to children's health and the CDC has stated "NO safe blood lead level in children has been identified and the effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected." Given how much artificial turf can disintegrate over time, any lead content in artificial turf is concerning. Hence, the safest level is really zero. Since the report is about being proactive and not reactive please don't allow scenarios like that in New Jersey in 2012 reoccur. Back then extremely unsafe levels of lead had been found in plastic grass fields. At that time only 5 of 50 schools allowed their fields to even be tested for lead. So 45 refused? Basically, it seemed school funds took priority over children’s health. We can’t have this happening again with any toxin be that lead, PFAS or any other chemical for that matter. When looking at El Camino Park, have funds already dictated decisions? I was at this park on a cloudless May morning at 11am and the temperature was only F65 and yet the artificial turf field was already F129.5. Even on this cool morning the smell of the field was nauseating. I could not imagine what it was like for kids/youths playing on that field in those temperatures let alone warmer temperatures. I appreciate the original infill was a disaster and that it was "fixed" but there was still a lot of the original infill in the field even all after those years, so was it really "fixed" sufficiently? Or did funds dictate how well the issue could be addressed? So, in line with making the draft report as robust as possible to avoid issues for users, the environment or public funds, please also incorporate some basic lead information and standards into this report for all artificial turf components (preferably ZERO, but at minimum <50ppm) especially since the primary users, kids and youths, are also the most vulnerable to the effects of any toxins. Kind regards, Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 37 Packet Pg. 129 of 896  Leanne McAuliffe Santa Clara Resident (Though I am not a Palo Alto resident I know my own town, Los Gatos, has eagle eyes on this report so it is incredibly important to me that your report more robustly protects our kids and youths.) SIDE NOTE: the attached TenCate document markets the Pivot product as no infill, no microplastics, no PFAS, but: "no infill"? (they also state later that a cooling infill is available to help deal with heat issues - Santa Clara County has a hot climate), "no microplastics"? (if you visit John Mise Park you'll see a whole lot of microplastics from the Pivot field there), and "no PFAS"? (on TenCate's website it says artificial turf has less than 100ppm PFAS which does not equal "no" PFAS) Just like other industry claims like "lead free" these statements cannot always be taken at face value. https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/brown-creates-nations-first-enforceable-lead- standards-artificial-turf https://alwaysgreensyntheticgrass.com/artificial-grass-safe-families-pets/ https://peer.org/lead-limits-needed-on-tire-crumb-playgrounds/ Brown Creates Nation's FirstEnforceable Lead Standards forArtificial Turf - State of California- Department of Justice - Officeof the Attorney General children’s playgrounds and ball fields, AttorneyGeneral Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed offon an agreement requiring Georgia-basedAstroTurf, LLC to virtually eliminate lead from its oag.ca.gov Lead Limits Needed on TireCrumb Playgrounds - peer.org Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 38 Packet Pg. 130 of 896  CPSC Ruling on Artificial Play-Areas as Children’sProducts Sought Washington, DC — TheConsumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)should prevent children from being exposed to peer.org Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 131 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah Subject:Turf Study Draft Report - Page 176 please expand or redefine. Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 1:45:40 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Nellis Freeman, In the Glossary on page 176 the following is stated: "PFAS Free: Means the product contains no intentionally added PFAS." This is an artificial turf industry definition of PFAS Free which has been used even if and when PFAS are intentionally added to the manufacturing process of blades. This is also just one of the ways artificial turf products are claimed to be "PFAS free". Listing only this definition is a disservice to anybody referring to this document as a means to make an informed decision. If this glossary definition is to be more accurate, transparent and informative the following should also be added as some ways that an artificial turf product might be claimed to be "PFAS Free": Testing for a much lesser number of PFAS than testing is available for Testing at concentrations that won’t detect PFAS (parts per million or billion rather than parts per trillion) Allowing under 100 parts per million PFAS content (which equates to allowing under 100,000,000 parts per trillion) Not testing for Total Organic Fluorine (a test which indicates if any of the around 15,000 PFAS are present without being able to identify which specific PFAS they are). Not doing the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (a technique which assesses what compounds will release from a solid compound over time as the product degrades with exposure to the elements, UV light, aging, abrasion etc.) Using CA Proposition 65 compliance (this presently only accounts for 3 PFAS) Stating PVDF HFP, the PFAS used in some manufacturing, is not a PFAS according This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 40 Packet Pg. 132 of 896  to the EPA (it is according to the California EPA) Not testing for PVDF HFP (some suppliers simply do not test for substances they claim are not “intentionally” added) Not testing for any PFAS at all (again, some suppliers do not test for substances they claim are not “intentionally” added) Also, if the artificial turf industry's definition is clearly defined in the glossary then would it not also be valid (expected) to include consumers understanding/definition of "PFAS Free". After all, it is the consumers (which includes our kids) that this draft report is ultimately supposed to be protecting and not artificial turf products. Accordingly, would it not be reasonable to state that a consumer, when buying a product that is stated to be "free" of something would expect that to mean there is ZERO of that something? ie. PFAS Free: means Zero PFAS. Or, for simplicity, since artificial turf products are not regulated, it would be much more accurate for the glossary to simply state that: "PFAS Free: does not necessarily mean Zero PFAS are in the artificial turf product". This is more accurate, transparent and informative. Kind regards, Leanne McAuliffe Concerned consumer/parent of neighbouring Los Gatos (This issue is important to me because our Town is watching the report so it needs to be as accurate, transparent and informative as possible for the public and decision makers.) Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 41 Packet Pg. 133 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Subject:Turf Study Draft Report - Public comment re. Hours of use. Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 4:26:41 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Below is a comment I sent through the online form last night. Last night it said the submission was successful and yet this morning I got a message "Could not connect to the reCAPTCHA service." so I'm not sure if the message sent or not. Sending now by direct mail in the event that it wasn't received last night. Turf Study Draft Report - Hours of use? We all want sports fields to provide as many hours as possible. Indeed this is arguably the main sales point for artificial turf as supporters claim it can provide many more hours than natural turf. But, how many hours exactly? And who has provided the figures in this report? The answers to these questions are far from clear to me as there are so many different figures. How is anyone meant to make sense of the many, many different hours of use for natural turf and plastic turf that are in strewn throughout this draft report? How could an accurate executive summary be drawn from them? The executive summary (page 12) states plastic turf can provide 3 to 4 times the playing time of real turf fields. This is a common artificial turf industry statement but on what does the executive summary base this statement? Were any successful modern day grass sports field specialists consulted for these figures? On page 24 it states that plastic turf fields can be played on 7 days a week, 365 days a year. How does this align with warranties that can state normal use (a condition of coverage) to be 3,000 hours a year? (Furthermore, high use areas generally have a much reduced warranty period.) Because hours of use is often the main point of contention when it comes to sports fields This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 42 Packet Pg. 134 of 896  (even tipping decisions) please ensure that the hours of use documented are accurate and provide specific sources for such information. Those sources should include successful experts in managing modern day natural turf sports fields as well as experts in organically managed natural turf sports fields. This is important because on every other level many agree natural turf wins so if you are going to tip the scale just on hours, they need to be accurate. The bigger question is, even if you could get a few more hours out of plastic, are all the trade offs worth it? Kind regards, Leanne McAuliffe Concerned Parent Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 43 Packet Pg. 135 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:At 9/23 PRC meeting, discuss value of public feedback on a revised turf study report Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 5:54:54 PM Attachments:2025 09 03 - feedback on palo alto turf study draft report.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Hi Parks and Recreation Commissioners, The turf study report draft runs 178 pages with a 600-page appendix—more than you may have had bandwidth to analyze in detail. To help, I’ve attached a list of 55 recommended revisions that distill key concerns. For your 9/23/25 meeting, I encourage you to: 1. Select and raise revisions that resonate with you in your discussion with staff. 2. Ask the study authors to provide, in a report appendix, a point-by-point response to the public comments the City solicited. The authors’ responses should address each concern directly and, where appropriate, cite substantiated evidence. Point-by-point responses give you and Council a clear record showing that public concerns were heard and addressed, reducing the risk of last-minute challenges and making it easier for you to stand behind the report’s conclusions. An effective model is the structured response format used in CEQA Environmental Impact Reports. 3. Request that a revised report be circulated for public review. This is especially warranted given that the next version should be expected to include critical missing details on field usage and lifecycle costs—data that can significantly influence the study’s main conclusions. Working with the public through any new concerns before advancing the revised report to Council will make the process more efficient and reduce the risk of Council questioning or challenging the report under public pressure. These steps will strengthen the credibility and usefulness of the final report. Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 44 Packet Pg. 136 of 896  Thank you for the consideration, Cynthia Fan Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 45 Packet Pg. 137 of 896  Recommended Revisions to Palo Alto’s 8/13/25 Turf Study Report Draft Table of Contents: 1: Consult Dr. Battam — soil scientist with proven expertise in high-use native soil fields. 2: Correct the math errors that considerably mischaracterize El Camino’s field usage demand. 3: El Camino’s artificial turf could be replaced with natural grass without reducing current programming. 4: Circulate revised report for public feedback after updating usage hours and lifecycle costs since these underpin report’s main conclusion. 5: Document for the record that installing artificial turf when grass is feasible violates state’s waste management law. 6: Caution City that infill-free systems can triple the environmental hazards. 7: Recommend City develop policies for preventing and responding to heat illness. 8: Provide substantiated evidence supporting the hours used to calculate “cost per hour”. 9: Provide the usage hours and lifecycle costs for fields built and managed with best practices and do the same with the City’s practices. 10: Break down lifecycle costs and cite sources. 11: Provide substantiated evidence to support your claim of new recycling facilities. 12: Add plastic turf’s greenhouse gas emissions to environmental hazards. 13: Quantify reductions in emissions with modern grass maintenance technology 14: Don’t give synthetic turf industry credit for reducing PFAS, or working on it, without evidence they deserve it. 15: In Executive Summary, report “Cost to Own” a grass field or a synthetic field, 16: Don’t underfund grass maintenance. It makes grass look and perform bad. 17: Be honest — The carrying capacities of the City’s synthetic turfs have been exceeded for years. 18: Disclose that overused artificial turf increases concussion risk. 19: Encourage City to disclose to users when synthetic field surface testing reveals danger (i.e. >165 GMAX). 20: Recommend City start following best practices for testing artificial turf surface hardness 21: Recommend that City close fields when surface hardness exceeds 165 GMAX. 22: Neither synthetic nor natural fields support unlimited use. Specify limits for both. 23: Substantiate claim that a synthetic field has “3–4×” the carrying-capacity of grass. 24: Complete your task to assess equity by reporting on environmental health equity. 25: In Executive Summary, emphasize micro- and nano-plastic pollution is a major concern even for artificial fields without plastic infill. 26: Increase the fiber loss estimate by a factor of 6. 27: Recommend maintenance practices, field design, and stormwater capture devices to reduce the amount of plastic pollution. 28: Add in-text numbered references to source material. 29: Account for microplastic pollution from artificial turf carpet backing also. 30: City Council asked you to study organically-managed fields. Start here. 31: Explain or correct inconsistencies in Executive Summary. 32: Unbury the lead: Report’s data supports conclusion that El Camino’s synthetic turf is unnecessary. 33: Show math that 1 synthetic field should be replaced with 8 grass fields instead of 2 grass fields. 34: Describe the recommended “staff training.” 35: Recommend City transition 2 grass fields to organic management. 36: Add field sizes and date of last renovation to field descriptions. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 1 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 46 Packet Pg. 138 of 896  37: Add Cubberley field description so all 3 of the City’s artificial turf sites are detailed. 38: Explain how 4 of the City’s grass fields support over 2,000 hours of use per year when you say grass can only support 400-600 hours. 39: Educate readers that eliminating water from urban landscapes is detrimental. 40: Where’s the part of the report that covers artificial turf in playground settings? 41: Disclose conflicts of interest. 43. Disclose in Executive Summary that best practices for field maintenance aren’t followed by City. 44: Don’t assert that hours of use data from native soil grass fields that could have handled more use with best practices represents the hours of use grass can support. 45: Advise how the City should choose between PFAS-reduced products. 46: Don’t recommend City buy any more artificial turf systems without first confirming products exist that meet City’s expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability. 47: Define thresholds of City’s health and environmental criteria. 48: Don’t promote unnecessary plastics. It’s inconsistent with report’s conclusion. 49: Review relevant research published in the time since the county drafted its report. 50: Advise City not to recycle PFAS-laced artificial turf into new products. They’ll be contaminated with PFAS. 51: Itemize Appendix D’s 600 pages of unindexed resources. 52: Disclose how long Field Turf has been withholding test data from the City. 53: Correct typos. 54: Clarify references. 55: Fix broken and missing links. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 2 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 47 Packet Pg. 139 of 896  1: Consult Dr. Battam — soil scientist with proven expertise in high-use native soil fields. This report could be far more useful if the authors would arrange a phone call with Dr. Mick Battam and conduct an in-depth interview with him to evaluate the extent to which the methods he uses for field construction and management could dramatically increase the carrying capacity of a native soil grass athletic field in Palo Alto. I outlined the reasoning in my earlier comments: https://tinyurl.com/2025-08-21-fan-to-palo-alto To further pique your interest, check out this study he produced on “usage, wear and carrying capacity of sporting fields”, evaluating over 1,000 fields: https://tinyurl.com/2022-05-battam. On page 23, he summarizes characteristics of 12 grass fields that handle 40 to 60+ hours of use per week of use, handling high or extreme levels of wear yet maintaining acceptable turf cover and requiring minimal or no turf patching. On page 10, your report lists the consultant team responsible for the City’s turf study. While these firms and City staff are represented by well qualified, experienced professionals with highly relevant expertise in the topics of soil science, surface safety and field durability, their knowledge and first-hand experience likely does not completely overlap with Dr. Battam’s. Dr. Battam has studied the carrying capacity of hundreds of fields, informing the approach he advises for field construction and management. View his approach, not as a competing ideology to that of your team members and City Staff, but rather as a set of complementary data-backed best practices for enhancing field carrying capacity. He has demonstrated measurable outcomes — reduced compaction, faster recovery after rain, and healthier turf under heavy use — via his input and supervision of the field construction and management of the Middle Head Oval field, the case study I previously shared with you. If the City’s consultant team is confident that their knowledge and first-hand experience encompass and exceed Dr. Battam’s, then the report should identify which individual on your team has been directly responsible for a municipal native soil grass athletic field with a carrying capacity greater than Middle Head Oval. In that case, please also include a case study of that field to demonstrate how your team has successfully applied the science at that level — because knowing how to do it is not the same as proving it can be done. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 3 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 48 Packet Pg. 140 of 896  2: Correct the math errors that considerably mischaracterize El Camino’s field usage demand. The report’s El Camino Park artificial turf field hourly usage data adds up to less than half of the field usage total asserted in the report. In the report, please explain why. Please provide in the next revision of the report the evidence supporting the report’s claim (found on pages 13 and 84) that El Camino Park’s artificial turf field is used 4,300 hours per year. The field programming data included in the report itself indicates that in Calendar Year 2024, this field was used for far fewer than 4,300 hours. In fact the actual total represents fewer than 2,000 full-field equivalent hours (FFH)—sometimes referred to as “wear hours.” If actual FFH are under 2,000 per year—less than half the 4,300 hours stated in the report—the report’s Executive Summary substantially exaggerates the impact of replacing El Camino’s turf with natural grass. Let’s break it down… The Executive Summary (pages 13–14) states: “If [El Camino] field is converted to natural grass, the City should strongly consider adding six to seven additional native soil natural grass fields to its inventory to accommodate the approximately 4,300 annual hours of displaced use.” On the basis of this statement, the report recommends that the City “use synthetic turf at high-use, high-capacity fields such as El Camino Park to support current programming.” However, the field booking data you provided for El Camino’s artificial turf doesn’t add up to the figure you cite. When the itemized reservation data for El Camino Park’s artificial turf field in Calendar Year 2024 (found on pages 286–313 of the report) is tallied, it adds up to: • 1,111.5 hours of reservations for “Turf” (the full field), • 790 hours of reservations for “Turf North” (the field’s north half), and • 851.75 hours of reservations for “Turf South” (the field’s south half). Summing these three figures totals 2,753.25 hours of programmed use per year, which is already well below the report’s 4,300 cited. Making the discrepancy even larger, the total is actually significantly further below the 4,300 once the methodological error in summing the reservations is corrected. The methodological error is that sum treats each half-field reservation (i.e. each “Turf North” and “Turf South” reservation) as if it were a full-field reservation. In professional practice, field use is measured in Full-Field Equivalent Hours (FFH), which adjusts for the fraction of the field actually reserved. For example, the Wellington Region Sports Field Strategy (2013 https://tinyurl.com/full-field-equivalent-hours) states: “2 hours demand on a junior field that is the size of a half-full field is expressed as 1 hour demand on a full-size equivalent field.” By this accepted method, the 2024 programmed use of El Camino’s artificial turf field is 1,932.375 FFH (i.e. 1,111.5 + (790 + 851.75)/2). Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 4 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 49 Packet Pg. 141 of 896  In other words, El Camino Park’s artificial turf field is used fewer than 2,000 FFH per year—not 4,300. This discrepancy reflects not only a misstatement of fact in the report, but also a methodological flaw in the report’s analysis, and it warrants significant revisions to the report’s Executive Summary and recommendations. Even if the carrying capacity of a natural grass field were only 500 FFH, the report’s conclusion that 6–7 natural grass fields would be required to replace a single artificial turf field that is, in actuality, being used less than 2,000 FFH per year is a dramatic exaggeration. Since adequate usage hours are really the only valid reason for the City to even consider tolerating the environmental sacrifices that come with artificial turf, it’s critical that the report assess the field’s true usage hour needs and the potential to offer significantly more hours (potentially 2000+) on native soil grass fields (by building and managing the field via the modern methods I suggested the City explore in the comments I submitted earlier https://tinyurl.com/2025-08-21-fan-to-palo-alto). Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 5 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 50 Packet Pg. 142 of 896  3: El Camino’s artificial turf could be replaced with natural grass without reducing current programming. In my 8/21/25 feedback (https://tinyurl.com/2025-08-21-fan-to-palo-alto), I shared information supporting the potential for a grass field to sustain 2,000+ hours per year with Dr. Mick Battam’s methods for natural grass field construction and field management. In the comment preceding this, I explained why the data in your report supports the conclusion that El Camino Park’s artificial turf is used fewer than 2,000 hours per year. That means El Camino’s artificial turf could be replaced with natural grass without reducing current programming. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 6 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 51 Packet Pg. 143 of 896  4: Circulate revised report for public feedback after updating usage hours and lifecycle costs since these underpin report’s main conclusion. Because the data and details regarding field usage and lifecycle costs are deeply consequential to the turf study’s main conclusion, report revisions related to this information warrant additional public scrutiny. I urge the City to share for public comment a revised report draft for additional public comment before releasing a final report, because it’d be more productive to sort out these details well in advance of a City Council presentation. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 7 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 52 Packet Pg. 144 of 896  5: Document for the record that installing artificial turf when grass is feasible violates state’s waste management law. Sarah Robustelli found reason to dismiss this concern when I shared it earlier but indicated the City would be open to reviewing new information if I had any. So I have done some more research and strengthened my argument below. The City should now revisit this. If the City disagrees with my conclusions, I respectfully request a fresh explanation. The turf study report should inform the reader that it is illegal for the City to install an artificial turf field when grass is feasible because artificial turf, being a disposable product, generates waste. It’s a violation of California’s waste management law to generate waste when it’s feasible to avoid doing so. Here are the supporting facts: ● In order for the City to comply with California’s solid waste management statute, Public Resources Code (PRC) §40051 (https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?division=30.&chapter=1.&part=1 .&lawCode=PRC&article=2.), the City must, when feasible, opt for source reduction over recycling, composting, transformation, and landfilling. ○ Specifically the code mandates, in §40051(b), that the City “shall… maximize the use of all feasible source reduction… options” and mandates, in §40051 (a), that the City “shall… promote… source reduction”, prioritizing it over recycling, composting, pyrolysis, or landfilling. ○ In this statute, “promote” does not mean “advertise” or merely encourage; paired with “shall” and with the phrase “in order of priority”, it means the City is required to choose source reduction first whenever feasible. ○ The use of “shall” makes clear that source reduction is a statutory mandate, not merely a recommendation. ● Installing a new or replacement artificial turf field creates a permanent obligation: every 8–12 years, the City must landfill or attempt to recycle 20 to 40 tons of plastic carpet (https://tinyurl.com/40-tons-of-virgin-plastic). By contrast, installing natural turf prevents this recurring waste stream altogether. In solid waste law, this prevention is called source reduction—and, as stated above, California law (PRC §40051) mandates that jurisdictions maximize source reduction whenever feasible. Therefore this mandate applies even if the City could make all of the following claims, since none erase the fact that installing artificial turf creates 20-40 tons of additional plastic waste on a fixed cycle — and choosing natural turf avoids generating all that waste in the first place: ○ The used infill removed from an artificial field will be recycled or composted. ○ The new plastic carpets contain recycled content. ○ The new infill contains recycled content. ○ The project complies with CALGreen §5.408 by diverting 65% of the nonhazardous construction and demolition waste. ○ The project does not interfere with the City’s compliance with AB 939 waste diversion mandates. ○ There is sufficient landfill capacity available. ● Grass fields need not generate any alternative waste streams of greater magnitude. ○ For example, it is unnecessary to add grass clippings to the waste stream. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 8 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 53 Packet Pg. 145 of 896  ○ For natural turf athletic fields, the standard and recommended practice is to leave grass clippings in place (“grasscycling”). ○ This practice is not only common, but is actively encouraged by the state (CalRecycle, https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Download/507?opt=dln) and by professional guidelines (Sports Field Management Association’s best practice guidelines https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FINAL-BMP-SFMA- reduced.pdf), in part because it returns valuable nutrients to the soil and reduces fertilizer requirements. ○ In the context of waste management, the state explicitly classifies the practice of leaving grass clippings in place as source reduction. (https://calrecycle.ca.gov/lgcentral/paris/codes/) ● A natural turf field could support 2,000+ hours of use per year. (https://tinyurl.com/2025-08-21-fan-to-palo-alto) El Camino Park’s existing plastic turf field is not used more than 2,000 hours per year. (I explained in another section of this document that you added wrong.) Therefore it is feasible for the City to meet the community’s usage needs with a natural turf field at El Camino Park. ● Because it is feasible for the City to meet the community’s usage needs with a natural turf field at El Camino Park, the City would be violating California’s solid waste management law if it replaces El Camino Park’s artificial turf with a new artificial turf rather than converting it to natural turf. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 9 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 54 Packet Pg. 146 of 896  6: Caution City that infill-free systems can triple the environmental hazards. In the conclusion of the “Health Hazards” chapter of the report, page 111, the report recommends that “Where synthetic turf is used, preference should be given to… infill-free or alternate infill systems” Please explain why you would recommend infill-free artificial turf systems given that they potentially involve the production and installation of three times as much plastic as artificial turf systems with non-polymeric infill. Tripling the plastic being produced, used, and disposed of exacerbates the health and environmental hazards. In 2017, before infill-free systems were commonly available, the Synthetic Turf Council (the industry’s main trade group) estimated that the average turf field contained about 40,000 pounds (20 tons) of plastic carpet (https://tinyurl.com/2017-synthetic-turf-council). In contrast, a modern infill-free system can more than double that amount. For example, TenCate’s infill-free “Pivot” product, the model with 1.5” pile, has a listed total weight of 147.5 oz/yd² (https://tinyurl.com/2023-tencate-pivot-tech-report). On a standard 80,000-square-foot soccer field, that translates to 41 tons of plastic carpet. (Calculation: 80,000 sq ft × 1 yd²/9 sq ft × 147.5 oz/yd² ÷ 32,000 oz/ton) That’s double the amount of plastic. And here’s the evidence it could even be triple the amount of plastic… A representative of TenCate, the manufacturer of Pivot, an infill-free artificial turf product, stated “Pivot, depending on the version, contains between 90 and 120 ounces of PE yarns per square yard. A traditional infilled system typically uses 46 to 60 ounces of PE yarns per square yard. This is a x2 to x3 depending on the system.” Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 10 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 55 Packet Pg. 147 of 896  7: Recommend City develop policies for preventing and responding to heat illness. The tragic loss of NFL player Korey Stringer due to heat stroke highlights how dangerous heat can be for athletes (https://koreystringer.institute.uconn.edu/about-us). The risk of heat-related illness increases significantly when athletes are on artificial turf on warm, sunny days, as surface temperatures can exceed 200°F. These risks are growing as climate change brings hotter, longer, and more frequent heat waves. Heat risk is not limited to athletes. Earlier this summer, “Uncle Mitch,” an umpire for a youth softball tournament, died of heat stroke on artificial turf with air temperatures in the 90s and turf exceeding 180°F (https://people.com/umpire-dies-during-youth-softball-tournament-amid-heatwave-11762098). It is therefore critical that the City address heat illness risks exacerbated by artificial turf. As part of the Health Hazards chapter, please recommend the City: 1. Analyze Current Policies – Review existing City policies and emergency action plans (EAPs) for preventing and responding to heat illness on artificial turf. 2. Develop Policies if Absent – If these policies do not exist, the City should establish heat illness prevention and response policies and procedures consistent with best practices (https://koreystringer.institute.uconn.edu/hsssp-california/) and templates (https://koreystringer.institute.uconn.edu/resources/). The policies should cover all activities on City artificial turf, including athletic practices, games, summer camps, and events, regardless of management. Recommended Policy and Procedure Components: ● Environmental Monitoring ○ Clear designation of responsibility for monitoring environmental conditions using WBGT devices, beginning 15 minutes before activity (to allow for device acclimitization) and every 30 minutes thereafter while air temperatures exceed thresholds. ○ Position WBGT devices in direct sunlight on the artificial turf where the activity occurs. WBGT measurements should be taken on the actual turf surface rather than relying solely on National Weather Service data, which can underestimate local heat stress, particularly on synthetic surfaces (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5737042/). ○ Establish region-specific activity guidelines and at least four levels of activity modification (e.g., adjusting practice times and work:rest ratios). ● Hydration and Rest ○ Provide shaded rest areas and ensure unrestricted access to fluids. ● Decision-Making and Logging ○ Clear designation of responsibility for modifying or canceling activities based on WBGT readings. ○ Maintain logs documenting monitoring location, time, WBGT readings, WBGT flag levels, activity modifications. ● Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) ○ Detailed procedures for responding to heat illness. ○ Post venue-specific EAPs physically at each field and online (https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/emergency_action_plan_development.pdf). Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 11 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 56 Packet Pg. 148 of 896  ○ Identify locations of emergency equipment, including a cold-water immersion tub that will be easily and quickly accessible for rapid treatment. ○ Rehearse responses regularly and track participation. (https://www.cifstate.org/sports-medicine/emergency_action_plan/EAP_1-pager.pdf) ● Training ○ Require annual training for all stakeholders, including paid and volunteer coaches, field renters, and athletes, covering: ■ WBGT device setup and calibration ■ Hydration and other heat illness prevention strategies ■ Recognition and management of heat illnesses (heat cramps, heat syncope, heat exhaustion, exertional heat stroke) ■ Use of rectal thermometry to obtain core body temperature ■ Management of heat illness including use of cold-water immersion tub for aggressive, whole-body, cold-water immersion before transport to the hospital. ○ Maintain logs of participants, training dates, and signed acknowledgments from each of the participants, (a) acknowledging exertional heat stroke is one of the top 3 causes of sport-related death, (b) acknowledging his/her role in preventing and responding to exertional heat stroke, even when qualified healthcare professionals are present, and (c) acknowledging s/he has been given the opportunity to get all questions answered. The above align with best practices (and newly enacted California laws for schools participating in interscholastic athletics.) As the NFHS notes, a policy is only as effective as the procedures in place to carry it out. “To make a policy but then not have the established way of doing the act has no merit.” (https://www.nfhs.org/articles/wet-bulb-globe-temperature-wbgt-why-should-your-school-be-using-it/). By implementing these policies and procedures, the City can protect the health and safety of all participants, including Palo Alto’s kids, kids traveling to Palo Alto for tournaments, adult volunteers like “Uncle Mitch,” and other community members using artificial turf. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 12 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 57 Packet Pg. 149 of 896  8: Provide substantiated evidence supporting the hours used to calculate “cost per hour”. The literal and figurative bottom line of page 99’s lifecycle cost table is “average cost per hour of use.” These figures underpin the report’s conclusion. Therefore it’s critical to be transparent about how you calculated them. Include, in that lifecycle cost table, a row to show, for each field construction type, the “hours of use” you are using as your divisor in calculating “average cost per hour of use”. Be explicit that the hours of use in the table represent hours of actual anticipated use as opposed to hours of field availability. “It is incumbent on decision makers to base sports strategies and expenditure of public funds on sound science as opposed to marketing material and unsubstantiated rules of thumb.” -Dr. Mick Battam (https://sustainablesportsnews.ausleisure.com.au/news/new-study-claims-flaws-in-processes-used-to-just ify-artificial-turf-sports-fields/) In order to reassure readers that the hours of use aren’t “unsubstantiated rules of thumb”, add a footnote explaining, for each field construction figure, how you selected that figure from the many different “hours of use” figures found in this turf study report. Also provide a reference to the substantiated evidence supporting that figure. As shown below, the report identifies a lot of different “hours of use” figures for artificial turf. Don’t make the reader guess which one you are using or why you picked it. ● over 2,000 per year (pages 79, 81, 155) ● 2,500-3,000+ per year (page 139) ● 2,844 per year (page 84) ● up to 3,000 per year (page 158) ● 3,039 per year (page 84) ● 4,300 per year (pages 13, 84) ● 4,500-5,000 per year (page 161) ● 4,532 per year (page 84) ● 5,000 per year (page 137) As shown below, the report identifies a lot of different “hours of use” figures for natural grass. Don’t make the reader guess which one you are using or why you picked it. ● 8-12 per week (page 149) ● 400-600 per year (pages 63, 79) ● 500 per year (page 81) ● 600-800 per year (page 144) ● 900 per year (page 81) ● 800-1,000 per year (page 155) ● 800-1,200 per year (pages 64, 79) ● 1,000 or more per year (page 53) ● 1,000-1,200 per year (page 66) ● 2,055 per year (page 84) ● 2,221 per year (page 84) ● 3,006 per year (page 84) ● 3,061 per year (page 84) Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 13 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 58 Packet Pg. 150 of 896  9: Provide the usage hours and lifecycle costs for fields built and managed with best practices and do the same with the City’s practices. As I’ll cover elsewhere in this feedback document, the City has not followed best practices for field management. The Executive Summary, on page 14, acknowledges that by employing best practices, the City’s grass fields may be able to support more hours of use: “There is potential to increase the performance of the natural grass fields by implementing a more robust maintenance program tailored to each field’s scheduling demands. This would also include engaging agronomy experts familiar with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices and incorporating performance testing to support maintenance decisions and better ensure long-term field quality.” Quantify this potential increased performance. It is unclear, for the lifecycle cost analysis table, on page 99, whether you are showing readers the cost per hour for fields built and managed according to best practices or whether you are showing readers the cost per hour for fields built and managed according to the City’s current practices. The report should clearly provide, in that lifecycle cost table, the data for both. By presenting this data as part of this lifecycle cost table, Council can make better informed decisions about how to prioritize its investments in: ● best practice native soil grass fields ● current practice native soil grass fields ● best practice synthetic fields ● current practice synthetic fields The motivation to compare all of these in the lifecycle cost table is as follows: If, for example, the City followed best practices for native soil grass field construction and management, it should be able to get more use out of its native soil grass fields than it does with its current practices. While lifecycle costs may increase (perhaps only marginally as Peak Water Consulting illustrated in their analysis: https://tinyurl.com/field-lifecycle-costs), the hours of use may increase significantly, which as a bonus may reduce cost per hour of use significantly. Until these figures are quantified and substantiated, Council should not discount the possibility that a native soil grass field built and managed according to best practices could support hours of use much closer to the number of hours the City uses its synthetic turf and could have a cost per hour of use comparable to or better than synthetic turf’s. As Dr. Mick Battam reminds us, “It is incumbent on decision makers to base sports strategies and expenditure of public funds on sound science as opposed to marketing material and unsubstantiated rules of thumb.” (https://sustainablesportsnews.ausleisure.com.au/news/new-study-claims-flaws-in-processes-used-to-just ify-artificial-turf-sports-fields/) The graph below provides further justification for quantifying and adding to the lifecycle cost table the data I’m requesting. It’s a graph of cost per unit of carrying capacity from a 2022 guide for best practice sports Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 14 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 59 Packet Pg. 151 of 896  fields (page 149 of https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2022-nsw-south). It shows that native soil grass fields built and managed according to best practices have a cost per unit of carrying capacity that is significantly better than synthetic turf’s. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 15 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 60 Packet Pg. 152 of 896  10: Break down lifecycle costs and cite sources. The Executive Summary’s “average cost per hour of use” for each field type underpins the report’s conclusions. These costs are based on lifecycle costs. Therefore, it is critical to provide enough supporting detail to give readers full transparency about how the lifecycle costs were determined. The lifecycle cost table on page 99 is a fine framework but needs to be fleshed out with more detail. Please break down the maintenance and renovation costs to show what is included. Then, for each of the line items in the maintenance costs and each of the line items in the renovation costs, provide the source data from which the figure is derived, either in the appendix or via a link. For example, link to the documents that support spending only $1,966,811 to construct an 80,000 square foot synthetic turf field with sitework, a shockpad, and organic infill in 2025. In addition, please break down the maintenance costs into labor hours and local labor rates like this cost study by the Sports Field Management Association does: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57fe8750d482e926d718f65a/t/594089e0ebbd1ac319473903/1497 401825905/Benefits+of+Natural+Grass+2015+updated+FINAL.pdf. This will make it easier to compare this cost study with cost studies done in other locales and in other years. It will also make this table reusable by City staff and City Council when this report is referenced years from now when labor rates may be higher. To keep an artificial turf field safe for users, to comply with the requirements of the warranty, and to protect the City’s significant financial investment in this asset, there’s a lot more artificial turf maintenance necessary than most people realize. Helpful references for the steps required include the Field Turf Maintenance Manual (https://fieldturf.com/workspace/uploads/files/brochure-maintenance-guidelines-fieldturf-may2025.pdf) and AstroTurf Maintenance Manual https://cms.astroturf.com/app/uploads/2022/05/AT-Operations-Manual-DEC2020.pdf. In the lifecycle cost table on page 99, please ensure the cost of each of the artificial turf maintenance tasks below are itemized: ● specify the maintenance steps and the frequency with which each is performed, along with the cost per event, including but not limited to: ○ measuring infill depth (As explained in the AstroTurf manual, “Infill moves with play and weather, getting kicked out from high use areas to less frequently used areas. Because most AstroTurf fields utilize infill particles to provide shock absorption during play, it is critical for players’ safety to maintain a level, adequately filled turf matrix that is uniform in depth throughout the field. A uniform infill layer will also directly impact the lifespan of the field. (Fields that have uneven infill levels experience higher UV exposure in high wear areas, which leads to premature wear and degradation). Special attention must be paid to high use areas such as: Goal mouths, Teams’ areas, Corner kick areas, Extra point areas, Area between the hashes on a football field, 8 meter fan in women’s lacrosse. You should periodically inspect these areas for fill displacement/thickness and make suitable corrections” ○ inspecting line markings, seams, and inlays ○ performing seam and inlay repairs ○ leaf blowing ○ weeding Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 16 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 61 Packet Pg. 153 of 896  ○ sweeping up loose plastic grass fibers and litter from the field ○ sweeping up loose plastic grass fibers and infill that has migrated outside the field perimeter ○ cleaning up dog, bird, and goose droppings, since they won’t decompose on the plastic ○ emptying drain filters ○ raking to unmat the pile and loosen the infill ○ brushing in multiple directions to level the field surface by redistributing displaced infill ○ top dressing with infill, especially in higher traffic areas ○ aerating the infill to decompact it ○ magnet sweeping to remove metal debris ○ temperature readings ○ spraying of anti static conditioner ○ application of disinfectant ○ logging maintenance for liability and warranty purposes (examples: From TenCate warranty: “This warranty does not apply if the Purchaser fails to clearly and legibly log all use, maintenance, repairs, and/or other upkeep performed on the field and fails to produce the log for inspection by TenCate upon request”; From TenCate manual: “Ensure records of maintenance are maintained throughout the warranty period as claims will be evaluated using these records. Failure to maintain the field and records of operation WILL VOID WARRANTY COVERAGE.” From Field Turf warranty: “This Warranty is expressly conditioned upon the Customer completing and submitting the FieldTurf Maintenance Log provided in FieldTurf’s Maintenance Guidelines.”) ○ field striping and painting ○ drainage cleaning (The TenCate manual explains “All synthetic fields require some form of drainage system. It is essential that the drainage systems are maintained. A system that contains drain pipes running underground may collect residue that will require flushing. If access to these pipe ends is available, TenCate recommends that a pressure washer be used to clear residual dirt and refuse. Some fields feature a surface drain running around the circumference of the field. This type of design may collect residue. These drains should be cleaned by hand or by the use of a pressure washer.”) ● regular replacement of areas of the field that are subjected to, as the Field Turf warranty states, “repetitive training or high-intensity drills” including “soccer penalty mark/spot areas, goal areas, sideline areas”. The TenCate warranty states that “High wear areas such as soccer goal areas and penalty kick locations are warranted for two years”. ● specify the approximate cost and frequency of organic infill replenishments necessary to compensate for its breakdown and its migration off the field. And the cost to replace it during the “full replacement”. (Page 53 states “Fields also require full replacement (synthetic turf & infill) every 8–10 years.”) Some Field Turf maintenance packages replenish cork infill 3 times per year. ● Specify what years carpet replacements are anticipated and how much they are expected to cost. ● Specify what years shockpad replacements are anticipated and how much they are expected to cost. ● Specify the typical cost of subgrade work that according to page 67 of the report may be needed around year 20. (levelling? drainage?) ● Specify fees for carpet removal, recycling and/or disposal. ● Specify fees for infill removal, recycling and/or disposal. ● Specify fees for shockpad removal, recycling and/or disposal. ● Specify cost of installing irrigation for cooling and cleaning the plastic field (mentioned on page 73 of the report). ● Specify cost of irrigated water to clean the plastic field. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 17 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 62 Packet Pg. 154 of 896  ● Specify cost of irrigated water to cool the plastic field. (10.13140/RG.2.2.20797.10721) ● Specify cost of maintenance equipment. ● Specify how often GMAX is tested (SFMA’s guide says it should be at least twice per year for a heavily used field), and how much that costs. (Is it done by staff or by a contracted service provider?) ● It seems a number of studies conclude that the cost of artificial turf maintenance is greater than what you’ve estimated. Please review the studies here to identify what might be missing from your cost breakdown. https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/cost-grass-vs-synthetic-turf The $1.4M cost estimate provided in the 20 year lifecycle cost table only accounts for one renovation. I presume the $1.4M comes from page 29 which states the capital renovations of Cubberley’s artificial turf field are estimated to be $1.4M. That means $1.4M is the cost of a single renovation of a single artificial turf. Over 20 years, with the amount of wear caused by the City’s heavy usage, best practice dictates the synthetic turf would require 2 renovations. Staff shared the City’s basic maintenance practices for synthetic turf on page 725. ● “Trash pick-up daily ● Groomed every 6 weeks depending on use with tow behind broom attachment. ● Dethatched once-twice per year, also depending on use. ● Repairs are done on a “as-needed” basis ● Leaf debris cleaned weekly. Less frequent during spring/summer months. More frequent during fall/winter. ● As the synthetic turf ages, the less grooming is performed. We have noticed continued grooming when fibers are breaking up causes the synthetic to decline at a higher rate.” That does not represent adequate maintenance for retaining the warranty. Maybe that’s why the annual artificial turf maintenance costs in your lifecycle cost table on page 99 look low. The $145,784 in the table, when divided across 20 years, equates to $7,289 of artificial turf maintenance per year. As one example of another local estimate… In 2023, in a presentation to a local high school board, a landscape architect that installs artificial turf at many bay area high schools estimated annual maintenance for synthetic turf at $15,906 / yr, breaking that down into $9,000 for annual synthetic turf repair, $3,306 /yr for “watering cost (use 1,200 units/ac/yr @$4.22/unit)”, $3,600 for “debris / trash pick-up (labor cost estimate).” According to page 725 of the report, Palo Alto only grooms its synthetic turf once every 6 weeks and even less frequently when the field gets old because the grooming itself causes the synthetic turf to “decline at a higher rate.” According to your report, the City’s artificial turfs are heavily used. Heavily used artificial turfs need to be groomed much more frequently than once every 6 weeks in order to reduce microplastic pollution. In the cost analysis on pg 99, you therefore need to account for this in your maintenance costs for artificial turf. The lifecycle cost analysis for annual artificial maintenance should include grooming at the appropriate rate. Six week intervals leave way too much time for the loose plastic grass fibers and microplastic and nanoplastic sized pieces to be blown far from the field by air currents and get rinsed down stormdrains. This isn’t okay. Part of the grooming is sweeping up as much of that plastic pollution as possible before it irretrievably escapes into the environment. It’s a lot of plastic! At the August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, during public comment, a neighbor said the groundskeepers collected “10 enormous bundles of green plastic strands… tufts of plastic ‘grass.’” And just imagine how much they didn’t collect because it had already escaped. Listen to her full comment here: https://www.youtube.com/live/fmhmSHZPwFQ?si=u3pLW0B5sMM35TOq&t=15013 Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 18 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 63 Packet Pg. 155 of 896  AstroTurf’s maintenance manual classifies annual field usage of 1500-2000 hours as “heavy use” and annual usage over 2,000 hours as “extreme use”. Since the City exceeds 2,000 hours of use per year, AstroTurf recommends sweeping weekly to collect all the plastic grass fibers shedding under that usage intensity and recommends increasing the frequency of grooming to twice a month. So the City of Palo Alto is not following best practices by grooming only “once every 6 weeks” which is the frequency stated by City staff in the report on page 725. Because, on page 725 of the report, City staff admit that grooming the artificial turf at the proper frequency would cause the artificial turf to decline at a higher rate, it is clear that the City is not doing its artificial turf renovations at the frequency with which they are needed in order to minimize environmental harm. Plan to do better. Mayfield’s artificial turf was installed in 2016 and is being replaced now in 2025. That’s 9 years and that was clearly too long. The lifecycle cost calculations (page 99) should include the cost of replacing the artificial turf carpets at a frequency that is no longer than the warranty period. The warranty for the Mayfield complex being renovated right now is only 8 years, so over 20 years, it needs to be replaced at least twice. Actually, the lifecycle cost calculations (page 99) should include the cost of doing renovation even more frequently than that if the city is using the artificial turf more than the number of hours it is meant to support. Artificial turf carpets are only warrantied for the defined period under “normal” wear. Field Turf warranty documents indicate its artificial turf is designed to be used no more than 3,000 hours per year. And page 158 of your report acknowledges El Camino’s artificial turf “is designed to accommodate up to 3,000 hours of annual programmed use.” But then on page 161, it says the field gets “between 4,500 and 5,000 hours of annual programmed use” and on page 137, it says “this field is configured for up to 5,000 annual hours of programmed use.” Please explain in the report the financial Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 19 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 64 Packet Pg. 156 of 896  consequences of using a field 5,000 hours a year when it’s designed to be used only 60% of that. Using the field more than it’s intended to be used causes the plastic grass blades to deteriorate quicker, meaning the carpet needs to be replaced sooner. It will cause the infill, shockpad, and the leveled subgrade to deteriorate quicker as well. All of these shortened product lifespans need to be factored into the lifecycle cost analysis on page 99. In other words, when you specify what years each of these components are replaced, they should be more frequently than the lifespan warrantied by the manufacturer. As your report explains on page 79-80, by permitting use above the surface limits, capital and operating costs may increase. Compliance with the warranty is important from a lifecycle cost perspective because violating it jeopardizes the City’s significant financial investments in the artificial turf system. A Field Turf warranty does not cover artificial turf systems used for more than 3,000 hours per year or for “repetitive training or high-intensity drills on the same part of the field, especially in the areas including… soccer penalty mark/spot areas, goal areas, sideline areas…. all of which require frequent maintenance in accordance with FieldTurf Maintenance Guidelines and which may require regular replacement.” AstroTurf also states that “Improper maintenance methods…, over-usage in excess of 3,000 hours per year, and/or neglect may void your warranty. Excessive use, especially if combined with insufficient and/or undocumented maintenance practices, may void the warranty.” Tencate artificial turf is also only warrantied for only “normal, ordinary use” which it defines as follows: “For purposes of this warranty, normal and ordinary use shall mean usage up to 3,000 hours per year of regular play.” 3,000 appears to be the common cap among these major artificial turf manufacturers. In the Executive Summary’s general recommendations, on page 14, the report states “Maintain synthetic turf in accordance with best practices, such as regular grooming and sweeping, to help minimize the release of microplastics into the surrounding environment.” It’s also important to maintain the artificial turf according to best practices in order to stay compliant with the warranty. Violating the warranty jeopardizes the City’s significant financial investments in the artificial turf system. Field Turf states that compliance with its Maintenance Manual is a condition of the warranty. This is not unique to Field Turf. The TenCate warranty states “This warranty does not apply… to the extent that any defect or damage is caused by… Failure to properly maintain, protect or repair the turf in accordance with the provided TenCate Maintenance Manual.” On page 53, you write “Routine grooming, infill management, and surface monitoring (e.g. GMAX testing) are required to preserve safety and performance. Fields also require full replacement (synthetic turf & infill) every 8–10 years, which adds capital and disposal costs.” Show that all of these costs are accounted for in your lifecycle cost analysis. Page 114 of your report states “While regular grooming and sweeping should capture a large portion of the fibers, best practices for field design and maintenance would need to be compiled and implemented to ensure any level of consistency.” What are the costs to add these best practices? Please document those “best practices for design and maintenance” in the report to ensure they are all included in the lifecycle cost analysis. The “Pure Care 8” maintenance package offered by Field Turf is, according to the Sourcewell discounted Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 20 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 65 Packet Pg. 157 of 896  pricing, $164,296.88 and that only covers 3 maintenance visits per year, which means in order to comply with the maintenance manual, as required by the warranty, there are additional maintenance steps that would still need to be performed. Are you accounting for both sets of maintenance tasks in your cost estimate? The staff report for item 9 of the 6/9/25 City Council meeting says, in regards to the 2025 Mayfield turf installation: “The installation comes with an eight-year warranty and the contract includes a maintenance contract for the duration of the warranty. This specialized service includes one maintenance visit per year for the first three years, and two maintenance visits per year (semi-annually) for the remaining five years. In-house staff perform maintenance duties five days a week by removing surface debris.” Identify the cost of the Field Turf maintenance contract you selected, identify which of the above maintenance steps it includes, and confirm it is categorized in your table under maintenance costs rather than construction costs even though you prepay for it at the time of construction. Please confirm that the cost analysis accounts for all the costs necessary to ensure that at the end of the 20-year time period in the analysis, both the grass field and the synthetic field are in similar condition to the condition they were in after construction. For example, at the end of the 20 years, the grass fields should be safe to play on and the synthetic field should have fresh carpet and a fresh shockpad. It wouldn’t be a fair cost comparison if, for example, in year 21, the grass was in safe condition but the synthetic turf required another $1.4 million in renovations for another carpet replacement, regrading of field subgrade, shockpad replacement, etc. If the grass field was built and managed according to best practices, why would it need the $240K of renovations specified in the lifecycle cost table on page 99? Field longevity was addressed during a webinar hosted in May of 2024 by an elected official in D.C. in which seven national experts were asked to discuss whether properly designed, constructed, and maintained natural grass playing fields are a viable, sustainable, and affordable alternative to artificial turf. Experts Jerad Minnick and Sun Roesselain explained a grass field can last more than 20 years without renovation. If you want to hear the details straight from the sources, a recording of the webinar is available online. (https://tinyurl.com/grassfieldexperts) In follow-up to the webinar, the elected official provided his own synopsis (https://tinyurl.com/grassfieldexpertssynopsis) of the discussion. There you will find the list of national experts, along with their bios. Sun was the recent president of the international Sports Field Management Association. Jerad consults for Major League Soccer. They both are field operators for nonprofits that provide high use sports fields for communities. So these are very credible sources to lean on. At the school district she works for, Sun says she’s never resodded an entire field in 24 years. She did one partial re-sod and it was under $25K. The table has a row called “cost of ownership (20 years)”. Please add a row to the table and call it “cost of ownership (50 years)”. Another municipal sports field manager we spoke with told us that the longer the timeline goes out, the more obvious it becomes that real grass is more cost effective than artificial turf, because periodic major renovations should not be necessary for a grass field built and managed according to best practices, whereas the recurring cost to replace worn out artificial turf never ends. In 2025, there are modern labor-saving technologies available for grass maintenance like smart irrigation controllers, water-management drones, robotic mowers, robotic line painters, etc. that are able Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 21 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 66 Packet Pg. 158 of 896  to significantly reduce grass field labor costs, water inputs, need for sod patching, etc. Consider consulting the experts at https://greensightag.com/sports-turf to learn about some options and to get direct feedback and data from grounds managers leveraging these technologies. Please add to the turf study report an analysis of each technology and whether it is likely to provide a net positive return on investment if used across the city’s portfolio of fields. Where applicable, evaluate the benefit of purchasing the technology versus hiring a service that uses the technology. If the data shows these technologies provide a net positive return on investment, leveraging them needs to be reflected in the grass side of the cost study. Surely the plastic side of the cost study reflects the most modern plastic field solutions. So a fair comparison would also consider the most modern grass field solutions if they can reduce lifecycle costs. With an escalating plastics crisis and over 100 countries demanding legally binding caps in plastics production as part of the United Nations’ Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, escalation factors beyond inflation ought to be accounted for in the artificial turf cost estimates. The local firm that developed cost estimates for plastic fields for the Sunnyvale high school district years ago was brought back after 12 years to do the field replacements. At that time, they informed the district that the project cost had ballooned to 36% more than originally estimated. When the school board inquired why, they were told that the factors included: “escalation factors for petroleum have had extreme impacts on production.” (Fremont Union High School District Q&A dialog between school board and staff in advance of the August 22, 2023 board meeting, page 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r707jxvtZkkI_ORyM7x96ms_vIxnN-aE/view?usp=drivesdk) p 29 - Explain why the Mayfield project increased from $2.7 million to 3.3 million. If a proportional increase does not need to be made to the artificial turf estimates in the table on page 99, explain why. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 22 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 67 Packet Pg. 159 of 896  11: Provide substantiated evidence to support your claim of new recycling facilities. On pg. 113, you state: “the sector is evolving with new recycling facilities coming online.” Clarify whether the “new recycling facilities” you are referring to mechanically recycle artificial turf carpets. If so, identify them and provide substantiated evidence that they are actually processing artificial turf carpets at scale. Manufacturer claims are insufficient given the industry’s track record. If by “new recycling facilities” you are referring to advanced recycling (pyrolysis), you are misleading your readers by calling this “recycling.” Many environmental and regulatory authorities consider pyrolysis an incineration-like process, not a legitimate recycling pathway. Few laymen would classify incineration as recycling. A more accurate and evidence-based statement than the one you wrote would be: “After more than a decade, the sector has evolved very little, with promised recycling facilities struggling to scale up or failing to come online at all. ● As a recent example, the long-promised Re-Match facility in Pennsylvania has failed to secure permits, faced regulatory enforcement, and left waste piling up. As reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer (https://tinyurl.com/forever-fields) and Boston Globe (https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/18/science/artificial-turf-not-being-recycled/), artificial turf waste is piling up around the nation. Some of this plastic turf waste, as local NBC investigative reporters recently shared, has been illegally dumped in our own county (https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/disposal-school-artificial-turf-field-environmental-con cerns/3747744/). ● Please also review the 4-minute 2023 video “Artificial Turf ‘Recycling?’” (https://youtu.be/pzdi2cWWZdw) which directly addresses the industry’s current “advanced recycling” claims. ● Please review the 11-minute 2021 video “Artificial Turf ‘Recycling’: A Decade-Long Deception” (https://youtu.be/9Wndy6dLJGk?si=6c3BKFhhh8mATPSZ), which concludes: “Artificial turf companies have repeatedly misled the public about recycling this unsustainable product. Should we believe them now?” In light of the artificial turf recycling history, it is essential to avoid greenwashing and instead present your readers with clear, verifiable facts. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 23 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 68 Packet Pg. 160 of 896  12: Add plastic turf’s greenhouse gas emissions to environmental hazards. The City, as part of its Climate Action Plan (https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/sustainability/policies-and-plans/2022-scap-goals-and-key -actions.pdf), has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The GHG emissions from plastic turf described below have not been accounted for in your “Environmental Footprint” section . In 2019, oceanographer and plastic degradation scientist Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer reported that the amount of GHGs emitted into the atmosphere in the form of ethylene, methane, and propylene by artificial turf carpet and shock pad represent a significant adverse environmental impact (https://www.mvtimes.com/2019/02/20/synthetic-turf-will-contribute-greenhouse-gas-problems/). The expert opinion of Dr. Royer, supported by recent research findings (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200574&type=printable), is that “the environmental health impacts posed by plastic carpets and polypropylene shock pads are likely significant and should be at the forefront of any decision regarding these materials.” Dr. Royer ’s research has revealed that the breakdown of plastic represents a significant source of greenhouse gas pollution. The amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by artificial turf is especially significant due to the following: a) The type of plastic from which synthetic turf is typically made is polyethylene. b) GHGs are released during the manufacturing of synthetic turf. (Producing one ounce of polyethylene releases (https://stanfordmag.org/contents/the-link-between-plastic-use-and-climate-change-nitty-gritty#:~:text=Car bon%20Calculations,of%20polyethylene%20(PET)%20produce) one ounce of carbon dioxide. c) Plastics emit GHGs when exposed to UV light and air, and polyethylene is the plastic found to release GHGs at the highest rate. This means that significant GHGs continue to be released while the synthetic turf and shockpads are in use and as they degrade. ● Methane and ethylene are among the significant GHGs emitted by polyethylene. Methane has been shown to be 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Ethylene is produced in even greater amounts. ● Land based plastics produce 2 times more methane and 76 times more ethylene than those found in our waterways and oceans. ● While methane and ethylene offgassing is triggered by solar radiation, the offgassing continues in the dark and likely over the lifetime of the plastic. ● The amount of offgassing is based on the surface area of the plastic. Synthetic turf represents enormous surface area because: ○ Synthetic turf occupies significant acreage when all of the City’s synthetic turf systems are accounted for. ○ Each individual blade of plastic grass represents additional surface area. ○ The surface area of the plastic further increases due to degradation from weather, foot traffic, ultraviolet radiation, and resulting fragmentation. As a result, the amount of GHGs emitted accelerates exponentially. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 24 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 69 Packet Pg. 161 of 896  13: Quantify reductions in emissions with modern grass maintenance technology Page 126 covers the carbon footprint of natural grass. Please include an analysis of how much carbon emissions can be reduced using zero emission equipment for grass maintenance. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 25 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 70 Packet Pg. 162 of 896  14: Don’t give synthetic turf industry credit for reducing PFAS, or working on it, without evidence they deserve it. In the Executive Summary, on page 12, you say: “the synthetic turf industry is responding by working to reduce PFAS use in their products” What evidence supports this generous statement besides manufacturer marketing claims? Are you giving the synthetic turf industry undue credit? In doing so, are you helping sway public opinion in the synthetic turf industry’s favor? Staff succeeded in doing so…. At the April 21, 2025 City Council meeting, Council member Pat Burt confirmed with staff that the new artificial turf at Mayfield will be PFAS-free. After the confirmation, he enthusiastically commented that because Mayfield’s old artificial turf had very serious public health and environmental impacts, getting PFAS-free turf there represents a “BIG advancement” and “VERY significant progress”. (https://www.youtube.com/live/p-FfYMte0Hg?si=MPZzd1m3mUrof7oj&t=14995) Is it appropriate for staff and the turf study report to imply that there has been progress? How do you know whether or not there has been progress? Here’s all that I think we know: Independent scientists found PFAS in artificial turf in 2019, and independent scientists continue to find PFAS in artificial turf today. Meanwhile, artificial turf companies have, to my knowledge, never acknowledged that their products contained significant PFAS in the first place, and they still insist the amounts are small. So how do we know they changed anything besides their marketing claims?? Until manufacturers release independent, before-and-after test results, there is no evidence that they’ve reduced PFAS in their products — and no reason to give them credit for doing so. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 26 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 71 Packet Pg. 163 of 896  15: In Executive Summary, report “Cost to Own” a grass field or a synthetic field, The Executive Summary discusses Cost Efficiency but doesn’t disclose the cost to own a synthetic field versus a grass field. It should. The cost to own a field should matter to City Council as much as Cost Efficiency. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 27 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 72 Packet Pg. 164 of 896  16: Don’t underfund grass maintenance. It makes grass look and perform bad. If the City can afford $3.5M for turf, it can afford $3.5M for grass. Why are we pretending grass has to be under-maintained? On page 99, you write “fields with constrained maintenance, as observed in Palo Alto, may not meet even minimum performance expectations” According to your own lifecycle cost table (p. 99), the City would invest about $3.5M to own a synthetic field over 20 years, but would invest only $1.8M over the same period if it opted for a grass field instead. If “constrained maintenance” leads to poor grass conditions and reduced playability, why constrain maintenance in the first place? If the City has $3.5M available for a synthetic field, then it has $3.5M. If a grass field costs only $1.8M, that still leaves $1.7M unspent. Why can’t those surplus funds be invested back into maintenance to ensure high-quality, playable grass?? And the real question: If the City invested the full $3.5M into grass over 20 years — the same as it budgets for synthetic turf — how much more use could that grass field actually support? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 28 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 73 Packet Pg. 165 of 896  17: Be honest — The carrying capacities of the City’s synthetic turfs have been exceeded for years. In the Executive Summary (p. 11), you state: “A portion of the natural grass fields frequently exceed their carrying capacity, maximum amount of use a field can sustain before its condition declines to a level deemed unacceptable for safe or quality play, while the synthetic turf fields remain within their carrying capacity.” This is not a fair or accurate comparison. The City’s synthetic turf fields exceeded their carrying capacity years ago. For each of the City’s four artificial turf fields, please identify how long it has been since all ten test areas on the field met the standard of <165 GMAX. That was the last time the artificial turf system could be considered safe for play. Isn’t it true that it has been years since any of these fields met that benchmark? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 29 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 74 Packet Pg. 166 of 896  18: Disclose that overused artificial turf increases concussion risk. p153 “Use often exceeds the carrying capacity of natural grass fields, resulting in surface degradation, closures, and safety issues.” That doesn’t tell the full story. That should be rephrased as: ”Use often exceeds the carrying capacity of both the natural grass fields and the artificial turf fields, resulting in surface degradation and safety issues. While Palo Alto opts to close degraded, unsafe grass surfaces, Palo Alto leaves its degraded, unsafe artificial turf fields open.” Because the City is, as the report claims, using artificial turf between 3,000 (pg 158) - 5,000 (pg 137) hours per year, then ● Use often exceeds the carrying capacity of artificial turf fields. (The city’s artificial turf is not warrantied for over 3,000 hours of use per year.) ● This causes surface degradation. Example: “loss of pile height, turf fiber, and infill” (as described on page 726) ● This causes safety issues. Example: dangerously hard surfaces ● While the City does not opt to close the synthetic fields once GMAX exceeds 165, it has been argued by many professionals that this practice is dangerously inappropriate. On p154, “Grass fields in poor condition contribute to injury risk (uneven ground, weeds, holes), while synthetic turf poses concerns related to heat and, to a lesser degree, surface abrasiveness and microplastics.” This statement also doesn’t tell the full story about synthetic turf. Synthetic turf in poor condition, with a surface hardness exceeding 165 GMAX, contributes to increased injury risk, particularly concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Add that please. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 30 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 75 Packet Pg. 167 of 896  19: Encourage City to disclose to users when synthetic field surface testing reveals danger (i.e. >165 GMAX). Please encourage the City to keep the most recent GMAX test data for its artificial turf systems posted on its website and proactively alert field users whenever GMAX exceeds 165. According to the 2024 test report on pages 713-714, there are multiple areas of the El Camino Park artificial turf that have a surface hardness that exceeds 165 GMAX. For how many years prior to 2024 has that been the case? Field users (or in the case of kids, their parents) deserve to be informed by the City when the artificial turf fields they play or practice on have areas with a surface hardness that exceeds 165 GMAX. Many professionals agree this is dangerously hard and increases the risk of concussion and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Many would recommend the City close artificial turf fields that have gotten that hard until the problem is remediated, but if the City’s going to keep allowing play, at the very least it should be informing users so they can decide for themselves if they want to take the risk of playing on such a degraded, unsafe surface. Because grass can’t thrive in compacted soil, the hard areas in a grass field are easy for athletes and parents to spot. They’re brown. However, with artificial turf, the hard areas are not easy to spot, because the entire field is uniformly green. In fact, athletes may mistakenly assume there aren’t hard areas because artificial turf can look, deceptively, like a thick, healthy stand of soft grass. A soccer player at Saratoga High School published a story in her school newspaper about her experience with this exact phenomenon. She smacked her head on the hard surface. It was her third concussion. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 31 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 76 Packet Pg. 168 of 896  20: Recommend City start following best practices for testing artificial turf surface hardness Recommend the City follow the field hardness guidance from the Sports Field Management Association (https://www.stma.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Field-Hardness-Testing-STMAInstitute-logo.pdf): ● “Monitoring field hardness is key.” Not testing on “a regular basis… could put athletes at greater risk for concussions.” ● “According to ASTM Standards, a value greater than 200 Gmax qualifies for the expectation that life threatening head injuries may occur. The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) recommends Gmax does not exceed 164…” ● “Field hardness levels should be tested upon installation of the field, then continue once per year or more… testing once per year is not likely to hold up in a liability court case. To ensure field safety, sports turf managers at all facility levels are advised to test throughout the season.” Prescribe a minimum time the City should wait after major grooming or infill work before doing baseline compliance GMAX testing. This waiting period helps ensure that GMAX readings reflect typical playing conditions rather than temporary post-maintenance softness. Testing right after maintenance can mask genuine safety concerns, giving a misleading sense of compliance. Best practice protocols recommend letting the surface settle before measuring for compliance to ensure accurate, real-world reflection of field conditions. Recommend the City negotiate with Field Turf to delay the GMAX testing the amount of time after maintenance that you prescribe above. The City bought a maintenance package for the new Mayfield artificial turf system. I was concerned to see that the Field Turf Maintenance package described in the Sourcewell pricing guide defaults to testing "right after" a maintenance visit: https://files.sourcewell.org/public/Shared%20Documents/Solicitations/10505/00004321/Additional%20Doc uments/031622-FTU%20-%20Price%20information.pdf Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 32 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 77 Packet Pg. 169 of 896  21: Recommend that City close fields when surface hardness exceeds 165 GMAX. p82 says that if a field has unsafe surface hardness, the guidance is to restrict use until remediation. The bottom table on page 81 indicates a synthetic turf surface doesn’t qualify as hard enough to restrict use until its GMAX exceeds 200, but a grass field is hard enough to restrict use when it reaches 165. Please explain why this report is not recommending that fields be closed or remediated when readings exceed 165 GMAX, regardless of whether they are real grass or artificial grass. Explain why it makes sense to treat them differently. My concern is over surface hardness, also referred to as impact attenuation. Surface hardness develops over time. According to the Sports Field Management Association (SFMA), GMAX testing of fields should be occurring at least annually (https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Infographic-Nat-or-Syn-Institute-Lo go-FINAL-Heat.pdf), with more frequent testing on heavily-used fields. Since Palo Alto’s artificial turf fields are heavily used, they should therefore be tested at least twice per year. The current ASTM standard of 200 g-max is dangerously misleading. A surface hardness of 200 is not a “safe” limit—it is the threshold at which a head impact can cause a catastrophic or even fatal brain injury. At that point, the field is already far too dangerous for children or athletes to use. In contrast, independent and industry standards alike recommend 165 GMAX as the true upper limit for safe play. Both the Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) and The Synthetic Turf Council (STC) recognize 165 GMAX as the ceiling for safety — the upper limit for acceptable hardness. Anything higher puts players at risk of serious injury. If any points on the field exceed 165 GMAX, the field should be closed until the hardness is remediated. Following is the deeper rationale for 165 GMAX being the upper limit for the acceptable surface hardness of the city’s artificial turf systems and the rationale for discontinuing play on artificial turf systems that fail this safety standard until this safety hazard has been remedied. Repetitive sub-concussive head impacts can cause the brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and derail a child’s future. A single concussion can change the course of a child’s life. ● CTE is a degenerative brain disease that can cause problems with mental health, sleep, and cognition. Advanced CTE frequently causes dementia. ● Recent research has revealed that it is the cumulative force of head hits, even if those hits were not diagnosed as concussion, that is the biggest predictor of developing CTE later in life. ● After a concussion, children are 40% more likely to develop new mental health disorders, require psychiatric hospitalization, and engage in self-harm than children with non-concussive injuries. ● Individuals with a history of concussion are twice as likely to die by suicide. Did you know that one in five high school sports concussions are caused by surface impact? And did you know that concussion risk and severity are partly determined by field conditions? We all need to be very concerned about the heightened risk of concussion and CTE for youth participating in events on artificial turf systems that have become dangerously hard. Many individuals may be unaware that artificial turf systems can become dangerously hard over time, as it is not always apparent from looking at the field. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 33 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 78 Packet Pg. 170 of 896  Impact testing of artificial turf systems is a critical standard safety test. An artificial turf field is essentially a green plastic carpet rolled out over a parking lot of compacted gravel. The field is infilled, often with a mix of sand and ground-up used tires or woodchips or cork pellets, to provide some cushioning. As an artificial turf system degrades through age, ultraviolet rays, heat, weathering, and heavy foot traffic, the plastic carpet fibers detach or get shorter, reducing the carpet's ability to keep the infill contained. Plastic carpet fibers and infill material continually migrate off the field. The sand settles to the bottom of the infill mix and hardens. The tire rubber crumbs and some of the organic infills become tough and brittle. As a result of all these phenomena, the artificial turf system gradually and continually loses shock absorbency. Lack of proper maintenance can accelerate this loss in shock absorbency. As the hardness of an artificial turf surface increases, so do concussion and CTE risks. One turf industry veteran said colliding with hardened turf can be like hitting "frozen Earth or concrete." An artificial turf field designer said not testing for surface hardness is like playing "Russian roulette”. It is the city’s responsibility to ensure the athletic facilities they provide for users are safe and maintained in good repair. This responsibility should include routine testing to monitor degradation of an artificial turf system’s impact attenuation as it ages and discontinuation of play on artificial turf systems that have become dangerously hard. At the very least, the city should notify parents of youth athletes when test results indicate an artificial turf system on which their child plays has reached a level of hardness that constitutes an urgent safety threat. Parents need to be made aware so they have the option to make an informed choice about whether they want their children subjected to the risks that come with doing sport on an artificial turf system that has reached this level of degradation. A visual or casual safety assessment of the artificial turf system is inadequate. The aesthetics of artificial turf can deceptively fool users into expecting the surface to have the cushioning properties of a thick, healthy stand of natural grass atop soft, well-aerated soil. The uniformly green color of artificial turf can also deceptively fool users into expecting the cushioning across the field to be uniform, when in fact the artificial turf system can be much harder in areas from which infill has migrated away due to weather or use (for example goal mouths). GMAX testing is the standard method developed for testing and determining the shock attenuation of artificial turf athletic fields. The higher the GMAX of a playing surface, the harder and more dangerous it is. The testing requires measuring the impact of, at minimum, 10 specifically-identified points on the field. Using an average GMAX score for a field is not considered safe, because field users can hurt themselves on any section of the field that is too hard. Verifying that acceptable impact-attenuation (GMAX) scores are being met, at a bare minimum annually, is important for the safety of field users. Historical records are important when it comes to liability. Neglecting to routinely perform the tests on each artificial turf system, or keeping artificial turf systems open for play once they are found to have unacceptable GMAX scores, both represent serious accident/injury liabilities for the city. According to manufacturer Brock USA, "a good natural grass field (the benchmark for a quality athletic field) will produce a GMAX below 100 and often below 80." On the most extreme other end of the spectrum, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that GMAX scores over 200 qualify for the expectation that “Life-threatening head injuries may occur.” Indeed, allowing play on a field this hard would be extremely negligent of the city. The ASTM F1936 test specification for impact attenuation of turf playing systems states that if the average score for any given test point is higher than 200 GMAX then “the turf playing system should be brought into compliance and should not be used in the Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 34 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 79 Packet Pg. 171 of 896  interim.” However, ASTM F1936 goes on to make clear that this specification is NOT intended to keep a school district, league, architect, engineer, or other from establishing more stringent requirements. In the interest of youth athlete safety, more stringent requirements are recommended by sports field managers, manufacturers, and architects/engineers. Here are two recommendations to, based on the sources, take special note of: Source 1: Professional Association for Sports Field Managers (core mission: athlete safety) Sports Field Management Association (SFMA) considers a field unsafe for play above the threshold of 164 GMAX: From SFMA infographic. SFMA is a widely-respected non-profit association for professionals worldwide that manage sports fields. “Core to SFMA’s mission is the safety of athletes of all ages and abilities, from pee wee to professional. SFMA practitioner members implement best practices in field maintenance to ensure safe playing surfaces and minimize the risk of injuries.” Sports field managers, certified by SFMA, can be found employed by school districts, municipalities, and private organizations across the country. Note that, because SFMA’s membership includes professionals that work with artificial turf as well as professionals that work with natural turf, the association very deliberately supports both. Source 2: Synthetic Turf Industry Advocacy Group The safety standard set by the Synthetic Turf Council (STC), the industry's own advocacy group, is that no section of a field yields a score above 165 GMAX for the life of the field. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 35 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 80 Packet Pg. 172 of 896  From the Synthetic Turf Council website. Source 3: Artificial Turf Manufacturer “Over time infill migrates, displaces, and compacts… that means that there is less cushion between the athlete and the stone base underneath the turf (particularly if you didn’t buy a pad…). As players fall on the field, they are at a higher risk of concussion.” - Astroturf “A well-maintained natural grass field is 90-100G’s. New turf fields are usually 100-125G’s, and the Synthetic Turf Council (STC) has a top line threshold of 165G’s. Anything above that level, needs to remediated or replaced. Don’t guess… get the test!” - AstroTurf Conclusion: In accordance with entities promoting safety, a reasonable upper limit for acceptable hardness of the city’s artificial turf systems is no more than 165 GMAX. Please recommend the City discontinue play on artificial turf systems that fail this safety standard until this safety hazard has been remedied. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 36 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 81 Packet Pg. 173 of 896  22: Neither synthetic nor natural fields support unlimited use. Specify limits for both. 1. p79 has a table designed to show the “maximum” amount of use a field can sustain before its condition declines to an unacceptable level. For 3 different types of grass fields, it gives a maximum, but for synthetic turf it says “2,000+”. In other words, it gives no maximum. Please specify a maximum or explain why synthetic turf can sustain unlimited use. 2. p81 The upper table shows “use thresholds (annual max hours)”. For grass fields, it gives a max, but for synthetic turf it says “2,000+”. In other words, it gives no maximum. Please specify a maximum or explain why synthetic turf can sustain unlimited use. 3. page 79: “Synthetic turf: 2000+ hours”; page 139: “As a lighted synthetic turf venue, the site can support 2,500 to 3,000+ hours of annual use”. Drop the “+” or explain how readers should interpret it. Does it mean, for example, that the field could sustain unlimited hours? 4. p155 “Current usage records show that synthetic turf fields in Palo Alto can sustain over 2,000 hours of annual programmed activity per field, while most natural grass fields are capped at around 800 to 1,000 hours to maintain minimum playability standards and avoid safety degradation.” Specify a cap for synthetic turf just like you do for natural grass. Otherwise it’s unclear how far “over” 2,000 hours you are saying synthetic turf could support. Some promoters of synthetic turf claim it supports “unlimited” use. That’s not what you’re implying here, right? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 37 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 82 Packet Pg. 174 of 896  23: Substantiate claim that a synthetic field has “3–4×” the carrying-capacity of grass. In the Executive Summary, on page 11, it says “Generally, a synthetic turf field has a carrying capacity that is equivalent to three to four native soil natural grass fields, thus the conversion of one synthetic turf field should be replaced with three to four native soil natural grass fields.” How can readers be assured that the above 3-4x statement isn’t just a myth that has gone unchallenged and become generally accepted? Policy-shaping assertions in the Executive Summary that could be used to justify multimillion-dollar decisions need to be supported with substantiated evidence. Substantiate the 3-4x carrying-capacity claim by providing the following evidence: ● Identify the specific natural grass field and specific synthetic field this conclusion is based on. ● Provide, or link to, the carrying capacity data for each. ● Provide evidence that the fields were constructed and managed according to best practices. How can readers be assured the above 3-4x statement isn’t based on a grass field that, if built and managed with best practices and fully utilized, could have demonstrated far greater carrying capacity? Absent this information, the statement should not appear in the Executive Summary. Without supporting evidence, the claim risks misleading decision makers and the public into believing natural grass fields are inherently inadequate. As Dr. Mick Battam reminds us, “It is incumbent on decision makers to base sports strategies and expenditure of public funds on sound science as opposed to marketing material and unsubstantiated rules of thumb.” (https://sustainablesportsnews.ausleisure.com.au/news/new-study-claims-flaws-in-processes-used-to-just ify-artificial-turf-sports-fields/) Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 38 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 83 Packet Pg. 175 of 896  24: Complete your task to assess equity by reporting on environmental health equity. Your report was supposed to assess how the City’s artificial turf can impact the City’s vulnerable populations, not just the subset that play soccer. It has not yet done so. Using artificial turf where grass can serve the City’s purposes represents unnecessary use of plastic. Unnecessary use of plastic unnecessarily contributes to climate change by wasting fossil fuels, driving emissions, and leaving behind micro and nanoplastic pollution and chemical pollution that never breaks down and will circulate in our food and water supply essentially forever. A City concerned about the health of its vulnerable populations is foolish not to honor the requests of one of the county’s main providers of drinking water. Local drinking water supplier, Valley Water, supported the county’s proposed artificial turf ban. https://tinyurl.com/water-supplier-supports-ban That should absolutely be mentioned in the Executive Summary of your report. As someone from Flint, Michigan, home to a well-known water crisis that has permanently harmed the health of a very vulnerable population, Flint’s children, I’m incredibly alarmed that the Executive Summary doesn’t even touch on the drinking water topic. The safety of drinking water should be among the highest priorities of a City Council, which is who you are preparing this report for. When Council approved the turf study, it did so in response to a staff report that said: “The study will still assess... alignment with Palo Alto’s sustainability and climate action goals.” Staff were presumably referring to the goals of the City’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (https://www.paloalto.gov/City-Hall/Sustainability/SCAP). That plan explains the role of equity: “The Role of Equity: We cannot address climate change without also addressing equity. Commonly, climate change disproportionately threatens those who are the least responsible for generating pollution, the most vulnerable to its impacts, and the least able to adapt. This is true globally, and it is also true in Palo Alto. Many climate change impacts will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations - populations with greater vulnerability to climate impacts because of their social inequities, physical characteristics, or baseline conditions.” The turf study report's Executive Summary (p. 11) makes it sound like the authors understood the assignment... “The study informs strategic investment decisions… within the City's broader goals of sustainability, equity, and public health.” However the body of the report limits discussion of equity to equitable field access. That is an overly narrow interpretation of the City’s equity goal. The City’s goal of equity is meant to be much broader than providing equitable field access for vulnerable populations of field users. The City's goal of equity encompasses providing equitable environmental health for *all* of the City’s vulnerable populations. As concluded by the County Public Health Department via their literature analysis which you reviewed in the Health Hazards chapter (p 101) of this turf study report, artificial turf “poses potential risks to human and environmental health” (https://tinyurl.com/turfs-public-health-risks). Environmental health doesn't just impact field users. It impacts everyone in Palo Alto. The turf study report fails to explicitly cover this aspect of equity. In order for this turf study report to assess how artificial turf impacts equity, it must explicitly convey that the environmental health risks from artificial turf on City property impact all of the City's vulnerable populations. The turf study report needs to stress to the decision makers that climate change impacts and contaminated drinking water disproportionately threaten all of Palo Alto’s vulnerable residents. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 39 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 84 Packet Pg. 176 of 896  To truly advance equity, this report should seek out municipalities that have found ways to make grass fields more playable than Palo Alto’s grass fields and report on what can be learned and adapted here. Don’t ignore the field examples you’ve been given by myself and others. Palo Alto can do better than settle for plastic turf fields that risk environmental health. Palo Alto can do better than settle for grass fields with mediocre playability. To settle is a disservice to all of the City’s vulnerable populations, not just the subset that play soccer. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 40 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 85 Packet Pg. 177 of 896  25: In Executive Summary, emphasize micro- and nano-plastic pollution is a major concern even for artificial fields without plastic infill. While eliminating polymeric infill eliminates a source of micro- and nano-plastic pollution, it does not diminish the concern for micro- and nano-plastic pollution from the plastic grass fibers continually degrading and shedding from the carpet. These remain a serious environmental hazard. In 2023, researchers identified that plastic grass fibers make up a significant source of microplastic pollution in river and sea surface waters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122094 According to page 725 of the report, Palo Alto only grooms its synthetic turf once every 6 weeks and even less frequently when the field gets old because the grooming itself causes the synthetic turf to “decline at a higher rate.” According to your report, the City’s artificial turfs are heavily used. Heavily used artificial turfs need to be groomed much more frequently than once every 6 weeks in order to reduce microplastic pollution. Six week intervals leave way too much time for the loose plastic grass fibers and microplastic and nanoplastic sized pieces to be blown far from the field by air currents and get rinsed down stormdrains. This isn’t okay. Part of the grooming is sweeping up as much of that plastic pollution as possible before it irretrievably escapes into the environment. It’s a lot of plastic! At the August 26, 2025 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, during public comment, a neighbor said the groundskeepers collected “10 enormous bundles of green plastic strands… tufts of plastic ‘grass.’” And just imagine how much they didn’t collect because it had already escaped. Listen to her full comment here: https://www.youtube.com/live/fmhmSHZPwFQ?si=u3pLW0B5sMM35TOq&t=15013 Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 41 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 86 Packet Pg. 178 of 896  26: Increase the fiber loss estimate by a factor of 6. The Department of Toxic Substance Control estimates 6 times as much plastic grass fiber loss as that stated in your report. Here are some photos of plastic grass fibers shedding from an artificial turf field. These photos are from an eye-opening 4 minute clip (https://youtu.be/A8OLBfWmt7g?si=RRP_ui3xjKw56y_c) of a public hearing in another community between commissioners and a scientist that worked for the artificial turf industry. The decision makers had already decided not to use crumb rubber infill and, in the video, were speaking to the scientist about their obviously quite valid concern that microplastic pollution from artificial turf carpets remains a serious and significant issue. In 2024, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) reported that over 3,000 pounds of plastic grass could be shed by a single field over the course of a single year. (https://youtu.be/QzlTDHBYY90?si=MZk0SK9emFKcIme2&t=1802 timestamp 30:02) That would equate to 30,000 pounds over 10 years, which is dramatically more than the 4,800 pounds over 10 years that you asserted in your report (without an in-text citation) on page 114. Even manufacturers admit to serious amounts of fiber loss: ● Some manufacturers will only guarantee that 40% of the artificial turf carpet pile will be retained through the warranty period. For example, AstroTurf states in its maintenance manual that “AstroTurf Corporation does warrant that the product will provide a useful playing surface for a period of 8 years from the date of shipment with a maximum weight loss of not over 60% of the face fiber per square foot.” ● As another example, TenCate’s Pivot warranty states “This Warranty does not cover… fiber loss less than 50% of total field mass.” Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 42 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 87 Packet Pg. 179 of 896  Concerningly, the product purchased for Mayfield in 2025 doesn’t even guarantee/warranty that a measly 40% of the pile mass will be retained through the 8 year warranty period. Instead Field Turf, in its warranty, confesses wear and tear is normal, a function of the product construction and usage intensity. Because Palo Alto’s artificial turfs are subjected to heavy usage intensity, the “normal” amount of microplastic generation is therefore likely quite large. Your report should warn readers that infill-free artificial turf systems could potentially generate double to triple the amount of plastic grass fiber pollution. The carpets for infill-free artificial turf systems are constructed with significantly more plastic than organically-infilled artificial turf systems in order to compensate for the lack of infill. TenCate states “Pivot, depending on the version, contains between 90 and 120 ounces of PE yarns per square yard. A traditional infilled system typically uses 46 to 60 ounces of PE yarns per square yard. This is a x2 to x3 depending on the system.” Pivot is the product, which as mentioned above, the manufacturer ’s warranty admits may lose up to 50% of its fiber mass over the course of the warranty period. Therefore, an 80,000-square-foot Pivot field built with carpets that have 120 ounces of polyethylene fiber per square yard contains about 66,700 pounds of plastic fibers at installation. Because the warranty only guarantees that 50% of the fiber mass will remain after the carpet’s warrantied 12-year lifespan, roughly 33,300 pounds (15 metric tons) of plastic fibers are expected to break off and potentially disperse into the environment over that period—an average of nearly 2,800 pounds per year. That may even be an underestimate given that TenCate touts on the product website that “Pivot features 16 times as many individual fibers as competitor ’s turf systems”. To summarize, comparing all 3 of the above estimates on a 10 year scale, your source works out to 4,800 pounds of fiber loss, DTSC’s source works out to 30,000 pounds of fiber loss, and TenCate’s would work out to 28,000 pounds, or 14 tons, of fiber loss. City decision makers should be concerned that each of its artificial turf fields could be shedding more than 14 tons of plastic fibers every 10 years, with a significant amount of that plastic pollution potentially being blown off the field and washed into storm drains before the City sweeps it up. This would be concerning even if the City swept up once a week, but it’s even more concerning knowing that the City is only sweeping up once every 6 weeks. (According to page 725 of the report, Palo Alto staff state they only groom the synthetic turf once every 6 weeks and even less frequently when the field gets old.) Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 43 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 88 Packet Pg. 180 of 896  27: Recommend maintenance practices, field design, and stormwater capture devices to reduce the amount of plastic pollution. We already decided to use non-polymeric infill. Now let’s tackle the plastic grass fiber pollution. p 114 says “The amount of plastic that makes it into the environment is likely variable given the maintenance practices and field design, specially stormwater capture devices.” Please describe the City’s current practices and how the City should change them. p70 discusses drainage but is light on important details. Please add the following descriptions: ● Describe where the drain typically goes — a creek, sewer system, or elsewhere. Where does it go for El Camino? Mayfield? Cubberley? ● Describe how the microplastics and nanoplastics that shed from the artificial turf carpets fibers are filtered out of the water flowing down that drain. Describe the “stormwater capture devices” you reference above. ● Describe how frequently the filters need to be emptied. ● Describe how fine the mesh is and the concerns about smaller plastic particles escaping down the drain. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 44 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 89 Packet Pg. 181 of 896  28: Add in-text numbered references to source material. One challenge in reviewing the draft is that while the References, starting on page 164, include a list of sources for each chapter, the report does not identify which source supports specific numbers or specific statements in the report. For example, the statement on page 114 that “Synthetic turf fiber loss over the course of a 10-year period… may range between 5%–15% of original fiber mass” is not linked to any citation, which makes it difficult for the public to evaluate the basis of this claim. I recommend that the final report use in-text numbered references (or footnotes/endnotes) so that each statement of fact, statistic, or technical claim is clearly tied to its source in the reference list. This will improve the transparency, accuracy, and credibility of the report and will make it easier for the public and decision-makers to verify the evidence. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 45 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 90 Packet Pg. 182 of 896  29: Account for microplastic pollution from artificial turf carpet backing also. Your report should disclose that the artificial turf carpet backing also degrades into and releases microplastics. “an average turf and an average lifespan of ten years, a 7526 m2 artificial turf would release 271 kg backing material particles annually.” (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723048465) Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 46 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 91 Packet Pg. 183 of 896  30: City Council asked you to study organically-managed fields. Start here. At the April 21, 2025 City Council meeting, Council asked for the study to include organically-managed fields: https://www.youtube.com/live/p-FfYMte0Hg?si=o7hHoh51s3Ce7vel&t=15205 Staff responded “We can definitely have our consultant look into that”. However, I’m not finding any analysis of organic management in your report. Please evaluate the set of case studies of organically managed fields provided at https://www.uml.edu/research/lowell-center/athletic-playing-fields/ The hours of use on some of those fields are quite high. I believe the Marblehead, MA case study was done while Chip Osborne was responsible for the fields. He has a lot of experience with organically-managed athletic fields. Contact him via his website: https://osborneorganics.com/about-chip-osborne-jr/ Another resource to check out is field manager Randy Booker. He speaks about his organically-managed fields for about 10 minutes at https://youtu.be/H2A0tto0WLo?si=4zsSH8mbYdmOMok5&t=3069 (start at timestamp 51:09). Contact him via his website: https://www.turfevolution.ca Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 47 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 92 Packet Pg. 184 of 896  31: Explain or correct inconsistencies in Executive Summary. The first sentence below implies converting El Camino’s synthetic field to real grass could require 4 grass fields. The second sentence below implies it could require 8 grass fields. Please fix this inconsistency or make it easier for readers to recognize the difference between these statements. Page 11 says “Generally, a synthetic turf field has a carrying capacity that is equivalent to three to four native soil natural grass fields, thus the conversion of one synthetic turf field should be replaced with three to four native soil natural grass fields.” Page 13 says “If the [El Camino Park synthetic turf] field is converted to natural grass, the City should strongly consider adding six to seven additional native soil natural grass fields to its inventory to accommodate the approximately 4,300 annual hours of displaced use.” Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 48 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 93 Packet Pg. 185 of 896  32: Unbury the lead: Report’s data supports conclusion that El Camino’s synthetic turf is unnecessary. The report buries a crucial fact on page 155 that belongs in the Executive Summary: “Current usage records show that synthetic turf fields in Palo Alto can sustain over 2,000 hours of annual programmed activity per field, while most natural grass fields are capped at around 800 to 1,000 hours to maintain minimum playability standards and avoid safety degradation.” This data supports a very different conclusion than the one highlighted in the Executive Summary (p.13), which claims it would take 7–8 grass fields to support the use at El Camino Park’s synthetic turf field. Simple math shows otherwise: ● Synthetic turf: ~2,000 hours ● Natural grass: ~1,000 hours Therefore, El Camino’s synthetic turf usage could be supported with just 2 grass fields, not 7 to 8. Even better: If Palo Alto’s grass fields can sustain 1,000 annual hours, then the City is sitting on underutilized field capacity right now (page 84). Move some of El Camino’s programmed hours to those fields, and the problem is solved. Solution: Convert El Camino Park’s synthetic turf to natural grass, redistribute excess demand to underused grass fields, and enjoy safer, cooler, healthier play. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 49 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 94 Packet Pg. 186 of 896  33: Show math that 1 synthetic field should be replaced with 8 grass fields instead of 2 grass fields. A lot of readers, perhaps even the City’s decision makers, aren’t going to read the 785-report. They’re going to scan the 4-page Executive Summary, and they’re going to focus on one nugget that will then be repeatedly quoted in conversations, public meetings, in the media, in future turf studies commissioned by other municipalities, and maybe even by the synthetic turf industry. That nugget? The City’s conclusion that it takes 8 grass fields to support the use of 1 synthetic turf. So it’s important to get this story problem right, and it’s important you show your work. In the Executive Summary, on page 13, you write “If the [El Camino Park artificial turf] field is converted to natural grass, the City should strongly consider adding 6 to 7 additional native soil natural grass fields to its inventory to accommodate the approximately 4,300 annual hours of displaced use.” You’re saying it would take 7-8 grass fields to support 4,300 annual hours of use. Please explain how you calculated that and why data in your report supports alternative conclusions. On pg 155 the report says grass fields can sustain up to 1000 hours of annual use. Doesn’t that mean that if the El Camino Park artificial turf were converted to natural grass, the 4,300 annual hours of displaced use could be accommodated on 4-5 grass fields rather than 7-8? On pg 84, the City’s data indicates there are several grass fields in Palo Alto getting over 3,000 hours of use. Doesn’t that mean that if the El Camino Park artificial turf were converted to natural grass, the 4,300 annual hours of displaced use could be accommodated on 2 grass fields rather than 7-8? If so, then the Executive Summary, on page 13, should be replaced with: “If the [El Camino Park artificial turf] field is converted to natural grass, the City should strongly consider adding one additional native soil natural grass field to its inventory to accommodate the approximately 4,300 annual hours of displaced use.” Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 50 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 95 Packet Pg. 187 of 896  34: Describe the recommended “staff training.” Please elaborate on what you are referring to in the Executive Summary, when you state on page 13 that “achieving long-term durability, safety, and equity in athletic field access will require … investment in… staff training”. What topics are they being trained in? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 51 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 96 Packet Pg. 188 of 896  35: Recommend City transition 2 grass fields to organic management. Case studies show that a grass athletic field can support more hours of use if managed organically. From a financial perspective, how can the City afford to pass up the opportunity to see if this is true? Cost per hour of use is one of the main decision-making metrics emphasized in the report. If the City can get more hours of use out of a field, the divisor is bigger and the City’s cost per hour of use goes down. Recommend the City try it. It shouldn’t be that big of a transition since the City is already managing its fields with ITM rather than indiscriminately applying loads of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. There’s a national program offered by the nonprofit Beyond Pesticides that helps cities transition 2 of their grass fields to organic management over a 3-year period. The program is called “Parks for a Sustainable Future.” https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/power-organic-parks-program It offers training and technical support. The organization raised the funds to pay expert consultants to provide this training and technical support. Because the organization has limited funds, the program is by application only and the City would need to pay for its own soil testing. (Maybe McNitt’s firm would be willing to help the City out with that?) The City’s application has to be approved by City Council. Staff have to be on board. While the program is by application only, Palo Alto likely has a good shot because I think it’d be among the first few northern California cities to participate in the program. The organization doesn’t sell or market products or services. I’m sure that the organization would be more than happy to discuss the details with any members of the turf study consultant team, McNitt or his staff, City staff, Parks and Rec Commissioners, and/or City Council. Anyone interested in learning more should outreach to Rika Gopinath: Rika@beyondpesticides.org In the Executive Summary, you state on page 13 that “achieving long-term durability, safety, and equity in athletic field access will require … investment in… staff training”. Please explicitly recommend in the report that the City take advantage of this training program from the Beyond Pesticides. If you want, propose the City participate in this program purely as an experiment. If, after 3 years, it doesn’t prove to provide the expected benefits, then the City can revert to ITM management. However if it meets or exceeds expectations, the City could transition its other grass fields to organic management and reap even greater benefits. If you think about it, who wouldn’t support this? For those who prioritize field access, it can increase field access on the city’s existing grass fields. For those who prioritize environmental concerns, this eliminates synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers from several acres of Palo Alto land. For those who prioritize money, it can ensure the City is maximally utilizing its grass field assets. The potential benefits far outweigh the risks. There’s relatively little to lose. The demand for athletic field access is high, but investing in more real estate for additional fields is expensive. If the City could potentially get more usage out of the City’s existing grass fields, all while supporting its field users and the City’s sustainability goals, zero waste goals, green stormwater infrastructure goals, pesticide reduction goals, etc. this seems like a no-brainer. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 52 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 97 Packet Pg. 189 of 896  36: Add field sizes and date of last renovation to field descriptions. In the benchmarking chapter, please add square footage of each athletic field. For artificial turfs, indicate the last date of major renovation. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 53 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 98 Packet Pg. 190 of 896  37: Add Cubberley field description so all 3 of the City’s artificial turf sites are detailed. Thank you for including details about El Camino and Mayfield in the benchmarking chapter. Please include similar details about Cubberley so that all 3 of the City’s artificial turf sites are profiled. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 54 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 99 Packet Pg. 191 of 896  38: Explain how 4 of the City’s grass fields support over 2,000 hours of use per year when you say grass can only support 400-600 hours. On page 63, you say grass can only support 400-600 hours of use per year, but the City’s actual data, on page 84, lists a dozen of the City’s grass fields getting well over that. A dozen are getting over 1,000 hours per year. Four get over 2,000 hours a year. Two get over 3,000 hours a year. What? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 55 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 100 Packet Pg. 192 of 896  39: Educate readers that eliminating water from urban landscapes is detrimental. There is a widespread misperception that landscape water use, even judicious use, is bad. As indicated on page 200, the City’s own Parks & Recreation Commissioner classifies the water usage of grass and as an environmental concern. To help educate the public, please emphasize in the report’s Executive Summary that the City is judicious with its water use. Please emphasize the benefits of ecosystem services provided by hydrated landscapes. Eliminating water from urban landscapes is holistically detrimental, undermining our urban climate resilience. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) reports that, as California confronts ongoing drought, the relentless attack on landscapes and the water they use are misguided and have hidden costs.(https://ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanHort/files/216568.pdf) Furthermore, according to University of California researchers, against a backdrop of climate change “xeriscaping is wrongminded.” (https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2024/11/25/drought-friendly-ucr-turfgrass-now-market) If xeriscaping is wrongminded, covering acres of urban land with parking lots and plastic grass carpets is even worse. It turns out that when cities and school districts, as some of the biggest urban landowners in Silicon Valley, opt for living landscapes, it provides invaluable urban benefits by mitigating the heat island effect through evapotranspiration and mitigating flood risk by absorbing stormwater, both thereby driving us closer to the “Sponge City” (https://youtu.be/rMymtjDw-Gw?si=nze0fA_bg9yR7JB4) urban planning model we urgently need to adopt. Therefore, here in Palo Alto, wherever functional turf (https://s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/valleywater.org.us-west-1/s3fs-public/Handout%20for%20Non-Fun ctional%20Turf%20Definition.pdf) is needed, legitimate climate-smart urban greening involves judiciously irrigating and sustainably managing real turfgrass. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 56 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 101 Packet Pg. 193 of 896  40: Where’s the part of the report that covers artificial turf in playground settings? The 4/21/25 staff report (https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=166437&repo=r-704298fc) says “Turf application in playground settings… will be evaluated as an extension of the turf study.” Explain what “an extension of the turf study” means. Are playgrounds supposed to be covered in this report or will they be covered later in a separate report? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 57 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 102 Packet Pg. 194 of 896  41: Disclose conflicts of interest. I respectfully request that the City’s turf study consultant team (listed on p10) disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to this study. The report’s conclusion that 1 synthetic turf field can replace the need for 8 natural grass fields is not just a technical detail—it is a powerful and influential narrative that the synthetic turf industry has a strong financial incentive to see repeated. Industry will cite it, as will cities, school districts, and soccer clubs seeking to justify multimillion-dollar purchases of artificial turf, purchases that ultimately result in recurring replacement contracts every 8–10 years. The report’s conclusion can therefore generate recurring revenue every 8–10 years for consultants. By contrast, a well-designed, well-built, and well-managed natural grass field should not require significant future consultancy contracts. So there’s a potential motive for synthetic fields to be promoted. Transparency regarding any potential benefits to be gained by the consultants from the report’s conclusion is therefore essential. Even if no conflicts exist, disclosure will bolster public trust and allow readers to weigh the conclusions with full context. Disclosure is standard best practice in public projects of this scale. As an example of why I’m concerned about potential conflicts of interest, the City’s consultant team includes either Andrew McNitt and/or one of his associates. McNitt previously led a research center supported by the synthetic turf manufacturer Field Turf. The synthetic turf manufacturer provided significant financial backing to help establish the facility and advance its synthetic turf research (per the description at https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/about). This does not mean there are conflicts of interest; it just means it’s reasonable to question whether there may be any. As another example of why I’m concerned is that the other 3 firms on the City’s consultant team all do projects with synthetic turf (http://www.dahogan.com/synthetic-turf-fields/complete-list-synthetic-projects.php, https://www.lloydengineers.com/projects.html, https://strigroup.com/specialism/sports-facilities/). While they also do projects with natural turf, I am concerned that perhaps, over time, they make more money off clients they convert to synthetic turf and may therefore be incentivized to promote it. For example, when these firms persuade a client to choose synthetic turf, the firm may, every 8-10 years after that, have an opportunity to secure another renovation contract. As an example of a landscape architect being hired to replace end-of-life artificial turf systems with more modern systems, Verde Design Inc. was recently hired by Sunnyvale’s high school district to do this to 12 fields. In contrast, a well-designed, well-built, well-managed grass field should not require significant repeat services from these firms. Again, this does not mean there are conflicts of interest; it just means it’s reasonable to question whether there may be any. One other reason I’m concerned about potential conflicts of interest is that there is a public record of a synthetic turf company incentivizing a public agency staff member to help secure a contract. The record does not involve Palo Alto staff, decision makers, or the consultant team. I share this anecdote simply to illustrate that concerns about gifts and kickbacks from the synthetic turf industry are not unfounded. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 58 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 103 Packet Pg. 195 of 896  42: Add to team a consultant that’s never benefitted from synthetic turf industry and that has expertise enabling municipalities to dramatically increase grass field playability. As discussed in the prior section, of the 4 consultancy firms on the City’s turf study report, 3 are firms that do projects with synthetic turf and 1 is a firm with an owner that published research supporting synthetic turf while employed by an organization that was accepting money from a synthetic turf manufacturer. As I acknowledged in the prior section, all 4 of these consultancy firms also have professional expertise with natural grass as well, and I am not aware that any of these firms have an actual conflict of interest. The problem is there is simply no way to know if they could benefit from a conclusion that promotes synthetic turf. A smart strategy to reduce concerns about conflict of interest would be to add at least one firm to the consultant team that: ● is an expert in high carrying capacity municipal natural grass sports fields ● hasn’t ever worked for an entity that was financially supported by the synthetic turf industry ● doesn’t design or build or manage projects with synthetic turf. I would recommend AgEnviro: https://agenviro.com And if, in order to balance adding a consultant that only supports grass, you felt it necessary to add a consultant that only supports artificial turf, that would be reasonable. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 59 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 104 Packet Pg. 196 of 896  43. Disclose in Executive Summary that best practices for field maintenance aren’t followed by City. Your Executive Summary (p.13) states: “Palo Alto’s current maintenance program aligns with industry standards.” If by “industry standards” you meant industry best practices, that statement is inaccurate. While there may be reasons for deviations, the truth is that the City has not consistently employed all best practices. Evidence includes: ● Everything listed in the turf study report’s table on page 91. ● Grass fields have holes. (p. 190, 205, 208, 234). ● Soil testing is not being used to inform soil amendments (p. 91). ● Synthetic fields are not renovated until years after surface hardness exceeds 165 GMAX. ● Synthetic fields are groomed only once every 6 weeks. (p 725) ● Synthetic fields warrantied for 3,000 hours are being programmed for up to 5,000 hours. (p. 137) The above examples clearly demonstrate that the City is not yet following all industry best practices. Perhaps the original statement intended to convey: “Palo Alto’s maintenance program aligns with typical city standards.” Typical city standards often reflect programs with: ● No certified sports field managers consulted on field construction or field management. ● No certified soil scientists consulted on field construction or field management. ● Ancient or faulty irrigation infrastructure ● No soil testing to guide soil amendments ● Inadequate frequency of grass field aeration. ● Artificial turf field replacement not even proposed until years after the surface hardness begins to exceed safe levels ● Overbooking of fields, both natural and artificial, beyond carrying capacity ● Repeated cuts to maintenance and operating budgets ● Staff turnover resulting in limited on-staff knowledge of soil biology, GMAX, and the maintenance required to comply with the artificial turf warranty While not all of these may apply to Palo Alto, they illustrate the gap between typical city practices and industry best practices. Recommendation: Change the Executive Summary statement from: “Palo Alto’s current maintenance program aligns with industry standards” to: “Palo Alto’s maintenance programs for natural turf and artificial turf do not yet align with industry best practices.” This change accurately reflects the City’s current practices and is corroborated by the evidence provided in the report. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 60 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 105 Packet Pg. 197 of 896  The following Best Practices guides were produced with government agency funding and feature Dr. Mick Battam’s evidence-backed success. While they are not local, the science-based principles are transferable. ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2025-nsw ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2022-nsw-south Best Practices recommended by the Sports Field Management Association can be accessed at ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2021-sfma Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 61 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 106 Packet Pg. 198 of 896  44: Don’t assert that hours of use data from native soil grass fields that could have handled more use with best practices represents the hours of use grass can support. Palo Alto’s native soil grass fields are not built and managed with best practices. (I have covered this elsewhere in this document.) Most municipal native soil grass fields are not built and managed with best practices. Therefore data about how much usage those fields support does not tell us how much usage a grass field could support if built and managed with best practices. Claims about grass being unsuitable for a community with high field demand come from examples of grass fields that could have handled more use with best practices. Therefore data about how much use or rain those fields were subjected to before their condition degraded is therefore not representative of how much usage grass can support. The ability to cite an abundance of poor condition natural grass fields throughout a given locale merely indicates that change is desperately needed, not that the change need be to plastic. Similarly, the ability to cite high field access demands and an abundance of extended closures for natural grass fields merely indicates that change is desperately needed, not that the change need be to plastic. The following Best Practices guides were produced with government agency funding and feature Dr. Mick Battam’s evidence-backed success. While they are not local, the science-based principles are transferable. ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2025-nsw ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2022-nsw-south Best Practices recommended by the Sports Field Management Association can be accessed at ● https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2021-sfma Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 62 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 107 Packet Pg. 199 of 896  45: Advise how the City should choose between PFAS-reduced products. p14 says “In order to minimize potential health and environmental impacts prioritize certified PFAS reduced products.” Because each manufacturer has the liberty to define “PFAS-free” and “PFAS-reduced” however they’d like, in the turf study report, please advise how the City should choose between a set of “PFAS-reduced” artificial turf products. The 6/9/25 supplemental staff report says the Mayfield artificial turf will be tested for PFAS after installation. Please confirm that the plastic grass samples will be subjected to weathering protocols before the test and that you will require the raw test data and the report from the accredited test lab, not a transcription or summary from the manufacturer. If the City is unwilling to define and justify its own acceptable PFAS thresholds, an alternative approach your report should consider recommending to the City is to plan far enough in advance to solicit a specified suite of test data from different manufacturers and then base product selection on that data. Recommend that the City solicit options for artificial turf carpets, shockpads, and infills via an RFP that requires proposals to include comprehensive raw test data and unedited test reports from an accredited third-party laboratory proving no detectable PFAS. Plan to verify no detectable PFAS is found in the proposed product as follows: Confirm in the manufacturer provided test reports that (a) the testing includes the tests that Ecology Center recommends for PFAS-free certification (https://tinyurl.com/2024-02-Gearhart) and (b) the test results for total organic fluorine or total fluorine show less than 1 part per million (https://tinyurl.com/2024-02-Gearhart) and (c) the test results for analyzing the concentration of individual PFAS chemicals show “non-detect”. Regarding (c), laboratories are capable of detecting individual PFAS compounds at or below 1 part per trillion, so if the manufacturer provides test reports with higher detection limits for individual PFAS compounds, staff should insist the manufacturer order testing that is more sensitive. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 63 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 108 Packet Pg. 200 of 896  46: Don’t recommend City buy any more artificial turf systems without first confirming products exist that meet City’s expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability. On p 14, you state “The proposed product for El Camino Park has a natural infill, though the City would need to confirm if the product meets expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability.” This begs some very important questions: What are the City’s thresholds for PFAS levels and criteria for recyclability? Do both the artificial turf carpets and the infill products chosen for Mayfield fields meet these expectations? If not, can the City identify at least one artificial turf carpet and at least one infill product that meets these expectations? What evidence does the City have to support this beyond a manufacturer claim? This evidence should be disclosed in the report draft so that, if needed, report reviewers can help the City identify how the City is potentially being misled by the manufacturer. Many manufacturer claims related to PFAS levels and recyclability have been challenged by researchers and organizations across the country. These topics therefore deserve examination and coverage in the report well before the staff or Council settle on a decision regarding whether to choose artificial turf or natural turf. Once DTSC develops a standard for an acceptable level of PFAS in artificial turf, the City could consider modifying its PFAS level expectations to comply with the DTSC thresholds. But until then, why shouldn’t the City establish its own PFAS thresholds for artificial turf to protect its water supply? Base it off the April 2024 national drinking water standards, i.e. from before Trump weakened them. If no artificial turf products exist on the market that can verifiably meet the City’s expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability, it would be illogical for the report to recommend artificial turf. The report ought to provide evidence, beyond a manufacturer claim, that at least one artificial turf carpet product on the market and at least one infill product on the market meets the City’s expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 64 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 109 Packet Pg. 201 of 896  47: Define thresholds of City’s health and environmental criteria. On page 12, you state “Selection of synthetic turf manufacturers and their respective products will require further scrutiny to meet health and environmental expectations.” Define the City’s health and environmental criteria thresholds. Then provide evidence to reassure Council and the public that at least one artificial turf product exists that meets these health and environmental expectations. Again, why recommend synthetic fields if no products can be found that satisfy the City’s criteria? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 65 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 110 Packet Pg. 202 of 896  48: Don’t promote unnecessary plastics. It’s inconsistent with report’s conclusion. On page 114, the report states: “When synthetic turf carpets are recycled, they are typically processed into lower-grade plastic products, which can still serve useful functions within sports facilities. Common recycled items include benches and picnic tables. In the UK and US, recycled turf material is converted into plastic boards used as infill containment barriers... Incorporating recycled products back into the facility promotes positive environmental messaging and encourages sustainable practices within the sports community.” That last sentence sounds like it was lifted from an artificial turf marketing campaign. For you to say that this practice promotes sustainable practices is completely illogical and inconsistent with your report’s conclusion that the City should avoid using plastic turf where it is unnecessary. In essence, the main message of the report acknowledges that creating demand for unnecessary plastic products is unsustainable. It is therefore inconsistent to promote purchasing unnecessary plastic products, such as plastic picnic tables, plastic benches, and, for artificial turf infill containment, plastic boards. Please reassure readers that Palo Alto is NOT using those recycled plastic boards, or any plastic boards, in construction of the Mayfield or El Camino artificial turf systems. Isn’t it an option for Palo Alto to construct the system with boards made of actual wood, boards that are plastic-free, PFAS-free, and flame retardant free? Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 66 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 111 Packet Pg. 203 of 896  49: Review relevant research published in the time since the county drafted its report. While your report summarizes key takeaways of the County report, the County’s report was drafted in August of 2024 and relevant research has been published in the period since. Here are several to review: ● Sep 2024 research indicates that the toxicity of plastic turf increases with weathering. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668924002023) ● Oct 2024 research finds that chemicals in artificial turf can harm your endocrine and cardiometabolic systems. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1382668924002023) ● Dec 2024 research indicates the co-occurrence of microplastics and PFAS may intensify the impact. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749124018505) Both microplastic and PFAS pollution can be generated by artificial turf. ● Jan 2025: results published from testing for toxic chemicals in artificial turf components (carpet, infill, shockpad) by communities around the country. (https://www.testtheturf.org/turf-system-toxics.html) Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 67 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 112 Packet Pg. 204 of 896  50: Advise City not to recycle PFAS-laced artificial turf into new products. They’ll be contaminated with PFAS. Please explain why the City is contracting for recycling of Mayfield’s old artificial turf and may do so for El Camino too. Those carpets have PFAS in them. That PFAS is going to end up in the new products. It is ethically questionable for the City, in the context of the 2025 Mayfield Complex renovation and the potentially upcoming El Camino facility renovation, to recycle artificial turf carpet that was manufactured before 2019—the year scientists first identified PFAS in turf fibers. Industry does not even deny that carpets produced prior to that date were manufactured using processes that included PFAS. Because “forever chemicals” do not break down, PFAS will be present in every new plastic product created from Palo Alto’s 2025 turf carpet waste. By arranging for this recycling, the City is knowingly foisting these toxic hazards on to other consumers rather than taking responsibility for safely handling its hazardous waste. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 68 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 113 Packet Pg. 205 of 896  51: Itemize Appendix D’s 600 pages of unindexed resources. According to the table of contents, Appendix D runs from page 185 to page 785 and includes supplemental resources. These resources are not indexed in the table of contents or anywhere else I could find yet. This would mean Appendix D represents 600 pages of unindexed resources. In the table of contents, please itemize, with page numbers, the resources in Appendix D, so readers don’t have to flip through 600 pages to find out what’s in there. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 69 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 114 Packet Pg. 206 of 896  52: Disclose how long Field Turf has been withholding test data from the City. The last 3 pages of this 785 page report are well done. Thank you to those involved in the due diligence and perseverance involved in working to assess the PFAS found in Field Turf products, the artificial turf manufacturer the City selected to carpet the Mayfield complex. If, by the time the next revision of this turf study report is to be published, Field Turf still hasn’t provided the test data the City requested, please state in the report how long this request has been left unanswered. It means something. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 70 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 115 Packet Pg. 207 of 896  53: Correct typos. p 154 typo: “every 8–10 years10” p110: “drought” is misspelled as “draught” p30 says “chapters 13 and 14”. There is no chapter 13 or 14. Page 28 also references “chapter 13”. p83 ine 2. Forgot word “soil”. p 114 - Change “specially” to “especially”. pg 182 through 184 should be deleted. They are premature duplicates of pages 185, 237 and 654. The proper page numbers for each appendix should then be updated in the table of contents on page 8. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 71 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 116 Packet Pg. 208 of 896  54: Clarify references. p117 references “the products chapter”. what is that? On p14, 2nd paragraph, you write “The proposed product for El Camino Park has a natural infill, though the City would need to confirm if the product meets expectations for PFAS levels and recyclability.” It’s not clear whether the ‘product’ you are referring to is carpet, the infill,, or the artificial turf system. Please clarify that you are referring to the full artificial turf system, which includes carpet, carpet backing, shockpad, infill, and the plastic boards that are, according to Field Turf, made from recycled artificial turf carpet. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 72 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 117 Packet Pg. 209 of 896  55: Fix broken and missing links. For a report costing the city over $100K, the City Council members reading the report should not have to do their own internet searches to find the source documents. Make it quick and easy for the decision makers. At the time the final report is published, all the links should be clickable, not broken, and should take the reader to the specific document being referenced (as opposed to a generic organizational homepage). Example: Since it is not included in the appendix, this turf study report should have a working link to the Santa Clara County Medical Association’s “Artificial Turf Policy Recommendations: Final Report”. The report is referenced multiple times, but no link is provided among the References on page 166. So that you don’t have to do the legwork to find it, here is the link you can cut and paste into your report: https://www.sccma.org/Portals/19/Artificial%20Turf%20Policy%20Recommendation%20SCCMA%20Final %20%206824%20.pdf I found that link in this SCCMA index: https://www.sccma.org/programs/environmental-health.aspx In the references on pages 164-171, please add URLs for references that have none. Example: page 167 International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities. (2020). Life-cycle assessment of natural grass vs. synthetic turf. Technical guidelines for municipal recreation planning. Ensure that links don’t go to the wrong document. Here are a few examples where links go to the wrong document: For example, on page 31, the report says “A reference to the County’s ordinance is provided here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749122010557?via%3Dihub” That’s not the county ordinance. That’s a research paper written years earlier. Another example, on page 91, the report says “Palo Alto’s restrictions on fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, particularly as outlined in its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy ( https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Public-Services/Palo-Altos-Urban-Forest/Programs-f or-Public-Trees/Tree-Integrated-Pest-Management) That URL is not a link to the City’s IPM policy. It’s a link to a page about how the city maintains the public trees. Ensure links go to the source document being referenced rather than a generic website. Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 73 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 118 Packet Pg. 210 of 896  Here are a few examples where the link goes to a generic website rather than to the source document being referenced: ● page 166 Safe and resilient fields: Environmental and performance guidance for synthetic turf and natural grass fields. https://www.epa.gov/ ● page 165 Best management practices for sports field construction and maintenance. SFMA. https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/ ● page 165 Background document on candidate chemicals in artificial turf. https://dtsc.ca.gov/ ● page 165 Guidance and standards for synthetic turf systems. https://www.estc.info/ ● page 165 Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 of 25 September 2023 on the restriction of microplastics. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eurlex.europa.eu/ ● page 167 Sports Field Management Association. (2021). Maintenance cost benchmarks for athletic fields. https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/ ● page 167 Guide to synthetic turf system maintenance and replacement planning. https://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org/ ● page 170 https://www.miljodirektoratet.no ● page 171 Distinguished facility awards: El Camino Park, Palo Alto, CA ● page 171 City of Palo Alto. "Mitchell Park," https://www.cityofpaloalto.org. ● All the URLS on page 166 Underlined text is meant to be clickable, right? Ensure they are clickable. Here are a few examples where they aren’t: page 91 “Integrated Pest Management” page 101 “Santa Clara County Report” Run the report through a link-checking tool. Here are a few places where I encountered broken links: ● Last URL on page 168 ● page 170 “https://sccgov.legistar.com” ● Page 170 - the link to the Annex XV restriction report ● Page 171 - City of Palo Alto Official Parks and Open Space Directory ● Page 171 - Parks, Trails, Natural Open Space, and Recreation Master Plan. ● Page 171 - Parks, trails, natural open space & recreation master plan. Community Services Department. Some of the links are broken because they wrap lines. That should be fixable. Examples: ● page 167 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan ● page 167 https://www.activematters.org/wp- ● page 168 EPA’s Proposal to Limit PFAS in Drinking Water ● page 168 Løkkegaard, H., Malmgren-Hansen, B. and Nilsson, N.H. (2018). ● Page 169 https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/proposed-pfas-national-primary- Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report Draft. C. Fan. Sep 3, 2025. — Page 74 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 119 Packet Pg. 211 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:City consultant hasn’t answered the ONE question that truly matters to the turf study. Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 2:39:57 PM Attachments:2025 09 15 Palo Alto study incomplete. Doesnt answer how much use grass could support with best practices.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report PRC Commissioners, The consultant’s draft of the turf study report fails to answer the single question that matters most. Please see attached, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 120 Packet Pg. 212 of 896  Re: City consultant hasn’t answered the ONE question that truly matters to the turf study. September 15, 2025 Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commissioners, The consultant’s draft of the turf study report [1] fails to answer the single question that matters most: How many hours of use can a native-soil grass field in Palo Alto support if built and managed according to best practices? Answering this question is essential to determine whether such a field could realistically accommodate usage levels anywhere near those of the synthetic field at El Camino Park. Instead, the report focuses on information that was already clear: 1. The precautionary principle dictates that artificial turf be avoided whenever possible. That was the conclusion of the January 2025 Santa Clara County report [2]. The County concluded that even the most modern artificial turf — the versions with organic infill and PFAS-free claims — are potentially hazardous to humans and the environment. Palo Alto did not need to hire a consultant to document this. 2. The City of Palo Alto has not consistently followed best practices for native-soil grass field construction and management [3]. Field conditions make this obvious. Again, hiring a consultant to state the obvious was unnecessary. 3. Grass fields maintained the way Palo Alto and peer cities have historically managed them cannot support usage levels comparable to El Camino’s synthetic field. Everyone involved—City leaders, City staff, the soccer clubs, and the environmental advocates—already understood this. A consultant was not required to confirm it. The only thing we truly need a consultant for is to determine the maximum achievable usage for grass when best practices are applied consistently. Instead, the consultant provided paltry usage estimates [4] that appear to rely on either unsubstantiated rules of thumb or data from fields that have not been built and maintained according to best practices. Those figures are irrelevant to the question at hand. Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 121 Packet Pg. 213 of 896  Insist that the report, when capping the hours of use for a native-soil grass field, provide substantiated evidence for that cap in the form of a documented case study of an economical, municipally-owned field ACTUALLY BUILT AND MANAGED ACCORDING TO BEST PRACTICES. Insist the case study include evaluation by experts confirming that modifications to construction and management practices could not have enabled significantly more use of the field. Specifically, get the soil test reports, renovation records, and maintenance records reviewed by: ● a certified agronomist specializing in sports turf [5], ● a certified irrigation specialist [6], ● and a certified sports field manager [7]. Without this level of review, it remains entirely possible that a native-soil grass field built and managed with best practices could accommodate far more usage than the report currently suggests. Do not dismiss the need to explore this due to an assumption that best practices would be prohibitively expensive. The report itself estimates a 20-year cost of $3.5M for artificial turf versus roughly half that for grass [8]. With a $1.7M margin, the City could certainly afford to raise its construction and maintenance standards. The financial, environmental, and human health stakes of the decisions to be made based on this report are significant. It is therefore inappropriate to base the City’s future plans on grass usage data derived from unsubstantiated rules of thumb [9] or faulty logic. It is faulty logic to conclude native-soil grass can’t be durable enough to support El Camino Park’s usage demands based on usage records from fields that had lower usage demands or fields that could have supported more use if built and managed according to best practices. This report needs more work. I urge you to insist it be done. Sincerely, Cynthia Fan Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 122 Packet Pg. 214 of 896  References: 1. August 13, 2025. City of Palo Alto. “Comparative analysis of synthetic and natural turf athletic fields” https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced- size-for-posting-palo-alto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pdf 2. January 2025. Santa Clara County’s Public Health Department literature review to assess potential health risks of artificial turf: https://tinyurl.com/2025-01-28-county-pub-health 3. September 3, 2025. C Fan Recommended Revisions to City of Palo Alto’s Aug 13, 2025 Turf Study Report: https://tinyurl.com/2025-09-03-fan-to-palo-alto - Page 60. 4. August 13, 2025. City of Palo Alto. “Comparative analysis of synthetic and natural turf athletic fields” https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced- size-for-posting-palo-alto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pdf - Page 79. 5. 2022. Best Practice Sporting Fields https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2022-nsw-south - Page 170 6. January 2025. Best-practice guidelines for sporting fields: https://tinyurl.com/best-practices-2025-nsw - Page 41. 7. Sports Field Management Association - Certified Sports Field Manager: https://www.sportsfieldmanagement.org/csfm-program/ 8. August 13, 2025. City of Palo Alto. “Comparative analysis of synthetic and natural turf athletic fields” https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced- size-for-posting-palo-alto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pdf - Page 99. 9. “It is incumbent on decision makers to base sports strategies and expenditure of public funds on sound science as opposed to marketing material and unsubstantiated rules of thumb.” -Dr. Mick Battam https://sustainablesportsnews.ausleisure.com.au/news/new-study-claims-flaws-in-proces ses-used-to-justify-artificial-turf-sports-fields/ Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 123 Packet Pg. 215 of 896  Full news article: https://sustainablesportsnews.ausleisure.com.au/news/new-study-claims-flaws-in-processes-us ed-to-justify-artificial-turf-sports-fields/ The full study referenced in the news article: https://tinyurl.com/2022-02-battam Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 124 Packet Pg. 216 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:report shouldn’t recommend artificial turf because no vendor can legally sell it in CA Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 3:00:14 AM Attachments:2025 09 15 Palo Alto - illegal to sell artificial turf to the city.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Commissioners, Don’t compromise your integrity by approving a report that recommends a product that can only be acquired from a law-breaking business. Please see attached letter. Thank you, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 125 Packet Pg. 217 of 896  Re: report shouldn’t recommend artificial turf because no vendor can legally sell it in CA Sep 15, 2025 Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commissioners, No commissioner or city council member can, in good conscience, endorse the August 2025 draft of the turf study report1 after what I am about to share with you… There’s strong reason to suspect that no vendor can legally sell artificial turf field carpets to the City of Palo Alto. For City leaders to endorse a report that recommends purchasing them anyway would signal a blatant disregard for the law, a willingness to look the other way to secure a desired outcome, and the audacity to spend taxpayer dollars propping up an unethical industry. I’ve tried to anticipate your questions and answer them on the next page During your 9/23 meeting, please ask staff: ● Have you found any artificial turf field carpet vendor who can prove compliance with Truth in Recycling laws? ● If not, artificial turf field carpet sales are illegal in California. How can you stand behind a report recommending artificial turf? Insist staff address this with transparency in the report by either identifying an artificial turf field carpet product not marketed as recyclable or showing substantiated evidence that at least one marketed as recyclable complies with state law. If staff can’t point to even one vendor that could legally sell the City artificial turf field carpets, then artificial turf is not a real option for a city led by a council that abides by a moral code. Therefore, the report shouldn’t recommend its use. No proof, no turf. Don’t compromise your integrity by approving a report that recommends a product that can only be acquired from a law-breaking business. Respectfully, Cynthia Fan 1 https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/2025-08-13-reduced-size-for-posting- palo-alto-turf-athletic-fields-draft.pdf 1 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 126 Packet Pg. 218 of 896  FAQ: Why can’t any vendor legally sell artificial turf field carpets to the City? Because every vendor markets the product as recyclable. Under California law, products marketed as recyclable cannot be sold unless the vendor can demonstrate specific strict requirements are met. For example, at least 75% of the discarded turf field carpets within the state would have to be recycled.2 They are not. Why can’t artificial turf marketing claims be trusted? If there’s evidence recycling at the requisite scale is happening, it hasn’t been made public. Pair that with the artificial turf industry’s long history of misleading recycling claims (see appendix), and it is clearly unreasonable to blindly trust vendors. How can the City confirm whether or not an artificial turf field carpet vendor meets the requirements to legally sell its product in California? It’s simple: the law requires vendors to maintain documentation proving compliance and provide it upon request.3 Back in June, I encouraged the City to request this documentation from Field Turf.4 Ask staff what they found. 4 My June 9, 2025 letter to City Council : https://tinyurl.com/2025-06-09-fan-to-palo-alto-1 3 California Business and Professions Code §17580(a) requires that a company making an environmental marketing claim — such as “recycled” or “recyclable” — must maintain documented objective evidence supporting the validity of that claim. Objective evidence, in practice, means independent audits or third-party studies — not unsupported promotional materials. The law further states that this documentation must be provided upon request and must include the entire set of six specific categories of information itemized in that section. To be clear, that required documentation, per federal regulations ECFR 260.2, must provide “scientific evidence [of sufficient quality and quantity and that] consists of tests, analyses, research, or studies that have been conducted and evaluated in an objective manner by qualified persons.” According to §17580(b), failure to provide this full set of documentation constitutes a violation of California law. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC&sectionNum=17580 and https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-260/section-260.2 2 Under California Public Resources Code §42355.51, a product marketed as recyclable may not be offered for sale or sold in California unless it can be demonstrated that at least 75% of the material type being discarded in the state is recycled into new products via a method that, per §42355.51(f), doesn’t include pyrolysis. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PRC&sectionNum=42355.5 1 2 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 127 Packet Pg. 219 of 896  Can’t the City just disregard the vendors’ misleading recyclability claims? You mean disregard the law? The issue of primary concern here is not whether Palo Alto’s artificial turf will ever be recycled. The issue is not just what appears in promotional materials. The issue is that selling this product is illegal. If the City buys artificial turf, is the City breaking the law? Technically, the seller is the one breaking the law. But if City leaders knowingly approve an illegal sale, that shows a lack of moral code. Taxpayers will not be pleased to learn their leaders manage public money in this way. So in an illegal sale, the law-breaker is the seller, not the purchaser? So what? The City should do the right thing even if the law doesn’t require it. Palo Alto should not reward law-breaking businesses with million-dollar contracts. Why not approve the artificial turf study report as-is and confirm vendor compliance later as part of the process for awarding a purchase contract? Because the odds are high that no vendor is in compliance. If the report authors can’t find a single vendor that is in compliance, the report should not recommend artificial turf. It should recommend improving and managing natural grass fields. It’s a waste of time to design with artificial turf and solicit bids, proceeding as if artificial turf were a viable option — only to face reality at contract approval. If selling artificial turf is illegal, how have so many California cities and schools purchased it? The fact that other California cities and schools buy artificial turf doesn’t prove those sales are legal. It just means no one has challenged them. 3 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 128 Packet Pg. 220 of 896  Artificial turf companies have repeatedly misled the public about recycling this unsustainable product. Why should we believe them now? There is significant public interest in ensuring ethical and legal waste handling and in ensuring public funds go toward verifiably legitimate services offered by ethical businesses. There have been a number of cases of businesses pocketing public agency money for artificial turf end of life services that were not performed… Scenarios that involved illegal dumping or proven failure to recycle. After more than a decade of claims suggesting otherwise, the artificial turf field carpet recycling sector has evolved very little, with promised recycling facilities struggling to scale up or failing to come online at all. As a recent example, the long-promised Re-Match facility in Pennsylvania has failed to secure permits, faced regulatory enforcement, and left waste piling up. As reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer5 and Boston Globe,6 artificial turf waste is piling up around the nation. Some of this plastic turf waste, as local NBC investigative reporters recently shared, has been illegally dumped in our own county.7 Recent criticisms of the artificial turf industry’s recycling claims include: ● The 4-minute 2023 video “Artificial Turf ‘Recycling?’”8 which directly addresses the industry’s current “advanced recycling” claims. ● The 11-minute 2021 video “Artificial Turf ‘Recycling’: A Decade-Long Deception”,9 which concludes: “Artificial turf companies have repeatedly misled the public about recycling this unsustainable product. Should we believe them now?” Here’s an illegal dumping anecdote to help you visualize some of the shenanigans that have gone down: https://www.ehn.org/hidden-gotcha-in-artificial-turf-installations-2641507579.html “This issue became personal when I learned that my wonderful County Supervisor, Ann Mallek (White Hall District, Albemarle County, Virginia), had learned of illegal dumping of used turf from the University of Virginia. A neighbor of mine had called her, puzzled by a series of big dump trucks traveling on a dirt road up a nearby mountain. The neighbor told Mallek that the unusual amount of traffic had so surprised him that he had finally stopped one of the drivers and chatted him up. The driver told him he was carrying used turf from the university but that it was OK, 9 https://youtu.be/9Wndy6dLJGk?si=6c3BKFhhh8mATPSZ 8 https://youtu.be/pzdi2cWWZdw 7 https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/disposal-school-artificial-turf-field-environmental-con cerns/3747744/ 6 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/07/18/science/artificial-turf-not-being-recycled/ 5 https://tinyurl.com/forever-fields 4 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 129 Packet Pg. 221 of 896  Virginia's Department of Environmental Quality had approved it. This seemed unusual to Ann; she wasn't aware of any legal rubbish dumps up that particular mountain. So she called the university. Her contact there reassured her that DEQ had approved. Then she called DEQ, who knew nothing about it. It was an illegal rubbish dump set up by an enterprising landowner to receive the turf. After formal notice of violation from Albemarle County, the landowner had the turf hauled away, but a couple of months later it was discovered again, by accident, having merely been shifted to another site on the mountain beside a stream. The County had to get involved again and this time the turf was finally taken to a landfill capable of handling hazardous waste.” And here: https://nontoxicdovernh.wordpress.com/2024/04/08/portsmouth-high-school-synthetic-field-recy cling is a recent example of a public agency that, in the bid specifications for artificial turf recycling, had even requested destination facility acceptance receipts, invoices, and/or scale receipts, detailing facility name, date, recycled item name, and quantity. Yet it was found that the recycling that the public agency paid for had, over a year later, still not taken place. Locally, as you may have seen on NBC,10 when Saratoga High School recently replaced its plastic turf, TurfCycle, the company managing the recycling, provided a letter stating that the waste had been sent to Pescadero. However, the validity of that claim has been contested.11 Reports indicate that at least several truckloads of the turf waste were dumped on land in south Santa Clara County, not Pescadero. According to County Supervisor Otto Lee’s office, the dump site received a Zoning Violation from County Code Enforcement for outdoor storage of plastic turf, and, for quite some time, the property owner failed to abate the violation despite being given notice. This situation highlights the risk of relying solely on coordinators for “tracking” waste. Without independent verification from trucking companies and receiving property owners, Chain of Custody letters from coordinators alone may lack credibility. Dealing with the growing problem of artificial turf waste has become so serious and pervasive nationwide that attempts are being made at the state level to regulate12 chain of custody tracking. However, until such regulation is enacted, the onus is on the City to do the responsible thing voluntarily, specify its expectations to contractors clearly, and ensure some way to verify that such work is performed per those specifications. In light of artificial turf recycling history, it is essential to be wary of greenwashing and instead seek out clear, verifiable facts. Given the City’s commitment to sustainability and appropriate spending of public funds, it is prudent for the City to vet recycling claims and avoid reputational harm stemming from giving City contracts to businesses engaged in illegal activity — activity that includes violating the state’s Truth in Recycling laws. 12 https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2023/eee/1dkx6QoheTPcAf8btvxSwkGV58VNYnI9E.pdf 11 https://tinyurl.com/2024-03-bond-to-lgsuhsd 10 https://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/disposal-school-artificial-turf-field-environmental-concerns/37 47744/ 5 Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 130 Packet Pg. 222 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Cover in turf study -> Solution to economically quadruple durability of grass. Date:Monday, September 22, 2025 2:22:09 PM Attachments:2025 09 22 - solution to economically quadruple the durability of grass - Palo Alto PRC.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Hi PRC Commissioners, The attached table outlines a potential solution for economically extending the durability of Palo Alto’s native-soil grass fields—by more than fourfold. This approach could save the City millions of dollars while reducing, or even eliminating, the need for artificial turf. Please encourage staff to have the turf study’s authors include this option in the report’s cost comparison section before the next report revision is published. Staff should already be familiar with this solution. I submitted the attached table, along with additional information, on August 21, 2025, in response to the City’s request for feedback on the turf study report draft. I also submitted information on this option to City Council and staff on April 21, 2025, prior to Council’s approval of the study. City Council referenced this solution during discussion, the discussion that culminated in approving what was described as a comprehensive study on artificial turf and natural grass. For that reason, it is reasonable to expect the turf study final report to address this option directly. Thank you, Cynthia Fan P.S. Did staff forward you the actual feedback they solicited from the public on the Powered by Mimecast Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 131 Packet Pg. 223 of 896  turf study report draft? I figured you’d want to review it to inform your discussion at your 9/23/25 meeting so was surprised it’s not included in the agenda or on the turf study website. Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 132 Packet Pg. 224 of 896  CITY OF PALO ALTO, EXPLORE ADOPTING DR. BATTAM’S METHODS. HIS GRASS FIELDS SUPPORT 4X AS MUCH USE AS PALO ALTO’S. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE THE CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS! Below, I summarize my understanding of Dr. Mick Battam’s key findings. He is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist and Certified Irrigation Agronomist that specializes in sports turf. His research and practice indicate that the methods used to build and manage a native-soil grass athletic field dramatically influence playability. To verify the below information, fill data gaps, address questions, and inquire about technical assistance developing a science-based estimate for the playability of a field built and maintained with his methods adapted for Palo Alto’s climate, turf species, and soils, I encourage your consultant to contact Dr. Battam directly: mick@agenviro.com, 011-61-425-363-161, https://agenviro.com/team/mick-battam/ Characteristics of a native-soil grass athletic field that are influenced by how the field is built and managed. A field built and managed with typical methods like those used by the City of Palo Alto. Middle Head Oval, a municipal field built and managed with Dr. Battam’s methods. Hours of use that can be supported per year ~500 2000+ Player satisfaction. Mixed. High. Rave reviews from the sports clubs that had originally lobbied for plastic turf. Impact of rain Event cancellations and extended field closures are necessary to prevent excessive soil compaction. Playable within 20 minutes of significant rain. Annual downtime for field to rest. 2 months or more. 2 weeks. Playing surface consistency. Develops inconsistencies. Consistent. Has 95% turf cover. Playing surface evenness. Develops unevenness. Level. Has an evenness of 10mm. Playing surface softness. Varies in appropriateness. Appropriately soft. Measures 80-100 gravities with a Clegg Impact Soil Tester. Soil amendments. Synthetic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Composted garden organics and other amendments recommended by a certified professional soil scientist specializing in sports turf. Water usage. Moderate. Low. Cost to construct. Let’s call this X. About 10% more than X. Cost to maintain. Low. Low. Frequency of renovations needed for fields with high utilization. Frequent need for complete resodding and releveling. Infrequent need for major renovations. Sources: ● Government-published 2025 Best-Practice Guidelines for Sporting Fields, a guide that heavily cites Dr. Battam’s research: https://tinyurl.com/2025-01-nsw-gov-enviro-water ● Lifecycle costs from Dr. Battam’s 2022 Best Practice Sporting Fields book: https://tinyurl.com/2022-battam-lifecycle-costs ● Dr. Battam’s Middle Head Oval Case Study: https://tinyurl.com/middle-head-oval-case-study ● ABC News coverage of Middle Head Oval: https://tinyurl.com/abc-news-sydney-oval ● Dr. Battam on playing after rain: https://tinyurl.com/playafterrain ● Dr. Battam on Improving Local Sports Fields: https://tinyurl.com/improving-local-sports-fields ● Dr. Battam on Improving Environmental Outcomes for Sports Fields: https://tinyurl.com/sports-fields-improving-enviro ● Dr. Battam on Fast Drainage and Other Benefits of Well-Built Fields: https://tinyurl.com/fast-drainage-other-benefits Item 4 Turf Study Public Comments 08.19.25 - 09.23.25 Item 4: Staff Report Pg. 133 Packet Pg. 225 of 896  Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report Report Type: BUSINESS ITEMS Lead Department: Community Services Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #:2509-5212 TITLE Informational Update on the Cubberley Community Center Project including, Summary of Community Meeting #3, and Provide Feedback on Conceptual Design; and Workplan Update – 45 minutes This will be a late packet report published on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Item 5 No Report Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 226 of 896  8 1 1 5 Parks and Recreation Commission Staff Report From: Community Services Department Meeting Date: September 23, 2025 Report #: 2509-5153 TITLE Informational Update on the Cubberley Community Center Project including, Summary of Community Meeting #3, and Provide Feedback on Conceptual Design; and Receive Update on Workplan – 45 minutes RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that the Commission: 1. Receive an informational update on the Cubberley Community Center Project, including Summary of Community Meeting #3; and 2. Provide Feedback on Conceptual Design; and 3. Receive Update on Cubberley Project Workplan. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City is advancing a master planning effort for a 15-acre portion of the Cubberley site, building on the 2019 co-design concept plan. On September 17, 2025, the City held the third and final community meeting for the Cubberley Community Center Master Plan, facilitated by Concordia. About 150 community members attended to review the refined concept plan, which included updates on program placement, phasing, and site circulation. Participants engaged in two activities: (1) evaluating the Phase 1 concept design for the Recreation and Wellness, and Performing Arts areas, and (2) providing feedback on the Phase 2 and 3 concept designs for the Visual Arts & Technology and Community Services areas. In both activities, community members reflected on three guiding questions: What is working well and excites you? What is not working well or could be improved? What creative ideas, such as, new events, programming, or installations—could make the spaces more vibrant and impactful? The meeting reinforced the important elements of preserving some existing buildings, phasing the construction and ensuring programming spaces remain flexible. The input gathered will inform the preferred concept, which Concordia and staff will present with cost estimates and phasing scenarios to the community and City Council on December 8, 2025. Item 5 Item 5 Late Packet Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 227 of 896  8 1 1 5 Staff request the Parks and Recreation Commission provide input on the same key aspects reviewed by the community at Meeting #3: What is working well? What excites you? What is not working well or could be improved? What creative ideas can make the space more exciting (e.g., events, programming, installations)? Any additional comments or feedback to help refine the preferred concept? BACKGROUND 1, additional milestones have been added including the Planning and Transportation Committee meeting on July 9, 2025, and Architectural Review Board meeting on July 17, 2025. ANALYSIS 2 Building on that foundation, the current process has moved forward with a series of three community meetings designed to refine and update the vision for the site. To date, all three community meetings have been held as part of the Cubberley Community Center co-design process. The first meeting took place on 1 Staff Presentation, June 24, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/viewer/preview?id=0&type=8&uid=ac29aa36-1b3a-4403-b8b2- cc403685865d 2 Cubberley Concept Plan 2019: https://www.pausd.org/about-us/committees-task-forces/archived- committees/cubberley-master-plan Item 5 Item 5 Late Packet Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 228 of 896  8 1 1 5 March 19, 2025, and asked participants to review the City Council’s Vision Statement and provide input on programming, adjacencies, shared spaces, and greenspace, using the 2019 master plan as a guide. The second meeting was held June 12, 2025, and three concepts were presented focusing on overall layout, relationship of built to outdoor space, and pedestrian/bike circulation. Third Cubberley Master Plan Community Meeting Activity 1- Phase 1 Concept Design: Wellness and Performing Arts What is working well and excites you? What is not working well or could be improved? What creative ideas do you have to make the space exciting? Activity 2- Phase 2 and 3 Concept Design: Visual Arts & Technology and Community Services Item 5 Item 5 Late Packet Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 229 of 896  8 1 1 5 Overall, the meeting reflected strong community engagement and generated valuable input on both programming and site circulation. At the meeting, community members expressed enthusiasm about seeing program placement within the proposed buildings and noted their appreciation for the phased approach, which allows for continuity of programs during construction. The discussion was lively and engaging, with particular interest around the café, the outdoor amphitheater, parking access, and pedestrian and bicycle circulation pathways. The feedback gathered will directly inform refinement of the preferred concept plan. The full meeting summary will be finalized in the coming weeks and shared with the community through the project webpage. Concordia and staff will incorporate this input as they prepare for the final presentation of the proposed master plan, cost estimates, and phasing scenarios to the community and City Council on December 8, 2025. 3.What are your creative ideas to make the space exciting? Consider events, additional indoor and outdoor programming, installations, etc. Cubberley Workplan Updates bold) Feb 18, 2025 – City Council Visioning Session March 19, 2025 – First Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting April 21, 2025 – City Council direction on Poll #1 themes April 22, 2025 – Presentation to Parks and Recreation Commission Item 5 Item 5 Late Packet Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 230 of 896  8 1 1 5 April 28, 2025 –Poll #1 released to Palo Alto community June 9, 2025 – City Council review of Poll #1 results June 12, 2025 – Second Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting June 19, 2025 – Public Art Commission Meeting June 24, 2025 – Presentation to Parks and Recreation Commission July 9, 2025 – Presentation to Planning & Transportation Commission July 17, 2025 – Presentation to Architectural Review Board September 17, 2025 – Third Cubberley Master Planning Community Meeting September 23, 2025 – Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Upcoming Project Milestones October 2025 – Council recap of third community meeting November 2025 – Release Poll #2 November 2025 – Presentation to Parks & Recreation Commission December 2025 – Final Cubberley Master Plan Presentation to City Council February 2026 – Release Poll #3 (newly added) March 2026 – Adopt Master Plan and CEQA April 2026 – Release Poll #4 June 2026 – Council approval to place a measure on the November ballot August 2026 – Deadline to submit Final Ballot Language for November Election November 2026 – Election and placement of a ballot measure Other work ongoing and underway includes working on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis of the master plan, developing future financial and operating models to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability, finalizing a purchase and sale agreement with PAUSD, coordinating with the Friends of the Palo Alto Recreation Wellness Center and continuing community outreach and stakeholder engagement. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Cubberley Project Background Attachment B: Cubberley Concept Design Item 5 Item 5 Late Packet Report Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 231 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 The Cubberley Site The 35-acre Cubberley site, located at 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, operated as Cubberley High School from 1956 to 1979. Beginning in the late 1980’s, the City began leasing portions of the facilities from the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) at the site. Today, the City operates the areas of Cubberley it controls as a community center, using some of the space for classes and activities in arts, culture, athletics, and sub-leasing additional space at City-subsidized rates to various non-profit and community serving groups. The current lease agreement expires December 31, 2029.1 Today, the City owns eight acres of the 35-acre site. PAUSD owns the remaining 27 acres, most of which are leased to the City. There are currently 23 tenants and 24 artists leasing space at Cubberley from the City and dozens of groups renting the theater, pavilion, classrooms, and athletic fields from the City. Combined, these groups provide the community with programs that support health and wellness, childcare, education, and visual and performing arts. PAUSD uses its retained space for educational purposes and staff offices and has leases with some third-party tenants. The parking lot in the southeast corner of the property houses portable trailers as a temporary site for Hoover Elementary School during construction at the school’s site. A current site map can be found on the City’s website.2 Several master planning efforts have been completed over the years to reimagine and improve the Cubberley site, with the most recent being completed in 2019.3 Memorandum of Understanding with PAUSD In October 2024,4 both the City Council and Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD or District) Board of Education approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to the future of the Cubberley site. The MOU outlines key terms and conditions for the purchase and future planning of Cubberley. The land purchase, which would transfer ownership of seven acres from PAUSD to the City, is contingent on voter approval of a bond measure in November 2026. This condensed timeframe requires development of a master plan for the site by March 2026, conduct stakeholder and community engagement and outreach, polling, financial analysis, CEQA analysis, and other critical tasks. The addition of the seven acres, plus the eight acres already owned by the City of 1 City Council, December 2, 2024: https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx? id=83118&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 2 https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/city-manager/communications-office/cubberley-community-center_mappdf.pdf 3 Cubberley Concept Plan 2019: https://www.pausd.org/about-us/committees-task-forces/archived-committees/cubberley-master-plan 4 City Council, October 7, 2024; Agenda Item AA1; SR #2409-3500, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=6500&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 232 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 Palo Alto provides an opportunity to develop a new community center and other improvements on a combined 15 acres at the Cubberley site to provide a range of City programs, including health, wellness, and recreational opportunities for residents. Master Plan Update and Pursuit of a Local Ballot Measure To advance the master planning effort the City Council took several actions on December 2, 20249 related to the future of the Cubberley site. These actions included approval of a contract with Concordia, LLC, and associated budget actions for development of a revised Master Plan for the Cubberley Community Center site, building on the previous master plan completed in 2019 by Concordia and guided by significant community input. Additionally, the Council approved a Letter of Intent with the Friends of the Palo Alto Recreation Wellness Center for the purpose of fundraising for a recreation wellness center (gymnasium) at the Cubberley site, and a workplan for pursuit of a November 2026 local ballot measure to fund the purchase of land and development of a new community center at the Cubberley site. Subsequent Council actions included approving a five-year lease with PAUSD10 to continue the current use of the property, including playing fields, approval of a professional services agreement with Rincon for CEQA analysis,11 and approval of professional service agreements with Lew Edwards Group and Fairbank, Maslin, Metz & Associates12 for ballot measure strategy advisement and community polling. Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee The Council established the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee (as a non-Brown Act body) to review and advise staff on efforts related to polling and development of a ballot measure that will successfully receive voter support in 2026. Efforts include polling, financial and revenue modeling for the community center, master planning, and community outreach to complete the Master Plan and place a measure on the November 2026 ballot. The City Council will serve as the governing body for policy direction at key decision points. This includes direction to conduct polling, review of concept designs, direction on 9 City Council, December 2, 2024; Agenda Item 18, SR #2410-3634, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83117&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 10 City Council, December 2, 2024; Agenda Item 12; SR #2410-3651, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83118&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 11 City Council, December 16, 2024; Agenda Item 12; SR #2411-3813, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83167&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 12 City Council, February 24, 2025; Agenda Item 4; SR #2501-4039, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83267&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 233 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 operating and financial models, and decisions on what should be placed on the November 2026 ballot. April 21 City Council Meeting At the April 21, 2025 City Council meeting,17 staff presented outcomes from the first community meeting held on March 19, an update on the Cubberley Master Plan Project workplan and sought Council authorization to initiate the first community poll. First Cubberley Master Plan Community Meeting The first community meeting for the Cubberley Master Plan Project was held on March 19, 2025, and was attended by over 120 community members and stakeholders. Participants completed two activities in table groups of up to eight people with guided facilitation, focusing on the vision for the community center, programming, and place making. The first meeting goals included a review of the Vision from the City Council session and then using a list from the previous community engagement process, participants were asked to review and confirm desired programming and adjacencies for the future Community Center. The outcomes of the March 19 meeting were presented18 to the City Council on April 21, 2025. The first activity focused on a review of the Council Vision statement and participants were asked to expand the Vision statement with additional values and ideas. Community members valued: Multipurpose, adaptable spaces to accommodate diverse uses over time; Gathering hubs for interconnectivity and communication between diverse social, cultural and generational groups; Accessibility for all ages, cultures and abilities to access holistic wellness resources; Integration of green space and sustainability features in experiential and infrastructural planning; and Affordability for local Palo Altans and for tenants who have a community focus. Overall, participants focused on flexibility, inclusivity, sustainability, and long-term community engagement as high-level themes. The second activity focused on programming and adjacencies of indoor and outdoor spaces. The most selected indoor programs were Theater/Performance Space, Dance Classes, Art Studio, Art Classes, followed by Gym Facility, Flexible Rental Space, and a Café. For outdoor programs, Open Greenspace was the most selected program followed by Playground, Amphitheater, and Pool/Water Area. Compared to 2019, the most mentioned programs then (indoor and outdoor) were Adult Education, 17 City Council, April 21, 2025; Agenda Item 11; SR #2503-4310, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83361&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto 18 Staff Presentation, April 21, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=71ade3d7-a57a-4195-a59b- c410d90832ea Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 234 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 Theater/Performance Space, Greenspace, Makerspace, and Senior/Multigenerational Programs. Feedback on First Community Poll Polling experts, FM3 presented21 themes for the first community poll designed to test voter opinions on the community center’s goals, preferred uses, and willingness to support funding through a tax or bond. The poll themes and questions were developed with input from the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee and will inform critical upcoming milestones in the project. The Council did not take an action but supported proceeding with the poll. April 22 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting On April 22, 2025,22 staff presented an informational update to the Parks and Recreation Commission, offering a comprehensive overview of the project's overall workplan and timeline. The presentation included a detailed summary of Community Meeting #1, highlighting key themes and priorities that emerged from the community’s feedback. Staff also introduced Poll #1, which was launched at the end of April, and encouraged Commissioners to help promote the survey to ensure broad community participation. In addition, the presentation outlined several ways the Commission can remain engaged and support the project, including serving as ambassadors within the community, helping to share information, and providing feedback. The creation of a PRC Cubberley ad-hoc committee was discussed and it was decided that this topic will be further considered during the upcoming workplan revisions scheduled for the coming months. June 9 City Council Meeting On June 9, 2025,23 staff presented to City Council the results of the first community poll, community engagement milestones coming up and updates to the workplan. The focus of the first poll was to survey voter input on the goals and future of the community center and possible support for a tax or bond measure. Staff also shared community engagement. Overall, the poll found broad majority support for improvement at the Cubberley site. Surveyed voters place highest priority on bringing the facility up to modern standards for electrical, plumbing, safety, and accessibility early childhood 21 FM3 Presentation, April 21, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=83ec6422-b6e4-4e83-9ca3- ca746a5971a0 22 Staff Presentation, April 22, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=dae0543c-e007-4fc1-9a69- fd08b156ee94 23 City Council, June 9, 2025, Agenda Item 2; SR#2503-4313, https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=83442&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 235 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 education; affordability and efficient use of taxpayer dollars; and overall repairs for the facility. Lastly, staff shared with the City Council the community revised Vision Statement for the future of the Community Center. June 12 Second Cubberley Master Plan Community Meeting A vibrant, beloved, and adaptable destination that promotes learning, connections, joy, and wellbeing where all cultures and generations belong. Following this, staff provided an overview presentation to orient attendees to the three 3-D concept plans being presented. Each conceptual design includes an A, B, and C variations exploring different configurations of building placement, new construction vs renovation, green space, bike and pedestrian circulation, and parking—both above and below ground. Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 236 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 Approximately 130 community members attended the second Cubberley Community Meeting and were highly engaged in providing feedback on the three presented concept designs. Attendees shared a wide range of reactions to various aspects of the designs, particularly discussing building layouts, the placement and amount of green space, parking structures, and preferences between above- and below-ground concepts. While perspectives varied, there was clear consensus around the excitement for the project’s progress and enthusiasm to see the plans taking shape. Community members expressed eagerness to continue the conversation, particularly around program placement, at the next meeting. June 19 Public Art Commission Meeting 27 City staff presented to the Public Art Commission and discussed potential opportunities to support the City’s Strategic Activation Plan for the Cubberley site, which was developed by staff in coordination with the City Council’s Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee. The plan outlined phased enhancements and activations aligned with the broader master planning process, community engagement efforts, and the anticipated November 2026 ballot initiative. As part of the discussion, Commissioners explored how the ArtLift grant program—previously identified at their January retreat as a potential tool—could be leveraged to support temporary public art installations at Cubberley and other key locations. Ideas included murals, ground art, freestanding sculptures, and performance-based activations to help generate community excitement and reinforce the role of the arts in creating vibrant, inclusive public spaces. June 24 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting 28 City staff provided the Parks and Recreation Commission with an informational update on the Cubberley Community Center Master Plan. The presentation included a recap of the second community meeting held on June 12, where Concordia unveiled three concept designs for the site and invited community feedback. Staff also presented the results of the first community poll, released in late April, and shared a list of proposed near-term activation ideas for the Cubberley site, inviting the Commission’s input. In addition, staff sought feedback from the Commission on the three concept designs. The newly formed PRC Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee will continue to refine the activation plans in July. 27 Staff Presentation, June 19, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=a036e199-31cd-4d94-8214- 7fb0170e39ac 28 Staff Presentation, June 24, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=ac29aa36-1b3a-4403-b8b2- cc403685865d Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 237 of 896  Attachment A 9 0 0 2 July 9 Planning and Transportation Commission Meeting On July 9, 2025,31 the Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC) received an update on the Cubberley Master Plan and was asked to provide input to help inform the next phase of the planning process. Staff requested feedback on several key aspects recently reviewed by the community, including arrival and parking, pedestrian circulation, building scale and space organization, greenspace layout, the balance of built and open space, and how the site can be a good neighbor. Additional PTC feedback emphasized the importance of clear cost comparisons between renovation and new construction, interest in public-private funding models, and support for a future bond measure and donor engagement. Commissioners favored partial underground parking and better integration with transit and surrounding neighborhoods. There was broad interest in maintaining flexible green space for events, ensuring safe and separate bike/pedestrian circulation, and preserving multigenerational, inclusive programming. Suggestions also included clearer diagrams, more tangible use examples, and consideration of impacts from surrounding development. On July 17,32 2025, the Architectural Review Board (ARB) received a presentation on the Cubberley Master Plan and provided early feedback to help shape the next phase of planning. The Board expressed strong support for phased development and emphasized minimizing disruption to existing tenants and programs. Members praised pedestrian and bike circulation, supported the proposed balance of buildings and green space, and encouraged improvements to vehicle access and mobility hubs. There was general support for new construction over renovation and interest in enhancing the site's identity through public art and flexible community spaces. The ARB also encouraged a welcoming design that reflects Cubberley’s civic and cultural significance while being a good neighbor to the surrounding community. 31 Staff Presentation, June 9, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=49fc32cf-caa1-4dd9-97f9- 5d5d02150256 32 Staff Presentation, July 17, 2025; https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=0&type=7&uid=2a9a7988-768f-465b-bcf9- 68166ff9af6f Item 5 Attachment A Cubberley Project Background Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 238 of 896       Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 239 of 896     Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 240 of 896    Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 241 of 896         ! 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"& 'Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 255 of 896            Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 31 Packet Pg. 256 of 896          Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 32 Packet Pg. 257 of 896     2  Item 5Attachment B Cubberley Concept Design Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 258 of 896  Cubberley Community Center Project September 23, 2025 www.paloalto.gov Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 34 Packet Pg. 259 of 896  2 WORKPLAN UPDATES Completed Project Milestones •Feb 18 – City Council Visioning Session •March 19 – Community Meeting #1 •April 21 – City Council direction Poll #1 •April 28 – Released community Poll #1 •June 9 – Reviewed poll results with City Council •June 12 – Community Meeting #2 •June 19 – Public Art Commission •June 24 – Parks and Recreation Commission •July 9 – Planning & Transportation Commission •July 17 – Architectural Review Board •September 17 – Community Meeting #3 •September 23 – Parks and Recreation Commission Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 260 of 896  3 WORKPLAN UPDATES Upcoming Project Milestones •October 20, 2025 – City Council recap of third community meeting, Poll #2 direction •November 2025 – Release Poll #2 •November 2025 – Presentation to Parks & Recreation Commission •December 8, 2025 – Final Cubberley Master Plan Presentation to City Council •January/February 2025 – PTC/ARB Master Plan Presentation •February 2026 – Release Poll #3 (newly added) •March 2026 – Adopt Master Plan and CEQA •April 2026 – Release Poll #4 •June 2026 – Council approval to place a measure on the November ballot •August 2026 – Deadline to submit Final Ballot Language for November Election •November 2026 – Election and placement of a ballot measure Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 261 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 37 Packet Pg. 262 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 38 Packet Pg. 263 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 264 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 40 Packet Pg. 265 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 41 Packet Pg. 266 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 42 Packet Pg. 267 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 43 Packet Pg. 268 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 44 Packet Pg. 269 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 45 Packet Pg. 270 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 46 Packet Pg. 271 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 47 Packet Pg. 272 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 48 Packet Pg. 273 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 49 Packet Pg. 274 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 50 Packet Pg. 275 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 51 Packet Pg. 276 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 52 Packet Pg. 277 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 53 Packet Pg. 278 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 54 Packet Pg. 279 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 55 Packet Pg. 280 of 896  Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 56 Packet Pg. 281 of 896  24 COMMUNITY MEETING #3 •Meeting opened with City Manager remarks emphasizing iterative process shaped by community feedback •Concordia recapped Community meetings 1 and 2, provided a project overview. •Concordia then presented the refined concept plan which included phasing strategies. •Following the presentation, attendees then completed two activities Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 57 Packet Pg. 282 of 896  25 COMMUNITY MEETING #3 Activity 1 – Phase 1 Concept Design: Recreation Wellness and Performing Arts Community members were invited to assess the Phase 1 concept designs for the recreation wellness and performing arts area and were asked to reflect on three key questions: •What is working well and excites you? •What is not working well or could be improved? •What creative ideas do you have to make the space exciting? Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 58 Packet Pg. 283 of 896  26 COMMUNITY MEETING #3 Activity 2 – Phase 2 and 3 Concept Design: Visual Arts & Technology ad Community Services In the second activity, community members were asked to provide feedback on Phase 2 and Phase 3, which includes the Visual Arts & Technology (Phase 2) and Community Services spaces (Phase 3) •What is working well and excites you? •What is not working well or could be improved? •What creative ideas do you have to make the space exciting? Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 59 Packet Pg. 284 of 896  27 COMMUNITY MEETING #3 •Overall, strong community engagement and input on programming and site circulation •Full meeting summary will be finalized in the coming weeks •Feedback will be incorporated into final design presented to City Council on December 8, 2025 •Meeting closed with remarks from Councilmember Lythcott- Haims Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 60 Packet Pg. 285 of 896  28 NEXT STEPS – MASTER PLAN Next steps in the Master Planning process: •October 20– City Council, concept review •November – Parks & Recreation Cubberley Ad Hoc •November– Parks & Recreation Commission •Dec 8 - Final Master Plan Presentation Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 61 Packet Pg. 286 of 896  29 PRC FEEDBACK REQUESTED Feedback on the Cubberley refined concept design: 1.What is working well? What excites you? 2.What is not working well or could be improved? 3.What are your creative ideas to make the space exciting? Consider events, additional indoor and outdoor programming, installations, etc. Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 62 Packet Pg. 287 of 896  AMANDA DEML Community Services Assistant Director Amanda.Deml@paloalto.gov (650) 463-4950 KRISTEN O’KANE Community Services Director Kristen.O’Kane@paloalto.gov (650) 463-4908 Item 5 Item 5 Staff Presentation Item 5: Staff Report Pg. 63 Packet Pg. 288 of 896  From:Aram James To:president@stanford.edu; h.etzko@gmail.com; Palo Alto Free Press; Prof Dr Helga Nowotny; Yolanda Conaway; Friends of Cubberley; Gennady Sheyner; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Office of the Provost; Emily Mibach; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; UChicago Mag Alumni News; Lori Meyers; Patrice Ventresca; ParkRec Commission; Foley, Michael; chuck jagoda; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Councilmember Chappie Jones; District3@sanjoseca.gov; District5@bos.sccgov.org; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Damon Silver; EPA Today; Tom DuBois; Drekmeier, Peter; Hans-Peter Tiemann Subject:A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points Date:Sunday, September 7, 2025 11:03:36 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Dr. Ajluni, Thank you for this extremely helpful analysis re the distinction between nationhood and peoplehood. Your exacting explanation opens up new doors for how to view the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Avram Finkelstein On Sun, Sep 7, 2025 at 9:55 PM Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com> wrote: Wasserman disingenuously, and perhaps intentionally, confuses nationhood with peoplehood. The latter--peoplehood--indicates common descent or ancestry, a shared history, a common language, shared traditions and customs and is almost always associated with a delineated geogrpahy. The latter--nationhood--is a relatively modern political/legal concept entailing sovereignty (a supreme governing authority independent of other sovereign authorities), a defined and recognized territory, governing institutions and structures and recognized as such by other sovereign authorities. Nationhood is often—but not always—based on a particular people. One of the cleanest examples of this might be Japan. On the other hand, the U.S. and Russia, not to mention Canada This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 1 Packet Pg. 289 of 896  and Mexico, are nations, each consisting of many peoples. Jewish peoplehood pre-dates the Israeli nation by several millenia. Israel is a modern creation of British colonialism and European Zionism. Israeli nationhood is only decades old while Jewish peoplehood has existed for millenia. Jewish peoplehood would continue to exist with or without the Israeli nation. Palestinian Arabs are a people with millenia-long presence in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea whose shared ancestry includes the Phillistines, the Canaanites, the Jews, and others who inhabited that region for millenia. It is noteworthy that the ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks and the Romans all had geographical designations for the Eastern Mediterranean coast derived from the name of the people—the Phillistines—who inhabited the coastal plain from roughly the area of Jaffa/Tel Aviv in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south. (Gaza, Isdud (Ashdod), Asqalan (Ashkelon) were are all Phillistine cities.) As early as the 12th century BCE, the Egyptian pharohs referred to the southern coastal region of the Eastern Mediterranean as Peleset. The ancient Greeks referred to it as Palistine' while referring to the broader region as Suria (Syria). The Romans referred to the broader region as Syria Palaestina. In keeping with the traditional usage, both the Arab Muslim and Ottoman rulers of the region referred to it as Filistin. This continued with the British Emprie which occupied the area in 1918 and established the British Mandate of Palestine. Over more than three millenia, the culture, language, traditions and customs of the peoples of this land evolved and melded. Christianity and Islam were adopted, adapted and integrated and Arabic, starting Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 2 Packet Pg. 290 of 896  in the 8 century A.D. Increasingly became the dominant language, including the language of the Palestinian Jews. The genetic research indicates, the Arabs of Palestine and Jews (particularly Mizrachi Jews) are direct descendents of common Levantine ancestors, i.e the ancient peoples who inhabited the Eastern Mediterranean region west of the Jordan River. Palestinian peoplehood—rooted in the land of Palestine—is a millenia-old phenomenon whose modern manifestation is Palestinian Arab. Palestinian nationhood, on the other hand, is a project in the making. Zionists reject these fundamental realities and distinctions as they collide with an exclusivist mentality and a devotion to myth and a settler colonial project. Regards, Salem (For anyone who is serious about Zionism and anti-Zionism among Jews—in particular among Arab Jews--I highly recommend the work of Alon Mizrahi. Here is a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=8ZxmkgcvN68 ) From: Liz Gardner <gardnerjaqua@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, September 7, 2025 6:32 PM To: Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> Cc: Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com>; Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com>; Doug Minkler <dminkler@dminkler.com>; Shankar Ramamoorthy <shankar.ramamoorthy@gmail.com>; Gennady Sheyner <gsheyner@embarcaderomedia.org>; city.council@menlopark.gov <city.council@menlopark.gov>; Nash, Betsy <bnash@menlopark.gov>; Dana St. George Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 3 Packet Pg. 291 of 896  <danasg@earthlink.net>; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com <jason.green@bayareanewsgroup.com>; Emily Mibach <emibach@padailypost.com>; Ed Lauing <elauing@equitysearchpartners.com>; Keith Reckdahl <reckdahl@yahoo.com>; Gerry Gras <gerrygras@earthlink.net>; Stump, Molly <molly.stump@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mila Zelkha <mila.zelkha@gmail.com>; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com> <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Henry Etzkowitz <H.Etzko@gmail.com>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org>; Liz Kniss <lizkniss@earthlink.net>; CityCouncil <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Office of the Provost <provost@stanford.edu>; Rebecca Eisenberg <rebecca@rebecca4water.com>; Hannah Lu <hannahlu00@gmail.com>; Ed Shikada <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mariza Almeida <mariza.almeida@unirio.br>; Mark Granovetter <mgranovetter@gmail.com>; Mary Rorty <mrorty@gmail.com>; Arthur Millman <arthur.millman@umb.edu>; Guilherme Ary Plonski <plonski2@usp.br>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov>; George for Palo Alto <georgeforpaloalto@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com>; Donna Wallach <donnaisanactivist@gmail.