HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 1415City of Palo Alto (ID # 1415)
City Council Staff Report
Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 3/7/2011
March 07, 2011 Page 1 of 2
(ID # 1415)
Title: High Speed Rail Committee Name Change
Subject: Approval of High Speed Rail Committee Name Change to Rail
Committee
From:City Manager
Lead Department: City Manager
Recommendation
The High Speed Rail Committee recommends that the Council approve changing the
Committee’s name to “Rail Committee.”
Discussion
The High Speed Rail Committee met Thursday, February 3rd. The Committee is
recommending to the City Council that the High Speed Rail Committee name be
changed to Rail Committee. This change reflects the broader scope of the Committee’s
discussions on rail which include Caltrain and the short and long-term viability of this
critical rail transportation system.
Issuance of the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Peninsula HSR
environmental impact report (EIR) will be delayed up to a year according to a CHSRA
February 3, 2011 press release. Therefore, the Committee anticipates that in the near
term there will likely be a greater priority on discussion of Caltrain and general rail
operations on the Peninsula rather than HSR. Discussion of other rail issues is
consistent with the scope and guiding principles originally established for the HSR
Committee, which provided that the Committee would advise the Council on HSR as
well as “related rail transit matters” and stated the City’s support for “Caltrain and the
commuter rail service at present or improved levels of service.” This name change
more accurately reflects the scope of the Committee.
On a related matter the Committee also took action to change their meeting schedule
from two meetings per month to one meeting per month. The new meetings are to take
place the second Thursday of each month.
March 07, 2011 Page 2 of 2
(ID # 1415)
Prepared By:Richard Hackmann,
Department Head:James Keene, City Manager
City Manager Approval: James Keene, City Manager