HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-05-06 City Council (6)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MAY 6, 2002
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE LEVEL
CMR:220:02
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On March 25, 2002, City Council approved the Finance Committee’s recommendation
.for an increase in the Transportation Impact Fee applicable to the Stanford Research
Park/El Camino Real CS Zone. On the same date, City Council received a letter from
Mr. Herb Borock regarding the proposed fee level. Mr. Borock also expressed his
concerns on the ordinance during oral communications from the public, prior to City
Council approval.
On April 3, 2002, City Council received another letter from Mr. Borock, requesting the
Finance Committee reconsider the fee level. Specifically, Mr. Borock is concerned that
the fee level is too low because a) the fee calculation includes the Mayfield site and b) the
fee calculation includes 2475 Hanover Street. Mr..Borock also indicated a potential
conflict of interest arising from Mr. Emslie’s signature on City Manager’s Reports
presented to City Council and the Finance Committee on proposed changes to the impact
fee. The purpose of this report is to provide information on each of Mr. Borock’s
concerns.
DISCUSSION
The Mayfield site is currently zoned RM-40, which is an exempt classification under the
impact fee. However, for the past two years the City has considered developing the site
as a community center. A letter of intent has been executed between the City and
Stanford University for this purpose. A community center is not exempt from the impact
fee. Thus the Mayfield site is included in the impact fee calculation.
The project at 2475 Hanover was approved before Council consideration of a revised
impact fee, as were many other projects in the Stanford Research Park/El Camino Real
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CS Zone. The fee is based on total projected development in the area as stated in the
Comprehensive Plan. This is consistent with the ordinance adopted in 1984. It should be
noted that the fee recommended by the Finance Committee and approved by City Council
is 270 percent higher than the current fee. The new fee will apply to all nonresidential
projects approved in the Stanford Research Park/El Camino Real CS Zone after May 8,
2002, as described in Chapter 16.47 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code.
Mr. Borock is correct that Mr. Emslie has a conflict of interest with respect to Stanford
projects, and cannot participate in decision making involving Stanford projects. In this
particular case, the information in the report came from the Chief Transportation Official
and the actual staff-level decision and recommendation was made by Interim Director of
Planning and Community Environment Les White. Therefore, Mr. Emslie’s signature on
the report was a formality, although it would have been better had another staff member
signed the report. However, Mr. Emslie has not participated nor will he participate in any
decision making with respect to this project.
PREPARED BY:
I~eather Shupe~-Pla~ning Administrator
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
JOSEPH KOTT
Chief Transportation Official
EMILY lq-A RI~I~-OI~ -
Assistant City Manager
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