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu>; Lotus Fong <lyfong@pacbell.net>; Sean Allen <sallen6444@yahoo.com>; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg <supervisor.ellenberg@bos.sccgov.org>; Supervisor Otto Lee <supervisor.lee@bos.sccgov.org>; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov <assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov>; Supervisor Betty Duong <District2@bos.sccgov.org>; Josh Becker <becker.josh@gmail.com>; CityCouncil <CityCouncil@morganhill.ca.gov>; city.council@gilroy.org <city.council@gilroy.org>; District1@bos.sccgov.org <District1@bos.sccgov.org>; District5@bos.sccgov.org <District5@bos.sccgov.org>; board@pausd.org <board@pausd.org>; Jeff Conrad <jeff_conrad@msn.com>; Jeff Rosen <info@jeffrosen.org>; Jay Boyarsky <jboyarsky@dao.sccgov.org>; Dave Price <price@padailypost.com>; Braden Cartwright <bcartwright@padailypost.com>; Brandon Pho <brandon@sanjosespotlight.com>; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight <jennifer@sanjosespotlight.com>; Miguel Rodriguez <miguel.rodriguez@pdo.sccgov.org>; DuJuan Green <dujuang@sbcglobal.net>; Paul Bains <pbains7@projectwehope.com>; paul@peaceandjustice.org <paul@peaceandjustice.org>; Today EPA <epatoday@epatoday.org>; craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org <craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org>; cromero@cityofepa.org <cromero@cityofepa.org>; Anna Griffin <griffinam@sbcglobal.net>; Anne Cribbs <acribbs@basoc.org>; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org <planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org>; ParkRec Commission <ParkRec.commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; board@valleywater.org <board@valleywater.org>; boardfeedback@smcgov.org <boardfeedback@smcgov.org>; Bill Newell <billnewell2850@gmail.com>; Raymond Goins <goinsrayl@gmail.com>; Vara Ramakrishnan <vara@acm.org>; ladoris cordell <ladoris@judgecordell.com>; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23 <jessica@speiser.net>; Dave Price <dprice@padailypost.com>; Planning Cmmission <Planning.Commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; BoardOperations <BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org>; Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com>; james pitkin <jamespitkin777@yahoo.com>; Sameena Usman <susman@cair.com>; Zahra Billoo <zbilloo@cair.com>; Dan Okonkwo <dokonkwo@dao.sccgov.org>; Human Relations Commission <hrc@cityofpaloalto.org>; Palo Alto Free Press <paloaltofreepress@gmail.com>; Jasso, Tamara <Tamara.Jasso@cityofpaloalto.org>; Raymond Goins <raymondleegoinsllc@gmail.com>; Carla Torres <xicanamagic@hotmail.com>; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu) <rsilvertaube@scu.edu>; Dennis Upton <kathy8420@qq.com>; dennis burns <dennis.r.burns@gmail.com>; Sheree Roth <ssroth29@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 4 Packet Pg. 292 of 896  <sajluni@yahoo.com>; Cait James <caitlin.a.james@gmail.com>; Tim James <TJames@rsaplaw.com>; Marina Lopez <marinalopez8@gmail.com>; Josie James-Le <josiejamesle@gmail.com>; Lewis james <alphonse9947@gmail.com>; michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org <michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org>; Angel, David <dangel@dao.sccgov.org>; Binder, Andrew <Andrew.Binder@cityofpaloalto.org>; Reifschneider, James <james.reifschneider@cityofpaloalto.org>; Jeff Hayden <laptoplg@mac.com>; Susan Hayase <shayase@onemain.com>; PD Kristina Bell <kbell@redwoodcity.org>; Pat M <p.marshall81@ymail.com>; Bill Armaline <warmali@yahoo.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <finnroberta@gmail.com> Subject: Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points How someone having a say in their understanding of genecide of a people pressed between death bombs and starvation, result in a "leftist tactic"? Does this autocorrect Martin, as the rightest ? On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Aram, Calling something a nation doesn't make it one, and the Palestinians are very far from being a nation, no matter what declarations anybody makes at the UN. You accuse me of not dealing with facts, but the truth is, all of my posts are based on facts. If you think my facts are incorrect, you're free to rebut them with facts of your own. But you never do this, presumably because you don't have any facts of your own to rebut them with. Instead, you just engage in angry rants, personal insults, and name-calling. You also employ the old, worn out, leftist tactic of accusing anyone who disagrees with you of being a racist. Whenever you have nothing cogent to say, or you know you're losing the argument, you just accuse your opponent of racism, as if that tilts the dispute in your favor. Aram, my primary interest is truth. I have no problem being proved wrong if somebody can present sufficient evidence. But you seem to prefer emotional outbursts to honest and dispassionate analysis, which is why our exchanges are becoming so unproductive. Sincerely, Martin Wasserman On Sep 5, 2025, at 8:34 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/5/2025 Dr. Hussain: Martin is just spotting his usual Racist pro-Israel lobby talking points. He is a Zionist cult member who hasn’t been deprogrammed yet. In other words, he just can’t help himself. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 5 Packet Pg. 293 of 896  Martin ignores the inconvenience fact that 147 of the 193 members of the UN disagree with Martin. They proudly recognize Palestine as a nation. Oh, and a bunch more are soon to recognize Palestine in the next few months. They are sick and tired of hearing the endless lies of White Jewish Zionist Supremacist of the same repulsive Ilk as Martin. As my very Jewish dad used to say: “Some folks just don’t want to be disturbed by the facts.” As you can plainly see Martin suffers from a severe version of the don’t bother me with the facts syndrome. Avram “ One State Solution” Finkelstein As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 76% of all UN members. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia Thank On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Yusra, Palestine does not have a rich and long history. That's part of the disinformation campaign. There has never been a nation called Palestine. The Palestinians themselves have never developed real national institutions or any other characteristics of a true nation. And the people who call themselves Palestinians are really no different ethnically, religiously or linguistically than other Arabs. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct national entity entitled to their own state was fabricated in the 1960s by Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 6 Packet Pg. 294 of 896  purpose of raising a counterclaim to Israel's claim to the land, and justifying continued warfare against it. What we ultimately have is two different cultures, two very different ways of life, competing for the same piece of land. God will decide who gets it, and I'm confident He’ll make the right decision. Martin Wasserman > On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:22 PM, Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm not a historian, but David Ben-Gurion himself said "If I was an > Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel." He was Israel's > first Prime Minister, in 1956. Afterall Palestine has a rich and long > history but was occupied by Western hegemony and handed over to jewish > settlers. If anyone is interested in learning history of the Israeli > hegemony, please read "Ten Myths about Israel", by Ilan Pappe (a > Jewish historian), and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid > Khalidi (A Palestinian American historian and Professor at Columbia > University). > > On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >> >> Hello Yusra, >> >> >> Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. >> >> >> Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. >> >> >> Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. >> >> >> You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 7 Packet Pg. 295 of 896  treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. >> >> >> You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. >> >> >> Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. >> >> >> After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. >> >> >> On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. >> >> >> Best regards, >> >> Martin Wasserman >> >> >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 8 Packet Pg. 296 of 896  >> On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. >> >> The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. >> The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. >> >> God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. >> I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. >> >> I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. >> You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. >> Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. >> >> Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” >> >> Best regards! >> >> Yusra >> >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 9 Packet Pg. 297 of 896  >> Yusra Hussain, MD >> Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor >> Stanford University School of Medicine >> 805 El Camino Real # A >> Palo Alto, CA 94301 >> Office: 650-328-1676 >> Fax: 650-445-0911 >> Checkout: Protectmedicare.net >> >> On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>  >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> 9/4/2025 >>> >>> Hi Henry, >>> >>> Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. >>> >>> In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. >>> >>> That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. >>> >>> Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have >>> allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. >>> >>> Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 10 Packet Pg. 298 of 896  >>>> >>>> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! >>>> >>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>> Etz Chaim member >>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. >>>> >>>> Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 11 Packet Pg. 299 of 896  In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. >>>> >>>> It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. >>>> >>>> I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. >>>> >>>> Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. >>>> >>>> True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. >>>> >>>> Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Marty >>>> >>>> For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) >>>> as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 12 Packet Pg. 300 of 896  >>>> >>>> Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. >>>> >>>> Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ >>>> >>>> moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States >>>> >>>> Sincerely >>>> 3rd generation Zionist >>>> Hillel aka Henry >>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>> www.triple helix.net >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion >>>> >>>> Hi Julie, >>>> >>>> I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. >>>> >>>> At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Aram >>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 13 Packet Pg. 301 of 896  >>>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. >>>>> >>>>> A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. >>>>> >>>>> Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. >>>>> >>>>> The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. >>>>> >>>>> Best regards, >>>>> Martin Wasserman >>>>> Concerned Citizen >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, >>>>> Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 14 Packet Pg. 302 of 896  Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. >>>>> >>>>> Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely >>>>> >>>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>>> 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council >>>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>  >>>>> But not as. Oh zero >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. >>>>>> Julie >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: >>>>> >>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) >>>>> Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, your supporter for a long time, >>>>> >>>>> Aram >>>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 15 Packet Pg. 303 of 896  >>>>>> >>>>>> Julie Lythcott-Haims >>>>>> Palo Alto City Council Member >>>>>> Click to make an Office Hours appointment >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. >>>>>> >>>>>> ________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> Takes both >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>  >>>>>> Hi Henry, >>>>>> >>>>>> You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Correct >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 16 Packet Pg. 304 of 896  <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My dear brave friend Henry, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sleep well my friend, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Aram >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> dear Aram >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sadly, >>>>>>>>> Henry >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model >>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> -- Liz Gardner Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 17 Packet Pg. 305 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 18 Packet Pg. 306 of 896  From:B Tseng To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:A strong statement of support for additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:14:45 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I have been a proud resident of Palo Alto for over 25 years, and in that time, I’ve seen this community grow and evolve in many ways. One of the most remarkable transformations in recent years has been the rise of the Mitchell Park Pickleball courts, which have brought incredible energy and vitality to the south Palo Alto area. The impact of these courts extends far beyond just the sport. Hundreds of residents—young and old—have made the Mitchell Park Pickleball community a central part of their lives. It's not just about playing a game; it’s a place where people gather, socialize, and form meaningful connections. From middle schoolers attending beginner clinics to community members celebrating milestones like a 90th birthday by the courts, Mitchell Park has become a hub for creating memories and friendships. Given the incredible growth of this community, it's clear that Palo Alto must act now to expand the number of pickleball courts available to residents. We are at a tipping point where the demand for pickleball has outgrown the current facilities. New residents and workers are discovering the sport, but with limited space, many are finding themselves waiting long periods for a game or unable to find adequate seating while they wait. This isn’t just a local issue—it’s happening across the Bay Area. My wife and I have traveled to various cities to play, and we’ve witnessed similar communities forming around pickleball. Neighboring cities have already begun plans to expand their facilities to meet the growing demand, while Palo Alto, a leader in innovation and community-building, has an opportunity to do the same. Expanding the Mitchell Park courts would not only help alleviate current congestion but also ensure that Palo Alto continues to foster this amazing, life-enriching community for years to come. I respectfully urge you to consider this important expansion to support our growing pickleball community. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Sincerely yours, This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 19 Packet Pg. 307 of 896  Ben Tseng Charleston Meadows Resident Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 20 Packet Pg. 308 of 896  From:James Young To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Adding more Pickleball courts to Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 1:54:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To: Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council I am a resident of Palo Alto, and I am writing in support of creating additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball is not just a wonderful game, it brings so many different people together every day at Mitchell Park. The banter, laughs, and smiles this game brings to the park is not easily replicated with any other activity. Like many families, pickleball has become the go to event at our reunions because everyone can play. Again, I support adding eight more courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely, Jimmy Young Edlee Ave Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 21 Packet Pg. 309 of 896  From:Loreto Ponce de Leon To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Adding more pickleball courts to Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:46:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating the additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I play 3-5 times a week at Mitchell Park. I love that I can stop by anytime and always find good players to play with and mingle with in this vibrant community. I also like the drop-in system, which allows me to play without needing to reserve the court or find players in advance. The main issue now is that it’s very popular, and lately, I often can only play one game before needing to wait for another court to open so I can play again. Therefore, we can certainly benefit from having more courts available to play pickleball. Being able to play for a longer period of time makes it so much more enjoyable and can contribute to better health benefits. I appreciate your consideration. Sincerely, Loreto Ponce de Leon Southgate Palo Alto Neighborhood This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 22 Packet Pg. 310 of 896  From:Cindy cc Campbell To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 5:25:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I was pretty darn nervous the first time. I had taken a few of Sal‘s classes from Palo Alto online and he always suggested that we walk over to the Pickleball courts and just start playing. I didn’t do it for several weeks. Those courts were intimidating at first. Instead, I just practiced my pickleball skills on the wall. One day, I had more courage in me and decided I was gonna walk over there by myself with my heart pounding and paddle down. Luckily there is one court that says ‘beginner friendly’. That worked for me. Kind of couldn’t believe how nice and friendly all were. They were patience and helped me to learn. Day one started laughing while we played. A year later, I now can go over and say hi to about 30 people no matter the day or the hours. We laugh hard, play hard. And I never ever turn down an opportunity to help a new person get started. I moved to Palo Alto in 1984, married, bought our home, had my two kids, raised them, sent them to the Palo Alto schools. My children are grown starting their own life and empty nest hit me hard. I knew I needed to have a purpose. A connection even. Didn’t know Palo Alto Pickleball was going to provide that for me. But I definitely now feel part of something. Part of something fun. My doctors are pretty pleased with me too. I have severe osteoporosis as a lifetime of swimming and biking didn’t do enough to build strong bones. Come to find out Pickleball is great weight-bearing exercise better than running according to my doctors. Who would’ve thought. My latest bone density scan is returning better numbers than I’ve had in 10 years. Can’t beat that. This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 23 Packet Pg. 311 of 896  Exercising, laughter, and connections are a great way to grow old in Palo Alto. Sincerely yours, Cynthia Campbell Ashton Avenue Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 24 Packet Pg. 312 of 896  From:Alex Woo To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 3:48:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, am a member of PAPC, and my house abuts the JLS side of Mitchell Park where people already play pickleball on the JLS tennis courts on weekends. Before you vote on additional pickleball courts, I think you need to decide what your goal is. Mitchell Park is currently a regional center for Pickleball. Most of the PAPC membership and weekday daytime players live in Palo Alto. But in the evenings and weekends, when the courts are most crowded, most of the players are not PAPC members nor do they come from Palo Alto. Because Mitchell Park was one of the first large group of lighted courts with nice nets and playing surfaces, it became the go-to place to play. It is now so crowded in the evenings and weekends that I don't even consider playing there during those times. However, I routinely walk by and check on the crowds and watch some points to see the quality of play during the crowded periods. So if you want Mitchell Park to continue to be a regional center of pickleball, by all means convert the remaining tennis courts to pickleball. If you want to provide more courts for residents of Palo Alto, put them somewhere else, like Paly HS or Rinconada or refurbish the Cubberly Gyms for pickleball. If the goal is to expand pickleball, try to convince the other neighboring cities to build some courts, i.e. Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Redwood City, Menlo Park, etc. Most of the other cities have four courts here and another there without enough to. create a critical mass of players. Sincerely, Alex Woo Fairmeadow Neighborhood This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 25 Packet Pg. 313 of 896  From:bob zander To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 10:22:37 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks and Rec Commission, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Playing pickleball twice a week at Mitchell Park has been the highlight of my week. My wife and I have a regular group that we play with and this has been so much fun. Pickleball has strengthened our friendships with these guys and it has brought us closer. But It is not just this small group as many others have also joined us in our pickleball games. It has been great to meet so many friendly people. Socially, pickleball is awesome. Playing pickleball really makes me happy, which, especially in these rather angry and divided times, has been good for my mental health. At nearly 70, pickleball has also been a wonderful source of exercise for me as well as everyone we play with. One thing about playing pickleball at Mitchell Park is that the courts are almost always crowded. We need to have more courts. There are tennis courts throughout Palo Alto, but pickleball is only at Mitchell Park. Please allow these eight additional courts. Thank you. Sincerely yours, Bob Zander Downtown North, Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 26 Packet Pg. 314 of 896  From:Concerned To:Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lu, George; Veenker, Vicki; Stone, Greer; Reckdahl, Keith; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; ParkRec Commission Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts Date:Friday, August 22, 2025 2:09:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear City Council Members, How many PAPC members live in Palo Alto? Who is going to pay for the court maintenance? And how PAPC is going to help with the additional traffic and noices introduced by PAPC? Before we have the above questions answered, I can't support to replace the current tennis courts in Mitchell Park where many Palo Alto kids have been taking their tennis classes and summer camps. Thanks, Shirley Palo Alto Mom This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 27 Packet Pg. 315 of 896  From:Concerned To:city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov; ParkRec Commission Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts Date:Friday, August 22, 2025 12:18:01 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi there, How many PAPC members live in Palo Alto? Who is going to play for the court maintenance? And how PAPC is going to help with the traffic and noices? Before we have the above questions answered, I can't support to replace the current tennis courts in Mitchell Park where many Palo Alto kids taking their tennis classes and summer camps. Thanks, Shirley Palo Alto Mom This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 28 Packet Pg. 316 of 896  From:Nikita Jaipuria To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Additional Pickleball Courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 12:06:41 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: My name is Nikita Jaipuria. I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Playing pickleball with the mitchell park community has been very rewarding for physical and mental health, and enjoyable. I hope we are able to create more courts so that the increasing community has adequate resources to enjoy and are not disheartened by too long wait times. Sincerely yours, Nikita Maddux Dr., Midtown Palo Alto This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 29 Packet Pg. 317 of 896  From:Lisa and Wayne Shea To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Appreciate your consideration in adding more pickleball courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 7:29:22 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I began playing pickleball during COVID, and it has greatly improved both my mental and physical health are at a better state from playing pickleball at Mitchell Park. Recently, I've noticed that the courts at Mitchell Park are fully utilized most of the time, which makes it difficult for players to find space. I'd sincerely appreciate your consideration in adding more pickleball courts to meet the growing demand. Thank you. Sincerely yours, Wayne She Mackay Drive This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 30 Packet Pg. 318 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki; Council, City; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Sean Allen; Robert. Jonsen; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Binder, Andrew; Rowena Chiu; Nicole Chiu-Wang; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Pat M; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; Gennady Sheyner; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Shikada, Ed; Raymond Goins; Afanasiev, Alex; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Diana Diamond; EPA Today; Human Relations Commission; Enberg, Nicholas; Foley, Michael; Jeff Conrad; cotton.gaines@cityofpaloalto.org; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Jasso, Tamara; Vara Ramakrishnan; Figueroa, Eric; Jensen, Eric; eddie.aubrey@sanjoseca.gov; Stump, Molly; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; PD Kristina Bell; Palo Alto Free Press; GRP-City Council; DuJuan Green; dennis burns; james pitkin; Burt, Patrick; Friends of Cubberley; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; city.council@gilroy.org; Perron, Zachary; Clerk, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Brandon Pho; Brian Good; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Roberta Ahlquist; Robert Salonga; Baker, Rob; Rose Lynn; Bill Newell; Braden Cartwright; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; Barberini, Christopher; Bissell, Nicole; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Betty Duong Subject:Approval_of_Appointment_and_Employment_Agreement_with_Andrew_Binder_as_Chief_of_Police Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 3:31:14 PM Attachments:Approval_of_Appointment_and_Employment_Agreement_with_Andrew_Binder_as_Chief_of_Police.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Here is Chief Andrew Binder’s employment contract. I’m still seeking his time cards by way of the CPRA and the hours he works from home in Morgan Hill. Aram This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 31 Packet Pg. 319 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:At 9/23 PRC meeting, discuss value of public feedback on a revised turf study report Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 5:54:54 PM Attachments:2025 09 03 - feedback on palo alto turf study draft report.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Hi Parks and Recreation Commissioners, The turf study report draft runs 178 pages with a 600-page appendix—more than you may have had bandwidth to analyze in detail. To help, I’ve attached a list of 55 recommended revisions that distill key concerns. For your 9/23/25 meeting, I encourage you to: 1. Select and raise revisions that resonate with you in your discussion with staff. 2. Ask the study authors to provide, in a report appendix, a point-by-point response to the public comments the City solicited. The authors’ responses should address each concern directly and, where appropriate, cite substantiated evidence. Point-by-point responses give you and Council a clear record showing that public concerns were heard and addressed, reducing the risk of last-minute challenges and making it easier for you to stand behind the report’s conclusions. An effective model is the structured response format used in CEQA Environmental Impact Reports. 3. Request that a revised report be circulated for public review. This is especially warranted given that the next version should be expected to include critical missing details on field usage and lifecycle costs—data that can significantly influence the study’s main conclusions. Working with the public through any new concerns before advancing the revised report to Council will make the process more efficient and reduce the risk of Council questioning or challenging the report under public pressure. These steps will strengthen the credibility and usefulness of the final report. Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 32 Packet Pg. 320 of 896  Thank you for the consideration, Cynthia Fan Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 33 Packet Pg. 321 of 896  From:gerardw@pacbell.net To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Aug 26, 2025, Agenda Item 5 - Discussion of Pickleball Court Usage, and Possible Alternatives to Address Demand Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 3:18:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Chair Freeman and Commission Members: This email is to address Item 5 of your August 26, 2025 Commission meeting. Noise: I live, near the corner where Louis Rd and Ross Rd intersect, which is ½ mile from the pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. I can hear the pickleball noise early in the morning and late at night. I pity our neighbors who live closer and must tolerate that noise. I like to suggest quiet hours or expanding the existing quiet hours. During those quiet hours, the court gates are locked and the court lights do not work. Perhaps the quiet hours should be 7PM to 7AM. I defer to my Adobe Meadow Neighborhood Association neighbors who live closer to the noise. Non-Resident: I suggest temporarily removing non-resident access until we can satisfy the needs of our own Palo Alto residents who want to play. Once a balance is reached as set by you, the Parks and Recreation Commission, open access can be reinstated. Other cities and towns may not be doing their fair share to accommodate their own residents who want to play pickleball, which adds increased congestion to our pickleball courts. Expansion: I support expanding the # of pickleball courts at existing sites. I remember many years ago, when the problem was not enough tennis courts Thank you. Gerard Wen, Unbiased Resident – not a pickleball player Member of Adobe Meadow Neighborhood Association, but not speaking on the Association’s behalf This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 34 Packet Pg. 322 of 896  From:Manny Diaz To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Jessica Flagg; Erica Rumpke; Pete Carrillo Subject:August 26th Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting on Draft Turf Study Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 3:38:57 PM Attachments:TenCate Letter to Palo Alto Parks Rec Commission-1.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commissioners, During this community engagement comment period on the draft turf study prepared by consultant Lloyd Sports + Engineering, on behalf of TenCate Grass (a global artificial turf industry leader) we would like to submit written comments via letter. Attached for your consideration is a letter from TenCate CEO Joe Fields highlighting advancements made by the artificial turf industry that address safety and sustainability. Also, we plan to attend your August 26th public meeting to provide additional comment on the efforts of the industry that address many of the concerns previously raised by community stakeholders. Thank you for conducting this turf study and the opportunity to comment. Best regards, Manny Diaz Consultant for TenCate Grass Manny Diaz & Associates Inc. c(408)204-1407 mannyjdiaz@yahoo.com This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 35 Packet Pg. 323 of 896  From:Vincent Scheib To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Avoiding 100% court reservations; tournaments over holiday weekends Date:Sunday, August 31, 2025 5:22:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i It is disappointing to find that for the entire holiday weekend 100% of pickleball courts are reserved for an event. It would be reasonable to limit the maximum number of courts that can be reserved so that the public may retain some access to courts for play. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 36 Packet Pg. 324 of 896  From:Nancy Lu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Begging More Pickleball Court Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 9:37:25 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in strong support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As a medical professional, I fully support pickleball because it is a sport for all age groups that promotes both physical fitness and mental well-being. It touches my heart when I see families playing together—the bonding across generations is something rare and beautiful in today’s busy world. Pickleball also provides a healthy outlet for some of the best and most dedicated professionals in our community—people who work long hours and make great contributions to society. They deserve a place to play pickleball, relieve stress, and give their bodies a good stretch after long days of work. Unfortunately, the current courts are far too crowded. In the evenings, it is common to see lots of people waiting on each court, 30–40 minutes of waiting for just a 15–20 minute game. By contrast, the nearby tennis courts are often nearly empty, while the pickleball courts are packed with long waiting lines. This imbalance makes it clear that the demand for pickleball facilities in our community has outgrown the existing space. This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 37 Packet Pg. 325 of 896  Adding more courts at Mitchell Park would relieve this overcrowding and give more Palo Alto residents—of all ages and backgrounds—the chance to experience the joy, health, and sense of community that pickleball brings. Sincerely yours, Nancy Lu Miranda Ave, Palo Alto VA Medical Center Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 38 Packet Pg. 326 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki Cc:Reckdahl, Keith; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; Council, City; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Doug Minkler; Human Relations Commission; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Kaloma Smith; ParkRec Commission; Jeff Rosen; Jeff Conrad; h.etzko@gmail.com; Gerry Gras; Liz Kniss; Gardener, Liz Subject:Bernie Sanders: “No more U.S. military aid to Israel.” Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 5:00:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i  9/10/2025 Julie & Vicki: Tell Keith to let our community know if he has worked to design fighter jets used to drop bombs on the Palestinian people during the three decades he has been employed at Lockheed Martin. We the people of the Palo Alto Community are entitled to know. Avram Israel has unleashed a relentless bombing campaign on Gaza City while the entire Palestinian population of Gaza starves due to Israel's ongoing blockade on humanitarian aid.1 Then yesterday, in a shockingly brazen attack on a U.S. ally, Israel bombed the host of ceasefire talks in an illegal attempt to kill the Palestinian negotiators.2 This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 39 Packet Pg. 327 of 896  Yes, you read the right: Israel bombed the ceasefire negotiators. Benjamin Netanyahu is utterly out of control, but Israel's atrocities in Gaza would end tomorrow if the U.S. cut off military aid for Israel's war on Gaza. Demand Progress has mobilized tens of thousands of people in support of the "Block the Bombs Act," which would do just that — and we're gaining support in Congress every day. Now we urgently need your help to turn up the heat. Will you donate to support our work, including ending U.S. support for Israel's war on Gaza? If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately. Contributions are not tax-deductible. ActBlue Civics Inc. is the merchant of record, and all donations will be distributed to Demand Progress Action within 30 days. Donate $10 Donate $20 Donate $40 Or, donate another amount More than 64,000 Palestinians have been confirmed killed since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, the overwhelming majority civilians, women, and children.3 Thousands more are presumed dead and buried under rubble, while independent studies say that the total number who have died from all war- related causes, including malnutrition, could be more than twice as high.4 The U.N. has confirmed that Gaza is in the grip of a man-made famine due to Israel's ongoing blockade of thousands of aid trucks filled with food at the border.5 And now, after Israel bombed the capital of Qatar, the U.S. ally that had been mediating ceasefire talks, the hopes for any negotiated peace are dimmer than ever.6 In response to Israel's latest crimes, Bernie Sanders condemned the government of Benjamin Netanyahu as "completely out of control," and even MAGA Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene has joined his call to end military aid to Israel.7 But instead, congressional leaders are pushing legislation to authorize Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 40 Packet Pg. 328 of 896  several hundred million more in additional aid to Israel, including what's being called AI-enhanced "genocide technology."8 It's up to us to speak out and demand that Congress finally stops using our taxpayer dollars to starve Palestinian children. Will you donate $10 right now to help support our work, including our campaign to end U.S. support for Israel's war on Gaza? With gratitude, The team at Demand Progress Action DONATE Sources: 1. Common Dreams, "'Gaza Is Being Obliterated,' Says Top UN Official, as World Leaders Stand Aside," September 9, 2025. 2. BBC, "Trump says strike on Doha 'does not advance Israel or America's goals,'" September 9, 2025. 3. PBS News, "Palestinian death toll in Gaza passes 64,000, officials say, after ceasefire talks break down," September 4, 2025. 4. Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, "The Human Toll: Indirect Deaths from War in Gaza and the West Bank, October 7, 2023 Forward," October 7, 2024. 5. United Nations, "UN Relief Chief says Gaza famine 'must spur the world to urgent action,'" August 22, 2025. 6. BBC, "Trump says strike on Doha 'does not advance Israel or America's goals,'" September 9, 2025. 7. The Guardian, "Marjorie Taylor Greene joins Bernie Sanders in urging US to end Gaza famine," August 23, 2025. 8. The Lever, "AIPAC-Funded Lawmakers Push For Millions In Spending On Genocide Tech," July 22, 2025. Contributions to ActBlue Civics and Demand Progress Action are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Join our online community on Instagram or Twitter. Receiving too many emails from Demand Progress? You can opt to pause emails from Demand Progress for a month. And of course you can unsubscribe from this list at any time. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 41 Packet Pg. 329 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Josh Becker; Dave Price; Lori Meyers; h.etzko@gmail.com; Reckdahl, Keith; james pitkin; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Human Relations Commission; Salem Ajluni; Robert Salonga; Ruth Silver Taube; Raymond Goins; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Roberta Ahlquist; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District9@sanjoseca.gov; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Lotus Fong; Linda Jolley; Palo Alto Renters" Association; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Don Austin; Yolanda Conaway; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; BoardOperations; District3@sanjoseca.gov; District5@sanjoseca.gov; District4@sanjoseca.gov; Sameena Usman; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Stump, Molly; Palo Alto Free Press; Friends of Cubberley; friends-request@foolsmission.org; Dana St. George; EPA Today; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Lee, Craig Subject:Beverly Hills public schools to consider displaying Israeli flag on all campuses Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 9:49:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Beverly Hills public schools to consider displaying Israeli flag on all campuses https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-26/beverly-hills-public-schools-to- consider-displaying-israeli-flag-on-all-campuses This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 42 Packet Pg. 330 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Reckdahl, Keith; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov Subject:Call To Action Date:Monday, September 1, 2025 9:28:01 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i From: Dr. Hussain MD- to Martin Wasserman -September 1, 2025 On Mon, Sep 1, 2025 at 9:04 AM Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: I wish the war on Hamas started in October 7. Gaza was called an open air prison in 2014, 2016, and 2018 by different well respected international bodies. More than 70% of children of Gaza were malnourished before October 7. Israel has violated more UN resolutions and has been a ruthless occupier for 76 years. If you think the people of Gaza were just going to sit there and not fight for their lives, you’re a fool. Someone’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. Gazan are fighting for their lives. What they have on their side is faith and belief in God that you lack significantly. To Gazans, either wining their freedom and dignity, or wining a long afterlife in bliss, something the Israeli army will never understand. On Aug 31, 2025, at 11:04 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote:  Aram, It's true that the war started as a premeditated and deliberate attempt to exterminate an entire people. But it was Hamas that was trying to exterminate the Jews, and after October 7, they promised to have many more October 7s until Israel was totally destroyed. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 43 Packet Pg. 331 of 896  armed, had trained for this war for years, and were willing any maybe even eager to die as martyrs. They had highly fortified defensive positions with their massive tunnel network paid for with stolen international aid funds that were intended to benefit the Gazan people, and they had the element of surprise. What they underestimated was Israel's resilience and speed of recovery in the face of existential danger. They also expected Hezbollah, with its massive missile arsenal, to join the fight from the north, which didn't happen, and they expected Iran to more actively engage, which didn't happen either. Ultimately, this is a war between two radically different views of life, between Israel and its supporters who self-define as revering life, and between Hamas and its supporters who self-define as revering death. These two cultures cannot coexist peacefully side-by-side, but will continue to fight until one succeeds in driving out the other. The way may be long and difficult, but I fully expect Israel to prevail in this struggle, and when they do, the world will be a much better place because of it. Martin Wasserman On Aug 31, 2025, at 10:02 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: This is not a war but a slaughter a genocide a holocaust, death by mass starvation. A premeditated and deliberate attempt to exterminate an entire people. War crime after war crime after war crime. War suggests some parity in military power. Israel is armed by the most powerful military on the planet, the USA. Israel has an army, a navy and air-force, and nuclear weapons, and an endless supply of 2000 pound bombs. The Palestinians have only their wits and an enduring spirit of resistance to the Israeli occupiers, the settlor colonists who stole the Palestinians' land and are now determined to destroy their entire culture. More and more nations are recognizing Palestine as an independent sovereign nation while calling out Israel as war criminals. Israel has become a pariah state a dying and soon dead nation. All people of moral conscience must seek the elimination of the terroist state of Israel. Avram “One State Solution” Finkelstein Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 44 Packet Pg. 332 of 896  On Sun, Aug 31, 2025 at 9:29 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: There seem to be two types of people pushing for an Israeli cease-fire in Gaza: those who actively want Israel to lose the war and would like to see it ultimately destroyed, and those who don't necessarily hate Israel, but are troubled by the sight of suffering civilians. I can empathize with the latter view. I don't like seeing pictures of suffering people either. However, Israel didn't seek this war and it didn't want this war. But now that war has been forced upon it, it has no alternative but to win it. A unilateral Israeli cease-fire would give Hamas time to regroup and rearm, and continue planning future atrocities, which would result in more deaths, more Israeli retaliation and more suffering. Those who claim to care deeply about the people of Gaza should not be demanding that Israel stop fighting, but should be demanding that Israel step up the fighting until Hamas is totally destroyed. The biggest obstacle to providing for the humanitarian needs of the Gazans is Hamas itself. It’s only when they’re gone that those needs can be properly addressed. Martin Wasserman From: Roberta Ahlquist <finnroberta@gmail.com> Date: August 31, 2025 at 12:22:24 PM PDT To: Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> Cc: Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com>, Julie Lythcott- Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org>, George for Palo Alto <georgeforpaloalto@gmail.com>, Office of the Provost <provost@stanford.edu>, Brian Good <snug.bug@hotmail.com>, Roseline Rasolovoahangy <emma- roseline@stanfordalumni.org>, City Council Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 45 Packet Pg. 333 of 896  <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>, WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto <wilpf.peninsula.paloalto@gmail.com>, Keith Reckdahl <reckdahl@yahoo.com>, Vicki Veenker <Vicki.Veenker@cityofpaloalto.org>, rabeh morrar <rabehmorrar@gmail.com>, Aline Figlioli <alineF.consult@fia.com.br>, Roberta Ahlquist <roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu>, jessica@speiser.net, editor@paweekly.com, Gennady Sheyner <gsheyner@embarcaderomedia.org>, city.council@gilroy.org, CityCouncil <CityCouncil@morganhill.ca.gov>, city.council@menlopark.gov, City Clerk <city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>, Andrew Binder <Andrew.Binder@cityofpaloalto.org>, Rowena Chiu <rowena.chiu@gmail.com>, Nicole Chiu-Wang <nicole@dreamcatchersyouth.org>, Pat M <p.marshall81@ymail.com>, vramirez@redwoodcity.org, Vara Ramakrishnan <vara@acm.org>, Raymond Goins <goinsrayl@gmail.com>, Liz Kniss <lizkniss@earthlink.net>, Liz Gardner <Gardnerjaqua@gmail.com>, Sheree Roth <ssroth29@gmail.com>, Lori Meyers <meyers.lk@gmail.com>, Palo Alto Free Press <paloaltofreepress@gmail.com>, Lotus Fong <lyfong@pacbell.net>, assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov, Josh Becker <becker.josh@gmail.com>, Jeff Conrad <jeff_conrad@msn.com>, Jeff Rosen <info@jeffrosen.org>, Jay Boyarsky <jboyarsky@dao.sccgov.org>, board@pausd.org, board@valleywater.org, BoardOperations <BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org>, Betsy Nash <bnash@menlopark.gov>, dcombs@menlopark.gov, GRP-City Council <council@redwoodcity.org>, Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 46 Packet Pg. 334 of 896  PD Kristina Bell <kbell@redwoodcity.org>, Rob Baker <rbaker@dao.sccgov.org>, Rose Lynn <roselynn95035@yahoo.com>, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com>, Carla Torres <xicanamagic@hotmail.com>, Brandon Pho <brandon@sanjosespotlight.com>, Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight <jennifer@sanjosespotlight.com>, Bill Newell <billnewell2850@gmail.com>, Zahra Billoo <zbilloo@cair.com>, Mila Zelkha <mila.zelkha@gmail.com> Subject: Re: Call To Action Why are you Council so paralyzed from ethical actions??!!. Let no more people die. Act NOW! Roberta Ahlquist Sent from my iPhone On Aug 31, 2025, at 12:00 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 8/31/2025 Rabbi Etzkowitz, Do Say! Do Say! Will your thoughtful prayers be answered? A call out for courage from our leaders. Will your pleas for a cease-fire resolution and no more genocide be heeded ? Will the leader you have called upon for action be ready in this moment of dire consequences? “ First Amendment Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 47 Packet Pg. 335 of 896  forever ” Avram Finkelstein On Sun, Aug 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Be a profile in courage, not an exercise in pusillanimity From vaunted dais intro cease fre now resolution. In your inimitable style explain why you are acting at this juncture. Honour your mother. I knew VSO’s like her in Nigeria. Show inter generational continuity. Make her proud, not ashamed, of your tenure on Council. Follow in the footsteps of fellow Stanfordian, Herbert Hoover. Channel the great Humanitarian. Take care “Action, not blah,blah “ cf Aline, São Paulo Henry Etzkowitz www.triplehelix.net On Aug 30, 2025, at 6:31 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  8/30/2025 HI Henry, Julie's base Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 48 Packet Pg. 336 of 896  is all ready in front of her. Per recent polls only 8% of Democrats now support the genocide in Gaza. It's Time for Julie to break from the remainder of the cowards on the Palo Alto City Council and proclaim: “End The Genocide Now” Avram Finkelstein Julie is an eminently practical politician who will not get an inch in front of her base suggest broaden strategy; On Sat, Aug 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 49 Packet Pg. 337 of 896  Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: When her base moves; Julie will speak out like Marjorie, whose evangelical base overcame their ideological predelictions and were able to see human made hunger and respond, giving implicit support to speak out. Julie is an eminently practical politician who will not get an inch in front of her base suggest broaden strategy; call for public teach in Council Chambers, invite Stanford and other experts to present Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 50 Packet Pg. 338 of 896  comparative historical view of starvation strategies with a view to where Gaza does or doesn’t fit. In the Vietnam crisis, opening of 1969 academic year, Washington university faculty senate meeting called by Prof Barry commoner, put this strstegy, formulated in a resolution by a junior faculty member, forming university- labor business coalition to implement. Event at St. Louis teamsters hq had Daniel Ellsberg as one of its speakers. Who will Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 51 Packet Pg. 339 of 896  be our “Barry Commoner” Convener? nominate Prof Condaleeza Rice, director Hoover Institute as most appropriate person by dint of academic and public service. Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice Www.triplehelix.net Sent from my iPhone On Aug 30, 2025, at 3:17 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 52 Packet Pg. 340 of 896  X, We have to keep encouraging Julie to speak- out. She did a great job with the ICE issue. I keep pushing Julie and the hapless vice mayor Vicki — to call out the Genocide. Maybe Julie never Vicki who has allowed AIPAC to Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 53 Packet Pg. 341 of 896  her strings since Oct 7. As I have told Vicki multiple times: your obituary will read clever politician and great lawyer who remained silent as the Israelis continue to commit genocide. A woman with no soul. Its all about Vicki’s climb up the political ladder. Disgusting! Avram Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 54 Packet Pg. 342 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 55 Packet Pg. 343 of 896  From:Priscilla Acosta To:PWD; Parks Cc:ParkRec Commission; Purchasing Support Subject:Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306 Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 3:12:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To Whom this may concern, Please, consider this my public records request, for the Payment and Performance Bond for OBS Engineering in regards to the Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. I would also like to find out where I can send Stop Payment Notices to. Is the project still on-going or if a Notice of Completion has been filed, can you send me a copy. Requesting for Spectrasystems, Inc. dba Spectraturf who was hired by OBS Engineering to do the Installation of Rubber Playground Surfacing for the project. Please let me know if you have any question or need any additional information, a prompt response is greatly appreciated. Priscilla Acosta Customer Service Manager Easy Law Construction Notices 1777 E. Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 306-0020 ex: 223 Sign up for FREE at www.easylawinc.com P Think Green! Before printing this e-mail ask the question, is it necessary? This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 56 Packet Pg. 344 of 896  From:C. Bill Jones To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Changing tennis courts to Pickle ballcourts. Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 5:50:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i I understand there is a meeting tonight concerning converting more tennis courts to pickle ball courts. I've lived near Mitchell Park for over 50 years. The fact that they have tennis courts was a big plus when I bought my house. Pickle Ball courts bring the value of nearby houses down, whereas tennis courts improve the value of nearby houses I believe tennis is healthier for senior citizens and youngsters than Pickle Ball. I've heard that there has been at least one death in the last five or ten years that occurred when a pickle ball player was hit in the temple while playing at Mitchell. I've not heard of any deaths caused by injuries that occurred while playing tennis at Mitchell. Tennis is played much more by youngsters than pickle ball. They need to have easy access to courts, while Pickle Ball players are usually adults who can drive to nearby clubs that offer Pickle Ball. Charles W. Jones III 3925 Nelson Drive This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 57 Packet Pg. 345 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:City consultant hasn’t answered the ONE question that truly matters to the turf study. Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 2:39:57 PM Attachments:2025 09 15 Palo Alto study incomplete. Doesnt answer how much use grass could support with best practices.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report PRC Commissioners, The consultant’s draft of the turf study report fails to answer the single question that matters most. Please see attached, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 58 Packet Pg. 346 of 896  From:Mom NN brother To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:City should reject converting another 2 tennis courts to 8 pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 4:50:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns: Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families—who already face limited recreational resources—contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 59 Packet Pg. 347 of 896  Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. I welcome discussion on balanced solutions that serve all community members. Best， Cathy 发自我的iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 60 Packet Pg. 348 of 896  From:king jane To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:City should reject converting another 2 tennis courts to 8 pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 8:51:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns: Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families—who already face limited recreational resources—contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. I welcome discussion This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 61 Packet Pg. 349 of 896  on balanced solutions that serve all community members Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 62 Packet Pg. 350 of 896  From:Ashley Jiang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:City should reject converting another more tennis courts to pickleball courts Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 4:01:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns - Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families, who already face limited recreational resources, contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Charge non-resident use for the courts. Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 63 Packet Pg. 351 of 896  From:Lisa Steinback To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Comments on agenda item 5 from Tues night (8/26/25) Date:Thursday, August 28, 2025 5:24:57 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi Commissioners, I had to leave before I got to speak on Tuesday, so I'm sending my speech to you: FACT: Mitchell park has the only lit courts in south Palo Alto FACT: Tennis players already lost the use of courts 5,6 and 7 I captained a USTA team (5 lines per match) out of Mitchell park for 7 YEARS, 2009 – 2015, but now I cannot since there are only 2 courts (3 and 4) available for tennis court rental Parking: Because there are 3-4 TIMES as many people per tennis court on the pickle ball areas (ie. A tennis court has as max of 4 people, pickle can have 12- 16 people) parking at Mitchell park has become really bad, especially on weekends. No one in this room can deny that we have a parking problem. This affects the library, playground, park areas, etc. That is mainly due to pickle ball players coming from all over the Bay Area to Mitchell park So I hear that we need more pickle ball courts…. BUT Why should SOUTH Palo Alto provide all the pickle ball courts in the city?? Don’t people living in north Palo Alto want to play? My suggestion is to build 6-8 pickle ball courts in Rinconada park, right next to the playground, which is already noisy. It will provide pickle ball in north Palo Alto! It is located a good distance from the Rinconada tennis courts and is next to an already noisy playground, so it’s far from houses. AND the city can stop watering all that lawn, thereby reducing the water usage at Rinconada! It’s a WIN-WIN. I have a Google map photo to share (see attachment) so people can see where the new courts should go (Yellow area on map) Please consider putting in these new pickle ball courts in Rinconada park, retain This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 64 Packet Pg. 352 of 896  the few tennis courts we still have at Mitchell park and don’t make the parking even worse than it already is. Thank you! Lisa Steinback, 23-year resident of south Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 65 Packet Pg. 353 of 896  From:Lu Yin To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Concern Regarding Tennis Court Availability at MP Date:Tuesday, August 19, 2025 3:36:01 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, I noticed Mr. Ron Gentile scouting around the tennis courts at MP while I was playing tennis with a friend. This makes me anxious, as it looks like the pickleball club may be trying to take over more tennis courts. MP now only has four courts, and two are often used for lessons. It is already difficult to find a court to play with my kids after school at 3 PM. I do play pickleball occasionally and don’t mind when pickleball players use tennis courts if they are open. However, it seems the city of Palo Alto should take a closer look at pickleball usage, since a large percentage of pickleball players appear to be non-residents. It feels unfair for Palo Alto residents to be pushed off tennis courts so that non-residents can use them for pickleball. As for the process, how can I get involved in the discussion? There are many tennis players in Palo Alto, but unlike pickleball players, we aren’t well organized. Thank you, Lu Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 66 Packet Pg. 354 of 896  From:Larry Hsiung To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 2:41:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball saved me. After recovering from Tennis and Basketball injuries, I gained so much weight, and my health deteriorated. My doctors told me to swim, walk or bike to get in shape. I can’t swim. I do not get motivated by solo activities. I enjoy outdoors but do not want to get hit by vehicles and injured for life or worse, die. Now I am in good shape. Friendships built on the pickleball courts and a sense of belonging to a community of fun loving pickleball players are both good for my body and soul. My wife and son are happy because they do not need to worry about my physical and mental health. Unfortunately, the wait time on the courts increase significantly at times. The cycle of resting too long in between games then playing intensely sometimes cause injuries that require longer rest days in between my enjoyment. We need more courts. Please approve to convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, Lawrence Hsiung Midtown Resident This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 67 Packet Pg. 355 of 896  From:Amy Cheung To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Court Expansion (Mitchell Park Pickleball) Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 7:27:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I picked up pickleball Fall of 2023 as a pure beginner. I am never an athletic person and had no experience in court sports then. After purchasing a basic paddle and attending a beginner's clinic to pick up a few basic strokes, I got more and more interested in the sport. From then on, I have played 2 to 3X a week. The beauty of pickleball is that you can join at any level and improve at your own pace. It is not too intense but competitive enough to make it fun for everyone. Not only have I benefited physically through the exercise, I have built new friendships with other players and felt a stronger sense of belonging to the community. A lot of the players share similar backgrounds as me and I would never have met them if I had not learnt and stayed with the sport. I've also encouraged my family and friends who visited me from abroad to come join in the game. We laughed and laughed more as we played. There's no other activity more meaningful than this simple game of pickleball. It encourages you to exercise and connect with your family, friends and the community you live in. Sincerely yours, Amy Cheung Crescent Park community This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 68 Packet Pg. 356 of 896  From:Michael To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 7:07:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ! Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. It is important to me. Sincerely yours, MICHAEL PRINCETON ST. Palo Alto This message could be suspicious Similar name as someone in your company. This is an obscure personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 69 Packet Pg. 357 of 896  From:Suresh Kiran To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Council, City Subject:Creation of more pickelball ground Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 11:18:20 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i As I see many benefits of playing this game such as health, mental, social. So in my opinion, this is the need of hour Thanks & regards Park Blvd Palo alto 94306 Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 70 Packet Pg. 358 of 896  From:Qian Li To:ParkRec Commission; Parks Cc:Howard, Adam Subject:Different voice for pickeball courts Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 12:58:41 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Commissioners and Pickleball Lovers, My husband is a pickleball lover and we have three kids (8, 6 and 3). I would like to provide a different voice as a mom, as a partner, and hope the voice can be heard. Dear pickleball lovers, for those who have kids, let me ask you a few questions: 1) Have you ever said no to your kids' soccer/basketball/tennis game and said "sorry I have to play pickleball?" 2) Have you ever missed the weekend family activities, BBQ, camping, hiking and said "sorry I have to play pickleball? 3) Have you ever disappeared during dinner time and missed the lovely family gathering and said "sorry I have to play pickleball? 4) Have you ever played pickleball with your kids? How often do you play with them? For those who have partners who do not play pickleball or do not have the flexibility to play pickleball, 1) Have you ever asked your partner, can you please take care of the house cleaning, laundry, cooking? Sorry I have to play pickleball 2) Have you ever looked at the message from your phone from a pickleball partner or watched some pickleball video online, while your partner is telling you something important several times, and said "sorry what did you say? I was talking to a friend about tomorrow's pickleball tournament." 3) Have you ever played pickleball with your partner or significant others? How often? Pickleball is not a family friend game, at least for us with small kids. Here we are talking about courts. Let me share another story about courts. At around 6:00 pm, we left home after dinner together. My husband wanted to play pickleball and my 8 year old and 6 year old wanted to play tennis. They are playing orange ball for tennis. So my husband said there are courts that can be used for both tennis and pickleball. He dropped us and joined his group of pickleball friends and kept playing for hours. We were hoping that we could get a chance to use just one court for tennis for like half an hour. But the truth is that people playing pickleball kept texting their friends to come and join them and then they started the new one hour occupation of the court. Me and my three little kids have been waiting and waiting until This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 71 Packet Pg. 359 of 896  it's totally dark like 8:30, but still no chance to get a court to play tennis for just half an hour. We went home sadly. Dear pickleball lovers, please leave some space for other sports and save some time with your precious family. Thank you Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 72 Packet Pg. 360 of 896  From:Sally-Ann Rudd To:Council, City; ParkRec Commission; PAPC.SECRETARY@GMAIL.COM Subject:EXPANSION (please) Palo Alto Pickleball Courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 1:05:26 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Commissioners and City Council members This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 73 Packet Pg. 361 of 896  From:Debbie Jozefov To:ParkRec Commission; awecips@paloalto.gov Subject:Elaeanor Pardee Park Bathroom Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 3:45:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To whom It May Concern, I want to start out by saying that I am very much against putting a bathroom in Eleanor Pardee Park. This is a small neighborhood park and we can go home if we have to go to the bathroom. Adding a bathroom here will overcrowd this neighborhood park with out of towners and attract back the homeless people that we just got out of the park. In addition, the city just payed to install a bathroom at Rinconada Park which is extremely close to Eleanor Pardee Park and Rinconada is a large park. People who need a park with a bathroom can go to Rincnada, a 3 minute drive away. Furthermore, one of the park workers told me that a bathroom is going to be installed at Eleanor Pardee Park near Center Street. This would be the biggest eyesore ever and I’m sure the neighbors who live near there would vehemently protest this location. At least if Palo Alto has to put a bathroom at this park (which I am against and many others are against) please put it at the back of the park where it is not so visible and an eyesore. Please let me know what exactly the plan is. Thank you. Debbie Jozefov This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 74 Packet Pg. 362 of 896  From:Richard Kendall To:Noakes, Kaela; ParkRec Commission; Daren.Anderson@cityofpaloalto.org Subject:Exeloo Smart Public Restroom Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 1:56:43 PM Attachments:image005.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Good Morning All, I wanted to introduce my prefab restroom company to you and our highlights Exeloo was Voted Best Restroom in America in 2020 and a finalist in 2022! Safety and Hygiene Auto wash (triggered every 30 uses) Touchless entry Sensor operated dispensers Single occupancy and gender neutral Automated Restroom 10-minute time limit (deter loitering in cubicles with alarms) Sliding pocket doors Remote control and monitoring (statistical reports) Routine auto wash (triggered every 30 uses) Can you tell me who is best to follow up with regarding any new restroom projects? I would like to schedule a time to learn more about your upcoming projects, what your needs are, and what issues you have encountered in your existing facilities. Just last week, had a very nice ribbon cutting at a new unit in Saratoga. Best Regards, Richard This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 75 Packet Pg. 363 of 896  Richard Kendall Area Sales Representative - Nth Ca Cell +1 916 747 8367 toll free 800 676 5290 | www.exeloo.com Exeloo Corp 1015 Nipomo St. Ste 100, San Luis Obispo CA 93401 | PO Box 13310 San Luis Obispo CA 93406 The information contained in this email is CONFIDENTIAL and intended for the above addressee only. If you are not the addressee you are advised that any use, review, dissemination or copying of this document is strictly prohibited. Views contained in the email may not be those of Exeloo Corp. If you have received this document in error please delete it and contact us immediately. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 76 Packet Pg. 364 of 896  From:Yeo Jin To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Expanding pickleball court at Mitchell Park. Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 12:12:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Officials, I hope this message finds you well. I would like to share how much Mitchell Park Pickleball has positively impacted my life and our community. After my children grew up and became more independent, I suddenly found myself with too much free time. This led to depression and declining health. Fortunately, I discovered pickleball at Mitchell Park. By joining the community there, I not only regained my health but also found joy and new friendships. Pickleball has truly given me a renewed sense of purpose and happiness. I have also been encouraging my friends to play, and many have benefited as well. However, the number of players at Mitchell Park has grown so much that at times it becomes overcrowded, making it difficult for everyone to play. For this reason, I kindly ask the City of Palo Alto to consider expanding pickleball facilities or increasing access to courts. Doing so would allow more residents to experience the same health, social, and community This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 77 Packet Pg. 365 of 896  benefits that I and many others have enjoyed. Thank you very much for your consideration and for supporting such an active, healthy, and connected community Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 78 Packet Pg. 366 of 896  From:Yahoo Mail ! To:Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com; ParkRec Commission Subject:Expansion of Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park: More courts please! Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 3:46:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I have lived in Palo Alto for 36 years, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. In 2018, my neighbor invited me to play pickleball at Mitchell Park. I had never heard of this game but thought, well, my neighbor was excited about it so why not give it a try? What I discovered was a game that was simple, fun, good exercise, and that didn't take too long for a player to acquire and improve on the skills required to compete at increasingly higher levels. I had recently retired so it was perfect timing for me to discover this new activity and the friendly and enthusiastic members of the Mitchell Park pickleball community. Socially, this has improved the quality of living in Palo Alto: a positive experience for me and many others, like being a kid again, just go to the park and you will find people to play with, all hours of the day, all days of the week. I play several times a week during the day time, and on days when I can't play during the day, I will drop in during the evening hours. This community has been growing steadily since 2018 and its obvious by the usage of the courts and the growing wait times that we need more courts. Here are several unique characteristics of Mitchell Park: - Not close to residential neighbors who could be bothered by the noise - Existing noise level is buffered by closest neighbors like the Challenger School, Library, Dog Park, Magical Bridge Playground, Soccer and Baseball Fields - Additional parking, adjacent to the courts, has generously been made available to Palo Alto Pickleball Club by the Abilities United Organization I respectfully request that the City of Palo Alto approve expansion of pickleball at Mitchell Park by approving the conversion of two Tennis courts to create 8 more pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 79 Packet Pg. 367 of 896  L. R. Michel Loma Verde Ave, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 80 Packet Pg. 368 of 896  From:Sally-Ann Rudd To:papc.secretary@gmail.com; Council, City; ParkRec Commission Subject:Expansion of Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 1:23:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Commissioners and City Council Members -- I am a long time Palo Alto resident and also play pickleball regularly at Mitchell Park. I joined the Palo Alto Pickleball Club AFTER I saw some comments in Palo Alto Weekly about how the Pickleball club was representing a lot of out of town players and membership by Palo Alto residents was about 50%. Well, everyone I play with (we have a text group of about 9 people) are Palo Alto residents and I think only two are PAPC members. So the idea that Mitchell Park is somehow full of non-Palo Alto residents playing pickleball is flawed. Plus, since the Foothills Park situation, did we not decide that we do not keep our facilities for the exclusive benefit of residents? If we're doing the "resident only" thing again, then please let's return Foothills Park to residents only asap. The glory of having many courts at Mitchell Park is that it has become a social hub for all ages playing pickleball. It has become a victim of its own success however, in that there may be long wait times to get on a court. Once you are on a court, you may only get to play one game because other people are waiting for your court. The community could definitely use more pickleball courts. People are very friendly playing pickleball. It is a rare environment these days where you can show up as a 60 year old woman on her own and get in a game. Or, as happened this morning, while waiting for my friends to show up, I began to play with a woman called Lisa who I've never met before. Tell me where else do these random social interactions happen these days? It's great and should be encouraged and supported. Please give us more courts. Oh and I'm so old I remember before the Mitchell Park courts were converted to Pickleball. There was no one there. You could always get a tennis court. Pickleball has revived that part of Mitchell Park. People are actually going there to use that land for what it was intended. More pickleball courts please. Sally-Ann Rudd 354 Poe St Palo Alto CA 94301 This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 81 Packet Pg. 369 of 896  From:martin vetter To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Expansion Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 2:06:42 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have lived in the Midtown area for over 37 years and used the tennis courts at Mitchell Park for all of that time. I can remember when you had to set a timer for 1 hour 15 minutes because the courts were so crowded. Not so much any more. I walked by the tennis courts on my way to the pickleball courts daily and there aren’t 6 people using them. Please consider the expansion of the Pickleball courts as it would meed the greater demand for pickleball courts. Many more people are playing pickleball than tennis. Parks & Rec. should accommodate their need. Sincerely yours, Martin Vetter Midtown resident Sent from my iPad This message needs your attention This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 82 Packet Pg. 370 of 896  From:Marion Parr To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Howard, Adam Subject:For Aug 26 Parks & Recs mtg: comment regarding item 5 Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 4:09:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This email comment is for the Tues Aug 26 Parks & Recs meeting, Item #5,"discussion of pickleball court usage, and possible alternatives to address demand". It is my understanding that the pickleball community is suggesting that two (2) of the four (4) available tennis courts at Mitchell Park be converted into pickleball courts. Currently, there are 14 pickleball courts at Mitchell and only four (4) tennis courts. If the City converts 2 more Mitchell Park tennis courts (courts 3 and 4) into pickleball courts, that will leave only two (2) tennis courts total (out of an original 7 tennis courts) at Mitchell. There are always tennis players trying to get on the Mitchell Park courts in the evening, and reducing that number by converting them to pickleball courts will only make that access to tennis courts more difficult. MItchell Park and Rinconada Park are the only two public parks that have lighted tennis courts, so while there are 29 public park tennis courts in Palo Alto, only Mitchell Park courts 1 - 4, and Rinconada courts 1 - 5, are available for evening tennis play. Suggestions: Rather than continuing to reduce the number of tennis courts at Mitchell Park, if the City could convert the Mitchell handball courts (the hitting wall between the upper and lower courts), convert the Tai Chi space, and/or the space under the pergola, into pickleball courts. In addition, the City could convert two of the six courts at Cubberly into 6 - 8 pickleball courts. Thank you for considering this information. Thank you, Marion Parr This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 83 Packet Pg. 371 of 896  From:Yeo Jin To:ParkRec Commission Subject:For expansion of pickleball courts in Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 6:04:17 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I would like to share how much Mitchell Park Pickleball has positively impacted my life and our community. After my children grew up and became more independent, I suddenly found myself with too much free time. This led to depression and declining health. Fortunately, I discovered pickleball at Mitchell Park. By joining the community there, I not only regained my health but also found joy and new friendships. Pickleball has truly given me a renewed sense of purpose and happiness. I have also been encouraging my friends to play, and many have benefited as well. However, the number of players at Mitchell Park has grown so much that at times it becomes overcrowded, making it difficult for everyone to play. This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 84 Packet Pg. 372 of 896  For this reason, I kindly ask the City of Palo Alto to consider expanding pickleball facilities or increasing access to courts. Doing so would allow more residents to experience the same health, social, and community benefits that I and many others have enjoyed. Thank you very much for your consideration and for supporting such an active, healthy, and connected community. Sincerely Yeo Jin Park 922 Moreno Ave, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 85 Packet Pg. 373 of 896  From:Chenchen Irene Zhang To:Council, City; ParkRec Commission Subject:Formal Complaint Regarding Process and Decision on Mitchell Park Pickleball Expansion Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 1:30:52 PM Attachments:image0.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the City Council and The Parks and Recreation Commission, I am writing to express my profound disappointment and deep concern regarding theCommission’s deliberation and decision on the proposed pickleball court expansion atMitchell Park during the meeting on August 26, 2025. The overwhelming majority of the more than twenty residents who spoke during publiccomment presented detailed, reasonable, and heartfelt arguments against the expansion.Their concerns centered on well-documented issues of noise pollution, parking scarcity,traffic safety, and the fundamental incompatibility of a major sports complex with a publiclibrary and adjacent residential neighborhood. It was therefore disheartening to witness that immediately following this public input, a fewcommissioners especially Anne Cribbs and Bing Wei voiced their support for the proposalwithout offering any substantive reasoning or acknowledgment of the community'sconcerns. This failure to engage with the arguments presented creates the appearancethat their votes were predetermined and that the public comment process was merely aformality, rather than a genuine opportunity for civic engagement and thoughtfulconsideration. This appearance is further reinforced by the suggestion from Bing Wei to expand intoRinconada Park in the future, a proposal that demonstrates a startling lack of commonsense and respect for the residents who live mere feet from those courts (please seeattached map for details). If the concerns at Mitchell Park—which is a community hub with This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 86 Packet Pg. 374 of 896  a library—are being ignored, it suggests residents near any city park are vulnerable tosimilar disregard. Most critically, the proposed expansion site is immediately adjacent to a special educationschool AchieveKids. The students at this school represent one of our community's mostvulnerable populations. Many of these children have acute sensitivities to noise and requirea calm, structured, and predictable environment to learn and thrive. The constant,percussive noise from multiple pickleball courts would be devastating to their educationalexperience and well-being. The fact that this was not treated as a primary and disqualifyingfactor in this discussion is deeply alarming. I urge you to reconsider this decision and to: 1. Pause all approvals until a comprehensive and independent noise and trafficimpact study is completed, with specific focus on the library and the specialeducation school. 2. Provide a detailed public explanation for the support of this expansion, directlyaddressing the specific concerns raised by the community regarding noise, safety,and parking. 3. Commit to a transparent process that genuinely weighs all perspectives andexplores alternative, more suitable locations for pickleball that do not come at theexpense of existing quiet public services and residential neighborhoods. A decision of this magnitude, made without apparent reasoning and in the face ofoverwhelming public opposition, severely undermines public trust in this Commission’scommitment to fair and representative governance. Sincerely, Chenchen Zhang 2612 Cowper st Palo Alto, CA 94306 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 87 Packet Pg. 375 of 896  Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 88 Packet Pg. 376 of 896  From:David Siegel To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; PAPC Secretary Subject:Further Building Community Through Pickleball Court Expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 1:52:18 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Commissioners and Council Members, I write in support of converting two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. I do so as a 30+ year Palo Alto resident, not as president of the Palo Alto Pickleball Club. Why Pickleball is Different: Pickleball uniquely builds community and allows spontaneous play without advance scheduling. To succeed, it requires a critical mass of courts in one location; small installations of 4–6 courts are ineffective. Cities often build 20+ courts together for this reason. Why Mitchell Park Works: Mitchell Park is the most practical site—far from homes, eliminating noise issues, and with sufficient open space and infrastructure. Building new courts elsewhere would face zoning restrictions, high land costs, and construction expenses in the hundreds of thousands to millions. Addressing Concerns: · Parking: PAPC has secured 35 additional spaces during peak times, more than covering demand. · Noise: No complaints in over a decade; closest homes are 275–350 feet away. If ever an issue, noise-reduction options exist. · Park Activity: Mitchell Park is an active-use park with many noisy activities; pickleball fits its character. Tennis Access: Palo Alto has 54 courts (27 City, 27 PAUSD). Even after conversion, tennis will still have four times the space of pickleball. City data shows tennis courts are underused while pickleball courts are consistently full with waitlists. Simple policy changes—restricting unauthorized lessons, adjusting USTA league access, and reviewing private contracts—would free up additional courts at no cost. Adding lights at Cubberly would also increase evening capacity at far less expense than new construction. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 89 Packet Pg. 377 of 896  Conclusion: Converting two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts is the most effective, economical, and equitable way to meet surging demand while preserving tennis access. It advances community health and wellness and makes better use of City resources. Sincerely, David Siegel Ramona Street – Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 90 Packet Pg. 378 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: About creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:31:49 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i --------- Forwarded message --------- From: Michael <jqwen@126.com> Date: Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 6:25 PM Subject: About creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. To: <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. It is important to me. Sincerely yours, MICHAEL PRINCETON ST. Palo Alto This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 91 Packet Pg. 379 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:32:56 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i --------- Forwarded message --------- From: Larry Hsiung <LarryHsiung@hotmail.com> Date: Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM Subject: Convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts To: papc.secretary@gmail.com <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball saved me. After recovering from Tennis and Basketball injuries, I gained so much weight, and my health deteriorated. My doctors told me to swim, walk or bike to get in shape. I can’t swim. I do not get motivated by solo activities. I enjoy outdoors but do not want to get hit by vehicles and injured for life or worse, die. Now I am in good shape. Friendships built on the pickleball courts and a sense of belonging to a community of fun loving pickleball players are both good for my body and soul. My wife and son are happy because they do not need to worry about my physical and mental health. Unfortunately, the wait time on the courts increase significantly at times. The cycle of resting too long in between games then playing intensely sometimes cause injuries that require longer rest days in between my enjoyment. We need more courts. Please approve to convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 92 Packet Pg. 380 of 896  Sincerely yours, Lawrence Hsiung Midtown Resident Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 93 Packet Pg. 381 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Court Expansion (Mitchell Park Pickleball) Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:31:34 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Amy Cheung <amykwcheung@gmail.com> Date: Sat, Sep 13, 2025 at 7:31 PM Subject: Court Expansion (Mitchell Park Pickleball) To: papc.secretary@gmail.com <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I picked up pickleball Fall of 2023 as a pure beginner. I am never an athletic person and had no experience in court sports then. After purchasing a basic paddle and attending a beginner's clinic to pick up a few basic strokes, I got more and more interested in the sport. From then on, I have played 2 to 3X a week. The beauty of pickleball is that you can join at any level and improve at your own pace. It is not too intense but competitive enough to make it fun for everyone. Not only have I benefited physically through the exercise, I have built new friendships with other players and felt a stronger sense of belonging to the community. A lot of the players share similar backgrounds as me and I would never have met them if I had not learnt and stayed with the sport. I've also encouraged my family and friends who visited me from abroad to come join in the game. We laughed and laughed more as we played. There's no other activity more meaningful than this simple game of pickleball. It encourages you to exercise and connect with your family, friends and the community you live in. Sincerely yours, Amy Cheung Crescent Park Neighborhood This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 94 Packet Pg. 382 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: More Pickleball courts at Mitchell Please! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:35:31 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Paulmer Soderberg <paulmer@yahoo.com> Date: Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 8:46 AM Subject: More Pickleball courts at Mitchell Please! To: <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto (Vernon Terrace), and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball at Mitchell Park is so special and it is unlike any other facility I have played at. The friendships I have made, the sense of community I have gained and the benefits (physical and mental) I have gotten in playing pickleball at Mitchell are immense. Thank you for your help and consideration. Sincerely yours, Paulmer Soderberg Vernon Terrace Sent from my iPhone This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 95 Packet Pg. 383 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Pickelball Courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:33:59 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jim Colton <james.colton10@gmail.com> Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 12:21 PM Subject: Pickelball Courts To: <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I played tennis for 50 years but am now too slow to play. I found I could play pickleball and have enjoyed it immensely for the past five years. Before I started pickleball I thought it would be like tennis from the social standpoint, i.e. you organize a foursome (or twosome), go to the courts and play and then go home. Pickleball is much more social than that! Because you are close to the other players there's a lot more chatter going on. You change partners and courts frequently so you meet a lot of people. And you don't have to arrange games--you just show up. Pickleball is a big part of my life. I would like more people to experience the joy of pickleball. Sincerely yours, Jim Colton Green Acres II -- JimColtonPhotography.com This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 96 Packet Pg. 384 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Pickle ball Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:33:17 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Liz Kristofferson <kristofferson_liz@hotmail.com> Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM Subject: Pickle ball To: papc.secretary@gmail.com <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. My family and I all love to play together but the courts are so crowded. The first 4 courts are the most popular. It would be awesome to have 8 more fixed courts. Liz Kristofferson (She/Her/ Hers) Community Center This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 97 Packet Pg. 385 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Pickleball Courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:32:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jerry Belden <jerry@gbeldenltc.com> Date: Fri, Sep 12, 2025 at 12:17 PM Subject: Pickleball Courts To: papc.secretary@gmail.com <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, I am retired and have lived in Midtown, Palo Alto for many years. I started playing pickleball a little before the pandemic. I think it’s a great activity and I’m in support of adding 8 more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball allowed me to engage in a new sport which is good for my physical health, but also a lot of fun. It has also expanded my network of friends in the area. Physical activity and social connections are important for all age groups, but especially for seniors who can become sedentary and isolated in their retirement years. I hope you seriously consider the proposal to add more courts at Mitchell. Sincerely, Jerry Belden This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 98 Packet Pg. 386 of 896  From:PAPC Secretary To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Fwd: Pickleball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:32:41 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: upsidedn <upsidedn@pacbell.net> Date: Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM Subject: Pickleball courts To: <papc.secretary@gmail.com> Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, I am a resident of Palo Alto, living in Midtown, and I am in support of adding 8 pickleball courts to Mitchell. Pickleball allowed me to engage in a new sport, which is not only good for my physical health, but very fun. More importantly, it has expanded my network of friends in my retirement. Not only do we play pickleball, but we socialize in many ways such as pot luck picnics, birthday celebrations, field trips to see comedians and art shows. Physical activity and social connections are important for all age groups, but especially seniors who can become sedentary and isolated in their retirement years. I highly encourage you to seriously consider this proposal. Pickleball is gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds impacting our existing Mitchell Park courts. Sincerely, Lindsay Belden Midtown Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 99 Packet Pg. 387 of 896  From:Patricia Gibbs To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:How Pickleball has Impacted My Life... please expand Pickleball... Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:50:13 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park (MP). I started playing about 2 years ago at MP after a chance encounter with a former co-worker in a local grocery store. I asked him what he was doing in the area, and he said he played pickleball at MP every week. He recommended I come out when I said that I thought pickleball was silly. I was proven completely wrong. The first time I came out, I played 11 games in a row - and lost every one. Exhausted, I left thinking, "That was so much fun, I can't wait to play again." Since then, I have met scores of people and gotten family members and other friends into the game. They all love it now, too. Even though I didn't have to, I joined the club. Apparently, I'm not alone in that. I marvel at the volunteers who watch over the club and offer wildly successful things like the welcome player development clinics filled with people also discovering joy in playing. When I walk in now, I feel I am truly part of the community. The health benefits are amazing! The international medical community knows this, too. For example, French doctors give prescriptions for pickleball: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11995513/#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20these%20problems,in%20official%20guidelines%20%5B13%5D Pickleball has improved my physical health and broken down loneliness and isolation for me and countless others. The courts are active all the time - it is an open, affordable, vibrant, fun, inclusive place where you can just drop in and play. If I have time during a lunch break from work, I can go there and play. We all say, "Without pickleball, where would we ever have all met?" Pickleball is a health, connections, and community multiplier - it creates joy and fun. It has been a life-changer for me on so many levels. Please support repurposing 2 tennis courts into 8 pickleball courts to meet the ever-growing demand for this amazing sport, community builder, and health and joy multiplier. Sincerely yours, Patricia Gibbs Palo Verde/Adobe Meadows -- Stay safe and be well Patricia Gibbs Stayte, Ph.D. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 100 Packet Pg. 388 of 896  From:Light As Air Boats To:ParkRec Commission How to Engage Communities and Tourists With Your Park"s Waterway Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 6:32:15 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. i SHOP NOW Hi there! Build pride, boost tourism, and create unforgettable experiences with these autumn water-focused ideas. This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 101 Packet Pg. 389 of 896  Water has always held a special place in human imagination. From rivers that powered early civilizations to lakeside retreats that soothe modern minds, waterways connect us to both history and nature. For parks and resorts, a water feature is more than a backdrop—it’s a dynamic centerpiece that can attract visitors, foster community pride, and inspire stewardship. But simply having a river, creek, or pond isn’t enough. The challenge lies in transforming that waterway into an experience: a space where locals feel a sense of belonging and tourists discover something worth traveling for. This blog explores strategies parks and resorts can use to highlight their waterways, weaving together education, recreation, art, culture, and sustainability to engage both residents and visitors. Autumn waterways naturally invite visitors to slow down and connect with nature. 1. Tell the Story of the Waterway Every waterway has a story. It might be ecological, cultural, historical, or even mythical. Sharing that story gives people a reason to care Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 102 Packet Pg. 390 of 896  Interpretive Signage and Guided Tours: Place engaging signs along trails and docks that highlight local wildlife, indigenous history, or unique ecological features. Pair this with guided tours led by naturalists, historians, or community elders. Interactive Storytelling: Use QR codes on signs or brochures that link to short videos or audio guides. Hearing a fisher recount their experience, or a tribal leader share a legend about the river, creates a personal connection. “Then and Now” Programming: Create exhibits that show how the waterway has changed— whether due to conservation efforts, community growth, or climate impacts. This gives visitors a sense of continuity and stewardship. Tourist angle: Visitors love to leave with stories they can share. A well-told narrative transforms a park from just another scenic stop into a meaningful destination. 2. Build Seasonal Experiences Waterways are dynamic, changing with the seasons. Lean into those rhythms to design programming that keeps people returning throughout the year. Fall Foliage Paddles: Offer guided canoe or kayak tours framed by vibrant autumn leaves. Harvest Celebrations: Host farmers’ markets or pumpkin festivals by the water, featuring local produce and crafts. Fall Photography Workshops: Partner with local photographers to offer workshops that help visitors capture the stunning foliage and reflections. Autumn Evening Bonfires: Create cozy community gatherings with storytelling, hot cider, and live acoustic music by the shoreline. Wildlife Watching: Organize birdwatching walks to spot migratory species that gather near waterways during fall. Community angle: Seasonal programming builds anticipation, creating traditions that locals look forward to and that tourists can plan trips around. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 103 Packet Pg. 391 of 896  3. Design Accessible Recreation Not everyone experiences nature in the same way, so accessibility is key to ensuring waterways are inclusive destinations. Universal Design in Trails and Docks: Build boardwalks, fishing piers, and boat launches that are wheelchair accessible. Adaptive Recreation Programs: Offer adaptive kayaking, hand-cycle trails, or sensory-friendly nature walks for individuals with disabilities. Family-Friendly Spaces: Create shaded picnic areas so families with young children can enjoy lunch near the water. Tourist angle: Inclusive design not only broadens your audience but also positions your park or resort as forward-thinking and welcoming. Accessible trails and boardwalks ensure everyone can enjoy the beauty of waterways. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 104 Packet Pg. 392 of 896  4. Foster Environmental Stewardship Visitors today, especially younger generations, increasingly seek eco-conscious experiences. Use your waterway as a living classroom and call to action. Citizen Science Projects: Invite visitors to participate in water-quality testing, bird counts, or invasive-species monitoring. Clean-Up Challenges: Organize volunteer events where participants collect litter from shorelines and celebrate their impact with small rewards or recognition boards. Sustainable Tourism Practices: Showcase how the park or resort protects the waterway—whether through rain gardens, natural filtration, or wildlife habitat restoration. Community angle: Locals who see themselves as stewards of their waterway become natural advocates, spreading positive word-of-mouth. 5. Use Art to Animate the Space Art adds another layer of connection to natural settings, especially when it’s community-driven. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 105 Packet Pg. 393 of 896  Water-Inspired Installations: Commission local artists to create sculptures, murals, or installations that celebrate the waterway’s beauty or history. Performance by the Water: Host concerts, poetry readings, or theater performances in open-air amphitheaters with the water as a backdrop. Community Art Projects: Engage residents in painting murals, crafting mosaics, or designing banners that line walking paths. Tourist angle: Art makes a destination Instagrammable. Travelers want photos that capture unique experiences, and art near water makes for unforgettable moments. Art, performances, and festivals by the water create lasting memories for visitors. 6. Celebrate Culture and Heritage Waterways are deeply tied to cultural traditions and community identities. Highlighting this can turn a local spot into a cultural attraction. Indigenous Partnerships: Collaborate with Native communities to share stories, host cultural demonstrations, and offer authentic experiences that honor heritage. Historical Reenactments: Bring to life stories of traders, boatmen, or early settlers who used the waterway. Food and Festivals: Celebrate culinary traditions tied to the water—like fish fries, clam bakes, or farm-to-table events. Community angle: When locals see their heritage reflected and respected, they feel pride and ownership, which strengthens long-term support. 