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Home My WebLink About2000-05-22 City Council (15)City of Palo Alto City_Manager’s Report 1 8 TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER CMR: 259:00 DATE: SUBJECT: MAY 22, 2000 OUTCOME OF MAY 15, 2000 COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER RETREAT The purpose of this report is to summarize the outcome of the Council/City Manager retreat on May 15. BACKGROUND On May 15, the Council and City Manager met at Foothills Park to discuss two main issues: setting Council priorities for the 2000-01 fiscal year; and consideration of proposals to streamline the manner in which the Council conducts its business and various administrative processes. DISCUSSION Priority. Setting Staff prepared a list of 33 of the top projects or initiatives currently in progress for the upcoming year. After discussion, the Council added 4 additional initiatives. (See Attachment 1.) The Council was asked to "vote" on the top 5 (and bottom 5) priorities. The Top 5 Priorities selected were: Long Range Financial Plan: Complete the Long Range Financial Plan .by 1) identifying the remainder of the financing required for the Infrastructure Management plan; 2) making recommendations and receiving Council approval for a financing plan for new infrastructure; and 3) completing implementation of financing plans for Council-approved initiatives, including the storm drainage fee increase, downtown maintenance district and parking assessment district. Joint Master Planning of City/School Facilities: With the Palo Alto Unified School District, develop and implement a process for long-range planning for facilities addressing educational and community services; actively explore opportunities for joint use of facilities. CMR:259:00 Page 1 of 3 Zoning Ordinance Update: Complete work plan for Zoning Ordinance update by the end.of FY 00-01; review and receive approval from the Council and initiate public inputproeess in FY 01-021 Infrastructure Master Plan: Continue implementation of the Infrastructure Management Plan through recruiting and hiring key staff developing .standards and procedures and initiating first year projects. Residential Traffic Calming: Implement residential traffic calming by developing and receiving approval for a prioritization system and completing the first year ($100, 000) of projects. It was notable that the Council’s Top 5 Priorities were very similar to the priority projects identified separately by the Executive Staff. The City Manager emphasized that the Top 5 Priorities were not. the only projects that will be undertaken next year. All the major projects will move forward, but staff will focus its attention on the Top 5 and will be held accountable for those priorities. Streamlining The purpose of the streamlining initiative is three-fold: to free up Council time and energy to focus on community values and major policy and long-term planning issues; to enable the staff to "work smarter" in terms Of becoming more business- like and customer friendly; and to create an organizational culture that promotes risk taking and innovation. While it is important to honor the culture of the City organization, the need to provide time for both the Council and the staff to reflect and be creative in approaches to community issues is at the heart of the streamlining efforts. City Council Members also recognized that streamlining Council meetings does not reduce public involvement. Rather, streamlining will enhance the public’s ability to participate by making meetings more accessible to citizens who wish to speak on agendized items and, therefore, Council will be more responsible to those citizens. Streamlining proposals ,were presented in three main groupings: Streamlining Council Business, Streamlining Administrative Processes and Other Streamlining Opportunities to explore. Recommendations related to Council business included priority setting, City Council meetings, Council Committees, and boards and commissions. Streamlining administrative processes included suggestions in the areas of the contract process, budget process and other administrative changes. Staff will return with an implementation plan that addresses identified Council concerns with certain proposals. One of the most visible changes to Council business will be implemented after the Council vacation, when Council meetings CMR:259:00 Page 2 of 3 will be scheduled for full agendas of business on the first and third Mondays of each month, with the second.Monday devoted to a 60 to 90 minute study session and the fourth (and fifth) Mondays unscheduled. Staff is moving forward immediately to develop the ordinance and policy changes needed to implement the streamlining. CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Y MANAGER ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 CMR:259:00 Page 3 of 3 COUNCIL PRIORITY SETTING Attachment 1 LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN: Complete the Long Range Financial Plan by: 1) identifying the remainder of the financing required for the Infrastructure Management Plan; 2) make recommendations and receive Council approval for a financing plan for new infrastructure; 3) complete implementation¯ of financing plans for Council-approved initiatives, including the Storm Drainage fee increase, downtown maintenance district and parking assessment district. *JOINT MASTER PLANNING OF CITY/SCHOOL FACILITIES: With the Palo Alto Unified School District, develop and implement a process for long- . range planning for facilities addressing educational and community services; actively explore opportunities for joint use of facilities. ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE: Complete work plan for the Zoning Ordinance update by the end of O0-01; review and¯get approval from the Council and initiate public input process,in 01-02. INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT PLAN: Complete work plan for the Zoning Ordinance update by the end of 00-01; review and get approval from the Council and initiate public input process in 01-02. RESIDENTIAL TRAFFIC CALMING: Implement residential traffic calming by developing and receiving approval for a prioritization system and completing the first year ($100, 000) of projects. Community Alerting System: Upgrade community-alerting SYstem to address concerns of residents living in the flood prone areas of Palo Alto. GUP: Complete review and make final recommendation to the County on the Stanford General Use Permit. SOFA: Complete Phase 2 of the PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan and begin implementation of Phase 1 (i.e. complete entitlement process for private development, select an affordable housing provider and complete plans for park developmenO. Transit Center: Present recommendations on Intermodal Transit Center to Council. Single Family Residential Guidelines: Finalize policies and guidelines for replacement ¯ homes for single family neighborhoods. Rickey’s Hyatt; Work with representatives of Rickey’s Hyatt to determine appropriate use and complete entitlement process. Cancer Center: Complete entitlement process for Stanford Cancer Center. FTTH: Build the Fiber to the Home trial and start billing by January 1, 2000. Competitiveness of Utilities: Begin implementation of the Utilities Strategic Plan by eliminating Municipal Code and other impediments to enhance competitiveness. UTS: Complete selection process for the Universal Telecommunications Services provider. * Council-identified additional, priorities Attachment 1 Water CIP: With approval of the required rate increase, begin implementation of the 5- year Water Fund Capital Improvement Program, including underground storage. Budget Process: Streamline the budgeting process anddocument. IT Strategic Plan: Implement remaining phases of Information Technology Strategic Plan (i.e. complete organizational changes, prepare emergency back-up plans, develop a financing proposal for systems replacement; and upgrade various safety services systems) in order to achieve productivity enhancements through technology.. Police Building: Complete Phase 2 of the Police Building project, including site selection, environmental assessment and bond financing. Employee Turnover: Develop and approve plan to reduce employee turnover (e.g. affordable housinff for emergency workers, 9/80 work schedule, childcare). Tech Academy: Implement a Tech Academy to provide career enhancement for employees as well as fill a deficiency in the recruitment market for technical employees. Parking Structures: Complete design of the two downtown parking structures, issue assessment district and complete bidding process for construction. Downtown Maintenance~ Receive approval for the financing proposalfor enhancing maintenance of the Downtown and initiate program. J-PA Projects: Identify short-term projects for San Francisquito Creek through cooperation in the Joint Powers Authority, secure funding and begin work. Storm Drain Fee: Conduct public outreach for the storm drainage fee increase and secure approval of financing plan. Los Altos Treatment Plant Site: Negotiate purchase of the remainder of the Los Altos Treatment Plant site from Los Altos, resolve permitting issues and finalize project scope and funding. Mercury/Dioxin Policy: Implement Council-approved Mercury/Dioxin policy for private businesses, the community and the City, including exploring the use of chlorine-free paper. Library Master Plan: Evaluate current library system issues with the assistance of a consultant, and upon approval of the Library Master Plan by. the Council, work with a consultant to develop an implementation plan and funding proposal. Beautification of E! Camino Real: Proceed with the El Camino Real beautification plan by securing Caltrans permission to initiate and then developing desig~n concepts for Council approval. Performing Arts Center: Complete feasibility study for the Performing Arts Center and secure Council direction for next steps. Opportunity Center: Working with the Community WorkingGroup, develop and implement a plan for an Opportunity Center in the Downtown area. Telecommunications Policy: Complete the. citywideTelecommunications Policy and receive Council apprOval of required governance changes; initiate implementation. Downtown Childcare Center: Complete the entitlement process for the Downtown Childcare Center. Communications and Marketing: Develop a plan and proposed budget for an internal and external communications and marketing plan and receive approval; implement plan. *Stewardship of Open Space: Remove Invasive Species *Establish Ombudsperson to Facilitate Staff/Community Interaction *Expand Shuttle System ;~Council-identified additional priorities