HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2301-090313.City Council Appointment of the Castilleja Neighborhood Committee in Accordance With
Condition Number 33 Contained in Record of Land Use Action 2022-22 Authorizing
Redevelopment of Private School at 1310 Bryant Street (Castilleja School).
Environmental Assessment: Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section
15061(b)(3).
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CITY COUNCIL
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Planning and Development Services
Meeting Date: June 19, 2023
Report #: 2301-0903
TITLE
City Council Appointment of the Castilleja Neighborhood Committee in Accordance With
Condition Number 33 Contained in Record of Land Use Action 2022-22 Authorizing
Redevelopment of Private School at 1310 Bryant Street (Castilleja School). Environmental
Assessment: Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council appoint Bruce McLeod, Rob Levitsky and Hank Sousa to serve two-
year terms on the Council-appointed Neighborhood Committee.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Last year the City Council approved several discretionary entitlements and a legislative change
to the municipal code to enable the redevelopment and increase enrollment for Castilleja
School located at the subject address. The project received significant public input and in its
deliberation, the City Council added a condition of approval requiring the formation of a
Council-appointed neighborhood committee to ensure opportunities for continued dialogue
between the school and area residents concerned about neighborhood impacts.
Condition number 33 on the record of land use action1 sets for the requirement for a three-
person committee that has the following advisory responsibilities:
I. Review transportation demand management reports and performance;
II. Review impacts related to special events and make recommendation to the planning
and development services director on future increases to the number of special events;
III. Review noise complaints and other impacts on the neighboring community related to
these conditions of approval;
1 June 6, 2022 Record of Land Use Action: www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/f65eb77d-4d17-41a6-8158-
44f1df3b649f/Casti-Signed-ROLUA-and-Exhibit.pdf
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IV. Coordinate with the school in organizing twice annual community meetings; and,
V. Provide recommendations to the planning and development services director on
whether the school has met conditions that would trigger changes in student
enrollment.
The committee is charged with convening within 30 days of submission of a transportation
demand management report and as needed to review other issues within its purview. Any
recommendation from the committee shall be submitted to the planning and development
director within 14 days of the meeting. As a Council-created committee, all meetings are
subject to the Brown Act which requires that meetings be noticed 72 hours in advance,
prohibits committee members from deliberating over items under their purview outside of
noticed meetings, and prohibits or to receive information serially from other committee
members.
The condition requiring a neighborhood committee does not stipulate a process for selecting
committee members and staff has not engaged in a formal process to solicit names for
recommendation. Forty-two residents living in the neighborhood that includes Castilleja School
have, on their own accord, advanced three names of individuals they would like the Council to
consider for appointment. Additionally, a fourth individual, Barbara Hazlett, submitted an email
to staff requesting consideration. Both of these records are included with this report for the
Council’s consideration for appointment.
The three names advanced by some of the area residents and recommended by staff for
appointment include:
•Bruce McLeod
•Rob Levitsky
•Hank Sousa
As Castilleja has submitted building permit plans for redevelopment and given the amount of
time that has lapsed since this project was approved, staff recommends Council appoint the
three individuals supported by the area residents in the attached document. In two years when
this process is repeated, staff will formalize the effort and prepare a brief application process;
responses will be forwarded to Council for its consideration.
If Council supports the recommended candidates, staff will follow up with a request for each
committee member to sign an affidavit asserting they live within 500 feet of Castilleja School
and understand the individual and committee requirements under the Brown Act.
While this action is being considered on the City Council’s consent calendar, if any three
Councilmembers would like to discuss or deliberate on the neighborhood committee
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assignments or process, this item could be pulled from consent and scheduled for a future
public hearing.
As a separate effort in August, staff will schedule a public hearing for the City Council to review
the final form version of the transportation demand management plan previously approved by
the City Council for the school on June 6, 2022. If the subject item is pulled from consent, staff
would recommend scheduling both matters at the same time.
RESOURCE IMPACT
The appointment of these individuals to the Castilleja Neighborhood Committee does
not result in a resource impact. Future more formal processes as well as support of
the Brown Act body may require staffing resources.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff has not engaged in a formal process to solicit names for recommendation or
selection to this committee. Forty-two residents living in the neighborhood that
includes Castilleja School, on their own accord, advanced three names of individuals
they would like the Council to consider for appointment. Staff will formalize the
effort and prepare a brief application process; responses will be forwarded to Council
for its consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Exempt from CEQA Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Neighborhood Committee Candidates
APPROVED BY:
Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Services Director