7. Build Signature Events Anchor your park or resort in the regional calendar with a signature event tied to the waterway. Annual River Festival: Blend music, art, food, and recreation into a weekend-long celebration that attracts both locals and out-of-town visitors. Glow-in-the-Dark Paddle Parade: Encourage kayakers or canoeists to decorate boats with solar lights for a nighttime parade on the water—celebratory, safe for wildlife, and zero waste. Sporting Tournaments: Fishing derbies, paddleboard races, or dragon-boat regattas can draw large crowds and media attention. Tourist angle: Signature events create reasons to travel, filling hotels, restaurants, and shops in the area. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 106 Packet Pg. 394 of 896  8. Connect Through Technology Digital tools can extend engagement before, during, and after a visit. Virtual Tours: Offer online experiences for those who can’t travel but may later visit in person. Augmented Reality (AR): Develop AR apps that let visitors point their phone at the water to “see” migrating fish beneath the surface or historical scenes overlaid on the landscape. Social Media Challenges: Create photo scavenger hunts or seasonal hashtags that encourage visitors to share their experiences. Community angle: Technology can keep locals engaged year-round, not just during in-person visits. 9. Partner With Local Businesses Strong partnerships extend the reach of any park or resort initiative. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 107 Packet Pg. 395 of 896  packages: “Stay, Dine, and Paddle.” Local Artisans and Vendors: Invite local makers to sell goods at festivals or farmers’ markets by the water. Cross-Promotion: Collaborate with tour companies or visitor bureaus to position your waterway as part of a larger regional itinerary. Tourist angle: Travelers seek convenience, and partnerships make planning easy while boosting the local economy. 10. Create Opportunities for Reflection and Wellness In today’s fast-paced world, many visitors are seeking peace as much as excitement. Waterways naturally lend themselves to wellness programming. Yoga by the Water: Morning yoga, tai chi, or meditation sessions overlooking a river or lake. Quiet Zones: Designate benches or platforms specifically for mindfulness and reflection, away from busier activity areas. Wellness Retreats: Partner with wellness practitioners to host weekend retreats focused on health, balance, and connection to nature. Candlelight Shoreline Walk: Instead of floating lanterns, line the shore with solar-powered lanterns or LED candles. Visitors can walk the path together in a peaceful, reflective ceremony. Community angle: These activities resonate with both locals and tourists, appealing to the rising demand for wellness tourism. Conclusion A waterway is far more than a scenic feature. It’s a living, breathing asset with the power to unite people, strengthen communities, and drive tourism. By layering history, culture, art, recreation, and sustainability, parks and resorts can transform their destination into one of connection and renewal. When communities feel ownership and pride, and tourists leave with stories and memories, the waterway becomes more than a place—it becomes an experience. And in a world hungry for both belonging and wonder, that’s the most valuable current of all. How to Engage Communities and Tourists With Your Park’s Waterways Explore Light As Air Boats Yours in Wind, Water, and Waves, - The Light As Air Boats Team Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 108 Packet Pg. 396 of 896  We don’t want to spam you. If you're no longer interested in enjoying adventures out on the water Unsubscribe here. Light As Air Boats 13801 Walsingham Rd. Suite A-116 Largo, Florida 33774 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 109 Packet Pg. 397 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki Cc:Raymond Goins; Human Relations Commission; h.etzko@gmail.com; EPA Today; Linda Jolley; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Supervisor Betty Duong; District5@bos.sccgov.org; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District3@sanjoseca.gov; Councilmember Chappie Jones Subject:Ice in our town Date:Saturday, August 30, 2025 3:17:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i X, We have to keep encouraging Julie to speak-out. She did a great job with the ICE issue. I keep pushing Julie and the hapless vice mayor Vicki—to call out the Genocide. Maybe Julie never Vicki who has allowed AIPAC to pull her strings since Oct 7. As I have told Vicki multiple times: your obituary will read clever politician and great lawyer who remained silent as the Israelis continue to commit genocide. A woman with no soul. Its all about Vicki’s climb up the political ladder. Disgusting! Avram Finkelstein This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 110 Packet Pg. 398 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Reckdahl, Keith; Human Relations Commission; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen; Jeff Conrad; Emily Mibach; Dave Price; Gerry Gras; Gennady Sheyner; bos@smcgov.org; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; board@pausd.org; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Diana Diamond; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; Reifschneider, James; Dana St. George; Cait James; Tim James; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; Perron, Zachary; Clerk, City; Roberta Ahlquist; Enberg, Nicholas; Barberini, Christopher; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Rose Lynn; Baker, Rob; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com Subject:Ilan Volkov: Israeli conductor speaks out against Israel"s genocide Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 11:23:14 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/09/14/ilan-volkov-israel-bbc/ Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 111 Packet Pg. 399 of 896  From:Amy Lauterbach To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:In support of additional pickleball courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 7:36:52 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I have lived in Palo Alto for 40+ years and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I offer this one story as a way of expressing the magnitude of the importance of the pickleball community in my life. My husband and I are at the age where we are evaluating options for where we will live when we downsize from our present home. By far the biggest item in the "stay in Palo Alto" column is the extensive network of friends I have made at Mitchell Park since I began playing pickleball, and my ability to show up at the courts anytime, any day, and find cheerful faces. Thank you for your service to our community. Amy Lauterbach Sutherland Drive This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 112 Packet Pg. 400 of 896  From:James Taylor To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:In support of expanding Pickleball access in Palo Alto Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 4:57:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Greenmeadow and have lived in Palo Alto for the last 30 or so years. In the couple of years I have become a keen pickleball player. I aged out of Tennis many years ago and more recently aged out of soccer. Pickleball's accessibility is really important to me. In addition, I really like how social and engaging it is at the Palo Alto Pickleball Club. Their flexible approach and their avoidance of formal scheduling make it easy to drop in when you can, a real boon to someone like me who is still working. I'm also impressed by the amount of usage the courts get - Palo Alto is getting a tremendous return on that investment! Unlike so many assets that go unused much of the time, the pickleball courts are in constant use. I'd like to encourage the council to create additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. The current courts are heavily used and there are often many players waiting for courts. The flexible and social way PAPC runs these courts means that more courts at Mitchell Park would be far more valuable than courts elsewhere - part of what makes it work is the concentration of courts and players in one location. I realize that change is hard and then people feel like they are losing something when courts are converted, but pickleball courts are a great investment for the city. Thanks for listening James Briarwood Way This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 113 Packet Pg. 401 of 896  From:Rich Pearson To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:In support of more pickleball at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:28:55 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I have lived in Palo Alto for 20 years, most recently serving as an instructional aide at Duveneck Elementary School. I am writing in strong support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing pickleball for seven years, and during that time the Palo Alto Pickleball Club has helped me connect deeply with the local community. Through the game, I have met and become friends with dozens of residents from both Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. Pickleball is unlike any other sport I’ve played in my life—laughter is a constant presence on the court, and it’s the most social sport I’ve ever experienced. Pickleball has also become a shared passion for my wife and me. We play together for 4–6 hours each week, time that has brought us closer and given us meaningful opportunities to connect. Without the Mitchell Park courts, this wouldn’t have been possible. The demand for courts continues to grow, and expanding capacity at Mitchell Park would ensure that more residents can experience the physical, social, and community-building benefits of the game. Thank you for listening, Rich Pearson Greer Road This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 114 Packet Pg. 402 of 896  From:Mei-Hsia Tan To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:In support of pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 5:43:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I've lived in Palo Alto since 2009, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I played tennis at Mitchell Park until game-related injuries led me to pickleball. It's much kinder on my joints! I currently only play elsewhere because there aren't enough courts at Mitchell Park--a walkable distance from home. I wish there were more pickleball courts there so I could enjoy the benefits of the game: the convenience, the camaraderie, and the health effects. Most of all, pickleball builds strong communities! I'm a block preparedness coordinator for Upper Grove Avenue. My neighbors and I have been casually meeting on our street every other Saturday afternoon since the pandemic. Having somewhere to regularly meet- -without the hassle of making plans --has greatly helped us get to know each other better. Pickleball will have that same effect. I hope you will approve the addition of pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Mei-Hsia TAN Grove Avenue This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 115 Packet Pg. 403 of 896  From:Daniel Lopez Subject:Inquiry Regarding Legal Representation and Fee Structure Date:Tuesday, August 19, 2025 8:46:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Good day, We are an electronic components and electrical devices company based in Mexico, and we currently have a legal matter in the United States for which we are seeking representation. We are interested in retaining your firm and would appreciate it if you could kindly provide information regarding your fee structure and terms of engagement. Please let us know if you require any additional details about the case to provide a more accurate estimate. We look forward to your response. Yours Sincerely Daniel Lopez Jechiro Sas De CV Teziutlán SurLa Paz 72160 Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza, Pue., México Tel: 5625471001 Fax: 5625471000 daniel@jechirosadecv.com www.jechirosadecv.com CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission (and/or the attachments accompanying it) may contain confidential information, belonging to the sender, which is protected by Jechiro Sas De CV. The information is only for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying or distribution of any information in this transmission. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 116 Packet Pg. 404 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Council, City; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Ed Lauing; Jeff Rosen; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Hayden; Jessica Speiser; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Burt, Patrick; Kaloma Smith; Human Relations Commission; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Otto Lee; Diana Diamond; Councilmember Chappie Jones; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District5@bos.sccgov.org; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; CityCouncil; GRP-City Council; city.council@menlopark.gov; Binder, Andrew; Emily Mibach; Stump, Molly; Lotus Fong; Roberta Ahlquist; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto Subject:Israel launches diplomatic attacks on its Western allies ahead of Palestinian statehood recognition Date:Thursday, August 21, 2025 12:46:20 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Israel launches diplomatic attacks on its Western allies ahead of Palestinian statehood recognition Israel launches diplomatic attacks on its Western allies ahead of Palestinian statehood recognition Source: KXLYcom 4 News Now https://share.newsbreak.com/emzv2mfj?s=i0 This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 117 Packet Pg. 405 of 896  From:Light As Air Boats To:ParkRec Commission Keep Guests Coming Back This Fall Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 6:35:21 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. i SHOP NOW Hi there! Successfully transitioning your park or resort for the season requires a combination of operational adjustments, updated amenities, marketing strategies, and guest engagement initiatives. Sounds like a lot, but we got you covered! This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 118 Packet Pg. 406 of 896  In this guide, we’ll walk through key strategies to help your park or resort thrive in the fall season, ensuring guests leave with warm memories and a desire to return year after year. Embracing the Seasonal Mindset The first step in preparing your property for fall guests is recognizing that their expectations will shift from summer. Guests are no longer just seeking sun-soaked days at the pool or beach; they’re looking for cozy, scenic, and memorable fall experiences. Highlight Seasonal Beauty: Autumn is a visual season. Showcase the fall foliage, decorate with pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, and mums. Seasonal décor creates instant appeal. Adjust Messaging: Update your marketing language to reflect crisp mornings, warm fires, harvest flavors, and autumn adventures. Promote Comfort and Warmth: Emphasize comfort food, warm blankets, and cozy settings. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 119 Packet Pg. 407 of 896  Seasonal Facility Adjustments As weather cools, certain amenities need to be adjusted while others should be emphasized. Pools and Water Features: Close or reduce hours for outdoor pools. Highlight heated pools and hot tubs. Repurpose poolside areas for fire pits or outdoor movies. Accommodations: Swap summer bedding for warmer duvets and throws. Stock cabins with firewood. Add small touches like fall-scented candles or pumpkin-spice coffee. Outdoor Areas: Prepare walking trails for leaf peeping. Add maps or guides for self-led nature walks. Use outdoor heaters to extend common spaces. Staffing and Training Adjustments The fall season brings a smaller but more intentional guest base. Adjust staffing accordingly. Seasonal Staffing: Scale back where needed, but add staff for special events. Training: Ensure staff can highlight fall activities and answer foliage questions. Engagement: Encourage staff to share tips or favorite fall traditions with guests. FOR MARKETING TIPS READ THE FULL BLOG HERE Transitioning Your Park or Resort to Be Ready for Fall Guests Explore Light As Air Boats Yours in Wind, Water, and Waves, - The Light As Air Boats Team Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 120 Packet Pg. 408 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 121 Packet Pg. 409 of 896  We don’t want to spam you. If you're no longer interested in enjoying adventures out on the water Unsubscribe here. Light As Air Boats 13801 Walsingham Rd. Suite A-116 Largo, Florida 33774 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 122 Packet Pg. 410 of 896  From:Diana Chong To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; PAPC Secretary Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:10:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has done so much for me in terms of new friendships and impacts on my own physical and mental well-being. I truly believe that by having more courts at Mitchell Park, we can continue to provide a community for all that allows anyone, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, or athletic ability to come together to have fun and to feel a sense of belonging. Sincerely yours, Diana Chong On Mackay Drive in Palo Alto, CA This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 123 Packet Pg. 411 of 896  From:Erin Singleton To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 1:51:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I work in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has been a huge part of my life for the past four years. It has brought me many great friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise met, helped me stay active/outdoors, and been a great stress reliever on my days off as a nurse. I would love to see Palo Alto listen to and support its community by creating these eight additional courts. Thank you for your time. Sincerely yours, Erin Singleton Stanford Medicine Children’s Health This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 124 Packet Pg. 412 of 896  From:Leon Leong To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 8:12:22 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has helped my health, fitness, and increased my social interaction with people of all walks of life. I started playing pickleball in the Spring of 2023, shortly before I retired. I had gained alot of weight during the Covid pandemic, and was having a problem in getting back to my pre-pandemic weight. As I was retiring, I would be scaling back on social interactions with my work friends. Pickleball helped to solve both of these problems - my weight was reduced to an even lower level than pre-pandemic level, meeting what is considered normal. The open play system at Mitchell Park has been great for meeting alot of people I would normally not have interacted with, young, mid age, seniors, people who worked in a variety of different jobs. The social interaction is great broadening one's perspective on a variety of topis. Open play at Mitchell Park is an inclusive system, where once I finish playing a game, I can move to a different court to seek new competition, new people to play with. This is very different than trying to gather a foursome, reserving a court, and playing the same foursome for 2-3 hours on the same court. With the open play system at Mitchell Park, I might interact with 10 - 20 different people on each visit. Pickleball has become more popular as a recreational sport, and the number of times where all the courts have multiple foursomes waiting. Having more courts would help alleviate this problem. Other cities have increased their capacity - Menlo Park now has 8 courts; Fremont put in 8 pickleball courts last year. Mountain View has increased the hours for pickleball on their dual use (tennis/pickleball) courts. Although other cities are increasing their capacity for pickleball, it's still becoming common to see all the courts have multiple foursomes waiting for their turn at Mitchell Park. I hope the City of Palo Alto can help meet the demand for pickleball by approving the 8 additional courts at Mitchell Park. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 125 Packet Pg. 413 of 896  Sincerely yours, Leon Leong Byron Street, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 126 Packet Pg. 414 of 896  From:Barbara Tisdale To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 5:59:25 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started playing pickleball 3 years ago when I retired. It has given me so much joy. I have new friendships, get physical exercise and enjoy the thrill of competition. I love the sense of belonging and community I have found at the Mitchell Park courts. I am very much in support of increasing the number of courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Barbara Tisdale Roosevelt Circle, Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 127 Packet Pg. 415 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Council, City; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; Raymond Goins; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Braden Cartwright; Bill Newell; Emily Mibach; EPA Today; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Reckdahl, Keith; editor@paweekly.com; editor@almanacnews.com; Ed Lauing; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; ParkRec Commission; Human Relations Commission Date:Saturday, August 23, 2025 3:42:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion Hi Julie, I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. Best, Aram This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 128 Packet Pg. 416 of 896  From:Christopher Gong To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 6:06:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started to learn and play pickleball in Nov. 2023, by this Nov. it will be two years. Time really flies and MP pickleball has become not only a play ground for me to exercise and also a close community where I play with my friends, and made so many new friends. I go to MP courts very often, 5-6 days a week, since I am recently retired. It has become a routine for me to go play under the sun and breath the fresh air. Many times, especially after 6 pm during the week and almost all the weekend days the courts are packed with pickleball enthusiasts. The waiting time can become quite long, sometimes can last two games during these busy times and days. Thus converting more courts to pickleball courts will benefit all the players and make the waiting time shorter for the general public...if the courts are not efficiently utilized by tennis players. Sincerely yours, Christopher Gong I live Rorke Way, Palo Alto, close to YMCA. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 129 Packet Pg. 417 of 896  From:Katie Schroeder To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Mitchell Park Pickleball Courts Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 9:30:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I write today as a mere dog-walker in Mitchell Park. We are close neighbors to the park and love to visit in the evening. While I have experience playing and really enjoy Pickleball, the deeper reason I am reaching out is as a pedestrian and viewer on a nearly daily basis. We walk by from the Charleston pathway and see such vitality, such commitment to life-long activity and athleticism, such a great community of all types of people experiencing the competition and fun of the sport. There is never enough room for how much fun people are having. I'm also a teacher, and this is exactly the recess, playground, joyful energy of a school's dream being played out with adults. It really is phenomenal as a microcosm of how Palo Alto adults can be active and share the fun of the game together, regardless of age, background, work, language, etc. Our community should see this powerful action as something worth building on, investing in, and figuring out the space for. It's a bright spot and one of the most well-used public spaces in Palo Alto. Let it grow! With Gratitude, Katie Schroeder Charleston Gardens Neighbor Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 130 Packet Pg. 418 of 896  From:Mark Hopper To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Mitchell Park Pickleball Expansion Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 1:43:11 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Parks & Rec Commission of Palo Alto - I am an 8 year resident of Palo Alto along with my family. I am writing in support of creating 8 additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started playing pickleball 3 years ago after having been an avid cyclist for my first 5 years here in PA. Cycling however was wearing on my neck and shoulders and further, I was concerned more and more about the safety of the sport on the roads here. Someone suggested trying out pickleball and now I cannot imagine not playing. After lessons through the City Catalog with Sal - I was off and playing. I now play 3 times a week for 2-3 hours each visit. Pickleball combines exercise and health with a wonderful and diverse community of people in Mitchell Park. The ability to go most anytime of day and find a nearly full (or many times very full) 16 courts will picklers of all ages and levels is a wonderful thing and one of the reasons that I cannot think of moving away from Palo Alto. As the Pickleball community continues to grow in Palo Alto and serve many levels of its population, the city must continue to grow with it in terms of space to play. I urge you to approve the proposed expansion in Mitchell Park. Thank you and best regards, Mark Hopper 1837 Mark Twain St Palo Alto, CA 94303 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 131 Packet Pg. 419 of 896  From:yellowkea To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Mitchell Park Pickleball court expansion Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 11:47:22 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I’m a Palo Alto resident writing to express my strong support for adding eight more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I grew up here and attended Addison Elementary, Greene Middle School, and Palo Alto High School. Now a college student, I returned home for the summer and played pickleball in the evenings with my high school friends at Mitchell Park. The courts were extremely crowded — we often had to wait nearly 30 minutes just to play a 15-minute game. With the sport growing in popularity, especially among people looking to play after work or in the evenings, expanding the number of courts is important for meeting the community’s needs. Thank you for considering this improvement. It would make a big difference for local residents like me. Sincerely, Alexis This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 132 Packet Pg. 420 of 896  Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 133 Packet Pg. 421 of 896  From:elenac1128@yahoo.com To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Mitchell Park Pickleball courts expansion Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 10:39:01 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I have lived in the Old Palo Alto neighborhood near Paly for 22 years. I'm writing to express my strong support for the addition of eight new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. After retiring in September 2023, I was eager to stay active and socially engaged. I decided to try pickleball and began playing regularly at Mitchell Park. It has been a perfect fit for both my physical and social goals, and I now play two to three times a week. It has become a meaningful and enriching part of my life. As our community continues to grow, the demand for recreational facilities like pickleball courts is increasing. I respectfully urge you to consider expanding the courts at Mitchell Park to better serve the growing community. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Elena C. Old Palo Alto neighborhood This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 134 Packet Pg. 422 of 896  From:Kyrie Robinson To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Mitchell Park Pickleball Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 3:19:45 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks & Rec Commission & City Council, For 27 yrs, I’ve lived in Palo Alto, ¼ mile from Mitchell Park, and I raised my twin boys here. Since retiring 4 yrs ago, I’ve played pickleball at Mitchell Park on weekday mornings, which has been a godsend for my mental and physical health. It gets me outside and moving, it’s fun and playful, I’ve made both acquaintances and friends, and I am becoming involved as a club volunteer. I’m very grateful to both the city and the club for this wonderful activity so near to my house. But despite living so close, I never play at Mitchell Park on evenings or weekends. I tried playing a few times on Saturday or at night with friends of mine who work, but we gave up after various unpleasant, very crowded experiences. On evenings and weekends, the Mitchell Park courts basically have at least 15 minute wait between every single game. If you are a parent with young kids, pickleball is theoretically a terrific family activity for the weekend. It’s an easy game to learn, so most anyone can play without enrolling their kids in pricy clinics, lessons or academies. The equipment is inexpensive, the game is fun, and the parents don’t need to be super athletic or pickleball experts themselves. But little kids or middle schoolers do not have the patience to sit for 15 min, then play for 15 min, then sit out again. Parents & kids need an open court they can just grab for an hour and play. The other This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 135 Packet Pg. 423 of 896  day, I walked through Mitchell Park and saw two 8 year old boys playing pickleball on the shuffleboard pavement near the park, without a net, because the courts were full. This is common. The other underserved demographic is young adults — like my twin boys who are now 22 years old . Like most young adults, their leisure time is nights and weekends. Pickleball is a great activity for them. As an alternative to happy hour at a bar, it gets them moving after a day at work. But if they asked me, I’d say “maybe don’t go to Mitchell after 5pm.” I constantly hear stories about the scene there in the evening and I’ve seen it for myself. Courts are crowded with young professionals after 5pm, and as with any scarce resource, it sometimes brings out the worst in human behavior. Against the rules, players paddle down with two sets of paddles, playing on one court while reserving a spot in line on another. Or players get into arguments when a group refuses to yield the court at the end of a game, or sneakily resets their score from 10-10 to zero-zero for extra playing time. It’s heartbreaking how a place full of camaraderie during the daytime hours changes once the lines get longer at night. These two demographics — Families and working residents — could benefit enormously from a better pickleball experience on weekends and evenings at Mitchell Park. They are also the demographics least likely to have time to write to City Council. I’m writing to encourage the council to act on expanding the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Thank you Kyrie Robinson Bryant St., Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 136 Packet Pg. 424 of 896  From:Judy Lee To:ParkRec Commission; Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lu, George; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Stone, Greer; Veenker, Vicki Subject:Mitchell Park Tennis Courts Date:Friday, September 5, 2025 6:10:22 PM Attachments:letter to city council and parks and rec commission (9-5-25).pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear City Council Members and Park and Recreation Commissioners, I am an avid tennis fan but am deeply troubled by all the drama surrounding our Mitchell Park tennis courts. Please click on this letter dated 9-5-25 which lists my concerns in greater detail. For those unable to access the letter via the link, I've attached a pdf version of my letter for your convenience. You'll need to download the pdf in order to access the links embedded in the body of the letter. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Judy Lee Palo Alto resident since 2003 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 137 Packet Pg. 425 of 896  From:Ricky Chiu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Mitchell Park pickleball court expansion Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 10:55:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments andclicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I have been a Palo Alto resident for over 20 years, and I’m writing to express my strong support for the proposed addition of eight new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I was a tennis player for many years, but as I approach 60, I’ve found that tennis has become too physically demanding. Pickleball has been a much better fit for my health and lifestyle. I now play most weekends at Mitchell Park, where the courts are consistently full and in high demand. Given the growing popularity of the sport and the limited number of courts available, I kindly urge you to approve the expansion. More courts would benefit many residents who rely on pickleball as a way to stay active and socially connected. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Ricky C. Bryant Street This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 138 Packet Pg. 426 of 896  From:Jason Lauffer To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Mitchell Park pickleball expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:30:40 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council: I have been a resident of Palo Alto for 35 years and am writing in support of creating 8 more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Since retiring 3 years ago, I have taken up pickleball and enjoy playing a few times a week. I had really not been involved with sports since I was a kid, but it’s so easy to get started playing pickleball. It is so much fun and allows me to be more active and socialize at the same time. I am able to walk to Mitchell Park but often have to play with friends on courts in nearby cities because the courts at Mitchell Park are usually crowded. There is such a feeling of community and inclusion at the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. People of all ages enjoy playing there. Please help address the strong demand by creating 8 additional pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, Jason Lauffer Bryant Street- Midtown Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 139 Packet Pg. 427 of 896  From:Fang Wang To:ParkRec Commission; city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov Subject:Mitchell park pickleball court issues Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 1:21:39 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Sir/Madame, I want to express our objection to pickleball court further expansion at Mitchell park. Currently it is so difficult to find a parking spot to go to Mitchell Park As a Palo Alto resident, I used to play pickleball at Mitchell park two years ago. But I have not played pickleball ball at Mitchell park for more than a year now. There are so many players from other cities playing at the PA Mitchell park courts and I feel I got squeezed out. Some of my other PA friends feel the same. Expansion will not solve the problem. It would cause more crowds and as resident we still will not have any chance to play. We should have a fee structure to restrict non Palo Alto residents occupying all the Mitchell park courts. Thank you for your attention, - Lily Wang (a Palo Alto resident who have difficulty using Mitchell park without parking space) Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 140 Packet Pg. 428 of 896  From:Frances Lim To:ParkRec Commission Subject:More Mitchell Park Pickleball Courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 10:39:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing pickle for 5 years. I have made good friends . The welcoming atmosphere at the pickleball courts is unique. Lately it has become more difficult to get a court. More courts would help us. When can the tennis courts be converted to pickleball courts? Sincerely, Frances Lim Garland Drive Resident Palo Alto Sent from Frances This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 141 Packet Pg. 429 of 896  From:Bill Garvey To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park are Needed! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 7:09:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks and Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, play pickleball at Mitchell Park 2-3 times a week and I strongly support the addition of 8 new pickleball courts. Pickleball is a fun and challenging game that can be played by anyone no matter their age or athletic ability. Its also a very social game. I have met so many Palo Alto residents at Mitchell Park when playing pickleball. People that I would have never met, but for pickleball. The growth of the sport in Palo Alto is undeniable. The existing courts at Mitchell Park are often extremely crowded which limits Palo Alto residents ability to enjoy this great game. The crowded conditions also can be intimidating for new players. Do the right thing and approve the 8 new courts. It's a no brainer! Sincerely Yours, Bill Garvey Emerson Street This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 142 Packet Pg. 430 of 896  From:Paulmer Soderberg To:ParkRec Commission Subject:More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Please! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:45:07 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto (Vernon Terrace), and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball at Mitchell Park is so special and it is unlike any other facility I have played at. The friendships I have made, the sense of community I have gained and the benefits (physical and mental) I have gotten in playing pickleball at Mitchell are immense. Thank you for your help and consideration. Sincerely yours, Paulmer Soderberg Vernon Terrace Sent from my iPhone This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 143 Packet Pg. 431 of 896  From:James Yurchenco To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More Pickleball Courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:24:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I can’t play pickleball because of foot problems. However, since I retired many of my new friends have been people my wife met at the Mitchell Park Pickleball courts. Without the Mitchell Park pickleball community our social life would be much more limited, an unfortunate situation for any household but especially one for a retired couple. I am writing so you are aware that the social benefits of pickleball extend far beyond those who play the game. Our household is happier because my wife plays within the open and welcoming Palo Alto pickleball community. Having spent time watching her and others use the courts, it is clear that that pickleball provides a much needed and inclusive social gathering place whose benefits extend well beyond those who are playing. The only downside I have observed is that there are so many people trying to play who spend a lot of time waiting for the opportunity to do so. Adding additional courts would be a great way to support this much needed community activity. Sincerely yours, James Yurchenco Sutherland Drive This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 144 Packet Pg. 432 of 896  From:Sean Fee To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More Pickleball courts please Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 4:22:21 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become an integral part of my health and wellness routine, contributing significantly to my physical fitness and providing an incredibly welcoming social environment where I've built meaningful friendships. As someone with a busy schedule, it's crucial that I can rely on court availability when I make time for recreation. Unfortunately, about one in four visits to Mitchell Park results in no playing time because all courts are occupied. This lack of available courts not only wastes my limited free time but also prevents me from maintaining the consistent exercise routine that has been so beneficial to my health. Additional courts would ensure that residents like me can dependably access this wonderful sport that has become such a positive force in our community. Sincerely yours, Sean Fee Resident of Old Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 145 Packet Pg. 433 of 896  From:Ginny Lee To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More pickleball courts at Mitchell Park please! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:48:48 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in avid support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Ever since I started playing 2 years ago, not only do I have a lot of fun and get great physical exercise, I have met and made some wonderful friends at Mitchell Park. It is a wonderful and friendly community for all ages -- from youth to senior citizens -- playing there all the time. I myself try to go to Mitchell Park about 3 times a week and no matter what day or time I go -- morning, early afternoon, or early evening, the courts are always full with people having a lot of fun with so many others "paddled in" hoping to get on the courts. There are also many events that are planned by a host of dedicated volunteers who love the game of pickleball, all with the purpose of driving continued engagement and community. Isn't that what you want all public parks to create? I can't emphasize enough how the additional 8 courts will be so well utilized -- in the mornings, in the afternoons, and at night -- by so many more people in the community. Please approve the upcoming proposal to convert the two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts Respectfully, Ginny Lee Leland Manor This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 146 Packet Pg. 434 of 896  From:Carol Mullin To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More pickleball courts at Mitchell park Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:50:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I grew up in Palo Alto, raised my kids in Palo Alto, and have many memories of running around Rinconada while my parents played tennis 50 years ago. Most of their friends were “tennis” friends. We live behind the Hopkins courts and they are frequently empty now when I leave my house to go play pickleball at Mitchell park where every court will be in use. I have found an amazing community at MP - all ages, genders, nationalities- I love the diversity of MP- it is my happy place. My whole family plays now- kids, siblings, nieces and nephews. My brother is in a long battle w cancer and the question we always ask before every treatment- can he still play pickleball? Pickleball is not the medical treatment but it is certainly the best mental health treatment we have! Sincerely yours, Carol Mullin Community Center Neighborhood Sent from my iPhone This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 147 Packet Pg. 435 of 896  From:Ranette Fletcher To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More pickleball courts for Mitchell Park please! Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:00:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have lived in Palo Alto for over 40 years and learned how to play pickleball through the PA Rec department about 5 years ago. I am retired and pickleball has brought me much joy and I have broadened my social life by meeting other players at the courts. I also volunteer as a coach for the clinics at the Mitchell Park courts on a regular basis. I love seeing my students improve and love the game as much as I do. I feel I am getting good exercise when I play and my mental health has improved by playing several times a week. It is so great to see the regulars at the courts and to have a sense of community. Sincerely yours, Ranette Fletcher Crescent Park This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 148 Packet Pg. 436 of 896  From:John Jacobs To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:More pickleball courts please! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:03:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I was a life long tennis player until age 60 when physical limitations prevented me from continuing in that sport. After many years of searching for a fun substitute, I found pickleball at age 75 and here I am, leaving the house at 7:15 every morning to bike to our courts at Mitchell. (Usually, courts are filled by 8 a.m., hence my early start.) Typically, one gets to play one game, maybe two, before having to relinquish to those waiting. Then, you get to come back on in similar rotation- not ideal, but we all live with it. Living only six blocks from Mitchell, I frequently go past the both the tennis and pickleball courts when I’m biking. The tennis courts are very rarely fully occupied; the pickleball courts often are. Folks start at 6 a.m. and are playing right up until lights out at 10 p.m. There’s always lots of buzz and laughter, sometimes music, food… a real social event as well as recreational. Folks of all ages and abilities, including kids, are getting great exercise while having much fun. I make new friends every time I play, while meeting up with old ones who are always ready for a game. At age 81, it’s the highlight of my day, something I look forward to as the next day dawns. Win or lose, I always feel invigorated after I play. Many pickleballers remark about waiting time while the nearby tennis courts sit mostly empty. Eight more pickleball courts would allow for 32 additional players (vs. eight tennis players) to be playing at any one time- more time for everyone, maybe more for instruction… This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 149 Packet Pg. 437 of 896  I loved tennis when I was still playing, but not like I love pickleball which has so much more to offer those of all ages. It truly is a no-brainer. PLEASE consider what is best for most and allow for the building of eight more pickleball courts. Thank you for considering and for your efforts one behalf of the community. Sincerely, John Jacobs Ortega Court, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 150 Packet Pg. 438 of 896  From:Melanie Norall To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Council, City Subject:More pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 12:49:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Parks and Rec and City Council, I'm writing to support the addition of more courts for Pickleball in Palo Alto. My entire family plays pickleball, and we've enjoyed playing locally for both exercise and community fun. It's a wonderful sport that all ages can play. I was there today between 8-9:30 am and we still had to wait to get on. My husband plays at night and says it's often more crowded in the evenings. Weekends are even more impacted. We'd love to see more people able to play without waiting 30-45 minutes per game. The sport is becoming more popular every day - the teens and college kids love it also! Please vote to add more courts in PA. Thanks! Melanie Norall Palo Alto resident Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 151 Packet Pg. 439 of 896  From:Michael Slack To:ParkRec Commission Subject:More pickleball courts, please Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 4:41:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Park and Recreation and City Council members: I live near Mitchell Park in Stevenson House and enjoy pickleball at the park. The city has done a fine job of creating a fun and hospitable place. I am 83 and a long-time Stevenson House resident. I recently started playing pickleball to improve my balance and coordination, and to meet new friends. I found it an excellent way to get exercise and make new friends. I do find the courts are filled with enthusiastic players so I fully support more courts. Thank you. Regards, Michael Slack Stevenson House resident -- Regards, Michael This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 152 Packet Pg. 440 of 896  From:Lisa Shea To:ParkRec Commission Subject:More pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 3:35:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started playing pickleball three years ago and love it. It brings me fun, joy, and social connections. I would greatly appreciate it if more pickleball courts could be created. Thank you! Sincerely yours, Lisa Shea Mackay Drive This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 153 Packet Pg. 441 of 896  From:alex liu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:My story support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 6:53:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I lived in Palo Alto for only half a year. Pickleball has become an important part of my life because it gives me both exercise and joy. On the court, I get to stay active, clear my mind, and share laughs with friends. Beyond the game itself, it has given me a sense of belonging in a supportive community, where people encourage each other no matter their skill level. Playing reminds me that fitness can be fun and friendships can be built around simple moments of connection. Alex Liu Alma St This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 154 Packet Pg. 442 of 896  From:Indy Ting To:papc.secretary@gmail.com; ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:My support of creating eight additional pickleball courts in Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 6:58:13 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council I live in Palo Alto and I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. I am not particular athletic. My friend introduced me to pickleball about four years ago and I fell in love with it right away. I now play at least four times a week. It has enriched my life so much. I made friends from all sorts of backgrounds, ethnicities, and age groups. I help new comers to be included in games while more advanced players would give me tips and suggestions to improve my game. It is just a wonderful community. I cannot express my appreciation of this sport and PAPC community. Sincerely yours, Indy Ting Downtown , Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 155 Packet Pg. 443 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:Vicki Veenker; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Gennady Sheyner; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; Jay Boyarsky; Raymond Goins; Raj Jayadev; Sean Allen; Stump, Molly; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Jeff Conrad; Reckdahl, Keith; Robert Salonga; Baker, Rob; Jeff Rosen; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Cait James; Tim James; Gerry Gras; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Bill Newell; Zahra Billoo; Salem Ajluni; Linda Jolley; Lotus Fong; h.etzko@gmail.com; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Vara Ramakrishnan; Freddie.Quintana@sen.ca.gov; Burt, Patrick; Human Relations Commission; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Donna Wallach; Wagner, April; Nicole Chiu- Wang; Enberg, Nicholas; Barberini, Christopher; Clerk, City; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Diana Diamond; Dana St. George; Palo Alto Free Press; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Kaloma Smith; Sheree Roth; Lori Meyers; Seher Awan; frances.Rothschild@jud.ca.gov; Patrice Ventresca; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; sharon jackson; Steve Wagstaffe; Bill Johnson; EPA Today; cromero@cityofepa.org; Lee, Craig; Alex Etzkowitz; Yusra Hussain; Holman, Karen (external); Tom DuBois; Dennis Upton; DuJuan Green; dennis burns; Robert. Jonsen; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; yolanda; Roberta Ahlquist; Liz Kniss; Gardener, Liz; Donna Wallach; PD Kristina Bell; city.council@gilroy.org; Nash, Betsy; dcombs@menlopark.gov; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; Perron, Zachary; Bryan Gobin; Rowena Chiu; boardfeedback@smcgov.org Subject:NYTimes: My U.N. Commission’s Finding: Israel Is Committing Genocide Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 8:14:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i My U.N. Commission’s Finding: Israel Is Committing Genocide NYTimes: My U.N. Commission’s Finding: Israel Is Committing Genocide https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/opinion/un-palestinians-israel-gaza-genocide.html? smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 156 Packet Pg. 444 of 896  From:Raj Bhargava To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Need more pickle ball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:19:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I play pickleball regularly (3 to 4) times weekly at Mitchell Park. We are incredibly short of courts. This sport keeps us healthy and binds the community. Thanks, Raj Bhargava 3120 Waverley Street Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 157 Packet Pg. 445 of 896  From:Mo Ip To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Need more pickleball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 7:39:03 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I played pickleball about 3 times a week at Mitchell, I made a lot of friends. It’s getting crowded and need more empty tennis courts to be converted to pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, Mo Ip Green Meadow Palo Alto This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 158 Packet Pg. 446 of 896  From:Ed Anderson To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:New Pickleball Courts Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 9:29:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I am an 81-year-old resident of Palo Alto, and have been one of the beneficiaries of the City’s development of outdoor social space. I have been a tennis and badminton player for many years, and six years ago I discovered pickleball and the courts at Mitchell Park. Since then, I have played pickleball several times a week, and have participated in many of the social activities sponsored by the Palo Alto Pickleball Club. These public courts at Mitchell Park, and the people who gather there to play, to socialize, to volunteer, to teach - all, quite literally, got me through the COVID pandemic, and I’ll be forever grateful. As these courts are providing such valuable health and social benefits to the community, they are often bursting at the seams with activity, as you know. For this reason, and for reasons others have expressed before you in person, I write in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts on two of the tennis courts near the library. I honestly believe these few new courts will solve the crowding problem, especially as neighboring communities commit to building their own pickleball courts, as some are already doing. Sincerely, Ed Anderson University South This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 159 Packet Pg. 447 of 896  From:JSK Gmail To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com; Hsiao-yu Subject:New Pickleball Courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:11:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Good evening Parks & Rec Commission and the City Council. Back in March my wife and I bought a home in Palo Alto’s Charleston Meadows neighborhood, just a brief walk from Mitchell Park. We immediately joined the Palo Alto Pickleball Club and our engagement with this wonderful community has been one of the great joys of moving to this incredible city. We wholeheartedly support the creation of 8 new Pickleball courts out of two tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Unlike tennis, which consumes a large amount of real estate for relatively few people to enjoy, pickleball can be densely packed. Where you might have six or maybe eight people playing tennis on the two tennis courts, the eight pickleball courts can be enjoyed by 32 residents and friends (singles is rare in pickleball), thus making it a productive use of precious space. Anything that can be done to expand pickleball in Palo Alto would be a huge net benefit to the community and we wholeheartedly support it. Best, Jared & Songmei Keyes 775 Seminole Way 978-505-0586 Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 160 Packet Pg. 448 of 896  From:Jenny Lewis To:ParkRec Commission Subject:New outdoor fitness park in Hurst, Texas Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 5:45:19 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. i Professional LinkedIn Banner (3) This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 161 Packet Pg. 449 of 896  Fitness equipment at Chisholm Park Texas Park Offers Amenities for Everyone Chisholm Park is located in Hurst, Texas. It is the city’s largest park, covering more than 50 acres and already home to an aquatics center, athletic fields, a basketball court, playground, picnic areas, and walking trails. Now, with the addition of a shaded outdoor fitness area, the park offers even more opportunities for residents to stay active (and cool) year-round. What the Outdoor Gym Includes The new gym includes four versatile pieces of equipment arranged in an ASTM- compliant layout, combining bodyweight and resistance equipment. Helios Multigym – With an assist lever for chin-ups and dips, it makes strength training accessible to beginners and advanced users. Titan Multigym – A compact design supporting four users at once, with stations for push-ups, chin-ups, dips, an abdominal knee raise, and calf raise. Versa Hi-Lo Pulley System – A tamperproof adjustable weight stack, offering the same versatility as a popular cable station in indoor gyms. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 162 Packet Pg. 450 of 896  Everest Cardio Climber – Simulates climbing stadium stairs with both strength and cardio training modes. For a closer look at the outdoor fitness project, download our project showcase brochure or contact us for more information. Project Showcase Download Contact Us download-1 Booth #606 Stop by and say hello to our team next week in Orlando! Want to talk about a project, or get a few reps in on our outdoor fitness equipment? We can't wait to meet you! Outdoor-Fit Exercise Systems Inc., 95 Simmonds Drive, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1N7, 1-877-760- 6337 Unsubscribe Manage preferences Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 163 Packet Pg. 451 of 896  From:Kathy Fan To:Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lu, George; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Stone, Greer; Veenker, Vicki; Council, City Cc:ParkRec Commission Subject:No more pickleball courts in Mitchell park Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 7:01:32 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i https://www.change.org/NonewPicklect Dear City Council Members, I am writing on behalf of nearly 500 community members who have signed our petition regarding the proposed expansion of pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. First and foremost, we want to emphasize that we are not opposed to pickleball as a sport. We recognize its growing popularity and the joy it brings to many residents. However, we believe that adding more pickleball courts by converting two tennis courts at Mitchell Park is not the right solution for the following reasons: we strongly oppose the proposal to convert the two lighted tennis courts at Mitchell. It is not a “zero cost” solution. Lighted courts are extremely rare and highly sought after across the Bay Area, especially for players who work during the day and rely on evening access. Boosting the mental health of pickleball players should not come at the cost of destroying the mental well-being of tennis players. Concentration of Facilities Mitchell Park already has 15 pickleball courts, making it the largest pickleball facility in the Bay Area. Further expansion would create an unnecessary concentration of courts in one area Community Balance and Park Usage Mitchell Park is a shared community space with multiple user groups—families, children, tennis players, dog walkers, and more. Over-expansion of one activity risks disrupting this balance and reducing the park’s accessibility for other recreational needs. 1. Noise and Environmental Concerns This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 164 Packet Pg. 452 of 896  Residents near Mitchell Park already experience significant noise due to the high usage of existing courts. Adding more courts would only worsen this issue, affecting quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods. 2. Better Alternatives Exist Instead of concentrating more courts at Mitchell Park, we encourage the City to explore: Converting underutilized basketball courts in other parks Developing new facilities in neighborhoods without easy access, Partnering with schools or community centers to provide shared-use courts. In conclusion, while we support the growth of pickleball, we respectfully urge the City Council not to add more courts at Mitchell Park. A more balanced, city-wide approach will better serve the community as a whole. Thank you for your attention and for considering the voices of nearly 500 residents who have already expressed their concerns. We look forward to a solution that is fair, sustainable, and inclusive for all. Sincerely, Kathy Fan Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 165 Packet Pg. 453 of 896  From:CATHY SHI To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:No pickleball ！！！ Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 4:47:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns: Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families—who already face limited recreational resources— contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. I welcome discussion on balanced solutions that serve all community members. Best， Cathy 发自我的iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 166 Packet Pg. 454 of 896  From:Meilani Hendrawidjaja To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Objection for Pickleball Court Expansion (August 26, 2025 meeting) Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 5:12:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To the Honorable Members of the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission, I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the Commission’s recent deliberations and decision to advance the proposed pickleball court expansion at Mitchell Park, as discussed during the August 26, 2025 meeting. More than twenty residents spoke during public comment, offering thoughtful, well-researched, and heartfelt objections to the proposal. Their concerns centered on persistent issues of noise pollution, limited parking, traffic safety, and the incompatibility of a large sports facility with the surrounding environment—including a public library, a special education school, and adjacent residential neighborhoods. In addition to the concerns already raised, I would like to highlight the growing scarcity of tennis courts in our city. Many residents rely on these courts for recreation, fitness, and community connection, yet access has become increasingly limited. The conversion of existing tennis courts to pickleball courts— without adequate replacement or expansion of tennis facilities—exacerbates this problem and creates unnecessary competition between user groups. A balanced and inclusive approach to recreational planning must consider the needs of all residents, not just the fastest-growing sport. In light of these issues, I respectfully urge the Council and Commission to: Suspend all approvals until a comprehensive, independent study of noise and traffic impacts is conducted, with special attention to the library and neighboring residents and schools. Provide a transparent and detailed rationale for supporting the expansion, specifically addressing the concerns raised by residents. Commit to a more inclusive and deliberative process that considers alternative locations better suited for pickleball, without compromising existing quiet-use facilities, residential harmony, or access to tennis courts. Decisions of this scale must reflect thoughtful planning, community input, and a commitment to equity and transparency. The current trajectory undermines public trust and risks long-term harm to vulnerable populations and vital public spaces. Thank you for your attention and continued service to our community. Sincerely, Meilani Hendrawidjaja Palo Alto Resident since 2010 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 167 Packet Pg. 455 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 168 Packet Pg. 456 of 896  From:Grace Li To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Objection to new pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 3:03:25 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. Palo Alto is already the city which provides the most pickleball facilities in the Bay Area. It is weigh enough for Palo Alto citizens. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns: Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families—who already face limited recreational resources—contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 169 Packet Pg. 457 of 896  Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. I welcome discussion on balanced solutions that serve all community members Thanks! Regards, Ran Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 170 Packet Pg. 458 of 896  From:Randy Smith To:ParkRec Commission Subject:One more point about tennis / pickleball Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 11:18:34 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Thanks for taking input Please note the following two points. 1. Palo Alto Pickleball Club could not exist if it were not for the coincidental nature that all our city’s pickleball happens in one physical location. Every pickleball player comes in through those same gates, so it’s easy to welcome them into The Club. Tennis is scattered across the city, and due to the lower density of the sport, players are not close together even when playing at the same facility. Consequently, we can’t realistically organize into an effective “club": so it is up to the city to watch carefully on our behalf: thank you for being vigilent. 2. PPC would like to donate $100,000 to, in part, reduce the 4 remaining Mitchel Park courts down to 2. It’s doesn’t seem right to raise money for the purpose of taking away a heavily used resource. Can other space be found? An indoor facility would be ideal. Though expensive, it could be monitored more easily for use by city residents, and would eliminate the noise problem. Imagine costs offset by a fee. I’m sure players would gladly consider a small pay-to-play worth it. Thanks for reading. I love pickleball, it is a great sport, lots of fun and wonderful exercise. I just can’t play it because it causes me to re-injure my back. Tennis is actually slower, with fewer sudden jerks and lurching. A gentler sport, keeping me healthy! —Randy This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 171 Packet Pg. 459 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Reckdahl, Keith; Human Relations Commission; Jeff Conrad Cc:Ed Lauing; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Jeff Hayden; Lotus Fong; Roberta Ahlquist; Lythcott- Haims, Julie; h.etzko@gmail.com; city.council@menlopark.gov; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; city.council@gilroy.org; Gerry Gras; Pat M; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Nash, Betsy; dcombs@menlopark.gov; Emily Mibach Subject:Opinion | Israel"s Gaza Campaign Is Making It a Pariah State - The ... Date:Sunday, August 31, 2025 1:20:18 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Opinion | Israel's Gaza Campaign Is Making It a Pariah State - The ... https://share.google/images/zsrdimJJE3PV3zSMm This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 172 Packet Pg. 460 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Kaloma Smith; Dana St. George; ParkRec Commission; editor@paweekly.com; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); editor@almanacnews.com; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Daniel Barton; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Sheree Roth; Sean Allen; Burt, Patrick; Patrice Ventresca; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Yolanda Conaway; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Linda Jolley; Friends of Cubberley; Binder, Andrew Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Reckdahl, Keith; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Ed Lauing; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Lori Meyers; Gennady Sheyner; Templeton, Cari; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Emily Mibach; Dave Price; Braden Cartwright; EPA Today; Gerry Gras; CityCouncil; Human Relations Commission Subject:Opinion | Will Democrats Finally Change Their Stance on Gaza? | Common Dreams Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 12:48:19 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Julie and Vicki, You are harming your credibility as leaders in the Democratic Party, especially with your constituents who overwhelmingly oppose Israel and support the Palestinian people. You need to stand against the extreme pro-Israel advocates like Marc Berman, Josh Becker, Ed Lauing, and Keith Reckdal. It’s time to reject pro-Israel lobbyists and clearly state: End the Genocide Now. Avram Despite the decline in support for Israel among Democrats, some members of the party still struggle to acknowledge this reality. https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/gaza-israel-dnc This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 173 Packet Pg. 461 of 896  From:Luke Zhang To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Oppose Mitchell park conversion tennis court to pickle ball court Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 2:17:11 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Sir, I am Palo Alto resident, I play tennis at Mitchell park every weekend. I am strongly against to convert tennis court to pickle ball court. In the past, Mitchell park has converted tennis court to pickle ball court, which cause the tennis court crowd. Best Luke This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 174 Packet Pg. 462 of 896  From:Ann Cui To:Howard, Adam; ParkRec Commission Subject:Opposition to Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 5:32:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Mr. Howard and Parks and Recreation Commissioners, Thanks so much for all your hard work in keeping Palo Alto a vibrant and livable community. I’m writing to share my strong opposition to the plan to add more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As a longtime South Palo Alto resident and regular visitor to Mitchell Park, I’ve seen just how much the rise in pickleball’s popularity has made parking a real challenge. According to the Palo Alto Pickleball Club, about 42% of its 1,000 members don’t live in Palo Alto. With hundreds out-of-town players driving in regularly, it’s no surprise that parking has gotten tougher than ever. The president of the Palo Alto Pickleball Club has suggested that Mitchell Park is a good fit for pickleball since it’s not right next to homes, unlike some smaller neighborhood parks. But that overlooks the fact that Stevenson House - a senior living community - and a new high-density housing development on Charleston Road are both just steps away from the current pickleball courts. If 15 courts haven’t caused noise problems for those nearby residents, then it seems reasonable to consider adding new courts in other parks around Palo Alto as well. Also, Mitchell Park now has just four lighted tennis courts left, while parks in North Palo Alto -including Rinconada - have a total of 17. To keep things fair for everyone in the community, I encourage the Commission to look into adding more pickleball courts in other areas, especially in the northern part of the city. I used to play pickleball regularly at Mitchell Park about three years ago. But like many longtime local players, I’ve pretty much stopped going after work. In the evenings, the courts are always packed - mostly with players from out of town. I remember once playing with a group of young people from a Mountain View church. When I asked why they came all the way to Palo Alto, they said Mitchell Park simply has more free courts than any park in their own city. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 175 Packet Pg. 463 of 896  With these ongoing concerns in mind, I kindly ask the Commission to: <!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->Hold off on adding more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park and instead explore other parks around Palo Alto to better balance usage and reduce neighborhood impact. <!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->Give priority pickleball court access to Palo Alto residents, maybe by setting up a reservation system or charging a fee for non-residents something many nearby communities already do. Thanks again for your time and all you do for our city. Sincerely, Ann Cui Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 176 Packet Pg. 464 of 896  From:Jinglun To:ParkRec Commission; city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov Subject:Opposition to Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball Courts and Proposal for Resident-Only Access Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 11:29:27 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachmentsand clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Dear Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, I am writing as a concerned Palo Alto resident to oppose the proposal to convert two tennis courts into eight permanent pickleball courts and to address the significant issues caused by non-residents using our city parks. The influx of out-of-town pickleball players has created substantial noise and parking problems in our community. The constant sound of pickleball games disrupts the peace of nearby neighborhoods, and the lack of available parking spaces affects residents’ access to local amenities. These issues have strained our community’s quality of life, particularly in areas surrounding popular park facilities like Mitchell Park. Rather than expanding pickleball facilities, I urge the City to reject the proposed conversion of tennis courts. Tennis courts serve a broader range of residents and are less disruptive, and adding more pickleball courts would likely exacerbate the existing problems by attracting even more non-residents. Instead, I propose installing locks on existing pickleball courts and implementing a resident-only access system, such as keycards or codes issued to Palo Alto residents. Additionally, charging non-residents a fee for court use could deter overuse while generating revenue to maintain our parks. I understand the Parks and Recreation Commission will discuss this matter at the meeting on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 6:30 PM at City Hall. At the previous meeting, over 100 pickleball supporters (most of them are NOT Palo Alto residents) spoke in favor of the proposal, and I am concerned that without strong resident opposition, the Commission may approve the conversion. I respectfully request that the Commission and Council prioritize the needs of Palo Alto residents and preserve our community’s tranquility and accessibility. Please only count the voice from Palo Alto residents. Thank you for considering my concerns. I urge you to reject the pickleball court expansion and explore resident-only access solutions to ensure our parks remain a resource for the local community. Sincerely, Jinglun Zhang 3189 Bryant St, 94306 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 177 Packet Pg. 465 of 896  From:Hurjane Vongsachang To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Howard, Adam Subject:Opposition to Pickleball Conversion of Mitchell Park Courts 3/4 Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 11:35:20 PM Attachments:Screenshot 2025-08-27 at 10.45.51 PM.png Screenshot 2025-08-27 at 10.44.18 PM.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I attended the August 26th Commission meeting from 7:00–10:50pm and am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposal to convert Mitchell Park tennis courts 3 and 4 into pickleball courts. My concerns are as follows: 1) Lack of Consideration for Palo Alto Residents: The first agenda item focused on increasing resident access to tennis courts, yet once pickleball was discussed, resident needs were largely dismissed. No survey or outreach was conducted to assess how this change impacts Palo Alto residents. Despite over 25 speakers opposing the change and a petition with 200+ signatures, some commissioners (Ann Cribbes, Bing Wei, and Amanda Brown) appeared predisposed to support conversion without regard for community input. Only Commissioners Shani Kleinhaus, Jeff Greenfield, and Yudy Deng approached the issue with balance and sensitivity. Where is the city’s process for ensuring fairness and gathering accurate data from neighbors or local businesses before making such impactful decisions? 2) Unequal Rules and Misuse of “Multi-Use” Courts: Labeling courts as “multi-use” effectively makes them full-time pickleball courts. Courts 5/6/7 at Mitchell Park were supposed to remain tennis courts, yet are now indefinitely occupied by pickleball with no real enforcement or restrictions. By contrast, tennis players face increasingly restrictive rules and barriers to access—for example, strict limits on the use of ball machines, limits of organized team play—while pickleball players operate under virtually no equivalent policies. This imbalance creates an inequitable situation where tennis players are penalized by rules and regulations, while pickleball players benefit from a “free-for-all” environment. This sets a concerning precedent. In my personal experience, pickleball players are often aggressive and entitled, making it difficult for tennis players to feel welcome. Tennis players, by contrast, have traditionally shown more courtesy and patience in sharing courts. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 178 Packet Pg. 466 of 896  If the City truly intends to support multi-use courts, then clear and enforceable restrictions must apply equally to both groups to ensure fairness. However, there has not been a single solution proposed by the Committee to address this. 3) Overcrowding, Parking, and Poor Planning: Expanding pickleball space at already over-capacity locations is not a solution. If 60+ people are waiting to play on 15 pickleball courts at Mitchell Park, simply adding more courts will not fix the issue—it will only draw larger crowds and worsen congestion. This approach prioritizes volume over livability and thoughtful urban planning. On top of that, Mitchell Park has no plan for handling the additional parking demand that more courts would create. Adding courts without addressing parking and traffic circulation is shortsighted and places an unnecessary burden on nearby residents and businesses. 4) Concerns About Cubberley Community Center and Rinconada/Hopkins Park: Commissioner Bing Wei suggested Rinconada/Hopkins Park as a potential site for multi-use courts. This is an extremely insensitive proposal. Rinconada is already one of the busiest areas in Palo Alto, adjacent to Stanford, Paly High School, the freeway, the fire station, the library, the art center, the zoo, the swimming pool, the Magical Bridge Playground, the Lucie Stern Community Center, as well as a dense residential neighborhood. As a resident whose home faces Rinconada Park, I live just 70 feet from the court entrance— that is less than a 20 second walk to the tennis court. I can attest firsthand to the impact. I already hear shouting from tennis players, cannot open my windows comfortably, and experience severe parking issues from swim lessons and other activities when I invite guests over. I also work from home, and the courts are in use from 7am to 10pm daily. Introducing pickleball noise and crowds here would make the situation unbearable for residents. Cubberley and Rinconada Park must not even be considered as a “temporary solution” or even a "solution". Period. 5) Better Alternatives Must Be Explored: Instead of concentrating more pickleball courts in dense areas, the City should consider: Prioritizing Palo Alto residents: Facilities should primarily serve local residents, not visitors. Technology such as reservation systems—like Stanford’s Club Locker or Mountain View’s Mountain View Tennis app—can ensure equitable access for both tennis and pickleball. Implementing true multi-use schedules: with designated days or times for tennis vs. pickleball, clearly marked with signage. Starting this at Mitchell Park would allow the City to test and refine the approach before expanding further. Dispersing courts to lesser-known locations: can prevent overwhelming a single neighborhood. For example, Hoover Park has 2 courts and Weisshaar Park has 2 courts. Even converting one court at each site to multi-use would reduce congestion at Mitchell Park while maintaining fairness for tennis players. Prioritizing unlit or lightly used sites: This would better align with the demographics of Palo Alto residents (median age 47–48, most with families unlikely to play late into Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 179 Packet Pg. 467 of 896  the night). Long-term solutions through new construction: While more time-consuming, building new facilities on commercial land could provide lasting, high-quality courts for both communities, benefiting future generations. In conclusion, I urge the Commission to slow down and carefully weigh community concerns. The current path disregards residents, compromises quality of life, and fails to present a sustainable plan for balancing both tennis and pickleball. Please strongly consider these arguments. I respectfully, but firmly, oppose the conversion of tennis courts to pickleball. Best, Hurjane Vongsachang Palo Alto Resident My home - along with many other neighbors, faces Rinconada: Our neighborhood, Community Center, is a dense hub of community amenities which brings in large amounts of traffic on the daily. This area should NEVER be considered due to disturbance to the community who live here and seek peace. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 180 Packet Pg. 468 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 181 Packet Pg. 469 of 896  From:Francisco Valenzuela To:Francisco Valenzuela Subject:Organizations Sign Up to be Part of a San Andreas Regional Center Event (29) Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 12:37:55 PM Attachments:8-30 Salinas Conference.pdf Save the Date Resource Fair.pdf 10-11 Filipino Conference.pdf 10-25 Service Above Self Awards Dinner Flyer.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Saturday, August 30th - A few spots are left for organizations who would like to be part of the Resource Fair taking place during San Andreas Regional Center’s Spanish Speaking Conference this coming Saturday in Salinas. To sign up contact Mary Espinoza at 831-750-3674 or at: Mespinoza@sarc.org # # # Organizations are invited to participate in one of three San Andreas Regional Center's Service Provider / Community Resource Fairs taking place in Watsonville, Salinas, and San Jose. The fairs are an opportunity for San Andreas staff to "Meet & Greet" staff from various organizations who will share information about services offered. Organizations_Register_Here # # # Saturday, October 11th - A few spots are available for organizations who would like to be part of the Resource Fair taking place during San Andreas Regional Center’s Filipino Conference in San Jose. MORE DETAILS TO COME # # # Saturday, October 25th - San Andres Regional Center will be hosting its 27th Annual Service Above Self Awards Dinner taking place at Villa Ragusa in Campbell. Each year our awards dinner acknowledges amazing individuals and organizations who are truly deserving of recognition for their commitment and dedication to the developmental disability community. Submit a Nomination This message needs your attention You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 182 Packet Pg. 470 of 896  Today for those deserving of a Service Above Self Award. Deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, August 29th. Nomination Link: Service_Above_Self_Awards_Nomination_Process Table Sponsor opportunities for Organizations: Register_Here_Service_Above_Self-Awards_Dinner Francisco Valenzuela Government Affairs / Community Relations San Andreas Regional Center Sanandreasregional.com Mobile: 408-210-5663 Office: 408-341-3809 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 183 Packet Pg. 471 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:P&R Comm mtg item 6 — Request Inclusion of Dr. Battam’s Methods in Turf Study Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 5:11:52 AM Attachments:2025 08 26 - Request Inclusion of Dr. Battam’s Methods in Palo Alto Turf Study.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Hi Parks & Rec Commissioners, The attached PDF has my feedback on the turf study draft report, the report you’ll be discussing as item 6 of tonight’s meeting. Please request that staff bring back to the next commission meeting a revised draft report that includes a comprehensive analysis of the science-based approach to grass field construction and management being used by soil scientist Dr. Mick Battam, quantifying how much those methods he uses could improve the playability of grass fields here in Palo Alto. I’d also be grateful if one of you could please acknowledge receipt of this message and the attached PDF to reassure me they did not get misfiled by the City’s spam filters again. Thank you, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 184 Packet Pg. 472 of 896  From:Darcy Huston To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Palo Alto Pickleball Courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:12:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. I had been a racquetball player since the early 80's and when COVID hit, I needed to find an outlet for all my energy since any type of exercising indoors was shut down! Several of the racquetball players I knew also played pickleball and 1 volunteered to teach our small racquetball group how to play pickleball at the 2 open courts nearest to the Palo Alto library. We were all able to pick up the rules quickly and WHAT A SAVING GRACE it was! The Mitchell Park Pickleball courts gave us all a safe place to keep moving, socialize, and provided a true sense of community when all the unknowns of COVID were so scary. We developed a text tree and would survey the group the evening before to try and make even numbers of 2,4 , 6 and even 8 players show up! We started at 7:00 am but pushed the time back to 6:30 am and now 6:00 am to find court availability as the popularity of pickleball has exploded. We met other groups of pickleball players with the same passion and one of the best things is the inclusivity! No matter your age, male or female or level of play, Mitchell courts have welcomed everyone! I hope you all recognize what a true sense of community these pickleball courts enable! Best Regards, Darcy Huston Palo Alto Orchards This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 185 Packet Pg. 473 of 896  From:Justin Chueh To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Justin Chueh Subject:Palo Alto Pickleball Courts Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 1:56:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: We live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. We have lived in Palo Alto for 30 years and besides our kids attending schools at Greene and Paly have not had a closer connection to our community than playing Pickleball at Mitchell park. I (Justin) play a few times a week in the mornings on weekdays, but would love to have more courts available for weekends or evenings when Pauline and our kids who work could join. We usually end up driving to Rengstorff or other further court to find an available court on these busier times. Justin bikes to Mitchell park but I have to drive to Mountain View or Los Altos. Please consider adding more courts for this most popular sport. Justin Chueh and Pauline Shuen 1992 Barbara Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94303 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 186 Packet Pg. 474 of 896  From:Paul S To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Palo Alto Pickleball expansion Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 12:25:38 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I am a fifty something year old father living in Palo Alto for over 30 years. I’ve played tennis, ping pong, cycled and read library books thanks to this great town of ours with its wonderful resources. Pickleball was a relatively new comer when I first invited to play at Mitchell Park about 3 years ago and I have to say that I was immensely and positively impacted by the sport in a myriad of ways which no other single sport could fit the role. I found this sport particularly fun, yet has a low barrier to learning the sport that it can draw people of all ages and stages. The friendliness of the Mitchell players and organizers made it easy to drop in to play, while all the more I found myself getting more kinetic exercise, vitamin D and fresh air from playing outdoors without the feel of a ‘forced exercise’ program. Socially people were caring, encouraging and welcoming, and lots of smiles and laughter can be heard at the courts. I can attest that health outcomes such as my A1C and stamina improved, and mental health - well I don’t know of a metric, but thank goodness this sport is uplifting and magically makes people come closer. I’m sure for my case there are many in the same boat, and nor wonder in a Netflix documentary that studied several global towns around the world for the secret to longevity, one of the towns features a This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 187 Packet Pg. 475 of 896  senior community in SoCal playing … you guessed it …. Pickleball. The spreading of the sport to a younger generation in Palo Alto schools and youth programs in the past year is another important reason to let the growth of the sport stipulate the allocation of city resources for the next generation. I was pleasantly surprised that my and many of my friends' kids are getting into the sport, and just today, they told me they want to get better at it. I can’t think of another free activity in Palo Alto that has the ability to draw people of many life stages to a single public space in a daily setting, where boomers could be chatting and playing friendly games with Gen Zs. Paul Seah Louis Rd, Mid town Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 188 Packet Pg. 476 of 896  From:Linnet Kwok To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:Howard, Adam; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Palo Alto Rotary Commends Palo Alto Pickle Ball Club’s Community Leadership Date:Tuesday, September 9, 2025 4:56:29 PM Attachments:Letter to CC and PC - PARC.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Honorable Council and Commission Members, I hope this message finds you well. Attached is a formal letter of recognition acknowledging the Palo Alto Pickle Ball Club for their outstanding contributions to community building. I respectfully submit this letter for your review. Please feel free to reach out if any additional information is needed. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely, Linnet Kwok Board Member & Membership Chair Rotary Club of Palo Alto This message needs your attention The subject has non-English characters. This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 189 Packet Pg. 477 of 896  From:Eric Yuen To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Palo Alto resident supporting pickleball in Palo Alto Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:31:18 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in a home in Palo Alto that I own and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball is the most important recreational sport I play. I play 3-4 times a week at Mitchell Park. I have made great friends with fellow pickleball players. I used to be a tennis player but I find pickleball to be much more enjoyable and a great way to keep in shape. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely yours, Eric Yuen Channing Ave (between Cowper and Webster), Palo Alto, CA 94301 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 190 Packet Pg. 478 of 896  From:douglasalb2003@comcast.net To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickle Ball Courts are very busy in Palo Alto CA Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 5:45:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hello ParkRec Commission, I would also like to see the 2 Tennis Courts at Mitchell Park converted into 8 Pickle Ball Courts. Please consider my yes on the 8 Pickle Ball Courts added to all the other Yeses that you receive. Thank You, Douglas Albrecht This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 191 Packet Pg. 479 of 896  From:Michael Maulick To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickle Ball Courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 5:09:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i  Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Michael from Midtown 650 888-9191 This message needs your attention This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 192 Packet Pg. 480 of 896  From:hartford4351 To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickle Ball court Expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 11:39:23 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing Pickleball at Mitchell park, 5 days a week since around 2017 (as I recall) when there were fewer courts than even now. Over the years the number of people using the courts has increased dramatically but the number of new courts has only increased modestly. The net result is overcrowding at many times during the day. I am 77 years old and to be honest I have made more friendships on the Pickleball courts than I have from school or from 40 years working in local offices. Please approve the addition of 8 new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Sincerely yours, Dan H. Resident of Monroe Park Neighborhood since 1976. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 193 Packet Pg. 481 of 896  From:Rekha Goel To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickle Ball court expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:20:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I wanted to say that playing pickle ball has brought so much meaning to my life - this is one place where I feel welcomed with no judgements. Sincerely yours, Rekha Goel Emerson street Stanford children’s health This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 194 Packet Pg. 482 of 896  From:Beiyao Zheng To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickle ball court expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 6:12:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have enjoyed the sport, the friendly people I have met, and the awesome volunteer coaches who are so nice, patient, and willing to share their knowledge and skills. Beiyao Zheng Alexis Dr. This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 195 Packet Pg. 483 of 896  From:Joop Verbaken To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickle ball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:28:32 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickle ball is for me an important to get my workouts and connection with friends and friends to be at my middle 70 age. I hope to play many more years. Sincerely yours, Joop From downtown Nord This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 196 Packet Pg. 484 of 896  From:Liz Kristofferson To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickle ball Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 2:48:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Our family likes to go out and play but the courts are always jammed when we get there. Also, it’s a fun way to stay active and meet new people. Liz Kristofferson (She/Her/ Hers) Community Center This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 197 Packet Pg. 485 of 896  From:Jing Baughman To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion - Palo Alto Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:46:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I am a pickleball beginner and love to spend more time getting better. I am so glad that I found a safe sport to play, pickleball, as I am not young. Additionally, I made many friends here and received extensive training through volunteering. I hope this wonderful community will expand to eight additional pickleball courts, benefiting even more people. Sincerely yours, Jing Baughman Stelling Dr, Palo Alto, and World Financial Group This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 198 Packet Pg. 486 of 896  From:Ron Gentile To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Project Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 1:35:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park by repurposing two underutilized tennis courts. The goal of which is to keep up with the demand for pickleball and to deliver much-needed joy to the residents of Palo Alto. From a young age I’ve played competitive sports of most every type including tennis. So my reaction to pickleball was always the same, “Isn’t that like shuffleboard with paddles played by people with very limited mobility? Why would I want to do that?” It wasn’t until 2022 when a colleague kept asking me to play when I finally gave in and tried it. I remember walking through the gates into the Mitchell Park courts and thinking, “What is going on here?! I had no idea this was even here!” My reaction was despite having been to the Mitchell Park Library and other park events many many times. As I looked around I saw people of all ages, abilities, and ethnicities all playing together. In some cases in friendly games. In other cases in competitive games. But you could quickly see the shared theme - pure joy. A few days later I went back with a friend who also had recently been introduced to pickleball. We showed up early to beat the rush, found a free court off the side, and started cluelessly hitting the ball back and forth. The courts quickly filled up and two guys asked if we wanted to play a game. After telling them we had no idea what we were doing, they told us not to worry, and proceeded to walk us through an entire game with rules, scoring, and more. After the game they gave us each an outdoor pickleball to replace the cheap indoor balls we each had with our starter sets. On the drive home I turned to my friend and said, “Are we being recruited into a cult?” To which he replied, “I was thinking the same thing.” Months later I’m now playing regularly at Mitchell Park. I’m getting up early before work at 5:20am to be on the courts by 6am to play with a group called the Early Worms that play at that time year round. To be clear, I am definitely not a morning person. And when I say the Early Worms play year round I mean - arriving in the dark in 29F weather at 5:55am so they can be there right when the lights turn on at 6am. By day I’m the founder of a digital mental health company. So, I’m steeped in the science of what brings our moods up and down. Along the way on my pickleball journey I’m watching what’s going on at Mitchell Park, realizing there is something magical happening there and it’s not about the sport itself. That it’s about providing pure joy to people and as a side effect, providing them incredible physical and mental health benefits. It’s addressing the loneliness epidemic. It’s providing social connections at scale across traditional boundaries like age, ethnicity, and profession. Ultimately it’s improving the lives of Palo Alto residents in ways that other initiatives can only dream of. Oh, and it’s free. So, when I look at the parameters of the proposed court expansion project to turn two underutilized tennis courts into eight pickleball courts that will deliver incredible benefits to the residents of Palo Alto, it’s so obviously the right thing to do. And if that weren’t enough, the pickleball club is actually going to pay for it such that it will cost Palo Alto absolutely nothing. In so many ways, it is a dream social infrastructure project. In comparison, imagine you vote “no” on this project and a year from now you have to pay consultants a half million dollars to come back and tell you about a $10-20 million solution that will rip up green space near someone’s neighborhood. The exact scenario Mountain View officials find themselves in. This can and should be avoided by voting “yes” on this expansion project. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 199 Packet Pg. 487 of 896  Finally, from a pragmatic perspective the following is known: • The popularity of pickleball nationally and locally has far exceeded that of tennis. • Tennis has access to the city owned 31 courts and also has access to an additional 27 tennis courts through the Palo Alto school district for a total of 51 courts. (I believe you will find that the recent discussion with the school district regarding access to their courts is more miscommunication than a change of policy.) Compare these 51 tennis courts to the 15 pickleball courts - tennis has 240% more courts than pickleball. Tennis also has over 376,000 square foot of court space versus 30,000 square feet for pickleball, which is 1153% more court space. Even if you don’t include the PAUSD courts, there is great inequality between tennis and pickleball with respect to square footage and court count. • The pickleball club has arranged with their friendly neighbor Ability Path to get access to additional parking spaces to mitigate possible parking issues due to the new courts. This is one of many examples of the pickleball club working with the community and the city to create solutions. • Both commissioners and city staff have walked the neighborhoods and found noise to not be an issue. The courts at Mitchell Park are by chance located behind the library and commercial structures. Anyone making this claim that noise is an issue should invite decision makers to their property and let them have a listen. Otherwise, they are simply providing misinformation. • Pickleball creates community by virtue of its open play format. A single person can show up and by integrated into the flow of games. This happens when the courts are located near one another, not in separate locations. Tennis does not create significant community since it is people who already know one another arranging to play together. • The pickleball club has and will continue to be supporters of the tennis community. Including tennis recently evaluating their policies that reduce court availability to the public, e.g. private instruction. If tennis needs more lights on more courts, then the pickleball club wants to support them in their efforts including lobbying the city for such resources. However, this topic should be decoupled from the pickleball court expansion project, otherwise the outcome becomes gridlock. • The pickleball club has been an exemplary community organization, being an integral partner with events like the Bay Area Senior Games and the Rotary Tournament, providing youth programs, and working with other surrounding communities to build up their pickleball programs. They have taken something that is good and genuinely made it great. In summary, the court expansion project makes great sense both with respect to the community wellness and belonging it creates, and with regards to the equity of using resources to the most benefit of Palo Alto residents. Sincerely yours, Ron Gentile Downtown Palo Alto resident Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 200 Packet Pg. 488 of 896  From:claudino@pacbell.net To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 6:20:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional dedicated pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. My “story” is related to something that I’m certain you have heard from many others: Pickleball is much more than a sport – it is also a very social activity which integrates our community across cultural/ethnic backgrounds, age groups, etc. - people who otherwise would not naturally meet or interact. My story: When I retired 2 years ago, I was fully prepared for my “life after work” with one exception: I had a blind spot regarding a replacement for my daily social interactions with work colleagues, many of whom I also counted as close friends, and most of whom lived in other countries. One month after retiring, after hearing stories about Pickleball at Mitchell Park, I figured I’d give it a try… and the rest is history. As a “newbie” I was somewhat intimidated when I first showed up… but within minutes I was welcomed, embraced, and encouraged, with introductions to others who got me started in my first games. I’m a literal example of the motto “Arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend.” I’m now a “Pickleball addict”, for both the sport and the social aspects. In addition to losing 12 pounds after my first few weeks of Pickleball, I also gained several new friends, with whom I also socialize off the courts. I am now the volunteer coordinator for the Senior Games and Rotary Tournament, joining many others in giving back to our community. In conclusion, Pickleball has been an invaluable addition to my life, with significant physical and mental benefits, not to mention the overall positive community engagement and impact. One more point I’d like to make: There should be no question that the number of Palo Alto residents served per unit space for Pickleball far exceeds any other activity, and Pickleball also integrates a diverse community. Our collective experience with Mitchell Park Pickleball courts 9-15 taught us that dual-purpose courts (Pickleball + tennis) are not a good solution – please This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 201 Packet Pg. 489 of 896  vote in favor of making the 8 additional Pickleball courts single-use. Sincerely yours, Dave Claudino Waverley Street (Midtown) resident Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 202 Packet Pg. 490 of 896  From:Herb Gong To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Gong, Herb Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:45:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I’m a local resident of Palo Alto and am writing in support of adding at least 8 additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I’ve been playing for over 6 years (before the implementation of the new permanent courts) and love the ability to meet people, socialize and have fun playing a game for all ages, genders and people. The popularity has increased to the point where there is an important need to add more courts. Mitchell Park is ideal for the additional courts so please take into serious consideration adding more courts. Sincerely, Herb Gong – East Charleston Rd resident for close to 30 years. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 203 Packet Pg. 491 of 896  From:Kevin Wu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:35:28 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council: I and my wife have been home owners in the Midtown neighborhood of Palo Alto since 1997. I also lived in Palo Alto when I was a graduate student at Stanford University in the 1980s. I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has been a large part of my life since my retirement in August 2024. The sport provides me with cardiovascular exercise with my pulse ranging from 145-155 beats per minute when I play a pickleball game. Pickleball is more fun than a routine cardiovascular machine. I meet other players on the pickleball courts, and some have become my friends. My competitive nature motivates me to keep learning skills to become a better player. The Palo Alto Pickleball Club offers clinics, organized fun games, and competitive games for evaluating player skill levels. In the year that I have been a member of the club, my skills have shown steady improvement. While I am at the advanced beginner level, I am well past my physical prime and that may limit my skill level. The club offers these events run by volunteering club members, and I have volunteered my time as well. When I walk to the main pickleball courts at Mitchell Park around noon for club clinics and games, I pass by the four tennis courts, and often one to three of these tennis courts are idle. At the same time, every pickleball court has activity, and often some courts have players waiting to play in the next game. If the tennis community cannot fill the tennis courts, then the city should approve conversion of these idle tennis courts to pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, Kevin Wu This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 204 Packet Pg. 492 of 896  851 Colorado Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94303-3917 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 205 Packet Pg. 493 of 896  From:rwcook3@comcast.net To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 7:46:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As a 60-year resident, I have plenty of experience with Palo Alto and the way its citizens interact with the city. Arriving at 11 years old and seeing the amazing expansive grass field at Jordan Jr. High School I was so excited until I saw the sign prohibiting model airplane flying. Flying models was my passion for several years prior. Later, competitive school athletics beckoned but I was told I couldn’t participate because my hair was too long and would need to be cut. So, I turned to far less healthy entertainment alternatives as many my age did at the time. Then, I played recreational tennis, at the height of its popularity, the 1970s. Getting a court was challenging then, racket racks were used and waits were often over an hour. New tennis courts were built around town and now, as I count, 51 courts are available for play. But, tennis is not the popular participation sport that it was then, by any means, and most of the time when I pass these courts they are empty, by comparison there is never a time I have seen Mitchell Park Pickleball courts unused except during Covid closure or inclement weather. I agree that the tennis courts at Mitchell Park are plum because of the surrounding amenities. One of the claims made during a Parks & Recreation meeting public statement, that Mitchell Park is the only place our tennis courts have bleachers, I know to be incorrect as there are bleachers at the Rinconada courts. For the past 4 years I have been actively involved with Pickleball in Palo Alto and with the Palo Alto Pickleball Club. For the first time in my decades here I am enjoying the This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 206 Packet Pg. 494 of 896  comradery of my fellow Palo Altans in this great community of Pickleball. This is the most connected to my community I have ever felt. Please encourage the growth of this inclusive sport by allowing the needed court expansion, and seek ways to sooth the loss of two courts for our tennis players. Sincerely yours, Randy Cook, Midtown Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 207 Packet Pg. 495 of 896  From:CY T To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 6:13:57 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. My wife and I first got introduced to pickleball a year ago. We fell in love with the sport right away and have been playing it regularly ever since. We were initially drawn to the sport for the health benefits of engaging in regular physical activity and found it to be very accessible for us who did not grow up with athletic backgrounds. To our surprise, it has become much more than exercise—it’s now a vital social outlet, helping us forge new friendships and feel deeply connected to our community here in Palo Alto. Pickleball has become a cornerstone of our lives, bringing joy and camaraderie through regular play at Mitchell Park. Playing pickleball in Palo Alto has become such a draw that it has been getting harder and taking longer to queue up for playtime at Mitchell. It would be really great if we can add more courts to support the growing community needs. This expansion would foster the social bonds that make Palo Alto special. Thank you for considering this proposal, and we’d be happy to provide further input or assist in any way. Sincerely yours, Christian and Nathalie Tan 914 Van Auken Circle This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 208 Packet Pg. 496 of 896  From:Sam Friedman To:Council, City; ParkRec Commission Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 10:40:07 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing Pickleball at Mitchell Park for 11 years. Pickleball is more that a game. It’s a large social network that provides comradery, exercise and is a source of pride for Palo Alto. Ironically, the success of the sport and the high quality of the Mitchel Park facility, it is often difficult to find a available court without spending 2-3 times as much waiting for a court than playing a single game of Pickleball. I support the Palo Alto Pickleball Club’s proposal to expand the number of Pickleball courts at the Mitchell Park facility. Sincerely yours, Sam Friedman Resident of the Los Arboles neighborhood This message needs your attention This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 209 Packet Pg. 497 of 896  From:Wei Li To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 2:43:45 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started playing pickleball several months ago, which probably contributed to the growth at Mitchell Park. I have found pickleball to be very enjoyable and easy to find people to play with. Once I went to Mitchell Park on a Friday morning, and took pictures of the pickleball courts (filled with a big crowd) and tennis courts (empty with one person practicing serves). While I am still playing tennis, I do support the creation of more pickleball courts. Sincerely yours, Wei Li, Old Palo Alto resident This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 210 Packet Pg. 498 of 896  From:Eileen Brooks To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball Courts Expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:23:26 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello, Commissioners! Thanks for taking the time to study this issue. I know it is a sticky wicket. I am in favor of the expansion of the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have played pickleball at Mitchell Park for about 3 years. I have met people of all ages and many ethnicities. I can’t think of another activity offered in Palo Alto (and I’ve lived here for 40 years) that offers such a warm and welcoming atmosphere of community. That’s what it’s all about, right? There are lots of tennis courts spread out all over Palo Alto. They serve a happy and involved tennis community. Perhaps lighting the tennis courts at Cubberley would help to assuage the tennis community’s angst. I think that could be a good, workable solution. As far as the parking issue goes… I live in south Palo Alto and have never had a problem parking for the Mitchell Park Library or for Mitchell Park itself. Of course, that’s just my experience. Again, thanks for your consideration of this issue. I hope you will find in favor of converting the tennis courts at Mitchell Park to pickleball courts. Sincerely, Eileen Brooks 780 Montrose Ave. Palo Alto 650.387.1267 (mobile) Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 211 Packet Pg. 499 of 896  From:Dennis Clark To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 12:17:23 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I love playing pickleball. I am 80 years old and play 2 or 3 times a week. I live in Greenmeadow and I don’t drive and park to play at Mtchell. I enjoy being outside, playing a sport and getting exercise and I now have so many pickleball friends that I get to spend time with. There’s almost always people waiting to play at Mitchell so any new courts would be well used. Sincerely yours, Dennis Clark Greenmeadow This message needs your attention This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 212 Packet Pg. 500 of 896  From:Bern King To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 2:36:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Please consider adding new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. There are many times where the courts are full and people are waiting. This is one location away from homes where courts could be added without disrupting neighbors. Thanks for considering Bern King Resident of Barron Park Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 213 Packet Pg. 501 of 896  From:Elizabeth Fee To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts in Palo Alto. Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 4:16:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I play pickleball twice a week in the morning before I head to work. I’ve participated in DUPR sessions, clinics, ball sessions and round robins at various times during the summer months. Through pickleball, I’ve met many people in Palo Alto, made new friends and deepened some old friendships. I used to play on weekends in addition to weekday mornings but have found the courts to be overcrowded (and less fun as a result). I love pickleball! It is a way for me to meet people and get exercise at the same time. Please consider providing more courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Elizabeth Fee Old Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 214 Packet Pg. 502 of 896  From:Don Chin To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 5:32:53 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City officials, I have been a resident of Palo Alto for 41 years. During the COVID pandemic, my wife and I looked for safe outdoor activities and noticed people playing a paddle game at Mitchell Park near the library. A friend introduced us to pickleball, and we were immediately hooked. The sport has brought us much more than exercise and friendly competition —it has given us a wonderful new community. We’ve made lasting friendships, and since retiring I’ve been able to devote more time to volunteering with the growing local pickleball club. Teaching newcomers the joy of the game has been a truly rewarding experience. Pickleball has been transformative for me, as I know it has been for many others. I understand that the City is considering expanding the number of available pickleball courts. I strongly encourage this. Increasing court availability will allow more residents to discover the game, promote physical and social well-being, strengthen our sense of community, and support the club’s volunteer base. Thank you for your consideration and for supporting activities that help keep our community healthy and connected. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 215 Packet Pg. 503 of 896  Sincerely, Don Chin (Palo Verde neighborhood) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 216 Packet Pg. 504 of 896  From:Dick Evans To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 2:12:11 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I am a 25 year Palo Alto resident living in Barron Park. I am also a pickleball player playing exclusively at Mitchell Park. Mitchell Park is the only publicly available place to play in Palo Alto. The courts are often crowded with substantial waiting times to get in a game. More courts would be welcome. I also strongly support converting the tennis/pickleball dual purpose courts to exclusively pickleball courts. I have not seen a tennis player trying to play there in many years. Please seriously consider creating more courts and converting the dual use courts to exclusive pickleball courts. Sincerely, Richard Evans Thain Way This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 217 Packet Pg. 505 of 896  From:Helen Baumann To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball Courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 1:16:17 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Old Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I love playing pickleball. It is wonderful exercise, and is very friendly and accessible....except for the lack of courts. Please do what you can to expand the available courts in Palo Alto for the good of all. PB is a far better use of the court space...Sixteen people can play in a space that can accommodate a maximum of four tennis players...and they will come! Thank you for making this happen. Helen Baumann This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 218 Packet Pg. 506 of 896  From:Jim Colton To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball Courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 12:20:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I played tennis for 50 years but am now too slow to play. I found I could play pickleball and have enjoyed it immensely for the past five years. Before I started pickleball I thought it would be like tennis from the social standpoint, i.e. you organize a foursome (or twosome), go to the courts and play and then go home. Pickleball is much more social than that! Because you are close to the other players there's a lot more chatter going on. You change partners and courts frequently so you meet a lot of people. And you don't have to arrange games--you just show up. Pickleball is a big part of my life. I would like more people to experience the joy of pickleball. Sincerely yours, Jim Colton Green Acres II -- JimColtonPhotography.com This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 219 Packet Pg. 507 of 896  From:Jim Mullin To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:30:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell My family and friends use these courts frequently and there is often a long wait. Making these courts available for pickleball is an efficient and positive use of the space. Thanks, Jim Mullin Community Center 25 year Palo Alto Residnet This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 220 Packet Pg. 508 of 896  From:Emily Thomas (via Google Docs) To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 9:49:17 PM Attachments:Pickleball Mitchell Park.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Emily Thomas attached a document Emily Thomas (blissfully.now@gmail.com) has attached the following document: Pickleball Mitchell Park Does this item look suspicious? Report Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA You have received this email because blissfully.now@gmail.com shared a document with you from Google Docs. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 221 Packet Pg. 509 of 896  From:Callum Parker To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball at Mitchell Park Expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:30:49 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ! Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball is a lot of fun, great community, but also very busy. We need more courts! Best, -- Callum Parker Co-Founder | KALOS Health 98a Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 This message could be suspicious The sender's email address couldn't be verified. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 222 Packet Pg. 510 of 896  From:Rick Brooks To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:28:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi I have lived in Palo Alto since 1992, and have found a great community of people playing Pickleball at Mitchell Park. What a wonderful group of people it is; people are friendly and helpful. I have played Pickleball for over 3 years at Mitchell Park, and I play at least 3 days a week, 2 hours a day. I think that there are not enough Pickleball courts to accommodate everyone who shows up. I would love it if there were other courts nearby, so I support the idea to have more. Mitchell Park is best for me because I can walk there since I do not own a car. thank you Rick Brooks, Charleston Gardens, Montrose Ave This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 223 Packet Pg. 511 of 896  From:Joseph Johnson To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball at Mitchell Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:48:34 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. The mental health benefits of these facilities are enormous. I have met many many Palo Altans on the Mitchell Park courts who were going through difficulties in their life, such as having to care for a chronically sick family member, recovering from major illness or surgery, divorce, etc. For Palo Altans, the social scene generated by the pickup play at Mitchell Park, is a huge source of comfort in stressful times. Thank you for supporting pickleball in Palo Alto. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 224 Packet Pg. 512 of 896  From:Maxene Choi To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball court expansion at Mitchell Park, yes please ‍♀ Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:10:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Hello and good morning! My name is Maxene Choi and I've been a resident of Palo Alto since 1971. I wanted to say that all my life living here in Palo Alto I have never participated in an activity like pickleball that is so fun, easy, popular, inclusive and well organized! From my younger days as a student at Garland Elementary (now Stratford School) playing soccer in the AYSO league (our team was the Purple Panthers ), to my time at Jordan Middle school (now Greene) playing tennis and swimming, to Paly High (grad 1988) where I went back to playing soccer and now into my adult life, I have never seen an activity that has captivated so many people like pickleball has. It's easy on the body yet you can also work up a sweat if you go for every single shot. It's familiar to everyone who has ever played ping pong or tennis and doesn't require advanced athletic training. You can play easily even on your first try. I don't know if any of you have ever tried playing it, but let me tell you it's so darn fun and easy to play! On any given day you'll see people from 12 - 80 playing at the courts and everyone is having such a good time. I sincerely ask you all to please consider how much joy and happiness pickleball has brought to so many people and grant us this permission. ‍♀ This message needs your attention The subject has non-English characters. This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 225 Packet Pg. 513 of 896  Sincerely, Maxene Choi 976 El Cajon Way Palo Alto (Triple El neighborhood) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 226 Packet Pg. 514 of 896  From:jb@kuppe.com To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 4:07:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. My wife is a very active player, so I have been exposed to how great pickleball is in terms of exercise, social networking, and just plain fun for groups of 4 people (lots of groups!), so I am also starting to play more and more. I also swim and often see only a few tennis courts being used at Riconanda park and often it's just 2 people, but the courts at Mitchell park are always packed-- we really do need more. Thanks for your consideration. JB Kuppe 500 block of Greer Road This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 227 Packet Pg. 515 of 896  From:chloechu92@yahoo.com To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball courts expansion at Mitchell Park. Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:35:36 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: My name is Chloe Chu, I live in Professorville Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Both my husband & I retired five years ago, we found pickleball at Mitchell park about two years ago, it has been a godsend for the both of us, I found a community that can belong to that helps with my health and mind. I could not fathom not having that in my life, pickleball has tremendous change my life for the better. At the park all players are equal, there is no social distinction among us and that is a rare find for me. One of the reason that we live in Palo Alto is that the city promotes inclusion of community and the Pickleball scene is a perfect example of that. Thank you for your time.Sent from my iPhone This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 228 Packet Pg. 516 of 896  From:Maksym Kuzyshyn To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball courts expansion Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 5:03:34 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I play pickleball at the Mitchell Park at least twice a week, and the demand of the courts is huge! Often times there's no one playing on nearby tennis courts, while there's a long wait for pickleball courts, especially after 8am. Sincerely yours, Maksym Kuzyshyn My address is 525 Homer Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 229 Packet Pg. 517 of 896  From:Manon Janssen To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Manon Janssen Subject:Pickleball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 5:40:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has increased the time I spend exercising and introduced me to a wonderful group of friends. It’s also been a great way to connect with people in my neighborhood. Sincerely yours, Manon Janssen 443 Ferne Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 230 Packet Pg. 518 of 896  From:Simona Habib To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 11:07:48 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Good morning, My name is Simona Habib. I live in Palo Alto for 30 years. Pickleball community is an amazing place to be for a lot of people in different ages. This community growing every month and we have a lot of members and also people coming from different places. It's more and more difficult to play, because we don't have enough courts. I just want to add about our pickleball community, they gave me a lot of love and support when my son passed away. This community is not only "to play" but, much more than that. Thank you. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 231 Packet Pg. 519 of 896  From:Karen Johnston To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:00:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hello, I am a resident of Palo Alto, on E Charleston Rd. I am writing to express my support of the expansion of pickle ball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball at Mitchell Park has been hugely positive for me. It has allowed me to rebuild community after a very difficult divorce. The people there have been extremely welcoming and friendly. There has been the opportunity to play with people from all around town. I understand people complain about the noise. I actually live very near the courts (across the street from Stevenson House), and I cannot hear the courts. At all. It makes me wonder how sound travels and if there isn’t something that could be done to mitigate it? I hope and believe pickleball is here to stay for all its positive effects on community. Sincerely, Karen Johnston This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 232 Packet Pg. 520 of 896  From:jiaoju@gmail.com To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball courts Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 11:01:25 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I enjoy playing pickleball for physical exercise, joy and fun, friendship in community environment… Sincerely yours, Jully Jiao Edlee avenue, 94306 Sent from my iPhone This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 233 Packet Pg. 521 of 896  From:Eddie Gornish To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Eddie Gornish Subject:Pickleball in Palo Alto Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 1:22:57 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Since 2023, I've been playing pickleball 2-5 times a week. I first played at the OFJCC, where I am a member. Several times a week, they set up their gym for pickleball, and one day I was watching people play. Someone asked me if I wanted to play, and I said that I had never played. They told me to pick up a paddle and hit the ball - all pickleball players are friendly, not just the ones in Mitchell Park. I quickly realized that I preferred to play at Mitchell Park, as they are open all the time, and there are more players and levels to choose from. I have been working from home full time since 2020, and now my day is structured around pickleball. I start work around 7AM and finish around 6PM. But I'm still working around 8 hours a day, as I spend a chunk of the afternoon playing pickleball at Mitchell Park. I always see my "core group" in the afternoon - other people around my level, some older, some younger, all different ethnicities. We play hard, and we have fun. And we congratulate each other for making good shots. Sometimes, I go in the morning, and there's a different group of people - some folks that I might have seen for a month or so, and we'll immediately go and say hi to each other. I can't describe how great a feeling it is when I walk through the fence door and I hear people yelling from a distant court, "Eddie we need a 4th!" Sincerely yours, Eddie Gornish South Court, Fairmeadow This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 234 Packet Pg. 522 of 896  From:lb zhang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmai.com Subject:Pickleball makes my life for better Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 8:33:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Park & Rec Commision and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I want to share with you three ways pickleball has changed my life for the better since I moved back to Palo Alto. First off, it’s been a game-changer for my physical and mental health, really helping me cut down on the stress from my cancer work. This fun sport gets me moving with all that quick footwork and cardio. It builds my agility and gives me more energy. And mentally? It just clears my head. Every rally, every dink, pulls me right into the moment. That pop of the paddle... it melts away the worries from clinical trials and funding meetings. It brings me mindfulness, joy, and that resilience I need to keep going, especially when facing challenges with our fundraising. Second, pickleball has helped me connect with folks here and build real friendships after coming back to Palo Alto. Nine years ago, I left to set up a lab in another city, but I returned partly because this place is the absolute best for pickleball. On the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park, I’ve met all kinds of people: engineers, entrepreneurs, doctors and nurses. We high-five after a good rally, tease each other over misses, and chat between games. It’s boosted my mental health too, knowing I’m not going it alone. Third, it’s brought me closer to my son—we play together on holidays when he comes back from college. Sharing the court with him, laughing at bad shots, cheering the good ones, figuring out strategies... it’s created these special moments that really deepen our bond. It’s fun, it’s active, and it teaches us about teamwork and sticking with it, while making memories that last. For me, Pickleball is more than a game, it’s vitality, community, and family! Sincerely yours, This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 235 Packet Pg. 523 of 896  Lingbing Zhang Ventura neighborhood Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 236 Packet Pg. 524 of 896  From:Sherry Listgarten To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball reservations Date:Thursday, August 28, 2025 8:53:45 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear P&R Commissioners, I was listening to the pickleball discussion at your last meeting while I was waiting for the next topic, and someone mentioned a reservation system. I have seen people waiting at the Mitchell Park courts, and a reservation system to me seems like a terrific idea to me. My sister plays a lot of pickleball (somewhere else) and says that the reserved times are the best times because you can choose who you play with and you can avoid the wait. Plus it would help with parking, etc. It seems like a win-win-win -- is that possible? I'd also encourage you, if you are considering expanding pickleball beyond Mitchell Park (a good idea), to consider spots that are more centrally located than Cubberley. The city is increasingly congested and difficult to get around, so imo we need to distribute our services better when possible. It seems there are plenty of spots to choose from. This message needs your attention This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 237 Packet Pg. 525 of 896  Thank you for your work. I could see from that meeting how much time you are dedicating to these issues. -- Sherry. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 238 Packet Pg. 526 of 896  From:Kris Kuppe To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 10:05:21 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. PAPC has been a daily part of my life for many years. My friendships seem to revolve around people I've met at Mitchell Park. We had a group of women that all went to a pickleball camp in Ixtapa, Mexico, and there was Nicole and Vlad's wedding in Hawaii (they actually met at Mitchell Park's courts!) There have been weekends in Santa Barbara and recently we've started a mahjong group. Pickleball is a great connector for me, I still meet new people all the time. As a bonus, it's a great workout! It's my life!! Sincerely yours, Kris Kuppe Duveneck/St FrancisSent from my iPhone This message needs your attention This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 239 Packet Pg. 527 of 896  From:Ann Lemmenes To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pickleball Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:47:10 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live on Byron Street in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has been a wonderful addition to my life since 2016. It is a great way for me to add exercise to my day, meet up with friends, or just show up on a morning that I have energy and the time to play. The exercise is great. The social aspects are crucial. Because I have M.S. the ability to just show up and be welcomed to play is very important to me. M.S is an unpredictable disease and I do not know from day to day (sometimes hour to hour) how it is going to affect my body. Feeling good enough to go to Mitchell Park, and then being asked by others to join them in play adds greatly to my wellbeing. So many others feel the same way about this community of players that the courts are very busy. An additional 8 courts will keep the Mitchell Park PB courts the happiest place in Palo Alto! Best regards, Ann Lemmenes Byron St in Downtown North This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 240 Packet Pg. 528 of 896  From:Pauline Marchon To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Pickleball Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:54:48 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball is more than just a game—it brings people together, creating friendships and a strong sense of community. Mentally, it keeps players sharp through strategy, focus, and quick decision-making. Physically, it’s a fun, low-impact workout that improves balance, agility, and overall fitness, making it enjoyable and accessible for all ages. Please consider repurposing two tennis courts into 8 Pickleball court’s, such an addition would be a huge benefit to our growing community. Thank you Pauline and Bruno Marchon 1810 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94303. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 241 Packet Pg. 529 of 896  From:Harriet Stern To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lu, George; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Stone, Greer; Veenker, Vicki; Council, City Subject:Please Keep the Tennis Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 12:04:14 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ! Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as they witness their children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neurotypical teens and their neuro-atypical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of their week. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023 through the efforts of one of our Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors. The following fall, two Los Altos High students, featured in the attached NBC News story, expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour-long sessions for 16-21 weeks annually. Thus far we have provided at least 50 disabled athletes and 30 volunteer coaches with the incredible experience of playing tennis, making friends, and creating community. The program has run for three years. As the Magical Bridge Curator of Community Kindness, I assist the teens in managing this program, which includes coordinating with the city to secure court time. Securing court times that align with the teens' schedules can be challenging, and we have occasionally had to utilize This message could be suspicious The sender's email address couldn't be verified. Some Recipients have never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 242 Packet Pg. 530 of 896  session due to errant balls and atypical tennis behavior. Our strong preference for Mitchell Park stems from its close proximity to the Magical Bridge Playground. The playground is essential for some participants who need to decompress after an hour of focused tennis skills and one-on-one interaction. Additionally, we often use the playground for activities during our multi-hour summer Tennis & Fun Camp. We rely on these tennis courts. They provide a space for critical social interaction and play, we then rest and snack under the trees in Mitchell Park and finally head to the Magical Bridge Playground. The Magical Bridge Foundation and our extended community, strongly request that you preserve the remaining four tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention that the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Increasing this exposure by adding more pickleball courts to the main area of Mitchell Park could negatively impact the well-being of sensory-sensitive individuals. Finally, parking at Mitchell Park is already a significant concern due to the constant use of the pickleball courts. Many of our coaches and players arrive very early to ensure they are on time for their tennis sessions. We have also experienced difficulties securing adequate parking for our activity leaders during the Tennis & Fun Camp. While Magical Bridge has permission to park at Ability Path, we now have to block off parking on tennis and concert days to ensure our equipment, coaches, musicians, volunteers and activity leaders can access Mitchell Park and the Magical Bridge Playground. Adding more pickleball courts would undoubtedly exacerbate the existing parking issues for other park and playground users. As a Foundation dedicated to creating opportunities for all community members to come together, Magical Bridge appreciates the wonderful spirit, health benefits and comradery of The Palo Alto Pickleball Club. The pickleball community is strong and well organized but Palo Alto parks serve more than just pickleballers. Taking tennis courts from players of tennis does not seem in the spirit of community. Loss of those courts would impact Magical Bridge programs for disabled youth and young adults significantly. Pickleball is here to stay, that is wonderful. As there is a need, Palo Alto should look for another place, perhaps inside or on the roof of a building, to expand access to pickleball courts. To PAPC, taking courts 3 and 4 is an expedient and obvious solution but its impact upon other park users will be drastic. In conclusion, I assume the benefit of doubt that PAPC has forgotten to consider how converting two more tennis courts into eight pickleball courts would be for the rest of us who also find, create and share community at Mitchell Park. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Attached please find an NBC News feature on Ava and Sophia, our tennis leaders and the Magical Tennis Program. Please consider that there are many sports, arts and culture activities for neurotypical children and teens but hardly anything at all for their atypical brethren. Magical Tennis needs tennis courts to exist. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/news/local/bay-area-proud/los-altos-tennis-playing-teens- inspired-to-start-clinic-for-neurodivergent-individuals/3870047/ Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 243 Packet Pg. 531 of 896  Harriet Stern Curator of Community Kindness Magical Bridge Foundation (a 501c3 non-profit) www.magicalbridge.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 244 Packet Pg. 532 of 896  From:Muchen Feng To:ParkRec Commission; city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov Subject:Please Reject Proposal for More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, August 19, 2025 7:13:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, As a Palo Alto resident, I oppose converting two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight permanent pickleball courts. Palo Alto already has 15 permanent pickleball courts—far more than our neighboring cities (Mountain View 2, Menlo Park 4, Los Altos 0, Santa Clara 0, East Palo Alto 0, Sunnyvale 0). Our city is carrying a disproportionate burden while also facing noise, overcrowding, traffic, and parking problems created by large numbers of out-of-town players. Our parks are funded by Palo Alto taxpayers and should primarily serve local residents. Expanding pickleball at Mitchell Park would only worsen the imbalance and reduce fair access for the community. Best Regards, Muchen This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 245 Packet Pg. 533 of 896  From:Ju Yang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Please create more pickle ball courts Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 12:20:02 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Since I discovered Mitchell park pickleball courts in 2023, I have come and played here almost every evening. This is a great way to relax after working in front of computers for a whole day. Playing pickle ball makes me active and physically fit. Even better, this is a great place to meet people, make friends and build a community who have similar interests. This sense of belonging, inclusiveness and striving to be better at playing is the cure for mental health. However, the courts are getting so busy at the evenings now. The long waiting time makes it frustrating and not efficient at all. I’d really appreciate you looking into the courts situation and create more courts for us. Thanks! Sincerely yours, Ju Yang 966 Clara Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94303 This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 246 Packet Pg. 534 of 896  From:Xia Jin To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Please curb Pickle ball facilities in Mitchel Park Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 5:01:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Council and Park Recreational Commission, I am a Palo Alto resident. I recently became aware of a proposal to convert 4 more tennis courts to pickleball courts. I want to voice my opposition to such a move. Even though pickleball is a popular sport and I like pickleball, the existing pickleball court has already created a parking headache in Mitchell Park, and it is hard for residents like me to find parking when I come to Mitchell Park, or when I come to the library. I also became aware that Palo Alto pickleball club has in fact become the bay area pickleball club. Palo Alto is offering free pickleball courts where very few other cities are doing so, and as a result, many residents from out of Palo Alto are taking advantage of the enjoying the Palo Alto resource at the expense of Palo alto residents. Current free pickleball courts approximately: Palo Alto 15 Mountain View 2 Menlo Park 4 Los Altos 0 Santa Clara 0 Sunnyvale 0 This creates enormous stress to the Mitchell Park traffic. I even propose to convert some of the pickleball courts back to tennis courts. That would be a more equitable solution. Thanks, Xia This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 247 Packet Pg. 535 of 896  From:Hong Cong To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Please don"t convert more tennis courts into pickleball courts Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 5:24:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. My son with special needs enjoyed attending this program. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as we witness our children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neuro-atypical kids and their neuro-typical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of our week. Best regards, Cindy This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 248 Packet Pg. 536 of 896  From:Kathy Levinson To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Please help us create more pickleball courts in Palo Alto Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 7:56:03 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To Whom it may Concern, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eightadditional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing at the courts for more than a decade nowand can’t even begin to describe the value that pickleball hascreated in my life, my neighbors and my friends. I taughtpickleball at Mitchell for several years and it has been such a joyto see the smile it has brought to so many people to be able tobe physically active, while also being incredibly social. I have metinnumerable people from Palo Alto that I would otherwise nothave had the pleasure to meet. Now, unfortunately, the wait times are so long to play, and thetime allowed to play so short, that it is no longer an easy place toboth play and socialize, as you have to spend so much timelooking for an available court and be prepared to jump on, assoon as a court is available. I know it has resulted in a number ofpeople being turned away or turning away themselves, beingintimidated by the crowd and disappointed at the lack ofavailability of courts and time to connect with others. I hope you will approve the creation of 8 additional pickleballcourts at Mitchell Park, as it would enrich and enhance thebenefit of living in Palo Alto and allow so many new residentsand neighbors to experience the joy of pickleball and friendship. Kathy Levinson This message needs your attention This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 249 Packet Pg. 537 of 896  Esther Clark Park neighborhood USAPA Pickleball Ambassador PPR Certified Pickleball Coach Co-Founder LesbianGlobal www.lesbianglobal.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 250 Packet Pg. 538 of 896  From:yuan wang To:city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov; ParkRec Commission Subject:Please keep tennis courts in Mitchell Park Date:Friday, August 22, 2025 9:42:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Council Members, As a long-term resident and taxpayer, I urge you to reconsider the proposal to convert additional tennis courts to pickleball facilities at Mitchell Park. This decision would exacerbate existing problems that already significantly impact our community’s quality of life. Key Concerns: Parking Crisis: Mitchell Park’s parking is critically overburdened, especially during peak hours. Adding regional pickleball traffic will worsen this. Severe Court Shortages: Only Courts 3 & 4 at Mitchell Parkand Court 4 at Rinconada are reliably available for public tennis in evenings. Others are frequently reserved for city programs/USTA matches, leaving residents with minimal access. Further reductions are unacceptable. Noise/Traffic Impacts: Pickleball’s rapid gameplay generates 2–3× more player turnover (and associated traffic) than tennis. Concentrating more courts here will: Increase noise pollution near the library/studying spaces Attract non-resident players from across the Peninsula, straining infrastructure Equity for Taxpayers: Prioritizing non-resident demand over Palo Alto families—who already face limited recreational resources—contradicts our community’s values. Proposed Solutions: Preserve existing tennis courts until parking/access solutions are implemented Explore alternative pickleball locations(e.g., underutilized lots, industrial zones) Commission a parking/traffic impact study before any conversions Palo Alto must prioritize residents who fund and sustain these spaces. I welcome discussion This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 251 Packet Pg. 539 of 896  on balanced solutions that serve all community members. Yuan Wang and family residing in Palo Alto since 2009 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 252 Packet Pg. 540 of 896  From:Henry Yun To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Please say yes to have 8 additional pickleball courts at Mitchell park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:39:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I have lived in Palo Alto for 20 years and am writing to express my strong support for the proposal to create eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Among the many wonderful things about our city, the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park are truly one of the highlights for me. I discovered the sport about a year ago and feel incredibly fortunate that such a fun and engaging activity is available right here in our community. Pickleball has been a great source of exercise for me as a middle-aged resident, but beyond that, it has brought me closer to my neighbors and community. The atmosphere at the courts is welcoming and friendly — nearly everyone I meet there enjoys playing with each other, whether they’re long-time locals or visitors from nearby cities. In fact, the fact that players come from other areas speaks volumes about the quality and reputation of the facilities we have here. The Mitchell Park pickleball courts have become something of a "name brand" for our city — and I take pride in that as a Palo Alto resident. With the sport’s rapidly growing popularity, it’s clear that additional courts are needed to meet current and future demand. Based on what I’ve seen over the past year, and the PAPC's proven track record, I fully trust there proposal — to add eight new courts at Mitchell Park — is the right solution. Please say yes to the proposal. I truly believe you’ll look back in a few years and be proud of the decision you made to support the health, community, and vibrancy of Palo Alto through this investment. Sincerely, Henry Yun Resident on Walter Hays Dr. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 253 Packet Pg. 541 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 254 Packet Pg. 542 of 896  From:Liz Cowie To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Please support creating 8 more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 11:01:34 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and support creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Mitchell Park is where I started playing pickleball a few years ago and I consider its welcoming community to be one of Palo Alto’s greatest assets. The spirit of “arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend” is evident at the pickleball courts and it is a joy to carry on this spirit as people continue to be drawn to the game. Pickleball is the rare activity that appeals to, and is playable by, a large swath of the community: from children and teens to adults and seniors. Unfortunately, the current shortage of courts limits the number of residents who have access to participating in this wonderful Palo Alto community and experiencing pickleball’s physical and mental benefits. Creating 8 more pickleball courts as proposed would increase access and benefit Palo Alto. I urge you to support this. Very truly yours, Liz Cowie El Dorado Avenue, Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 255 Packet Pg. 543 of 896  From:Joy Zhang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Please support more pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:47:48 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear member of the Palo Alto Parks and Rec Commission and the City Council: I'm a resident of Palo Alto and writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. All my family members including me, my husband and my kids play pickleball and it has been one of our family fun activities. My kids also play pickleball with their friends in elementary school and Palo Alto High School as a social event. Pickleball provides tremendous health and mental benefits. Since the sport is expanding quickly among all age groups, we need more pickleball courts to meet the increased demand. Please vote to support more pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Joy Zhang Mid town This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 256 Packet Pg. 544 of 896  From:csngsyd@gmail.com To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Pls Support More Pickleball Courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:43:39 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. To the Members of the PA Parks & Rec Commission and the City Council, I am appreciative and proud to have a venue like Mitchell Park PB courts (MP) and the PAPC in our city. The physical and mental health benefits to the social interactions, where young and old, male and female, and people from different cultures and backgrounds can play and laugh together are immeasurable. It is a positive for residents and local businesses. MP has also gained out-of-state and even international recognition. I moved house recently and chose to stay on in Palo Alto for these reasons. And for these reasons, more and more people are taking up pickleball as evidenced by the queues at many pickleball courts. Hence, I fully support and I hope you will too, the request to convert 2 of our underutilised tennis courts to accommodate the growing interest and benefits of pickleball in our community. Thank you. Regards, Charissa Sng Morris Drive, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 257 Packet Pg. 545 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki Cc:Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Roberta Ahlquist; board@pausd.org; Jeff Rosen; Gardener, Liz; Liz Kniss; Linda Jolley; Doug Minkler; Donna Wallach; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Sheree Roth; Friends of Cubberley; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Diana Diamond; CityCouncil; Clerk, City; city.council@gilroy.org; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Reifschneider, James; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Stump, Molly; Patrice Ventresca; pat@patburt.org; Burt, Patrick; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Wagner, April; Barberini, Christopher; Nicole Chiu-Wang; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Nash, Betsy; dcombs@menlopark.org; city.council@menlopark.gov; Perron, Zachary; Clerk, City; GRP-City Council; Gennady Sheyner; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Sean Allen; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Raymond Goins; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Yusra Hussain; Salem Ajluni; Sameena Usman; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District3@sanjoseca.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; BoardOperations; EPA Today; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; editor@almanacnews.com; Lait, Jonathan; Carla Torres; sharon jackson; Palo Alto Free Press; Lotus Fong; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Steve Wagstaffe; h.etzko@gmail.com; Ed Lauing; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); San José Spotlight; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Salem Ajluni; Zahra Billoo; Bill Newell; Enberg, Nicholas; josh@joshsalcman.com; josh@sanjosespotlight.com; Freddie.Quintana@sen.ca.gov; frances.Rothschild@jud.ca.gov; Councilmember Chappie Jones; Yolanda Conaway; Tom DuBois; Holman, Karen (external); Kaloma Smith; Dennis Upton; dennis burns; DuJuan Green; Ruth Silver Taube Subject:Polarization-oct 26 town hall 1 pm Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 6:51:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Subject: Request for Action on Cease-Fire Resolution Hi Vicki, ( Palo Alto Vice Mayor) Your continued refusal to place a cease-fire resolution on the agenda has significantly contributed to the polarization in our community. The ongoing genocide in Palestine, which has persisted for nearly two years, has not prompted you to speak out from the dais and demand an end to this Holocaust. I can only imagine how much more divisive the issues you have helped to promote will become if you choose to remain on the sidelines. Best regards, Aram aka Avram This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 258 Packet Pg. 546 of 896  From:Bruce Steinback To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Presentations from last night"s meeting? Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 5:25:20 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi, Forgive me if I missed something obvious, but I was just looking for a digital copy of the two presentations that Adam Howard gave last night on USTA Team Tennis Court Rentals and Conversion of Tennis Courts to Pickleball, and couldn't find anything. Are they posted on your site at all? Perhaps not up yet? Or should I bother Adam about them? If you have web address for them available, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Bruce Steinback (for Palo Alto Tennis Club) This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 259 Packet Pg. 547 of 896  From:T Fong To:Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lu, George; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Stone, Greer; Veenker, Vicki; Council, City; ParkRec Commission; Howard, Adam Cc:diana624c@yahoo.com; adam668f@gmail.com; daron323f@gmail.com Subject:Preserve Tennis Access & Community Balance at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 4:42:34 PM Attachments:image.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Council Members and Representatives serving us people of Palo Alto, I’m writing to urge thoughtful reconsideration of any plans to convert additional tennis courts at Mitchell Park into pickleball courts. As highlighted in Palo Alto Online (see comments section), the growing popularity of pickleball has led to overcrowding, noise complaints, and community tension. The Change.org petition opposing new pickleball courts—fast approaching 1,000 signatures—reflects deep concern from local residents about traffic, safety, and the loss of tennis access. Mitchell Park’s tennis courts are already limited and are the primary site used by recreational players and youth training, as opposed to Rinconada and Cubberly that are often occupied by USTA matchplay. Repurposing what's left would unfairly disadvantage recreational/developing tennis players and exacerbate existing neighborhood issues. I respectfully propose: Preserving current tennis court availability exclusively for tennis (per image below existing footprint between the two court types is already an equitable 50:50) Exploring alternative sites for dedicated pickleball facilities with minimal adverse impact (ie. PAUSD courts/blacktops outside school hours; encourage Palo Alto Pickleball Club to invest resources with private commercial property) Implement online court reservation system with priority given to our own deserving tax- paying residents (allow other cities/residents to absorb/share the pickleball demand/burden - when my family and friends want to play pickleball we avoid MP and head to neighboring cities that have capacity) Objectively re-evaluate current proposals and conduct comprehensive impact assessment before any expansion (restriping for shared use is not a solution but a welcome mat for complete takeover) This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 260 Packet Pg. 548 of 896  Considering both activities as equals; not one better or more deserving than the other Thank you for striving for a fair and community-minded approach to recreation planning. Sincerely, Ted Fong & Family Palo Alto Midtown residents for 23 years (both pickleball and tennis enthusiasts) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 261 Packet Pg. 549 of 896  From:Ken Thom To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Proposal to convert 2 tennis courts to 8 pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 9:55:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have been playing pickleball for about 2 years and have benefited both physically and mentally. Additionally, my wife, kids and other friends have joined us and are all excited to get better at the sport. I now play 2-3 times per week and encourage others who haven’t yet taken it up to try it out. Thank you for your serious consideration of this great community benefit. Sincerely yours, Ken Thom Santa Rita Avenue -- Ken Thom kenthom@gmail.com 650-224-4344 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 262 Packet Pg. 550 of 896  From:Aram James To:Binder, Andrew; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen; Raymond Goins; Sean Allen; Council, City; Reifschneider, James; Jeff Conrad; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Perron, Zachary; Bains, Paul; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki; Reckdahl, Keith; gstone22@gmail.com; Burt, Patrick; eddie.aubrey@sanjoseca.gov; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Stump, Molly; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Salem Ajluni; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; h.etzko@gmail.com; Barberini, Christopher; Rowena Chiu; Nicole Chiu-Wang; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; james pitkin; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; Prior, Christine; city.council@gilroy.org; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Bill Newell; PD Kristina Bell; GRP-City Council; DuJuan Green; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; MGR- Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Afanasiev, Alex; Baker, Rob; Donna Wallach; Enberg, Nicholas; Seher Awan; Yusra Hussain; yolanda; Palo Alto Free Press; Friends of Cubberley; Blackshire, Geoffrey; Jasso, Tamara; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Wagner, April; Human Relations Commission; Roberta Ahlquist; Tim James; Lewis james; Marina Lopez Subject:Public Records Request to Santa Clara County Taser Pilot Project Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 4:20:39 PM Attachments:image.png image.png image.png image.png image.png 9-4-25 public records request.pdf 5-30-25 cja public records request.pdf 6-10-25 County Counsel response.pdf 8-11-25 cja public records request.pdf 8-15-25 County Counsel response.pdf 8-15-25 CJA public records request.pdf 8-26-25 CJA public records request.pdf 11-4-24 Jonsen memo.pdf 8-28-25 Taser press release.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Folks: Here is our latest CPRA request dated today, September 4, 2025. Richard Konda & Aram James P.S. see attachment # 9 the sheriff’s press release re the Taser Pilot Project, dated August 28, 2025. Dear Sterling and Melissa: Please find our supplement to our August 26, 2025, public records request pursuant to AB 748 and Gov't Code 7920.000 et.seq. and attachments. Sincerely, This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 263 Packet Pg. 551 of 896  ---- Richard Konda (he/him/his) Executive Director ​ Phone: (408) 287-9710 Email: rkonda@asianlawalliance.org 991 W. Hedding Street, Ste. 202 San Jose, CA 95126 ​ STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY: This message is being sent by a legal organization. The contents of this email message and any attachments are confidential and are intended solely for the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. This transmission is sent in trust, for the sole purpose of delivery to the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, any use, reproduction or dissemination of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and delete this message and its attachments, if any. Email is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is legally privileged. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 264 Packet Pg. 552 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:Binder, Andrew; Barberini, Christopher; Enberg, Nicholas; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Perron, Zachary; Afanasiev, Alex; PD Kristina Bell; Lee, Craig; Figueroa, Eric; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; Nash, Betsy; dcombs@menlopark.gov; Lu, George; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Friends of Cubberley; Jensen, Eric; Stump, Molly; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Robert Salonga; Freddie.Quintana@sen.ca.gov; Kaloma Smith; Pat M; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Rick Callender; Baker, Rob; Robert. Jonsen; Rose Lynn; Sean Allen; Donna Wallach; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; Burt, Patrick; Patrice Ventresca; mike braxton; Jeff Rosen; Gardener, Liz; Cynthia Longs; Foley, Michael; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; james pitkin; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Nick Tasers SF; editor@almanacnews.com Subject:Public Records Request Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 8:50:27 PM Attachments:image.png image.png image.png image.png image.png Sept 8 2025 Request for reconsideration of our FINAL.pdf 5-30-25 cja public records request.pdf 6-10-25 County Counsel response.pdf 8-11-25 cja public records request.pdf 8-15-25 County Counsel response.pdf 8-15-25 CJA public records request.pdf 8-18-25 County Counsel response.pdf 11-4-24 Jonsen memo.pdf 8-26-25 CJA public records request.pdf 8-28-25 Taser press release.pdf 9-4-25 public records request.pdf 9-5-25 County Counsel response.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i 9/8/2025 Julie et al: Here is today's, Monday September 8, CJA’s latest CPRA request in our battle with counsel’s counsel and the sheriff’s office to obtain videos of the 8 individuals thus far tasered during the ongoing Taser Pilot Project. aram James 415-370-5056 Dear Sterling and Melissa: This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 265 Packet Pg. 553 of 896  Please find our supplement to our September 8, 2025, public records request for reconsideration pursuant to AB 748 and Gov't Code 7920.000 et.seq. and attachments. Sincerely, ---- Richard Konda (he/him/his) Executive Director ​ Phone: (408) 287-9710 Email: rkonda@asianlawalliance.org 991 W. Hedding Street, Ste. 202 San Jose, CA 95126 ​ STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY: This message is being sent by a legal organization. The contents of this email message and any attachments are confidential and are intended solely for the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. This transmission is sent in trust, for the sole purpose of delivery to the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, any use, reproduction or dissemination of thistransmission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by reply email and delete this message and its attachments, if any. Email is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521 and is legally privileged. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 266 Packet Pg. 554 of 896  From:Robert Hall To:kane@paloalto.gov; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah Subject:Public comments: Synthetic turf and natural grass field study7 Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 4:00:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Just in case I didn’t submit my public comments on the synthetic and natural grass turf study, please accept these comments. Robert Hall Thank you for the opportunity to comment. As Palo Alto considers the future of its athletic fields, it is essential to align field material choices with the City’s sustainability goals, public health obligations, and the diverse ways our residents use and value shared spaces. While the wear and tear of natural grass is visible when it turns brown, artificial turf’s hidden wear is far more concerning. Beneath the permanent green surface, the plastic deteriorates, shedding microplastics and chemicals into our environment. These hidden costs are not captured in the “cost-per-hour” calculations, which also omit the intangible benefits of grass. Natural fields provide ecosystem services, passive recreation opportunities, and community amenity value: you can picnic on grass, bring your dog, host fireworks, or play informally— uses that artificial turf simply doesn’t allow. Independent research reveals troubling impacts of synthetic turf. Studies have identified microplastics, PFAS “forever chemicals,” and significant carbon emissions across every stage of an artificial field’s lifecycle. Turf fibers break down into microplastics, contributing to pollution already exceeding global averages in the San Francisco Bay, according to the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Turf also creates public health risks: peer-reviewed studies, including a review by the NFL Injury and Safety Panel, found a 67% higher rate of ACL injuries and more ankle sprains compared to grass. In addition, turf burns, heat stress, and bacterial contamination (including MRSA) are real dangers for children and athletes. Artificial turf also becomes unusable at the times of highest demand. On warm days, it can reach 150–180°F—50–70 degrees hotter than the air temperature—forcing closures or requiring water just to cool the surface. The claim of “more playable hours” is misleading; turf fields also need downtime for safety, repairs, and heat. Extreme use shortens their lifespan and accelerates microplastic shedding. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 267 Packet Pg. 555 of 896  By contrast, modern grass management shows that natural fields can meet high-intensity use. Sand-capped grass fields, like those used in professional sports and at Golden Gate Park’s Polo Fields, drain quickly and can host hundreds of events annually. Advances in irrigation, soil engineering, and grass varieties have proven that natural fields can match the play hours of turf—without the environmental and health costs. Moreover, grass provides multipurpose community benefits that extend beyond sports. Grass fields store carbon, cool neighborhoods, absorb stormwater, and provide habitat for pollinators and birds. Families use them for picnics, walking, and informal recreation. These community- wide values should count when evaluating “hours of use.” Finally, cost and equity must be considered. Artificial turf requires millions of dollars upfront and hundreds of thousands more every 8–10 years for disposal and replacement, often into landfills. For the same investment, Palo Alto could maintain more natural grass fields across neighborhoods, increasing access for more residents and spreading the benefits equitably. It is also worth noting that Lloyd Sports + Engineering, the consultant for this study, is not a scientific or health-focused organization and lacks the expertise to fully evaluate artificial turf’s impacts on environmental health, public safety, and climate resilience. Their scope should not be treated as the final word. Palo Alto has the chance to lead by example—choosing natural grass solutions that protect our environment, safeguard public health, and provide true community value. Grass, managed with modern practices, can meet the City’s play needs while avoiding the many hidden costs of plastic turf. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 268 Packet Pg. 556 of 896  From:Purchasing Support To:Priscilla Acosta Subject:RE: Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306 Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 11:32:05 AM Hi Priscilla, Moved ParkRec Comm, PWD, Parks and AP to Bcc – Thank you for your email. At your earliest convenience, please submit your public records request using CoPA’s Public Records Request Act Portal. Our team is now aware of your request and will release all relevant information via the portal. You can mail stop payment notices to: City of Palo Alto – Accounts Payable 250 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 Thank you. Best, ASD – Purchasing From: Priscilla Acosta <priscilla@easylawinc.com> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 3:12 PM To: PWD <pwd@PaloAlto.gov>; Parks <Parks@PaloAlto.gov> Cc: ParkRec Commission <parkrec.commission@PaloAlto.gov>; Purchasing Support <PurchasingSupport@PaloAlto.gov> Subject: Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306 CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To Whom this may concern, Please, consider this my public records request, for the Payment and Performance Bond for OBS Engineering in regards to the Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. I would also like to find out w ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ i This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report CGBANNERINDICATOR To Whom this may concern, Please, consider this my public records request, for the Payment and Performance Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 269 Packet Pg. 557 of 896  Bond for OBS Engineering in regards to the Cameron Park Improvements project on 2101 Wellesley Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306. I would also like to find out where I can send Stop Payment Notices to. Is the project still on-going or if a Notice of Completion has been filed, can you send me a copy. Requesting for Spectrasystems, Inc. dba Spectraturf who was hired by OBS Engineering to do the Installation of Rubber Playground Surfacing for the project. Please let me know if you have any question or need any additional information, a prompt response is greatly appreciated. Priscilla Acosta Customer Service Manager Easy Law Construction Notices 1777 E. Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA 93065 (805) 306-0020 ex: 223 Sign up for FREE at www.easylawinc.com P Think Green! Before printing this e-mail ask the question, is it necessary? Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 270 Packet Pg. 558 of 896  From:Robustelli, Sarah To:debjoz@gmail.com Cc:Bansal, Megha; pwecips; ParkRec Commission Subject:RE: Elaeanor Pardee Park Bathroom Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 4:47:26 PM Attachments:image001.png image002.png image004.png image005.png image006.png image007.png Dear Ms. Jozefov, Thank you for sharing your concerns about the proposed restroom at Eleanor Pardee Park. We understand your perspective that Pardee is a small neighborhood park and that a restroom already exists at nearby Rinconada Park. As part of the City’s FY 2026 Capital Improvement Program, a restroom at Pardee was recommended based on community input. A survey received 1,171 responses, with 82% in support, including 75% of respondents within walking distance of the park. At the same time, 18% opposed the project, and we recognize and value those differing views. No location within the park has been selected, and your comments about visibility from Center Street and potential impacts to neighbors are noted. Should the project move forward, the Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council will review it publicly, and there will be additional opportunities for the community to weigh in during the design phase. We appreciate your input and will ensure it is considered as the city balances neighborhood concerns with the broader community’s interest in park access and amenities. Sarah SARAH ROBUSTELLI Division Manager Open Space, Parks, and Golf Community Services Department (650) 617-3518 | sarah.robustelli@paloalto.gov www.paloalto.gov Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 271 Packet Pg. 559 of 896  ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Debbie Jozefov <debjoz@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM Subject: Elaeanor Pardee Park Bathroom To: <parkrec.commission@paloalto.gov>, <awecips@paloalto.gov> To whom It May Concern, I want to start out by saying that I am very much against putting a bathroom in Eleanor Pardee Park. This is a small neighborhood park and we can go home if we have to go to the bathroom. Adding a bathroom here will overcrowd this neighborhood park with out of towners and attract back the homeless people that we just got out of the park. In addition, the city just payed to install a bathroom at Rinconada Park which is extremely close to Eleanor Pardee Park and Rinconada is a large park. People who need a park with a bathroom can go to Rincnada, a 3 minute drive away. Furthermore, one of the park workers told me that a bathroom is going to be installed at Eleanor Pardee Park near Center Street. This would be the biggest eyesore ever and I’m sure the neighbors who live near there would vehemently protest this location. At least if Palo Alto has to put a bathroom at this park (which I am against and many others are against) please put it at the back of the park where it is not so visible and an eyesore. Please let me know what exactly the plan is. Thank you. Debbie Jozefov Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 272 Packet Pg. 560 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki; Reckdahl, Keith; Burt, Patrick; Human Relations Commission; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Angel, David; Sheree Roth; Emily Mibach; Seher Awan; Yusra Hussain; Dave Price; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Braden Cartwright; Gennady Sheyner; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Keith Reckdahl; Ed Lauing; Jeff Hayden; Holman, Karen (external); Liz Kniss; Kaloma Smith; Dennis Upton; PD Kristina Bell; Friends of Cubberley; Palo Alto Free Press; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Daniel Barton; Vara Ramakrishnan; pat.espino7@gmail.com; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; frances.Rothschild@jud.ca.gov; josh@joshsalcman.com; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; Zelkha, Mila; Lotus Fong; Donna Wallach Cc:Raymond Goins; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler Subject:Re: 27 senators voted to block a weapons sale to the Israeli gov’t. Will you join us to say thank you? Date:Monday, September 1, 2025 11:33:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Mon, Sep 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: FYI Henry Etzkowitz Sociology Department Stanford University www.triplehelix.net Begin forwarded message: From: "Accountability Alert @ Win Without War" <info@winwithoutwar.org> Date: August 28, 2025 at 7:39:12 AM PDT To: HENRY ETZKOWITZ <h.etzko@gmail.com> Subject: 27 senators voted to block a weapons sale to the Israeli gov’t. Will you join us to say thank you? Reply-To: info@winwithoutwar.org  This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 273 Packet Pg. 561 of 896  Win Without War When Senator Bernie Sanders forced a vote on two joint resolutions of disapproval (JRDs) to halt key weapons transfers to the Israeli government last month, a record 26 senators joined him. Here’s why that’s such a big deal, Henry: In early 2024, just 11 senators voted to request a simple human rights report on the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza. Only 15 senators voted to halt a similar weapons transfer to the Israeli government earlier this year. But now, for the first time, a majority of Senate Democrats have voted to block U.S.-made bombs and rifles to the Israeli government, pressuring it to end the devastating military campaign in Gaza. This leadership is crucially needed as momentum grows to end U.S. complicity in the incomprehensible suffering in Gaza. We’re not satisfied with 27 votes — not even close — but getting here wasn’t easy. Advocacy from activists like you and partners across the movement helped us build the political will and courage required to reject the blank-check approach to the Israeli government. To ensure these senators do all they can to secure lasting peace AND continue expanding the group of lawmakers willing to end U.S. complicity in this war, gratitude can go a long way, Henry. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 274 Packet Pg. 562 of 896  That starts with two words: Thank you. Can you take a moment to join activists from across the country in letting these 27 senators know they did the right thing, and urging them to keep going? ACT NOW For nearly two years now, Israeli PM Netanyahu has used U.S. weapons to hold on to power, drive incomprehensible levels of human suffering, and push an entire region toward all-out war — all while failing to bring the remaining hostages home safely. But on July 30, a group of senators sent a clear message: It’s time to use U.S. leverage to end the horrific war in Gaza, protect innocent people across the Middle East, and get the hostages back to their families. 27 senators took the historic step of voting against the sale of thousands of rifles that the Israeli government has used to harm and terrorize Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including Sens. Ossoff (D-GA), Reed (D-RI), and Whitehouse (D-RI). 24 of those senators — Sens. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Baldwin (D-WI), Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), Kim (D-NJ), King (I-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Lujan (D- NM), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Murphy (D-CT), Murray (D- WA), Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Shaheen (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warnock (D-GA), Warren (D-MA), and Welch (D- VT) — went even further by voting to also block the heavy bombs that have utterly decimated the Gaza Strip in a military campaign that has precipitated a famine. We can’t let these senators' actions go unnoticed. Because you know what happens when a member of Congress takes a brave stand like this? Their colleagues on the opposing side will tell them that they’re wrong or not politically savvy. The weapons lobby will dash off checks to their political opponents. Powerful interest groups like AIPAC will attack them in the press and rally their supporters to fill their phone lines with criticism. But as senators return from August recess in the coming days, we can ensure they hear a different message — one that can steel their resolve to continue working for an end to the indefensible suffering we’ve witnessed. When members of Congress do the right thing, we need to remind Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 275 Packet Pg. 563 of 896  them that we’re with them. That’s how our movement maintains and increases our power on Capitol Hill. Add your name to help us send these 27 senators a message tens of thousands of activists strong, thanking them for their vote and urging them to keep it up as they return from the August recess. The progress we’re making isn’t happening as fast as we’d like or as people in Palestine, Israel, and beyond deserve, but make no mistake — we’re turning the tide. It’s time to keep going. Today, the choice between a continued devastating war and a deepening of the crisis OR taking a step toward saving lives and ending U.S. complicity is clear. Let’s keep pushing Congress toward the path to peace and justice. Thank you for working for peace, The Win Without War team P.S. This Labor Day, thousands of communities around the country are taking action to demand a world that works for all of us — fighting for public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, and shared prosperity over billionaire-bought politics. As the authoritarians ramp up their tactics, it’s never been more important that we stand in solidarity with all our communities under attack and fight for real wins for all our people. We hope you can find an event near you and take part in the Day of Action on September 1. Donate A U.S. foreign policy rooted in human rights and justice won’t happen overnight. If you’re with us for the long haul, consider a monthly donation. Win Without War is a 501(c)4 organization and donations are not tax deductible. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit the Win Without War Education Fund here. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 276 Packet Pg. 564 of 896  © Win Without War 2025 1 Thomas Circle NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 info@winwithoutwar.org This email was sent to h.etzko@gmail.com. Email is the most important way for us to reach you about opportunities to act. If you need to remove yourself from our email list, click here to unsubscribe. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 277 Packet Pg. 565 of 896  From:Aram James To:Martin Wasserman Cc:Yusra Hussain; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Gennady Sheyner; city.council@menlopark.gov; Nash, Betsy; Dana St. George; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Emily Mibach; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; Gerry Gras; Stump, Molly; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Liz Kniss; Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Gardener, Liz; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; District1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Dave Price; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Miguel Rodriguez; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; paul@peaceandjustice.org; Today EPA; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan; ladoris cordell; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Dave Price; Planning Commission; BoardOperations; Donna Wallach; james pitkin; Sameena Usman; Zahra Billoo; Dan Okonkwo; Human Relations Commission; Palo Alto Free Press; Jasso, Tamara; Raymond Goins; Carla Torres; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Dennis Upton; dennis burns; Sheree Roth; Salem Ajluni; Cait James; Tim James; Marina Lopez; Josie James-Le; Lewis james; Foley, Michael; Angel, David; Binder, Andrew; Reifschneider, James; Jeff Hayden; Susan Hayase; PD Kristina Bell; Pat M; Bill Armaline; Roberta Ahlquist Subject:Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points Date:Saturday, September 6, 2025 9:44:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Martin, A 150 nations recognizing Palestine as a sovereign nation are wrong while good- old-full-of-himself Martin is right. I think we will leave it at that tonight. I just want to ponder the hubris of such a statement for a bit. Avram "Almost Speechless" Finkelstein On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Aram, Calling something a nation doesn't make it one, and the Palestinians are very far from being a nation, no matter what declarations anybody makes at the UN. You accuse me of not dealing with facts, but the truth is, all of my posts are based on facts. If you think my facts are incorrect, you're free to rebut them with facts of your own. But you never do this, presumably because you don't have any facts of your own to rebut them with. Instead, you just engage in angry rants, personal insults, and name-calling. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 278 Packet Pg. 566 of 896  You also employ the old, worn out, leftist tactic of accusing anyone who disagrees with you of being a racist. Whenever you have nothing cogent to say, or you know you're losing the argument, you just accuse your opponent of racism, as if that tilts the dispute in your favor. Aram, my primary interest is truth. I have no problem being proved wrong if somebody can present sufficient evidence. But you seem to prefer emotional outbursts to honest and dispassionate analysis, which is why our exchanges are becoming so unproductive. Sincerely, Martin Wasserman On Sep 5, 2025, at 8:34 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/5/2025 Dr. Hussain: Martin is just spotting his usual Racist pro-Israel lobby talking points. He is a Zionist cult member who hasn’t been deprogrammed yet. In other words, he just can’t help himself. Martin ignores the inconvenience fact that 147 of the 193 members of the UN disagree with Martin. They proudly recognize Palestine as a nation. Oh, and a bunch more are soon to recognize Palestine in the next few months. They are sick and tired of hearing the endless lies of White Jewish Zionist Supremacist of the same repulsive Ilk as Martin. As my very Jewish dad used to say: “Some folks just don’t want to be disturbed by the facts.” As you can plainly see Martin suffers from a severe version of the don’t bother me with the facts syndrome. Avram “ One State Solution” Finkelstein As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 76% of all UN members. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 279 Packet Pg. 567 of 896  International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia Thank On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Yusra, Palestine does not have a rich and long history. That's part of the disinformation campaign. There has never been a nation called Palestine. The Palestinians themselves have never developed real national institutions or any other characteristics of a true nation. And the people who call themselves Palestinians are really no different ethnically, religiously or linguistically than other Arabs. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct national entity entitled to their own state was fabricated in the 1960s by PLO leader Yasser Arafat and his mentors in the Soviet Union for the sole purpose of raising a counterclaim to Israel's claim to the land, and justifying continued warfare against it. What we ultimately have is two different cultures, two very different ways of life, competing for the same piece of land. God will decide who gets it, and I'm confident He’ll make the right decision. Martin Wasserman > On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:22 PM, Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm not a historian, but David Ben-Gurion himself said "If I was an > Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel." He was Israel's > first Prime Minister, in 1956. Afterall Palestine has a rich and long > history but was occupied by Western hegemony and handed over to jewish > settlers. If anyone is interested in learning history of the Israeli > hegemony, please read "Ten Myths about Israel", by Ilan Pappe (a > Jewish historian), and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid > Khalidi (A Palestinian American historian and Professor at Columbia > University). > > On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >> >> Hello Yusra, >> >> >> Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 280 Packet Pg. 568 of 896  state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. >> >> >> Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. >> >> >> Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. >> >> >> You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. >> >> >> You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al- Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. >> >> >> Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. >> >> >> After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. >> >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 281 Packet Pg. 569 of 896  >> On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. >> >> >> Best regards, >> >> Martin Wasserman >> >> >> >> On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. >> >> The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. >> The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. >> >> God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. >> I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. >> >> I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. >> You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 282 Packet Pg. 570 of 896  brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. >> Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. >> >> Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” >> >> Best regards! >> >> Yusra >> >> >> Yusra Hussain, MD >> Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor >> Stanford University School of Medicine >> 805 El Camino Real # A >> Palo Alto, CA 94301 >> Office: 650-328-1676 >> Fax: 650-445-0911 >> Checkout: Protectmedicare.net >> >> On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>  >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> 9/4/2025 >>> >>> Hi Henry, >>> >>> Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. >>> >>> In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. >>> >>> That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 283 Packet Pg. 571 of 896  difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. >>> >>> Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have >>> allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. >>> >>> Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! >>>> >>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>> Etz Chaim member >>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 284 Packet Pg. 572 of 896  premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. >>>> >>>> Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. >>>> >>>> It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. >>>> >>>> I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. >>>> >>>> Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. >>>> >>>> True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. >>>> >>>> Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 285 Packet Pg. 573 of 896  the years to come. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Marty >>>> >>>> For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) >>>> as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans >>>> >>>> Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. >>>> >>>> Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ >>>> >>>> moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States >>>> >>>> Sincerely >>>> 3rd generation Zionist >>>> Hillel aka Henry >>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>> www.triple helix.net >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion >>>> >>>> Hi Julie, >>>> >>>> I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 286 Packet Pg. 574 of 896  city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. >>>> >>>> At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Aram >>>> >>>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. >>>>> >>>>> A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. >>>>> >>>>> Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. >>>>> >>>>> The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. >>>>> >>>>> Best regards, >>>>> Martin Wasserman >>>>> Concerned Citizen >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 287 Packet Pg. 575 of 896  >>>>> Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, >>>>> Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. >>>>> >>>>> Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely >>>>> >>>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>>> 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council >>>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>  >>>>> But not as. Oh zero >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. >>>>>> Julie >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: >>>>> >>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 288 Packet Pg. 576 of 896  vote. (2) >>>>> Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, your supporter for a long time, >>>>> >>>>> Aram >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Julie Lythcott-Haims >>>>>> Palo Alto City Council Member >>>>>> Click to make an Office Hours appointment >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. >>>>>> >>>>>> ________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> Takes both >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>  >>>>>> Hi Henry, >>>>>> >>>>>> You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Correct >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 289 Packet Pg. 577 of 896  reelection >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My dear brave friend Henry, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sleep well my friend, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Aram >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> dear Aram >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sadly, >>>>>>>>> Henry >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model >>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 290 Packet Pg. 578 of 896  >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 291 Packet Pg. 579 of 896  From:Aram James To:Yusra Hussain; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Gennady Sheyner; city.council@menlopark.gov; Nash, Betsy; Dana St. George; Marty Wasserman; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Emily Mibach; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; Gerry Gras; Stump, Molly; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com> Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Liz Kniss; Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Gardener, Liz; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; District1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Dave Price; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Miguel Rodriguez; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; paul@peaceandjustice.org; Today EPA; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan; ladoris cordell; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Dave Price; Planning Commission; BoardOperations; Donna Wallach; james pitkin; Sameena Usman; Zahra Billoo; Dan Okonkwo; Human Relations Commission; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Palo Alto Free Press; Jasso, Tamara; Raymond Goins; Carla Torres; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Dennis Upton; dennis burns; Sheree Roth; Salem Ajluni; Cait James; Tim James; Marina Lopez; Josie James-Le; Lewis james; Foley, Michael; Angel, David; Binder, Andrew; Reifschneider, James; Jeff Hayden; Susan Hayase; PD Kristina Bell; Pat M; Bill Armaline; Roberta Ahlquist Subject:Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points Date:Friday, September 5, 2025 8:34:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i 9/5/2025 Dr. Hussain: Martin is just spotting his usual Racist pro-Israel lobby talking points. He is a Zionist cult member who hasn’t been deprogrammed yet. In other words, he just can’t help himself. Martin ignores the inconvenience fact that 147 of the 193 members of the UN disagree with Martin. They proudly recognize Palestine as a nation. Oh, and a bunch more are soon to recognize Palestine in the next few months. They are sick and tired of hearing the endless lies of White Jewish Zionist Supremacist of the same repulsive Ilk as Martin. As my very Jewish dad used to say: “Some folks just don’t want to be disturbed by the facts.” As you can plainly see Martin suffers from a severe version of the don’t bother me with the facts syndrome. Avram “ One State Solution” Finkelstein This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 292 Packet Pg. 580 of 896  As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 76% of all UN members. It has been a non- member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia Thank On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Yusra, Palestine does not have a rich and long history. That's part of the disinformation campaign. There has never been a nation called Palestine. The Palestinians themselves have never developed real national institutions or any other characteristics of a true nation. And the people who call themselves Palestinians are really no different ethnically, religiously or linguistically than other Arabs. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct national entity entitled to their own state was fabricated in the 1960s by PLO leader Yasser Arafat and his mentors in the Soviet Union for the sole purpose of raising a counterclaim to Israel's claim to the land, and justifying continued warfare against it. What we ultimately have is two different cultures, two very different ways of life, competing for the same piece of land. God will decide who gets it, and I'm confident He’ll make the right decision. Martin Wasserman > On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:22 PM, Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm not a historian, but David Ben-Gurion himself said "If I was an > Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel." He was Israel's > first Prime Minister, in 1956. Afterall Palestine has a rich and long > history but was occupied by Western hegemony and handed over to jewish > settlers. If anyone is interested in learning history of the Israeli > hegemony, please read "Ten Myths about Israel", by Ilan Pappe (a > Jewish historian), and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid > Khalidi (A Palestinian American historian and Professor at Columbia > University). > Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 293 Packet Pg. 581 of 896  > On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >> >> Hello Yusra, >> >> >> Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. >> >> >> Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. >> >> >> Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. >> >> >> You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. >> >> >> You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. >> >> >> Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. >> >> >> After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 294 Packet Pg. 582 of 896  >> >> >> On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. >> >> >> Best regards, >> >> Martin Wasserman >> >> >> >> On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. >> >> The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. >> The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. >> >> God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. >> I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. >> >> I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. >> You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. >> Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 295 Packet Pg. 583 of 896  >> >> Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” >> >> Best regards! >> >> Yusra >> >> >> Yusra Hussain, MD >> Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor >> Stanford University School of Medicine >> 805 El Camino Real # A >> Palo Alto, CA 94301 >> Office: 650-328-1676 >> Fax: 650-445-0911 >> Checkout: Protectmedicare.net >> >> On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>  >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> 9/4/2025 >>> >>> Hi Henry, >>> >>> Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. >>> >>> In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. >>> >>> That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. >>> >>> Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have >>> allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 296 Packet Pg. 584 of 896  >>> >>> Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! >>>> >>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>> Etz Chaim member >>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. >>>> >>>> Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 297 Packet Pg. 585 of 896  >>>> >>>> It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. >>>> >>>> I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. >>>> >>>> Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. >>>> >>>> True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. >>>> >>>> Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Marty >>>> >>>> For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) >>>> as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans >>>> >>>> Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. >>>> >>>> Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 298 Packet Pg. 586 of 896  >>>> >>>> moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States >>>> >>>> Sincerely >>>> 3rd generation Zionist >>>> Hillel aka Henry >>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>> www.triple helix.net >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion >>>> >>>> Hi Julie, >>>> >>>> I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. >>>> >>>> At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Aram >>>> >>>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. >>>>> >>>>> A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 299 Packet Pg. 587 of 896  >>>>> >>>>> Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. >>>>> >>>>> The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. >>>>> >>>>> Best regards, >>>>> Martin Wasserman >>>>> Concerned Citizen >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, >>>>> Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. >>>>> >>>>> Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely >>>>> >>>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>>> 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council >>>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>  >>>>> But not as. Oh zero >>>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 300 Packet Pg. 588 of 896  >>>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. >>>>>> Julie >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: >>>>> >>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) >>>>> Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, your supporter for a long time, >>>>> >>>>> Aram >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Julie Lythcott-Haims >>>>>> Palo Alto City Council Member >>>>>> Click to make an Office Hours appointment >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. >>>>>> >>>>>> ________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> Takes both >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>  >>>>>> Hi Henry, >>>>>> >>>>>> You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! >>>>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 301 Packet Pg. 589 of 896  >>>>>> >>>>>> Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Correct >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My dear brave friend Henry, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sleep well my friend, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Aram >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> dear Aram >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sadly, >>>>>>>>> Henry >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 302 Packet Pg. 590 of 896  >>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 303 Packet Pg. 591 of 896  From:Aram James To:Salem Ajluni Cc:Gardener, Liz; Martin Wasserman; Yusra Hussain; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Gennady Sheyner; city.council@menlopark.gov; Nash, Betsy; Dana St. George; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Emily Mibach; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; Gerry Gras; Stump, Molly; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Liz Kniss; Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; District1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Dave Price; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Miguel Rodriguez; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; paul@peaceandjustice.org; Today EPA; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan; ladoris cordell; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Dave Price; Planning Commission; BoardOperations; Donna Wallach; james pitkin; Sameena Usman; Zahra Billoo; Dan Okonkwo; Human Relations Commission; Palo Alto Free Press; Jasso, Tamara; Raymond Goins; Carla Torres; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Dennis Upton; dennis burns; Sheree Roth; Salem Ajluni; Cait James; Tim James; Marina Lopez; Josie James-Le; Lewis james; Foley, Michael; Angel, David; Binder, Andrew; Reifschneider, James; Jeff Hayden; Susan Hayase; PD Kristina Bell; Pat M; Bill Armaline; Roberta Ahlquist Subject:Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points Date:Sunday, September 7, 2025 10:45:55 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Dr. Ajluni, Thank you for this extremely helpful analysis re the distinction between nationhood and peoplehood. Your exacting explanation opens up new doors for how to view the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Avram Finkelstein On Sun, Sep 7, 2025 at 9:55 PM Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com> wrote: Wasserman disingenuously, and perhaps intentionally, confuses nationhood with peoplehood. The latter--peoplehood--indicates common descent or ancestry, a shared history, a common language, shared traditions and customs and is almost always associated with a delineated geogrpahy. The latter--nationhood--is a relatively modern political/legal concept This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 304 Packet Pg. 592 of 896  entailing sovereignty (a supreme governing authority independent of other sovereign authorities), a defined and recognized territory, governing institutions and structures and recognized as such by other sovereign authorities. Nationhood is often—but not always—based on a particular people. One of the cleanest examples of this might be Japan. On the other hand, the U.S. and Russia, not to mention Canada and Mexico, are nations, each consisting of many peoples. Jewish peoplehood pre-dates the Israeli nation by several millenia. Israel is a modern creation of British colonialism and European Zionism. Israeli nationhood is only decades old while Jewish peoplehood has existed for millenia. Jewish peoplehood would continue to exist with or without the Israeli nation. Palestinian Arabs are a people with millenia-long presence in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea whose shared ancestry includes the Phillistines, the Canaanites, the Jews, and others who inhabited that region for millenia. It is noteworthy that the ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks and the Romans all had geographical designations for the Eastern Mediterranean coast derived from the name of the people—the Phillistines—who inhabited the coastal plain from roughly the area of Jaffa/Tel Aviv in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south. (Gaza, Isdud (Ashdod), Asqalan (Ashkelon) were are all Phillistine cities.) As early as the 12th century BCE, the Egyptian pharohs referred to the southern coastal region of the Eastern Mediterranean as Peleset. The ancient Greeks referred to it as Palistine' while referring to the broader region as Suria (Syria). The Romans referred to the broader region as Syria Palaestina. In keeping with the traditional usage, both the Arab Muslim and Ottoman rulers of the region referred to it as Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 305 Packet Pg. 593 of 896  Filistin. This continued with the British Emprie which occupied the area in 1918 and established the British Mandate of Palestine. Over more than three millenia, the culture, language, traditions and customs of the peoples of this land evolved and melded. Christianity and Islam were adopted, adapted and integrated and Arabic, starting in the 8th century A.D. Increasingly became the dominant language, including the language of the Palestinian Jews. The genetic research indicates, the Arabs of Palestine and Jews (particularly Mizrachi Jews) are direct descendents of common Levantine ancestors, i.e the ancient peoples who inhabited the Eastern Mediterranean region west of the Jordan River. Palestinian peoplehood—rooted in the land of Palestine—is a millenia-old phenomenon whose modern manifestation is Palestinian Arab. Palestinian nationhood, on the other hand, is a project in the making. Zionists reject these fundamental realities and distinctions as they collide with an exclusivist mentality and a devotion to myth and a settler colonial project. Regards, Salem (For anyone who is serious about Zionism and anti-Zionism among Jews—in particular among Arab Jews--I highly recommend the work of Alon Mizrahi. Here is a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=8ZxmkgcvN68 ) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 306 Packet Pg. 594 of 896  From: Liz Gardner <gardnerjaqua@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, September 7, 2025 6:32 PM To: Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> Cc: Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com>; Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com>; Doug Minkler <dminkler@dminkler.com>; Shankar Ramamoorthy <shankar.ramamoorthy@gmail.com>; Gennady Sheyner <gsheyner@embarcaderomedia.org>; city.council@menlopark.gov <city.council@menlopark.gov>; Nash, Betsy <bnash@menlopark.gov>; Dana St. George <danasg@earthlink.net>; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com <jason.green@bayareanewsgroup.com>; Emily Mibach <emibach@padailypost.com>; Ed Lauing <elauing@equitysearchpartners.com>; Keith Reckdahl <reckdahl@yahoo.com>; Gerry Gras <gerrygras@earthlink.net>; Stump, Molly <molly.stump@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mila Zelkha <mila.zelkha@gmail.com>; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com> <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Henry Etzkowitz <H.Etzko@gmail.com>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org>; Liz Kniss <lizkniss@earthlink.net>; CityCouncil <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Office of the Provost <provost@stanford.edu>; Rebecca Eisenberg <rebecca@rebecca4water.com>; Hannah Lu <hannahlu00@gmail.com>; Ed Shikada <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mariza Almeida <mariza.almeida@unirio.br>; Mark Granovetter <mgranovetter@gmail.com>; Mary Rorty <mrorty@gmail.com>; Arthur Millman <arthur.millman@umb.edu>; Guilherme Ary Plonski <plonski2@usp.br>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov>; George for Palo Alto <georgeforpaloalto@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com>; Donna Wallach <donnaisanactivist@gmail.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu>; Lotus Fong <lyfong@pacbell.net>; Sean Allen <sallen6444@yahoo.com>; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg <supervisor.ellenberg@bos.sccgov.org>; Supervisor Otto Lee <supervisor.lee@bos.sccgov.org>; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov <assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov>; Supervisor Betty Duong <District2@bos.sccgov.org>; Josh Becker <becker.josh@gmail.com>; CityCouncil <CityCouncil@morganhill.ca.gov>; city.council@gilroy.org <city.council@gilroy.org>; District1@bos.sccgov.org <District1@bos.sccgov.org>; District5@bos.sccgov.org <District5@bos.sccgov.org>; board@pausd.org <board@pausd.org>; Jeff Conrad <jeff_conrad@msn.com>; Jeff Rosen <info@jeffrosen.org>; Jay Boyarsky <jboyarsky@dao.sccgov.org>; Dave Price <price@padailypost.com>; Braden Cartwright <bcartwright@padailypost.com>; Brandon Pho <brandon@sanjosespotlight.com>; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight <jennifer@sanjosespotlight.com>; Miguel Rodriguez <miguel.rodriguez@pdo.sccgov.org>; DuJuan Green <dujuang@sbcglobal.net>; Paul Bains <pbains7@projectwehope.com>; paul@peaceandjustice.org <paul@peaceandjustice.org>; Today EPA <epatoday@epatoday.org>; craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org <craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org>; cromero@cityofepa.org <cromero@cityofepa.org>; Anna Griffin <griffinam@sbcglobal.net>; Anne Cribbs <acribbs@basoc.org>; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org <planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org>; ParkRec Commission <ParkRec.commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; board@valleywater.org <board@valleywater.org>; boardfeedback@smcgov.org <boardfeedback@smcgov.org>; Bill Newell <billnewell2850@gmail.com>; Raymond Goins <goinsrayl@gmail.com>; Vara Ramakrishnan <vara@acm.org>; ladoris cordell <ladoris@judgecordell.com>; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23 <jessica@speiser.net>; Dave Price <dprice@padailypost.com>; Planning Cmmission <Planning.Commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 307 Packet Pg. 595 of 896  BoardOperations <BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org>; Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com>; james pitkin <jamespitkin777@yahoo.com>; Sameena Usman <susman@cair.com>; Zahra Billoo <zbilloo@cair.com>; Dan Okonkwo <dokonkwo@dao.sccgov.org>; Human Relations Commission <hrc@cityofpaloalto.org>; Palo Alto Free Press <paloaltofreepress@gmail.com>; Jasso, Tamara <Tamara.Jasso@cityofpaloalto.org>; Raymond Goins <raymondleegoinsllc@gmail.com>; Carla Torres <xicanamagic@hotmail.com>; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu) <rsilvertaube@scu.edu>; Dennis Upton <kathy8420@qq.com>; dennis burns <dennis.r.burns@gmail.com>; Sheree Roth <ssroth29@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni <sajluni@yahoo.com>; Cait James <caitlin.a.james@gmail.com>; Tim James <TJames@rsaplaw.com>; Marina Lopez <marinalopez8@gmail.com>; Josie James-Le <josiejamesle@gmail.com>; Lewis james <alphonse9947@gmail.com>; michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org <michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org>; Angel, David <dangel@dao.sccgov.org>; Binder, Andrew <Andrew.Binder@cityofpaloalto.org>; Reifschneider, James <james.reifschneider@cityofpaloalto.org>; Jeff Hayden <laptoplg@mac.com>; Susan Hayase <shayase@onemain.com>; PD Kristina Bell <kbell@redwoodcity.org>; Pat M <p.marshall81@ymail.com>; Bill Armaline <warmali@yahoo.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <finnroberta@gmail.com> Subject: Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points How someone having a say in their understanding of genecide of a people pressed between death bombs and starvation, result in a "leftist tactic"? Does this autocorrect Martin, as the rightest ? On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Aram, Calling something a nation doesn't make it one, and the Palestinians are very far from being a nation, no matter what declarations anybody makes at the UN. You accuse me of not dealing with facts, but the truth is, all of my posts are based on facts. If you think my facts are incorrect, you're free to rebut them with facts of your own. But you never do this, presumably because you don't have any facts of your own to rebut them with. Instead, you just engage in angry rants, personal insults, and name-calling. You also employ the old, worn out, leftist tactic of accusing anyone who disagrees with you of being a racist. Whenever you have nothing cogent to say, or you know you're losing the argument, you just accuse your opponent of racism, as if that tilts the dispute in your favor. Aram, my primary interest is truth. I have no problem being proved wrong if somebody can present sufficient evidence. But you seem to prefer emotional outbursts to honest and dispassionate analysis, which is why our exchanges are becoming so unproductive. Sincerely, Martin Wasserman Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 308 Packet Pg. 596 of 896  On Sep 5, 2025, at 8:34 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/5/2025 Dr. Hussain: Martin is just spotting his usual Racist pro-Israel lobby talking points. He is a Zionist cult member who hasn’t been deprogrammed yet. In other words, he just can’t help himself. Martin ignores the inconvenience fact that 147 of the 193 members of the UN disagree with Martin. They proudly recognize Palestine as a nation. Oh, and a bunch more are soon to recognize Palestine in the next few months. They are sick and tired of hearing the endless lies of White Jewish Zionist Supremacist of the same repulsive Ilk as Martin. As my very Jewish dad used to say: “Some folks just don’t want to be disturbed by the facts.” As you can plainly see Martin suffers from a severe version of the don’t bother me with the facts syndrome. Avram “ One State Solution” Finkelstein As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 76% of all UN members. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia Thank On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 309 Packet Pg. 597 of 896  Yusra, Palestine does not have a rich and long history. That's part of the disinformation campaign. There has never been a nation called Palestine. The Palestinians themselves have never developed real national institutions or any other characteristics of a true nation. And the people who call themselves Palestinians are really no different ethnically, religiously or linguistically than other Arabs. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct national entity entitled to their own state was fabricated in the 1960s by PLO leader Yasser Arafat and his mentors in the Soviet Union for the sole purpose of raising a counterclaim to Israel's claim to the land, and justifying continued warfare against it. What we ultimately have is two different cultures, two very different ways of life, competing for the same piece of land. God will decide who gets it, and I'm confident He’ll make the right decision. Martin Wasserman > On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:22 PM, Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm not a historian, but David Ben-Gurion himself said "If I was an > Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel." He was Israel's > first Prime Minister, in 1956. Afterall Palestine has a rich and long > history but was occupied by Western hegemony and handed over to jewish > settlers. If anyone is interested in learning history of the Israeli > hegemony, please read "Ten Myths about Israel", by Ilan Pappe (a > Jewish historian), and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid > Khalidi (A Palestinian American historian and Professor at Columbia > University). > > On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >> >> Hello Yusra, >> >> >> Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. >> >> >> Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 310 Packet Pg. 598 of 896  culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. >> >> >> Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. >> >> >> You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. >> >> >> You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. >> >> >> Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. >> >> >> After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. >> >> >> On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 311 Packet Pg. 599 of 896  have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. >> >> >> Best regards, >> >> Martin Wasserman >> >> >> >> On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. >> >> The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. >> The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. >> >> God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. >> I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. >> >> I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. >> You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. >> Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 312 Packet Pg. 600 of 896  >> >> Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” >> >> Best regards! >> >> Yusra >> >> >> Yusra Hussain, MD >> Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor >> Stanford University School of Medicine >> 805 El Camino Real # A >> Palo Alto, CA 94301 >> Office: 650-328-1676 >> Fax: 650-445-0911 >> Checkout: Protectmedicare.net >> >> On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>  >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> 9/4/2025 >>> >>> Hi Henry, >>> >>> Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. >>> >>> In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. >>> >>> That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. >>> >>> Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 313 Packet Pg. 601 of 896  their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have >>> allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. >>> >>> Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! >>>> >>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>> Etz Chaim member >>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 314 Packet Pg. 602 of 896  <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. >>>> >>>> Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. >>>> >>>> It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. >>>> >>>> I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. >>>> >>>> Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. >>>> >>>> True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. >>>> >>>> Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Marty >>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 315 Packet Pg. 603 of 896  >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Marty >>>> >>>> For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) >>>> as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans >>>> >>>> Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. >>>> >>>> Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ >>>> >>>> moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States >>>> >>>> Sincerely >>>> 3rd generation Zionist >>>> Hillel aka Henry >>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>> www.triple helix.net >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion >>>> >>>> Hi Julie, >>>> >>>> I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. >>>> >>>> At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 316 Packet Pg. 604 of 896  ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Aram >>>> >>>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. >>>>> >>>>> A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. >>>>> >>>>> Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. >>>>> >>>>> The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. >>>>> >>>>> Best regards, >>>>> Martin Wasserman >>>>> Concerned Citizen >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 317 Packet Pg. 605 of 896  bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, >>>>> Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. >>>>> >>>>> Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely >>>>> >>>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>>> 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council >>>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>  >>>>> But not as. Oh zero >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. >>>>>> Julie >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: >>>>> >>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) >>>>> Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 318 Packet Pg. 606 of 896  from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, your supporter for a long time, >>>>> >>>>> Aram >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Julie Lythcott-Haims >>>>>> Palo Alto City Council Member >>>>>> Click to make an Office Hours appointment >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. >>>>>> >>>>>> ________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> Takes both >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>  >>>>>> Hi Henry, >>>>>> >>>>>> You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Correct >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 319 Packet Pg. 607 of 896  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My dear brave friend Henry, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sleep well my friend, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Aram >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> dear Aram >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sadly, >>>>>>>>> Henry >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model >>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 320 Packet Pg. 608 of 896  >>>> >>>> >> -- Liz Gardner Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 321 Packet Pg. 609 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Josh Becker; Dave Price; Lori Meyers; h.etzko@gmail.com; Reckdahl, Keith; james pitkin; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Human Relations Commission; Salem Ajluni; Robert Salonga; Ruth Silver Taube; Raymond Goins; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Roberta Ahlquist; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District9@sanjoseca.gov; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Lotus Fong; Linda Jolley; Palo Alto Renters" Association; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Don Austin; Yolanda Conaway; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; BoardOperations; District3@sanjoseca.gov; District5@sanjoseca.gov; District4@sanjoseca.gov; Sameena Usman; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Stump, Molly; Palo Alto Free Press; Friends of Cubberley; friends-request@foolsmission.org; Dana St. George; EPA Today; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Lee, Craig Subject:Re: Beverly Hills public schools to consider displaying Israeli flag on all campuses Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 10:07:11 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Tue, Aug 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Beverly Hills public schools to consider displaying Israeli flag on all campuses https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-26/beverly-hills-public-schools-to- consider-displaying-israeli-flag-on-all-campuses This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 322 Packet Pg. 610 of 896  From:Evan Reade To:Council, City; Lauing, Ed; Burt, Patrick; Stone, Greer; Reckdahl, Keith; Veenker, Vicki; Lu, George; Lythcott- Haims, Julie; Shikada, Ed; Robustelli, Sarah; ParkRec Commission Subject:Re: Budget realities vs. Eleanor Pardee Park restroom proposal Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 2:30:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Mr. Mayor, Dear City Council Members: I recently read that the City continues to face a tight budget and that efforts must be made to cut spending in the Capital Improvements Budget. Accordingly, I am taking this opportunity to resend to you the letter I sent on May 15. You can cut $1 million immediately by deferring or cancelling construction of a restroom in Eleanor Pardee Park, not to mention the funds you will save on the costs of daily maintenance and cleaning. Spend our precious tax dollars on projects or organizations that can do the most good for the most people. Sincerely, Evan G. Reade Sharon Ct. Palo Alto On Thursday, May 15, 2025, 04:55:35 PM PDT, Evan Reade <evanreade@aol.com> wrote: Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council: First, thank you to those of you who have taken the time to speak with me personally since my appearance before the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 25 and the Council on April 7 concerning my opposition to the installation of restrooms at Eleanor Pardee Park. I would like to make several additional points further to those outlined in my letter to the Parks and Rec Commission, copied to you, dated March 31, 2025. On Monday, May 12, I observed your discussion of the city's proposed budget for FY2026. The Proposed Capital Budget mentions at pages 250-252 an intent to continue to install one new park restroom per year and notes that Eleanor Pardee This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 323 Packet Pg. 611 of 896  Park is next on the list for FY2026. However, in your discussions it became clear that given current economic conditions and uncertainties it may well be necessary to cut $6 million (out of a proposed $12 million) from the Capital Improvements Plan in order to protect a needed reserve fund, particularly if the city wishes to continue to adequately fund the critically important work being done by a number of non-profit organizations which receive city dollars to implement programs with direct positive impacts upon various segments of our community. The slides presented at last Monday's meeting indicated that to realize CIP reductions of 5,10 and 15 percent it would be necessary to evaluate proposed project timing with a priority to delay or defer projects to manage funding availability and project prioritization. The slide also listed factors to be considered in making such determinations. Might I suggest that the city can save $1 million right off the bat by foregoing construction of a restroom at Eleanor Pardee Park? Even if one concedes that this project is in the "nice to do" category (which I do not) rather than in the "must do" category, it is clear that those funds can be better spent on other more pressing and necessary priorities, some of which are ongoing and would be severely impacted if continued funding were to cease. Spend the money where it is needed the most. Consider "luxury" or "nice to have" projects later. I would also like to know whether the city has complied with or is planning to comply with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") before proceeding with the Eleanor Pardee Park restroom project. It is my understanding that CEQA applies to projects requiring discretionary government approval, and this includes construction of new facilities like park restrooms. The city's decision to approve the construction of new park restrooms is clearly a discretionary action, as the city has control over the project's location, design, and construction methods. As I have asserted in my earlier letters, the construction and operation of a new restroom in Eleanor Pardee Park could have potential impacts on the environment in our neighborhood, such as increased traffic, increased waste generation, or changes to the park's and the neighborhood's aesthetics. If I am correct in assuming that CEQA applies, then the city must conduct an environmental review process, potentially including an Initial Study, an Environmental Impact Report, or a Negative Declaration. Has the city conducted or initiated such a process with regard to the proposed restroom at Eleanor Pardee Park? And if not, when is the city planning on doing so? Finally, let me reiterate the points I've made in my earlier letters: Eleanor Pardee Park has served our community well for 100 years without a restroom. For those parents who want to take their kids to a park with a restroom, Rinconada Park - with two restrooms and with numerous other city maintained restrooms within close walking distance - is less than half a mile away. A restroom will change the park from one designed to serve the neighborhood into a regional park. A restroom will be expensive - perhaps $1 million to design and construct Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 324 Packet Pg. 612 of 896  (according to a press report I have read), never mind the ongoing costs required for daily maintenance (estimated in the proposed budget at $9,000 per year). A restroom could present public safety issues - vandalism, loitering, narcotics transactions - and attract the unhoused. The process of community outreach to date has been totally inadequate; the "survey" the city did was hopelessly flawed and, to my knowledge (and I live right next to the park) the city has not made any attempt to engage with those of us in the neighborhood who stand to be most directly impacted by the addition of restroom in the park. Thank you again for your time and willingness to engage with me and to listen to my concerns, which I know are shared by a number of other residents. Sincerely, Evan G. Reade Sharon Ct. cc: City Manager Parks and Recreation Commission Community Services Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 325 Packet Pg. 613 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Reckdahl, Keith; Liz Kniss; Kaloma Smith; EPA Today; Cribbs, Anne; Templeton, Cari; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Lotus Fong; Friends of Cubberley; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; h.etzko@gmail.com; Raymond Goins; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; dennis burns; DuJuan Green; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Nicole Chiu-Wang; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; board@pausd.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Zahra Billoo; Bill Newell; Diana Diamond; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Foley, Michael; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Jeff Conrad; Jay Boyarsky; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; rabrica@cityofepa.org; Emily Mibach; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Wagner, April; Josh Becker; josh@joshsalcman.com; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:Gardener, Liz; Veenker, Vicki; Lu, George; Stone, Greer; Human Relations Commission; cotton.gaines@cityofpaloalto.org; Braden Cartwright; Bains, Paul; Council, City; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; Sean Allen; Gennady Sheyner; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Sheree Roth; Lori Meyers; Ed Lauing; Palo Alto Weekly; Palo Alto Free Press; Rowena Chiu; Enberg, Nicholas; Nicole Chiu-Wang Subject:Re: Does this small city have the worst homelessness problem in the Bay Area? Unhoused population is Bay Area’s highest per capita, while resources to assist them are scant Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 2:57:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Subject: Important Article on Homelessness Hey Keith, I want you to pay attention to this article. Please compare the unhoused issues in wealthy Palo Alto with those in our less affluent neighbor, Gilroy. Remember what Justice Stanley Mosk, a longtime progressive member of the California Supreme Court, said about this issue: “The City cannot solve its homeless problem simply by exiling a large number of its homeless citizens to neighboring localities.” – Tobe v. City of Santa Ana (1995) Before you start demonizing the RV dwellers in Palo Alto and trying to push them out, consider the chaos you will create for our already strained neighboring communities. I’ll be keeping an eye on this situation, Keith. Best, Avram Finkelstein On Sun, Aug 24, 2025, at 12:05 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:Does this small city have the worst This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 326 Packet Pg. 614 of 896  homelessness problem in the Bay Area? Unhoused population is Bay Area’s highest per capita, while resources to assist them are scant While the city lacks most of the large, visible encampments of cities to the north, there are spread-out clusters of tents tucked beneath trees and unhoused residents sleeping in RVs and cars parked throughout the city, often abutting private property. Does this small city have the worst homelessness problem in the Bay Area? https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=9aa9528d- fe82-45dd-91bd-ad2602840d7a&appcode=SAN252&eguid=7ee63086-248e-4be1-bb00- 81224d0cf9c4&pnum=1# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 327 Packet Pg. 615 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Reckdahl, Keith; Liz Kniss; Kaloma Smith; EPA Today; Cribbs, Anne; Templeton, Cari; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Lotus Fong; Friends of Cubberley; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; h.etzko@gmail.com; Raymond Goins; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; dennis burns; DuJuan Green; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Nicole Chiu-Wang; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; board@pausd.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Zahra Billoo; Bill Newell; Diana Diamond; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Foley, Michael; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Jeff Conrad; Jay Boyarsky; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; rabrica@cityofepa.org; Emily Mibach; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Wagner, April; Josh Becker; josh@joshsalcman.com; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Linda Jolley; Donna Wallach; Dan Okonkwo; james pitkin; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District3@sanjoseca.gov; Councilmember Chappie Jones; District5@sanjoseca.gov; District9@sanjoseca.gov; District4@sanjoseca.gov; District5@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Patrice Ventresca; Burt, Patrick; Palo Alto Free Press; dion.bracco@cityofgilroy.org; tom.cline@cityofgilroy.org; terence.fugazzi@cityofgilroy.org; zachary.hilton@cityofgilroy.org; carol.marques@cityofgilroy.org; kelly.ramirez@cityofgilroy.org; CityCouncil Subject:Re: Does this small city have the worst homelessness problem in the Bay Area? Unhoused population is Bay Area’s highest per capita, while resources to assist them are scant Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 3:45:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Subject: Important Article on Homelessness Hey Keith, I want you to pay attention to this article. Please compare the unhoused issues in wealthy Palo Alto with those in our less affluent neighbor, Gilroy. Remember what Justice Stanley Mosk, a longtime progressive member of the California Supreme Court, said about this issue: “The City cannot solve its homeless problem simply by exiling a large number of its homeless citizens to neighboring localities.” – Tobe v. City of Santa Ana (1995) Before you start demonizing the RV dwellers in Palo Alto and trying to push them out, consider the chaos you will create for our already strained neighboring communities. I’ll be keeping an eye on this situation, Keith. Best, Avram Finkelstein On Sun, Aug 24, 2025, at 12:05 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 328 Packet Pg. 616 of 896  Does this small city have the worst homelessness problem in the Bay Area? Unhoused population is Bay Area’s highest per capita, while resources to assist them are scant While the city lacks most of the large, visible encampments of cities to the north, there are spread-out clusters of tents tucked beneath trees and unhoused residents sleeping in RVs and cars parked throughout the city, often abutting private property. Does this small city have the worst homelessness problem in the Bay Area? https://edition.pagesuite.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?guid=9aa9528d- fe82-45dd-91bd-ad2602840d7a&appcode=SAN252&eguid=7ee63086-248e-4be1-bb00- 81224d0cf9c4&pnum=1# For more great content like this subscribe to the The Mercury News e-edition app here: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 329 Packet Pg. 617 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Doug Minkler; Gerry Gras; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Rowena Chiu; Nicole Chiu-Wang; Gennady Sheyner; Lori Meyers; Sheree Roth; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Roberta Ahlquist; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Shikada, Ed; Salem Ajluni; EPA Today; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Dana St. George; Council, City; GRP-City Council; CityCouncil; dcombs@menlopark.gov; Nash, Betsy; Linda Jolley; Donna Wallach; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Jay Boyarsky; Human Relations Commission; Vara Ramakrishnan Subject:Re: Ed Lauings Israel Flag ordinance -from the archives of Aram James Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 9:43:59 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Tue, Aug 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. The subject has non-English characters. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 330 Packet Pg. 618 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Reckdahl, Keith; Lu, George; Burt, Patrick; gstone22@gmail.com; Vicki Veenker; Ed Lauing; Lauing, Ed; Shikada, Ed; Human Relations Commission; Nicole Chiu-Wang; Binder, Andrew; Reifschneider, James; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Gennady Sheyner; EPA Today; Diana Diamond; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Palo Alto Free Press; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Zelkha, Mila; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; josh@joshsalcman.com; board@pausd.org; Roberta Ahlquist; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Jeff Conrad; Lee, Craig; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Afanasiev, Alex; Raymond Goins; Gardener, Liz; Liz Kniss; Lotus Fong Subject:Re: How ICE Arrests Can Start With Police Stops — Even in Sanctuary Cities | The Marshall Project Date:Saturday, September 6, 2025 11:15:30 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ICE v IDF -can you connect the dots? Apparently NOT! Shame on you! Guess who the White Boy 4 are determined to make our next vice mayor, in 2026? Bonus points for anyone who comes up with the correct answer before the Palo Alto City Council meeting on Monday September 8. I will announce the winner or winners on Monday Night. Rabbi Henry E. Consider weighing in on our next Vice Mayor, for 2026 question. Others welcome to send me their guesses. Regards, Avram On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 9:09 AM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/09/05/florida-ice-arizona-police-colorado This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 331 Packet Pg. 619 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Mark Granovetter; Lotus Fong; Office of the Provost; Council, City; Hannah Lu; Jessica Riskin; Arthur Millman; Bette Kiernan; Veenker, Vicki; Raymond Goins; Human Relations Commission; Today EPA; Linda Jolley; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; District1@bos.sccgov.org; jessica@speiser.net; Supervisor Betty Duong; District5@bos.sccgov.org; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District3@sanjoseca.gov; Councilmember Chappie Jones; city.council@gilroy.org; cotton.gaines@cityofpaloalto.org; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Stephen Le; Gerry Gras; Gardener, Liz; Liz Kniss; Dave Price; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Josh Becker; board@pausd.org; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Yusra Hussain; Roberta Ahlquist; Palo Alto Free Press; Dave Price; Yolanda Conaway; Sheree Roth; Roberta Ahlquist; Donna Wallach; Diana Diamond; Emily Mibach; city.council@menlopark.gov; Perron, Zachary; Robert Salonga; Brandon Pho; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Jeff Hayden; Wagner, April; Braden Cartwright; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org Subject:Re: Ice in our town Date:Saturday, August 30, 2025 6:31:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i 8/30/2025 HI Henry, Julie's base is all ready in front of her. Per recent polls only 8% of Democrats now support the genocide in Gaza. It's Time for Julie to break from the remainder of the cowards on the Palo Alto City Council and proclaim: “End The Genocide Now” Avram Finkelstein Julie is an eminently practical politician who will not get an inch in front of her base suggest broaden strategy; On Sat, Aug 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: When her base moves; Julie will speak out like Marjorie, whose evangelical base overcame their ideological predelictions and were able to see human made hunger and respond, giving implicit support to speak out. Julie is an eminently practical politician who will not get an inch in front of her base suggest This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 332 Packet Pg. 620 of 896  experts to present comparative historical view of starvation strategies with a view to where Gaza does or doesn’t fit. In the Vietnam crisis, opening of 1969 academic year, Washington university faculty senate meeting called by Prof Barry commoner, put this strstegy, formulated in a resolution by a junior faculty member, forming university-labor business coalition to implement. Event at St. Louis teamsters hq had Daniel Ellsberg as one of its speakers. Who will be our “Barry Commoner” Convener? nominate Prof Condaleeza Rice, director Hoover Institute as most appropriate person by dint of academic and public service. Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice Www.triplehelix.net Sent from my iPhone On Aug 30, 2025, at 3:17 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  X, We have to keep encouraging Julie to speak-out. She did a great job with the ICE issue. I keep pushing Julie and the hapless vice mayor Vicki—to call out the Genocide. Maybe Julie never Vicki who has allowed AIPAC to pull her strings since Oct 7. As I have told Vicki multiple times: your obituary will read clever politician and great lawyer who remained silent as the Israelis continue to commit genocide. A woman with no soul. Its all about Vicki’s climb up the political ladder. Disgusting! Avram Finkelstein Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 333 Packet Pg. 621 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:Human Relations Commission; Council, City; Jeff Conrad; Reckdahl, Keith; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Rosen, Jeff; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Roberta Ahlquist; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; city.council@gilroy.org; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; Pacific GrovePD; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Nash, Betsy; dcombs@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; Binder, Andrew Subject:Re: Israel vs the Palestinians, peoplehood vs nationhood Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 10:21:21 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. i Henry, Well done, my Rabbi. Thank you for your profound words on this critical moral issue of our time. Avram P.S. When will Julie break her silence on the genocide? When will she demand that her pitiful colleagues agendize a cease-fire, almost two years after the Israeli genocide began? Will she ever live up to her potential?   For the record Jewish and Palestinian states were authorized by a 1947 United Nations Resolution, duly reported innNY Times paper of record. Recall the name Israel mooted by David Ben Gurion in a Tel Aviv motion picture theatre,serving as temporary Parliament aka Knesset. Most unfortunately, Arab Palestinians, perhaps due to lack of proto-government (Jewish Agency) did not follow a similar trajectory to realize the unique internationalization to form an official state but instead relied on a coalition of neighboring countries to attempt to take the entire former Ottomon Empire area known as Palestine, placed und British mandate by League of Nations (?) authority in the post World war one empire dissolution, this venture failed. After a ceasefire or two, punctuated by the Deir Yassin massacre last, initiating the “ethnic clensing project aka Nakhba, a relatively stable boundary emerged, subject to occasional raids, that held until the1967 war. [jump cut to today’s cowardly bombing with US tax payer supplied Lockheed Martin equipment, engineered by our neighbors. Who should speak out against the immoral use of their technical achievements that they surely believe should only be used for defense There is much to atone for this Yom Kippur including the failure, to date, of our city council to call for cease fire now, by resolution. Honor Palo Alto’s greatest, Herbert Hoover and follow his lead in sending food to starving peoples everywhere, not only Belgium but the Soviet Union, whose ideology he abhorred. Nevertheless, the great engineer came down on the same side as the latter day across the bay Black Panthers: Feed all the People, everyone. Humanity is one, is the promis immortalized on a bronze plaque in the San Francisco Opera House, commemorating the founding of the United Nations Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice 2024 candidate for Palo Alto City Council Www.triplehelix.net Sent from my iPhone On Sep 8, 2025, at 4:28 PM, Jeff Hayden <laptoplg@mac.com> wrote: Hello everyone, A very few people are generating a lot of emails. No one’s minds are being changed. Some of you participating are friends; others, I don’t know. No animosity to either side, just getting buried in a discussion of which I do not have a part. That said, can you please omit my name from future exchanges. Thank you. On Sep 8, 2025, at 4:23 PM, Donna Wallach <donnaisanactivist@gmail.com> wrote: Hello everyone, It has been clear for a while now I these emails exchanges that Martin Wasserman is totally closed off to any and all information, facts and truths about Palestine, Palestinians, Israel and Zionism. So I highly suggestthose of us who are struggling with every ounce we can muster to educate the people about the truth and to tear down the myths to stop responding to Martin by name and just direct our response to all the other people on this email that Aram James has started. Let's just ignore Martin Wasserman since he is a brick wall and just wants to continue to reiterate the myths that the Zionists have been spewing for decades. Donna Wallach "Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them." Assata Shakur Books you must read: "Against Our Better Judgement: The hidden history of how the U.S. was used to create Israel" by Alison Weir http://www.againstourbetterjudgment.com/ "State of Terror: How Terrorism Created Modern Israel" by Thomas Suarezhttp://thomassuarez.com/SoT.html "The Hundred Years War on Palestine" by Rashid Khalidi "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine" by Illan Pappé Free Palestine!Right of Return to Palestine for all Palestinians! Free all political prisoners! Mumia Abu-Jamal @mumiafreedomtour The Holy Land Five: Shukri Abu Baker Ghassan Elashi Mufid Abdulqader Abdulrahman Odeh Mohammad Elmezain https://www.mintpressnews.com/the-trial-and-conviction-of-the-holy-land-foundation-five/237440/ and thousands more End Solitary Confinement https://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com California Prison Focus http://newest.prisons.org/our_story End United $tates of Amerikkka invasions and occupations U.S. Government and UN Occupation Force Soldiers - Hands off Haiti!http://www.haitisolidarity.net/ Syria Solidarity Movement, Solidarity with the Syrian people https://syriasupportmovement.org Donna WallachDonnaIsAnActivist@gmail.com Instagram: @palestine_is_and_will_be_free Instagram: @donnawallach1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donna.wallach Twitter: @PalestineWillBe (cell) 408-569-6608 This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 334 Packet Pg. 622 of 896  Hello Salem, I appreciate the calm and reasoned tone of your message, and will certainly respond in the same way. Your discussion of the differences between peoplehood and nationhood is very interesting. Now let's consider how these concepts apply to Israel and the Palestinians. You say that Jews have had peoplehood for several millennia, but nationhood for only a few recent decades. This is not correct. Jews, who were then known as Israelites, first achieved nationhood around 1300 BC after a period of exile in Egypt. In addition to having all the characteristics of peoplehood, such as common ethnicity, and their own unique language and religion, they also had all the attributes of nationhood, including a unified government, functional institutions, a stable economy, defined borders, and the ability to defend those borders. The Jewish nation lasted about 800 years until it finally succumbed to foreign invaders. The Jews were cast into exile, but they continued to maintain their peoplehood. They actually managed to restore their nationhood a couple of times, but these efforts were short-lived, and they again went into exile. The most recent exile, brought about by their defeat at the hands of the Romans, lasted about 1900 years! But now the exile is over, or in the process of ending, and Jews have once again restored their nation in the same location it was at 3300 years ago, and they’re still speaking the same language and following the same religion. You say that Israel is a product of British colonialism. This is also not correct. Whatever interest the British may have had in having a Jewish state in the Middle East, the fact of the matter is that the Israelis achieved their own independence by fighting for it, with little or no help from the British or any other major power. Now let’s consider the Palestinians. We agree they've never been a nation. But what about their peoplehood? It's not easy to trace the ancestry of those who today identify as Palestinians. But considering the amount of demographic movement over the centuries, it seems very likely that most Palestinians are not descended from people who lived in Palestine 1000 or 2000 years ago, but are rather descended from people who came much later. During the Jewish exile, the region commonly called Palestine was very unproductive and sparsely populated. But when Jews started returning to the land in large numbers in the late 1800s, people came to the land from all over the Arab world in order to take advantage of the economic opportunities created by the Jews. These recent arrivals comprise the bulk of today's Palestinians. But they were still not a cohesive people or recognized as such by anybody, even in the Arab world. When Israel declared its independence, and the Arab nations were determined to destroy it before it could get started, no Arab nation recognized the Palestinians as a distinct people, or suggested that they should be given nationhood in the land instead of the Jews. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct people deserving of their own state was invented in the 1960s by Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (the parent organization of today’s Palestinian Authority), in collaboration with his mentors in the Soviet Union. Arafat, who was committed to Israel's destruction, said that the problem with the Palestinians was that they had no identity, but that he, Arafat, would give them an identity through conflict with Israel. In other words, the very basis of Palestinian peoplehood is opposition to Israel. They have none of the essential attributes of nationhood, and have never shown interest in developing any. But the goal of Palestinian nationalism is not to create a nation for the Palestinians. It's to create a justification for continuing warfare against Israel with the ultimate goal of destroying it Regards, Martin Wasserman On Sep 7, 2025, at 9:55 PM, Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com> wrote: Wasserman disingenuously, and perhaps intentionally, confuses nationhood with peoplehood. The latter--peoplehood--indicates common descent or ancestry, a shared history, a common language, shared traditions and customs and is almost always associated with a delineated geogrpahy. The latter--nationhood--is a relatively modern political/legal concept entailing sovereignty (a supreme governing authority independent of other sovereign authorities), a defined and recognized territory, governing institutions and structures and recognized as such by other sovereign authorities. Nationhood is often—but not always—based on a particular people. One of the cleanest examples of this might be Japan. On the other hand, the U.S. and Russia, not to mention Canada and Mexico, are nations, each consisting of many peoples. Jewish peoplehood pre-dates the Israeli nation by several millenia. Israel is a modern creation of British colonialism and European Zionism. Israeli nationhood is only decades old while Jewish peoplehood has existed for millenia. Jewish peoplehood would continue to exist with or without the Israeli nation. Palestinian Arabs are a people with millenia-long presence in the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea whose shared ancestry includes the Phillistines, the Canaanites, the Jews, and others who inhabited that region for millenia. It is noteworthy that the ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks and the Romans all had geographical designations for the Eastern Mediterranean coast derived from the name of the people—the Phillistines— who inhabited the coastal plain from roughly the area of Jaffa/Tel Aviv in the north to the Sinai Peninsula in the south. (Gaza, Isdud (Ashdod), Asqalan (Ashkelon) were are all Phillistine cities.) As early as the 12th century BCE, the Egyptian pharohs referred to the southern coastal region of the Eastern Mediterranean as Peleset. The ancient Greeks referred to it as Palistine' while referring to the broader region as Suria (Syria). The Romans referred to the broader region as Syria Palaestina. In keeping with the traditional usage, both the Arab Muslim and Ottoman rulers of the region referred to it as Filistin. This continued with the British Emprie which occupied the area in 1918 and established the British Mandate of Palestine. Over more than three millenia, the culture, language, traditions and customs of the peoples of this land evolved and melded. Christianity and Islam were adopted, adapted and integrated and Arabic, starting in the 8th century A.D. Increasingly became the dominant language, including the language of the Palestinian Jews. The genetic research indicates, the Arabs of Palestine and Jews (particularly Mizrachi Jews) are direct descendents of common Levantine ancestors, i.e the ancient peoples who inhabited the Eastern Mediterranean region west of the Jordan River. Palestinian peoplehood—rooted in the land of Palestine—is a millenia-old phenomenon whose modern manifestation is Palestinian Arab. Palestinian nationhood, on the other hand, is a project in the making. Zionists reject these fundamental realities and distinctions as they collide with an exclusivist mentality and a devotion to myth and a settler colonial project. Regards, Salem (For anyone who is serious about Zionism and anti-Zionism among Jews—in particular among Arab Jews--I highly recommend the work of Alon Mizrahi. Here is a sample:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZxmkgcvN68 ) From: Liz Gardner <gardnerjaqua@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, September 7, 2025 6:32 PM To: Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 335 Packet Pg. 623 of 896  Cc: Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com>; Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com>; Doug Minkler <dminkler@dminkler.com>; Shankar Ramamoorthy <shankar.ramamoorthy@gmail.com>; Gennady Sheyner <gsheyner@embarcaderomedia.org>; city.council@menlopark.gov <city.council@menlopark.gov>; Nash, Betsy <bnash@menlopark.gov>; Dana St. George <danasg@earthlink.net>; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com<jason.green@bayareanewsgroup.com>; Emily Mibach <emibach@padailypost.com>; Ed Lauing <elauing@equitysearchpartners.com>; Keith Reckdahl <reckdahl@yahoo.com>; Gerry Gras <gerrygras@earthlink.net>; Stump, Molly <molly.stump@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mila Zelkha <mila.zelkha@gmail.com>; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com> <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Henry Etzkowitz <H.Etzko@gmail.com>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org>; Liz Kniss <lizkniss@earthlink.net>; CityCouncil <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org>; Office of the Provost <provost@stanford.edu>; Rebecca Eisenberg <rebecca@rebecca4water.com>; Hannah Lu <hannahlu00@gmail.com>; Ed Shikada <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org>; Mariza Almeida <mariza.almeida@unirio.br>; Mark Granovetter <mgranovetter@gmail.com>; Mary Rorty <mrorty@gmail.com>; Arthur Millman <arthur.millman@umb.edu>; Guilherme Ary Plonski <plonski2@usp.br>; Julie Lythcott-Haims <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov>; George for Palo Alto <georgeforpaloalto@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni <ajluni@hotmail.com>; Donna Wallach <donnaisanactivist@gmail.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <roberta.ahlquist@sjsu.edu>; Lotus Fong <lyfong@pacbell.net>; Sean Allen <sallen6444@yahoo.com>; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg <supervisor.ellenberg@bos.sccgov.org>; Supervisor Otto Lee <supervisor.lee@bos.sccgov.org>; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov <assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov>; Supervisor Betty Duong <District2@bos.sccgov.org>; Josh Becker <becker.josh@gmail.com>; CityCouncil <CityCouncil@morganhill.ca.gov>; city.council@gilroy.org <city.council@gilroy.org>; District1@bos.sccgov.org <District1@bos.sccgov.org>; District5@bos.sccgov.org <District5@bos.sccgov.org>; board@pausd.org <board@pausd.org Jeff Conrad <jeff_conrad@msn.com>; Jeff Rosen <info@jeffrosen.org>; Jay Boyarsky <jboyarsky@dao.sccgov.org>; Dave Price <price@padailypost.com>; Braden Cartwright <bcartwright@padailypost.com>; Brandon Pho <brandon@sanjosespotlight.com>; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight <jennifer@sanjosespotlight.com>; Miguel Rodriguez <miguel.rodriguez@pdo.sccgov.org>; DuJuan Green <dujuang@sbcglobal.net>; Paul Bains <pbains7@projectwehope.com>; paul@peaceandjustice.org<paul@peaceandjustice.org>; Today EPA <epatoday@epatoday.org>; craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org<craig.lee@cityofpaloalto.org>; cromero@cityofepa.org <cromero@cityofepa.org>; Anna Griffin <griffinam@sbcglobal.net>; Anne Cribbs <acribbs@basoc.org>; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org <planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org>; ParkRec Commission <ParkRec.commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; board@valleywater.org <board@valleywater.org>; boardfeedback@smcgov.org <boardfeedback@smcgov.org>; Bill Newell <billnewell2850@gmail.com>; Raymond Goins <goinsrayl@gmail.com>; Vara Ramakrishnan <vara@acm.org>; ladoris cordell <ladoris@judgecordell.com>; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23 <jessica@speiser.net>; Dave Price <dprice@padailypost.com>; Planning Cmmission <Planning.Commission@cityofpaloalto.org>; BoardOperations <BoardOperations@cob.sccgov.org>; Donna Wallach <cats4jazz@gmail.com>; james pitkin <jamespitkin777@yahoo.com>; Sameena Usman <susman@cair.com>; Zahra Billoo <zbilloo@cair.com>; Dan Okonkwo <dokonkwo@dao.sccgov.org>; Human Relations Commission <hrc@cityofpaloalto.org>; Palo Alto Free Press <paloaltofreepress@gmail.com>; Jasso, Tamara <Tamara.Jasso@cityofpaloalto.org>; Raymond Goins <raymondleegoinsllc@gmail.com>; Carla Torres <xicanamagic@hotmail.com>; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu) <rsilvertaube@scu.edu>; Dennis Upton <kathy8420@qq.com>; dennis burns <dennis.r.burns@gmail.com>; Sheree Roth <ssroth29@gmail.com>; Salem Ajluni <sajluni@yahoo.com>; Cait James <caitlin.a.james@gmail.com>; Tim James <TJames@rsaplaw.com>; Marina Lopez <marinalopez8@gmail.com>; Josie James-Le <josiejamesle@gmail.com>; Lewis james <alphonse9947@gmail.com>; michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org <michael.foley@cityofpaloalto.org>; Angel, David <dangel@dao.sccgov.org>; Binder, Andrew <Andrew.Binder@cityofpaloalto.org>; Reifschneider, James <james.reifschneider@cityofpaloalto.org>; Jeff Hayden <laptoplg@mac.com>; Susan Hayase <shayase@onemain.com>; PD Kristina Bell <kbell@redwoodcity.org>; Pat M <p.marshall81@ymail.com>; Bill Armaline <warmali@yahoo.com>; Roberta Ahlquist <finnroberta@gmail.com> Subject: Re: A Zionist Cult Member Spouts His Racist Takking Points How someone having a say in their understanding of genecide of a people pressed between death bombs and starvation, result in a "leftist tactic"? Does this autocorrect Martin, as the rightest ? On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Aram, Calling something a nation doesn't make it one, and the Palestinians are very far from being a nation, no matter what declarations anybody makes at the UN. You accuse me of not dealing with facts, but the truth is, all of my posts are based on facts. If you think my facts are incorrect, you're free to rebut them with facts of your own. But you never do this, presumably because you don't have any facts of your own to rebut them with. Instead, you just engage in angry rants, personal insults, and name-calling. You also employ the old, worn out, leftist tactic of accusing anyone who disagrees with you of being a racist. Whenever you have nothing cogent to say, or you know you're losing the argument, you just accuse your opponent of racism, as if that tilts the dispute in your favor. Aram, my primary interest is truth. I have no problem being proved wrong if somebody can present sufficient evidence. But you seem to prefer emotional outbursts to honest and dispassionate analysis, which is why our exchanges are becoming so unproductive. Sincerely, Martin Wasserman On Sep 5, 2025, at 8:34 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/5/2025 Dr. Hussain: Martin is just spotting his usual Racist pro-Israel lobby talking points. He is a Zionist cult member who hasn’t been deprogrammed yet. In other words, he just can’t help himself. Martin ignores the inconvenience fact that 147 of the 193 members of the UN disagree with Martin. They proudly recognize Palestine as a nation. Oh, and a bunch more are soon to recognize Palestine in the next few months. They are sick and tired of hearing the endless lies of White Jewish Zionist Supremacist of the same repulsive Ilk as Martin. As my very Jewish dad used to say: “Some folks just don’t want to be disturbed by the facts.” As you can plainly see Martin suffers from a severe version of the don’t bother me with the facts syndrome. Avram “ One State Solution” Finkelstein As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 147 of the 193 member states of the United Nations, or just over 76% of all UN members. It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations General Assembly since November 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org International recognition of Palestine - Wikipedia Thank On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 7:22 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Yusra, Palestine does not have a rich and long history. That's part of the disinformation campaign. There has never been a nation called Palestine. The Palestinians themselves have never developed real national institutions or any other characteristics of a true nation. And the people who call themselves Palestinians are really no different ethnically, religiously or linguistically than other Arabs. The idea of Palestinians as a distinct national entity entitled to their own state was fabricated in the 1960s by PLO leader Yasser Arafat and his mentors in the Soviet Union for the sole purpose of raising a counterclaim to Israel's claim to the land, and justifying continued warfare against it. What we ultimately have is two different cultures, two very different ways of life, competing for the same piece of land. God will decide who gets it, and I'm confident He’ll make the right decision. Martin Wasserman > On Sep 5, 2025, at 5:22 PM, Yusra Hussain <yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: > > I'm not a historian, but David Ben-Gurion himself said "If I was an > Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel." He was Israel's > first Prime Minister, in 1956. Afterall Palestine has a rich and long > history but was occupied by Western hegemony and handed over to jewish > settlers. If anyone is interested in learning history of the Israeli > hegemony, please read "Ten Myths about Israel", by Ilan Pappe (a > Jewish historian), and "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine" by Rashid > Khalidi (A Palestinian American historian and Professor at Columbia > University). > > On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >> >> Hello Yusra, >> >> >> Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. >> >> >> Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. >> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 336 Packet Pg. 624 of 896  >> >> Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. >> >> >> You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. >> >> >> You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. >> >> >> Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. >> >> >> After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. >> >> >> On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. >> >> >> Best regards, >> >> Martin Wasserman >> >> >> >> On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. >> >> The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. >> The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. >> >> God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. >> I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. >> >> I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. >> You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. >> Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. >> >> Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” >> >> Best regards! >> >> Yusra >> >> >> Yusra Hussain, MD >> Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor >> Stanford University School of Medicine >> 805 El Camino Real # A >> Palo Alto, CA 94301 >> Office: 650-328-1676 >> Fax: 650-445-0911 >> Checkout: Protectmedicare.net >> >> On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>  >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> 9/4/2025 >>> >>> Hi Henry, >>> >>> Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. >>> >>> In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. >>> >>> That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. >>> >>> Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have >>> allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. >>> >>> Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein >>> >>> On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! >>>> >>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>> Etz Chaim member >>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 337 Packet Pg. 625 of 896  >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Henry, >>>> >>>> Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. >>>> >>>> Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. >>>> >>>> It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. >>>> >>>> I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. >>>> >>>> Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. >>>> >>>> True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. >>>> >>>> Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Marty >>>> >>>> >>>> On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Marty >>>> >>>> For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) >>>> as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans >>>> >>>> Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. >>>> >>>> Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ >>>> >>>> moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States >>>> >>>> Sincerely >>>> 3rd generation Zionist >>>> Hillel aka Henry >>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>> www.triple helix.net >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>  >>>> Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion >>>> >>>> Hi Julie, >>>> >>>> I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. >>>> >>>> At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> >>>> Aram >>>> >>>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. >>>>> >>>>> A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. >>>>> >>>>> Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. >>>>> >>>>> The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. >>>>> >>>>> Best regards, >>>>> Martin Wasserman >>>>> Concerned Citizen >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Dear Julie, >>>>> >>>>> Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, >>>>> Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. >>>>> >>>>> Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. >>>>> >>>>> Sincerely >>>>> >>>>> Henry Etzkowitz >>>>> Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice >>>>> 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council >>>>> www.triplehelix.net >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>  >>>>> But not as. Oh zero >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. >>>>>> Julie >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: >>>>> >>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 338 Packet Pg. 626 of 896  >>>>> Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, your supporter for a long time, >>>>> >>>>> Aram >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Julie Lythcott-Haims >>>>>> Palo Alto City Council Member >>>>>> Click to make an Office Hours appointment >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. >>>>>> >>>>>> ________________________________ >>>>>> >>>>>> Takes both >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>  >>>>>> Hi Henry, >>>>>> >>>>>> You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Correct >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>  >>>>>>> >>>>>>> FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> My dear brave friend Henry, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sleep well my friend, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Aram >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> dear Aram >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Sadly, >>>>>>>>> Henry >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model >>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> -- Liz Gardner Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 339 Packet Pg. 627 of 896  From:David Trounce To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Re: Letter in support for creating more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 10:08:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. > On Sep 15, 2025, at 21:57, David Trounce <trounce@gmail.com> wrote: > >  > Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, > > I live in Crescent Park, Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. > > Pickleball has quickly become a major part of the social and recreational life of our community. Our family has played with friends and neighbors, and we’ve seen firsthand how much fun and how accessible the game is for people of all ages. It is one of the few activities where teenagers, parents, and retirees can all participate together, and it creates a strong sense of community. > > The courts at Mitchell Park are already lively and well-used, and expanding the number available would allow more people to enjoy the sport without long waits. This is a great opportunity to support the health, social connection, and overall well-being of Palo Alto residents. > > Sincerely, > David Trounce > Crescent Park, Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 340 Packet Pg. 628 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Bette Kiernan; Josh Becker; Gardener, Liz; Liz Kniss; mickie winkler; Ray Tourzan; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Rebecca Eisenberg; Brian Good; Roseline Rasolovoahangy; Charlie Weidanz; M. Eyvaz; Avroh Shah; president@stanford.edu; Dave Price; Office of the Provost; Human Relations Commission; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Council, City; city.council@menlopark.gov; Ed Lauing; Reckdahl, Keith; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Vicki Veenker Subject:Re: Letter to the editor Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 10:05:32 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Excellent! My rabbi! Avram Finkelstein On Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 9:58 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> Date: September 8, 2025 at 9:53:17 AM PDT To: Gennady Sheyner <gsheyner@embarcaderomedia.org>, Ed Lauing <Ed.Lauing@cityofpaloalto.org>, Vicki Veenker <Vicki.Veenker@cityofpaloalto.org>, "Lythcott-Haims, Julie" <Julie.LythcottHaims@cityofpaloalto.org>, Emily Mibach <emibach@padailypost.com>, George for Palo Alto <georgeforpaloalto@gmail.com>, Keith Reckdahl <reckdahl@yahoo.com>, Pat Burt <pat@patburt.org>, Greg Tanaka <greg@gregtanaka.org>, Ellen Granovetter <elledino@yahoo.com>, WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto <wilpf.peninsula.paloalto@gmail.com> Cc: Palo Alto Weekly <letters@paweekly.com>, City Clerk <city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>, Ed Shikada <ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org>, Office of the Provost <provost@stanford.edu>, City Council <city.council@cityofpaloalto.org> Subject: Letter to the editor Most Caltrain Deaths Aren’t Teens This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 341 Packet Pg. 629 of 896  than assumed, necessitates a more fundamental solution than track watch by volunteers or municipal employees. Just as nets alongside the Golden Gate Bridge removed the possibility of fatal leaps, tunneling Caltrain would have a similar live saving result. Gated train access as in the Tokyo subway would preclude moving the problem underground while increasing above ground neighboring property values and allow creation of a linear park. A regional district modeled on the highly successful mid twentieth century “Save the bay” precedent, with bonding authority and a share of the increased land values, could provide a funding pathway. Let’s give area vice mayors remit to flesh out the concept. Silicon Valley’s advances in private initiative can be translated into public purpose. Let’s catch up to New York’s transformation of fourth into Park Avenue! If the above arguments do not suffice; put yourself in the place of a traumatized train engineer. Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council Www.triplehelix.net Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 342 Packet Pg. 630 of 896  From:Marian To:papc.secretary@gmail.com; Council, City; ParkRec Commission Subject:Re: Palo Alto Pickleball expansion Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 11:11:46 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I am a 60 something year old mother living in Palo Alto for over 30 years. I am very thankful to this great town of ours with its wonderful resources that my children and our family. Pickleball was a relatively new to me when I first invited to play at Mitchell Park about 3 years ago and I have to say that I was immensely and positively impacted by the sport in a myriad of ways which no other single sport could fit the role. As echoing with my husband , I also found this sport particularly fun, yet has a low barrier to learning the sport that it can draw people of all ages and stages. The friendliness of the Mitchell players and organizers made it easy to drop in to play, while all the more I found myself getting more kinetic exercise, vitamin D and fresh air from playing outdoors without the feel of a ‘forced exercise’ program. I usually am very lazy to move but I am motivated to play pickleball consistently so my husband is very excited and happy to see me moving i to better health ! Socially people were caring, encouraging and welcoming, and lots of smiles and laughter can be heard at the courts. I This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 343 Packet Pg. 631 of 896  now feel lighter and able to move easier while playing pickleball. My legs are stronger and the pain in my arches n feet has disappeared and I think it is due to muscles being built from exercising regularly. I’m sure for my case there are many in the same boat, and no wonder in a Netflix documentary that I watched with my husband. It showed that studied several global towns around the world for the secret to longevity, one of the towns features a senior community in SoCal playing … you guessed it …. Pickleball. The spreading of the sport to a younger generation in Palo Alto schools and youth programs in the past year is another important reason to let the growth of the sport stipulate the allocation of city resources for the next generation. I was pleasantly surprised that my and many of my friends' kids are getting into the sport, and just today, they told me they want to get better at it. I can’t think of another free activity in Palo Alto that has the ability to draw people of many life stages to a single public space in a daily setting, where boomers could be chatting and playing friendly games with Gen Zs. Marian Seah Louis Rd, Mid town Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 344 Packet Pg. 632 of 896  From:Aram James To:Binder, Andrew; Jeff Rosen; Reifschneider, James; Sean Allen; Jay Boyarsky; Raymond Goins; PD Kristina Bell; city.council@gilroy.org; CityCouncil; Council, City; Foley, Michael; Gardener, Liz; city.council@menlopark.gov; Clerk, City; Gerry Gras; GRP-City Council; Baker, Rob; Dave Price; Braden Cartwright; Gennady Sheyner; EPA Today; DuJuan Green; dennis burns; Barberini, Christopher; Enberg, Nicholas; Wagner, April; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Robert. Jonsen; Seher Awan; Stump, Molly; Nicole Chiu-Wang; board@pausd.org; Bill Newell; Dana St. George; Kaloma Smith; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Yolanda Conaway; Rowena Chiu; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; walter wilson; Doug Minkler; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Diana Diamond; Perron, Zachary; Alex Etzkowitz; h.etzko@gmail.com; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Human Relations Commission; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Ed Lauing; Jasso, Tamara; Lotus Fong; Rodriguez, Miguel; Roberta Ahlquist; Robert Salonga; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Friends of Cubberley; Pat M; james pitkin Subject:Re: Public Records Request :: W007004-091025 Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 8:46:07 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM Prior, Christine <Christine.Prior@paloalto.gov> wrote: Dear Aram, I am writing in response to your requests for documents under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code § 7920.000 et seq.) received by the City on 9/10/2025. Your request mentioned: I would like all timesheets/timecards for Police Chief Ander Binder, from when he was appointed Chief in August 2022-Present. I would also like any and all documents pertaining to who oversees and approves the Police Chiefs Attendance. Lastly, I would like to know how many hours per week the Police Chief spends working remotely or at home in Morgan Hill vs. In Office. Please send me the documents via PDF. Thank you. Response: The City has reviewed its files and has located records responsive to your request. Please log in to the Records Center at the following LINK to retrieve the appropriate response. As indicated in the employment agreement, the Chief of Police is overseen by the City Manager. Personnel, medical, or similar files have been excluded pursuant to Penal Code section 832.7 and Gov. Code section 7927.700. There are no responsive records to the other portions of the request. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 345 Packet Pg. 633 of 896  If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this further, please contact me. Sincerely, Christine Prior Deputy City Clerk Office of the City Clerk Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 346 Packet Pg. 634 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Reckdahl, Keith; Ed Lauing; Lori Meyers; Gennady Sheyner; Sheree Roth; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Doug Minkler; Rodriguez, Miguel; Daniel Barton; Damon Silver; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Zelkha, Mila; Lotus Fong; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Jeff Hayden; Bill Newell; Palo Alto Free Press; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; editor@almanacnews.com; Lauing, Ed; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Roberta Ahlquist; editor@paweekly.com; Rowena Chiu; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; Councilmember Chappie Jones; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District9@sanjoseca.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District3@sanjoseca.gov; Diana Diamond; Emily Mibach; Gerry Gras; Gardener, Liz; District5@bos.sccgov.org; BoardOperations; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Jay Boyarsky; Baker, Rob; Robert Salonga; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; EPA Today; Rowena Chiu; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Braden Cartwright; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Salem Ajluni; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto Cc:Tim James; Cait James; Marina Lopez; Lewis james; Josie James-Le; Yolanda Conaway Subject:Re: Some Coverage of Gaza Protest and Press Conference Action, San Jose, 20 August 2025 Date:Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:25:28 PM Attachments:image002.png image003.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LNX8BudGX2A LOCAL NEWS News Activists gather in San Jose to call for end to funds for Israel ‘What is happening in Gaza is undeniable and unconscionable,’ said Salem Ajluni, a board member of Human Agenda This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 347 Packet Pg. 635 of 896  Supporters hold signs as they listen to a speaker at a press conference organized by the Solidarity & Unity Network about Gazaoutside of the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) By CAELYN PENDER | cpender@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group UPDATED: August 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM PDT SAN JOSE — Community leaders and activists gathered Wednesday outside the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building to call on the United States government to stop sending funds to Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas. The protest and press conference was hosted by the Solidarity and Unity Network, a network of 24 nonprofits in the Santa Clara Valley. Ahead of the speakers, a group of a dozen protestors walked in circles holding signs reading “Help end genocide act now!!” and “Stop U.S. military aid to Israel.” “What is happening in Gaza is undeniable and unconscionable,” said Salem Ajluni, a board member of Human Agenda, one of the groups represented. “For more than 22 months, Israel has subjected Gaza to some of the most intensive bombing and siege ever inflicted on a civilian population.” The group called on the U.S. government to halt funding for the Israeli military and for local elected officials to “do their parts in ending U.S. material and political support for Israeli crimes,” Ajluni said. They also called on media organizations to “fulfill their public interest function” by “highlighting and Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 348 Packet Pg. 636 of 896  challenging those directly and indirectly complicit in crimes against humanity in Palestine.” “Silence on this matter, especially on the part of those with the power to stop Israel’s siege and starvation, is tantamount to complicity,” Ajluni said. Ajluni also read a message from State Assemblymember Alex Lee: “The genocide and war crimes inflicted on Gaza by the war regime of Israel is horrendous.” Celeste Walker, district director for Assemblymember Ash Kalra, read a statement on his behalf, calling the war in Gaza the “greatest brutalization of children that any generation has seen.” Kalra called for a “complete end” to the war in Gaza, adding it is “the least we can do until a permanent, free, secure Palestine becomes a reality.” “We are not just complicit in this. We are the perpetrators. It is American bombs that are destroying Gaza, that have killed over 19,000 children and tens of thousands in total,” Kalra’s statement read. “The Gaza Strip is smaller than San Jose, and yet, even amongst the rubble, the Israeli military is killing those showing up for aid, providing medical care and even those who are reporting on the atrocities.” Zahra Billoo, director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’s Bay Area office, said that “we cannot and we will not be silent.” “Let’s be clear, this is not a conflict. This is not a war. This is a genocide, and yet our government continues to fund it, while right here in our neighborhoods in California, people cannot access housing or medical care,” Billoo said. “This is not about security. This is not about democracy. This is about our government and our elected officials repeatedly putting Israel first. U.S. policies, U.S. weapons and U.S. dollars are enabling Israel’s war crimes.” Raj Jayadev, coordinator of Silicon Valley DeBug, lead a chant of “free Gaza now.” He discussed how Silicon Valley is a “strategically valuable part of the world” that was “born from contracts for military equipment” and “has a history of arming wars,” adding that residents are duty bound to call out the complicity of those with political and economic power in the region. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 349 Packet Pg. 637 of 896  1 of 5 Manny, did not give last name, from San Jose, marches during a pro-Palestinian protest organized by the Solidarity & Unity Network outside of the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) “There is no struggle that will say more about us, those that lived through this time period, regardless of age, status, where you live on this planet, about how we acted to defend the rights of the Palestinians, and how we spoke and acted for the fight of not only just the survival of the Palestinian people, but their liberation as well,” Jayadev said. Will Armaline of the SJSU Faculty Association called the war in Gaza “a humanitarian catastrophe choice.” “The U.S. government has the power to stop it. It’s our responsibility, particularly those of us in Silicon Valley,” Armaline said. “This valley is at the heart of the global military industrial complex, whether it’s raining (bombs) down in occupied territories or raining down later in Latin America, as we’re now threatening to do today, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that this is stopped immediately.” Wendy Greenfield, the co-founder of Jewish Voice for Peace’s South Bay chapter, encouraged attendees to turn “grief into action” by contacting congressional representatives. She urged support for HR 3565, which would withhold weapons transfers to Israel until it complies with international and U.S. law, HR 2411, which would restore funding to the United Nations Relief Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 350 Packet Pg. 638 of 896  and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, and HR 3045, which would impose sanctions on individuals who threaten the security of the West Bank, she said. “Please thank the co-sponsors of these bills and urge the other representatives to save lives by co-sponsoring them immediately,” Greenfield said. “We have the power to make them move. All of us who are here need to spread the word. Let’s use it.” Originally Published: August 20, 2025 at 3:40 PM PDT ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: 'Salem Ajluni' via Human Agenda Board <human-agenda-board@googlegroups.com> To: Salem Ajluni <sajluni@yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2025 at 08:56:52 AM PDT Subject: Emergency Protest Against the Siege and Starvation of Gaza, Wednesday, August 20, 2025, San Jose, 11:30 a.m. Unquestionable and Unconscionable: End the Israeli Siege and Starvation of Gaza! An Emergency Community Protest and Press Conference The Solidarity and Unity Network of Community Organizations is initiating a protest against the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, to protest U.S. funding and political support for Israel’s actions and to demand elected officials speak out and act to end the siege and starvation of Gaza. Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Place: Federal Building, 280 South First Street, San Jose Time: 11:30 for protest; 12:00 noon for press conference Please distribute. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Human Agenda Board" group. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 351 Packet Pg. 639 of 896  To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to human-agenda- board+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/human-agenda- board/2146610117.1086029.1755532598097%40mail.yahoo.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 352 Packet Pg. 640 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Reckdahl, Keith; Ed Lauing; Lori Meyers; Gennady Sheyner; Sheree Roth; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Doug Minkler; Rodriguez, Miguel; Daniel Barton; Damon Silver; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Zelkha, Mila; Lotus Fong; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Jeff Hayden; Bill Newell; Palo Alto Free Press; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; editor@almanacnews.com; Lauing, Ed; Shikada, Ed; Stump, Molly; Roberta Ahlquist; editor@paweekly.com; Rowena Chiu; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; Councilmember Chappie Jones; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District9@sanjoseca.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District3@sanjoseca.gov; Diana Diamond; Emily Mibach; Gerry Gras; Gardener, Liz; District5@bos.sccgov.org; BoardOperations; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Jay Boyarsky; Baker, Rob; Robert Salonga; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; EPA Today; Rowena Chiu; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Reckdahl, Keith; Ruth Silver Taube (rsilvertaube@scu.edu); Braden Cartwright; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Salem Ajluni; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto Subject:Re: Some Coverage of Gaza Protest and Press Conference Action, San Jose, 20 August 2025 Date:Thursday, August 21, 2025 4:27:17 PM Attachments:image002.png image003.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Thu, Aug 21, 2025 at 4:24 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LNX8BudGX2A LOCAL NEWS News Activists gather in San Jose to call for end to funds for Israel ‘What is happening in Gaza is undeniable and This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 353 Packet Pg. 641 of 896  unconscionable,’ said Salem Ajluni, a board member of Human Agenda Supporters hold signs as they listen to a speaker at a press conference organized by the Solidarity & Unity Network about Gaza outside of the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) By CAELYN PENDER | cpender@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group UPDATED: August 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM PDT SAN JOSE — Community leaders and activists gathered Wednesday outside the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building to call on the United States government to stop sending funds to Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas. The protest and press conference was hosted by the Solidarity and Unity Network, a network of 24 nonprofits in the Santa Clara Valley. Ahead of the speakers, a group of a dozen protestors walked in circles holding signs reading “Help end genocide act now!!” and “Stop U.S. military aid to Israel.” “What is happening in Gaza is undeniable and unconscionable,” said Salem Ajluni, a board member of Human Agenda, one of the groups represented. “For more than 22 months, Israel has subjected Gaza to some of the most intensive bombing and siege ever inflicted on a civilian population.” The group called on the U.S. government to halt funding for the Israeli Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 354 Packet Pg. 642 of 896  military and for local elected officials to “do their parts in ending U.S. material and political support for Israeli crimes,” Ajluni said. They also called on media organizations to “fulfill their public interest function” by “highlighting and challenging those directly and indirectly complicit in crimes against humanity in Palestine.” “Silence on this matter, especially on the part of those with the power to stop Israel’s siege and starvation, is tantamount to complicity,” Ajluni said. Ajluni also read a message from State Assemblymember Alex Lee: “The genocide and war crimes inflicted on Gaza by the war regime of Israel is horrendous.” Celeste Walker, district director for Assemblymember Ash Kalra, read a statement on his behalf, calling the war in Gaza the “greatest brutalization of children that any generation has seen.” Kalra called for a “complete end” to the war in Gaza, adding it is “the least we can do until a permanent, free, secure Palestine becomes a reality.” “We are not just complicit in this. We are the perpetrators. It is American bombs that are destroying Gaza, that have killed over 19,000 children and tens of thousands in total,” Kalra’s statement read. “The Gaza Strip is smaller than San Jose, and yet, even amongst the rubble, the Israeli military is killing those showing up for aid, providing medical care and even those who are reporting on the atrocities.” Zahra Billoo, director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’s Bay Area office, said that “we cannot and we will not be silent.” “Let’s be clear, this is not a conflict. This is not a war. This is a genocide, and yet our government continues to fund it, while right here in our neighborhoods in California, people cannot access housing or medical care,” Billoo said. “This is not about security. This is not about democracy. This is about our government and our elected officials repeatedly putting Israel first. U.S. policies, U.S. weapons and U.S. dollars are enabling Israel’s war crimes.” Raj Jayadev, coordinator of Silicon Valley DeBug, lead a chant of “free Gaza now.” He discussed how Silicon Valley is a “strategically valuable part of the world” that was “born from contracts for military equipment” and “has a history of arming wars,” adding that residents are duty bound to call out the complicity of those with political and economic power in the region. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 355 Packet Pg. 643 of 896  1 of 5 Manny, did not give last name, from San Jose, marches during a pro-Palestinian protest organized by the Solidarity & Unity Network outside of the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) “There is no struggle that will say more about us, those that lived through this time period, regardless of age, status, where you live on this planet, about how we acted to defend the rights of the Palestinians, and how we spoke and acted for the fight of not only just the survival of the Palestinian people, but their liberation as well,” Jayadev said. Will Armaline of the SJSU Faculty Association called the war in Gaza “a humanitarian catastrophe choice.” “The U.S. government has the power to stop it. It’s our responsibility, particularly those of us in Silicon Valley,” Armaline said. “This valley is at the heart of the global military industrial complex, whether it’s raining (bombs) down in occupied territories or raining down later in Latin America, as we’re now threatening to do today, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that this is stopped immediately.” Wendy Greenfield, the co-founder of Jewish Voice for Peace’s South Bay chapter, encouraged attendees to turn “grief into action” by contacting congressional representatives. She urged support for HR 3565, which would withhold weapons transfers to Israel until it complies with international and U.S. law, HR 2411, which would restore funding to the United Nations Relief Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 356 Packet Pg. 644 of 896  and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, and HR 3045, which would impose sanctions on individuals who threaten the security of the West Bank, she said. “Please thank the co-sponsors of these bills and urge the other representatives to save lives by co-sponsoring them immediately,” Greenfield said. “We have the power to make them move. All of us who are here need to spread the word. Let’s use it.” Originally Published: August 20, 2025 at 3:40 PM PDT ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: 'Salem Ajluni' via Human Agenda Board <human-agenda-board@googlegroups.com> To: Salem Ajluni <sajluni@yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2025 at 08:56:52 AM PDT Subject: Emergency Protest Against the Siege and Starvation of Gaza, Wednesday, August 20, 2025, San Jose, 11:30 a.m. Unquestionable and Unconscionable: End the Israeli Siege and Starvation of Gaza! An Emergency Community Protest and Press Conference The Solidarity and Unity Network of Community Organizations is initiating a protest against the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, to protest U.S. funding and political support for Israel’s actions and to demand elected officials speak out and act to end the siege and starvation of Gaza. Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Place: Federal Building, 280 South First Street, San Jose Time: 11:30 for protest; 12:00 noon for press conference Please distribute. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Human Agenda Board" group. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 357 Packet Pg. 645 of 896  To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to human-agenda- board+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/human-agenda- board/2146610117.1086029.1755532598097%40mail.yahoo.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 358 Packet Pg. 646 of 896  From:Aram James To:Julie Lythcott-Haims; Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Veenker, Vicki; Keith Reckdahl; Ed Lauing; Gennady Sheyner; Jeff Conrad; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Dave Price; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; marc.berman@cityofpaloalto.com; Human Relations Commission; Bill Newell; Jeff Rosen; yolanda; Roberta Ahlquist; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission Subject:Re: They’re trying to censure me for speaking out about Palestine. Date:Saturday, September 6, 2025 5:26:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject:They’re trying to censure me for speaking out about Palestine. Date:Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:33:17 +0000 (UTC) From:Rashida Tlaib via RootsAction <info@rootsaction.org> Reply-To:info@rootsaction.org To:gerrygras@earthlink.net This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 359 Packet Pg. 647 of 896  Hi Gerald, A war-mongering Republican Congressmember is trying to bully me into silence by introducing a new measure to censure me for speaking up against the genocide of the Palestinian people. I’m being targeted for my speech at this weekend’s People’s Conference for Palestine in my home city of Detroit—where I called out the majority of my colleagues in Congress who keep voting for genocide while ignoring the overwhelming majority of Americans who are demanding an arms embargo. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 360 Packet Pg. 648 of 896  They can censure me, but they can’t censure everyone who’s working toward Palestinian liberation. During August’s congressional recess, people across the country came to town halls to demand their representatives stop funding and arming genocide. Our movement is growing, and we won’t let warmongers silence us or stop our efforts to save lives. The more they try to suppress us, the more we need to get louder and more courageous. Will you chip in $5, $15, or more to show that we won’t be silenced and we aren’t going anywhere? PUSH BACK AGAINST CENSURE Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 361 Packet Pg. 649 of 896  At the People’s Conference for Palestine last weekend, I welcomed people to the city that raised me and spoke about how the U.S. government doesn’t value human life, in our country or abroad. I explained that as a daughter of Detroit, it’s no surprise to me that our government—which is complicit in war crimes including enabling forced starvation and supplying bombs that are dropped on Gaza’s hospitals and schools —is also defunding Americans’ food assistance and healthcare while turning its military forces on people in U.S. cities. Detroit, the biggest majority-Black city in the country, has shown me how to fight for civil rights and justice. My neighbors have experienced U.S. troops on our streets, and they’ve risen up and birthed movements. Detroit’s community Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 362 Packet Pg. 650 of 896  mothers have taught me that our political institutions won’t save us or free our people: We will do that. Social change comes from organizing in our communities and pushing these institutions to do what is right. Our movement is working: More Democrats in Congress are swearing off AIPAC funding, and more Democrats are supporting policies to restrict U.S. military aid to Israel’s government. But most elected leaders are still deeply out of touch with their constituents. For example, last week the Democratic National Committee voted down a resolution for an arms embargo—even though a poll came out beforehand showing that 75 percent of Democratic voters and 60 percent of all U.S. voters oppose sending more military aid to Israel.1 This recent Quinnipiac University poll also found that 77 percent of Democrats and half of all U.S. voters say Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. I will keep pushing our government to stand with the American people and stop the Israeli government’s genocide of Palestinians. I will continue defending human rights at home and abroad, including our constitutional right to protest against genocide. Recently, I went to the University of Michigan to join student activists and workers who are being punished by the public university for their pro-Palestine advocacy. Dissent is critical in a democracy—and academic freedom is part of it. Can you push back against attempts to silence me and our movement, and stand up for our right to dissent, by donating today? If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation -- split evenly between Rashida Tlaib and RootsAction.org -- will go through immediately: Chip in $10 Chip in $27 Chip in $50 Chip in $100 Chip in $200 Another Amount Thank you so much. Together we will keep fighting for our rights and for the safety and dignity of all people. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 363 Packet Pg. 651 of 896  With you in the fight, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, via RootsAction 1. Majority Of Voters Oppose Deploying National Guard To D.C., Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Support Drops For U.S. Military Aid To Israel As 50% Think Israel Is Committing Genocide In Gaza Read more about foreign policy at Progressive Hub. Support the RootsAction Education Fund through Legacy and Planned Giving. RootsAction.org Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from RootsAction, please click here. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 364 Packet Pg. 652 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 365 Packet Pg. 653 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Council, City; Clerk, City; city.council@gilroy.org; citycouncil@nenlopark.org; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Ed Lauing; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Dave Price; Gennady Sheyner; editor@almanacnews.com; editor@paweekly.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Perron, Zachary; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; Enberg, Nicholas; Nicole Chiu-Wang; Rowena Chiu; Roberta Ahlquist; Baker, Rob; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Raymond Goins; Liz Kniss; Gardener, Liz; Veenker, Vicki; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Jasso, Tamara; Shikada, Ed; Ruth Silver Taube; Stump, Molly; Sean Allen; sean james; Lewis james; Lewis James; Reifschneider, James; Cait James; Tim James; Marina Lopez; Reckdahl, Keith; Human Relations Commission; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; EPA Today; cromero@cityofepa.org; kelly.ramirez@cityofgilroy.org; Raymond Goins; Barberini, Christopher; Councilmember Chappie Jones; chuck jagoda; Charisse Domingo; Diana Diamond; dennis burns; Dennis Upton; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Bill Newell; PD Kristina Bell; Wagner, April; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Lu, George; DuJuan Green; Pat M; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Rodriguez, Miguel; Zelkha, Mila; Damon Silver; Carla Torres; sharon jackson; Sheree Roth; Lori Meyers; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Steve Wagstaffe; Preminger, Steve; Vara Ramakrishnan; Jose Valle; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; District3@sanjoseca.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Palo Alto Free Press; Friends of Cubberley; Supervisor Betty Duong; board@pausd.org; board@valleywater.org; Josh Becker; Burt, Patrick; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov Subject:Re: Time for city council to condemn the genocide in Palestine and Demand a permanent end to any aid for Israel. Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 2:39:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i From the archives of Aram Janes This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 366 Packet Pg. 654 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 367 Packet Pg. 655 of 896  From:Chenchen Irene Zhang To:Library Director Cc:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Re: Urgent Concern: Proposed Pickleball Court Expansion Adjacent to Mitchell Park Library Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 12:44:34 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Sorry wrong email address for city council in the previous email. Sent from my iPhone On Aug 27, 2025, at 12:31 PM, Chenchen Irene Zhang <chenchen.zhang@gmail.com> wrote:  Dear library director, I am writing to you today as a concerned parent and regular patron of theMitchell Park Library to urgently raise an issue that I believe directly threatensthe library's mission, the safety of its patrons, and the quality of life in ourneighborhood. At the recent city meeting, a proposal was supported to convert two moretennis courts immediately adjacent to the library into eight pickleball courts.This is in addition to 15 pickleball courts already causing significant issues.(Please see attached map for details) There are indications that the long-termplan is to convert all four tennis courts into a 16-court pickleball complexdirectly beside the library. We are already experiencing severe negative impacts from the existingpickleball activity: This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 368 Packet Pg. 656 of 896  1. Noise Pollution: The constant, sharp "pop" sound of pickleball is highlydisruptive. This noise fundamentally conflicts with the library's need for aquiet atmosphere conducive to reading, studying, and concentration.This will only be exponentially worse with 8 or 16 courts. 2. Parking Crisis: The existing courts have already made the library parkinglot unusable for its intended purpose during peak hours. My high schooldaughters, and many other students, cannot find parking during criticaltimes like final exam weeks. Patrons, including seniors and families withyoung children, are being displaced by sports users. 3. Safety Hazard: The increased traffic from a large sports complex createsa dangerous environment for the children, teenagers, and families whowalk and bike to the library. The congestion of cars circling for parkingand the high volume of coming-and-going vehicles pose a significantsafety risk. My questions for you, as the stewards of our library, are: What is the official stance of the Mitchell Park Librarymanagement on this proposed expansion? Has the library systembeen formally consulted on a plan that will so drastically affect itsoperations and environment? How do you plan to ensure the library remains a quiet, safe, andaccessible place for study and learning in the face of this intensecommercial-grade sports activity? What measures will be taken to guarantee the safety of childrennavigating a parking lot overwhelmed by non-library traffic? Has there been a formal noise or traffic impact studycommissioned that considers the unique proximity to a public library? The library is a vital community resource for learning and quiet contemplation.Allowing it to be surrounded by a massive sports complex undermines its verypurpose. I urge you to formally oppose this plan and advocate for a moresuitable location for pickleball expansion—one that does not come at theexpense of our students, readers, and the library's peaceful environment. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 369 Packet Pg. 657 of 896  Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter. I look forward toyour response. Respectfully Chenchen Zhang 2612 Cowper st Palo Alto CA 94306 Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 370 Packet Pg. 658 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Binder, Andrew; Aram James; Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Dave Price; Gennady Sheyner; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Emily Mibach; GRP-City Council; PD Kristina Bell; Jeff Rosen; Rosen, Jeff; Jay Boyarsky; Robert. Jonsen; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Wagner, April; EPA Today; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Raymond Goins; Raymond Goins; Yolanda Conaway; Barberini, Christopher; Enberg, Nicholas; Afanasiev, Alex; Human Relations Commission; Roberta Ahlquist; city.council@menlopark.gov; city.council@gilroy.org; Perron, Zachary; CityCouncil; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Foley, Michael; Palo Alto Free Press; Drekmeier, Peter; Sean Allen; Pat M; Julie Lythcott- Haims; Reckdahl, Keith; editor@almanacnews.com; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; DuJuan Green; dennis burns; Baker, Rob; Friends of Cubberley; mike braxton; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Stump, Molly; Bryan Gobin; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Lotus Fong; Liz Kniss; Gardener, Liz; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Henry Etzkowitz Subject:Re: [Records Center] Public Records Request :: W007004-091025 Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 1:04:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. i On Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM Palo Alto Public Records Center <paloaltoca@mycusthelp.net> wrote: Attachments: Approval_of_Appointment_and_Employment_Agreement_with_Andrew_Binder_as_Chief_of_Police.pdf --- Please respond above this line --- 09/11/2025 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of September 10, 2025, Reference # W007004-091025 Dear Aram, I am writing in response to your requests for documents under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code § 7920.000 et seq.) received by the City on 9/10/2025. Your request mentioned: I would like all timesheets/timecards for Police Chief Ander Binder, from when he was appointed Chief in August 2022-Present. I would also like any This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 371 Packet Pg. 659 of 896  Lastly, I would like to know how many hours per week the Police Chief spends working remotely or at home in Morgan Hill vs. In Office. Please send me the documents via PDF. Thank you. Response: The City has reviewed its files and has located records responsive to your request. Please log in to the Records Center at the following LINK to retrieve the appropriate response. As indicated in the employment agreement, the Chief of Police is overseen by the City Manager. Personnel, medical, or similar files have been excluded pursuant to Penal Code section 832.7 and Gov. Code section 7927.700. There are no responsive records to the other portions of the request. If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this further, please contact me. Sincerely, Christine Prior Deputy City Clerk Office of the City Clerk To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the [NAMEOFSYSTEM] Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 372 Packet Pg. 660 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Yusra Hussain; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Liz Kniss Cc:Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Gardener, Liz; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Gerry Gras; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Nash, Betsy; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; city.council@menlopark.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Rodriguez, Miguel; Marty Wasserman; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; Paul George @ PPJC; EPA Today; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan Subject:Re: immoral or Amoral United front? Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 11:57:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. i On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/4/2025 Hi Henry, Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 373 Packet Pg. 661 of 896  Marty On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! Henry Etzkowitz Etz Chaim member www.triplehelix.net On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. Marty On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Marty You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless Sent from my iPhone On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 374 Packet Pg. 662 of 896  leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. Regards, Marty On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Marty Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 375 Packet Pg. 663 of 896  For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States Sincerely 3rd generation Zionist Hillel aka Henry Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice www.triple helix.net Sent from my iPhone On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Subject: Ceasefire Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 376 Packet Pg. 664 of 896  Resolution Discussion Hi Julie, I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. Best, Aram On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote:Dear Julie, As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 377 Packet Pg. 665 of 896  resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 378 Packet Pg. 666 of 896  needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. Best regards, Martin Wasserman Concerned Citizen On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Julie, Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on investment, on the one Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 379 Packet Pg. 667 of 896  hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 380 Packet Pg. 668 of 896  inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 381 Packet Pg. 669 of 896  Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council www.triplehelix.net On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: But not as. Oh zero On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott- Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 382 Packet Pg. 670 of 896  in a public forum. Julie Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 383 Packet Pg. 671 of 896  Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. Thanks, your supporter for a long time, Aram Julie Lythcott- Haims Palo Alto City Council Member Click to make an Office Hours appointment Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 384 Packet Pg. 672 of 896  On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: CAUTION:Thisemailoriginatedfromoutsideoftheorganization.Becautiousofopeningattachmentsandclickingonlinks. Takes both Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Henry, You say things so poetically!! Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 385 Packet Pg. 673 of 896  Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Correct Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection Sent from my Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 386 Packet Pg. 674 of 896  iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  FYI: Brian — here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: My dear brave friend Henry, Julie came Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 387 Packet Pg. 675 of 896  closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" As Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 388 Packet Pg. 676 of 896  MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” Sleep well my friend, Aram P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: dear Aram Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 389 Packet Pg. 677 of 896  Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. Sadly, Henry Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 390 Packet Pg. 678 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 391 Packet Pg. 679 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Gardener, Liz; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Yusra Hussain; Gerry Gras; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Nash, Betsy; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; city.council@menlopark.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Rodriguez, Miguel; Marty Wasserman; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; Paul George @ PPJC; EPA Today; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan Subject:Re: immoral or Amoral United front? Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 11:49:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. i 9/4/2025 Hi Henry, Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? Marty This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 392 Packet Pg. 680 of 896  On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! Henry Etzkowitz Etz Chaim member www.triplehelix.net On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. Marty On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Marty You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless Sent from my iPhone On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 393 Packet Pg. 681 of 896  establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be quiet. Of course, while Gaza was being quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. Regards, Marty On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Marty Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 394 Packet Pg. 682 of 896  For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self-immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States Sincerely 3rd generation Zionist Hillel aka Henry Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice www.triple helix.net Sent from my iPhone On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 395 Packet Pg. 683 of 896  Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion Hi Julie, I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro-Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be a true demonstration of democracy in action. Best, Aram On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote:Dear Julie, As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill-conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 396 Packet Pg. 684 of 896  resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to restrain Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 397 Packet Pg. 685 of 896  first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. Best regards, Martin Wasserman Concerned Citizen On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Julie, Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 398 Packet Pg. 686 of 896  now for return on investment, on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, in this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 399 Packet Pg. 687 of 896  the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join to make this position unanimous. Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 400 Packet Pg. 688 of 896  humane. Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council www.triplehelix.net On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: But not as. Oh zero On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott- Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: Since late 2023, I’ve called Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 401 Packet Pg. 689 of 896  for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. Julie Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 402 Packet Pg. 690 of 896  Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. Thanks, your supporter for a long time, Aram Julie Lythcott- Haims Palo Alto City Council Member Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 403 Packet Pg. 691 of 896  Click to make an Office Hours appointment On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: CAUTION:Thisemailoriginatedfromoutsideoftheorganization.Becautiousofopeningattachmentsandclickingonlinks. Takes both Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 404 Packet Pg. 692 of 896  Hi Henry, You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Correct Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” Incumbents persisting Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 405 Packet Pg. 693 of 896  be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  FYI: Brian — here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 406 Packet Pg. 694 of 896  Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: My dear brave friend Henry, Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 407 Packet Pg. 695 of 896  called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” Sleep well my friend, Aram P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 408 Packet Pg. 696 of 896  10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: dear Aram Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. Sadly, Henry Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 409 Packet Pg. 697 of 896  now cited as moral political role model Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 410 Packet Pg. 698 of 896  From:Henry Etzkowitz To:Aram James Cc:Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Doug Minkler; Emily Mibach; Gennady Sheyner; Palo Alto Free Press; Donna Wallach; jessica@speiser.net; board@pausd.org; Yolanda Conaway; Don Austin; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; jason.green@bayareanewsgroup.com; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Human Relations Commission; Damon Silver; Miguel Rodriguez; Pat M; james pitkin; Mark Turner; city.council@menlopark.gov; CityCouncil; michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com; Binder, Andrew; Justin Zalkin; Reckdahl, Keith; Ed Lauing; editor@almanacnews.com; editor@paweekly.com; Tom DuBois; Today EPA; bos@smcgov.org; board@valleywater.org; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Rose Lynn; Rowena Chiu; Council, City; Office of the Provost; Roseline Rasolovoahangy; Carol Kiparsky; Roberta Ahlquist; Brian Good; Dave Price; Vicki Veenker; Josh Becker; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Rosen Subject:Re: immoral or Amoral United front? Date:Tuesday, August 19, 2025 8:46:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Takes both Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Henry, You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at 11:05 AM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Correct Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 411 Packet Pg. 699 of 896  wrote:  FYI: Brian—here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: My dear brave friend Henry, Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” Sleep well my friend, Aram P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: dear Aram Upon reflection, agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. Sadly, Henry Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 412 Packet Pg. 700 of 896  From:Aram James To:Yusra Hussain Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Liz Kniss; Council, City; Office of the Provost; Rebecca Eisenberg; Hannah Lu; Shikada, Ed; Mariza Almeida; Mark Granovetter; Mary Rorty; Arthur Millman; Guilherme Ary Plonski; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; George for Palo Alto; Gardener, Liz; Salem Ajluni; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Lotus Fong; Gerry Gras; Sean Allen; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Supervisor Betty Duong; Betsy Nash; Josh Becker; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; city.council@menlopark.gov; District1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; board@pausd.org; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Miguel Rodriguez; Zelkha, Mila; michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com; DuJuan Green; Bains, Paul; paul@peaceandjustice.org; Today EPA; Lee, Craig; cromero@cityofepa.org; Anna Griffin; Cribbs, Anne; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; ParkRec Commission; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; board@valleywater.org; boardfeedback@smcgov.org; Bill Newell; Raymond Goins; Vara Ramakrishnan; Diana Diamond; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Pat M; Dan Okonkwo; Donna Wallach; Yolanda Conaway; james pitkin; BoardOperations; Raymond Goins; Seher Awan; Marty Wasserman; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Gennady Sheyner; Human Relations Commission Subject:Re: immoral or Amoral United front? Date:Friday, September 5, 2025 2:13:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachmentsand clicking on links. i BOYCOTT “STANDING TOGETHER” FOR WHITEWASHING ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” — Steve Biko, South African anti-apartheid leader Published 4-09-2025 Author info Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) Tags PACBI Statement Anti Normalisation As the mass solidarity movement against apartheid Israel’s genocide becomes more mainstream in the West, Israeli Zionist “grassroots” groups are making considerable attempts to co-opt the movement and steer it away from the comprehensive rights of the Palestinian people as stipulated in international law and from holding Israel accountable for its unspeakable crimes. Last year, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), a founding member of the BDS movement, called on people, organizations, and unions of conscience not to engage with a Zionist Israeli organization, Standing Together, particularly because of its insidious normalization and whitewashing of Israel’s genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in the illegally occupied Gaza Strip. Since then, over a dozen “Friends of Standing Together” and other affinity groups have popped up in Europe, Canada , and the US –– necessitating a reiteration of PACBI’s call to boycott Standing Together. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 413 Packet Pg. 701 of 896  In addition to fundraising for the main Israeli Standing Together organization, these Zionist groups organize around Standing Together’s harmful agenda, actively striving to push Palestine solidarity groups, union organizers, and government officials away from the two basic solidarity demands on which a Palestinian consensus has existed for at least two decades: Recognition of the comprehensive rights of the Indigenous people of Palestine as stipulated in international law—at the very least, an end to occupation and apartheid and the right of refugees to return and receive reparations; and Ending all forms of state, corporate, and institutional complicity with Israel’s 77-year-old regime of settler-colonialism, apartheid, and now genocide. To be clear, the BDS Movement was founded on anti-racist principles and welcomes all conscientious people, including those struggling for racial, economic, indigenous, climate, social and gender justice, as well as principled anti-Zionist Jewish-Israelis who affirm the full rights of the Palestinian people under international law. One example is Boycott from Within , a group of anti-colonial Israelis which formed in response to the BDS call. Standing Together is no such group, as the detailed research below affirms. Its feel-good common ground messaging, leftist posturing, and claim to represent “both sides” may seem seductive to some in the West. Yet a closer examination of its dishonest principles, its complicit Zionist partners, its leadership’s anti- Palestinian racist rhetoric, and its aggressive attempts to undermine meaningful solidarity with Palestinian liberation in the West reveal a dangerous propaganda operation. Regardless of the intentions of some of its individual members, Standing Together ultimately serves to shield Israel from accountability and deter or undermine meaningful solidarity efforts to end complicity with Israel’s regime of settler-colonialism, apartheid, military occupation and now genocide against the Indigenous Palestinian people. Furthermore, the group cynically tokenizes Palestinians with Israeli citizenship to exploit Western identity politics, and it builds on the ultimately racist urge to platform Palestinians only so long as they have Israeli co-sponsorship or to favor “good Israelis” over any Palestinian voice at all. PACBI reiterates the call to boycott Standing Together and its affinity groups. On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Hello Yusra, Your idea of a one state solution could never work. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so diametrically opposed, and the antagonism between them so great, that there is no way they could share governance in a single state. The fact that Palestinian schools actively teach hatred of Jews and Israel, and extol suicide martyrdom as the highest ideal, guarantees that peaceful relations between these groups will not come anytime soon. Also, Jews, with a 4000 year history of nationhood (though much of it was spent in exile), and with their own distinct language, religion and culture, are certainly as entitled to their own independent state as any other people in the world. Israel is a tiny strip of land, but the Arab world is very vast. If Palestinian Arabs have trouble coexisting alongside Jews, there are plenty of other places in the Arab world where they can find a place to live. You claim the Israelis treat the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated the Jews. This is extremely far off the mark. There is no comparison at all between the two. I'm not impugning your honesty. I have no reason to think you're not a basically honest person. But I think you've been deceived, along with millions of other well meaning people, by a very sophisticated worldwide disinformation campaign of slander and defamation against the Jewish state, whose purpose is to isolate it, weaken it, and ultimately destroy it, along with the Jewish people themselves. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 414 Packet Pg. 702 of 896  You say Palestinians welcomed Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany and opened their homes to them. I think most Jews who lived in Palestine at that time would be very surprised to hear this. Are you familiar with Haj Amin Al- Husseini, the Mufti of Jerusalem, who was the leader of the Palestinian Arabs between the two World Wars? He was violently opposed to any Jewish immigration into Palestine, and violently opposed to any Jewish political aspirations in Palestine. He organized campaigns to kill not only Jews, but also Arabs who advocated peaceful coexistence with them. Al-Husseini spent most of World War II in Germany as Hitler's personal guest, delivering weekly radio broadcasts on Radio Berlin, in Arabic, beamed at the Middle East, urging Arabs to rise up and kill Jews wherever they could find them. He then traveled to Bosnia where he helped organize an all Muslim division of the German SS, called the Handschar Division, to help implement Nazi racial policies in the Balkans. After the war, the Allies wanted to put him on trial for war crimes, but he managed to escape and was sheltered by Arab states where many people regarded him as a hero. So no, the Palestinian Arabs were not great friends or supporters of the Jews. On a more cheerful note, I think we both agree that God rules the world, and governs events on Earth to achieve His own objectives. We also agree that He doesn’t judge people based on what they profess to believe, but rather on what traits they’ve actually cultivated within their souls. We can't see what He sees or know what He knows, but visible evidence and Jewish prophecy both seem to suggest that He intends for Israel to live and to ultimately be a source of spiritual light for all the world, and that it will have to pass through many tests and trials, the struggle with jihadists being just one of them, before it reaches that state. Best regards, Martin Wasserman On Sep 4, 2025, at 1:37 AM, Yusra Hussain <Yusrahussainmd@gmail.com> wrote: One state solution. There is no other way. Racism is a western ideology and concept. The Palestinians were the first to shelter the Jewish refugees when they fled from Nazi Germany and the rest of Europe. The Palestinians opened their homes to these refugees and welcomed them and felt sorry for the horror they suffered. Yet the settlers in Palestine have turned into a genocidal machine, inflicting on the Palestinians the same horrors their grandparents experienced in Nazi Germany. The only solution to the situation in Israel is a one state solution with all living peacefully side by side and no more annexation of Palestinian lands and homes. Enough of this none sense. If there is no justice, there is no peace. God of Jews, Christians and Muslims is the same God. I don’t believe God favors one faith over another or one people over another. He chose the Jews 4000 years ago to be a just nation and a guide to people to the right path, as he did later through Zaki, Jesus and Mohammed. They are all carrying the same message of faith, love and justice. I don’t believe a second that a muslim is superior to a Jew or a Christian. We’re all to be judged based on our actions. So enough of this killing in the name of religion and ethnic superiority. I know that DNA testing today on many Muslim and Christian Palestinians, reveals their ancestry goes back to the land of Bethlehem. They were probably Jews who converted to Christianity, and some later to Islam, and remained in their homeland for thousands of years, as did the Arab Jews. I personally know few of them. You see in the Quran, God warns the Jews of a time when they will be expelling their own of the land and told them it’s forbidden for you to do so. I believe God is referring to our time when the Israelis are expelling their own brethren from their homes in Gaza and the West Bank. Plus, I am not sure a superiority ideology is something that will fly in another decade or two. Already those who are younger than 35 years of age (Muslims, Jews, Christians, and other believes) see this as none-sense. They know better that we are all a mix throughout the ages and no one is of pure blood. Please, I beg you to reconsider the nature of the argument you’re making and I suggest you read two excellent books called The Other Side of the Wall by Isaac Munther as well as his book “Christ in the Rubble.” Best regards! Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 415 Packet Pg. 703 of 896  Yusra Yusra Hussain, MD Adj. Clinical Assistant Professor Stanford University School of Medicine 805 El Camino Real # A Palo Alto, CA 94301 Office: 650-328-1676 Fax: 650-445-0911 Checkout: Protectmedicare.net On Sep 3, 2025, at 11:56 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: 9/4/2025 Hi Henry, Martin is being a non-responsive witness. Instead of answering your question he is using the old technique of answering a question with a question. Based on my dialogue exchange with Martin over many months if he was being honest, his answer would reflex an extension of his insatiable blood lust for the Palestinian people. In other words, if anyone, even the entire population of the planet, were in his view hostile to the interests of Israel, threatened their existence, he would gladly nuke the entirety of mankind to save the approximate 12 million Jews. In his heart of hearts he believes, been taught in the synagogue, that Jews are just superior to all non Jews. That’s the reason he claims ignorance of your question. Its just too difficult for Martin to say this outloud. Your friend Martin represents the quintessential white male and white female Jewish Zionist Supremacists that has been terrorizing the Palestinians since at least the year of my birth, in 1948. Like a petulant child with parents unwilling to set boundaries for the their children the world has turned a blind eye to Israel’s genocidal behavior since its birth in 1948. Now the entire world is seeing live, up close and personal the monster they have created. Martin is just one example of the monster mentality we have allowed to existed unchecked in israel. Time to eliminate the monster. Avram” One State Solution” Finkelstein On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but OK, what are your core premises about how Israel should deal with Gaza? Marty On Sep 3, 2025, at 10:31 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Apologies, Marty Spotlight on Gaza. No diversion. The families insist! Henry Etzkowitz Etz Chaim member www.triplehelix.net Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 416 Packet Pg. 704 of 896  On Sep 3, 2025, at 9:11 AM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, I'm glad that our discussion is getting down to core premises, and I'm very interested to know what your core premises are regarding how Israel should deal with its hostile neighbors. Marty On Sep 3, 2025, at 6:12 AM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Marty You have arrived at a correct conclusion re “dear cost” from incorrect premises, a not unusual occurrence; a potential learning experience, nevertheless Sent from my iPhone On Sep 2, 2025, at 8:22 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote: Henry, Israel has certainly made a lot of mistakes in Gaza. The biggest mistake of course was the forcible evacuation of all the Jewish communities there in 2005, which led directly to the Hamas takeover. Also, before October 7, Hamas started several other wars with Israel. In each one Israel was content to let it end inconclusively, with Hamas still in power. Another mistake in my view. It's been said that Netanyahu was content to leave Hamas in power, because as long as Palestinian leadership was divided, there was no chance of establishing a Palestinian state. If so, I think he made a major mistake. There are plenty of other ways to rule out the idea of a Palestinian state without using the excuse of divided Palestinian leadership. I also don't believe Netanyahu was looking for an excuse to invade Gaza. I think war in Gaza was the last thing he wanted. He often said that as long as Gaza was quiet, Israel would also be Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 417 Packet Pg. 705 of 896  quiet, Hamas was busily perfecting its plans for attack. Regarding ethnic cleansing, although there are certainly people in Israel who would like to see that happen, it's never been government policy. If it was, they're doing a very poor job of it. But if it turns out that Hamas is so deeply embedded in the civilian population that the only way to eliminate it is to remove the population itself, then it's possible that could happen, and in that case it would be justified. But so far Israel has been very careful to direct its fire in such a way so as not only to avoid risking the lives of the hostages, but also to avoid risking the lives of Gazan civilians. Of course this is very hard because of Hamas’ policy of hiding behind those civilians and using them as human shields. True, the longer the war drags on, the worse it is for Israel. Israel needs to deliver a knockout blow to Hamas and then extend its control over the Strip so it can’t recuperate. To do this will require much more robust rules of engagement, and the same level of commitment to victory that the US had in World War II. Even though it may be tempting to quit before the job is complete, if the war ends with Hamas still in power, after all the sacrifices Israel has made, it will be seen worldwide, and rightly so, as a major victory for Hamas and a major defeat for Israel, which will cost the Jewish state very dearly in the years to come. Regards, Marty On Sep 2, 2025, at 12:27 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Marty For the record. Israel helped stand up Hamas (Israeli public sources) as part of its Palestinian divide and conquer strategy. Given its superior intelligence capabilities eg Iran Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 418 Packet Pg. 706 of 896  leadership bodyguard Cell phone numbers; it was surely privy to Hamas plans Even if not, the young unarmed female soldiers, detailed as Hamas watchers reported, persistently, attack’s imminence yet IDF forces were largely withdrawn: either implicit complicity or total incompetence. Why? An excuse to invade Gaza, as followed. Of course, execution got out of hand and other factions and freelancers entered the breach. Eliminate Hamas No way! it serves a useful purpose for the Netenyahu government in providing an excuse to persist in ethnic cleansing+ moreover, there is an associated dynamic: as attacks on Gaza increase; more Gazans are incentivized to join the only credible, available resistance. Ironically, by persisting in this ill conceived war, with no attainable goal, Israeli military and society weakens itself, making Aram’s elimination happen through self- immolation. One half million Israelis have already avoluntarily relocated to the United States Sincerely 3rd generation Zionist Hillel aka Henry Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice www.triple helix.net Sent from my iPhone On Aug 22, 2025, at 12:38 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 419 Packet Pg. 707 of 896  wrote: Subject: Ceasefire Resolution Discussion Hi Julie, I want to bring to your attention that Martin is simply repeating talking points from the pro- Israel lobby. In contrast, Henry’s reasoning for urging the city council to support a ceasefire resolution stems from years of critical thinking. At the very least, please advocate for the council to prioritize a ceasefire resolution given the drastically deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. If there is a thorough public debate and the full council ultimately votes against the resolution, the public will at least have the opportunity to hear each council member's rationale for their decision. This would be Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 420 Packet Pg. 708 of 896  a true demonstration of democracy in action. Best, Aram On Fri, Aug 22, 2025 at 12:03 PM, Martin Wasserman <deeperlook@aol.com> wrote:Dear Julie, As a concerned voter and an Oak Creek resident, I strongly urge you to reject Henry's ill- conceived demand to push for a Gaza ceasefire resolution in the City Council. Such a resolution would have no effect on anything in Gaza, but would merely create dissension and strife here at home. A unilateral Israeli ceasefire would leave Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 421 Packet Pg. 709 of 896  Hamas in power, leave the hostages in captivity, and effectively end Israel’s campaign to remove this menace on its southern border. Hamas is a committed enemy not only of Israel and of Jews, but also of the United States, of Western civilization itself, and indeed of anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their religious ideology. Hamas, as one branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has as its ultimate goal the imposition of Islamic law on the entire globe, by force and violence if necessary. If we try to Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 422 Packet Pg. 710 of 896  Israel from fighting this ideology in Gaza, we’ll soon be fighting it ourselves on the streets of America. The way to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to first let Israel defeat Hamas, and after that focus on the civilian needs. As long as the oppressive and terrorist Hamas regime remains in power, life will never improve for ordinary Gazans. Best regards, Martin Wasserman Concerned Citizen On Aug 22, 2025, at 4:18 AM, Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 423 Packet Pg. 711 of 896  Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Julie, Thank you for your service. Given your position on the dais, it is expected of you to use it or lose it? As your then 82 year old supporter, I bent over like a strawberry picker and slipped hundreds of your campaign leaflets under Oak Creek doors. I am asking you now for return on Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 424 Packet Pg. 712 of 896  on the one hand, and on the other, to take the ethical course of action and place into a resolution before Council, the plea for cease fire that you aver you have made in writing and in public fora. We, the Palo Alto voters have elected you to carry out our wishes and to support you in acting according to your conscience. Fortunately, Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 425 Packet Pg. 713 of 896  this instance two classic, item opposing political motives, coincide. Julie, it is incumbent upon you to introduce a “ceasefire now in Gaza”resolution, Invited to be seconded by George, who received the support of the Palo Alto Muslim community. He will be inspired as well by the Confucian ethic he learned in “Chinese school in Palo Alto.” Hopefully, all members of Council will join Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 426 Packet Pg. 714 of 896  make this position unanimous. Like the attorney who persuaded the Supreme Court to briefly open a window to make an exception to the statute of limitations, precluding a holocaust victim from seeking restitution, Council may similarly put aside its prohibition on intervening in international issues to take a position on one that has become local and globally humane. Sincerely Henry Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 427 Packet Pg. 715 of 896  Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice 2024 Candidate for Palo Alto City Council www.triplehelix.net On Aug 18, 2025, at 3:28 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: But not as. Oh zero On Mon, Aug 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM Lythcott- Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@paloalto.gov> wrote: Since late 2023, I’ve called for a ceasefire, both in writing, and in a public forum. Julie Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 428 Packet Pg. 716 of 896  Hi Julie: But here were the questions I posed to you below: can you answer these questions: Julie came closest to breaking the silence, (1) but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. (2) Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" Once you are kind enough to get back to me on the two Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 429 Packet Pg. 717 of 896  questions above I want to get back to your calls for a cease fire. Thanks, your supporter for a long time, Aram Julie Lythcott- Haims Palo Alto City Council Member Click to make an Office Hours appointment On Aug 7, 2025, at 1:09 PM, Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: CAUTION:Thisemailoriginatedfromoutsideoftheorganization.Be Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 430 Packet Pg. 718 of 896  ofopeningattachmentsandclickingonlinks. Takes both Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 11:58 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Henry, You say things so poetically!! Me more like a bull dog or sledge hammer than a poet!! Avram “End The Genocide Now!! Finkelstein On Thu, Aug 7, 2025 at  AM Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 431 Packet Pg. 719 of 896  Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: Correct Julie charter member Council “wall of silence” Incumbents persisting will be too shamed and ashamed to seek reelection Sent from my iPhone On Aug 7, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote:  FYI: Brian — here is an exchange you may have missed. Was sent to most of the usual suspects. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 432 Packet Pg. 720 of 896  On Wed, Aug 6, 2025 at 10:58 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: My dear brave friend Henry, Julie came closest to breaking the silence, but to my knowledge, she has NEVER demanded of her colleagues that a ceasefire resolution be placed on the council agenda for a robust public discussion and a subsequent vote. Similarly, unless I missed it, Julie has NEVER called Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 433 Packet Pg. 721 of 896  out or spoken from the dais: "End the Genocide Now!" As MLK said: “The time is always right to do what is right.” Sleep well my friend, Aram P.S. Julie, if my recollection is wrong, I invite you to correct the record. On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, at 10:20 PM, Henry Etzkowitz wrote: dear Aram Upon Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 434 Packet Pg. 722 of 896  agree with your assessment. Despite minor differences in progressiveness on other issues; there is an implacable wall on Gaza cease Fire when implored in succession, there was not a flicker of sympathy from the impassive diased. Sadly, Henry Ps Marjorie Taylor Green is now cited as moral political role model Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 435 Packet Pg. 723 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 436 Packet Pg. 724 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Marty Wasserman; Office of the Provost; Prof Dr Helga Nowotny; P Wouters; Mariza Almeida; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Ellen Granovetter; Sean Allen; Salem Ajluni; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki; Reckdahl, Keith; Ed Lauing; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; Council, City; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; District5@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Sheree Roth; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Carla Torres; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Sameena Usman; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; Daniel Barton; Yusra Hussain; Yolanda Conaway; Roberta Ahlquist; Donna Wallach; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Reifschneider, James; Robert Salonga Subject:Re: “I Just Want to Die”: Desperate Med Student in Gaza Sends Messages to Doctor Denied Entry | Democracy Now! Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 3:08:26 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi Henry, My dear Jewish brother, I am so proud of you for standing with those who are victims during this time of the Palestinian catastrophe, the Nakba. It is heartbreaking to witness the current suffering inflicted upon the Palestinians with no mercy by the Zionist state of Israel.You are my hero. While so many remain silent, you refuse to be silenced. With deep respect, Avram Finkelstein On Fri, Aug 29, 2025 at 2:43 PM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: have you heart? IDF reservists (see Friday NYT) US evangelicals and orthodox Rabbis increasingly agree: cease fire now!1 University Presidents, classical provided moral leadership. President Levin, time to lead and call your peers to join call for Gaza cease fire now! Dr RIce, Hoover Institute, Director, timely to take forward the heritage of Institute namesake and call for immediate massive global delivery of nutritious food and medicaments. Organize coalition of the willing, starting with countries and regions that President Hoover fed Provost Martinez’ Stanford food institute, shuttered, should be restarted with funding raised from new generation of billionaires that Stanford is creating This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 437 Packet Pg. 725 of 896  Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice President, Triple Helix Institute 644 Menlo Avenue Menlo Park CA 94025 Www.triple helix.net https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/21/dr_mimi_syed_gaza_israel_medicine Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 438 Packet Pg. 726 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Marty Wasserman; Office of the Provost; Prof Dr Helga Nowotny; P Wouters; Mariza Almeida; WILPF Peninsula Palo Alto; Ellen Granovetter; Sean Allen; Salem Ajluni; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki; Reckdahl, Keith; Ed Lauing; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; Council, City; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; District5@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Sheree Roth; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Carla Torres; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Sameena Usman; Dana St. George; Gerry Gras; Daniel Barton; Yusra Hussain; Yolanda Conaway; Roberta Ahlquist; Donna Wallach; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Reifschneider, James; Robert Salonga Subject:Re: “I Just Want to Die”: Desperate Med Student in Gaza Sends Messages to Doctor Denied Entry | Democracy Now! Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 3:23:04 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i On Fri, Aug 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Henry, My dear Jewish brother, I am so proud of you for standing with those who are victims during this time of the Palestinian catastrophe, the Nakba. It is heartbreaking to witness the current suffering inflicted upon the Palestinians with no mercy by the Zionist state of Israel.You are my hero. While so many remain silent, you refuse to be silenced. With deep respect, Avram Finkelstein On Fri, Aug 29, 2025 at 2:43 PM Henry Etzkowitz <h.etzko@gmail.com> wrote: have you heart? IDF reservists (see Friday NYT) US evangelicals and orthodox Rabbis increasingly agree: cease fire now!1 University Presidents, classical provided moral leadership. President Levin, time to lead and call your peers to join call for Gaza cease fire now! Dr RIce, Hoover Institute, Director, timely to take forward the heritage of Institute namesake and call for immediate massive global delivery of nutritious food and medicaments. Organize coalition of the willing, starting with countries and regions that President Hoover fed This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 439 Packet Pg. 727 of 896  Provost Martinez’ Stanford food institute, shuttered, should be restarted with funding raised from new generation of billionaires that Stanford is creating Sincerely Henry Etzkowitz Neighbors for Environmental and Social Justice President, Triple Helix Institute 644 Menlo Avenue Menlo Park CA 94025 Www.triple helix.net https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/21/dr_mimi_syed_gaza_israel_medicine Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 440 Packet Pg. 728 of 896  From:wei zhou To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Rebuttal to False Claims and Flawed Logic Regarding Mitchell Park Pickleball Expansion Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 4:52:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi, I am a PA resident. I am writing to follow up on the discussion during yesterday's meeting regarding the conversion of tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Several statements made by commissioners and the pickleball club president require direct rebuttal, as they are based on a fundamental miscalculation of costs and a dismissal of legitimate community concerns. 1. The Claim of "Zero Cost" is Deeply Flawed. The pickleball club president’s assertion that this conversion has "zero cost to the city" is only true if the value of our community's quality of life, the utility of existing park users, and the function of our public library are worth zero. The costs are significant, but they are not merely financial. They are: Social Cost: The deliberate exclusion of tennis players, library patrons, and nearby residents from fully enjoying their public facilities. Operational Cost: The increased burden on library staff who must manage noise disruptions and the loss of parking for their patrons. Safety Cost: The real danger created by overwhelming our parking infrastructure, affecting safe access for children, seniors, and all library visitors. Future Financial Cost: The inevitable future complaints and potential need for noise mitigation walls, expanded parking, or even litigation from adjacent property owners and the special education school represent a significant future financial liability. To claim "zero cost" is to ignore these inevitable consequences. 2. Prioritizing Non-Residents Over Residents is a Failure of Fiduciary Duty. A commissioner's stated goal to be "inclusive of all the pickleballs from other cities" is a shocking admission of misplaced priorities. The primary duty of this council is to serve the residents of our city. This policy actively prioritizes the recreational desires of non-residents over the quality of life, safety, and access to amenities for your constituents. You are being "inclusive" to non- residents by being exclusive to resident tennis players, library users, and tax-paying homeowners who expect peace and quiet in their own community. Our parks are not a regional sports complex, and they should not be managed as one. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 441 Packet Pg. 729 of 896  3. The "Barking Dog" Analogy is Illogical and Dismissive. To equate the sporadic barking of a dog to the relentless, percussive, and amplified noise of multiple pickleball games is a false equivalence that trivializes a serious issue. A more accurate comparison would be: would you approve a kennel for 50 dogs to be placed immediately outside the library windows, where all 50 dogs barked consistently for hours on end? Of course not. The "pop" of a pickleball paddle is a high-decibel, rhythmic noise that carries exceptionally well and occurs on a constant loop. To dismiss this scientific fact with a flippant analogy shows a complete disregard for the experiences of the residents and library users who are already suffering from the noise. Conclusion: The arguments presented in favor of this expansion collapse under scrutiny. They ignore social and future financial costs, prioritize non-residents over residents, and dismiss valid noise concerns with illogical comparisons. We urge you to reject this flawed proposal and direct staff to find a more suitable location for pickleball expansion—one that does not destroy the quiet enjoyment of our library, park, and neighborhoods. The current path represents a profound failure to balance the interests of a single sports group with the well-being of the entire community. Wei Zhou Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 442 Packet Pg. 730 of 896  From:Terese Grimmer To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Justin Grimmer Subject:Regarding Magical Bridge Playground Impacts Due to Pickleball Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 1:18:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission, I am writing to share my family’s concerns regarding the Palo Alto Pickleball Club and their use of Mitchell Park. I am the parent of a 16 year old who is nonverbal autistic and severely intellectually disabled. My son is nearly six feet tall and looks like a grown man, but his interests have remained unchanged since preschool. As a result you can imagine that bringing him to most public parks can create challenges, not just because his size excludes him from using most park equipment, but also because of the strange looks and unfriendly comments we often receive from parents who do not understand that he is disabled. The exception to this is Magical Bridge, the *only* playground in Palo Alto that was designed just for kids like my son. Here, he can run and play free from judgement and size limitations. Recently we have not been able to enjoy Magical Bridge Park due to the Palo Alto Pickleball Club. For starters the parking lot has become overcrowded. It can often take 10-20 minutes of circling to find a parking spot. Because of my son’s disability that 10-20 minutes of circling is very frustrating for him as he is very rigid about routines. We often give up and just go home. We contacted Magical Bridge regarding the parking and were told that we could park at Ability Path, but when we arrived we found that all of those spots were also occupied by Pickleballers, including the fire lane against the fence. We also observed several pickleballers driving too fast to the back of Ability Path, one nearly colliding with a pedestrian who was jogging through the lot to get to the court. In the few instances that we have been able to find parking, navigating to the park can be challenging due to the large crowds of pickleball players who block the sidewalks. Once on the playground we only have about 20 minutes before the constant noise of the pickleball games triggers sensory overload for my son and we have to head out, often in a state of severe agitation which makes walking back to the car extremely challenging. Given all of the public spaces in Palo Alto there must be a different facility for the pickleball club to use that isn’t located right next to the only park for disabled people in Palo Alto. Mitchell Park has been a hub for disability families these past several years. We often meet at Ada’s and attend Magical Bridge events so that our children who do not have many friends or opportunities to socialize can feel a sense of community. The community invested a lot in This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 443 Packet Pg. 731 of 896  bringing Magical Bridge to life and I don’t anticipate we will get another playground like that anywhere else in Palo Alto. However, there are many other spaces where pickleball can be played without disrupting access to Magical Bridge. Please do not allow more Pickleball courts in Mitchell Park, and consider relocating this club to another park. Thank you for considering our concerns. Sincerely, Terese and Justin Grimmer (283 Margarita Ave) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 444 Packet Pg. 732 of 896  From:Daniel Chung To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Request for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:45:50 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I live and grew up in Palo Alto, and I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I graduated from college last year and moved back home to pursue a Master's program and internships in the area. Since moving back, I haven't been able to find an activity as social, active, and accessible as pickleball at Mitchell Park. Despite having injured my ACL in college, pickleball has provided me with an active and fun outlet that works perfectly as a competitive hobby that's easier on my knees. However, the court traffic has become pretty intense lately. Some weekday evenings, we're waiting through 2 games for every 1 we get to play. Mitchell Park pickleball has become such a special community for me—it's where I regularly see friends and stay active—but the long wait times are making it increasingly frustrating to enjoy what should be an active and fun hobby. Additional courts at Mitchell Park would allow the already large and growing community of pickleball players to actually play more and wait less. This would not only improve the experience for current players like myself but also make the sport more welcoming and accessible to new residents who want to get involved in our welcoming community. Thank you for considering this important addition to Mitchell Park. Best, Daniel Chung Barron Park This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 445 Packet Pg. 733 of 896  From:Wendy Liu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Request not to change Michelle Park tennis courts to Pickleball courts Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 6:31:07 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Council Members, I am writing as a resident of Palo Alto to express my concern about the proposal to convert tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully ask that you reconsider this change for the following reasons: 1. Overcrowding at Mitchell Park Mitchell Park is already one of the busiest recreational areas in our city. The addition of more pickleball courts would likely draw even more players from outside Palo Alto. This significantly affects city residents, who often find it difficult to access park facilities due to the large number of visitors. The park should first and foremost serve Palo Alto residents, who rely on it for daily recreation and community activities. 2. Protecting Access to Tennis for Residents Tennis remains an important and popular activity for many Palo Alto residents. Reducing the number of available courts would limit access to an already scarce resource. Instead of eliminating tennis courts, the city should prioritize ensuring fair access for both sports by giving Palo Alto residents priority use of the current pickleball courts. This would balance the needs of both groups without displacing one in favor of the other. I strongly urge the Council to preserve the tennis courts at Mitchell Park and explore alternative ways to accommodate pickleball demand without reducing opportunities for residents who rely on these facilities for tennis. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing service to our community. Sincerely, Wendy Liu Palo Alto Resident This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 446 Packet Pg. 734 of 896  From:Harbans Lal To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Request of increasing pickleball courts at Michelle Park Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 9:56:05 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I am over 75 years old and have played different games including Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis and Badminton. However, I have given up on games because of their intensity and efforts needed to stay afloat in the game. I was introduced to pickleball about six months back and have been actively playing the game ever since. I have also joined the PAPC and have taken several beginner workshops. In most cases when I go to play at the Michelle park, I find it overcrowded and have to wait to play. In addition, I am kicked out of court if someone else is waiting if lose the game. Thus, I would surely request the city commissioners to consider increasing the courts at the park. Sincerely yours, Harbans Lal Manroe Dr. Palo Alto. Please send emails to the following (copy and paste): This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 447 Packet Pg. 735 of 896  From:Dashiell Leeds To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah; James Eggers; Mike Ferreira; Gita Dev; suewalt@comcast.net; Sue Chow Subject:Request to redo the "Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields" study with transparent and accurate analysis Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 5:41:43 PM Attachments:SCLP Response Re_ Palo Alto Draft Comparative Turf Study.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Nellis Freeman, The Sierra Club Loma Prieta expresses its concern about the Draft Comparative Analysis of Synthetic and Natural Turf Athletic Fields commissioned by the City. While the report may be copious and well-written, in a grammatical sense, it falls short as a serious analytical study needed for the staff and council to make an informed decision. It presents information selectively, relies on questionable and outdated data, particularly in relation to natural grass care, and often lacks transparency in sourcing. A meaningful and conclusive decision on this matter cannot be made until the report is properly revised and corrected. Please read the attached letter for our full comments. Sincerely, Susan Hinton Chair, Plastic Pollution Prevention Team Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Sue Chow Co-Chair, Peninsula Regional Group Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Gita Dev Chair, Conservation Committee Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Email sent from account of Dashiell Leeds Conservation Coordinator This message needs your attention This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 448 Packet Pg. 736 of 896  Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 449 Packet Pg. 737 of 896  From:Gary Gordon To:ParkRec Commission Cc:"Gary Gordon" Subject:Return Mitchell Park courts to tennis Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 3:24:34 PM Dear commission: We Palo Alto tennis players now have to stand by and wait for courts at Mitchell Park due to the loss caused by the unwelcome Pickleball incursion. We plead with the City to give back to us the courts we’ve already lost to that uninvited fad. Neighbors and other park users will also appreciate anything that lowers the obnoxious noise of that ill-conceived activity. Thank you. Sincerely, Gary Gordon Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 450 Packet Pg. 738 of 896  From:Eric Greenblott To:Parks; Robustelli, Sarah; ParkRec Commission Subject:Rinconada Park Playground - Play Mulch Surface Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 11:15:13 AM Attachments:IMG_0650.HEIC IMG_0651.HEIC CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hello PA Parks. I am hoping you can help share information on the vendor/source/installer of the rubber/mulch surface at the Rinconada Park Playground. There is a brown/mulch textured solid rubber surface under the large redwood tree at the playground area. I am attaching a photo here. Any information you could share with me would be greatly appreciated as I am interested in learning more about the material and finding an installer. Many thanks! This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 451 Packet Pg. 739 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 452 Packet Pg. 740 of 896  Best, Eric Greenblott E ericgreenblott@gmail.com W www.greenblottdesign.com C 607.222.6898 O 650.646.5494 BEST OF HOUZZ 2015 - 2025 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 453 Packet Pg. 741 of 896  From:Lizzy Liu Moeller To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:SUPPORT to create more pickleball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 12:29:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating 8 additional pickleball courts and Mitchell Park. This year marks my 10th year living in Palo Alto, a place I now call home. As an immigrant, I’ve often struggled with the question of belonging - especially after having three kids and stepping away from the workplace. Pickleball has been a bridge back to community for me. On the court, I’ve reconnected with people from all walks of life; regardless of age or race, we share laughter, energy, and joy together. My hope is that more people like me will have the chance to discover and fall in love with this wonderful sport and form a stronger Palo Alto community. Best regards. Lizzy Liu Moeller Rorke Way, Palo Alto This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 454 Packet Pg. 742 of 896  From:adahong1 To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Save tennis court at Mitchell Park! Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 5:13:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time accompanying my child to join the tennis program organized by volunteers for children with special needs, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students volunteers. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023. In fall, 2024, two Los Altos High students expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour- long sessions. By the way, the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. My son covers his ears whenever passing by the pickleball court. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Yanbing Hong A Palo Alto resident and parent This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 455 Packet Pg. 743 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Reckdahl, Keith Cc:Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Seher Awan; frances.Rothschild@jud.ca.gov; Yusra Hussain; Roberta Ahlquist; h.etzko@gmail.com; Liz Kniss; Human Relations Commission; Kaloma Smith; Figueroa, Eric; CityCouncil; Michelle Bigelow; Cribbs, Anne; Anna Griffin; Gerry Gras; Holman, Karen (external); Gardener, Liz; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Nicole Chiu-Wang; Rowena Chiu; ladoris cordell; Yolanda Conaway; Lotus Fong; dennis burns; Dennis Upton; DuJuan Green; Salem Ajluni; Rick Callender; Baker, Rob; Robert Salonga; Roberta Ahlquist; Robert.Jonson@shf.sccgov.org; Sean Allen; PD Kristina Bell; Dana St. George; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Friends of Cubberley; Yi Chen; Palo Alto Free Press; Barberini, Christopher; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; District5@bos.sccgov.org; District3@sanjoseca.gov; District5@sanjoseca.gov; Diana Diamond; Dan Okonkwo; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Stump, Molly; Foley, Michael; Afanasiev, Alex; Jeff Conrad; Donna Wallach; Vicki Veenker; Gennady Sheyner; Emily Mibach; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Zelkha, Mila; Sheree Roth; Lori Meyers; Marina Lopez; Pat M; Marty Wasserman; Blackshire, Geoffrey; Jasso, Tamara; Ruth Silver Taube; Lu, George Subject:Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel Date:Thursday, August 21, 2025 9:35:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Guest Commentary | Sending MAGA to Sacramento Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel Guest Commentary | Sending MAGA to Sacramento https://share.google/0a017EjhZDX0FyAku This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 456 Packet Pg. 744 of 896  From:Dan Xiao To:ParkRec Commission; city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov Subject:Strongly oppose the proposal to convert two more tennis courts at Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, August 19, 2025 10:42:56 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i I have been a long-time resident of Palo Alto for more than 25 years and am also a tennis enthusiast. While I also participate in the emerging sport of Pickleball, I strongly oppose the proposal initiated by PAPC (which is in fact a Bay Area Pickleball organization) to convert two additional tennis courts at Mitchell Park into eight Pickleball courts. The reasons are as follows: 1. Excessive number of Pickleball courts: Palo Alto already provides as many as 15 Pickleball courts. If another 8 are added, the total will reach 23. This would have a significant impact on traffic, management, energy consumption, and the environment of Mitchell Park in Palo Alto. All of these environmental noise issues, energy costs, and management expenses would ultimately have to be borne by us, the taxpayers of Palo Alto. Since Palo Alto residents do not need so many Pickleball courts, this proposal is entirely unfair. 2. Infringement on tennis players’ rights: Mitchell Park originally had 8 tennis courts, but 4 have already been permanently converted into Pickleball courts. Now, there are plans to take 2 more. This is an infringement on the rights of tennis enthusiasts in Palo Alto, a form of discrimination against the sport of tennis, and an injustice to the large community of tennis players here. 3. Local residents’ interests must come first: Palo Alto should prioritize protecting the rights and interests of its own residents, rather than serving the interests of the entire Bay Area. All public projects, including the allocation of sports facilities in parks, should primarily reflect the actual needs of Palo Alto residents. Currently, the ratio of tennis courts to Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park is already at a severely imbalanced 4:15, far exceeding the real demand for Pickleball facilities among Palo Alto residents. If this ratio were further changed to 2:23, it would be utterly unreasonable and absurd. Therefore, I strongly oppose the proposal to convert two more tennis courts at This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 457 Packet Pg. 745 of 896  Mitchell Park into new eight Pickleball courts. Sincerely, Dan Xiao Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 458 Packet Pg. 746 of 896  From:Danyang Z To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Strongly support building more pickleball courts in Palo Alto Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 9:10:42 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and am writing to you in strong support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have lived in the Adobe Meadow neighborhood for 35 years. I discovered pickleball 3 years ago. I immediately fell in love with this sport. It's very suitable for people of all age groups to play, especially those over 50 years old. I play it whenever I have time. Now I have retired, so I play it almost every day. Pickleball has definitely become a very important part of my life. It makes me very happy when I play pickleball. Since I am lucky to live close to the Mitchell Park pickleball courts, I just walk over to the courts to play. I used to have high cholesterol. Since I started playing pickleball, my cholesterol level is normal now. My doctor gave me high praise and encouraged me to play more. I also have a true story to tell. One of my pickleball friends told me that pickleball saved her life after she was laid off. Work used to be her identity. She was on the verge of very serious depression after suddenly losing her lifetime job. At that time, her only joy was playing pickleball and laughing while playing. Now she has come out of the dangerous situation. She continuously plays pickleball every day. I am so happy for her. How wonderful that simply playing pickleball can save someone's life! Since I started to play pickleball, I have seen it become more and more popular. More and more people play it and love it just like I do. Every time I passed the tennis courts, I rarely saw anyone play there. I was thinking what a resource was wasted not being used. On the contrary, pickleball courts are always full, and I have to wait. It would be so wonderful if we could use those tennis courts to play pickleball and move the tennis courts to somewhere else. Thank you very much for listening to my opinions, and please consider building more pickleball courts to let more people benefit from playing it. Sincerely yours, Diane Zhang Live in Adobe Meadow for 35 years Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 459 Packet Pg. 747 of 896  From:Liling Tseng To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Subject: Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:41:49 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, My name is Liling Lampell, and I live in Palo Alto. I strongly support the creation of eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Below are some key points about why this expansion is important: Personal & Community Impact Pickleball has transformed lives in our community. Keeps players active, healthy, and balanced—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Social & Community Benefits Courts foster friendships and encouragement. Create an inclusive, multigenerational community. Need for Expansion Current courts are overcrowded. Additional courts would allow more residents to enjoy the sport. Conclusion Expansion promotes health, joy, and community connection. Support the growth of this positive, growing sport in Palo Alto. It is wonderful to see seniors walking down the streets with backpacks to meet their friends. It is inspiring to know that teenagers now have a safe and healthy place to hang out and exercise. And it fills me with pride and gratitude to live in a city as innovative, generous, and caring as Palo Alto—a city that truly understands and supports what is best for its community, and a place I am proud to call home. Thank you for your consideration. This message needs your attention The subject has non-English characters. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 460 Packet Pg. 748 of 896  Warmly, Liling Tseng Lampell Principal designer l www.justthetouch.com 650.248.9712 Top 50 Interior Designers in CA issued by ID Magazines - Mar 2023 https://www.interiordesignmagazines.eu/top-50-usa-interior-designers-the-california-edition/ Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 461 Packet Pg. 749 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Suggestion: Ensure commissioners can receive some written public input on agendized items before meetings Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 3:06:47 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I’d like to suggest an improvement to the process by which you receive written public comments. Currently, the process does not seem to consistently offer the public an opportunity to get their written feedback to you before a meeting on items they find in the agenda. For example, after the 8/26/25 agenda was posted but prior to the meeting itself, I submitted written comments to ParkRec.commission@paloalto.gov regarding one of the items. Later, because I noticed my comments were not included in the published agenda packet, I asked staff whether you commissioners had received them before the meeting. Ms. Robustelli explained that, except in special cases, comments are batched and forwarded to commissioners only once a month. She told me my comments wouldn’t be shared with you until the next month’s batch—long after that 8/26 meeting. If that description is accurate, it means that by the time an agenda is published, it is, except in special cases, already too late for the public to send written feedback that commissioners will actually see before voting or discussion. This effectively denies a source of meaningful input on scheduled items and undermines transparency: the public is led to believe they can weigh in, in writing, on agendized items, but their comments may not reach you until after decisions have been made. A straightforward solution would be to state in each agenda a clear deadline—a deadline that would occur after the agenda’s publication and before the meeting— by which written comments will still be delivered to commissioners before the meeting. This would make the process transparent, predictable, and fair to both commissioners and the public. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 462 Packet Pg. 750 of 896  Thank you for considering this improvement, Cynthia Fan Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 463 Packet Pg. 751 of 896  From:guicheng sheng To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Suggestions to Pickpall demand - urge actions from Park commission and City councils Date:Saturday, August 23, 2025 3:10:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Park commission and City Councils, Recently, the use and proposed expand of Mitchell Park pickball courts have induced a lot of discussions in the community. I see two problems due to overwhelming growing popularity of pickball. 1) perceived lack of sufficient courts to meet demand. 2) lack of equal access by PA residents who paid tax due to a lot of non-PA residents playing there, and currently lack of a booking system by the PA resident. I strongly urge the decision makder to satisfy PA resident's need first, by developing a booking system to priority PA resident, and consider a fee for non-resident to discourage too many non-PA resident coming. MP is home to the library that many children use, the parking becomes so scarce that discourages family from coming or cause dangers. Expanding more pickball courts also increase noise level for the resident around. Current facility at MP may not also be sufficient to accomodate so many ppl coming, such as trash cans, restrooms, parking, etc. Gracie A midtown resident Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 464 Packet Pg. 752 of 896  From:Kathy Harrington To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for 8 Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 11:02:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council, I have been a resident of Palo Alto for 38 years, and I’m writing to express my strong support for the addition of eight new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Since discovering pickleball, I’ve found something I never expected: a genuine sense of community. Each morning I join a group of fellow players at 6 a.m. What began as a way to get some exercise before work, has turned into friendships and meaningful connections with people I might never have met otherwise. The daily joy of coming to the courts has had a profound impact on both my physical and mental health. Through the camaraderie and encouragement of the pickleball community, I’ve lost 40 pounds, gained confidence, and now start each day with energy and positivity. I genuinely cannot imagine my life without pickleball or the friends I’ve made on the courts. Thank you for your past support of pickleball in Palo Alto. Your efforts have helped foster not just healthy activity, but a vibrant, welcoming community that has enriched countless lives, including mine. Sincerely, Kathy Harrington Old Palo Alto Tennyson Ave. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 465 Packet Pg. 753 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 466 Packet Pg. 754 of 896  From:Mark Fan To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for Adding Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 12:12:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at the Mitchell Park. I was forced into retirement about 3 years ago (laid off) and wasn't ready for it. For the first year, I had a very sedentary lifestyle with many negative impacts to my health. At the prompt of my doctors, I tried various sports activities, but didn't find anything motivating enough to get me off my behind on a regular basis. That is until I found pickleball 18 months ago!! Thanks to the free introductory clinic provided by the Palo Alto Pickleball Club, I learned to rules and strategies, as well as gotten to know many pickleball players. Now, I play 3-4 days a week. It's been a life changing experience for me! One obvious issue is the popularity of the sport. The Michell Park pickleball courts are always busy and often require substantial waiting time. This is especially true in the evenings and weekends!! If the city can add more courts, it'll benefit MANY older, retired population, like me. Sincerely yours, Mark Fan Duveneck / St. Francis neighborhood Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 467 Packet Pg. 755 of 896  From:Yi Zhang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com; Joan Deng Subject:Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 10:07:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, We live in Palo Alto’s Altaire Community and are writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has brought both of us not only great exercise but also a wonderful sense of community and friendship. The courts are always full, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. At the same time, we often notice that the nearby tennis courts are rarely used, while pickleball courts are overwhelmingly crowded. Repurposing two tennis courts into pickleball courts would allow many more residents to benefit from the sport and the strong community it fosters. Thank you very much for considering this. Sincerely, Huiqiong Deng and Yi Zhang This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 468 Packet Pg. 756 of 896  From:Matthew J. Owens To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 3:51:26 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I’m a Palo Alto resident writing in support of adding eight new pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become a meaningful part of many residents’ lives—for some, it’s a source of exercise; for others, it’s about connection, stress relief, or simply being outside with neighbors. I encourage you to consider the ways in which a modest investment in shared public space can return real benefits across age groups and communities. My wife and I moved to Palo Alto a little over two years ago when she began working as a physician at Stanford Hospital. Although I had previously graduated from Stanford Law School, I returned to the area without any close friends still living here. It wasn’t until about six months in that I discovered the pickleball community at Mitchell Park —and it completely transformed my experience of living in Palo Alto. There’s been a lot of recent discussion about the importance of “third places,” those rare spaces outside of work and home where people can connect in meaningful ways. Mitchell Park is one of the few places I’ve seen where that ideal is actually realized. While I played tennis for years in Chicago and still love the sport, for me, it never fostered community in the same way. Many of my closest friends here are people who, like me, transitioned from tennis to pickleball because of the stronger social and communal bonds it encourages. Sincerely, Matthew J. Owens 743 Barron Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 469 Packet Pg. 757 of 896  From:Austin Liu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 12:55:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become a meaningful part of my daily life. It not only provides me with regular physical exercise, but also supports my mental well-being by reducing stress and bringing joy. Through the game, I have built strong friendships and a sense of community with fellow players of all ages and backgrounds. It is one of the few activities where people from across the city come together in such a positive and welcoming way. Having more courts would make it possible for even more residents to benefit from this inclusive and healthy activity. Sincerely yours, Austin Liu 445 Wilton Ave. Palo Alto, 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 470 Packet Pg. 758 of 896  From:Meri Gruber To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 7:34:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council Members, As a long-time resident of Palo Alto, I want to thank you for your support of pickleball at Mitchell Park and to express my support for creating eight additional courts. Pickleball is an important part of my wellness routine in retirement, helping me stay active and socially connected. I’ve met people of all ages and backgrounds at the courts, and it’s inspiring to see how this space brings the community together. Palo Alto has created something truly special at Mitchell Park, continuing its leadership in fostering recreation, inclusion, and community health. Please support creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Thank you for your service to the community. Sincerely, Meri Gruber Greenmeadow Palo Alto This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 471 Packet Pg. 759 of 896  From:Ishan Balakrishnan To:Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com; ParkRec Commission Cc:Ishan Balakrishnan Subject:Support for Additional Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:00:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ! Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I have lived in Barron Park my entire life, attending Ohlone, Terman, and Gunn along the way. For the past two years, pickleball has become my core hobby and an essential part of my daily life. I play at Mitchell Park nearly every day—often twice a day—spending 3–4 hours on the courts. The community at Mitchell has been life-changing for me. Eight of my closest friends are people I met through pickleball at MP; we’ve gone to each other’s weddings, traveled across the world together, and spend time with each other every day. I’ve also reconnected with my high school friends and regularly play with my parents and twin sister. Pickleball has given me a place to deepen existing relationships and build new ones, all while supporting my health and well-being. Mitchell Park has become a true hub of community for so many Palo Alto residents, but the limited court capacity makes it difficult for new and existing players to participate fully. Many of us have started going to the Gunn basketball courts and putting up our own net to play, when Mitchell is over capacity. Expanding by converting two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts would allow this sense of connection, wellness, and belonging to grow for many more residents. I strongly urge you to support this expansion. Sincerely, Ishan Balakrishnan Barron Park 3533 La Mata Way, Palo Alto CA Ishan Balakrishnan | LinkedIn Co-Founder of Cair Health (YC S23) This message could be suspicious The sender's email address couldn't be verified. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 472 Packet Pg. 760 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 473 Packet Pg. 761 of 896  From:Mike Yan To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 11:47:26 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I'm writing to express my strong support for the proposal to convert two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight dedicated pickleball courts. Pickleball has become a meaningful part of my life. I now regularly meet with a group of friends to play, and it’s been an incredible way to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships. Beyond the social connection, it has also helped me stay active and healthy - something that’s not always easy to maintain with a busy schedule. I live in Crescent Park, and I've seen firsthand how pickleball has brought the community together. It's vibrant, inclusive, and accessible across generations. I believe expanding court access will allow even more people to participate, especially during peak hours when congestion often limits play. Thank you for considering this proposal. Warm regards, Mike Yan Palo Alto, CA (Crescent Park) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 474 Packet Pg. 762 of 896  From:Kaden Li To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Support for More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 5:40:04 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, My name is Kaden, and I am a student living in Palo Alto. I am writing to support creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As a teenager, pickleball has been really important to me. Here’s why: Community & friendships: I’ve made friends with people of all ages, not just other teens. It feels welcoming and supportive every time I play. Health & stress relief: Playing keeps me active, helps me manage school stress, and makes me feel healthier and happier. Overcrowding: Sometimes I wait a long time just to play one short game, which can be discouraging. Better use of courts: Repurposing two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts would give many more people a chance to play. No added traffic burden: With more courts, players would spend less time waiting around, which means the total time at the park could even go down — not up. Please consider supporting this project to help kids, teens, and residents of all ages stay healthy, connected, and active. Sincerely, Kaden Li Gunn High This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 475 Packet Pg. 763 of 896  From:zhen xue To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Support for More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:51:31 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I live in Palo Alto and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Here’s why this matters to me and our community: Community building: Pickleball fosters friendships and connections — “arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend” is truly lived out at Mitchell Park. Health & wellness: Playing supports both physical fitness and mental well-being across all ages. Overcrowding & wait times: Current limited capacity discourages participation and makes it harder for residents to enjoy the game. Smart use of space: Repurposing two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts provides far greater community benefit. Traffic & parking balance: More courts may reduce average time spent at the park, since players won’t wait long periods before playing. This means expanded capacity won’t necessarily increase parking or congestion. I respectfully urge you to move this project forward and help make pickleball more accessible for Palo Alto residents. Sincerely, Zhen Xue Maybell Ave This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 476 Packet Pg. 764 of 896  From:Sheila Fehring To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for More Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:29:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, We live in Palo Alto and play pickleball regularly at Mitchell Park. There is always a long line to get on a court, which shows just how popular and needed this sport has become in our community. I strongly support the proposal to convert two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts so that more residents can enjoy the game without such long wait times. Thank you for your consideration. Sheila and Tom Fehring 2583 Park Blvd, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 477 Packet Pg. 765 of 896  From:Frank Li To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for Pickleball Expansion in Palo Alto Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 10:55:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I am one of the longest pickleball players, who has been playing pickleball primarily at Mitchell Park area over the past 11 years. I do enjoy the friendship of Palo Alto pickleball community, mental health, physical exercise, etc that Pickleball has brought to me. I am proud of what Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council have done for prompting this pickleball facility, witnessing the pickleball courts grew from 2 shared courts, all the way to total 15 courts as of today. Pickleball is really the crown jewelry of Palo Alto city. Sincerely yours, Funian (Frank) Li 645 Maybelll Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 478 Packet Pg. 766 of 896  From:Samit Ranjan To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:Support for Pickleball court and how PIckleball improved my life. Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 4:26:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto on middlefield road, right next to the church opposite Agility , and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I want to mention my pickleball situation and how i came to love the game - I was going through a messy divorce, in depression and hating life . One of my friends talked to me about it and was like , why dont you come with me. Day 1 - I had some excuse as to why i cannot go , He came Day 2 - Some new excuse, By day 4 i had run out of excuse and was also feeling pity on my friend who comes every day in the morning. He introduced me to pickleball and from then on it has been a love for the game but more importantly for the people and friends i made there . Now all my friends are because of pickleball and I really enjoy spending time with them. I know you have heard a million people say, pickleball changed my life. In my case it got me out of depression and into a normal working individual . - I am giving a details of where exactly i live as I am one of the closest to the pickleball court and can tell from personal experience that I have never heard any pickleball noise in the 5 years I have lived there . Sincerely yours, Samit Ranjan This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 479 Packet Pg. 767 of 896  From:Lily Laws To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for additional Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 7:53:17 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional Pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I have lived in Palo Alto for over 40 years. 9 years ago I started playing Pickleball at Mitchell Park. I have met so many interesting people from all walks of lives, formed friendships, shared joy and laughter with new friends and improved my health. This is the best benefit the city has provided to me. As I get older, it's more difficult to meet new people, playing Pickleball at Mitchell has provided me this opportunity and I have a community to belong to. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Lily L. Charleston Gardens Neighborhood This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 480 Packet Pg. 768 of 896  From:Evelyn Chan-Cox To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 9:37:28 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I have lived in Palo Alto for 34 years. I am writing in strong support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I tried pickleball for the first time less than a year ago and it is already hard to imagine now what my life would be without it. Pickleball is a sport where friends and strangers, young and old, beginner and advanced can have fun together. This new passion has brought me a renewed sense of pride and belonging to a larger community. It is a wonder to experience. Additional pickleball courts will make a positive impact on our community and city. Sincerely yours, Evelyn Chan-Cox Old Palo Alto This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 481 Packet Pg. 769 of 896  From:Ron Campbell To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for expansion of Mitchell Park pickleball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 10:31:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council: I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at MP. I’ve lived in south PA for almost 40 years, about 2 blocks from Mitchell Park. My family has enjoyed MP as our neighborhood park for years, our kids growing up playing on the Picasso horse, in the gopher holes, and the wading pool. A few years ago, during our evening walks in the park, I began noticing the pickleball activity. Intrigued, I then signed up for a couple of the CPA ‘Enjoy’ pickleball classes and then followed those with a PAPC “Just Beginning” introduction to pickleball at MP. I’ve been playing regularly since with hundreds of players of all ethnicities and backgrounds, and ages from less than 12 to mid- eighties. As a result, I’ve met and developed new friendships with dozens. We’ve also curated a group of local neighbors that have now begun to play. Pickleball at MP has become a major part of my physical activity and social engagement. A key unique benefit that MP pickleball offers is that it’s a welcoming, physical activity with extensive social engagement and available on a drop-in basis. Other than going to the gym, this scheduling freedom is unlike any of my other activities, such as volleyball, kayaking, and even mountain biking. All these require logistical coordination and scheduling with others. While I can always find a game, due to its recent popularity, there are now sometimes extensive waits. In addition, the PAPC events have also allowed me to take advantage of volunteer opportunities and increase my community engagement. I encourage you to please support the expansion of this wonderful facility and these capabilities at Mitchell Park. Thank you for your consideration, Ron Campbell Ashton Ave Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 482 Packet Pg. 770 of 896  From:Ben Davenport To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for more pickleball courts at Mitchell Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 4:06:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I started playing pickleball at Mitchell in the summer of 2023, after being introduced to it by my dad, who had been playing it for over a decade. What started as a once- or twice-a-week activity soon became a 5-day-a-week obsession. That first year, I lost 25 lbs due to pickleball, and 2 years later, I'm in better shape than I have been my whole life (I turned 50 this year). My wife, parents, father-in-law, and our 3 children all play at Mitchell at various times. I often bring friends there to introduce them to the sport, and of course I've made many friends at the courts. I've played at other places locally (Nealon, Red Morton, Rengstorff, YMCA), what we have at Mitchell is really something special, due to the number of courts and diversity and strength of players, as well as the ability to get a game any time of day. So, while other courts added elsewhere are always helpful, they would not get the same utilization as the same number of courts would at Mitchell. As the sport continues to grow, without additional courts being added, the wait times at Mitchell will also continue to grow, making it harder for new players to join the fun. While of course I understand the concern tennis players have over losing courts, I'm hopeful that accommodations can ultimately be made to make adding pickleball courts a net neutral impact to tennis. Sincerely yours, Ben Davenport Homeowner in Community Center https://www.linkedin.com/in/bpdavenport/ This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 483 Packet Pg. 771 of 896  From:Scott Hassan To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for more pickleball courts in Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 9:33:05 PM Attachments:20250911-Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: Attached is a letter of support for more pickleball courts in Mitchell Park. Sincerely, Scott Hassan This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 484 Packet Pg. 772 of 896  From:Jennifer Antonow To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support for pickleball expansion Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 7:21:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. The community that has developed at Mitchell Park is truly special, and I have benefited from the exercise, camaraderie, and time spent outdoors. I'd love to see it expanded. Sincerely yours, Jennifer Antonow This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 485 Packet Pg. 773 of 896  From:Jing Fang To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Support more pickleball courts Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 5:49:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Hi, I am Palo Alto resident, and am writing in support of creating more additional pickleball courts at Michell Park. Sincerely, Jing Fang 從我的iPhone傳送 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 486 Packet Pg. 774 of 896  From:yuanyuan gu To:Papc Secretary; Council, City; ParkRec Commission Subject:Support of creating 8 pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:10:21 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in strong support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become a meaningful part of my family’s life. All three of us play together, and it has greatly strengthened our relationship with our teenage son. The sport not only provides him with healthy physical activity, but also gives him the opportunity to build friendships and a sense of community. Most importantly, it has helped him stay productively engaged, avoid excessive idle time, and approach his studies with greater focus and efficiency. Sincerely, Yuan This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 487 Packet Pg. 775 of 896  From:Allen Wu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 5:09:17 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I grew up in Palo Alto, and I’m writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Mitchell Park pickleball means a lot to me because it’s been such a big part of my life over the past few years. I started playing here with my mom about three years ago, and since then we’ve practiced on these courts more times than I can count. Playing together has been one of the best things for us. We’ve played several tournaments as a team, and this summer we won a MLP league together. Those memories are some of my favorites and something I’ll always carry with me. But pickleball here isn’t just about the games or winning. It’s about the people. I’ve made so many good friends on these courts—friends I never expected to have. I’m seventeen, but some of the people I’m closest with at pickleball are over 60, even 80. It’s amazing to think about, but that’s what makes Mitchell Park special. It brings together people of all ages and backgrounds, and somehow we all connect through the game. Mitchell Park has given me a community, not just a sport. It has taught me how to work hard, be a good teammate, and most importantly, enjoy the time I spend with others. For me, it’s more than just a court—it’s a place where I’ve grown, laughed, and built friendships I’ll never forget. That’s why I strongly support adding more courts, so even more people can experience what I’ve been lucky enough to find here. Sincerely yours, Allen Wu Duverneck neighborhood Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 488 Packet Pg. 776 of 896  From:Tina Teng To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support pickleball court expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:58:36 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball keeps me active, sharp, and socially connected - bringing joy and purpose to my retired life. Sincerely yours, YUNGNING TENG Palo Verde This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 489 Packet Pg. 777 of 896  From:Yingcai Wang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support the City Council for the conversion of two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:42:30 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I have been living in Palo Alto for seven years, and the last four years have been the best years since I started playing pickleballs. I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has changed my life and lifestyle. As a cancer survivor, I never thought that I would be so physically active: playing pickleball every day for 2.5 hours! I have met so many people visiting the bay area on the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park, obviously it has been very famous and attracts lots of visitors to play and eat and shop in Palo Alto. It has been a great community not just fostering friendship and community spirits for Palo Alto residents, it already extended to many people visiting here. The more pickleball courts that we have, the bigger and better community it will be. I have heard so many personal stories on how playing pickleball at Mitchell have changed their lives and brought so much joy! I come to the pickleball courts before 6am everyday, and I noticed that several of the tennis courts are always empty. Not to mention that 2 tennis courts can become 8 pickleball courts for 32 people playing at the same time vs. maybe 4 or 6 people playing on the two tennis courts. The pickleball courts at Mitchell become so crowded after 8:30am that there are often 8 paddles waiting for one court, meaning 120 people are waiting while 60 people are playing on the courts. There is a huge need to add more pickleball courts. I really want to thank you for considering the conversion of two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts! Thanks, Yingcai Wang Living in the Ventura neighborhood. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 490 Packet Pg. 778 of 896  From:Li Fang To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Support the City Council for the conversion of two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:18:28 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I have been living in Palo Alto for seven years, and the last four years have been the best years since I started playing pickleballs. I am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I wanted to share something personal that has had a surprisingly big impact on my life: discovering pickleball. What started as a casual game quickly grew into something that has improved both my physical health and overall quality of life. Playing pickleball has given me a consistent way to stay active, improve my fitness, and have fun at the same time. Beyond the exercise, it has introduced me to a wonderful community of people who are welcoming, supportive, and full of energy. The social connections I’ve made on the court have become just as valuable as the sport itself. Most importantly, pickleball has brought balance into my routine. It helps me reduce stress, focus on the present moment, and maintain a positive outlook. In many ways, it has become more than just a hobby—it’s a lifestyle change that has enhanced my well-being in ways I didn’t expect. I really want to thank you for considering the conversion of two Mitchell Park tennis courts into eight pickleball courts! Thanks, Li Fang This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 491 Packet Pg. 779 of 896  From:James Taylor To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Supporting Pickleball in Palo Alto Date:Thursday, August 28, 2025 9:47:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi As an occasional pickleball player I wanted to write in support of additional pickleball courts in Palo Alto. Every time I play, the pickleball courts are full and there are almost always people waiting. Plus every court has a double's match being played. In contrast, the tennis courts are rarely more than half full and often only have either a singles match or, even more often, one person taking a lesson. Palo Alto Pickleball is full of my friends and neighbors here in Palo Alto and is a true Palo Alto community that deserves the city's support. Simply because we have a history of having empty tennis courts waiting for anyone to drive to Palo Alto and use does not mean we should continue to do so. James Taylor 4123 Briarwood Way, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 492 Packet Pg. 780 of 896  From:Myo Thein To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Supporting for more pickleball courts Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 12:12:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I've been picking up Pickleball for the last 2 years and spending 8+ hours every week at Mitchell Park, and I made a lot of friends and discovered neighbors from my street (4+ families) at the courts. I really enjoyed this community and now my 11 years old daughters are also picking up the sport and we spend time as family, but sometimes courts are busy, so I can tell for sure there is high demand from 11 years old to 80+ years old. Regards, Myo Thein Charleston Garden -- Montrose Ave This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 493 Packet Pg. 781 of 896  From:01 lu To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Supporting pickleball court expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:47:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As someone who found traditional tennis too demanding on my joints, pickleball has been a revelation. It provides fantastic cardiovascular exercise and has been crucial for my mental and physical well-being. Its accessibility is its greatest strength—I regularly play with my teenage children and my retired parents. The current demand for courts, however, far exceeds supply. Adding these facilities would be a direct investment in the health and happiness of residents of all ages and abilities. Sincerely yours, Lingyi Lu Neighborhood in 94303 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 494 Packet Pg. 782 of 896  From:Jamie Pearson To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Supporting pickleball court expansion at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 4:30:44 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Members of the Palo Alto Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, I'm a longtime resident of Palo Alto writing to urge you to create eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Over my many years of playing pickleball in Palo Alto, I've seen firsthand how the sport brings people together. Even now, as popularity among our residents is surging, it's not uncommon to see more experienced players take time away from their own playing to explain, demonstrate, and teach the game to newcomers. It's unique and very, very cool. As we age, isolation naturally increases and it becomes harder to make friends. It may sound corny, but our club motto "Come as a stranger, leave as a friend" plays out on the courts every day. Please consider expanding our courts so that more Palo Alto residents can experience this wonderful, healthful community. With warm appreciation for all you do for the city, Jamie Pearson Greer Road This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 495 Packet Pg. 783 of 896  From:Vincent Scheib To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Supporting pickleball court expansion Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 4:48:37 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Near neighbors on the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Barron Park and since the pandemic have enjoyed biking over to Mitchell Park to play Pickle Ball. I've build a community of friends. I most often arrive by myself, but I also enjoy bringing my children along on weekends. Palo Alto needs more courts. We could use them anywhere we can, e.g. at the schools, in neighborhood parks etc. However, having many at Mitchell Park increases the chances that one can find a similar skill level group and jump into a game. I've never felt drawn into the community in any previous city or even in Palo Alto this way until the last five years I found such a welcoming and accessible sport. See you around the neighborhood, where? Well, probably around the pickleball courts at Mitchell Park, - Vincent Scheib, Barron Park - Palo Alto. This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 496 Packet Pg. 784 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Subject:Synthetic Turf and Natural Grass Turf study - Draft Report - Please incorporate lead standards Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 1:09:59 PM Attachments:TigerTurf-Championship-Plus-1.625-in-56-oz-Spec-Sheet.pdf Pivot specs.pdf Brown lead n1782_astroturf_cj,_final-signed (1).pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and RecreationCommission Chair Nellis Freeman, With regard to the Turf Study Draft Report, please include lead in this draft report and set a standard that either requires artificial turf products have ZERO lead in them or that they at least have <50ppm (less than 50 Parts Per Million). The only reference to lead that I can find in this entire draft report is in the appendix in a County of Santa Clara, Office of The County Executive communication to the Board of Supervisors. See pages: - 663 (& 739 where the same document is repeated) where there is reference to the fact there is no safe level of blood lead. - 701 (& 777 again in repeated document) where lead was found in tire crumb infill above CA DTSC levels and EPA regulatory limits. This is disturbing because lead has been a huge issue for artificial turf in the past and it should not be left to fall completely off the radar. (Lead issues do not only apply to the tired crumb rubber infill so removing this as an infill option doesn't necessarily remove the lead risk.) Lead was found in artificial turf at dangerously high levels and as a result a standard for artificial turf was set in 2009 by then Governor Brown limiting lead in artificial grass carpet to <50ppm from 2010 (with an exception ONLY for field lines of <100ppm). However, some companies apply <100pm to their entire product and at times even equate this to "lead free". As a concerned parent and consumer, I would expect "lead free" to mean ZERO lead. Anything other than that should be transparently defined to allow informed consumer choice. Likewise, anyone using the final version of this draft report should be able to make a fully informed This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 497 Packet Pg. 785 of 896  judgement and decision. Some products are confusing when it comes to lead content. For example, TenCate, who have been promoting their latest product, Pivot, have lab reports simply stating that Pivot has <100ppm lead content. This doesn't meet the <50ppm standard set by Governor Brown. In the event that the Pivot product actually has less than 50ppm, Tencate were asked months ago to define exactly how many ppm of lead the Pivot product has but no answer was received. Likewise, Tiger Turf is marketed as lead free and yet lab reports simply state <100ppm lead content. Always Green Company even inaccurately states the standard to be <100ppm with a certificate stating Tiger Turf to be "Lead Free" but the certificate itself defines this as no "detectable" traces of lead. Does this just mean no lead detected over 100ppm since lab reports simply state the lead level to be <100ppm? This alone would not meet the <50ppm standard. We all know that lead is a huge problem when it comes to children's health and the CDC has stated "NO safe blood lead level in children has been identified and the effects of lead exposure cannot be corrected." Given how much artificial turf can disintegrate over time, any lead content in artificial turf is concerning. Hence, the safest level is really zero. Since the report is about being proactive and not reactive please don't allow scenarios like that in New Jersey in 2012 reoccur. Back then extremely unsafe levels of lead had been found in plastic grass fields. At that time only 5 of 50 schools allowed their fields to even be tested for lead. So 45 refused? Basically, it seemed school funds took priority over children’s health. We can’t have this happening again with any toxin be that lead, PFAS or any other chemical for that matter. When looking at El Camino Park, have funds already dictated decisions? I was at this park on a cloudless May morning at 11am and the temperature was only F65 and yet the artificial turf field was already F129.5. Even on this cool morning the smell of the field was nauseating. I could not imagine what it was like for kids/youths playing on that field in those temperatures let alone warmer temperatures. I appreciate the original infill was a disaster and that it was "fixed" but there was still a lot of the original infill in the field even all after those years, so was it really "fixed" sufficiently? Or did funds dictate how well the issue could be addressed? So, in line with making the draft report as robust as possible to avoid issues for users, the environment or public funds, please also incorporate some basic lead information and standards into this report for all artificial turf components (preferably ZERO, but at minimum <50ppm) especially since the primary users, kids and youths, are also the most vulnerable to the effects of any toxins. Kind regards, Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 498 Packet Pg. 786 of 896  Leanne McAuliffe Santa Clara Resident (Though I am not a Palo Alto resident I know my own town, Los Gatos, has eagle eyes on this report so it is incredibly important to me that your report more robustly protects our kids and youths.) SIDE NOTE: the attached TenCate document markets the Pivot product as no infill, no microplastics, no PFAS, but: "no infill"? (they also state later that a cooling infill is available to help deal with heat issues - Santa Clara County has a hot climate), "no microplastics"? (if you visit John Mise Park you'll see a whole lot of microplastics from the Pivot field there), and "no PFAS"? (on TenCate's website it says artificial turf has less than 100ppm PFAS which does not equal "no" PFAS) Just like other industry claims like "lead free" these statements cannot always be taken at face value. https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/brown-creates-nations-first-enforceable-lead- standards-artificial-turf https://alwaysgreensyntheticgrass.com/artificial-grass-safe-families-pets/ https://peer.org/lead-limits-needed-on-tire-crumb-playgrounds/ Brown Creates Nation's FirstEnforceable Lead Standards forArtificial Turf - State of California- Department of Justice - Officeof the Attorney General children’s playgrounds and ball fields, AttorneyGeneral Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed offon an agreement requiring Georgia-basedAstroTurf, LLC to virtually eliminate lead from its oag.ca.gov Lead Limits Needed on TireCrumb Playgrounds - peer.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 499 Packet Pg. 787 of 896  CPSC Ruling on Artificial Play-Areas as Children’sProducts Sought Washington, DC — TheConsumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)should prevent children from being exposed to peer.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 500 Packet Pg. 788 of 896  From:Office of Supervisor Otto Lee To:ParkRec Commission Subject:THURSDAY, Sept. 18: D3 Community Roundtable, focusing on the Impacts of H.R. 1 on Santa Clara County Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 3:56:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Friends and Neighbors, The effects of federal budget cuts earlier this summer have been hitting our community hard. After H.R. 1 was signed into law on July 4, it has led to major cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, as well as created a $1 billion shortfall for Santa Clara County in the coming years. In short, H.R. 1 has punched a hole in our County's safety net, and we are now facing a fiscal crisis with dire consequences for every one of our 2 million community members. To address these concerns and find possible solutions together, please join us from 6:30 - This message needs your attention You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 501 Packet Pg. 789 of 896  8:30 PM on Thursday, September 18, at a special hybrid D3 Community Roundtable. This event will take place both in the Milpitas Library Auditorium, via Zoom, giving attendees the chance to hear from local leaders in healthcare, social services, and the public sector at large. Speakers include: Paul Lorenz, CEO of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare Damon Silver, Acting Public Defender for the County of Santa Clara Marie Bernard, Executive Director of Sunnyvale Community Services Megan Wheelehan, Deputy Director of Behavioral Health Services Department Eilona Betkolia-Gevariz, Director of Department of Employment and Benefits Services D3 Community Roundtable on the Impacts of H.R. 1 on Santa Clara County Thursday, September 18⏰6:30 - 8:30 PM Milpitas Library Auditorium: 160 N. Main St., Milpitas tinyurl.com/2025d3crt Register here Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 502 Packet Pg. 790 of 896  Reunión Comunitario -- Jueves, 18 de Septiembre a las 6:30pm En persona or por zoom Auditorio de la Biblioteca Milpitas, 160 N. Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 RSVP - forms.gle/BEUj1rcPGbhdNbxW6 Enlace de zoom - tinyurl.com/2025d3crt El presidente del condado de Santa Clara Otto Lee, los envita a una junta especiales sobre los efectos negativos de los recortes presupuestarios federales de la Ley H.R. 1 Phiên Họp Cộng Đồng -- Thứ Năm, Ngày 18 Tháng 9 Lúc 6:30 Giờ Tối Tham dự trực tiếp VÀ trực tuyến Hội Trường Thư Viện Milpitas, 160 N. Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 RSVP - forms.gle/BEUj1rcPGbhdNbxW6 Liên kết Zoom trực tuyến - tinyurl.com/2025d3crt Tham gia cùng Chủ Tịch Hội Dồng Giám Sát Viên Otto Lee trong buổi thảo luận với khách đặc biệt về những tác động tiêu cực của việc cắt giảm ngân sách liên bang theo Dự Luật H.R. 1 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 503 Packet Pg. 791 of 896  Join us next Thursday, Sept. 18, for a robust discussion on the harms of this bill, and ways we can work together to combat the lasting effects and protect our community members. We hope to see you there! Sincerely, Otto Lee Board Vice President Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 3 70 West Hedding 10th Floor San Jose, CA 95110 (408) 299-5030 Email Supervisor Lee District 3 Website Unsubscribe from future updates Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 504 Packet Pg. 792 of 896  From:Harriet Stern To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Olenka S. Villarreal; Ava Randall; Sophia Stavrakos Subject:Tennis Courts at Mitchell Park Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 3:50:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ! Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as they witness their children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neurotypical teens and their neuro-atypical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of their week. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023 through the efforts of one of our Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors. The following fall, two Los Altos High students, featured in the attached NBC News story, expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour-long sessions for 16-21 weeks annually. Thus far we have provided at least 50 disabled athletes and 30 volunteer coaches with the incredible experience of playing tennis, making friends, and creating community. As the Magical Bridge Curator of Community Kindness, I assist the teens in managing this program, which includes coordinating with the city to secure court time. Securing court times that align with the teens' schedules can be challenging, and we have occasionally had to utilize Cubberley due to lack of availability at Mitchell Park. We use two adjacent tennis courts per This message could be suspicious The sender's email address couldn't be verified. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 505 Packet Pg. 793 of 896  session due to errant balls and atypical tennis behavior. Our strong preference for Mitchell Park stems from its close proximity to the Magical Bridge Playground. The playground is essential for some participants who need to decompress after an hour of focused tennis skills and one-on-one interaction. Additionally, we often use the playground for activities during our multi-hour summer Tennis & Fun Camp. We rely on these tennis courts. They provide a space for critical social interaction and play, we then rest and snack under the trees in Mitchell Park and finally head to the Magical Bridge Playground. The Magical Bridge Foundation and our extended community, strongly request that you preserve the remaining four tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention that the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Increasing this exposure by adding more pickleball courts to the main area of Mitchell Park could negatively impact the well-being of sensory-sensitive individuals. Finally, parking at Mitchell Park is already a significant concern due to the constant use of the pickleball courts. Many of our coaches and players arrive very early to ensure they are on time for their tennis sessions. We have also experienced difficulties securing adequate parking for our activity leaders during the Tennis & Fun Camp. While Magical Bridge has permission to park at Ability Path, we now have to block off parking on tennis and concert days to ensure our equipment, coaches, musicians, volunteers and activity leaders can access Mitchell Park and the Magical Bridge Playground. Adding more pickleball courts would undoubtedly exacerbate the existing parking issues for other park and playground users. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Attached please find an NBC News feature on Ava and Sophia, our tennis leaders and the Magical Tennis Program. Please consider that there are many sports, arts and culture activities for neurotypical children and teens but hardly anything at all for their atypical brethren. Magical Tennis needs tennis courts to exist. Sincerely, Harriet Stern Harriet Stern Curator of Community Kindness Magical Bridge Foundation (a 501c3 non-profit) Los Altos tennis-playing teens inspired to start clinic for neurodivergent individuals Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 506 Packet Pg. 794 of 896  From:Alex Song To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Tennis Courts for Magic Tennis Family Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 4:19:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as they witness their children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neurotypical teens and their neuro-atypical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of their week. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023 through the efforts of one of our Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors. The following fall, two Los Altos High students, featured in the attached NBC News story, expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour-long sessions for 16-21 weeks annually. Thus far we have provided at least 50 disabled athletes and 30 volunteer coaches with the incredible experience of playing tennis, making friends, and creating community. As the Magical Bridge Curator of Community Kindness, I assist the teens in managing this program, which includes coordinating with the city to secure court time. Securing court times This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 507 Packet Pg. 795 of 896  that align with the teens' schedules can be challenging, and we have occasionally had to utilize Cubberley due to lack of availability at Mitchell Park. We use two adjacent tennis courts per session due to errant balls and atypical tennis behavior. Our strong preference for Mitchell Park stems from its close proximity to the Magical Bridge Playground. The playground is essential for some participants who need to decompress after an hour of focused tennis skills and one-on-one interaction. Additionally, we often use the playground for activities during our multi-hour summer Tennis & Fun Camp. We rely on these tennis courts. They provide a space for critical social interaction and play, we then rest and snack under the trees in Mitchell Park and finally head to the Magical Bridge Playground. The Magical Bridge Foundation and our extended community, strongly request that you preserve the remaining four tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention that the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Increasing this exposure by adding more pickleball courts to the main area of Mitchell Park could negatively impact the well-being of sensory-sensitive individuals. Finally, parking at Mitchell Park is already a significant concern due to the constant use of the pickleball courts. Many of our coaches and players arrive very early to ensure they are on time for their tennis sessions. We have also experienced difficulties securing adequate parking for our activity leaders during the Tennis & Fun Camp. While Magical Bridge has permission to park at Ability Path, we now have to block off parking on tennis and concert days to ensure our equipment, coaches, musicians, volunteers and activity leaders can access Mitchell Park and the Magical Bridge Playground. Adding more pickleball courts would undoubtedly exacerbate the existing parking issues for other park and playground users. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Attached please find an NBC News feature on Ava and Sophia, our tennis leaders and the Magical Tennis Program. Please consider that there are many sports, arts and culture activities for neurotypical children and teens but hardly anything at all for their atypical brethren. Magical Tennis needs tennis courts to exist. Best Regards, Alex Song Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 508 Packet Pg. 796 of 896  From:Yuhua Wang To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Tennis courts for special needs family Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 4:21:19 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as they witness their children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neurotypical teens and their neuro-atypical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of their week. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023 through the efforts of one of our Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors. The following fall, two Los Altos High students, featured in the attached NBC News story, expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour-long sessions for 16-21 weeks annually. Thus far we have provided at least 50 disabled athletes and 30 volunteer coaches with the incredible experience of playing tennis, making friends, and creating community. As the Magical Bridge Curator of Community Kindness, I assist the teens in managing this program, which includes coordinating with the city to secure court time. Securing court times that align with the teens' schedules can be challenging, and we have occasionally had to utilize Cubberley due to lack of availability at Mitchell Park. We use two adjacent tennis courts per session due to errant balls and atypical tennis behavior. Our strong preference for Mitchell This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 509 Packet Pg. 797 of 896  Park stems from its close proximity to the Magical Bridge Playground. The playground is essential for some participants who need to decompress after an hour of focused tennis skills and one-on-one interaction. Additionally, we often use the playground for activities during our multi-hour summer Tennis & Fun Camp. We rely on these tennis courts. They provide a space for critical social interaction and play, we then rest and snack under the trees in Mitchell Park and finally head to the Magical Bridge Playground. The Magical Bridge Foundation and our extended community, strongly request that you preserve the remaining four tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention that the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Increasing this exposure by adding more pickleball courts to the main area of Mitchell Park could negatively impact the well-being of sensory-sensitive individuals. Finally, parking at Mitchell Park is already a significant concern due to the constant use of the pickleball courts. Many of our coaches and players arrive very early to ensure they are on time for their tennis sessions. We have also experienced difficulties securing adequate parking for our activity leaders during the Tennis & Fun Camp. While Magical Bridge has permission to park at Ability Path, we now have to block off parking on tennis and concert days to ensure our equipment, coaches, musicians, volunteers and activity leaders can access Mitchell Park and the Magical Bridge Playground. Adding more pickleball courts would undoubtedly exacerbate the existing parking issues for other park and playground users. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Attached please find an NBC News feature on Ava and Sophia, our tennis leaders and the Magical Tennis Program. Please consider that there are many sports, arts and culture activities for neurotypical children and teens but hardly anything at all for their atypical brethren. Magical Tennis needs tennis courts to exist. Best Regards, Yuhua Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 510 Packet Pg. 798 of 896  From:Stuart Hansen To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Tennis vs Pickle Ball Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 10:42:15 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i 1. "Racket Science" tennis club has over a dozen members some of which play every Tuesday and Friday at 10:30am for mixed doubles at the Mitchell park complex. 2. We have been doing this for over 30 years. 3.It is our main source of both physical and mental exercise. 4.We already have given-up 3 courts for multiple pickle ball courts. 5. Parking and pickle ball noise have now become a problem. Recommend: 1. Expand pickle ball courts at Geng Rd. location where noise and parking can be accommodated. 2. Tennis should have priority at Mitchell Park. 3.Offer priority reservations for RESIDENTS. Thank you, Stuart Hansen, long-time tennis player/resident. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 511 Packet Pg. 799 of 896  From:Ken Hammer To:ParkRec Commission; Stu Hansen Cc:Dee Hammer Subject:Tennis vs Pickleball Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 2:56:01 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. To whom it may concern, Tennis at Mitchell Park has been a near constant for me and my wife. We met at Mitchell over 30 years ago when she asked if I played tennis, which I didn’t, so I bought a racquet and practiced hitting at the backboards. I eventually called her back and asked if she wanted to play. We had fun together and kept playing at Mitchell long before pickleball started becoming popular. We already lost the 3 courts across the creek to pickleball. If more courts are needed they should be added where the noise is not a problem for the neighborhood! PLEASE leave the 4 remaining courts to tennis, not only for Racket Science but also for the many other players who love tennis! Sincerely, Ken Hammer Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 512 Packet Pg. 800 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Cc:Robustelli, Sarah Subject:Turf Study Draft Report - Page 176 please expand or redefine. Date:Wednesday, September 3, 2025 1:45:40 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto City Community Services Director Kristen O’Kane and Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Nellis Freeman, In the Glossary on page 176 the following is stated: "PFAS Free: Means the product contains no intentionally added PFAS." This is an artificial turf industry definition of PFAS Free which has been used even if and when PFAS are intentionally added to the manufacturing process of blades. This is also just one of the ways artificial turf products are claimed to be "PFAS free". Listing only this definition is a disservice to anybody referring to this document as a means to make an informed decision. If this glossary definition is to be more accurate, transparent and informative the following should also be added as some ways that an artificial turf product might be claimed to be "PFAS Free": Testing for a much lesser number of PFAS than testing is available for Testing at concentrations that won’t detect PFAS (parts per million or billion rather than parts per trillion) Allowing under 100 parts per million PFAS content (which equates to allowing under 100,000,000 parts per trillion) Not testing for Total Organic Fluorine (a test which indicates if any of the around 15,000 PFAS are present without being able to identify which specific PFAS they are). Not doing the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (a technique which assesses what compounds will release from a solid compound over time as the product degrades with exposure to the elements, UV light, aging, abrasion etc.) Using CA Proposition 65 compliance (this presently only accounts for 3 PFAS) Stating PVDF HFP, the PFAS used in some manufacturing, is not a PFAS according This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 513 Packet Pg. 801 of 896  to the EPA (it is according to the California EPA) Not testing for PVDF HFP (some suppliers simply do not test for substances they claim are not “intentionally” added) Not testing for any PFAS at all (again, some suppliers do not test for substances they claim are not “intentionally” added) Also, if the artificial turf industry's definition is clearly defined in the glossary then would it not also be valid (expected) to include consumers understanding/definition of "PFAS Free". After all, it is the consumers (which includes our kids) that this draft report is ultimately supposed to be protecting and not artificial turf products. Accordingly, would it not be reasonable to state that a consumer, when buying a product that is stated to be "free" of something would expect that to mean there is ZERO of that something? ie. PFAS Free: means Zero PFAS. Or, for simplicity, since artificial turf products are not regulated, it would be much more accurate for the glossary to simply state that: "PFAS Free: does not necessarily mean Zero PFAS are in the artificial turf product". This is more accurate, transparent and informative. Kind regards, Leanne McAuliffe Concerned consumer/parent of neighbouring Los Gatos (This issue is important to me because our Town is watching the report so it needs to be as accurate, transparent and informative as possible for the public and decision makers.) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 514 Packet Pg. 802 of 896  From:Leanne McAuliffe To:O"Kane, Kristen; ParkRec Commission Subject:Turf Study Draft Report - Public comment re. Hours of use. Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 4:26:41 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Below is a comment I sent through the online form last night. Last night it said the submission was successful and yet this morning I got a message "Could not connect to the reCAPTCHA service." so I'm not sure if the message sent or not. Sending now by direct mail in the event that it wasn't received last night. Turf Study Draft Report - Hours of use? We all want sports fields to provide as many hours as possible. Indeed this is arguably the main sales point for artificial turf as supporters claim it can provide many more hours than natural turf. But, how many hours exactly? And who has provided the figures in this report? The answers to these questions are far from clear to me as there are so many different figures. How is anyone meant to make sense of the many, many different hours of use for natural turf and plastic turf that are in strewn throughout this draft report? How could an accurate executive summary be drawn from them? The executive summary (page 12) states plastic turf can provide 3 to 4 times the playing time of real turf fields. This is a common artificial turf industry statement but on what does the executive summary base this statement? Were any successful modern day grass sports field specialists consulted for these figures? On page 24 it states that plastic turf fields can be played on 7 days a week, 365 days a year. How does this align with warranties that can state normal use (a condition of coverage) to be 3,000 hours a year? (Furthermore, high use areas generally have a much reduced warranty period.) Because hours of use is often the main point of contention when it comes to sports fields This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 515 Packet Pg. 803 of 896  (even tipping decisions) please ensure that the hours of use documented are accurate and provide specific sources for such information. Those sources should include successful experts in managing modern day natural turf sports fields as well as experts in organically managed natural turf sports fields. This is important because on every other level many agree natural turf wins so if you are going to tip the scale just on hours, they need to be accurate. The bigger question is, even if you could get a few more hours out of plastic, are all the trade offs worth it? Kind regards, Leanne McAuliffe Concerned Parent Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 516 Packet Pg. 804 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reckdahl, Keith; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Vicki Veenker; Lauing, Ed; Marty Wasserman; h.etzko@gmail.com Cc:Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Human Relations Commission; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Dave Price; CityCouncil; city.council@gilroy.org; ParkRec Commission; planning.commision@cityofpaloalto.org; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Josh Becker; Jay Boyarsky; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; GRP-City Council; city.council@menlopark.gov; Council, City; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Tim James; Cait James; Josie James-Le; Lewis james; Pat M; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Seher Awan; Lotus Fong; Linda Jolley; Donna Wallach; Roberta Ahlquist; Palo Alto Free Press; Emily Mibach; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Braden Cartwright; bryan gobin; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Diana Diamond; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Stump, Molly; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Rodriguez, Miguel; Dennis Upton; dennis burns; DuJuan Green; Zelkha, Mila Subject:UK Cops "Ashamed and Sick" of Enforcing Ban on Anti-Genocide Group Palestine Action | Common Dreams Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 12:24:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i https://www.commondreams.org/news/palestine-action-arrests This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 517 Packet Pg. 805 of 896  From:Light As Air Boats To:ParkRec Commission Unlock Business Growth with Fall Rowing! Date:Thursday, August 21, 2025 6:31:29 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. i SHOP NOW Hi there! Your summer campaigns may have targeted families and sun-seekers, but fall calls for a shift in both tone and audience. This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 518 Packet Pg. 806 of 896  Here’s why focusing on fall rowing can boost your business: Extended Revenue Season: Keep your equipment earning income after summer ends. Lower Competition: Fewer outdoor events means your offerings stand out more. Attract Different Demographics: Couples, solo adventurers, and photographers often seek out quieter, scenic experiences. Ideal Weather Conditions: Fewer bugs, no sweltering heat, and calmer waters make rowing more pleasant. Fall Marketing Ideas: Seasonal Imagery: Feature golden trees, misty mornings, and peaceful waters in your promotions. Social Media Themes: Run “Fall Paddle Challenge” or “Best Autumn Rowing Photo” contests. Target Local Travelers: Many people do “leaf-peeping” road trips — promote yourself as a scenic stop. Highlight Tranquility: Use language like “peaceful,” “escape,” and “serene” in your copy. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 519 Packet Pg. 807 of 896  Partner with Lodging and Events: Collaborate with inns, Airbnb hosts, or local festivals for package deals. Email Marketing Tip: Send a “Fall Rowing is Here” campaign to your summer visitors with returning customer offers or incentives for weekday visits. Click Here to Get More Marketing Ideas For Fall Rowing Whether you run a quiet lakeside park, a five-star resort, or a small-town rental, fall rowing offers opportunities to deliver the beauty of the autumn season For Discounts, Questions & Quotes, Call Dave Tel:864.367.6161 dave@lightasairboats.com Explore Our Rowing Boats Yours in Wind, Water, and Waves, - The Light As Air Boats Team Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 520 Packet Pg. 808 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 521 Packet Pg. 809 of 896  We don’t want to spam you. If you're no longer interested in enjoying adventures out on the water Unsubscribe here. Light As Air Boats 13801 Walsingham Rd. Suite A-116 Largo, Florida 33774 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 522 Packet Pg. 810 of 896  From:Chenchen Irene Zhang To:Library Director Cc:city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov; ParkRec Commission Subject:Urgent Concern: Proposed Pickleball Court Expansion Adjacent to Mitchell Park Library Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 12:32:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear library director, I am writing to you today as a concerned parent and regular patron of the Mitchell ParkLibrary to urgently raise an issue that I believe directly threatens the library's mission, thesafety of its patrons, and the quality of life in our neighborhood. At the recent city meeting, a proposal was supported to convert two more tennis courtsimmediately adjacent to the library into eight pickleball courts. This is in addition to 15pickleball courts already causing significant issues. (Please see attached map for details)There are indications that the long-term plan is to convert all four tennis courts into a 16-court pickleball complex directly beside the library. We are already experiencing severe negative impacts from the existing pickleball activity: 1. Noise Pollution: The constant, sharp "pop" sound of pickleball is highly disruptive.This noise fundamentally conflicts with the library's need for a quiet atmosphereconducive to reading, studying, and concentration. This will only be exponentiallyworse with 8 or 16 courts. 2. Parking Crisis: The existing courts have already made the library parking lotunusable for its intended purpose during peak hours. My high school daughters, andmany other students, cannot find parking during critical times like final exam weeks.Patrons, including seniors and families with young children, are being displaced by This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 523 Packet Pg. 811 of 896  3. Safety Hazard: The increased traffic from a large sports complex creates adangerous environment for the children, teenagers, and families who walk and biketo the library. The congestion of cars circling for parking and the high volume ofcoming-and-going vehicles pose a significant safety risk. My questions for you, as the stewards of our library, are: What is the official stance of the Mitchell Park Library management on thisproposed expansion? Has the library system been formally consulted on a plan thatwill so drastically affect its operations and environment? How do you plan to ensure the library remains a quiet, safe, and accessibleplace for study and learning in the face of this intense commercial-grade sportsactivity? What measures will be taken to guarantee the safety of children navigating aparking lot overwhelmed by non-library traffic? Has there been a formal noise or traffic impact study commissioned thatconsiders the unique proximity to a public library? The library is a vital community resource for learning and quiet contemplation. Allowing itto be surrounded by a massive sports complex undermines its very purpose. I urge you toformally oppose this plan and advocate for a more suitable location for pickleballexpansion—one that does not come at the expense of our students, readers, and thelibrary's peaceful environment. Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter. I look forward to yourresponse. Respectfully Chenchen Zhang Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 524 Packet Pg. 812 of 896  2612 Cowper st Palo Alto CA 94306 Sent from my iPhone Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 525 Packet Pg. 813 of 896  From:Lynn Hollyn To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Urgent need Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 10:36:06 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in urgent support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. As important as the tree lined streets are the pickleball courts. It may sound cliched but it is ture... these courts are the wellspring of my health, community, sense of excitement and well being . This sentiment is so pervasive with people from age 7-97 that iyt is imperative you expand the facilities to add eight new courts. The City should take pride in the fact that they are serving a community that wants healthy pickleball courts! There are always at least four people waiting on all 12 courts, and often the extra two courts. Like many, I was a dedicated tennis player but the joy of a good workout and skill is exponentially improved with the conviviality factor and ease of connecting people to share an hour or two or more!!!!! Warm regards, Lynn Hollyn 455 Seale Avenue Palo Alto, CA. 94301 -- lynn hollyn 1.650.799.1129 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 526 Packet Pg. 814 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 527 Packet Pg. 815 of 896  From:TrackWatch Palo Alto To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Volunteers Needed for Palo Alto TrackWatch Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 1:20:12 PM Attachments:image.png image.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi Parks & Rec Commissioners (in your individual capacities), This is Steven Lee from the TrackWatch Palo Alto Steering Committee. We are an all-volunteer group of Palo Alto community members who have come together to restart TrackWatch in response to the lethal danger posed by the train tracks running through our town. ASK: We are reaching out to you because we need your help recruiting volunteers (19+ adults only) for TrackWatch. Can you help us get the word out by forwarding this email to your email list and sharing this link [Palo Alto TrackWatch Program] and the QR code below with your networks. We are looking for adult (19+) community volunteers who are willing to sign up for one or more 2- hour shifts at a train crossing. All shifts are done in pairs. TrackWatch volunteers are required to watch a free, online, 90-minute mental health and suicide prevention workshop called "Be Sensitive, Be Brave" and must attend a 30-45 minute Zoom orientation (which we will offer once per week) before being able to sign up for a shift. When you sign up on the link or QR code, you will receive information on how to sign up for the training and orientation. Thank you in advance for all of your help in keeping our community safe and showing that the entire Palo Alto community cares. In gratitude and shared care for our community, This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 528 Packet Pg. 816 of 896  Steven Lee on behalf of TrackWatch Palo Alto Steering Committee trackwatchpaloalto@gmail.com Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 529 Packet Pg. 817 of 896  From:Daniela Betco To:ParkRec Commission Subject:WIN a Yeti Cooler at NRPA Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 8:45:17 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 530 Packet Pg. 818 of 896  [US] [MKT-EXT] - NRPA Email Header 600x200 - 2025 Friend, Are you attending the NRPA Conference this year? If so, don’t forget to stop by the Turf Tank Booth #1131 and discover how our autonomous line marking robots help over 5,000 organizations cut field prep time by up to 90% while ensuring accurate, consistent, and efficient results. And while you’re there, don’t miss your chance to enter our competition to win some awesome prizes! Check the conference floor map below to easily find us. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 531 Packet Pg. 819 of 896  NRPA Turf Tank Map Join us at Booth #1131 and learn how Turf Tank will benefit your athletic fields, your team's efficiency, and your wallet! Our local experts will be there to answer any questions you might have, share insights, and discuss the possibility of setting up a live demo so you can see the robot in action on your field. We look forward to seeing you! DANIELA BETCO EVENTS AND MARKETING MANAGER m:+1 (239) 758-0294 e:daniela.betco@turftank.com w:www.turftank.com a:Skjoldet 20, 9230 Svenstrup J, Denmark Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 532 Packet Pg. 820 of 896  For information about terms and conditions of the Referral Program, read more here Turf Tank, 1110 Allgood Industrial Ct, Marietta, Georgia 30062, United States, 877-396-4094 Manage preferences Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 533 Packet Pg. 821 of 896  From:Light As Air Boats To:ParkRec Commission Want To Be Guest Ready for Fall Adventures? Check Out Our Best Selling Boats! Date:Thursday, August 28, 2025 6:31:02 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. i SHOP NOW Hi there, ​ Give Your Guests Special Days On The Water This Fall. These boats deliver! This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 534 Packet Pg. 822 of 896  Puffin Boats are easy to set up and operate, making them accessible for both beginners and seasoned boaters. Beautiful, inexpensive, and tough. You can even add a sail! Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 535 Packet Pg. 823 of 896  SEE ALL PUFFIN BOATS HERE These Boats are beautiful, sturdy and tough! SEE ALL LITTLE RIVER MARINE BOATS HERE Stable, durable, and easy to paddle, these paddleboats are the ultimate choice for fun on the water! Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 536 Packet Pg. 824 of 896  SEE ADVENTURE GLASS BOATS HERE Our boats are built for fun! For Discounts, Questions & Quotes, Call Dave Tel:864.367.6161 dave@lightasairboats.com Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 537 Packet Pg. 825 of 896  Yours in Wind, Water, and Waves, - The Light As Air Boats Team Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 538 Packet Pg. 826 of 896  We don’t want to spam you. If you're no longer interested in enjoying adventures out on the water Unsubscribe here. Light As Air Boats 13801 Walsingham Rd. Suite A-116 Largo, Florida 33774 Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 539 Packet Pg. 827 of 896  From:Aram James To:Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Veenker, Vicki Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; Lu, George; Reckdahl, Keith; gstone22@gmail.com; Burt, Patrick; Ed Lauing; Lauing, Ed; Shikada, Ed; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; district1@bos.sccgov.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; District5@bos.sccgov.org; Liz Kniss; Supervisor Otto Lee; Sameena Usman; Jeff Rosen; Sean Allen; Jay Boyarsky; Gerry Gras; Dana St. George; Daniel Barton; Doug Minkler; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Vara Ramakrishnan; Raymond Goins; Gardener, Liz; james pitkin; Reifschneider, James; city.council@gilroy.org; CityCouncil; city.council@menlopark.gov; GRP-City Council; Clerk, City; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Pacific GrovePD; Bryan Gobin; Roberta Ahlquist; Patricia.Guerrero@jud.ca.gov; Yusra Hussain; Sheree Roth; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Friends of Cubberley; Human Relations Commission; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Brandon Pho; Jennifer Morrow San José Spotlight; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Hayden; Zelkha, Mila Subject:Watch "FKM" on YouTube Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 11:30:35 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Julie, 4.5 minutes Youtube, link below, Please check it out. This is your current lame democratic party!! Res 18-goes down in AIPAC flames. And Julie you still won’t call for a cease-fire and call out the genocide at the next city council meeting. The democratic party has long ago lost its soul. What about you? What say you, Julie? Speak up, Julie, Vicki!! Avram https://youtu.be/czQjAlV9rEg?si=ZMxKlPgW7cr9Vayz This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 540 Packet Pg. 828 of 896  From:Aram James To:h.etzko@gmail.com; Gerry Gras; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Bill Newell; Josh Becker; Reckdahl, Keith; editor@almanacnews.com; editor@paweekly.com; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; Zelkha, Mila; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Enberg, Nicholas; Foley, Michael; city.council@gilroy.org; citycouncil@nenlopark.org; Jeff Conrad; CityCouncil; Binder, Andrew; james pitkin; Reifschneider, James; Raymond Goins; Gennady Sheyner; Perron, Zachary; bos@smcgov.org; board@valleywater.org; BoardOperations; Robert. Jonsen; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Sean Allen; Seher Awan; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Gardener, Liz; Liz Kniss; Human Relations Commission Subject:Watch "Who Killed Charlie Kirk And Why?" on YouTube Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 10:55:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i https://youtu.be/ZC8RuK4lPBk?si=KQErUG1lsPMUZr4N This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 541 Packet Pg. 829 of 896  From:Darrell Benatar To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:We need more pickleball courts! Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 7:22:33 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To: The Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council I live in Palo Alto and regularly play pickleball at Mitchell Park. It's CRAZY how crowded the pickleball courts are. I often go to the courts at Rengstorff Park because there are often long waits to play at Mitchell Park. Please consider building more pickleball courts at Mitchell Park or somewhere in Palo Alto. Pickleball in Palo Alto has been an amazing way to meet community members and make new friends and has helped me avoid the isolation I might otherwise experience. Warm regards, Darrell Benatar 2522 Webster St, Palo Alto, CA 94301 This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 542 Packet Pg. 830 of 896  From:Vivi Chen To:ParkRec Commission Subject:We need tennis courts Date:Monday, August 25, 2025 4:18:03 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Parks and Recreation Commissioners, I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential conversion of additional tennis courts into pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I respectfully urge you not to proceed with this conversion. Although I am not a tennis player myself, I have spent a significant amount of time, at least 20 hours this year, on the Mitchell Park tennis courts. The Magical Bridge Foundation, with the support of the City of Palo Alto, has successfully operated "Magical Tennis" and the "Magical Tennis & Fun Camp" at these courts for several years. This program offers children and young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in sports through one-on-one coaching provided by teen volunteers. It was initiated and continues to be led by high school students. The unique nature of Magical Tennis has truly amazed many parents as they witness their children hitting a tennis ball and enjoying the experience. The success of this program lies in the valuable partnerships formed between neurotypical teens and their neuro-atypical peers. Magical Tennis emphasizes friendship and fun, extending beyond just the sport itself. While most participants make tennis progress and some even advance to more skilled play, the program's true magic lies in fostering connections and building community. For both players and coaches, participating in Magical Tennis is often a highlight of their week. Magical Tennis began in the summer of 2023 through the efforts of one of our Magical Bridge Kindness Ambassadors. The following fall, two Los Altos High students, featured in the attached NBC News story, expanded the program to include a summer camp. Magical Tennis now offers weekly hour-long sessions for 16-21 weeks annually. Thus far we have provided at least 50 disabled athletes and 30 volunteer coaches with the incredible experience of playing tennis, making friends, and creating community. As the Magical Bridge Curator of Community Kindness, I assist the teens in managing this program, which includes coordinating with the city to secure court time. Securing court times that align with the teens' schedules can be challenging, and we have occasionally had to utilize Cubberley due to lack of availability at Mitchell Park. We use two adjacent tennis courts per session due to errant balls and atypical tennis behavior. Our strong preference for Mitchell This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to you. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 543 Packet Pg. 831 of 896  Park stems from its close proximity to the Magical Bridge Playground. The playground is essential for some participants who need to decompress after an hour of focused tennis skills and one-on-one interaction. Additionally, we often use the playground for activities during our multi-hour summer Tennis & Fun Camp. We rely on these tennis courts. They provide a space for critical social interaction and play, we then rest and snack under the trees in Mitchell Park and finally head to the Magical Bridge Playground. The Magical Bridge Foundation and our extended community, strongly request that you preserve the remaining four tennis courts at Mitchell Park. Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention that the constant sound of pickleballs hitting paddles can be triggering for children and adults with sensory sensitivities. Increasing this exposure by adding more pickleball courts to the main area of Mitchell Park could negatively impact the well-being of sensory-sensitive individuals. Finally, parking at Mitchell Park is already a significant concern due to the constant use of the pickleball courts. Many of our coaches and players arrive very early to ensure they are on time for their tennis sessions. We have also experienced difficulties securing adequate parking for our activity leaders during the Tennis & Fun Camp. While Magical Bridge has permission to park at Ability Path, we now have to block off parking on tennis and concert days to ensure our equipment, coaches, musicians, volunteers and activity leaders can access Mitchell Park and the Magical Bridge Playground. Adding more pickleball courts would undoubtedly exacerbate the existing parking issues for other park and playground users. Thank you for your time and consideration of these important points. Attached please find an NBC News feature on Ava and Sophia, our tennis leaders and the Magical Tennis Program. Please consider that there are many sports, arts and culture activities for neurotypical children and teens but hardly anything at all for their atypical brethren. Magical Tennis needs tennis courts to exist. Appreciate your consideration. Best Regards, Vivi Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 544 Packet Pg. 832 of 896  From:Jennifer Schmidt To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:We support 8 additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:32:10 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Park & Rec Commission and Council Council, Thank you for all you do for the residents of Palo Alto and for your continued support of pickleball in our community. We are residents of Palo Alto, residing in Barron Park, and fully support the addition of 8 pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball brings so many benefits to our Palo Alto community. It provides a fun way to get exercise, a boost in our mental wellbeing, builds lifelong friendships, fosters friendships across generations, and provides a sense of belonging to players from all ages and all backgrounds. One of the greatest strengths of pickleball at Mitchell Park is its welcoming spirit. You can simply show up and find people to play, regardless of your skill level. In a world where loneliness has become a growing public health concern, opportunities for connection are invaluable. Pickleball is more than a sport, it is a community builder. We respectfully urge you to move forward with adding 8 additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. This investment will enrich the health, happiness and sense of community within Palo Alto for years to come. With gratitude, The Schmidt Family Barron Park This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 545 Packet Pg. 833 of 896  From:Carl Page To:ParkRec Commission Subject:We"re in a pickle Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 4:49:16 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I've never seen a sport that contributes so much to our community, with so little cost. It brings young and old together. Rich and poor. The equipment is cheap. The tradition of inclusion is strong. It's been a important part of my crusade to personally get healthier. It's fantastic that it works outside and is therefore safer. Thanks for helping the majority of Palo Alto people who are much more able to participate in Pickel Ball than tennis have a say. Carl Don't ask how many people Earth can Support. Ask how many people support Earth! There's room for all, who make Earth better than they found it. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 546 Packet Pg. 834 of 896  From:Hui Cen To:Howard, Adam; ParkRec Commission Subject:Win-win solutions for pickle ball court expansion Date:Wednesday, August 27, 2025 9:12:13 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Mr. Howard and Park Rec. Commissioners, Thank you for your hard work to make Palo Alto a great place to live. I attended last night’s meeting and felt strongly that the City of Palo Alto should seek a win-win solution for all parties instead of siding with a single party, the PAPC! As the President of PAPC admitted, about half of their players are not Palo Alto residents. If you survey at the court, the non-resident number are likely to be much higher. Converting Mitchell Park tennis courts into pickle ball courts will take away currently a few best tennis courts for Palo Alto residents. More detrimentally, it will make current difficult parking even harder. It will further discourage our residents to use Mitchell park library and other facilities at the park including our wonderful Magical Bridge playground. Siding with PAPC proposal is prioritizing non-residents over Palo Alto residents. So it is not the right thing to do! I start playing pickle ball recently and currently am playing at YMCA. I did not dare to go to Mitchell Park since the players there are mostly very advanced ones from the whole Bay Area. Expanding pickle ball courts in Mitchell Park will attract more advanced non-residents and won’t make it more accessible to me. However, if the City adds pickle ball courts in other parks like Hoover Park near where I live, I will likely use it. Spreading pickle ball courts out into different parks will benefit Palo Alto residents much more. Parking was not an issue at all in Hover Park either. With the growing popularity of pickle balls, it is unlikely the City of Palo Alto can meet its ever-growing need. So the City should encourage PAPC to use their fund to lease a building. Being indoor will cut down the noise level dramatically as well. In short, I am urging you, our commissioners to look into win-win solutions to maximize the benefit of Palo Alto residents such as 1) Giving priority to Palo Alto residents for pickle ball playing. Or 2) Expand pickle ball courts in other parks, not in Mitchell park. Sincerely, This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 547 Packet Pg. 835 of 896  Debra Hui (Debra) Cen 502 Lowell Avenue Palo Alto Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 548 Packet Pg. 836 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Saturday, September 13, 2025 4:08:07 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy gaelle@vasdirect.com Virtual Assistant Services 2025-09-13 12:01 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 549 Packet Pg. 837 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 550 Packet Pg. 838 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 12:12:08 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy mobileappservice7890@outlook.com Re: YES 2025-08-24 08:33 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 551 Packet Pg. 839 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 552 Packet Pg. 840 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 12:17:18 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy gloria.wann@academicssuite.com School District Contact Data – 2025 2025-08-20 07:21 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 553 Packet Pg. 841 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 554 Packet Pg. 842 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 12:16:56 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Kayak Rental Kiosk 2025-09-12 07:25 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 555 Packet Pg. 843 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 556 Packet Pg. 844 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 4:07:08 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy loyla@data-intel.live League of California Cities Annual Conference & Expo 2025-09-11 14:53 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 557 Packet Pg. 845 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 558 Packet Pg. 846 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Monday, September 8, 2025 12:23:07 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Re: Self-Serve Kayaking Program 2025-09-08 08:06 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 559 Packet Pg. 847 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 560 Packet Pg. 848 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Saturday, September 6, 2025 12:04:07 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy akriti@virtualteamassist.com Virtual staff-Admin, Marketing, or Finance team 2025-09-06 08:41 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 561 Packet Pg. 849 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 562 Packet Pg. 850 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 12:27:06 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Re: Self-Serve Kayaking Program 2025-09-04 07:41 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 563 Packet Pg. 851 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 564 Packet Pg. 852 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Monday, September 1, 2025 12:06:06 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Re: Self-Serve Kayaking Program 2025-09-01 07:43 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 565 Packet Pg. 853 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 566 Packet Pg. 854 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 12:13:16 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy rommy.seoservices@outlook.com Re: YES 2025-08-29 07:37 Release Permit Block Spam Policy socialmedia@kaboom.org Play has the power to heal: 20 years since Hurricane Katrina 2025-08-29 09:03 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 567 Packet Pg. 855 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 568 Packet Pg. 856 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 7:22:08 AM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Self-Serve Kayaking Program 2025-08-29 05:03 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 569 Packet Pg. 857 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 570 Packet Pg. 858 of 896  From:Postmaster To:ParkRec Commission Subject:You have new held messages Date:Tuesday, September 16, 2025 12:17:00 PM Logo You have new held messages You can release all of your held messages and permit or block future emails from the senders, or manage messages individually. Release all Permit all Block all You can also manage held messages in your Personal Portal. Spam Policy contact@recreationkiosks.com Re: Kayak Rental Kiosk 2025-09-16 07:34 Release Permit Block Release all Permit all Block all © 2019 Mimecast Services Limited. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 571 Packet Pg. 859 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 572 Packet Pg. 860 of 896  From:Jo Ts To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:Youth Programs and Pickleball Courts Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 10:35:22 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Commissioners and City Councilors: The Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission decision in March of 2023 temporarily changed the priority hours on the mixed use tennis and pickleball courts after 3 PM. I am writing to let you know how your 2023 decision has impacted youth in Palo Alto. Previous to your decision, there had been no capacity to do any youth pickleball programming after school or weekends on the courts because those courts reverted to tennis use after 3 pm, and demand for the limited pickleball courts was SKY HIGH as to render programming highly impractical and logistically impossible. But then you choose to allocate some resources. Two tennis courts — or 7 pickleball courts — were affected by the March 2023 decision. The Commission, by changing a few hours of priority use on that space, allowed Palo Alto youth pickleball programming to begin and develop. I attach below the concrete details of the programming that has taken place since then. I hope that you will see by reviewing the nature, depth and breadth of the programming how your decision in 2023 positively impacted youth. Moreover, I hope to share with you what future opportunities can be possible for youth if you make another forward-thinking decision now to expand the number of pickleball courts. Please note that all the youth programming indicated here has been spearheaded and carried out by the volunteers of Palo Alto Pickleball Club with no cost to the city. I hope that you will ask, why? Why spend all the countless hours? Why put faith and energy in creating and shepherding these types of programs? Why pay for use fees, equipment and other support using PAPC membership dues? Why volunteer? The answer is because pickleball at Mitchell Park has changed many of our lives for the better, thus many feel compelled to give back to a community that has brought much joy and good to our lives. We know that there is something special about pickleball at Mitchell Park and its impact to draw people in, to help form relationships and to create connection. I also ask for understanding that these programming efforts to serve youth have not been easy to carry out. We are continuously scrambling for court resources that are in high demand. We have to plan and ask months in advance for use of a few courts for a few hours — a process that is rife with pressures because of the need for significant advance planning, the uncertainty of approval, the constant competition from other programming and recreational uses. If the city were to allow another two tennis courts to be converted, even for “some dedicated hours” and easier request processes, we could run youth camps, leagues during the school year and in summer. The accessible courts could also be shared with adult pickleball competitions and leagues, too. I know that there is interest and desire among youth and families for such things. Let me share with you the story of the Experimental Youth Summer Pickleball League: In early November 2023, we offered to teach for FREE (fully staffed with quality instructors and excellent instructor This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 573 Packet Pg. 861 of 896  ratios) a week long, full-day (9 am to 4 pm) summer pickleball camp for 25 to 30 youths that focuses on pre- competitive play and fun matches. Despite my in-person discussion, write up proposal, and email follow ups with the Parks and Recreation Summer Camps Coordinator, he eventually said it could not happen for lack of facilities. When this proposal failed, we scrambled and decided to convert some of the court hours that we had reserved months earlier for summer meet ups to host a team competition style league for Summer 2024. Within one day of the request, the PAPC Board had given their permission to try. We sent out notices for tryouts a week before, not knowing if anyone would show up. On May 12, 2024, twenty-one youths came out to try for the league. Throughout June 2024, we hosted Sundays of team competitions. Twenty seven youths ages 10 to 18 participated. We had no reserved place to train. We had incredibly limited space (two courts) and limited hours (2 hours each Sunday). We relied entirely on volunteers. We scrambled to involve and organize the families, who donated, attended and brought out refreshments every Sunday and stayed to watch the matches. Our volunteers staffed the events to make them possible. Despite all the challenges, the Experimental League worked. The youths showed up and played matches and they had fun. The Experimental League demonstrated that there is demand and desire for league play for youth (and this is even more true for adults). But we have to acknowledge how difficult the programming is due to the lack of court space, the lack of process resources and constant-constant-constant use pressures. To the Commissioners who have asked “why can’t we have more youth offerings?” It’s not for lack of trying or lack of success despite the headwinds. But we need your help. Please make the decision to expand the pickleball courts. Thank you all for the thoughtful and difficult work that you do on behalf of Palo Alto. Best regards, Jocelyn Tseng, Palo Alto Resident Palo Alto Pickleball Club Youth Committee Volunteer SUMMARY: At just over three years of the “temporary” use change, we’ve offered a slew of popular programming for youth and families: City Youth Pickleball Instructional Classes * We have offered and taught many city youth classes for Fall 2023, Winter 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024 and Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Summer 2025 sessions. These classes have been well received and many of our kids come back for multiple sessions! The classes are for beginner youth pickleball; advanced beginner pickleball and intermediate youth pickleball. Since Summer 2025, the City Youth Pickleball classes continue to be offered by the Silicon Valley Pickleball Academy PAPC Community Youth Events * Youth Pickleball Day October 2023 co-sponsored with the City of Palo Alto (we had 50 kids — with wait list — attend free skill clinics and played in organized round robins, and their families participated in pickleball crafts and a potluck social) * April 2023 free clinic for Hoover Elementary teachers/staff members Organized Youth Meet Ups and Clinics (PAPC leadership worked closely with Adam Howard and his office, and have been able to acquire some priority hours on limited courts to support Youth beginning in January 2024; permits are paid for by PAPC). Many of the meet ups are for PAUSD no school days and on various weekend and summer dates. On average about 15 to 50 kids come to the youth meet ups. January 8, 2024 Youth Meet Up - No School Monday January 20, 2024 Elementary Aged Youth Clinic February 16, 2024 Youth Meet Up - No School Friday Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 574 Packet Pg. 862 of 896  March 2, 2024 Youth Clinic (rained out, rescheduled to March 3, 2024 also rained out) March 8, 2024 Youth Meet Up - No School Friday April 21, 2024 Youth Meet Up May 12, 2024 Youth Meet Up May 31, 2024 - End of School Year, Beginning of Summer Youth Celebration - No School Friday June 1, 2024 - Families Getting Started Clinic June 7, 2024 - Youth and Families Summer Meet Up June 14, 2024 - Youth and Families Summer Meet Up June 21, 2024 - Youth and Families Summer Meet Up June 28, 2024 - Youth and Families Summer Meet Up September 9, 2024 Youth Meet Up - No School Monday October 14, 2024 Youth Meet Up - No School Monday October 14, 2024 Special Getting Started Clinic for the Dreamcatcher Students December 7, 2024 Meet Up Social and Winter Celebration January 20, 2025 Youth Meet Up - No School Monday February 17, 2025 Youth Meet Up - No School Monday Meet Up February 17, 2025, Getting Started Clinic for Youth Players March 7, 2025 Youth Meet Up —No School Friday May 17, 2025 Youth Meet Up June 6, 2025 End of School Year, Welcome Summer Pickleball Celebration June 14, 2025 Free Youngers Clinic for ages 5 to 7 June 28, 2025 Youth Meet Up August 23, 2025 Youth Meet Up August 23, 2025 Getting Started Clinic for Youth Players September 20, 2025 Families Meet Up October 3, 2025 Over the Moon Special Celebration and Youth Meet Up - No School Friday November 11, 2025 Youth Meet Up - No School Tuesday December 7, 2025 Meet Up Social and Winter Celebration Youth Fun Competitions November 2023 Inter-City School Meet-Up September 9, 2024 Fun Round Robin Competition November 11, 2024 Run Round Robin Competition December 7, 2024 First Annual Youth Wingding: Round Robin Competition April 19, 2025 Youth Round Robin Competition June 21, 2025 Youth Intermediate Tournament December 7, 2025 - Second Annual Youth Wingding: Round Robin Competition EXPERIMENTAL YOUTH SUMMER LEAGUE Summer 2024 — Youth Palo Alto Pickleball Team-style Tournament for the month of June. Twenty-seven youth participant players ranging from ages 10 to 17. June 9, 16, 23, 30, 2024 — SUMMER LEAGUE TOURNAMENT PLAY Volunteer Pickleball Instructors for YMCAs in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto * PAPC member volunteers helped to set up the court lines and now provide instruction on a weekly basis in summer at the Palo Alto Y and the East Palo Alto Y Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 575 Packet Pg. 863 of 896  Youth Volunteering Opportunities * PAPC is recognized by Youth Community Services a verified organization for youth volunteer service Youth pickleball players can volunteer in a variety of programs (Youth Meet Up Days, Bay Area Senior Games, Getting Started Classes, PAPC Olympic Day, elementary school kids clinic, City of Palo Alto Youth Pickleball Classes). Some high school students helped as assistant coaches for our free youth clinics. One volunteered as an instructor for the city youth classes. Another is working on documenting the history of pickleball in Palo Alto and managing the PAPC Youth Instagram account. Support of PAUSD Middle Schools and High Schools Pickleball Club Programs * Donations of 90+ new paddles, a dozen nets and hundreds of pickleballs to PAUSD high schools and middle schools and the student-run pickleball clubs * Helping to connect Gunn High School Pickleball Club with Mayor Greer Stone in support of pickleball and mental health programming (October 2024) * First Annual Youth Winter Wingding, co-sponsored with the Palo Alto High School Pickleball Club and the Gunn High School Pickleball Club (December 2024) Internationally Connecting Youth and Pickleball * PAPC hosted the Japanese exchange middle school students from Tsuchiura, Japan and their local host families who are participating in the Neighbors Abroad exchange program. We served up breakfast and taught a pickleball clinic in March 2024 * Our club members support youth in Vietnam and Tonga (sending new and used paddles with Mitchell Park players who are traveling to those countries and who are helping to create local youth pickleball programs) Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 576 Packet Pg. 864 of 896  From:mnobes@openspacetrust.org To:ParkRec Commission Subject:[Free Film Festival] Representation Matters Film Festival Sept 27 at 6pm - Please Share Date:Tuesday, September 9, 2025 11:22:22 AM Attachments:POST-RM-Static Poster-1.png POST-RM-Static Poster-1.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Parks and Recreation, This is Maximus from POST, reaching out to invite you and your community to attend our free film festival, the Representation Matters Film Festival at Devil’s Canyon Brewery in San Carlos on Saturday, September 27th, from 6pm – 9pm. Request: We'd love for your community to join us! Would you be willing to share this flyer? We hope more community members can enjoy this free event with us! Thank you for helping us connect with our neighbors! This message needs your attention You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 577 Packet Pg. 865 of 896  More About The Event: Hosted by POST and partners, this special evening features eight hand-picked films from the Wild & Scenic Film Festival library. The films showcase diverse stories about the great outdoors and cover themes like recreation, Indigenous culture, accessibility, and belonging. Featured Films You Don’t Want to Miss: Both & Neither | Ambos y Ninguno — Follow Mexican American climber Natalie Connell as she navigates the beautiful complexity of dual cultural identity. Through art and climbing, she discovers her unique role as a bridge between worlds in this deeply personal journey. Read More How the Land Remembers Us — Set against Yellowstone's 150th anniversary, this powerful film explores the groundbreaking "Yellowstone Revealed" event, where Indigenous artists reconnect with ancestral lands through ceremony and traditional ecological knowledge. It is a profound meditation on memory, legacy, and our relationship with the living landscape. Read More Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 578 Packet Pg. 866 of 896  The event is free and in-person, but please register by ordering tickets below! Kids and well-behaved pets are welcome. There will be FREE pizza and beer/drinks available for purchase. Please stay home if you feel sick. Can’t Make It In Person? Stream the films at home from September 27 – October 5. Sign up Now! Register today for this free event. Whether you're a film enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply looking for an inspiring and uplifting evening, don't miss this opportunity. Join us to experience compelling stories that celebrate the diverse communities connected to local landscapes. Thank you in advance, and we hope to see you there! Maximus Nobes Community Engagement & Marketing Intern -- Maximus Nobes Community Engagement and Marketing Intern Pronouns: he/him Peninsula Open Space Trust222 High StreetPalo Alto, CA 94301(945) 358 7968 openspacetrust.org Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 579 Packet Pg. 867 of 896  From:Aram James To:Reifschneider, James; Enberg, Nicholas; Binder, Andrew; Barberini, Christopher; Perron, Zachary; Wagner, April; Robert.Jonson@shf.sccgov.org; Adam.Oberdorfer@shf.sccgov.org; Diana Diamond; EPA Today; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Josh Becker; Afanasiev, Alex; Lee, Craig; Human Relations Commission; Reckdahl, Keith; Jay Boyarsky; Holman, Karen (external); Tom DuBois; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; Kaloma Smith; ParkRec Commission; Sean Allen Subject:aram_james_profile Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 11:57:03 PM Attachments:aram_james_profile.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 580 Packet Pg. 868 of 896  From:mingxia zhang To:Robustelli, Sarah; Howard, Adam; ParkRec Commission; city.council@cityofpaloalto.gov Subject:collected signature of petition for Palo Alto Should Reject the Proposal to Convert Two More Tennis Courts into Eight Permanent Pickleball Courts at Mitchell Park — and Implement Usage Fees for Non-Residents Date:Thursday, August 28, 2025 1:28:25 PM Attachments:PAPC4.rtfd.zip CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 581 Packet Pg. 869 of 896  From:Yanan Ruan To:ParkRec Commission Cc:papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Thursday, September 11, 2025 8:54:35 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I like playing pickleball. PAPC is a great community. Here you can get not only friendships, physical exercise but also a lot of joy and fun. You can see that from 6 am to 10 pm, this place is full of laughter and joy. Now the pickleball courts are getting more and more crowded, and we need to expand the venue to meet the demand, so we are requesting to add 8 more courts. Thanks! Sincerely yours, Anna Ruan Southgate area This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 582 Packet Pg. 870 of 896  From:jory bell To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Subject:in support of creating additional pickleball courts at mitchell park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 7:47:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i members of the palo alto parks & recreation commission, and city council, i am a homeowner, resident, parent, and business owner in palo alto writing in support of creating at least 8 additional pickleball courts at mitchell park. mitchell park is already a special place and the pickleball community that has developed at mitchell park represents the best manifestation of city policies and infrastructure supporting the physical, mental, emotional and social well being of its residents. every day literally hundreds of palo alto residents gather at the mitchell park pickleball courts to play pickleball in a supportive and social environment. the courts are usually full shortly after 6a when the lights turn on, largely busy (frequently to far over capacity) throughout the day and into the evening until lights out at 10p. there is a reason for this incredible enthusiasm. compared to some other sports or activities, pickleball is approachable for people at all skill levels and physical capabilities. the open play format at mitchell park (coupled with the critical mass of courts) means that any group (or, importantly, any individual) can simply show up at the mitchell park courts and find a welcoming game with people from all walks of life at a level appropriate to their abilities and preferences. if i want to focus on skills and competition i can “paddle down” at a court and join a competitive game with people i know or with strangers. if i want to take it easy and meet new friends from all walks of life, i can do that too. and the people that make up the community of mitchell park celebrate this ethos and strive to make it easy for new people (who may have never even played pickleball) to join in the game and the dynamic community. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 583 Packet Pg. 871 of 896  there are also frequent events put on by the palo alto pickleball club (often in collaboration with other community groups) catering to young people (our daughter attends these events when there are school holidays), for older players (e.g., the recent senior games) or “getting started" sessions for folks who are totally new to the game. the one downside of mitchell park is its growing popularity as a pickleball community commons means it has become a victim of its own success and at times the courts feel (become) overcrowded causing long waits or outright discouraging less determined participants which is not conducive to the open and welcoming spirit of the mitchell park pickleball community (or the ethos that palo alto government strives to engender.) for these reasons i urge you to approve the creation of 8 (or more) additional pickleball courts at mitchell park… and want to again stress that it is essential that these additional courts be specifically in mitchell park (as opposed to simply adding courts elsewhere in palo alto) in order to leverage and support the unique community-building aspect that the critical mass of open play courts at mitchell park has instantiated. thank you, jory bell greenmeadow homeowner, resident, parent general partner, playground global Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 584 Packet Pg. 872 of 896  From:Soren Detering To:ParkRec Commission Cc:Yvonne Baur Subject:in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 8:59:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission members and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become an important part of my life in Palo Alto. It’s more than just a sport: It’s a place where I’ve built friendships, found a supportive community, and discovered a healthy outlet for both body and mind. The game gives me consistent exercise, helps relieve stress, and provides a fun way to stay active while connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. What makes pickleball unique is the sense of belonging it creates. Every time I step onto the court, I see neighbors encouraging each other, new players welcomed in, and a community that brings joy and energy to our city. Expanding the courts at Mitchell Park would not only meet the growing demand but also strengthen this positive, inclusive space that so many of us rely on. Thank you for your consideration! Sincerely yours, Soren Detering / Yvonne Baur m:+1(650)576-4516 e: soren.detering@gmail.com This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 585 Packet Pg. 873 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 586 Packet Pg. 874 of 896  From:Soren Detering To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City Cc:Yvonne Baur Subject:in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park Date:Sunday, September 14, 2025 9:00:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i *Adding City Council email* Dear Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission members and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Pickleball has become an important part of my life in Palo Alto. It’s more than just a sport: It’s a place where I’ve built friendships, found a supportive community, and discovered a healthy outlet for both body and mind. The game gives me consistent exercise, helps relieve stress, and provides a fun way to stay active while connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds. What makes pickleball unique is the sense of belonging it creates. Every time I step onto the court, I see neighbors encouraging each other, new players welcomed in, and a community that brings joy and energy to our city. Expanding the courts at Mitchell Park would not only meet the growing demand but also strengthen this positive, inclusive space that so many of us rely on. Thank you for your consideration! Sincerely yours, Soren Detering / Yvonne Baur m:+1(650)576-4516 e: soren.detering@gmail.com This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 587 Packet Pg. 875 of 896  Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 588 Packet Pg. 876 of 896  From:Steven Kung To:ParkRec Commission Subject:objection to converting tennis court to pickel ball courts Date:Sunday, August 24, 2025 6:30:39 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Park and Rec Commission, I am writing this email to oppose converting Mitchell park tennis courts to Pickelball courts. Overcrowding of Pickelball players are causing noise, traffic and parking issue Unequal distribution of Pickelball facilities. Palo Alto has 15 permanent Pickelball courts while the surrounding cities has 4 or less. Michell park is a community park not a reginal sport hub Palo Alto residents should be given priority access. Sincerely, Steve Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 589 Packet Pg. 877 of 896  From:Susanne To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Susanne Subject:pickelball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 9:18:11 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I have lived in Palo Alto for the past 30 years, and am writing to you in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Since I started playing pickleball at Mitchell Park, I feel so much more energized, happy and strong. I strongly believe that physical exercise and meeting new fun and friendly people are key ingredients for a happy and healthy life, especially in these difficult times. Sincerely yours, Susanne Ebert-Khosla La Para Avenue, PA -- "As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live." - Goethe "Good decisions come from wisdom. Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions." This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first mail to some recipients. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 590 Packet Pg. 878 of 896  From:Maralissa Thomas To:ParkRec Commission Subject:pickleball courts & parking at Mitchell Park Date:Tuesday, September 2, 2025 11:00:54 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i To City Park and Recreation Commission, I’ve been a Palo Alto resident and member of the Palo Alto pickleball club for several years—observing its rapid growth and how this growth has changed the parking conditions of Mitchell Park. As an avid pickleball player, I’d like more courts since the Mitchell courts have become inordinately overcrowded. However, one major aspect regarding building more courts at Mitchell Park has not been addressed and solved—the parking situation. When the PA Pickleball Club had fewer than 500 members, the parking was reasonable—even when other events were taking place in the park. Now, even without additional courts, the parking situation is horrendous, adversely affecting not only pickleball players, but library users, other park events, and the general public who come to the park to enjoy it. Often there are many cars waiting in the aisles for a spot to open up. Even the streets surrounding the park are finding that the parking in front of their private residences is becoming invasive due to overflows from the park. We are a city community first, not a sports center neighborhood. If additional pickleball courts are going to be built at this location, then the Park and Rec must seriously take into consideration an expansion of available parking specifically for the park and the gravity of the parking situation before advancing this initiative. It is imperative that the whole of our city’s residents are considered. If parking cannot be expanded, then the city needs to earnestly consider additional courts at a different location. Sincerely, Sunny This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 591 Packet Pg. 879 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:public comment not delivered to commissioners? not published in agenda? Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 4:33:24 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Hi, On 8/26/25 at 5:11am, I emailed to ParkRec.commission@paloalto.gov my written public comment for item 6 of the Parks & Rec Commission’s 8/26/25 7pm meeting. I was hoping that before that evening’s meeting, they’d have time to review the document I’d attached. Two questions: 1) Did the commissioners receive it? 2) It’s now the end of 8/29/25, so it’s been 4 full business days since I emailed it. Why is it still not published as part of a public comment packet on the webpage for the 8/26/25 agenda? Trying to understand how to successfully share my input with the commission members, Cynthia Fan This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 592 Packet Pg. 880 of 896  From:Cynthia Fan To:ParkRec Commission Subject:report shouldn’t recommend artificial turf because no vendor can legally sell it in CA Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 3:00:14 AM Attachments:2025 09 15 Palo Alto - illegal to sell artificial turf to the city.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. You've never replied to this person. Mark Safe Report Commissioners, Don’t compromise your integrity by approving a report that recommends a product that can only be acquired from a law-breaking business. Please see attached letter. Thank you, Cynthia Fan Powered by Mimecast Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 593 Packet Pg. 881 of 896  From:Sue Duffek To:Council, City; ParkRec Commission; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:request for additional pickleball courts Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 7:51:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council, I began playing pickleball at Mitchell Park in 2021. I truly enjoy participating in the competitive and friendly events, learning opportunities, and social activities that PAPC provides on a regular basis. I love the excitement and look forward to playing pickleball several times a week at Mitchell Park. For my friends, neighbors, and those who I meet off the courts who are unfamiliar with pickleball, I tell them about the accessibility and affordability of pickleball. More so, I let them know that everyone is welcome at Mitchell Park and it’s normal to be hesitant at first. The “beginner courts” and “players without partners” courts were thoughtful additions to Mitchell Park. The many “Getting Started” clinics, all staffed by club volunteers, are a great introduction to pickleball and also provide an opportunity to meet new players of similar skill levels. Interest in pickleball is increasing rapidly in our community. This email is in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Sincerely yours, Sue Duffek Palo Alto resident Charleston Gardens, South Palo Alto This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 594 Packet Pg. 882 of 896  From:Ren Hui To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:support expansion of pickleball courts in Palo Alto Date:Wednesday, September 10, 2025 11:44:58 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. Mitchell park pickleball courts are so good for everyone loves pickleball, and it is also so crowded especially at night. Which means a lot of needs unmet from the community. I am 100% support expansion of pickleball courts Sincerely yours, Ren Hui Street Name: Maybell This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 595 Packet Pg. 883 of 896  From:Donghui Li To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Cc:Donghui Li Subject:support for Pickleball Court Expansion Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 1:19:17 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto, and am writing in support of creating eight additional pickleball courts at Mitchell Park. I used to not be active at sports at all, however, once I started to play pickleball, I just loved playing it for quite a few years now. I got a lot of enjoyment from it and also improved my health. I wish more people could benefit from this activity, so I would like to express my support on the pickleball court expansion. Thanks in advance for your help! Sincerely yours, Donghui Li at 4173 El Camino Real #14, Palo Alto, CA 94306 This message needs your attention No employee in your company has ever replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 596 Packet Pg. 884 of 896  From:Tom Gregory To:ParkRec Commission Subject:tennis at Mitchell please, pickle ball at Geng Rd hi Date:Thursday, September 4, 2025 10:19:35 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i ​1. “Racket Science” tennis club has over a dozen members some of which play every Tuesday and Friday at 10:30 am for mixed doubles at Mitchell Park complex. ​2. We have been doing this for over 30 years ​3. It is our main source of both physical and mental exercise. ​4. We already have given-up 3 courts for multiple pickle bar courts. ​5. Parking and pickle ball noise have now become a problem. Recommend: ​1. Expand pickle ball courts at Geng Rd location where noise and parking can be accommodated. ​2. Tennis should have priority at Mitchell Park. ​3. Offer priority tennis reservations for RESIDENTS. This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 597 Packet Pg. 885 of 896  From:Ingeborg Melcher To:ParkRec Commission Subject:tennis courts at Mitchell Park Date:Friday, September 12, 2025 3:24:14 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. to whom it may concern: it has come to our tennis community attention that the pickle ball players at Mitchell Park are eying additional tennis courts. These tennis courts are always well used, we have been playing tennis there for decades and feel we deserve to have this outlet for our recreation. the pickle ball association should be looking at different locations to be diverse. I hope the voices of our tennis players will be heard and respected. thank you, Ingeborg Melchert Sent from my iPad Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 598 Packet Pg. 886 of 896  From:Ayla Bell To:ParkRec Commission; Council, City; papc.secretary@gmail.com Subject:why more pickleball courts MUST BE at Mitchell Park without restrictive reservations Date:Monday, September 15, 2025 7:30:35 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i Dear members of the Palo Alto Parks & Rec Commission and City Council: I live in Palo Alto and want to emphasize how crucial it is to expand the number of pickleball courts specifically at Mitchell Park. The existing cluster of courts there are laid out in a special way that fosters social interactions. Adding a handful of courts in other locations around the city, or restricting play with reservations, wouldn't achieve the same effect, because it wouldn't provide the same "critical mass" needed for these social benefits. In essence, Mitchell Park is currently the only place in Palo Alto where this kind of community magic can happen at scale. By expanding the courts there, we can truly enhance the city's efforts to combat loneliness and build stronger social connections. I also want to share a brief personal note on how playing pickleball at Mitchell Park has positively impacted not just my social life but also my transportation habits. Before I started playing pickleball, I carpooled only with my family. Thanks to the connections I've made through the playing at Mitchell Park, I now share rides with a much broader group of people, which aligns nicely with the city's goals around encouraging shared and public transportation. The social bonds formed on the court are contributing to a more connected and eco-friendly community. Thank you for considering this important opportunity. Best regards, Ayla Bell Greenmeadow Way This message needs your attention This is a personal email address. This is their first email to your company. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 599 Packet Pg. 887 of 896  From:Aram James To:Veenker, Vicki; Lythcott-Haims, Julie Cc:h.etzko@gmail.com; assemblymember.berman@assembly.ca.gov; Reckdahl, Keith; Jessica Speiser, Educational Leader for California Democratic Delegate, Assembly District 23; Ed Lauing; editor@almanacnews.com; Gennady Sheyner; Josh Becker; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Liz Kniss; Kaloma Smith; Sean Allen; Yusra Hussain; Shankar Ramamoorthy; Doug Minkler; Salem Ajluni; Bill Newell; Daniel Barton; Lori Meyers; Sheree Roth; Dave Price; Emily Mibach; Braden Cartwright; EPA Today; Diana Diamond; Palo Alto Renters" Association; Palo Alto Free Press; Pat M; planning.commission@cityofpaloalto.0rg; ParkRec Commission; PD Kristina Bell; DuJuan Green; dennis burns; Dennis Upton; Jeff Conrad; Jeff Rosen; Jay Boyarsky; Baker, Rob; Robert Salonga; Brian Good; Brandon Pho; Gerry Gras; Linda Jolley; Roberta Ahlquist; board@pausd.org; Supervisor Betty Duong; district1@bos.sccgov.org; District5@bos.sccgov.org; The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan; Donna Wallach; Supervisor Otto Lee; CityCouncil; Perron, Zachary; Binder, Andrew; Barberini, Christopher; Nicole Chiu-Wang; Rose Lynn; Rowena Chiu; board@valleywater.org; bos@smcgov.org; Jay Boyarsky; Rosen, Jeff; Jeff Hayden; Seher Awan; jgreen@dailynewsgroup.com; Dan Okonkwo; Mickie Winkler; Zelkha, Mila; Rodriguez, Miguel; Damon Silver; Angel, David; vramirez@redwoodcity.org; Vara Ramakrishnan; Zahra Billoo Subject:“Time to Cut Ties with Israel”: U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese on Gaza Hospital Bombing | Democracy Now! Date:Tuesday, August 26, 2025 10:33:25 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. i https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/26/israel_strike_on_nasser_hospital_gaza This message needs your attention Some Recipients have never replied to this person. This is a personal email address. Mark Safe Report Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 600 Packet Pg. 888 of 896  From:Office of Transportation To:ParkRec Commission Subject:Transportation Connect August 2025‍♂ Date:Friday, August 29, 2025 6:33:57 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. View this newsletter as a web page A digital newsletter connecting the community to transportation news, updates, ways to share input & more. South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project Online Survey Open & Workshop Planned Caltrans El Camino Real Pavement Rehabilitation & ADA Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 601 Packet Pg. 889 of 896  Improvements Update Status of Quiet Zone Studies Rail Grade Separation Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Documentation Progress Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Advancing for Council Consideration California’s New ‘Daylighting’ Law to Increase Visibility at Intersections and Improve Safety San Antonio Road Area Planning Process Launches Bike Friendly City – Ride Your Bike to Events Around Town Middle School Bike Safety Lessons – Financial Assistance Available   Transportation Updates South Palo Alto Bike/Pedestrian Connectivity Project Online Survey Open & Workshop Planned To improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and in support of the City’s mobility and sustainability goals, the South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity project will identify locations and design concepts where two new grade-separated bicycle and pedestrian pathways across the Caltrain corridor may be constructed. After initial engagement this spring, eight crossing alternatives were designed to gain feedback from the community to select two alternatives for further evaluation and refinement. Join the conversation on the City’s Open Town Hall platform to share your feedback on the concept designs and at an in-person community workshop on September 9, 2025. Learn more at www.paloalto.gov/bikepedcrossings. Caltrans El Camino Real Pavement Rehabilitation & ADA Improvements Update Caltrans continues to make progress on its El Camino Real Pavement Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 602 Packet Pg. 890 of 896  Rehabilitation & ADA Improvements project. El Camino is the corridor with the highest number and severity of collisions in Palo Alto. To prevent future severe collisions along the corridor, Caltrans has included safety features in their repaving project including high visibility crosswalks, protected bikeways, and No Turn on Red (NTOR) restrictions at some intersections. For this project, striping is complete. ADA ramps work is scheduled to start again in September. Bike lane delineators were installed in July 2025. Permanent No Parking signs are complete. Raising/adjusting manholes and valves will be complete in September. The project is still underway and traffic signal timing has not yet been adjusted to optimize traffic flow. This is scheduled for completion in November 2025. For project questions, contact Caltrans Public Information Officer, Victor Gauthier or email: sr82pave@dot.ca.gov. Status of Quiet Zone Studies Palo Alto Avenue Crossing The City awarded a construction contract to install necessary improvements for implementing a Quiet Zone at the Palo Alto Avenue crossing. Once construction is complete, staff will coordinate with Caltrain and the Federal Railroad Administration to issue the notice of implementation and officially activate the Quiet Zone. The construction schedule is being finalized. Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive, and Charleston Road Crossings In April 2025, staff held a community meeting to gather feedback on the Quiet Zone study for Churchill, Meadow and Charleston crossings. Staff will present the study findings and proposed Quiet Zone alternatives to the Rail Committee for review and to receive direction on next steps at their meeting on September 16. Learn more about Quiet Zones Studies here. Rail Grade Separation Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Documentation Progress City and Caltrain staff are collaborating on developing refined conceptual plans for the Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive, and Charleston Road crossings to move the Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Documentation phase forward. Staff will present initial design alternatives to the Rail Committee on September 16, 2025. Two community meetings are scheduled for community Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 603 Packet Pg. 891 of 896  members to share perspectives on the concept designs. These meetings will take place at Mitchell Park Community Center, from 6 – 8 p.m on Tuesday September 30 for Churchill Avenue & Seale Avenue crossing and Wednesday October 1 for Meadow Drive and Charleston Road. Concepts will be further refined and presented to the Rail Committee in November 2025 with possible Council consideration before the end of the calendar year. The City launched a new website for the Rail Grade Separation project at: www.paloalto.gov/GradeSeparation. Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Advancing for Council Consideration Progress on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan (BPTP) Update continues. A comprehensive engagement effort was conducted during the winter and spring 2025 to present and gather feedback on critical elements. A summary of the engagement activities and feedback received can be found here. Following this engagement, the City Council considered the draft recommendations and a revised project prioritization framework at their June 2 meeting. The draft plan is anticipated for release in fall 2025 and will be posted on the project webpage for public review and comment. Staff Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 604 Packet Pg. 892 of 896  anticipates advancing a final draft plan for Council consideration by the end of the calendar year. California's New 'Daylighting' Law to Increase Visibility at Intersections and Improve Safety As of January 1, 2025, it is illegal to park a vehicle within 20 feet of the approach side of a crosswalk (marked or unmarked) or within 15 feet of a crosswalk with a curb extension or bulb-out. Parking in these areas is illegal statewide regardless of whether the curb is painted red. The law aims to enhance safety by improving visibility at intersections. Drivers can play a major role by yielding to pedestrians and parking at least 20 feet from the approach side of an intersection. Learn more and report issues here. To help drivers comply with Assembly Bill (AB) 413, the City of Palo Alto is responding in a phased approach with public education as a key focus. Additionally, staff are evaluating and prioritizing locations for potential red paint, safety improvements and enforcement emphasis based on collision history, Safety Action Plan corridors and designation as a school route. The Palo Alto Police Department is handling education as the primary focus and Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 605 Packet Pg. 893 of 896  warning citations issued initially through December 31, 2025. San Antonio Road Area Plan Launches The San Antonio Road Area Plan will establish a vision and detail policies and strategies to address land use, housing, mobility and interconnectivity, urban design and placemaking, community services and facilities, and explore the financial feasibility of the recommendations. Stay updated on this important planning effort as outreach and engagement gets underway this fall. Plus, save the date for a workshop on October 23. Learn more: www.paloalto.gov/SanAntonioAreaPlan. Bike Friendly City – Ride Your Bike to Events Around Town With more than 50 miles of Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 606 Packet Pg. 894 of 896  bikeways and a strong commitment to expanding safe, convenient infrastructure for cyclists of all ages, biking here is more than just a commute — it’s a lifestyle. Whether you’re heading to school, work, community events, or just having fun exploring our beautiful parks, every ride counts toward reducing emissions and creating a more connected community. Get more information on learning to ride and the best routes for biking. Middle School Bike Safety Lessons – Financial Assistance Available With support from the City's Safe Routes to School Program, Wheel Kids Middle School Bicycle Skills half-day camps provide students in grades 6-8 with on-street practice to help them safely and confidently bicycle to middle school and beyond. The last session of the season is Sunday, September 7. This is the perfect way to help your student improve their safe riding skills as they become more independent in getting to school. Upcoming Meetings & Events Climate Action & Sustainability Committee Meeting Friday, September 5 | 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Hybrid at City Hall, Community Meeting Room Community Workshop – South Palo Alto Bike/Ped Connectivity Project Tuesday, September 9 | 7:30 – 9 p.m. Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 607 Packet Pg. 895 of 896  Mitchell Park Community Center, El Palo Alto Room Rail Committee Meeting Tuesday, September 16 | 2:30 - 5 p.m. Hybrid at City Hall, Community Meeting Room Churchill Avenue Crossing that includes Seale Avenue Tuesday, September 30 | 6 - 8 p.m. Mitchell Park Community Center, El Palo Alto Room Meadow Drive & Charleston Road Crossings Wednesday, October 1 | 6 - 8 p.m. Mitchell Park Community Center, El Palo Alto Room Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee Tuesday, October 7 | 6:15 - 8:15 p.m. Hybrid at the Palo Alto Art Center, Auditorium San Antonio Road Area Plan Workshop Thursday, October 23 | 6 - 8 p.m. Cubberley Community Center   Transportation Quick Links Main Page Palo Alto Link Parking Projects Biking & Walking Office of Transportation | 250 Hamilton Ave | Palo Alto, CA 94301 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Constant Contact Item A Public Comments 08.19.2025 - 09.16.2025 Item A: Staff Report Pg. 608 Packet Pg. 896 of 896